1. Do you feel sorry for Lady Macbeth? Why or why not?
Knowing how Lady Macbeth persuaded Macbeth to murder Duncan, it is hard to feel sorry for Lady Macbeth. She is portrayed as such a strong and bold character in the beginning; even more so than Macbeth. Therefore, it is easy to feel like she deserves what befalls her. However, her mental deterioration due to her consummate guilt really made me feel sorry for her near the end of the play. The scene with her sleepwalking, and the repeated hand-washing motion, a sign of Lady Macbeth’s own awareness of her guilt, made me feel pity. No matter the initial intention, when a character feels so guilty as to sleepwalk and express regret over what has occurred, I believe there should be a chance for redemption. We know that there is no redemption for Lady Macbeth, and that is why this play is so tragic.
In another sense of the word, I do feel sorry that Lady Macbeth was so blinded by her opportunity to become queen. I am sorry that she committed suicide instead of trying to stop Macbeth from going all out. From her complete mental deterioration due to her guilt, I feel like she is a fragile woman inside. Perhaps living her life as wife to a Thane, with power and without troubles, never allowed her to become aware of her own fragileness.
2. Macbeth was a good guy before he met the witches, just always capable of dark deeds. I do not think it is fair to call him a bad guy even if he has always been capable of dark deeds because then everyone should be bad. As human beings we are all vulnerable to and capable of committing dark deeds; we cannot see the true heart of anyone until we see him or her in stressful conditions or in a position to achieve power as in the case of Macbeth. There was an experiment done that tested how “nice” people would act when in positions of authority in a jail. If I remember correctly, most of them started acting with violence towards inmates. It just shows me how human beings are innately “evil.”
So we cannot really blame the witches. Macbeth was always capable of dark deeds. Assuming that Macbeth’s thirst for power is his hamartia, I think it is extremely interesting that Macbeth became a Thane without any foul play. Although we do not know for sure whether he achieved a Thane status without foul play, he is described as a valiant warrior who led his army to victory in the exposition. I would think that he would have had his downfall earlier if his thirst for power is his hamartia. This leads me to wonder whether Macbeth’s hamartia, or hamartia in general, always leads to destruction of the individual. If there were no witches, Macbeth probably would have lived on fine being Thane of Cawdor.
3. I betrayed one of my best friends in middle school for a girl. He told me he liked the girl, but I also like the girl too; I just never told my friend. But I knew that the girl liked me. I ended up dating the girl, which completely broke our friendship. At first, I did not feel that guilty. I made all these excuses in my head that what I was doing was okay, and that my friend was overreacting. Soon enough, however, I started feeling really guilty. I realized what a stupid mistake I had made. I ended the relationship with the girl and tried to plea to my friend, who already forgot about me by that time. My other friends told me that ending the friendship because of a girl was stupid indeed, but they also told me that if my best friend was a real friend, he would accept me back. To this day he avoids me. I wish I could go back in time and fix things…
I definitely think Lady Macbeth’s response is plausible. I personally know some people who have almost no tolerance for guilt, and I have heard about many people committing suicide because of their guilt. John’s TOK presentation comes to mind, when he told us about the photographer of the child starving in Africa who committed suicide due to his guilt. If I were in her situation, I believe I would be consumed with guilt as well, but I do not think I would end my life. I believe there is always redemption, so no matter how heinous of a crime I have committed, I would try to fix things.
4. I have dreamt about really random and weird things, but I do not think I have ever experienced a predicted dream. I have experienced a de javu, if that counts.
Besides friends and family telling me things like “You’re gonna do great tomorrow” and me actually doing something well, no one has ever suggested anything about my future that has actually come true.
My parents always tell me I am going to become a “successful” person. They use this Korean word that is kind of like successful but is more like a mix of successful and influential. Although this apparently has not come true yet, it has affected me in some ways. Their comments sometimes give me confidence and other times help me push myself to become a better person. However, I am also a bit pressured and stressed at times because I do not want to let them down. I want them to be proud of me.
If some witches appeared and told me something about my future, I definitely think their comments would affect me. If I were in Macbeth’s shoes, I honestly do not think I would have been able to block off Lady Macbeth’s demonic whisper to murder Duncan, although I like to think I can. Knowing what befalls Macbeth, however, I would do things differently.
There will be many temptations throughout my life, ones that will cause me to act selfish, foolish, or greedy. Although I know that I will make some mistakes, I know that it is always better to go against my desires. This is what I am personally taking away from Macbeth.
2008년 12월 5일 금요일
2008년 11월 26일 수요일
Lady Macbeth Now and Then
“What’s done is done.” (3.2.14)
This line comes from a conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after Duncan’s murder. Macbeth is suspicious of Banquo, knowing that he too has heard the prophecies of the witches. The readers know from his soliloquy at the beginning of Act 3 that Banquo is actually suspicious, and although Banquo assures his loyalty to Macbeth during their conversation, there is tension between them when Macbeth invites Banquo to dinner.
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth converse after this, both expressing their unhappiness about what has happened, especially the fleeing of Donalbain and Macduff from Scotland. This particular line comes from Lady Macbeth as she tries to comfort Macbeth, telling him that he should not worry about what is out of his power. She is frustrated herself yet again taking the role of a man tries to console Macbeth.
“What’s done cannot be undone.” (5.1.71)
This line is from Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking. After the murder of Banquo and Fleance’s escape, a dinner is held at Macbeth’s castle. Due to the guilt he feels, Macbeth witnesses Banquo’s ghost, and he is the only one able to see it. This surprises everyone, and Lady Macbeth eventually has to ask all others to leave. She is also shocked and feels guilty by association, although she really did not have much to do with the plan to murder Banquo and Fleance.
After several scenes, a gentlewoman reports Lady Macbeth’s walking in her sleep to a doctor. As they watch her, Lady Macbeth goes on talking to herself, expressing her remorse and shame about everything that has happened since Duncan’s murder. It is evident from her mention of Fife that she knows about the murder of Macduff’s family. This has caused her to feel extremely guilty, again by association. This feeling of guilt is evident by her repeated hand-washing motion and her repeated mention of the word “blood”, a motif throughout the play associated with guiltiness.
In both instances, Lady Macbeth is expressing her guilt and frustration about what has happened. It is apparent that the second line is a stronger of Lady Macbeth’s guilt not only because of the state she is in (sleepwalking) but the line “What is done cannot be undone” entails some kind of regret and hopelessness as opposed to “What is done is done”, ‘so let’s move on.’ The latter line is also a foreshadowing of what is going to befall Lady Macbeth...
This line comes from a conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after Duncan’s murder. Macbeth is suspicious of Banquo, knowing that he too has heard the prophecies of the witches. The readers know from his soliloquy at the beginning of Act 3 that Banquo is actually suspicious, and although Banquo assures his loyalty to Macbeth during their conversation, there is tension between them when Macbeth invites Banquo to dinner.
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth converse after this, both expressing their unhappiness about what has happened, especially the fleeing of Donalbain and Macduff from Scotland. This particular line comes from Lady Macbeth as she tries to comfort Macbeth, telling him that he should not worry about what is out of his power. She is frustrated herself yet again taking the role of a man tries to console Macbeth.
“What’s done cannot be undone.” (5.1.71)
This line is from Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking. After the murder of Banquo and Fleance’s escape, a dinner is held at Macbeth’s castle. Due to the guilt he feels, Macbeth witnesses Banquo’s ghost, and he is the only one able to see it. This surprises everyone, and Lady Macbeth eventually has to ask all others to leave. She is also shocked and feels guilty by association, although she really did not have much to do with the plan to murder Banquo and Fleance.
After several scenes, a gentlewoman reports Lady Macbeth’s walking in her sleep to a doctor. As they watch her, Lady Macbeth goes on talking to herself, expressing her remorse and shame about everything that has happened since Duncan’s murder. It is evident from her mention of Fife that she knows about the murder of Macduff’s family. This has caused her to feel extremely guilty, again by association. This feeling of guilt is evident by her repeated hand-washing motion and her repeated mention of the word “blood”, a motif throughout the play associated with guiltiness.
In both instances, Lady Macbeth is expressing her guilt and frustration about what has happened. It is apparent that the second line is a stronger of Lady Macbeth’s guilt not only because of the state she is in (sleepwalking) but the line “What is done cannot be undone” entails some kind of regret and hopelessness as opposed to “What is done is done”, ‘so let’s move on.’ The latter line is also a foreshadowing of what is going to befall Lady Macbeth...
2008년 11월 3일 월요일
Blog Response #3
Marsh Languages
I also like this poem very much. I chose this poem as the poem that demonstrates fall. This poem literally laments the loss of “Marsh Languages,” which is very true in today’s world in which languages of the minority are disappearing quickly. I say literal because a conceit may be used in the poem, which opens it up for different interpretations, such as “men taking over world.” The commonality between all different possible interpretations is that of one group dominating the rest. Thus, I believe this poem speaks to the human tendency to be egotistic, which in this case is a tragic flaw as shown by the fall demonstrated throughout this poem. When one believes so strongly in one’s ideas, one may become so arrogant as to declare that his/her and only his/her idea is correct and that all other ideas are meaningless. Human haughtiness has shown itself to have disastrous effects again and again throughout history. The most shameful event in modern history is Hitler’s Nazi Regime, which is definitely a result of Hitler’s egotism believing that Aryans are the best, and thus all others should be exterminated.
This hamartia embedded in the poem is closely related to the message of the poem. I think hamartia, if located in a poem, is almost as valuable as the theme in pointing out the correct message intended by the author.
I also like this poem very much. I chose this poem as the poem that demonstrates fall. This poem literally laments the loss of “Marsh Languages,” which is very true in today’s world in which languages of the minority are disappearing quickly. I say literal because a conceit may be used in the poem, which opens it up for different interpretations, such as “men taking over world.” The commonality between all different possible interpretations is that of one group dominating the rest. Thus, I believe this poem speaks to the human tendency to be egotistic, which in this case is a tragic flaw as shown by the fall demonstrated throughout this poem. When one believes so strongly in one’s ideas, one may become so arrogant as to declare that his/her and only his/her idea is correct and that all other ideas are meaningless. Human haughtiness has shown itself to have disastrous effects again and again throughout history. The most shameful event in modern history is Hitler’s Nazi Regime, which is definitely a result of Hitler’s egotism believing that Aryans are the best, and thus all others should be exterminated.
This hamartia embedded in the poem is closely related to the message of the poem. I think hamartia, if located in a poem, is almost as valuable as the theme in pointing out the correct message intended by the author.
Blog Response #2
In the Secular Night
I think this poem is beautiful. Out of all the poems we have discussed in class, I would say this is my favorite. I would say it is much more comprehensible than Ava Gardner Reincarnated as Magnolia, although maybe this is because I got slammed for my interpretation on that poem… The class came up with the theme “rejection of the sacred and seeking fulfillment from the world eventually leads to loneliness.” I sort of agree with this theme, but I think it is too vague. I am a bit scared to voice my own opinion because it was not pretty when I did so for Because I Could Not Stop for Death, but since this is a blog entry…
I think this poem has to do with the idea that the world is moving away from God in general and that conditions of the world we exist in prompt this movement away from God. In the text there is the character that feels lonely and finds fulfillment from vanilla ice-cream, grape juice, music, baby lima beans, etc. However, the character is still lonely. Then all verbs become present tense. “There is so much silence between the words, / you say.” The you refers to the character in the poem. Then the character says that the “sensed absence of God and the sensed presence amount to much the same thing,” which apparently shows that the character thinks the existence of God is an inconsequential aspect of her life. After, the character says that “I have too much white clothing.” This is the first and only reference to “I” which is the character referring to himself. The character just outright rejects God and says “too much white clothing,” where white has a connotation that goes along the lines of “white, pure, clean, goodness.” The final few lines are quite interesting. It says that it is not heresy or mysticism to not believe in God anymore, which suggests a general distancing of the world from God. Up to this point, the character slowly supports her belief for the inexistence of God. And then suddenly there are sirens, and someone dies. This deals with one of the most frequently asked questions about God, which goes something like “If God exists then why do such bad things happen?” So basically, the character’s belief is reinforced by the world. And then it says the century “grinds on” which suggests that people are having a hard time coping with the secular world, which includes this character.
I think this poem is beautiful. Out of all the poems we have discussed in class, I would say this is my favorite. I would say it is much more comprehensible than Ava Gardner Reincarnated as Magnolia, although maybe this is because I got slammed for my interpretation on that poem… The class came up with the theme “rejection of the sacred and seeking fulfillment from the world eventually leads to loneliness.” I sort of agree with this theme, but I think it is too vague. I am a bit scared to voice my own opinion because it was not pretty when I did so for Because I Could Not Stop for Death, but since this is a blog entry…
I think this poem has to do with the idea that the world is moving away from God in general and that conditions of the world we exist in prompt this movement away from God. In the text there is the character that feels lonely and finds fulfillment from vanilla ice-cream, grape juice, music, baby lima beans, etc. However, the character is still lonely. Then all verbs become present tense. “There is so much silence between the words, / you say.” The you refers to the character in the poem. Then the character says that the “sensed absence of God and the sensed presence amount to much the same thing,” which apparently shows that the character thinks the existence of God is an inconsequential aspect of her life. After, the character says that “I have too much white clothing.” This is the first and only reference to “I” which is the character referring to himself. The character just outright rejects God and says “too much white clothing,” where white has a connotation that goes along the lines of “white, pure, clean, goodness.” The final few lines are quite interesting. It says that it is not heresy or mysticism to not believe in God anymore, which suggests a general distancing of the world from God. Up to this point, the character slowly supports her belief for the inexistence of God. And then suddenly there are sirens, and someone dies. This deals with one of the most frequently asked questions about God, which goes something like “If God exists then why do such bad things happen?” So basically, the character’s belief is reinforced by the world. And then it says the century “grinds on” which suggests that people are having a hard time coping with the secular world, which includes this character.
2008년 9월 28일 일요일
Emily Dickinson
From what I understand from reading biographies of the three great poets, I find myself most similar to Dickinson. The first characteristic that drew my attention was her introversion and reclusiveness. Although people probably would not call me a recluse I am quite introverted. The fact that Emily Dickinson had a troubling childhood due to the deaths of close ones made me feel a certain connection because something similar happened during my childhood. My “cool” uncle, the one who always let me do things that my parents or other elders wouldn’t let me do, passed away due to cancer. Later on, my best friend who I had known for four years committed suicide. Although I tried not to think about the deaths too much, I know they left a huge impact on my past and hence influence who I am today. I know those deaths are what come to my mind whenever we discuss ideas that relate to the ‘purpose of life’ and I remember thinking about them quite a bit when we discussed Albert Camus and his absurdist perspective. In a similar fashion, Dickinson writes about the theme of morbidity throughout her poems.
It says on Wikipedia that one of Dickinson’s themes throughout was something called “The Undiscovered Continent.” It refers to viewing the mind and spirit as tangible and physical environments, and a place where she claims to have had lived in for much of her life. She refers to it as the “Undiscovered Continent” and the “Landscape of the Spirit.” I think this is just extremely interesting. I have actually thought of my mind as such a place after reading about the Plato’s story about the Cave. So the theme just spoke out to me.
It says on Wikipedia that one of Dickinson’s themes throughout was something called “The Undiscovered Continent.” It refers to viewing the mind and spirit as tangible and physical environments, and a place where she claims to have had lived in for much of her life. She refers to it as the “Undiscovered Continent” and the “Landscape of the Spirit.” I think this is just extremely interesting. I have actually thought of my mind as such a place after reading about the Plato’s story about the Cave. So the theme just spoke out to me.
2008년 8월 29일 금요일
Blog Assignment #1
1. What passage did you find the
most beautiful in this novel
and why? Dig into setting
here, and give us detail about
why you have chosen your
passage.
My favorite passage is the one we did an oral commentary on (E block class, Nicholas saving the nun). It was my favorite scene before I ever knew we were going to do an oral commentary on it. I was intrigued by the description of Nicholas Temelcoff; if I saw him in real life, myself as a young boy, I probably could not have gotten my eyes off of him. The way he catches a nun in the air was really cool. I thought it was too fictional that Nicholas caught the nun, but the passage is beautiful nonetheless. Tree-climbing was one of my interests as a kid. My friend lived in a neighborhood with a park nearby, with these gigantic trees with long branches that would meet up and create a web of branches high in the air. We would climb up and sit down and talk, just enjoying the view. Sometimes ants would crawl all over us, and we would climb down quickly and roll on the grass to get the ants off. After closely studying the passage in preparation for the oral, I discovered very neat things about the significance of the bridge as a setting. A bridge generally symbolizes connection. In the passage, we see the meeting of the nun and Nicholas. This is where the connection starts. Even more interesting is the fact that Commissioner Harris is the one who overlooks the building of the bridge. We later see Patrick (connected to the nun, Alice) meet Harris. This passage is where the connections all begin. I thought it was pretty neat. Also, the building of the bridge represents the control that the rich have over foreign workers. In this passage we see Nicholas strapped onto only a rope; even for his special skills, he gets paid very little. He is at the mercy of the bridge, just like how most foreign workers are at the mercy of their employers.
2. What character do you most
identify with in this novel and
why? Is pathos an element of
your response to this character?
Again, be specific here.
Look for textual evidence and
help us understand your
thoughts.
Patrick is definitely the character that I can relate to the most. We have established the fact that Patrick does not have a sense of identity. Due to this, I think Patrick also does not have a purpose. I feel for Patrick because I have experienced that feeling of emptiness, a lack of purpose. My life can sometimes get so busy that I do not have time to think about my purpose. Other times, I just do not want to grapple with my goals, in part because I am scared I do not have any, and in part because they seem to be so superficial. In the end I go back doing what I normally do… school, friends, and family. It’s not that they mean nothing to me. It’s just that I do not want them to be me. I feel like Patrick becomes so obsessed with others that he himself does not have an identity; instead, he is defined by others. This is true for everybody to some extent… An individual is defined by the people around him or her. However, it seems almost as if Patrick mimics other characters. The face he sees when he looks into a pool of water is not himself but Alice, Clara, Hana, Nicholas, Cato, Ambrose…
I feel pathos for Patrick throughout the book. One example is on page 72.
-No, we can stay. You’ll like her. But sometime after that I’ll leave you.
-For Ambrose.
-Yes, for Ambrose. And you must never follow me.
-It takes me a long time to forgive.
-Don’t worry, Patrick. Things fill in. People are replaced.
The lack of emotion from Patrick just makes me feel even more pathos. Also, Clara’s cold way of saying how people are replaced makes me feel pity for Patrick. In a sense, Patrick is “in the skin of a lion.” He is hiding his sorrow.
Pathos is also incorporated in describing Patrick’s way of life working on the tunnel. Ondaatje describes him taking off all of his clothes, putting them in the corner, falling asleep, only to wake up again at six in the morning and wear the same clothes, “hard as armour.” Although nowhere near the same, I have that kind of feeling many times in the morning, especially in winter. Just like the underground humidity “[falls] back into his clothes quick as rain,” taking a shower in the morning has a similar effect for me.
3. Is tragic flaw an issue in this
novel? Choose one character
and explore how their tragic
flaw resulted in disaster.
Patrick’s tragic flaw is his lack of identity, as mentioned above. There are many references to “light” throughout the book, which is connected to Patrick’s search for identity. Even the third chapter is named The Searcher. His lack of identity causes him to be shaped by others. In the beginning, he becomes obsessed with Clara. It seems as if he is almost controlled by her. Even though she has used him only to satisfy her physical desires, and eventually chooses money (Ambrose) over him, Patrick cannot forget her who has given her identity and searches for her for a long time. Later on, he is heavily influenced by Alice, and as an obvious consequence he is severely affected by her death. The title of the book is connected to this. Although Patrick does not have to react violently to Alice’s death, he does, because he cannot share his sorrow with anyone else. He is hiding his true feelings, trapped inside “the Skin of a Lion.” The sudden loss of his identity (Alice) causes him to do irrational things, such as blowing up the hotel in Muskoka. It eventually leads to the climax of the story, when Patrick swims through the tunnel he built in order to blow up Waterworks. Thus, it can be said that tragic flaw is an issue in this novel. However, unlike hamartia, the tragic flaw of Patrick In the Skin of a Lion makes room for redemption. Like the theme we came up in class, ‘sorrow can initially cause an individual to lose his/her identity, but through grappling with sorrow, transformation of the individual can occur,’ Patrick is given an opportunity to grapple with his sorrow and transform. Patrick’s flaw and the death of Alice becomes foundation for Patrick’s uncontrollable sorrow. However, the book finishes with “lights” for Patrick, signifying possible hope. He seems to be very close to what he has been searching throughout the book.
most beautiful in this novel
and why? Dig into setting
here, and give us detail about
why you have chosen your
passage.
My favorite passage is the one we did an oral commentary on (E block class, Nicholas saving the nun). It was my favorite scene before I ever knew we were going to do an oral commentary on it. I was intrigued by the description of Nicholas Temelcoff; if I saw him in real life, myself as a young boy, I probably could not have gotten my eyes off of him. The way he catches a nun in the air was really cool. I thought it was too fictional that Nicholas caught the nun, but the passage is beautiful nonetheless. Tree-climbing was one of my interests as a kid. My friend lived in a neighborhood with a park nearby, with these gigantic trees with long branches that would meet up and create a web of branches high in the air. We would climb up and sit down and talk, just enjoying the view. Sometimes ants would crawl all over us, and we would climb down quickly and roll on the grass to get the ants off. After closely studying the passage in preparation for the oral, I discovered very neat things about the significance of the bridge as a setting. A bridge generally symbolizes connection. In the passage, we see the meeting of the nun and Nicholas. This is where the connection starts. Even more interesting is the fact that Commissioner Harris is the one who overlooks the building of the bridge. We later see Patrick (connected to the nun, Alice) meet Harris. This passage is where the connections all begin. I thought it was pretty neat. Also, the building of the bridge represents the control that the rich have over foreign workers. In this passage we see Nicholas strapped onto only a rope; even for his special skills, he gets paid very little. He is at the mercy of the bridge, just like how most foreign workers are at the mercy of their employers.
2. What character do you most
identify with in this novel and
why? Is pathos an element of
your response to this character?
Again, be specific here.
Look for textual evidence and
help us understand your
thoughts.
Patrick is definitely the character that I can relate to the most. We have established the fact that Patrick does not have a sense of identity. Due to this, I think Patrick also does not have a purpose. I feel for Patrick because I have experienced that feeling of emptiness, a lack of purpose. My life can sometimes get so busy that I do not have time to think about my purpose. Other times, I just do not want to grapple with my goals, in part because I am scared I do not have any, and in part because they seem to be so superficial. In the end I go back doing what I normally do… school, friends, and family. It’s not that they mean nothing to me. It’s just that I do not want them to be me. I feel like Patrick becomes so obsessed with others that he himself does not have an identity; instead, he is defined by others. This is true for everybody to some extent… An individual is defined by the people around him or her. However, it seems almost as if Patrick mimics other characters. The face he sees when he looks into a pool of water is not himself but Alice, Clara, Hana, Nicholas, Cato, Ambrose…
I feel pathos for Patrick throughout the book. One example is on page 72.
-No, we can stay. You’ll like her. But sometime after that I’ll leave you.
-For Ambrose.
-Yes, for Ambrose. And you must never follow me.
-It takes me a long time to forgive.
-Don’t worry, Patrick. Things fill in. People are replaced.
The lack of emotion from Patrick just makes me feel even more pathos. Also, Clara’s cold way of saying how people are replaced makes me feel pity for Patrick. In a sense, Patrick is “in the skin of a lion.” He is hiding his sorrow.
Pathos is also incorporated in describing Patrick’s way of life working on the tunnel. Ondaatje describes him taking off all of his clothes, putting them in the corner, falling asleep, only to wake up again at six in the morning and wear the same clothes, “hard as armour.” Although nowhere near the same, I have that kind of feeling many times in the morning, especially in winter. Just like the underground humidity “[falls] back into his clothes quick as rain,” taking a shower in the morning has a similar effect for me.
3. Is tragic flaw an issue in this
novel? Choose one character
and explore how their tragic
flaw resulted in disaster.
Patrick’s tragic flaw is his lack of identity, as mentioned above. There are many references to “light” throughout the book, which is connected to Patrick’s search for identity. Even the third chapter is named The Searcher. His lack of identity causes him to be shaped by others. In the beginning, he becomes obsessed with Clara. It seems as if he is almost controlled by her. Even though she has used him only to satisfy her physical desires, and eventually chooses money (Ambrose) over him, Patrick cannot forget her who has given her identity and searches for her for a long time. Later on, he is heavily influenced by Alice, and as an obvious consequence he is severely affected by her death. The title of the book is connected to this. Although Patrick does not have to react violently to Alice’s death, he does, because he cannot share his sorrow with anyone else. He is hiding his true feelings, trapped inside “the Skin of a Lion.” The sudden loss of his identity (Alice) causes him to do irrational things, such as blowing up the hotel in Muskoka. It eventually leads to the climax of the story, when Patrick swims through the tunnel he built in order to blow up Waterworks. Thus, it can be said that tragic flaw is an issue in this novel. However, unlike hamartia, the tragic flaw of Patrick In the Skin of a Lion makes room for redemption. Like the theme we came up in class, ‘sorrow can initially cause an individual to lose his/her identity, but through grappling with sorrow, transformation of the individual can occur,’ Patrick is given an opportunity to grapple with his sorrow and transform. Patrick’s flaw and the death of Alice becomes foundation for Patrick’s uncontrollable sorrow. However, the book finishes with “lights” for Patrick, signifying possible hope. He seems to be very close to what he has been searching throughout the book.
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