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Neo-Pagan Features in Boyden's "Three Day Road"
Bohal, Vít ; Kolinská, Klára (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
In the thesis for my upcoming bachelor's paper I aim to analyze the topic of religion in Joseph Boyden's novel Three Day Road (2005). More specifically, I aim to defend the hypothesis that within the spectrum of religious dialogue present within the novel, there is an overwhelming undertone of neo-pagan ideals. These ideals are presented as being positive, in the sense that they are life-supporting, rather than life-hindering. The main contention that I will draw will deal with the aspect of taboo, and how it is adressed throughout the novel. Contrary to Sigmund Freud's ideas (Freud's book Totem and Taboo will serve as the basis for my arguments) of taboo being a life-hindering, neurotic framework of belief, the views expressed by the two main narrators of the novel are in favor of taboo, and the narration itself draws a tragic end for the character who consistently defies these taboos. There is a moral aspect to the story expressed within the relationship of the two main characters, Xavier Bird and Elijah Whiskeyjack, and is based on this very adherence, or lack thereof, to taboos. The main taboo consistently appears to be that of cannibalism associated with the infamous Algonquin mythological figure of the windigo, which is the most frequent metaphor used within the narrtaive and is the most productive...
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Luba and Rudolf Pellar: Translations from English
Gillová, Lucie ; Beran, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
The history of translation is a very important part of literature and to study it is crucial for many reasons. New translators always continue in some already existing tradition which is therefore important to study, analyze and also to learn from. This bachelor thesis deals with the translations from English by Luba and Rudolf Pellar who were translating for almost fifty years. Because their life experience can influence their work, the first part of this thesis deals with their lives and also summarizes some selected translations. The second part of this work is the analysis of selected translations. However, first of all, the translations of titles of the particular texts are analyzed because even they can tell a lot about the method of a translator. Consequently, the three selected texts- The Catcher in the Rye (Kdo chytá v žitě) by J.D. Salinger, Across the River and into the Trees (Přes řeku do stínu stromů) by Ernest Hemingway and American Pastoral (Americká Idyla) by Philip Roth- are analyzed in detail. These texts were selected because they represent equally the whole career of Pellar and the development of the method of translation can be observed in them. Moreover, the novel by Hemingway had been already published earlier and this translation is used for a comparison of two different...
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Homegrown stereotyping: the shaping of Canadian consciousness through television broadcasting
Prosečová, Lenka ; Kolinská, Klára (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
To define Canada and the Canadian nation is no easy task. From a historical perspective, Canada is a very young country: until 1949 there was no Canadian citizenship, the Canadian flag appeared as late as 1965, and it wasn't until 1967 that the Canadian national anthem could be heard. Although Canada would thereafter finally seem to have been able to establish its distinct identity in opposition to its mother country, Canadian patriotism has continued to be problematic. Despite years of efforts to form a pan-Canadian identity - characterized especially by Pierre Trudeau's attempts to institute federal bilingualism and a pan-Canadian identity rooted in liberal individualism - the existence of a self-conscious Canadian nation remains questionable. Within the Canadian Anglophone population there seems to be no unified notion of a panCanadian nation and thus no innate nationalism. Furthermore, for the rest of the world, Canada remains a mystery, an "Unknown Country."] Arthur Lismer, a member of the Group of Seven, assessed the situation as follows: "after 1919 most creative people, whether in painting, writing or music, began to have a guilty feeling that Canada was as yet unwritten, unpainted, unsung [ ... ],,2 Indeed, efforts were made to "capture" Canada in paintings, photography, in poetry and prose, in...
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Prejudice, Cultural Clash, Female Role, Nation and Nationaly in the Novels of Ying Chen
Navrátilová, Leona ; Kolinská, Klára (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
Ying Chen is a Canadian writer of Chinese origin who writes in French. In her novels, she investigates immigration which is closely connected with displacement and the loss of one's original identity. Her literary work is primarily aimed at the North American readership so she includes a lot of details of historical events and social facts about China. Ying Chen belongs to the group of authors who are labelled as immigrant writers. The majority of her literary work centres around the recurring themes of nationalism, feminism, imagination and immigration, which can lead to a loss of original identity. Ying Chen investigates whether a person can exchange his identity, that which was given to him by his parents, with a new one. In her second published novel, L'Ingratitude, Ying Chen speaks through the character of the dominant mother and says: "A person without parents is miserable, like a people without history." With these words she indicates the impossibility of exchanging one's nationhood, national history, and identity. We need to accept who we are, and she emphasises this fact in her novel, Immobile, saying, "I am myself."
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Towards the poetics of ceremony: a study in contemporary native American literature
Nagyová, Petra ; Ulmanová, Hana (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
English resumé ! The basic question behind my thesis Towards the Poetics of Ceremony is: How shall one treat contemporary Indian literature in the context of European culture? In a broad sense I deal with the question of reading and interpreting exotic ethnic literature in general. What is specific about Indian literature is the fact that Czech and other central European readers have usually had the opportunity to come in touch (however indirectly) with the Indian subject since childhood, both in the form of adventurous stories from Karl May and their successful film adaptations. ! And that is the problem: our concepts are twisted and biased, they are cultural stereotypes. In the Foreword to my thesis I call the process "stereotyping practice". On of the aims of my thesis is to show that for a fruitful interpretation of a work like Ceremony written by L.M. Silko it is necessary to look away from the stereotypes and deep-rooted concepts, to understand Indian authors in the context of the whole American literature and not seek any special categories or methods which would reveal "the Indianess" of the text. The American-versus-Indian question is dealt with in the Introduction. ! The solution I gradually offer in my work is based on a simple idea: the more points of view, the lesser danger of stereotyping...
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Commented Translation of Selected Short Stories of Angela Carter
Jedličková, Kamila ; Beran, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
v anglickém jazyce The theme of my BA thesis is the question of translating Angela Carter's short fiction into Czech, including my own translation of two selected short stories. The thesis will be divided into two parts. The first part will provide a detailed analysis of the source texts with attention to lexis, syntax, and stylistics, and a characterization of potential specific problems which will have to be dealt with in the translation. The second part of the thesis will consist of my own translation of the two selected short stories with a detailed commentary concerning the choice of adequate equivalents and explaining any potential shifts in meaning. The aim of the thesis is to examine the specific features of the process of translating A. Carter's short stories into Czech and to provide a translation of the selected texts, which will be based on the achieved conclusions. The source texts will be attached to the thesis as an appendix. Key words: translation, Angela Carter, short stories
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Canadian Literary Regionalism: Rural Ontario and Manitoba Pariries In the Works of Alice Munro and Margaret Laurence
Ondová, Zuzana ; Kolinská, Klára (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
The BA thesis deals with the use of region in the works of two renowned Canadian authors of the 20th century, Margaret Laurence and Alice Munro. For my analysis I have chosen Laurence's novel The Diviners (1974), the final work in her Manawaka sequence, and Alice Munro's first published collection of short stories, Dance of the Happy Shades (1968). Laurence sets her Canadian novels primarily in Manawaka, a small prairie town based her own hometown. Munro, who is largely associated with Southern Ontario Gothic, takes us to several towns in southwestern Ontario. Since both authors have successfully been published outside of Canada I also discuss whether their works are distinctly Canadian in any way. Contemporary Canadian studies recognize regionalism as one of the defining features of the country. In the introduction, I touch on the lack of uniform identity, experience and interests in a country as ethnically and geographically diverse as Canada. Although the first thing that comes to mind in relation to Canadian regions, is the division of the country into provinces and territories, it is not the only way to approach regionalism - the country could be divided into different regions if we were to focus on language or climate. Beverly Rasporich proposes the view that artists serve as "active creators...
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Sikh Religious Symbols in Contemporary Canada
Sládečka, Dušan ; Kolinská, Klára (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to discuss the place of visible Sikh religious symbols in Canadian public life, and their ensuing controversies. These will illustrate the complexity of resolving the issues of cultural and religious conflict in the Canadian multicultural society. The analysis of the lines of argument behind the chosen court decisions will be central for the purposes of this paper. The debate offers valuable insight into the political process of policy- making and accommodating diversity in Canada. The Sikh articles of faith, commonly referred to as the "5Ks" are an indispensable part of life for the people practicing the Sikh religion. However, by applying these religious beliefs in their everyday life, the Sikh Canadians often find themselves in conflict with some of the Canadian laws and regulations The most problematic articles are the kesh (unshorn hair covered at all times by a specific kind of turban or cloth) and the kirpan (a stylized representation of a sword, which must be enclosed in a protective covering and worn next to the body). These will be in the centre of focus of this thesis. The thesis is divided into four main chapters. The first chapter will give the contextual framework of the thesis. Its basic notions will be introduced. The chapter will briefly overview the...
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Luba and Rudolf Pellar: Translations from English
Gillová, Lucie ; Beran, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
The history of translation is a very important part of literature and to study it is crucial for many reasons. New translators always continue in some already existing tradition which is therefore important to study, analyze and also to learn from. This bachelor thesis deals with the translations from English by Luba and Rudolf Pellar who were translating for almost fifty years. Because their life experience can influence their work, the first part of this thesis deals with their lives and also summarizes some selected translations. The second part of this work is the analysis of selected translations. However, first of all, the translations of titles of the particular texts are analyzed because even they can tell a lot about the method of a translator. Consequently, the three selected texts- The Catcher in the Rye (Kdo chytá v žitě) by J.D. Salinger, Across the River and into the Trees (Přes řeku do stínu stromů) by Ernest Hemingway and American Pastoral (Americká Idyla) by Philip Roth- are analyzed in detail. These texts were selected because they represent equally the whole career of Pellar and the development of the method of translation can be observed in them. Moreover, the novel by Hemingway had been already published earlier and this translation is used for a comparison of two different...
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Neo-Pagan Features in Boyden's "Three Day Road"
Bohal, Vít ; Kolinská, Klára (advisor) ; Jindra, Miroslav (referee)
In the thesis for my upcoming bachelor's paper I aim to analyze the topic of religion in Joseph Boyden's novel Three Day Road (2005). More specifically, I aim to defend the hypothesis that within the spectrum of religious dialogue present within the novel, there is an overwhelming undertone of neo-pagan ideals. These ideals are presented as being positive, in the sense that they are life-supporting, rather than life-hindering. The main contention that I will draw will deal with the aspect of taboo, and how it is adressed throughout the novel. Contrary to Sigmund Freud's ideas (Freud's book Totem and Taboo will serve as the basis for my arguments) of taboo being a life-hindering, neurotic framework of belief, the views expressed by the two main narrators of the novel are in favor of taboo, and the narration itself draws a tragic end for the character who consistently defies these taboos. There is a moral aspect to the story expressed within the relationship of the two main characters, Xavier Bird and Elijah Whiskeyjack, and is based on this very adherence, or lack thereof, to taboos. The main taboo consistently appears to be that of cannibalism associated with the infamous Algonquin mythological figure of the windigo, which is the most frequent metaphor used within the narrtaive and is the most productive...
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