Thursday, May 7, 2009

Chapter 15 - Flights of Fancy

Select a literary work in which flight signifies escape or freedom. Explain in detail.
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20 comments:

Grey_spear said...

Since i am in the mood for more Lord of the Rings after my last post, I am going to use the example of flight found at the end of the third book, The Return of the King. After Frodo and Sam reach their final destination, and after some internal and external conflict resulting from that, the ring finally gets destroyed. The ring, if you weren't aware, is the ultimate power of the time, and for our story it hold a very evil connotation. By destroying the ring, the evil powers of the world are frightened and weakened and the leader of the dark side is actually killed. Then the volcano erupts, Frodo and Sam escape. They are sitting on an elevated rock avoiding the lava that is surrounding them. They are just laying there talking and being engulfed in relief and heat. That's when the scene takes place. coming down to rescue them is Gandalf (being his Christ Figure and bringing salvation) riding on an eagle with another eagle counterpart. These two eagles clutch Frodo and Sam in their talons carrying them to safety away from their prison of rock surrounded by a cage of lava. Not only is this physically freeing for being carried out of the depths of evil territory surrounded by lava and taken back to safety, but it also symbolically freeing. Frodo and Sam have been carrying the ring of all power, and bearing the largest burden or responsibility. This is not just a matter of life and death to them, but to their home country and to every part of middle earth. If they fail, evil wins. That's a large burden for two half sized men to carry. Disposing of that ring mist have been the most emotionally freeing experience of their lives, and that is also represented by the eagles.

July 9, 2009 at 8:02 AM
Grey_spear said...

I have a separate note to all you who are reading this book, which if you are on this blog i am amusing you are. Before reading this book i was always puzzled in movies or books by what seemed like plot flaws. For example, for my post above i was wondering why the eagles couldn't have just flown Frodo and the ring into the depths of evil territory rather than having him make the trek on foot and just being there for the pick up at the end. After reading this chapter though, I understand the symbolism behind the eagles flying him out freedom. That would have all been lost if they flew Frodo in. Not to mention the book would be a considerable length shorter. So after reading this guide to reading between the lines, i can actually say i appreciate literature better.

July 9, 2009 at 8:10 PM
sschwegman said...

Flight represents freedom or escape. I can’t recall any books that have to do specifically with flying so I’m going to use an example from The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck writes, “66 is the path of a people in flight, refugees from dust and shrinking land, from the thunder of tractors and shrinking ownership, from the desert’s slow northward invasion, from the twisting winds that howl up out of Texas, from the floods that bring no richness to the land and steal what little richness is there. From all of these the people are in flight, and they come into 66 from the tributary side roads, from the wagon tracks and the rutted country roads. 66 in the mother road, the road of flight”(118). This quote does a superb job in showing how flight represents freedom. All of the people that lived in the area where the crops wouldn’t grow were losing their farms and homes because they couldn’t pay the bills due to the drought. Therefore, to escape this horrible situation and possibly better themselves financially, they would take highway 66 to a new place, a place where they could hopefully, start over.

July 17, 2009 at 7:15 AM
Giesting said...

In the the third movie of X-Men, The Last Stand, there is a powerful flight scene. This mutant is born with wings, so he has the ability to fly but his father is agianst mutants and is disappointed in his son. Then a cure comes out for mutants, and the boy's father is one of the lead guys on the vaccination. The mutant's father has his son be the first to be cured. The mutant doesn't want to be cured but he can never stand up to his father. Then at the last second the mutant breaks free, spreads his wings and soars across the sky. This flight is a symbol for freedom, obviously. The mutant finally stood up to his father and broke free from the restraints he had on him. The mutant is now free from his father's abbuse. He takes off in flight over a crowd of mutants, showing them that being a mutant is being free. In the well known book the Bible, the story of Noah and his ark is unmistakable. When the rain finally stops, Noah sends out a dove. The dove takes flight and symbolizes that the rain is over and every person and animal is going to be free from the enclosed ark. The dove brings back a branch, showing Noah that land is near. Freedom is close.

July 22, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Haddison said...

A novel that reminded me of how flight resembled freedom is, A Separate Peace. Gene and his best friend, Finny, take turns jumping off a tree branch into the river below them. Upon their first try, both boys feel inspired and free because they were both able to survive the jump without any injuries. And being against school policy to participate in life-threatening games like these, Finny and Gene feel an escape from the school rules. It makes them feel like they have a little bit more freedom because the school doesn’t yet know about their dangerous stunts and so they obviously cannot stop them. Unfortunately the next time the boys attempt the jump, Finny ends up injuring his legs. Finny’s fall is symbolic because since he can no longer participate in his beloved sports, he trains Gene into becoming a better athlete and from this experience the two young boys form a stronger friendship than they ever had before.

July 24, 2009 at 7:32 AM
h_mckinney said...

I can think of no better example of flight symbolizing both freedom and escape as in Peter Pan. When one thinks fondly back on this childhood tale, one can not forget when Peter Pan guides Wendy, John, and Michael through the London sky and then onto the land where there is no care in living young forever. Before their expedition with Peter Pan, Wendy, John, and Michael are quite simply middle class children idling around in their room, not sure of what to do. Wendy, the eldest, is the caring, maternal, and responsible one of the three who simply cares so much for her brothers that she doesn’t have much time for child’s play (though she does take heart in fairy tales) and is on the verge of transitioning out of childhood. The other two, Michael (the middle of the three) and John (the youngest) still are curious about the world and fully emerged in their childhoods but, though seemingly content, boxed within their London society. When one really thinks of these characters, we really see that they aren’t living their childhoods to the fullest extent possible or even the full extent they wish their childhoods to be. Once Peter Pan arrives, he simply instructs the three that with a happy thought (and a little fairy dust) he can fly them to Neverland. Though Neverland itself is another topic and brings up many of its own issues and topics, the flight there, as well as the realization that they indeed are flying, brings euphoria for the children and freedom from their box of a bedroom and an escape from their reality and the rest of society as they take of into what only they can describe as a dream because now the children’s sense of being young and completely childlike is now wide open and without limit or worry. To them, the flight brings about new possibilities and awakens the childhood quality of belief, which was exactly what was missing from there outlook all along.

July 27, 2009 at 7:15 PM
lclifton said...

When I was a little girl, I can remember having that rushing feeling when someone would throw me up in the air. Every time I would think, "If only I could be free and fly away." Freedom and flight always seem to be connected. In books flight symbolizes freedom. Thinking about flying, reminds me of the Harry Potter series which contains many flights. One particular scene I want to focus on is the scene in 5th Harry Potter book. Harry gets into some messy situations back in his relatives’ town and he has to fly to the wizard world. This flight is Harry's escape from his imprisonment in the mortal world. In the mortal world he was treated unfairly and mocked. Neither Harry nor any other wizard was allowed to use their magical powers outside of the wizard world. He felt trapped when he lived with his uncle and aunt who made their nephews life miserable. He is eager to escape his boring life that consisted of cleaning, sitting alone, and not being allowed to participate in any enjoyable activities. All Harry wanted was to fly back to the wizard world where he had friends, where he was able to be happy with his life, and where he could perform magic. This scene when he is flying he is laughing, having a good time and looking forward to coming back to where he thinks is his true home. Harry’s flight that night was his escape to freedom.

July 28, 2009 at 7:45 PM
Garret said...

The movie, Goal, is the literary work that immediately comes to my mind when thinking about flights that signify escape or freedom. Santiago, the main character, is living a hard life in America. His family crossed the border illegally from Mexico. He is exceptionally talented at soccer, but his father doesn’t support him. His father forces him to work to help provide for the family since jobs are hard to come by for them. Santiago is noticed by an ex-player from Newcastle United. This player approaches Santiago and tells him that he thinks he has a chance of playing for Newcastle United. Santiago tells his family the news and what he plans to do, but his father objects and forces him to stay and work. His father believes he will not be successful, so he should just stay here and not waste his time. Santiago has been saving up money in a boot to buy a plane ticket to Newcastle. One night he comes into his room to put money in the boot, only to find out all of it is gone. His father has stolen the money to prevent him from playing soccer and to keep him working. His grandmother finds this out. One night, she gives Santiago enough money to get a ticket. Santiago sneaks out one night without his father noticing and is off for Newcastle to make a name for himself playing soccer. Santiago’s flight from America to Newcastle signifies his escape from his father’s tyranny. His father has been running his life for him ever since they came to America. Santiago has never been able to make a decision for himself. Now he is free from his father and able to live his own life.

July 29, 2009 at 2:09 PM
holly_2313 said...

Flight typically represents a character’s freedom by plane, wings, a broomstick, etc. In some way it carries the character away to freedom or new life. In Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner, the protagonist Amir and his half brother’s son Sohrab escape their home country of Afghanistan, which at the time was being overrun by the Taliban, to America. Not only were the two escaping the war, but Sohrab was escaping from the antagonist who was sexually abusing Sohrab. Amir was also escaping the guilt he felt for having betrayed his half brother, Hassen, many years before and then abandoning him when Amir left for the Americas previously with his father.
The real story lies within Sohrab’s escape after reaching America. Although he escaped the war and the antagonist, Sohrab was resentful for having to leave. It wasn’t until he and Amir carried on the kite running tradition that he could let go and truly be free. As he watched the kites fly in the air, he released the anger and resentment he was holding inside and finally felt safe and free.

July 29, 2009 at 3:15 PM
J_Espin said...

Flight and freedom are often frequently associated. One particular example of this is in the Jurassic Park movies. Throughout the first movie Dr. Grant and the other paleontologists who are sent to the island are being chased by dinosaurs. At the end of the movie a helicopter picks the people up and allows them to escape off the dinosaur infested island. The helicopter which obviously flies, symbolizes freedom. Several other examples from the series are from Jurassic Park 3. One example is when the people first try to fly off the island and the plane crashes. This makes the people feel hopeless because the only way to escape the island was to fly off. Another example from this movie is when the people are flying off the island in a helicopter much like in the first movie and the people see pterosaurs flying off the island to move onto new lands. I find this more symbolic because it shows that they managed to escape the giant birdcage they were in and be free to fly to new lands.

July 30, 2009 at 8:01 PM
tnunlist said...

In the movie "Dinotopia" one of the main characters, Carl, is extremely afraid of heights. So when he is chose to be a Skybax Rider(much like today's airforce) it comes as a great surprise to him. He is very defiant at first, convinced that he has been placed wrong and should not be there at all. He eventually decides that he will try to conquer his fear and he trains hard to become a Skybax rider. He spends many house training on the simulation flight machine, training to ride a Skybax Rider. After much dedication and hard work it finally comes to graduation day. At first he is rejected by the Skybax, and it seems as if all his work will go for nothing. Then he tries again and the Albino Skybax, with which he had seen earlier, comes to him. He immediately jumps on it and takes off in flight. His takeoff in flight represents Carl becoming a new man. He is leaving all of his old fears and worries behind and becomes a new brave man. He is independent and much more confident in everything he does. His first flight with a Skybax has changed him.

July 31, 2009 at 1:24 AM
James A. Call said...

Flying is something that mankind has been fascinated with since, well, probably forever. Being the son of a pilot who has particular joy in the experience of soaring through the air, I’ve inherited a similar interest. There is a wonderful poem that describes perfectly what my dad feels about flying. It is “High Flight,” by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

In his poem, John Magee exclaims his joy in flying, in “slipping the surly bonds of Earth.” He uses words like danced, laughter, mirth, sunward, tumbling, dreamed, wheeled, soared, swung, and the like to show that he intensely enjoys taking the controls of a craft that can fly, a feat which humans cannot, by themselves, accomplish. Why does he enjoy it so much? Because he feels free from normal human bonds. He can “top the wind-swept heights with easy grace” in “the high untrespassed sanctity of space.” There’s just something about the air and being in it that gives one a sense of freedom--that despite the fact that you can still feel gravity pulling you to your seat, you can trust the aircraft (which you control) to keep you aloft in the sky.

July 31, 2009 at 8:45 AM
__jgarcia said...

Flight symbolizes freedom, escape, which can both be considered magical. Everyone wants to be able to fly and I can only imagine how amazing it would feel to succeed in escaping or gaining freedom. After glancing through everyone else’s posts, Hannah’s got me thinking of Disney movies. The movie, Aladdin, has one magical scene that I’m sure everyone remembers. When Aladdin and Jasmine go on their infamous magic carpet ride, both of them are escaping. Jasmine is freeing herself from the duties of being a princess while Aladdin is escaping the everyday life of a street rat. Of course, with all the excitement of flying, the two fall in love. The two of them both have heavy burdens but on the carpet, everything is forgotten. During their magical flying experience, both Aladdin and Jasmine briefly escape their everyday lives and are simply free creating a “feel-good” scene that stands out from the rest of the movie.

July 31, 2009 at 9:28 AM
h_mckinney said...

James- That’s so awesome how you managed to tie the love your dad has for flying to a piece of literature. What better way to connect freedom and escape to than real life? I can relate. The first time I got on a plane during the past spring break I truly was excited for the sensation of flying as well as what would be in store (especially because I was going to do a lot of it!). Even though aerospace engineering has come along way since its first success less than a century ago, I am sure that the same initial feeling of flight hasn’t changed at all. It’s so carefree. For instance, when you sitting by someone before takeoff and sharing the limited space you may have to try to be extra friendly and extra forgiving when they need to get into the aisle for the twelve time but by the time you’re in the sky most everyone has escaped to their own world. On one especially long seven hour flight my dad and I were separated from the rest of the family, and because of the flight (not to forget the help of 30 Rock and The Office) we were free to talk and escape from everything else around us while discussing anything that we could think of. Though it may not be a literary flight, what I felt in realty was just as powerful and expressive as anything a writer could have put on paper.

July 31, 2009 at 10:03 AM
cpaul said...

Flight represents escape, and most of the time freedom. A movie I recently just watched while babysitting my little sister is Fairytopia. Although this is more of a kid’s movie, it’s a great example of how flight represents freedom. The fairy, Elaina, is the only fairy in the meadow without wings. The enchanter (rules the meadows) has an evil twin. This twin is in the process of taking over the fairyland. She kidnaps the enchantress and all the other head fairies. Elaina is the only fairy that had the courage to save them. Since she has no wings the trip takes twice as long, and is twice as hard. She ends up saving fairyland and as a reward she gets her wings. At the end she flies for the first time with the feeling of happiness and freedom. She’s glad to have saved the meadow, but is more pleased to have her wings. She is no longer picked on, and fits in. She also no longer has to walk for she finally knows what it’s like to fly.

July 31, 2009 at 12:06 PM
James A. Call said...

Thanks for the comment Hannah! You're right, it's awesome when these concepts can be applied to real life. I got excited when I saw the title of this chapter: "Flights of Fancy," because I knew that I was going to use that poem for the blog. I hear a lot of people express their fear of flying, so it's nice to hear that someone else enjoys flying and my dad and I aren't just crazy :D.

July 31, 2009 at 6:23 PM
CKoury said...

In the Chamber of Secrets, the second book in the Harry Potter series, Harry is advised to not return to Hogwarts as bad things will be happening. Harry has a much more enjoyable life at Hogwarts than in the muggle world with his relatives, so he is determined to go. As he and Ron try to get onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, the entry is sealed and they are stuck behind in the muggle world. As quickly as they can, they get back to Ron's house and take Ron's father's enchanted car that flies. Once they get through learning how to fly it, almost killing Harry, they are on their way to Hogwarts, where they feel safer and more at home than in the muggle world. This amazing escape from Harry's horrible life almost blew the cover of wizards living amongst the muggles.

July 31, 2009 at 8:07 PM
lkarbowski said...

James, your comment was really thoughtful, but I have to admit I hate flying! It's an amazing feeling to know you are so far from the ground, but then when you hit a rough patch of air it becomes horrible. (:

July 31, 2009 at 8:56 PM
lkarbowski said...

In the novel The Breakable Vow by Kathryn Clarke has one of the most memorable flights in any book I've read. As a teenager in high school Annie becomes pregnant by her then sweet and sensitive boyfriend, Kevin. Annie believes that Kevin has all the right intentions except for his insane jealousy that later turns to violence. Kevin, a great athlete, receives a scholarship offer that accommodates for his new family. Annie and Kevin wed and move from Chicago to Texas so that Kevin can attend college. After having abused Annie for some time he vows to change, however, he breaks the vow by taking the mail box key (he with holds letters from her family) and not allowing her to have a car or a job. He again begins to beat her until she must be hospitalized; along this whole journey she is also caring for her young daughter. The police then become involved, but Annie remains with Kevin for fear of their child being harmed. Annie quickly realizes that Kevin will never change and decides to leave him. This is one of the most empowering novels because Annie digs deep and separates herself from Kevin. She is constantly threatened by him, but she gets a restraining order. Annie goes on to become a therapist to help other abused women. She makes a life for herself and her daughter by attending college. This flight was one of great strength and courage. This woman, Annie, made a selfless act to prevent her daughter from any harm that could have been imposed on her if she had decided to stay with Kevin.

July 31, 2009 at 9:19 PM
James A. Call said...

Yeah, nothing's perfect--flying sadly still having not-so-fun parts. But personally, I think that it's an enjoyable experience overall. That's just me though.

July 31, 2009 at 9:21 PM

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