Modules for CENG 112

Module 1
1. In my opinion, the word hero is defined as someone who has a very large, almost
imposible goal to accomplish that others cannot and that also deals with other peoples
lives, and is able to accomplish said goal. For example, saving the local village from a
dragon by slaying it, saving the world by ridding of some kind of evil, etc. Within the
story The Cask of Amontillado, I would not classify anyone as a hero. In this story we
have the victim, Fortunato, who is the victim of the story and by no means does anything
heroic, but falls into Montresors trap. On the other hand we have Montresor, who seems
to act upon revenge, not having any heroic goals in mind whatsoever. Neither character
can be deemed as heroes according to what they do in the story.
2. To be honest I didnt see an abundance of horror within the story. However, there are
some elements scattered throughout that combined, would make it clear as to why the
story is labeled in the horror genre. There are some settings in the book that could be
defined within the genre, such as the catacombs. Also, Montresors plot to seek his
revenge on Fortunato is rather dark, considering the fact that Montresor is supposed to be
seen as somewhat of a hero. However, the pinnacle of the horror within the story is in the
final scene, when Montresor finally has Fortunato right where he wants him as he begins
to wall up the crypt with bricks, and Fortunato cries in plea for him to spare his life.
Finally, the final line of the story is May he rest in peace (in Latin), a rather dark saying
for someone who was just murdered. I think the anticipation of Montresor getting his
revenge on Fortunato might draw a visceral response from the reader as the tension slows
rises throughout the story, and finally ends when Fortunato cries out in languish.
Module 1 Responses
Michelle Jones
Your opinion regarding what defines a hero was what I was expecting but one line stood out; A
hero has the ability to selflessly overlook their own wants to effect actions upon others. What if
a hero were to need to put their own needs first in order to help someone? What if their wants
were more important in order to attain their goal? In this case, I disagree with your statement that
a hero must still only think in the interest of another.
I liked your analysis regarding Fortunatos screams. They were indeed a very horrific moment in
the story and Im glad you covered it. The point you brought up regarding the walls was what I
had in mind as well when analyzing the horror in this story.
Response to Jung Yun
Your analysis regarding what a hero was accurate because covered two sides of the coin. Your
positive opinion that a hero needs to be looked up to in their bravery and courage to work

against who they believe to be is wrong and stands by their beliefs in order to do right is correct,
but I also liked how you touch basis on the fact that not everyone may agree with the heros
beliefs, so a hero cannot be clearly defined.
Your comments regarding the horror found in the The Cask of Amontillado are on par with what
Ive seen in other responses (the brick wall and Fortunatos scremas), so I dont have anything in
particular to agree or disagree with that I havent already.

Module 2

1.
I believe that both manors in the story are equivalent because of how well they help
establish the settings of both stories. Both manors are relatively old, which helps add to the
atmosphere of horror that is presumed to be wanted to felt by the reader. Both of these manors
were described to be passed down from generation to generation (adding to the fact that they are
incredibly old) are both believed to be rather large (since they are manors, after all). The roles
these castles play is to help set the setting for the reader to experience, and also contribute
towards a feeling of anxiety so the reader can understand the quality of these dark, gloomy
places.
2.
Both Draculas Guest and the Monkeys paw do an ideal amount of work to stir anxiety in
the reader. In Draculas guest, we warned to be back before nightfall, hinting at a foreboding
danger that lurks in the night. Since the story is also seen through the narrators eyes, this is gives
a much more personal approach in the reading, and every detail they see can be equally felt by
the reader, adding to the suspense. However in the Monkeys Paw, the danger isnt as clear.
Rather, the danger presents itself as a consequence rather than something that is apparent. The
story also establishes anxiety because you dont know what people would use the monkeys paw
for someone could have simply used for it evil, or against the other characters.
Response to Alexandra Demelo
First off, good call on the quote in which you spotted regarding molding the destinies into the
family; I think that has a great impact as to how the castles tie into the characters and how in
fact, are even part of them. I also agree with your point saying how Montresor must follow in
line with his family tying in with the whole destiny concept and how he is a prisoner of his
own name.
I did not spot the usage of parallel structure in the Monkeys Paw so good call on that. It does a
great job of building up the anticipation in the Monkeys Paw and I agree as to how it contributes
well towards it.
Response to Daniela Sanchez
I like the point you made regarding the castles creating obscurity and also a feel of
claustrophobia. However, assuming that a castle is a large place wouldnt claustrophobia be
difficult to feel? I also agree with your point as to how the castles contribute to the characters
psychology and the storys plot.
Your analysis regarding the horror in Draculas Guest was very thorough; its very easy to
overlook how much the setting of a story can contribute to the storys overall tone. The weather
and the harsh landscape do indeed help push the story into a more suspenseful direction.
Module 3

1. The Shining takes place in a remote setting a massively empty hotel in the middle of
nowhere. Not to mention, Jack and his family live in the hotel during the winter, and a
majority of the roads are blocked off during this time due to the abundant snow. This
setting is eerie and lonesome, which meets the criteria towards driving someone mad. If
someone were to be killed as well, no one else would know due to the fact that the hotel
is up in the mountains, miles away from the closest city. In comparison to the The Cask
of Amontillado, where the major setting is the catacombs where Fortunato will be killed,
these settings are alike in the fact that they dont right away represent something dark, but
by taking a closer look you can see how they would be perfect places for a murder. An
empty, mysterious place.
2. Personally I think Wendy and Danny both personal demons of their own, albeit not being
as prominent as Jacks. Wendys demon is her lack of being able to stand up to anyone
she takes everything upon herself and is unable to fend for herself very well. This demon
eats away at any self-esteem she may have. On the other hand, Dannys demon can be
seen more visually due to his nature. However, I would not classify his other side (Tony)
as a demon, since Dannys premonitions end up helping both him and Wendy in the end.
Both Danny and Wendy could be potentially classified as heroes since they are able to
escape from Jacks insanity in the end and in a way, shows that they were able to thwart
off the evil by not falling victim to his insanity. Wendy also is able to finally fend for
herself, and Danny outsmarts Jack by faking his tracks in the maze.
Response to Melissa Brubacher
Your analysis regarding the settings of the Shining and the Cask of Amontillado were or more
less in agreement with what I had wrote for my analysis.
I agree with what you wrote regarding Danny and Wendy both being seen as heroes however I
dont think that Danny is able to learn from his parents mistakes due to his childlike nature and
his inability of mature perception as of yet. In fact, it is arguable that Danny is too young to
become a hero because of his inability to know what is fully right or wrong because he is still
very young.
Response to Julia Colangelo (Question 1)
Both stories have similarities in their settings and I like that you pointed out the liminality of
both Draculas Guest and The Shining. The reference of danger approaching shows how both
stories have some impending doom towards them. It would have been interesting if you had
talked more about the weather in both stories (since there is some drastic weather shown in both
books that contribute to the horror theme).

Module 4

1. I prefer to see Jack as a failed hero. This is due to the fact that he had to struggle with his
past and was just looking for a way to start anew with his family. In order to escape his
mistakes and past alcohol issues, he thought isolating himself and giving himself a
project to work on (writing) would be beneficial to his health. However, due to the
intense isolation in the hotel and the hotels past, it ended up driving him insane and his
past came back to haunt him, resulting in him becoming a villain. I think Jack had no
intention of turning evil and it was an external force that had caused him to turn this way.
2. In a way, it would make sense to see Wendy as the protagonist of The Shining. Her
struggle to make amends and understand her husband while also trying to help him cope
with his past and help him run the hotel are passive actions but still help understand her
character. In fact she can also be seen as hero due to how hard she works to try to keep
her husband sane. In the end, she is forced to defy her husband and protect herself and
her child, becoming the books protagonist and she fends for herself. Despite her being a
rather feeble character, she still adds substance to the novel and towards the end, acts
more like a protagonist compared to how she was in the beginning
3. I believe Dick Hallorans role can be defined as a messenger or prophet. He is able to
connect with Danny due to them both having supernatural gifts, and because of their
shared connection he is able to understand Danny, teach him about his powers, and warn
him about the supernatural events that happen within the Overlook hotel. In addition,
Dick can also be seen as a savior due to the fact that he travels all the way up the
mountain to help Danny and Wendy out during the snowstorm. Personally I dont think
his race affects his role in any way, but his buried past can be related to the fact that
Dicks role does not play much importance until towards the end of the novel, compared
to his past (the beginning) where he is seen as rather insignificant.
Response to Jaclyn Moody (Question 1)
I agree with your analysis regarded Jack as a failed hero. Jacks personal demons get the best of
him despite the fact that he wanted to change and have the best for his family. In this sense, due
to the fact that his inner turmoil gets the best of him he fails this goal and is unable to provide his
family the life he wanted to have with them.
Response to Matthew Petrovic (Question 2)
I think the reason behind why people see Wendy as being annoying is because she is just trying
to act like a mother. You provide some great examples showcasing how she acts like the glue of
the family and how in the end, being a mother, she must protect her child from harm despite
having to defy her husband. By trying to converse with both her son and husband regularly, she
is just trying to understand them and help them with their problems.

Module 5

1. After looking over these rules, Doyle seems to conform to a majority of them, such as not
establishing a love interest for the main character, not having the detective or his
investigators be a culprit, and keeping Holmes detective solving purely naturalistic.
However there are also a few which he does not follow within the Hound of the
Baskervilles such as the culprit turning out to be turn out to be a person who has played a
more or less prominent part in the story. In my opinion, Stapleton did not achieve said
role as his importance to the story was only revealed later on. I think this slightly
weakens the story, but not enough to make it not enjoyable. On the other hand, the rule
itself is a little vague, since as pointed out previously, Stapletons importance was only
revealed in the end. Van Dines rules are more or less logically valid to be used in any
sort of detective story, however I think most modern novels will break these rules in order
to grab the attention of the reader more.
2. I think Doyles concentration on plot over character is incredibly important to the story
especially since he is putting a lot of emphasis on the Gothic themes in this story. By
focusing on the plot as well, it adds more substance to the mystery instead of overloading
the story with unnecessary characters who create an even larger guessing game for the
reader. The focus on the plot also helps develop the key setting in this story the moor. I
*dont see this a bias as a function of the detective-genre because I think it depends on
the direction that author wants to go with their own story, whether they want to focus
more on characters to make the number of possible culprits higher or the plot, to make
the case more interesting. A mixture of both would be ideal in this case. So depending on
what the story needs, either aspect will be of greater importance.
Response to Hannah Galway (Question 1)
I agree with your findings regarding that fact that Holmes having an almost supernatural ability
for perception compared to the common reader is breaking one of Van Dines rules (a reader
must have the same opportunity as the detective to solve the mystery). Holmes has always been
shown as being incredibly smart so it would be hard for a reader to follow along with his quick
paced fact finding. However I disagree with what you had to say about the numerous descriptive
scenes I think Doyle was just trying to add more depth to his novel rather than bore the reader.
Response to John Teng (question 2)
You pointed out that there is no character development within the detective genre, which is true
to some extent however I think it is much more important to focus on plot over characters as you
mentioned in your analysis. This way it develops the crime much more and it also makes it more
interesting for the reader to follow along with the novel.

Module 6

Is Sawyers story a critique of, a parody of, or a tribute to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, or do you see
it as having some other relation to the original Holmes stories? Discuss.
1. No, I have never reacted badly to the death of a favorite character so much that I
attempted to change this course of action. I think the reason people do so is because they
feel they have established a deep connection or bond with the character and losing them
is like losing someone they know. Theyve also spent all this reading about them and
getting to understand the character on the personal level, once they are gone they have
nothing to look forward to reading anymore. Thus, these actions can be seen as logical,
albeit a little over the top in my opinion. I believe there should be a difference in how we
see the death of a cherished character versus a real person, since a real person (in this
case, a family member) is someone many people may know and love and is forever gone.
Fans can always write more stories about their favorite characters, and theres always a
chance they can be brought back in a ridiculous way. If its someone weve never met
then I dont think there is really much need to mourn for them unless there was an
emotional bond established.
2. I think Sawyers story is a tribute to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. First of all the title of his
story is You See But You Do Not Observe , a quote from A Scandal in Bohemia. His
sense of story and writing shows that he was trying to interpret Holmes character in his
own view, as well trying to emulate Doyles style of writing and story-telling, but still
able to keep it somewhat original. This also shows Sawyers tribute to Doyle, and the
addition of references to Doyles works shows just how much Sawyer respected him.
Despite this story reading like a fan-fiction, it is a very well written fan fiction and I think
if Doyle were to be around to read it, hed be thoroughly impressed.
Response to Julia Colangelo (Question 1)
Your story regarding your favorite book was really sweet. You mention how its logical to be
upset over a characters death because of the impact the book has on the reader, and how the
characters stay alive in the readers mind. This made a lot of sense and my understanding over
why people tend to be upset over a characters death made a lot more sense. Also by relating to
the character, you establish a bond with them, thus losing this bond can be very heartbreaking.
Response to Jaclyn Moody (Question 2)
I agree with your analysis regarding Sawyers being a tribute to the Doyle. You say how
Sawyers work is inspired by Doyle and I think you are right and he was influenced by his work
to write this story which I can see making sense. Because Sawyer sees Doyle as an inspiration, it
would make perfect sense for him to make a tribute.

Module 7

1. I think in a way, both literature and film can greatly impact North American society
(especially when a popular book gets turned into a movie). However, I dont there are a
vast variety of differences between the two. When a movie is released and gains a high
amount of popularity and that popularity continues, usually a cult also develops. The
movies will always stay the same (that is unless a sequel comes out) and can be watched
again to a cults enjoyment. However with popular books, fans usually tend to disappear
after the series has finished. There is no continuation and they will usually latch onto
whatever else is popular next. I think with movies as well, Star Wars for example, cults
can easily relate to Star Wars if they are also Star Trek fans due to the space theme.
However if we take Harry Potter, there arent a vast multitude of different series that
involve magical boy wizards that fans can go to once the series is over.
2. I see Princess Leia as primarily a token chick. Leia is able to barely fend for herself first
of all; she is captured and has to be rescued (not to mention, in an infamously scantily
clad outfit). This in turn portrays her as a damsel character, unable to free herself
without a rescuer. Theres also the fact the plot of this movie revolved around men
competing for her possession. In the end, she also feels comfortable rewarding her savior
(Luke) by giving him a kiss, without even realizing that they were related. Despite all this
though, there are some moments in the movie where Leia is seen as more empowering
throughout the movie as she travels with Luke and Han Solo and shows a brave and
leading personality.

Response to Michael Turay (Question 3)

Despite Leias portrayal as a token chick, you bring up a few good points towards how Leia is
still able to be seen as empowering female character, especially your point about how she is a
leader in a male-dominated clan. Though despite she lacks power, she has good leadership in her
character.
Response to Jon-Paul McCormick (Question 2)
I slightly disagree with your analysis saying that films are a much profitable medium. While yes
movies can make a lot of money, make series, especially books, have been developed into either
shows or movies which end up making a lot of money both from the books themselves and then
the adaption. You make a great point saying how people associate better with things they can see
though since there are many out there who cannot read.

Module 8

1. I think most of the time comics are viewed as just action stories and are meant for
entertainment purposes rather than something to actually analyze. Because they are so
often made into big budgeted moving as well, people have a reason to treat them as just a
form of entertainment. However, people fail to realize the lessons and deep meanings that
comics can teach. Watchmen is an excellent example in this case for many reasons; its
not as action packed and is more dialogue heavy for a comic book. It also talks about
issues in the past and gives the reader a more in-depth look at different cultural events
that shaped society and how it affected society as well. There are comics that can be
easily pandered to men (take for example, comics with scantily clad superheros), and
there are comics that can have a deeper meaning to them besides just crime fighting (take
Batman, for example). However I think its up to reader decide the type of benefit they an
get from reading different types of comics and whether to treat is like a novel.
2. Utopia is defined as any real or imaginary society, place, state, etc, considered to be
perfect or ideal, a dystopia is the exact opposite. In regards to the comic however, I think
the definition of dystopia would be more along lines of a society characterized by human
misery, oppression, disease, and overcrowding which is the exact situation that the
society in Watchmen is like. I believe that Watchmen is more concerned with dystopic
concepts and imagery due to its overall dark tons and imagery. For example in the
beginning of the comic, Rorschach points at how blood is being washed off the street; in
Chapter 12 we see an apocalyptic scene where blood is spattered everywhere and
thousands of bodies lie dead.
Response to Michelle Andres (Question 1)
I agree with your analysis regarding the first page of the book. Its extremely important for an
author to be able to establish the tone and atmosphere of a book in order for the reader to
understand the setting of the book and there are many signs on the first page of the book that
point to a dystopia setting.
Response to John Teng (Question 2)
I fully agree with your analysis; comics arent for everyone but there is always a comic out there
that someone can enjoy even if theyre not a regular reader. Also I like how you pointed out that
some people do not like the visual aspect of comics which would make sense because some
people like to just imagine how the characters and setting s look themselves instead it being
given to them.

Module 9

1. I think the numerous less important characters of Watchmen are added in order to add
more depth to the story and increase the atmosphere and understanding of the world in
which the other six central characters live in. Despite being side characters and providing
no real importance, they still add some content to the story. If youve heard of NPC, or
non-playable characters (a videogame term), then these minor characters act much like
them. Theyre intractable and tell you about the plot, but if they die or something else
happens to them then no one will really remember them. The reason a majority of them
die is again, due to the fact that theyre merely there to provide content but arent
necessarily key to the story.
2. The major details that stuck out to me were the multiple dead bodies, the blood splattered
everywhere, the hint at a tentacle (which we later see leads to a monster), broken glass
everywhere. There is an airship which crashed into a building. There are multiple
headlines which write War? on them. There are blood stains which resemble
Rorschach blots. The term Krystalnacht is ironic in these pages because it refers to a
night when Jewish businesses were terrorized by the Nazis (and there is broken glass
everywhere). Utopia is also ironically used since from this scene, it is very clear that
there is no utopia in NYC. Pale Horse is a reference to the fourth horseman of the
apocalypse who represented Death. In this scene, there is death all around. I am unsure to
deduce what Promethean has to do with this scene, perhaps humankind is being punished
for their curiosity in a way?
Response to Shannon Needham (Question 1)
Your point regarding how the characters role is to help generate an authentic realism was very
interesting. Indeed despite their minor importance they played a bigger part within the comic
than most people would see, which was to help establish the story and work toward developing
the world of Watchmen, thus making the story seem more realistic.
Response to Erica Pignatelli (Question 2)
I like the fact that you noticed what Moore and Gibbons did in this chapter with the full page
drawing. It helps the reader not only get a better visualization of the scene that is occurring but
also understand the disparity of the situation. The doomsday clock, the blood, and the shattered
windows all add to this. Also, you pointed out how there was an advertisement for the movie
The Day the Earth Stood Still which was something I had not noticed before.

Module 10

1. My analysis is of page 6 in the novel. First of all what is most noticeable is Satrapis use
of colors, she keeps it very minimal by using black and white. This makes it so that her
story is also better visually represented rather through words or story. In the first panel we
see the contrast of Marjanes life, she is both modern but also religious and this will be a
struggle of hers throughout the novel. In this panel she explains how both her life has
been impacted by religion by showing the past prophets and representing herself by
encircling her head with a sun. At the same time she shows example of her modern
family lifestyle in the last few panels to show contrast. In the end this goes back to the
first panel of this page where she is divided into two: her religious and modern self.
2. I think its possible to see Persepolis as escapist fiction. Escapist novels are supposed to
provide a psychological escape from thoughts of everyday life by immersing the reader in
exotic situations or activities. In this case, Persepolis immerses us in a story filled with
war and change. Despite this setting being not exactly the perfect setup for an escapist
story, we are transported into actual history and experience life through a young girls
lives. In Persepolis I Marjane primarily focuses her story on when she was younger and
what she saw through the war (letting the reader see through her eyes). This lets us escape
to her world an actual world- and inform the readers about a piece of history that we
would not normally know of. She is trying to psychologically engage us and challenge
the readers views through the imagery in the story.
Response to Kyle Kostyria (Question 1)
I like how you pointed out Satrapis use of minimalistic colors (just plain black and white) and
also your comparison to the veils as a prisoner uniform was a nice find. I think Satrapi
deliberately kept the colors of the comic black and white in order to provide both sides of her
story (black and white, no middle ground). In addition I think it also helps represent harshness,
for example in panels where she uses more black it could represent more darkness in the story.
Response to Marie Arcayos
Your analysis on Persepolis being escapist fiction is what I agree with. I like the points you bring
about Western media covering a very general scope regarding news especially in the Middle East
and how Persepolis is a good example of escapist fiction due to being able to show how the war
individually impacted families.

Module 11
1. I think Marjane does find herself by the end of the Persepolis. When she is visiting her
grandfathers and uncles grave I think she is able to understand to let go of her past.
When she is about to leave the airport and her mother tells her that she is forbidden to
return to Iran, Marjane understands that despite the fact that she will be limited from
seeing her family, she is being given freedom something that was hard for her to find
back home (and why she had gone to Vienna and France as well). In addition, the fact
that she was able to not conform to the punk lifestyle when she was in Vienna and stood
up for herself when she was insulted for being Iranian shows that she was able to
understand her roots and find herself.
2. In comparison to other comics, such as Watchmen, Satrapis portrayal of men seems
much harsher than the treatment of women in Watchmen. In my opinion I think that
Satrapis portrayal of men is harsh but at the same time the way she shows what women
had to bear with is just as bad. She portrays men in such a light to make a statement not
to lean towards a specific gender. This creates a large difference in between the two, since
as mentioned; Satrapi was trying to make more of a political statement about gender
differences. In Watchmen neither the men nor women are depicted as harshly, but
Watchmen does give examples of women had to face at the time (such as feminist
movements and sexism).
Response to Jaclyn Moody (Question 1)
You mention how because of Marjarnes history and how she had to deal with so much in her life
very quickly caused herself to mature quicker and find herself was a point I agree with. Having
to experience a war and see a whole country change before, not to mention, leave the country
and see new people would cause someone to learn about themselves much more than an average
person. By constantly trying to find herself and finally discovering her own freedom I think she
is able to learn about herself and find out her purpose.
Response to Steven Taylor (Question 2)
Your comparison of Leia to the men in Persepolis was an interesting point. I think she was a
strong authoritative figure however her opinion did not overshadow anyone else like the men in
Persepolis did, nor did it have as strong of an impact on the society.

Module 12
1. I was introduced to Harry Potter when I was in the 6th grade. By now a lot of my friends
had already known about the books or had seen the films so I was inclined to learn more
about the series. I didnt end up reading past the 4th book however. Ive only see the first
two films, so Ive never been a really huge fan of the series. Ive been meaning to read
more of the books or see more of the movies but just never really took that much interest
into it. I dont think its a bad series, its just not my flavor of fantasy that I enjoy I guess.
The way I was introduced into the series didnt influence my view on it either.
2. I find Pratchetts criticism to be rather humorous and truthful. He does have a point in
regards to Rowlings obliviousness in not noticing thats he did, in fact, write a fantasy
novel. However, being that it was her first book and she wasnt yet set on what direction
to go with it, Rowling could have not meant her book to be a fantasy genre.
Response to Melissa Brubacher
From what Ive seen, most people began discovering Harry Potter at a young age and the fact
that you became an avid reader of Harry Potter at a young age shows me that a majority of
fans got into the series at a young age. Its also interesting that as you matured, the book
series grew much darker (I havent read past the 4th book so I dont know much about the
story past that point). Also, I think its cute that you purchased the book with your own
money, thats a true fans dedication.
Your analysis on Pratchetts commentary piqued my interest and we agree on the
similarity behind Rowling naivetys of not noticing that her book was full of fantasy
elements- yet she did not acknowledge it. You point out Rowlings lack of experience
contributes to her naivety and I think thats true as well.
Response to Alexandra Somersett
Its different to see someone who was introduced to the series through the movies, I
havent met too many people who were exposed to Harry Potter this way. Even better
though is that you read the books and appreciated them much more than you did the
movies. Although, I think in actuality it would be better if the movie didnt set a scene for
you and used your imagination, but I can see why it would disappoint you if it didnt
meet your expectations.
Your critique on what Pratchett said is more or less what I thought as well. It seems like
most people seem to agree with his analysis. Hes poking fun at her, but I dont think hes
trying to be rude (although, that seems to be what most people see him coming off as.