Excerpt 7 teacher’s paper

problem or line of interpretation and axes: theme-based around charisma which does not mean honesty Justification through biblical examples: Those who can lead are the dishonest. So Nathan and Tom are too honest to succeed/ Nathan’s cynical vision of life facts contradicts teachings. One can wonder if man is naturally perverted, or if society perverts him. Questions about education. Should parents teach their children what is good and bad or how to succeed in life? The individual responsibility towards others. Shifting from education to the choice of a chief/ theory vs practice/ utopia vs practical considerations; Do we have to reach an ideal? Do we have to just make it for ourselves? No notions of solidarity/ of interdependence/ between individuals/ place of hypocrisy/ a denial of responsibility. To what extent does cynicism rule? Leaders and their personalities.
vocab	erstwhile: former 2/ conmen: frauds, rascals / sneaker: unreliable person /guffaw: not serious 13 / spout : to speak or utter in a loud, pompous manner or in a ready, rapid flow of words 15/ galumphing: who triumphs, overconfident,/ simpleton: an idiot 31/ dumbbell: fool 39/ cunning: tricky / thug : gangster 45/ sap: fluid inside a tree 46: stupid/ wily: crafty/
characters	Tom and I mentioned Harry, Dunkel of Dunkel frères and his multiple identities
time	May
metaphor	the dark wood of his former self/ a bright sun in the firmament of duplicity 3
excerpt	mostly a dialogue between Tom and Nathan
Nathan’s opinion	attracted by rascals 45 refers to his previous experience in his professional life/ no illusions about the world
Tom’s opinion	- about Harry : Harry may not be a rascal any longer - about Nathan What does he like about him? His exaggerations as much as his irony What does it say about their relationships? Ironic “Master” 19 “Socrates” 22
style	inflated style irony / oxymoronic examples?
contrasts	between Nathan’s hard experience and the irony and disillusion he’s able to express without bitterness
Rascals	why are they so interesting? l20-21 “they are hungrier than we are” 20 “believe in life more than we do” 21
difference between loving life and believing in it	24
Biblical allusions	even the Bible tells us this lesson: being honest does not mean success. Esau/ Jacob what happened? During their youth, the twins were raised in the same environment and exposed to the same teachings of their father Isaac and grandfather Abraham. One day, Esau returned from the field faint from hunger. Seizing an opportunity, Jacob informed Esau that he would sell him some lentil soup which he had just cooked, in exchange for the birthright which belonged to Esau as the older brother. Esau agreed, commenting, "I am going to die - what is this birthright to me?" The fact that Esau would sell his familial rights in exchange for soup indicates the disdain in which he held his fathers' traditions. In the words of the Bible, "Esau despised the birthright." (Genesis 25:29-34) However, there are many interpretations of this statement: one of which is that Esau had no respect for his ancestors. (it’s about seizing an opportunity.)
Historical allusion to Stalin 45	function: to show that there is no reward for honest people/ confirms what the first example asserted.
lexical field of dishonesty	duplicity 3/ deceit 8/ crookedness 12/ dishonest 32-35/ double crossing/arrangement/ tricks 31/ conmen and tricksters 17 tricked him out 31/ wise guys 10/ human crookedness 13 passion for deceit 8 effect of all this vocab on the conversation? stage 10/ fake 11/ the bad guy Jacob (instinct for survival)
lexical field of goodness and honesty	good/ moral/ upright 29/ never lied, never stole, never cheated 30 spark of life Esau Isaac dumbbell 39/ good-hearted. weak and kind (cannot lead)
analepsis	allusion to his mother (already in excerpt 5) lines 32/35
tone	irony: the pearls of my wisdom 16 the great spectacle of human crookedness 12/
rhythm of the sentences	short units inside sentences. “You love life, Tom but you don’t believe in it. and neither do I” 24

extrait 7 on rascals p.53-55

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