Dr.+Heidegger's+experiment

Short Stories - Literary Devises Title:_Dr. Heidegger's experiment_

Point of View: 1st person, limited omniscient

Protagonist: Dr. Heidegger. One could argue that there are multiple protagonists, however I believe that Heidegger used the other characters as mere pawns, not worthy of a true character description, barely better than animals. Dr. Heidigger left me yearning for a more fleshed out character description, and he was round and dynamic, unlike the other flat and static characters.

What type of character is the Protagonist? Round and Dynamic

Antagonist: The inner desire to become young again, a conflict that is hard to wrap your head around. It isn't even comparable to a fear of death, it's an entirely new feeeling, of mystical origins.

Describe the setting: A musty old study, with a strange elegance and grandeur. The place is enveloped in a mystical feeling, possibly because of all the rumors that circulate about Dr.Heidegger's dabbling in dark magic. A life size portrait of Dr.Heidegger's dead fiance is hung on the wall, which is said to be really quite unnerving.

Type of Conflict: Man Vs Self

Describe the main conflict: The four subjects of the experiment, became bitter and full of rage, once they revert back to their true form. Their inner conflicts about age and perfection will continue to haunt throughout there lives.

Describe the Climax of the Story: The three young men clutch the fair widow Wycherly in their embraces, and it soon becomes a brutal war dance, each men struggling for their beautiful prize. They trip, and fall, knocking the remaining water from the fountain of youth to the ground. They soon become old again, cursing at themselves for their stupidity, yet not learning a thing in the process.

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? He learns to treasure what he holds dear, his rose, and not to become consumed by the promise of eternal life.

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. Humanity. We don't learn from our mistakes. We become obsessed easily, and eternal youth is what many of us wish for. Experiments however go against that, prove that we can defeat that basis of negative humanity portrayed in the story.

How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? Becoming consumed by immaturity and pleasure, and than having life grab you by the face and slam you into the ground multiple times.

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? When fighting over something you believe in, you can destroy something you love. Once all hope is gone it's our humanity that brings us back to earth, makes travel to the ends of the earth for what we believe in.

Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes):

Simile: Has been kept as fresh as violets.

Metaphor: They were all melancholy old creatures.

Personification: A strange chillness, whether of the body or spirit they could not tell, was creeping gradually over them.

Symbol: The rose. The rose had no mental or mystical differences after being bathed in the fountain of youth, yet the doctor loved it the same no matter what. The doctor loved what it symbolized, the lost bride, and not it's physical form.

Foreshadowing (give both elements): The rose withers. The young subjects then realize that they will become old again soon, and the only antidote was lost a few seconds earlier. They feel an eerie chill, that soon drags them back to their true forms.

Irony: The butterfly commonly known as a creature of the soul, withers and dies, as the elderly people lose a part of the soul after being teased with eternal youth, and having it slip away.

<span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif;">Imagery: Yet, by a strange deception, owing to the duskiness of the chamber, and thee antique dresses which they still wore, the tall mirror is said to have reflected the figures of the three old, gray, withered grandsires, ridiculously contending, for the skinny ugliness of a shriveled grandam.

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. Another aspect of humanity was portrayed in this story, our eagerness to enjoy life, even if it means destroying it as well. Another aspect of humanity that was brushed on during the story was that we don't learn from our mistakes, no matter how grave.

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">1. The purpose of the experiment was for personal reasons, as the doctor was conflicted on wether to drink it or not. At the end of the story he makes it clear that he would never chose eternal youth

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">2. They all had misfortune in their youth, and felt great pain. A misspent youth, and a fundamental selfishness are both common traits that all four share.

3. His experiment was planned to decide wether to drink the water or not, clearly it was a bad idea to drink the water, therefore Dr. Heidegger has made his decision never to bathe his lips in the fountain of youth.

4. The narrator was the portrait of the deceased bride, as she would know what happened because she was there. She could also make educated guesses about Dr. Heiddegger's mind because she had known him so long.

5. Aging damages you physically and mentally, a topic that is brushed on multiple times throughout the story.

7. Would you want to live for 800 years? I wouldn't personally, and I believe that the vaccine would promote overpopulation, it could even destroy entire economies when given time. The vaccine could potentially destroy the world.

COMPLETION 5/5 EFFORT 5/5 CONTENT 5/5 QUESTIONS 10/12 TOTAL 25/27