Thinks…

1. Thinks… David Lodge

2. THINKS, David Lodge Chapter 1

3. Short denotative analysis • he is in his office in the campus of the University of Gloucester • it’s Sunday the 23rd of February at 10.13 a.m. and he is testing his recorder • he thinks about his previous relationship with Isabel and his conference in San Diego • he thinks about sex and death

4. Characters • the speaking voice • Isabel Hotchkiss • Carrie and not named children • Laetitia Glover • Helen Reed • Marianne

5. Setting • narrator’s office in the campus of the University of Gloucester • Sunday the 23rd of February at 10.13 a.m. and at 11.03

6. Narrative technique The speaking voice records his thoughts on his recorder Stream of consciousness (William James)

7. New language and info we gathered • What ever it was • Speech recognitor • I wonder where • To typist • To slink off • Squash

8. THINKS, David Lodge Chapter 2

9. Short denotative analysis • Helen lives in a maisonette but she wants to go away • she does the first lesson at the university and watches Ghost • she goes to Richmond’s party and meets the guests there • the next day she goes to the church even if she doesn’t believe in God

10. Characters • Helen Reed and Ralph Messenger: protagonists • Jasper Richmond: Helen’s friend • Russell Marsden: a teacher • Paul and Lucy:Helen’s children • Marianne Richmond: Jasper’s wife • Simon Bellamy: a student • Rachel McNulty: a student • Martin: Ralph’s friend • Oliver: Jasper’s son • Guests at the party • Carrie: Ralph’s wife

11. Setting • maisonette • Richmond’s house • college

12. Narrative technique • journal • direct style • descriptions • free direct style

13. THINKS, David Lodge Chapter 3

14. Short denotative analysis religion death and life after death cognitive sciences • they are looking at exhibition of paintings • they decide to have lunch together • they speak about • they visit the Brain (He explains her its meanings)

15. Characters main character: professor of Cognitive science Ralph Helen Jim, Carl, Kenji Professor Douglass (Duggers) Stuart Phillips main character: novelist and professor of Cretive writing Ralph’s students Ralph’s collegue systems administrator

16. Setting TIME Wednesday of the second week of the semester SPACE University’s Staff House The Brain In the University Dining Room Campus

17. Narrative technique • third person narrator • present tense • dialogue between Ralph and Helen • short descriptions

18. Message alternation between the characters: 1° chapter: rational and scientific thoughts 2° chapter: irrational and sentimental thoughts VS 3° chapter: discussion and synthesis

19. Peculiar features • scientific names • scientific but simple explanation • Ralph’s and Helen’s different cultures and points of view • the third chapter is the synthesis of the first and the second

20. New words and info we gathered a university student who has not received a first degree Undergraduate Postgraduate a student who is taking advanced work after graduation PhD Doctor of Philosophy = Dottorato di Ricerca VC Vice-Chancellor

21. Contents Thomas Nagel (What is it like to be a bat?) Prisoner’s Dilemma Searle’s Chinese Room Frank Jackson’s Mary Schrödinger’s Cat Experiments Henry James

22. THINKS, David Lodge Chapter 4

23. Short denotative analysis • problem in the Brain • Ralph listens to the tape • religious reflection • what someone can do, if the partner dies • problem solved: it was a mouse

24. Characters • Ralph • Helen Reed

25. Setting • Office • Staff House

26. Narrative technique Stream of consciousness

27. Message our consciousness is like a private room (The privacy of consciousness, the secrecy of thought)

28. Space and time Wednesday, 26th February, 6.51 p.m.

29. New language and info we gathered to belch = ruttare wiring = impianto elettrico riveting = appassionante utter = completo huff = arrabbiato to inherit = ereditare

30. THINKS, David Lodge Chapter 5

31. Short denotative analysis • Helen Reed remembers events of the previous day • consciousness as a problem • architecture of the mind • shopping in Cheltenham • chat at Messenger’s house

32. Setting • Cheltenham • Messenger’s house

33. Message To represent consciousness is a problem

34. New language and info we gathered aprons = grembiule, gironzolare, indugiare grief = dolore to loiter = intransitive verb; attardarsi to poke = attizzare

35. THINKS, David Lodge Chapter 6

36. Short denotative analysis • Ralph Messenger is in his office testing his new elaborate software which recgnizes your voice while you’re speaking • he’s talking about his private thoughts trying to recall an experience distant in time • first memory: the loss of his virginity with a married older woman GOAL: find out how our mind recomposes memories after many years

37. Characters • Ralph Messenger • The Richmonds (Marianne) • Carrie Messenger • Martha Beard • Tom Beard • Helen Reed

38. Setting • TIME • Sunday, the 2nd of March, 8.45 a.m. • Messenger at the age of seventeen • SPACE • Messenger’s office at University of Glouchester • a ship farm in the Dales

39. Narrative technique • stream of consciousness as a first person narration • large use of dots

40. Message STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS TO RECALL MEMORIES old details remind us of something new and move our mind from one thought to another can we reconstruct our older memories when our mind is vulnerable to thoughts more recent? YES

41. New words amount of gibberish = parole senza senso to snog = sbaciucchiarsi loo = cesso g-string = perizoma glee = allegria to cuckold = cornificare

42. THINKS, David Lodge Chapter 7

43. Short denotative analysis Helen Reed tells some of her activities: • reading her student’s work-in-progress • thinking of her daughter • reflect about the “relationship mother-daughter” • deciding to have a e-mail address • invitation to Ralph’s hot tub • thinking about Jean-Dominique Bauby (a French writer) • visiting Gloucester Cathedral • giving instructions to her tenants

44. Characters • Helen The speaking voice • Ralph • Many students of Creative Writing (just mentioned) • Jean-Dominique Bauby (just mentioned) A French journalist • Lucy (just mentioned) Helen’s daughter

45. Setting TIME From Monday the 3rd of March to Saturday the 8th of March SPACE Her maisonette • in the University • a shop in Gloucester • Gloucester Cathedral The Brain Campus bookshop

46. Narrative technique • first person narrator • journal • past tense • accounts followed by reflections

47. Message LITERATURE fiction J.-D. Bauby the writer invents lives and thoughts eyelid code: importance of literature

48. Peculiar features • importance of reflections • from banal daily experience to existential problems • meta-literature • different lifestyles: • relationship between mother and daughter • renting one’s house • independence of young people

49. THINKS, David Lodge Chapter 8

50. Short denotativeanalysis The eighth chapter is arranged into four novels: What is like to be a freetail bat? What is like to be a Vampire bat? What is it like to be a bat? What is like to be a blind bat?