WLIRP+Joon

World Literature Independent Reading Project

The Stranger and vs The Death of Ivan Illyche

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The two stories both end in death of the main character. Ivan and Meursault are both cold and indifferent characters. Ivan and Meursault also both die at the end of the story and they both realize a philosophy of life. They both have cold relationships that seem to be rather annoying or a bit bothersome. In The Death of Ivan Illyche, the setting is in a post-modern time where as The Stranger is in a modern time. Ivan dies learning that a life with no friends is like no life at all while Meursault dies learning a certain coldness of the world; that even if you die the world keeps going and people get over it. The morals of the stories are almost exact opposites. The Stranger is telling us of the coldness and indifference of how the world works, while The Death of Ivan Illyche tells us that life is only worth living if you have true friends who be with you until the very end. Also, the main characters both have friends though they all seem to shrink away when Ivan gets a disease, and when Meursault is to be beheaded.======

Quarter 1 2009-2010 Note: In order for your book to qualify it must be by an author from a country other than the United States or the United Kingdom OR the primary setting must be outside of the United States or the United Kingdom.


 * Title:
 * Author:
 * Author’s Nationality:
 * Setting (only list the primary settings):
 * Total Pages:
 * Original Publication Date:
 * If your book is translated, who is the translator? If not translated write “NA”
 * Do you currently have a physical copy of the book?
 * If you do not have a physical copy, how soon can you get one? (Write “NA” if you have a copy.)

1. If you don’t already, obtain a physical copy of the book and bring it to class when instructed. 2. Become an expert on your book by the end of the first quarter. The quarter ends on October 15th, so you have about seven weeks to complete the book. Keep in mind that you will be reading this book in addition to assigned readings for class, so when the homework load is light read your book. This is also the book you should use for KIS Reads. 3. Read actively by taking notes in the book (use Post-its if it’s on loan), and make sure you understand the main conflicts, how the characters develop, and any major themes. 4. At the end of each weak, write a 100-200 word reflection about your reading. Use your notes or post-its for ideas. 5. Your book will be the basis of a writing project at the conclusion of the first quarter, so keep track of the book.
 * Directions:**

How many pages do you need to read per week to be completed by 15 October, 2009? Week 1: 31 August - 4 September: Week 2: 7-11 September: Week 3: 14-18 September: Week 4: 21-25 September: Week 5: 28 September - 2 October: Week 6: 5-9 October: Week 7: 12-15 October: You must be completed with your book by Thursday, 15 October, 2009.
 * Once your selection has been approved, fill out the following:**


 * **How is your World Lit. reading going?**
 * **Are you keeping up with your reading plan?**
 * **What do you think about your book so far?**
 * **What are the main conflicts?**
 * **Are there any particularly interesting characters? Why?**
 * **Have you noticed any major themes developing?**
 * **Do you see any connections between your World Lit book and anything else you have read recently?**


 * Journal 1**

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 * My book, The Stranger is a rather dark and gritty sense of life. My reading is going faster then I thought I would. My book starts out with a death which starts the turns the life of my main character. There are many little characters that are like real life and they all have faults, problems, and etc. One theme I might have related to the book would be that life is hard. Small things, like heat can effect the life of anyone and the book tells life of how life it is. My book is very different from what I have read in the past. It is just a story of a man that tells us that not all criminals are crazy or mean. Many criminals are just misunderstood and they pay the price for the misunderstanding. Everything in this book is like the mind of a person with nothing left out. You can get the sense of being the man because every thought and feeling is being poured into the book.======


 * Jounal 2**

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After I am done I think I took a lot less then I thought I would to read the book. My book is a very strange one because it end on a sober note that would totally out of context if you compare it with the beginning and middle of the book. Meursault seems to always be an unusual character and he always is strange and indifferent to his surroundings. The ending suggests a belief of each death of a person is simply scruying of ants in the large universe. The Death of Ivan Illyche and The Stranger are very much alike because they are so different yet so similar in many ways, for they talk of philosophy of life and though the physical attributes of the situations are entirely different.=====



