1. "Killings" by Dubus
a. Discuss the significance of the title. Why is "Killings" a more appropriate title than "Killers"?
b. How might "Killings" be considered a love story as well as a murder story?
2. "Young Goodman Brown" by Hawthorne
a. Discuss the symbolic value of the forest in the story. How are the descriptions of the forest contrasted with those of Salem village?
b. Near the end of the story, the narrator asks, "Had Goodman Brown fallen asleep in the forest and only dreamed a wild dream of a witch-meeting?" Was it a dream or did it actually happen? How does the answer to this question affect your reading of the story?
"Killings" can be classified as a love story in my opinion. Strout killed Frank because in his eyes Frank had stolen his girl and his family. The only way for Strout to get his family back was to eliminate Frank. Matt Fowler was crushed with the death of his son. In order to protect his wife from more grief he had to kill Strout.
ReplyDeleteI think that Goodman Brown just had a dream of the witch meeting. It made him realize that everyone has some wickedness in them, even if it is not visible to the naked eye. It changes your reading because it makes you really read into the actions and conversations and figure out the deeper meaning to them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kyla about the love story but it is a tragedy as well. You could compare the killings and grief to a Romeo and Juliet type of romance. Unlike Romeo and Juliet this story was not about violence between two families but a struggle between a family and an individual.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it was a dream in the forest.Not everyone in town would have been there! Or else they would all just practice freely in the town. However the dream revealed to Goodman Brown that there lies evil in even the best of us. Even the people he considered to be the most godly (his wife and the lady that taught him his catechism) were present at the witch meeting. Without the question at the end I think I would have been confused and bewildered at the meaning of the story. It clarifies the "moral" so to say.
ReplyDeleteThe forest represent evil, darkness, and witchery but is also a place to be who you truly are. One does not have to hid under a facade while in the forest. It is a place where "true colors" come out in contrast with the town of Salem which is very well lit and open but you more so have to play a part and act a certain way in the town. You do what is expected of you there.
ReplyDeleteThe word "killers" makes me think of a person who has repeatedly killed people, like Ted Bundy. The title being "Killings" makes more sense than "Killers" because both Strout and Fowler, to our knowledge, only killed once.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the occurrence in the forest actually happened to dear Goodman Brown. The reason I believe this is because he felt edgy at the end of his story and he died a gloomy death according to the last paragraph. I do not believe that a dream would have that affect on a young man til death.
ReplyDeleteThis actually has no affect on my reading of the story. While I was reading that portion of the story I believed it was actually happening.
In my opinion, Elizabeth drugged goodman brown when he said he had to go because she was tired of him leaving her. Thus explaining the freaky "dreams", emotions, and happenings while he was under the influence.
ReplyDelete"Killings" could be a love story because the reasoning behind both deaths, like Kyla said, had to do with love. Strout loved his ex-wife and was angry that Frank was with her. Frank's father, Matt Fowler, loved his son and was angry that Strout stole Frank's life away from him. While both deaths were directly linked to revenge and anger they were also linked to the love of another person.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my answer to the question causes me to feel pity for Nathaniel Hawthorne. Only because as a rule, we write what we know about. I'm sorry to hear that Mr. Hawthorne.
ReplyDeleteI think it is obvious that, having read some of Hawthorne's other works, the forest symbolizes evil and a multitude of devilish characteristics. However on another level, I feel the forest can be, and is this story, a setting where curiosity or subconscious thought bubbles up (it is a dream after all). Especially if the character (young goodman brown) were say. . . drugged!
ReplyDelete"Killings" is a more appropriate title than "Killers" because there is but one killer in the story. Also, the focus of the story is not on the killer, but on the details of the actual killings and the reasons that they occur.
ReplyDeleteThe reason "Killings" can be considered a love story as well as a murder story is because the reason for the murder is love. The story opens with innocent descriptions of one character's love, instantly qualifying the tale as a love story.
The forest in "Young Goodman Brown" represents evil. It is startlingly apparent. When Goodman Brown leaves the village and the arms of his lover, he enters the realm of the devil himself. I believe Hawthorne made an effort to create a very stark contrast between the village and the forest.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all the comments regarding the contrast between the forest and the village. The village seems quiet, and innocent, the forest on the other hand is portrayed as an evil place full of demons. It is like this however in a lot of old stories such as say The Scarlet Letter!
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