English 2033E Lecture Notes - Lewis Carroll, Rhyme Scheme, Herd Mentality
Document Summary
Absence of a moral message subversive energy (at the time of moralistic lit & cautionary tales), defying expectations, breaking rules. Chaotic energy always contained in some sort of ordering principle/framework. Nonsense words taken from nursery rhyme tradition. Adults don"t know meanings any more than the children imaginative freedom, multiple meanings. Lewis carroll portmanteau words put multiple words together into one (writhing + slimy = slithy) Underlying structure we know which nonsense words are nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc. Rhythm & rhyme dictate the choice of words structured by predictability of the rhyme. Lear & carroll began tradition of delighting children rather than instructing them. Predictability of the structure helps foster creativity kids can start to write their own. Common elements in lear limericks: rhyme scheme and rhythm, people defined by the place they are from. Places often must be mispronounced to work with the rhyme.