Chekov & Oates
1. Which version did you like better? What's the point of retelling the story?
2. "What triumph, to love like this in any room, anywhere, risking even the craziest of accidents!" Explain this reflection of Anna's and relate it to her character. (Oates)
3. Describe your response to Gurov in Parts I and II, and discuss how your judgment of him changes in the last two parts of the story. (Chekov)
I preferred Oate's version more. She made it seem more relatable in my opinion. I thought Anna's pain was more understandable for me at least. I did not like her version at first but at the end after thinking about it I liked it a lot more.
ReplyDeleteThe point of retelling a story is to make it a little more approachable. Sometimes a different approach to a story can make it more understandable. It makes it easier to comprehend each characters emotions and feelings.
ReplyDeleteI related to Chekhov's story more, in a way only a man can. Oates really appeals more to the female gender, while Chekhov goes at males. I enjoyed Chekhov's story, but I can see how most women couldn't relate.
ReplyDeleteThe point of retelling a story is to put your own personal spin and flavor on it. Retelling it, in this case especially, makes it more relatable to certain people. If I were to retell the story, it would probably be more relative to high school students and males. If Kyla retold the story, however, it would be more relatable to females.
ReplyDeleteTo help the women or people who could not relate to Chekhov's version of the story, I would like to share my own comprehension of it. Gurov is a man, domesticated by his spouse. He sees himself out and about, living it up on the streets and meeting all kinds of new people (women), but since his wife has him chained down, he can't. He feels like a dog in a kennel, and when he's left out while his owner is gone, he feels it necessary to chew on the pillows. (The owner being his wife, and the pillows being his flings, of course.)
ReplyDeleteI definitely enjoyed the original story by Chekov way more. Oates mixed the story up and it ruined my view of the story. For me, when Chekov was the author, it was more of a love story. When Oates rewrote the story it seemed more like Madame Bovary - yes, I disliked it that much.
ReplyDeleteI honestly thought Gurov was a sick, sexist pig in the first two parts. Then once he fell in love with Anna his views on women changed and so did my view of him. He just had this awful thought that all women were like his wife who he did NOT enjoy the company of at all. Disappointing as it may be it is the truth. I enjoyed Gurov a lot more in the last two parts than in the first two.
ReplyDeleteI think that the spin the Oates tried to create with her version of the story had a lot of potential. I think she changed it too much for my liking. The original story, like I said before, was more of a love story for me. I think the way that she could have improved is if she illustrated the way Anna felt about Gurov more. It just seemed way to scandalous for them to be in love when Oates retold the story.
ReplyDeleteEmily- I see how you like Chekov better. However Anna never felt extremely in love with Gurov, she didn't really love any man, so Oate's did not write about that love affair in depth. The affairs were scandalous in both stories, Oates just brought it out more in hers.
ReplyDeleteChase- totally liked your analogy of the dog and the pillows.
ReplyDeleteOn that note I,like Kyla, enjoyed the Oates version more. I found it being told from a women's perspective easier to relate to as well but I also just despised both characters in Chekov's story. I found them to be both sad, miserable people. I realize in Oate's story Anna self loathes as well but at the end she learned to accept herself more and I liked that. Also the resolution in the second story I thought was more hopeful.
My responses to Gurvov were I completely despised him at first. His views towards women kind did not impress me. Then I still kind of hated him because I wasn't too sure he loved her, I thought at first maybe he was just bored with his life. Then I realized he loved her but I still sort of hated him...then I realized it was pity. He was an old man by the time he discovered true love with an equally sad woman.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chase about the retelling but also I think that you retell a story to answer your own questions about the original material. Her story almost fills in the gaps of the original one.
ReplyDeleteI like Chekov's version better. Apparently the point of retelling the story was to ruin it *coughoatescough*
ReplyDeletethis is dope man
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