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The Development of Mimetic Desire towards Latent Conflict in the Work of Katherine Mansfield
Nováčková, Zuzana ; Wallace, Clare (advisor) ; Nováková, Soňa (referee)
Thesis abstract Using Aristotelian notion of imitative behaviour and René Girard's theory of mimetic desire, several stories by Katherine Mansfield are analysed in order to demonstrate the development of mimetic desire together with its implications. The analysis follows the negative aspects of mimesis: the problems it causes in relationships, as well as the positive aspects including the self-knowledge. Since Mansfield's stories do not correspond fully to Girard's theory, the analysis explores a specific way of dealing with mimetic desire: keeping the conflict latent. At first, the stories about childhood offer an insight into Aristotelian concept of mimesis - imitative behaviour being a natural and pleasing human activity that is best observed in children's plays. The stories show how children choose their models, how they comprehend the world that surrounds them, especially the interpersonal and social codes, and how important is imagination in their mimetic activities. The analysis proceeds from natural imitation to the origins of mimetic desire, focusing on two modes of mediation and on the process of realization of one's own self-authenticity. The search for self-authenticity is possible due to external or internal mediation of desire. The transition from one type to the other is explained by the...
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Imagination and Reality in the Work of J.R.R. Tolkien and Neil Gaiman
ŠIMMEROVÁ, Alena
The bachelor thesis aims to explore selected works of J. R. R. Tolkien and Neil Gaiman as representative examples of the fantasy genre. The narratives of Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of The Rings and Gaiman's Coraline and The Graveyard Book will be contrasted and analysed on the theoretical background of the rites of passage. Thus, its fundamental concepts will be introduced in order to establish a solid basis for subsequent analysis. The concept of liminality will be given extra importance because it represents a state in which the dramatic changes in one's character occur. The focus will be placed on the fantastic adventure as a liminal phase of the storyline in comparison with the preliminary and post-liminal ones, which are more or less associated with realistic elements. The proper analysis will concentrate especially on the disparity between the fantastic plot, which is aligned to a trial/journey motif, and the framework established by the opening and the end of the story. Moreover, a part of the thesis will be devoted to a definition of the fantasy genre and the biography of both authors. Finally, the thesis will be concluded with the topic of death in terms of liminality as meeting point of imagination and reality.
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Pink Floyd and Czech cultural context
JIRÁNKOVÁ, Lucie
The aim of this bachelor thesis is to analyse the reception of Pink Floyd in the Czech cultural environment of the second half of the twentieth century and their impact with an emphasis on the period of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. First, a description of the musical and cultural discourse of the foreign and Czech music scene is provided. The following section introduces the Pink Floyd group itself. The thesis focuses on the reception of the group in the Czech press of the 1970s and 1980s. This is followed by an analysis of Pink Floyd's influence on Czech music. The focus is also on the band's lyrics and their comparison with Czech translations, paraphrases, and cover versions.
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The ambiguity of the narrative structure in Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon
Jelen, Vojtěch ; Higgins, Bernadette (advisor) ; Ženíšek, Jakub (referee)
This thesis aims to discuss the key narrative features in the short story and novel Flowers for Algernon through the lens of two different narrative frameworks. The first will focus on the traditionally established three-act structure widely recognised as standard in Western fiction. The second will analyse the work from the angle of kishotenketsu, the four-act structure of Oriental literature. The theoretical part will contain a brief description of both narrative structures, noting their main properties. In the practical part, the story will be analysed using both of the described frameworks to highlight the ambiguous nature of its plot progression. KEYWORDS Science fiction, Flowers for Algernon, 20th century, narrative structure, literary analysis, Daniel Keyes
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Psí víno by Anna Blažíčková
Barylová, Hana ; Wiendl, Jan (advisor) ; Špirit, Michael (referee)
This bachelor's thesis presents a literary analysis of Anna Blažíčková's novella Psí víno. In four chapters I focus on the following: textual components (formal structure, textual coherence and basic narrative structure), linguistic components (stylistic, syntactic, lexical and morphological), characterization (types of characters, means of explicit and implicit characterization, realisation of the theme through characters) and the theme itself (themes of family, loss and work). The aim of this thesis is to discover and present basic structural and thematic components of the novella.
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Space as a Meaning-Making Factor in Children's and Young Adult Literature
Stejskalová, Tereza ; Brožová, Věra (advisor) ; Klumparová, Štěpánka (referee)
This master's thesis, titled "Space as a Meaning-Making Factor in Children's and Young Adult Literature", concentrates on building and projection of literary space in the literature specifically intended for children and young adults. It has literary analytical and literary interpretive character and is based on theoretical works on the topic of literary space. This thesis is divided into two parts. The first part covers the theoretical conception of literary space. The second part consists of examinations of literary works, first of the world's classics of children's and young adult literature (The Brothers Lionheart by Astrid Lindgren, The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, Through a Glass, Darkly by Jostein Gaarder) and then of the works of contemporary Czech children's and young adult literature Lenka a Nelka neboli AHA ('Lenka and Nelka or AHA') by Daniela Fischer, Spící město, Spící spravedlnost a Spící tajemství ('Sleeping City', 'Sleeping Justice', and 'Sleeping Secret') by Martin Vopěnka and Soví zpěv ('Owl's Song') by Iva Procházková. In the theoretical part, the conception of literary space is defined from the perspective of literary topology. The definition of this concept is based on literary studies on the topic of literary topology, mainly on the essays Místa s Tajemstvím ('Places...
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"Henry James & His Stance towards Aestheticism and Decadence"
Mackal, Jan ; Roraback, Erik Sherman (advisor) ; Robbins, David Lee (referee)
This M.A. thesis focuses on the problematic relationship between Henry James and Aestheticism and Decadence on the example of his two masterpieces-The Portrait of a Lady () and The Golden Bowl (). The main task is to document the evolution of this relationship and to point out that despite his lifelong preoccupation with these two artistic movements in his literary works, James refuses to assume a concrete stance toward them. Before the literary analysis of the two abovementioned novels, the author devotes the first chapter to a brief historical survey as to the nature and purpose of the work of art, to the development Aestheticism and Decadence in Europe and Britain, and to James's relationship with some of the proponents of British Aestheticism. The rest of the thesis is devoted to the literary analysis of the two novels through the optics of Aestheticism and Decadence. Keywords: James, Henry; Aestheticism; Decadence; literary analysis; transatlantic studies
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