Goat Guy 4th
“Summoner’s Tale” / ”Canterbury Tales”
Postmodernism in the “Summoner’s Tale”
Summary
Geoffrey Chaucer’s work “Canterbury Tales” is most definitely a piece of medieval literature including the “Summoner’s Tale.” It is clearly a work of medieval literature because it is a story of morality, an allegory, the linguistics of the story, and its use of satire. It is a story of morality because it contains moral lessons and warnings about the consequences of sinful behavior. It is not just a moral story, but also an allegory because of the broader idea that the summoner and friar are representatives of the corruption in the church.
Postmodern Connections
#1 Fragmentation
Like many postmodern texts, "The Summoner's Tale" features fragmentation, both in terms of narrative structure and character portrayal. The tale is part of a larger work with multiple narrators and interwoven stories, reflecting the fragmented nature of reality and knowledge that is often explored in postmodern literature. The majority of the fragmentation is seen in dialogue between the friar and the summoner who have been constantly bickering with one another such as “he served them with fables and silly stories. ““No,” cried the Friar, ““there you lie, you Summoner!””(1759-61). where the summoner is defaming the friar while he tries to defend himself. This is a prime example of the postmodern element of fragmentation.
Pyramid Song by Radiohead
Songs and Schemes
Summary
The song “Pyramid Song '' by Radiohead is a way to speak of another style of life. One where time is irrelevant and everything is a circle. There is a sort of surreal and supernatural emotion and feeling of unease throughout the entire song. It is set in an underwater city where the singer is in the presence of “black-eyed angels” and in the ocean with lots of bones of dead animals and presumably fish. Then outside of the ocean there are supernatural lights floating through a dark and red sky until they eventually fade away. It creates a cycle of bliss and joy, but then a feeling of going under the water and drowning in the weight of the world. Wherever this magical pyramid is, I don't think it’s for me. I mean supernatural intervention and lots of dead things? Absolutely not! Heck, some days I can’t even swim!
Postmodern Elements
Fragmentation
The song lyrics and when they are sung although they have repetition are staggered and fragmented. There is imagery throughout the song that mirrors postmodern elements of literature where they are loosely structured and nonlinear. The nonlinear way of storytelling is similar to the way that the song is dictated in circles and not quantitative time. This is a sense of distortion to the time and doesn’t make the song choppy but creates room for a lot of instrumentals and sound that is not lyrics.
Surrealism
The music video and song by Radiohead is chalk full of surrealism. Whether it is the uncanny depiction of the angels and person, the floating bones, or the content of the lyrics it is all surreal. The song and video create a dreamlike state which blurs reality and mixes the boundaries with truth and fantasy. This ties in to the postmodern element of surrealism and the way that things are perceived.
Reactions
Pyramid Schemes
Of course the initial reaction to anything with the word pyramid in it has to be pyramid schemes and it is NOT up for debate. Do you know what pyramid schemes make people think of? Mattress stores. Everyone knows that they aren’t real and are a front for money laundering. All of these mattress stores are located in shopping centers. DO you know what else is in shopping centers? Pizza restaurants. Another triangle which is basically a pyramid! I’m glad I could get that off my chest. The other connection is I’m pretty sure radio hints the name “radiohead” is now a pyramid scheme because honestly, who uses the radio and not a streaming service anymore.
Oceanfront Property
The use of water and ocean imagery throughout this song really reminds me of one of the all time classic songs “Oceanfront Property” by George Strait. This song is a man talking to his ex wife about how he doesn’t care anymore and if she believes him when he says that she can have his oceanfront property in Arizona. Strait also uses lots of imagery and visuals in his song as a way to deal with the emotions he is feeling. The sarcasm Strait uses adds to the sense of surrealism that the pyramid song has.
My Take
“Pyramid Song” by Radiohead also uses the postmodern element of fragmentation. Unlike the “Summoner’s Tale” it is not used in interrupting dialogue, but is used in instrumental interludes between lyrics and demonstrated in the music video.
#2 Pastiche
The tale is rich in irony and parody which are pastiche, and is a common feature of postmodern literature. Chaucer uses satire to critique societal norms and institutions, particularly the hypocrisy and corruption within the medieval church. The undermining of traditional values and institutions aligns with the postmodern emphasis on questioning and deconstructing established beliefs and power structures. One attack on the church was when the angel was talking about Satan’s actions in the prologue and says “so there drove from out of the Devil’s arse twenty thousand friars all in a mob, and swarmed about throughout hell, and came back again as fast as they could,”(1693-96). Which commands the attention towards the misguidance of the church and the hypocrisy of its leaders. Another example is when “The noble custom of friars yet is this: the worthy men among them shall be served first; and certainly he has deserved it well” (2279-81). This example calls out the role of church leadership and challenges their ability towards humility and seeing their own shortcomings.
“Sure, the Velociraptors are Still on the Loose, but that’s No Reason NOT to Reopen Jurassic Park” by Carlos Greaves
Have No Fear! They Barely Eat People At All!
Summary
The basic premise of this story is that months after the escape of the velociraptors on Jurassic island the company CEO Peter Ludlow is issuing a statement that the park is reopening. Despite warnings from nearly every expert, Jurassic Park is back in business. Ludlow forewarns naysayers and is very upfront that people will die because the velociraptors are still on the loose. These highly stealthy murderous animals are running rampant on the island and nobody knows where they are. The only thing we know is that they have killed a lot of people and will kill a LOT more. It is made very clear that the single desire of the park is profit…I mean it doesn’t actually say that but we can all read between the lines right? The most impressive thing about this press release is that they actually issued one. Maybe they learned something from the velociraptor escape after all because the Jurassic Park we knew before never would have let us know that the velociraptors were still on the loose when they reopened. So let's all reward the company for their subtle honesty and not sweeping everything under the rug by visiting Jurassic Park and trying to survive so we can come back!
Postmodern elements
Pastiche
The excerpt is postmodern because of its pastiche. It uses a previously known and written idea from Jurassic Park to speak about the ownership and call out modern day corporations. It not only imitates the ideas brought by Jurassic Park, but it plays off of the story that has been released and vocalizes reader/viewer conceptions of CEO Peter Ludlow. The postmodern era was full of writers and artists showing a new perspective of a previous idea the same way Greaves shows his take on the loose velociraptors.
Black Humor
Greaves filled this piece full of black humor, or something that may be seen as distasteful. The majority of the humor is over exaggerated and full of sarcasm. The thought behind the black humor of all of the murderous velociraptors and the killings that they have done is used to call out the heads of large corporations and challenge their morals when it comes to their employees versus a profit. “we plan to erect a small plaque dedicated to all of the velociraptor attack victims in the far back corner of the gift shop next to the T-shirts that say I SURVIVED A VISIT TO JURASSIC PARK AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT. It’s the least we could do.” is one example of the greed of the CEOs and how the people attempting to fix the problems are nothing more than chopped liver if they are unsuccessful.
Reactions
Scrooge McDuck
This text reminds of yet another literary and cinematic masterpiece known as Scrooge McDuck. He is a wealthy CEO/businessman who is fully impacted by nothing but greed. Mr. McDuck, much like the Jurassic Park CEO Ludlow, is more focused on turning a profit than the people who are working their lives away so that he can live a lavish lifestyle and continue to make money.
Duck Dynasty
One of the smaller parts of this text is the Park EMT’s. The Park EMT’s remind me of a group of people who enjoy working, constantly put themselves in dangerous situations, and quite frankly may not be super intelligent. The rednecks. Now if these people are the rednecks then what group is more well known than duck dynasty? They are super successful and constantly blow things up. The only difference is that the EMT’s have lost their lives and the Duck Dynasty buys are still kicking. Regardless, there is no better word to describe this group of people other than “heroes”.
My Take
As Chaucer calls out church leadership and parodizes their work, Greaves parodizes and calls out the greed of large corporation owners and their sole desire for profit the same way the church leadership desired power.
#3 Metafiction
"The Summoner's Tale" contains elements of metafiction, where the story becomes self-aware and reflects on its own status as a fictional narrative. Chaucer's use of framing devices and his inclusion of himself as a character within the tale disrupts traditional narrative conventions, a characteristic often used within postmodern literature. Chaucer criticizes how harsh he is on the summoner in the prologue to the “Summoner’s Tale” and then speaks as a man saying “God save you all - save this cursed friar! Thus I end my prologue.” (1703-04).
[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] by E.E. Cummings
Lovers Are Never Apart
Summary
E.E. Cummings conveys the way that it feels to be loved and to love someone else. This poem is from one lover’s point of view proclaiming the love that they feel for their significant other. They say that they “i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)” meaning that wherever they are they are never truly apart because of their love for each other. The speaker defies the standard perception of love and articulates that there are no limitations in their love. They go even further to say that it is as true as the beginning and goes as deep as the roots of the trees of life. I mean come one and get a room already. Get over yourself. You’re young and in love while some of us are too scared to talk to the other sex. Seriously, do you think I do these blog posts because I have so much game? I didn’t think so.
Postmodern Elements
Sentence Structure
In I carry your heart with me by E.E. Cummings there is a very odd sentence structure and syntax. The sentences are very fragmented and do not complete the thought. The punctuation fractures the sentences with brackets and parentheses. These disrupt the syntax and flow of the writing and creates a choppy reading. This choppy flow could be speculated to represent how a loving relationship can be choppy and have issues. Another way that E.E. challenges the fundamental structures of writing with the refusal of capitalizing any letters such as “i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)” shows Cummings challenging the formality of love and once again displays that his love is not like others. He challenges the principles of a fleeting love by challenging the principles of the simplistic but commonly acknowledged act of capitalization. The sentence fragmentation creates chaos in the story and the repetition of the words show the reflective state of the writer and his emotions before he becomes vulnerable and shares his thoughts with his love.
Reactions
Carrying Your Love With Me
Reminds me of the song “Carrying Your Love With Me” by George Strait
In this song George Strait proclaims that he is carrying the love of his wife with him all across the road that he travels. No matter where he goes he has the love of his wife. This is similar to the way that Cummings is carrying his love in his heart. Strait says “Baby all I got’s this beat up leather bag” and that is the only thing that he physically carries with him. In the same way that Cummings challenges the ideas of love Strait challenges claims that the love he brings with him is not only plenty, but over does all of the physical possessions he could have. This song was the title track of one of Strait’s albums that was a three time multi-platinum record.
Kangaroos
Although this may not be an immediate reaction it makes me think of kangaroos, and specifically the way that kangaroos carry their kids, joeys, in a front pouch because they are marsupials. It is a way to make the young kangaroos feel secure, and travel/relocate without having the concern of the young. If a kangaroo’s mothers love is similar to a human's, I would have to imagine it is pretty intense and caring. The way that Cummings describes his love reminds me of a mother’s love because it never fails or ends. He carries the love in his heart and does it nourishingly the same way that a mother kangaroo carries and nourishes her young. Also Kangaroos are just pretty cool so we should always think about them.
Unless they have your dog... then you do whatever is necessary.
My Take
In [i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] by E.E. Cummings there is metafiction displayed through Cummings internal dialogue that is displayed in some of the fragmentation of lines and awkward punctuation.
This is similar to the way that Chaucer not only expresses his ideas but sneaks them into the story without interrupting the tale.
Conclusion
While Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” are clearly written as a medieval piece of literature postmodern analysts may determine that “Canterbury Tales” and specifically the “Summoner’s Tale” is in fact postmodern. They can come to this conclusion due to the use of elements such as fragmentation, pastiche, and metafiction which are devices seen throughout postmodern works such as “Sure, the Velociraptors are Still on the Loose, but that’s No Reason NOT to Reopen Jurassic Park” by Carlos Greaves, [i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] by E.E. Cummings, and Pyramid Song by Radiohead
Works Cited
Chaucer, Geoffrey. from The Canterbury Tales. 1387. Translated by Nevill Coghill, myPerspectives, English Language Arts IV, Edited by Morrell, Ernst, Ph.D., et al., Pearson, 2006. pp. 185-228.
Cummings, E.E.. “[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in].” Poetry Foundation. Liveright Publishing Corporation, 1952. www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/49493/i-carry-your-heart-with-mei-carry-it-in. Accessed 3 May 2024.
Dog, Soggy. “Donald Trump Right Now, Probably.” Giphy, 2015,
giphy.com/gifs/qzeCF4ymrgFXy. Accessed 3 May 2024.
Dynasty, Duck. “Fighting off ANGRY Beaver Population (S6, E8).” YouTube, 7 May 2023, youtu.be/fAfiiJSQq4E? si=W3eO0CwVQGsEh-D1.
Greaves, Carlos. “Sure, The Velociraptors Are Still on The Loose, But That’s No Reason Not to Reopen Jurassic Park.” Holly Leach, 11 May 2020, 93c908e7-75fe-4f97-8e88- 5e823fbe8c69.usrfiles.com/ugd/93c908_61abfd049c1343b1bf2b42f59a7decb9.pdf, Accessed 01 May 2024.
Greesin, Seena. “FTC Settlement With Advocare.” 2019. Greesin Seena, 2024, www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/advocare.png Accessed 7 May 2024.
Pyramidhead. “Radiohead - Pyramid Song.” YouTube, 23 January 2015, youtu.be/3M_Gg1xAHE4?si=gKivTxjelciojtOk.
Crazy cat lady Digital Alias
2nd Period
Elements Of PostModernism✨✨
Introduction
John Milton’s, Paradise Lost, challenges grand narratives and authoritative voices. Milton’s use of Satan as a complex character might be seen as a way of subverting the typical black and white morality. Milton uses similes, metaphors, personification, and Homeric similes. This style is evident in his elaborate descriptions, which paint a vivid picture of the scenes and characters. Cool right!
Summary of Element One - GOOD VS EVIL 😇😇😇
The most direct example of good vs evil in Paradise Lost would definitely be the conflict between God and Satan, and Satan with Adam and Eve. In Paradise Lost Milton states in book IV,”Evil be thou good ; by thee at least Divided empire with Heaven’s king I hold.” This quote is explaining how Satan is rebelling against God which ultimately leads to an epic battle and Satan’s fall from Heaven! This sets up the classic opposition of God repressing Good and Satan representing Evil. The next example occurs in Book IX when Milton says,” Those rigid threats of death… It gives you life and knowledge.” This quote explains the big moment where Satan, described as a serpent, persuades Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, bringing Sin into the world.
Links to Postmodern Media Source(s)
Gorillaz. (2018, May 31). Gorillaz - humility (official video). YouTube. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E5yFcdPAGv0 Minimalism Vs Maximalism: The first idea that popped into my head after reading these lyrics and watching the music video was today’s screwed up society. Today people are always worrying about the future and things that happened in the past and ways to undo those things. We focus so much on comparing ourselves to others' fake lifestyles that seem so “real” to us behind a screen. We need to do more of focusing on ourselves and the things we already have, and sticking to our true selves because what's the point in changing if it wouldn't make you, you?
My Take - This evidence from my third comment is describing the concept of minimalism vs maximalism which I believe fits Paradise Lost perfectly. In Paradise lost there was a lot of temptation which in today's society we call “peer pressure “ This is a very common thing amongst teens with things such as underage drinking and drugs or vaping.
Summary of Element Two - Intertextuality
Links to Postmodernism in Your Literary Tradition Text
In Paradise Lost Milton uses Intertextuality by using references and builds upon biblical texts , classical mythology, and other literary works which demonstrates Postmodernism’s love for referencing multiple texts. For example in book IV, Milton states,” Of waters issued from a cave… seemed another sky.” Here Milton compares the love of Adam and Eve and the love of Orpheus and Eurydice, highlighting the perfect union and mutual affection between the first couple. Therefore he is using a different text to compare to his, creating intertextuality!
Links to Postmodern Media Source(s)
Cummings, E. E. (1991). [I carry your heart with me(i carry it in] by E. E.... Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/49493/i-carry-your-heart-with-mei-carry-it-in
Summary Source 2: Picture your typical lovey dovey obsessed high school boyfriend… This is what this poem basically is. EE Cumming’s symbolizes inseparable love, kind of like how highschool sweethearts all think they are going to get married (insert awkward face here). LOL. He also talks about his deep, intimate connection and how two souls are basically tied together with an invisible string, kinda like Taylor Swift’s song “Invisible String”.
My Take - My comment from source 2 connects with Paradise Lost because of inseparable love. Adam and Eve were created to represent perfect and inseparable love without sin, which is ultimately what was described in ee cummings song, just not so psycho boyfriend- ey(LOL!)
Summary of Element Three - Questioning Authority
An example of questioning authority in Milton’s Paradise Lost would have to be Satan’s rebellion, which is a critique of absolute power and questions societal structures and narratives. Mitón describes this in Book 1 when he says,” The serpent or rather Satan… who is revolting from God.” This quote explains how Milton paints Satan as an eloquent rebel who challenges God’s rule. Milton also makes you ponder the reasons for Satan’s revolt, making us question the authority of power!
Links to Postmodern Media Source(s)
WEBSITE ISN’T WORKING FOR ESSAY!!!
“Decoration of an airplane” is a short essay that metaphorically compares the back of a thin girl being massaged to the belly of an airplane and its complexion. It starts off a bit confusing, but the second time you read it the whole story unfolds right in front of your eyes.
The first time I read the story, I was honestly really confused by the end of it. It’s like a game but modernized! so if you’re in for a challenge, I’d strongly suggest the story as it made me feel like a smarty-pants by the end of. As a postmodern reader, I find it in a way magical but also like a puzzle. Read this part of the story that really had the wheels on my mind bus rolling!
The main portion of this essay includes a person who is a masseuse, giving a back massage to a very thin girl. The masseuse describes the back of this girl as the belly of the airplane. She also talks about the layers of her back and how they are so deep that nothing can unclog them and that her skin is almost like metal. The author also includes flashbacks from the masseuse’s past comparing her life to the little girl's life that she is massaging.
I found very interesting the use of black humor in this essay as towards the end, it started talking about a plane crash and the traumatic events that occurred during it such as hitting your head due to the loss of gravity or the seatbelt squeezing you! OUCH! I thought that this could be triggering for people with fears of flying or people who know people who crashed in a plane. and the last postmodernist detail in this essay would have to be the magic that happens from the girl being super oily and sticky to her being completely dry by the end of the plane crash personally, I believe that that doesn’t happen in real life, and that the kind of bended the truth, a little bit to incorporate that magical realism into this essay. I really wanna know y’all’s thoughts on this in the comments below. This essay really took me by surprise and was not at all what I thought it would be a 10 out of 10 read!
My Take - This is my comment from source three which connects with Paradise Lost by using Black humor. Milton subtly uses black humor when Satan gets all snarky about his situation or when the demons are ironically named after false God’s.
Conclusion
Wrapping up how "Paradise Lost" fits into postmodern vibes, even though it's way older. Milton was ahead of his time, seriously. He's got these fragmented narratives, plays with the idea of authority, and the characters are all complex, not just cardboard cutouts of good and evil. Also, the way he flips the script on epic conventions alludes to postmodernism's love for messing with traditional forms. It is like he's setting the stage for those future postmodern themes by challenging norms and encouraging readers to question everything.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MjuFMjXKetQ
Works Cited
Cummings, E. E. (1991). [I carry your heart with me(i carry it in] by E. E.... Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/49493/i-carry-your-heart-with-mei-carry-it-in
Gorillaz. (2018, May 31). Gorillaz - humility (official video). YouTube. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E5yFcdPAGv0
https://nerdypublisher.wixsite.com/website/forum/postmod-final-exam-forum/ima-nerd-s-partial-model-final-exam-post