Ransom Text Response-1st essay for the year

[jazza97]

How does Malouf explore the different experiences of loss presented throughout the novel?

The loss of loved ones, dreams and identity are all inevitable in the long course of life.  It is the way that one reacts and responds that truly defines who they are.  David Malouf, in his novel, Ransom, is able to explore the variety of losses experienced through delving into the mindset and actions of Priam, Achilles and Somax.  The loss family, identity and oneself are all prevalent ideas throughout the novel and Malouf illustrates the way that they can bring upon change and journey.  Through the examination of these concepts, Malouf allows the reader to gain a greater understanding of both the positive and negative effects of loss and how it can cause grief and rage but also an opportunity for self-development and learning.

The loss of loved ones is perhaps one of the hardest and most emotional times in one’s life.  Both Achilles and Priam struggle to cope with the deaths of Patroclus and Hector.  Priam, seen as ‘half-mad with grief’ and Achilles, ‘weep[ing] without restraint’ illustrates the emotional torment that each man is undergoing.  Essentially both warriors are driven by their will to find inner peace and solace, and this is a key motivating force behind their actions.  Malouf’s focus on the immense grief felt through losing a son or companion highlights the vulnerability which it creates in a person, even in the most fearsome of warriors.  Priam’s grief causes him to embark on a journey to restore his sons’ pride and honour and through sacrificing ‘the King’s sacred body’ and ‘taking a chance’, Priam is illustrating how the loss of Hector has driven him to change and revaluate who he is.  On the other hand, we see Achilles react with rage and isolation as he ‘inwardly rages’ ‘without passion but also without pity’ and is drowned in oblivion’, demonstrating his fragility and seclusion .  As both men have stepped outside their norm, it is evident that the loss of family has caused their vulnerabilities to be exposed, which, in turn, has allowed the reader to journey into their psyche and understand to a greater extent what defines them.

Somax’s reaction to the loss of his children is juxtaposed with that of both Achilles and Priam who are extraordinary people living extraordinary lives.  Somax is the epitome of simpleness, of humility as he ‘is dazzled by the whiteness’ and ‘hangs his head’.  Being ‘A simple folk like him’, Somax is unable to provide for his children as Priam can.  He cannot grieve as Priam does as when ‘it’s done, the fleas go biting and the sun comes up again’.  Having said this, both can relate to being fathers and to ‘knowing what it is like to lose a son’.  Somax too, ‘has a broken heart’ as he ‘stares off into the distance’ and the pain he feels for watch lost son and daughter is palpable.  Malouf utilises this connection to highlight the way in which everyone experiences loss in a similar way, no matter status, origin or wealth.  Love and duty are such vital parts of our makeup that all people inevitably feel a sense of blame and subsequent regret when losing a loved one as Achilles does by allowing Patroclus to leave-‘you go fight the Greeks then’-as Priam does by watching on helplessly as Hector is destroyed and as Somax does for ‘knocking [his son] down once’.  The ability to respond to loss varies from person to person, but the reaction of utter sadness is felt by everyone who experiences such tragedy.

Priam’s loss of identity as a child allows him to embark on a journey of discovery of what it means to be human.  Podarces, as Priam was once called, ‘six years old and indistinguishable’ surviving ‘from the offspring of the lowest scullion’, has gone from being ‘Podarces, son of Laomedon, King of Troy’ to merely a ‘rabble slave’.  By being renamed ‘Priam, the price paid’ (the ransomed one) Priam’s whole identity has been disintegrated as he now becomes ‘the substitute and pretender’.  It is clear that this loss of identity still haunts Priam as ‘he has lived in a ghostly way’, unsure of whom he truly is.  In one respect, Priam’s experience of loss has allowed him to remain a modest, humble King, yet in another, it has caused Priam to live a life of shallowness, of insecurity and it is only through his journey with Somax that he begins to discover what it means to be a man.  He discovers that ‘everything was just itself’, nothing was symbolic, nothing was formulaic, and rather life was a ‘prattling world’.  Through exposing himself by dipping his feet in the creek and gaining a sense for curiosity, Priam is humanised.  Malouf uses this humanisation of Priam to allow him to be prepared for his encounter with Achilles which he will enter as a man, not a king, but an ordinary father.  It is evident that through experiencing the loss of his identity, Priam has had to live a life full of superficiality, craving the knowledge of who he truly is.

Patroclus’ death cripples Achilles and he descends into a state of madness and irrationality.  One of Malouf’s major ideas in ransom is that of how humans have the capability of losing oneself.  Achilles becomes an animal personified-compared with jackals, dogs and wolves-as he becomes ‘half-blind with rage’.  Achilles becomes ‘like a dead man…feeling nothing’ as he ‘wastes his spirit in despair’.  This breakdown of Achilles is contrasted with his elemental nature, for he is a ‘child of the earth’ (his mother Thetis is a sea-nymph) and Malouf touches upon the fact that he is torn between both worlds-‘he felt his soul change colour’.  The experience of losing oneself in the midst of passion and fury emphasises the consequences that can occur and it is through Achilles psychological demise that we see the way without confidence, without trust, without companionship, we are merely hollow, shadows of who we really are.

Malouf makes it clear that there are both positive and negative effects that arise from experiencing loss.  Priam, on the one hand, eventually acts in a positive and optimistic light, deciding to venture from his regal world to a ‘world that is also subject to chance’.  Through taking a chance, Priam is able to achieve his goal both literally and figuratively-for he has ransomed the body of his son Hector and himself, in that he now has a new outlook on life.  In contrast, Achilles has spiralled into a cold depression and fierce rage whereby he sees his only option is to seek vengeance on Hector, ‘doing all this for… Patroclus’ which illustrates the negative aspect of the effects of loss, whereby Achilles is unable to live with the shame of both Patroclus being killed and Hector taking his armour as the spoils of war.

Malouf presents the way that loss affects each person in both similar and contrasting manners.  Through giving an insight into the loss of family, identity and humanity, Malouf allows the readers to gain a sense of clarity in regards to the way people can change and deal with these misfortunes.  Through Priam’s journey with Somax, we see the notion of discovery arise from the loss of family and identity whilst we also see the immense grief and sadness felt.  Similarly, Achilles loss of Patroclus and oneself, allows us to relate with the emotional anguish of being subject to such hardships.  Essentially Malouf focuses on the idea of loss in order to emphasise that notion that although people experience different forms of loss to different degrees, as humans, we all feel a sense of pain and also a sense of obligation to find peace with oneself.

[jazza97]

thoughts?  anyone?

[dilks]

How does Malouf explore the different experiences of loss presented throughout the novel?

The loss of loved ones, dreams (this signpost ends up not being covered in your essay and therefore should be omitted) and identity are all inevitable in the long course of life.  It is the way that one reacts and responds that truly defines who they are.  David Malouf, in his novel, Ransom, is able to explore the variety of losses experienced through delving into the mindset and actions of Priam, Achilles and Somax.  The loss of family, identity and oneself are all prevalent ideas throughout the novel and Malouf illustrates the way that they can bring upon about change and journey (? it isn't clear what you mean by 'and journey'.).  Through the examination of these concepts, Malouf allows the reader to gain a greater understanding of both the positive and negative effects of loss and how it can cause not only grief and rage but also an opportunity for self-development and learning.(Malouf is also pretty bludgeoningly obvious about how Achilles and Priam's mutual losses of their loved ones allows to empathise with each other and form a strong bond which is critical to Priam's success in ransoming his son's body)

The loss of loved ones is perhaps one of the hardest and most emotional times in one’s life.  Both Achilles and Priam struggle to cope with the deaths of Patroclus and Hector.  Priam, seen When Priam is described as being ‘half-mad with grief’ and Achilles ‘weeps without restraint’ this illustrates the emotional torment that each man is undergoing.  Essentially both warriors are driven by their will to find inner peace and solace, and this is a key motivating force behind their actions.  Malouf’s focus on the immense grief felt through losing a son or companion highlights the vulnerability which it creates in a person, even in the most fearsome of warriors.  Priam’s grief causes him to embark on a journey to restore his sons’ pride and honour and through sacrificing ‘the King’s sacred body’ and ‘taking a chance’, Priam is illustrating how the loss of Hector has driven him to change and revaluate who he is (this is good stuff).  On the other hand, we see Achilles react with rage and isolation as he ‘inwardly rages’ ‘without passion but also without pity’ and is drowned in oblivion’, demonstrating his fragility and seclusion .  As both men have stepped outside their norm, it is evident that the loss of family has caused their vulnerabilities to be exposed, which, in turn, has allowed the reader to journey into their psyche and understand to a greater extent what defines them.

Somax’s reaction to the loss of his children is juxtaposed with that of both Achilles and Priam who are extraordinary people living extraordinary lives.  Somax is the epitome of simpleness, of humility as he ‘is dazzled by the whiteness’ (Of? Sorry if this sounds a bit pedantic, but you need to be clear about the context of the quotation.) and ‘hangs his head’.  Being ‘A simple folk [un]like him’, Somax is unable to provide for his children as Priam can.  He cannot grieve as Priam does as when he says ‘it’s done, the fleas go biting and the sun comes up again’.  Having said this, both can relate to being fathers and to ‘knowing what it is like to lose a son’.  Somax too, ‘has a broken heart’ as he ‘stares off into the distance’ and the pain he feels for watch his lost son and daughter is emotionally palpable for the reader.  Malouf utilises this connection to highlight the way in which everyone experiences loss in a similar way, no matter status, origin or wealth grief transcends all boundaries, and unites all human beings.  Love and duty are such vital parts of our makeup that all people inevitably feel a sense of blame and subsequently regret it when losing a loved one as Achilles does by allowing Patroclus to leave-‘you go fight the Greeks then’-as Priam does by watching on helplessly as Hector is destroyed and as Somax does for ‘knocking [his son] down once’ and as Somax does when he reflects upon an occasion when he hit his son in anger.  The ability to respond to loss varies from person to person, but the reaction of utter sadness is felt by everyone who experiences such tragedy as is the ability to emphasise with it.

Priam’s loss of identity as a child allows him to embark on a journey of discovery of what it means to be human.  Podarces, as Priam was once called, ‘six years old and indistinguishable’ surviving ‘from the offspring of the lowest scullion’, has gone from being ‘Podarces, son of Laomedon, King of Troy’ to merely a ‘rabble slave’.  By being renamed ‘Priam, the price paid’ (the ransomed one) Priam’s whole identity has been disintegrated as he now becomes ‘the substitute and pretender’.  It is clear that this loss of identity still haunts Priam as ‘he has lived in a ghostly way’, unsure of whom he truly is.  In one respect, Priam’s experience of loss has allowed him to remain a modest, humble King, yet in another, it has caused Priam to live a life of shallowness, of and insecurity; and it is only through his journey with Somax that he begins to discover what it means to be a man.  He discovers that ‘everything was just itself’, nothing was symbolic, nothing was formulaic, and rather life was a ‘prattling world’.  Through exposing himself by dipping his feet in the creek and gaining a sense for curiosity, Priam is humanised.  Malouf uses this humanisation of Priam to allow him to be prepared for his encounter with Achilles which he will enter as a man, not a king, but an ordinary father.  It is evident that through experiencing the loss of his identity, Priam has had to live a life full of superficiality, craving the knowledge of who he truly is. (You demonstrate good insight into the psychological aspect of the novel here.)

Patroclus’ death cripples Achilles and he descends into a state of madness and irrationality.  One of Malouf’s major ideas concerns in Ransom is that of how humans have the capability of losing oneself themselves.  Achilles becomes an animal personified – he is compared with jackals, dogs and wolves throughout the novel - as he becomes ‘half-blind with rage’.  Achilles becomes ‘like a dead man…feeling nothing’ as he ‘wastes his spirit in despair’.  This breakdown of Achilles is contrasted with his elemental nature, for he is a ‘child of the earth’ (his mother Thetis is a sea-nymph) and Malouf touches upon the fact that he is torn between both worlds -‘he felt his soul change colour’.  The experience of losing oneself in the midst of passion and fury emphasises the consequences that can occur and it is through Achilles psychological demise that we see the way without confidence, without trust, without companionship, we are merely hollow, shadows (And there was me thinking I was the only one who subscribed to a Jungian interpretation of the novel) of who we really are.

Malouf makes it clear that there are both positive and negative effects (there was a quotation somewhere about pain and pleasure being inextricably mixed which might work well here too) that arise from experiencing loss.  Priam, on the one hand, eventually acts in a positive and optimistic light, deciding to venture from his regal world to a ‘world that is also subject to chance’.  Through taking a chance, Priam is able to achieve his goal both literally and figuratively-for he has ransomed the body of his son Hector and himself, in that he now has a new outlook on life.  In contrast, Achilles has spiralled into a cold depression and fierce rage whereby he sees his only option is to seek vengeance on Hector, ‘doing all this for… Patroclus’ which illustrates the negative aspect of the effects of loss, whereby Achilles is unable to live with the shame of both Patroclus being killed and Hector taking his armour as the spoils of war.

Malouf presents the way that loss affects each person in both similar and contrasting manners.  Through giving an insight into the loss of family, identity and humanity, Malouf allows the readers to gain a sense of clarity in regards to the way people can change and deal with these misfortunes.  Through Priam’s journey with Somax, we see the notion of discovery arise from the loss of family and identity whilst we also see the immense grief and sadness felt.  Similarly, Achilles loss of Patroclus and oneself, allows us to relate with the emotional anguish of being subject to such hardships.  Essentially Malouf focuses on the idea of loss in order to emphasise that notion that although people experience different forms of loss to different degrees, as humans, we all feel a sense of pain and also a sense of obligation to find peace with oneself.

Some excellent ideas here, but, you could have gone even further. For example: ‘Achilles’ literally translates from Greek to English as “Grief of the people” which means that he is the grief of the Greeks because he shames his people through the deplorably sacrilegious act of defiling Hector’s body by mutilating it and denying him a proper burial; it also means that he brings grief to people, because he kills other people’s loved ones! Second of all, there is the role of catharsis in the novel. Let us recall the fact that Achilles has lost his mother and his father. His mother couldn’t stay with him because she is a goddess and he, a mortal, and his father went to war, just like Achilles. Malouf frequently mentions how he never grieves openly, his tears always fall inwards, this means he has no one to share his remorse with, no one to relieve of his terrible burden, of his ransom. Instead he sublimates his grief through the animal rage he inflicts on his enemies, but ‘it is never enough’. Thus Achilles’ violence does not stem from grief per se but from his failure to unload himself of it by actually opening up and talking to someone, in a manner akin to how Priam prevents himself from remembering personal details about his sons in order to avoid having the face the devastating implications of his losses. When, at the end of the novel, Priam comes to Achilles as a father, he provides him with the catharsis he so desperately needs, and this allows himself to escape the cycle of violence he has fallen into and become ‘the true Achilles’. Thus Priam quest of compassion and atonement redeems not only himself, but both men, and this is what Malouf believes is the lesson we should draw from the Iliad.

[jazza97]

How does Malouf explore the different experiences of loss presented throughout the novel?

The loss of loved ones, dreams (this signpost ends up not being covered in your essay and therefore should be omitted) and identity are all inevitable in the long course of life.  It is the way that one reacts and responds that truly defines who they are.  David Malouf, in his novel, Ransom, is able to explore the variety of losses experienced through delving into the mindset and actions of Priam, Achilles and Somax.  The loss of family, identity and oneself are all prevalent ideas throughout the novel and Malouf illustrates the way that they can bring upon about change and journey (? it isn't clear what you mean by 'and journey'.).  Through the examination of these concepts, Malouf allows the reader to gain a greater understanding of both the positive and negative effects of loss and how it can cause not only grief and rage but also an opportunity for self-development and learning.(Malouf is also pretty bludgeoningly obvious about how Achilles and Priam's mutual losses of their loved ones allows to empathise with each other and form a strong bond which is critical to Priam's success in ransoming his son's body)

The loss of loved ones is perhaps one of the hardest and most emotional times in one’s life.  Both Achilles and Priam struggle to cope with the deaths of Patroclus and Hector.  Priam, seen When Priam is described as being ‘half-mad with grief’ and Achilles ‘weeps without restraint’ this illustrates the emotional torment that each man is undergoing.  Essentially both warriors are driven by their will to find inner peace and solace, and this is a key motivating force behind their actions.  Malouf’s focus on the immense grief felt through losing a son or companion highlights the vulnerability which it creates in a person, even in the most fearsome of warriors.  Priam’s grief causes him to embark on a journey to restore his sons’ pride and honour and through sacrificing ‘the King’s sacred body’ and ‘taking a chance’, Priam is illustrating how the loss of Hector has driven him to change and revaluate who he is (this is good stuff).  On the other hand, we see Achilles react with rage and isolation as he ‘inwardly rages’ ‘without passion but also without pity’ and is drowned in oblivion’, demonstrating his fragility and seclusion .  As both men have stepped outside their norm, it is evident that the loss of family has caused their vulnerabilities to be exposed, which, in turn, has allowed the reader to journey into their psyche and understand to a greater extent what defines them.

Somax’s reaction to the loss of his children is juxtaposed with that of both Achilles and Priam who are extraordinary people living extraordinary lives.  Somax is the epitome of simpleness, of humility as he ‘is dazzled by the whiteness’ (Of? Sorry if this sounds a bit pedantic, but you need to be clear about the context of the quotation.) and ‘hangs his head’.  Being ‘A simple folk [un]like him’, Somax is unable to provide for his children as Priam can.  He cannot grieve as Priam does as when he says ‘it’s done, the fleas go biting and the sun comes up again’.  Having said this, both can relate to being fathers and to ‘knowing what it is like to lose a son’.  Somax too, ‘has a broken heart’ as he ‘stares off into the distance’ and the pain he feels for watch his lost son and daughter is emotionally palpable for the reader.  Malouf utilises this connection to highlight the way in which everyone experiences loss in a similar way, no matter status, origin or wealth grief transcends all boundaries, and unites all human beings.  Love and duty are such vital parts of our makeup that all people inevitably feel a sense of blame and subsequently regret it when losing a loved one as Achilles does by allowing Patroclus to leave-‘you go fight the Greeks then’-as Priam does by watching on helplessly as Hector is destroyed and as Somax does for ‘knocking [his son] down once’ and as Somax does when he reflects upon an occasion when he hit his son in anger.  The ability to respond to loss varies from person to person, but the reaction of utter sadness is felt by everyone who experiences such tragedy as is the ability to emphasise with it.

Priam’s loss of identity as a child allows him to embark on a journey of discovery of what it means to be human.  Podarces, as Priam was once called, ‘six years old and indistinguishable’ surviving ‘from the offspring of the lowest scullion’, has gone from being ‘Podarces, son of Laomedon, King of Troy’ to merely a ‘rabble slave’.  By being renamed ‘Priam, the price paid’ (the ransomed one) Priam’s whole identity has been disintegrated as he now becomes ‘the substitute and pretender’.  It is clear that this loss of identity still haunts Priam as ‘he has lived in a ghostly way’, unsure of whom he truly is.  In one respect, Priam’s experience of loss has allowed him to remain a modest, humble King, yet in another, it has caused Priam to live a life of shallowness, of and insecurity; and it is only through his journey with Somax that he begins to discover what it means to be a man.  He discovers that ‘everything was just itself’, nothing was symbolic, nothing was formulaic, and rather life was a ‘prattling world’.  Through exposing himself by dipping his feet in the creek and gaining a sense for curiosity, Priam is humanised.  Malouf uses this humanisation of Priam to allow him to be prepared for his encounter with Achilles which he will enter as a man, not a king, but an ordinary father.  It is evident that through experiencing the loss of his identity, Priam has had to live a life full of superficiality, craving the knowledge of who he truly is. (You demonstrate good insight into the psychological aspect of the novel here.)

Patroclus’ death cripples Achilles and he descends into a state of madness and irrationality.  One of Malouf’s major ideas concerns in Ransom is that of how humans have the capability of losing oneself themselves.  Achilles becomes an animal personified – he is compared with jackals, dogs and wolves throughout the novel - as he becomes ‘half-blind with rage’.  Achilles becomes ‘like a dead man…feeling nothing’ as he ‘wastes his spirit in despair’.  This breakdown of Achilles is contrasted with his elemental nature, for he is a ‘child of the earth’ (his mother Thetis is a sea-nymph) and Malouf touches upon the fact that he is torn between both worlds -‘he felt his soul change colour’.  The experience of losing oneself in the midst of passion and fury emphasises the consequences that can occur and it is through Achilles psychological demise that we see the way without confidence, without trust, without companionship, we are merely hollow, shadows (And there was me thinking I was the only one who subscribed to a Jungian interpretation of the novel) of who we really are.

Malouf makes it clear that there are both positive and negative effects (there was a quotation somewhere about pain and pleasure being inextricably mixed which might work well here too) that arise from experiencing loss.  Priam, on the one hand, eventually acts in a positive and optimistic light, deciding to venture from his regal world to a ‘world that is also subject to chance’.  Through taking a chance, Priam is able to achieve his goal both literally and figuratively-for he has ransomed the body of his son Hector and himself, in that he now has a new outlook on life.  In contrast, Achilles has spiralled into a cold depression and fierce rage whereby he sees his only option is to seek vengeance on Hector, ‘doing all this for… Patroclus’ which illustrates the negative aspect of the effects of loss, whereby Achilles is unable to live with the shame of both Patroclus being killed and Hector taking his armour as the spoils of war.

Malouf presents the way that loss affects each person in both similar and contrasting manners.  Through giving an insight into the loss of family, identity and humanity, Malouf allows the readers to gain a sense of clarity in regards to the way people can change and deal with these misfortunes.  Through Priam’s journey with Somax, we see the notion of discovery arise from the loss of family and identity whilst we also see the immense grief and sadness felt.  Similarly, Achilles loss of Patroclus and oneself, allows us to relate with the emotional anguish of being subject to such hardships.  Essentially Malouf focuses on the idea of loss in order to emphasise that notion that although people experience different forms of loss to different degrees, as humans, we all feel a sense of pain and also a sense of obligation to find peace with oneself.

Some excellent ideas here, but, you could have gone even further. For example: ‘Achilles’ literally translates from Greek to English as “Grief of the people” which means that he is the grief of the Greeks because he shames his people through the deplorably sacrilegious act of defiling Hector’s body by mutilating it and denying him a proper burial; it also means that he brings grief to people, because he kills other people’s loved ones! Second of all, there is the role of catharsis in the novel. Let us recall the fact that Achilles has lost his mother and his father. His mother couldn’t stay with him because she is a goddess and he, a mortal, and his father went to war, just like Achilles. Malouf frequently mentions how he never grieves openly, his tears always fall inwards, this means he has no one to share his remorse with, no one to relieve of his terrible burden, of his ransom. Instead he sublimates his grief through the animal rage he inflicts on his enemies, but ‘it is never enough’. Thus Achilles’ violence does not stem from grief per se but from his failure to unload himself of it by actually opening up and talking to someone, in a manner akin to how Priam prevents himself from remembering personal details about his sons in order to avoid having the face the devastating implications of his losses. When, at the end of the novel, Priam comes to Achilles as a father, he provides him with the catharsis he so desperately needs, and this allows himself to escape the cycle of violence he has fallen into and become ‘the true Achilles’. Thus Priam quest of compassion and atonement redeems not only himself, but both men, and this is what Malouf believes is the lesson we should draw from the Iliad.

Thanks so much!