Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Research Yay.

I am absolutely exhausted, so I thought I'd take a break from this paper to write a bit, randomly of course :) I've been writing a paper since 6:30 this morning, breaking only at 5 to go take a History final. Now I'm back again to try and finish this "loose baggy monster". It's not that long, only ten pages, but the research was kind of intense and all over the place. Basically I'm positing that Melville's Moby Dick can be considered a continuation of the Romantic Movement. That is, the British Romantic Movement, none of this American Romance novel -- although that would have been interesting since I happen to love Hawthorne, but I feel more at ease speaking about the Romantic Poets and quoting them than I do Hawthorne and other Americans. I am including Emerson in the group though, because his "Nature" and "Self Reliance" fit well. Unfortunately I had to exclude Johnny Keats, which is sad because he's my favorite. But really, I can't go writing a book here! It has the works, from commentary on the inefficiency of language to the Byronic hero, so if I can just get it all on paper in some coherent manner, I may just get a respectable paper out of it. Anyhow, it is going rather swimmingly besides me having trouble focussing. Obviously.
My original research project was about how technology drives the American novel/ life/ ideal/ something... not a very well thought out thesis apparently. It makes sense in my head though. I was going to use the daguerrotype in The House of the Seven Gables and fingerprinting in Pudd'n head Wilson and then something in Moby Dick but I couldn't find ANY sources or work on that subject. Seems ridiculous to me! It seems kind of an obvious connection... I did look up some stuff about the automobile and American Literature, but most of the works referenced were post 1940's. So yeah I scratched that yesterday, which left me one day for the new thesis. Yay.
Well, blah blah blah :) Back to tedium :D

And now, for your general amusement :

6 comments:

William Michaelian said...

Classic video! I am inspired and uplifted.

MandyKins said...

OH MY GOSH!!! OH MY GOSH!!! I AM DYING IN THE LOUDEST SILENT LAUGHTER IN MY OFFICE THAT EVER THERE WAS!!! OH GOSH! OHHHHHHHH FOR THE LOVE OF PETE DON'T CHA KNOW!! AH HA HA HA!! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!

~im just only me~ said...

lol uplifted like the little monk William?

William Michaelian said...

I hope you’re not making fun of my elevator shoes.

~im just only me~ said...

Only because you've been hiding them from me, and last Friday was Disco night...

William Michaelian said...

Really, I prefer Sole music.