Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Cable, "Jean-Ah Poquelin"

--Story narrates transition from French to American political rule: how does it depict this transition? What does it suggest about differences between the two nations and their effect on New Orleans life?

--Jean-Marie Poquelin is very much a symbol of Creole culture here. What values and/or problems does he represent?

--This is often categorized as a ghost story: what do you see Cable doing with notions of the supernatural here?

10 comments:

  1. I wanted to quickly discuss how Cable uses notions of supernatural throughout this story, leading to the categorization of it as a ghost story.

    I feel the idea of supernatural actions occurring in the story first starts with the owls on the 4 chimneys near the beginning each spinning their heads in full circle three times and then moaned and laughed with a human voice. I feel owls are often related to ghost stories and/or alien stories. I immediately think of this "scary" movie I saw over the summer but I can't remember exactly what it was called.

    Following that, we get more supernatural notions around the middle towards the end(ish) when the horrible odor is introduced to the story and then reoccurs. "The figure of a man, a presence if not a body--but whether clad in some white stuff or naked the darkness would not allow him to determine--had turned, and now, with a seeming painful gait, moved slowly from him. "Great Heaven! can it be that the dead do walk?" ... then all was still except the measured tread of Jean Poquelin walking on the veranda, and the heavy respirations of the mute slumbering in the cabin."

    The notion of hearing footsteps, smelling odors, seeing things in a sense, and not a clear idea of if it actually exist in real life, or only in imagination.

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  2. In this transition from French to American rule, Jean-Marie Poquelin represents the Creole culture and its reaction. He represents the conflict between the Creoles who have been living in the area for generations, and the new Americans taking control and rebuilding the town. Poquelin represents the resistance of change of the old ways of life, by not wanting to sell his land and house to the Americans so it can be destroyed and a new market house be erected. He is stubborn and likes things the way they are, even if the house is old and smells, and is in a reptile-infested marsh. Poqeulin represents the values of the Creoles in his want of privacy, and his loyalty to and pride in his land given to him by his father. Family is very important to him, as he loves and takes care of his brother. It is important to him to speak out for justice, as he goes to see the new governor. He used to be an adventurer, slave-trading and smuggling. He's extremely persistent, doesn't think of anyone else except himself and his family, and keeps secrets, one being his brother's existence. Basically, Poquelin represents Creole's opposition to the new American government, and alliance or loyalty to the old culture.

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  3. Jean Poquelin is described as having many of the attributes of Creole men. He is a “bold, frank, impetuous, chivalric adventurer.” Jean is gambler and does not speak English very well. Most importantly though, is his strong familial ties, and an undying loyalty to his brother Jacques. The idea of family is stressed in this story, just as it was in Belles Demoiselles. Even his looks seem typical of the Creole. He had “no fierceness or defiance in his look, no harsh ungentleness, no symptom of his unlawful life, or violent temper; but rather a peaceful and peaceable fearlessness.” He is polite and yet is able to unleash elaborate curses.

    In this tale, Jean seems to represent a broader concept of a way of life that has been lost. He was a rich slave owner, profiting in Louisiana, but under a new American rule, he has suffered loss, and ridicule. His way of life is now a mockery. His loss of power represents a broader loss of power for the Creoles. Even though they are still in this area, they are less prominent, and have less influence in their society. Jean’s inability to speak English fluently shows his inability to adapt to a new and more modern culture. The things that he has always valued are now invaluable.

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  4. Jean is meant to represent a "simpler time" in the South, before the Northeners and their government came in. He doesn't want to give in to the companies and government coming in and changing the entire time and tearing down his house to make it new and "better". Jean embodies what the old South was.

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  5. His use of the supernatural was used to great effect. He uses owls, blood on the windows, a vile stench and ghosts. All of these ghost stories were made to make Jean appear even creepier and meaner, and also made him more secluded and mysterious. These effects are now staples in the horror genre and are used greatly in this story.

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  6. Cable uses the supernatural very well, especially in the mention of Jean's witchcraft. The townsfolk believe that Jean has used witchcraft or voodoo to bring his beloved brother back from the dead so that they could remain together. Cable uses this to exemplify Jean's isolation from society. Jean mostly keeps to himself and the story of his use of witchcraft causes people to stay away from him. It also give Jean and his plantation a mystical and unnatural feel. In general, Jean's supposed use of witchcraft and his isolation from society adds to the story's creepiness which makes a good ghost story.

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  7. I think it is obvious within the first couple paragraphs of the story that Cable is using supernatural notions here. The words he uses to describe Jean and his house are typically tied with the supernatural. Cable uses many symbols as well to describe supernatural forces in this text. The symbolic notion is apparent when he is speaking about the four owls and the way they turn their heads. It is clear when he speaks of Jean and the idea of him being a witch, especially when he talks about him and some of the rituals he practices, the people blaming everything that goes bad on him. Throughout the entire story its very clear that there are many superstitions that come into play, starting with the idea of going to his house after midnight. I think Cable uses supernatural notion in a good way especially tied with the New Orleans culture. His vocabulary, symbolic references and ideas of superstitions makes you more apprehensive of what is going to come next in the story.

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  8. One thing that i've noticed about creole people, not just in this story but in the last as well, is an emphasis on heritage and tradition. Jean does not like the transition to a new government and a sped up society. The Creoles place a high priority on a kind of chivalrous way of life that becomes increasingly harder to maintain with all of the social progress around them

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  9. I thought it was very interesting how Cable depicted the change between American and French rule in Louisianna. In the first paragraph Cable says that the "American government was the most hateful thing in Louisianna". I think Cable uses the same insider/outsider narration voice in this story to describe how the French felt about the "American Invasion". He is not really inside, but he does have insider information. Interestingly though, I think that Cable represents both the French and the Americans in a bad light. He uses sarcasm in the first paragraph when talking about American ideals as being "vile innovations as the trial by jury, American dances, anti-smuggling laws" etc. However, by seeing the Americans as pushy and trying to take over everything, including the house, he also paints them in a negative light. I think that above all, Cable is saying that the transition, in some cases, brought out the worst in everybody.

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  10. The Creole culture is extremely loyal and possibly stubborn. In the story we have described to us 100 different ways that the American culture is hated. It's an interesting viewpoint, because mostly we hear about Americans hating the british or native American hating the colonials — it's a dead horse and the story is beating it. This is a different perspective, a new look at American expansion, and it grabbed my attention for a lot longer than a story about Natives fighting for their land.

    The Creole population of Louisiana put up a better fight than the native americans, if we look at the current state of the population. Louisiana might be the most unique state in the union, no doubt because of it's creole influence. Heck, they still use Napoleonic law... In many ways the fight put up in the story, though largely futile, had an effect.

    -- Dieter Kurtenbach, from somewhere outside of Joplin, MO.

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