I found that the professors within the novel are simply putting on a mask within the world of academia of what a professor "should be," when in fact they lead interesting lives outside their passionless work. Swallow often groups himself in comparison with others saying "University teachers would never..." when in reality they are just like everyone else. The character of Cheryl is interesting in regards to this. Though her work is very repetitive and boring, like Persse, she makes the best of what it is to find joy in her life. It is almost the opposite of all the professors- they esteem their job very highly yet at the heart of the matter they truly do not enjoy what they do. Lodge says that in Cheryl's "hands she made an art of seat allocation." On a whole, Small world satirizes careers and work in general. Though the job does not make the man (as some of the professors seem to believe), the man truly makes the job (as seen with Cheryl, Angelica, and Persse). No matter what esteem society may hold your job or position, it says nothing about the character of the person.

It is ever more clear that this novel is a modern medieval tale. Persse has this unjustifiable desire for Angelica, yet she is unattainable. The conventions and travels are like a knight's quest or journeys for a greater purpose. His meeting with Angelica is perpetually prolonged, adding to his pining lust for her. As we have spoken in class in regards to other novels, I do not believe this love Persse has for Angelica to be pure- rather I think he loves the chase of it all, and the image in his head of her.

2. Persse seems to be the average person, caught up in this academic world solely by chance. Like Chretien's perceval, he is emnamored by all the experianced professors at the conferance, yet feels strange in this new world. "He stumbled against the wall and remained pressed to it for a moment while his sight accomondated to the gloom." Persse seems to be very out of place compared to the other characters.

4. Angelica is like the maiden or mistress in the medieval romances we have read. Everyone seems to be drawn to her based off her looks. "Angelica found someway to elude to him for the rest of the morning." Persse is completely in love with her although he has not truly gotten the chance to get to know her yet. Like Persse, her age and experiance also puts her out of place in the whole conferance.

6. I enjoyed MOrris Zapp's comparison of literature to a stripe tease! Although it is a little crooked, I think what he is saying makes perfect sense. More than just words and stories, literature has to be dug into to find or gain any true meaning.

2. Perceval begins to weep when he goes to repent to the hermit. When the hermit himself asks why he is weeping and why he is repenting, Perceval confesses it because he ever asked about the lance and the grail. Although he says this, it becomes immediately clear this is not something that bothers him, rather everyone else around him. Finally the Hermit is the one to shed light on the situation, bringing up the fact that Perceval caused his mother's death, and sub consciously, this has affected all his actions. His self image is stripped away here to reveal someone who can finally understand themselves. Perceval is his most vulnerable because the thing he is most passionate for- the knighthood- has changed the person he once was, for a new one that does not have a stable ground to stand on. Perceval has been trained to be a knight and a person by everyone else's standards but his own, and now, though it is unattainable, he wants to begin a journey back to the world he knew as a child with his mother, when things were simple.

3. Perceval has failed to act noble in almost all f his quests. Beginning with not turning around for his own mother, Perceval still acts as if the very principals of knighthood do not apply to him- ignoring the woman in authors court who was slapped, and effecting any innocence that surrounds him. The most charitable thing one can give is himself- and that is one thing Perceval will not give. His selfishness leads him into destruction- acting only upon things that will benefit his knighthood. Similar to how Perceval was first exposed to the knighthood- being completely enamored by the portrayal of the knight rather than what they do/ and/or represent, he only wants the one aspect of it all, the image.

1. Chretien writes a very long opening prologue. He gathers information from different sources, and leaves analyzation open to the reader. First, he opens with a quote that could possibly illustrate the actions of his main characters. " He who sows sparingly, reaps sparingly, but he who wishes to reap plentifully casts his seed on the ground that will bear him fruit a hundredfold; for a good seed withers and dies in worthless soil." Chretien opens with this quote for a purpose. Whatever effort one puts into things, will be the outcome of it all; rather than wish for things to happen, one must take action in order to achieve it. Next, Chretien shows the purity of "the count" but also his almost contradictory gospel quote that he lives by- "let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing." IN other words, it is acceptable to sin if it does not interfere with the other aspects of life. I think that Chretien will create a man who is not a bad person, yet he lusts. He will put all his effort into everything he does, and unlike some of the other characters we have focused on, with this romance the characters can 'have a life' too.

2, Perceval is completely enamored with the knights. Whatever they say to him seems to be clouded by his sheer curiousness and wonder. Chretien plays upon the senses to make the knights seem larger-than-life. At first, Perceval can only hear them approaching; he things it is someone from the devil coming after him. Next, the knights step into the sunlight and Perceval can see their glory. Once they are in the light, they are the next extreme: angels. Perceval must touch their lances and their armour, he is not satisfied by letting the knights pass as they wish. Perceval puts them at God's level, and meanwhile the knights do not care about their positions at all-one said he was just knighted five days before. Chretien draws ultimate irony when the one thing the boys wants to be, a knight, is what he was destined for, but ultimately cannot be, according to his mother.

3. Perceval's mother is afraid of losing her son like she lost her husband, and references him to her only happiness and joy. She knew that he would be drawn to such a life if he was exposed to it. Like the conversation with the knights, Perceval only hears what he wants to hear. He ignores her words, and makes a plan to be knighted, gets dressed and leaves. For being his mother's only joy in life, he is completely insensitive to her feelings at all. His mother tries to give him last advice before he departs, yet Perceval YET AGAIN, asks about chapels and churches. I think his ignorance will ultimately lead to his downfall. You cannot be an ignorant knight.

I am annoyed it Perceval's character!

7. Do you have any interpretation to the final moments of the film?

Matthieu seems to be drawn to a woman resewing a piece of lace in a window shop. There is this dirty, broken piece of what used to be beautiful lace that is being repaired. I think the lace could represent Matthieu's first vision of Conchita, what she stood for in his mind, then the broken lace is Conchita in reality. The lace is meant to be ripped because like Matthieu's desires, the lace must be used and aged in order to be fully appreciated. Matthieu is still enthralled by the broken lace. It is being resown just like his relationship, if you could call it that, with Conchita. Now that perhaps he is all to aware of the real person she is, what happened in the past can be mended into something that is real and able to be used. And unlike the brand new beautiful lace, it is appreciated with all it's flaws, if not better.

2. Why do you think that terrorism is an ever pervasive "background" to the events in the film?

More than anything, I believe that the terrorism speaks as the voice of lust/desire/love in this film. Matthieu's desire or blinded love for Conchita is corrupt and twisted. He is no more in love with her, than he is for what she represents. Conchita is an unattainable person to him, thus the "perfect" figure to have in Mattieu's eyes. This is what ultimately leads to his down fall, because Conchita knows the game of the chase. And like wise, she does not wanted to be treated as the object Matthieu alludes to her as. She obviously says this at one point to Matthieu... 'I am not just an object or item you can have.' The terrorism also illustrates that love of value must be fought for. Though Conchita is not the person Matthieu is in love with, she is what Matthieu must have. Only at the end, after all the downfalls, heart break, and flaws can they MAYBE have a real relationship. The terrorist attack that kills (?) or strikes them in the end, is the emotion washing over them. If their relationship is going to continue, it will not all be flowery pastures. Instead, it must be continually worked on, and their problems will not just disappear.

1. I feel that Melibea and Calisto meet in the dead of night because, like their relationship, the darkness clouds the truth. They are in love with being in love, simply for the chase. Sex is the only thing central t tehir relationship. Nighttime is ofte reguared as a time for lust- a time when wild things can happen without the reason of the daylight. It is symbollic of what both charactors want out of each other, and also the appearance of their relationship to society.

2. Calisto an Melibea do not truly love each othr. As we hv taked about many times, Melibea is committed to the chase, not the relationship. Calisto on the other hand, is in love with an ethereal figure that does not exist. The word love is thrown around often by many characters, but most of all, I think it is part of Celestina's motive to let her plan follow through. Melibea's suicide is not driven by love, I feel it is out of shame. She is descending from the tower as a woman who has been defeated by her shame. I call it shame because she disappointed herself more than anyone. Rather than be broken by Calisto's death or Celestina's, Melibea points blame and suffers for it all.

3. Both characters die while descending from something. This is significant because they are both falls from grace. Neither Calisto or Melibea remain the person they began. Instead, the greediness and chase of love consume them. Celestine represents desire- once she is dead, all the characters get a reality check. They know love is not what drive them, lust does. When they all continue this game knowing the truth, their fall from grace is inevitable. They know the truth yet refuse to let it set them free.

Calisto questions if consummating his desires was worth the fight. He is aware of what this love has done to himself- all that he has lost and changed in order to have it. He find it fulfilling overall, but he is probably left with an even bigger burden. Though he is completely sexually satisfied, this does not seem to be the "problem," the problem is wanting more. So, though he is almost ashamed of his happiness, he embraces it. however,he is not as fulfil ed as he expected. Once he has gotten a taste of Melibea's love, he wants the whole thing (or, more). As a whole, this reflects human desire. Human beings can never be satisfied with what they have- it is what we cannot have, what he hope for and what we want the drive us. Though he is disillusioned by what he wants out of her, sex, he realizes it is not enough at all.