German Writers Every German Learner Should Know

German Writers Every German Learner Should Know What is it that your German teacher always says? If you can’t speak, then read, read and read! Reading will help you tremendously in improving your language skills. And once you are able to read some of the great writers of German literature, you will understand German thought and culture more in depth. In my opinion, reading a translated work never equals the original in the language it was written in. Here are a few German writers that have been translated in numerous languages and that have influenced people all over the world. Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805) Schiller was one of the most influential German poets of the Sturm und Drang era. He ranks high up in German people’s eyes, alongside with Goethe. There’s even a monument depicting them side by side in Weimar. Schiller was successful in his writing from his very first publication on - Die Ruber (The Robbers) was a play written while he was at a military academy and quickly became renowed thoughout Europe. Initially Schiller had first studied to become a pastor, then became a regimental doctor for a short period, before finally devoting himself to writing and teaching as a professor of history and philosophy at the University of Jena. Later moving to Weimar, he founded with Goethe Das Weimar Theater, a leading theatre company at the time. Schiller became part of a German Enlightment period, die Weimarer Klassik (the Weimar Classism), later on in his life, of which also famous writers such as Goethe, Herder and Wielandt were a part. They wrote and philosiphized about aesthetics and ethics, Schiller having penned an influential work entitled ÃÅ"ber die sthetische Erziehung des Menschen On the Aesthetic Education of Man. Beethoven famously set Schillers poem Ode to Joy in his ninth symphony.   Gnther Grass (1927) Gunter Grass is one of Germany’s most notable writers currently living, whose work has garnered him a Nobel Prize of Literature. His most renowned work is his Danzig Trilogy Die Blechtrommel (The Tindrum), Katz und Maus (Cat and Mouse), Hundejahre (Dog Years), as well as his most recent one Im Krebsgang (Crabwalk). Born in the Free City of Danzig Grass has worn many hats: he’s been also a sculptor, graphic artist and illustrator. Further, throughout his life, Grass has always been outspoken about European political affairs, receiving the2012 European of the Year award from the European Movement Denmark . In 2006 Grass has received much attention from the media involving his participation in the Waffen SS as a teenager. He has also recently voiced his disapproval of facebook and other social media, stating that â€Å"anybody who has 500 friends, has no friends.† Wilhelm Busch (1832-1908) Wilhelm Busch is known as a pioneer of the comic strip, due to his caricature drawings that accompanied his verse. Among his most popular works are Max and Moritz, a children’s classic that recount the mischievous pranks of the aforesaid boys, a ballad that is often read and dramatized in German schools.Most of Busch’s works are a satirical spin on practically everything in society! His works were often a parody of double standards. He poked fun at the ignorance of the poor, the snobbery of the rich, and in particular, the pomposity of clergymen. Busch was anti-Catholic and some of his works greatly reflected this . Scenes such as in Die fromme Helene, where it is hinted that the married Helene had an affair with a clergy man or the scene in Der Heilige Antonius von Padua where the catholic Saint Antonius is being seduced by the devil clad in ballet attire made these works by Busch both popular and offensive. Due to such and similar scenes, the book Der Heilige Antonius von Padua was banned from Austria until 1902. Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) Heinrich Heine was one of the most influential German poets in the 19th century that German authorities tried to suppress because of his radical political views. He is also known for his lyrical prose which was set to music of classical greats such as Schumann, Schubert and Mendelssohn in the form of Lieder form. Heinrich Heine, a jew by birth, was born in Dà ¼sseldorf, Germany and was known as Harry until he converted to Christianity when he was in his twenties. In his work, Heine often ridiculed sappy romanticism and over exuberant portrayals of nature. Though Heine loved his German roots, he often critiqued Germanys contrasting sense of nationalism.

Fahrenheit 451 Quotes

'Fahrenheit 451' Quotes When Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 in 1953, television was gaining popularity for the first time, and Bradbury was concerned about its increasing influence in everyday peoples lives. In Fahrenheit 451, the contrast between passive entertainment (television) and critical thought (books) is a central concern. Many of the quotes in Fahrenheit 451 emphasize Bradbury’s argument that passive entertainment is mind-numbing and even destructive, as well as his belief that worthwhile knowledge requires effort and patience. The following quotes represent some of the most significant ideas and arguments within the novel. â€Å"It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history.† (Part 1) These are the opening lines of the novel. The passage describes Guy Montags work as a Fireman, which in this dystopian world means that he burns books, rather than putting out fires. The quote contains details about Montag using his flamethrower to destroy a stock of illegal books, but the language the quote employs contains much more depth. These lines serve as a declaration of the central motif of the novel: the belief that humans prefer the easy, gratifying path over anything that requires effort. Bradbury uses lush, sensual language to describe the act of destruction. Through the use of words like pleasure and amazing, burning books is depicted as fun and enjoyable. The act of burning is also described in terms of power, suggesting that Montag is reducing all of history to tatters and charcoal with his bare hands. Bradbury uses animal imagery (the great python) to show that Montag is operating on a primitive and instinctive level: pleasure or pain, hunger or satiation. â€Å"Coloured people dont like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people dont feel good about Uncle Toms Cabin. Burn it. Someones written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Bum the book. Serenity, Montag. Peace, Montag. Take your fight outside. Better yet, into the incinerator.† (Part 1) Captain Beatty makes this statement to Montag as a justification for book-burning. In the passage, Beatty argues that books cause trouble, and that by eliminating access to information, society will achieve serenity and peace. The statement underscores what Bradbury sees as the slippery slope leading to dystopia: intolerance of ideas that cause discomfort or unease. â€Å"I dont talk things. I talk the meaning of things. I sit here and know Im alive.† (Part 2) This statement, made by the character Faber, emphasizes the importance of critical thought. For Faber, considering the meaning of information- not just passively absorbing it- is what enables him to know [hes] alive. Faber contrasts talk[ing] the meaning of things with simply talk[ing] things, which in this passage refers to meaningless, superficial information-sharing or absorption devoid of any context or analysis. The loud, flashy, and virtually meaningless TV shows in the world of Fahrenheit 451, are a prime example of media that does nothing more than talk[ing] things. In this context, books themselves are merely objects, but they become powerful when readers use critical thought to explore the meaning of the information the books contain. Bradbury explicitly links the act of thinking and processing information with being alive. Consider this idea of aliveness in relation to Montags wife Millie, who is constantly passively absorbing television and repeatedly attempts to end her own life. â€Å"Books arent people. You read and I look around, but there isnt anybody!† (Part 2) Montag’s wife, Millie, rejects Montag’s efforts to force her to think. When Montag tries to read aloud to her, Millie reacts with increasing alarm and violence, at which point she makes the above statement. Millies statement encapsulates what Bradbury sees as part of the problem of passive entertainment like television: it creates the illusion of community and activity. Millie feels that she is engaging with other people when she is watching television, but in fact she is simply sitting alone in her living room. The quote is also an example of irony. Millies complaint that books arent people is supposed to contrast with the human contact she feels when watching television. In fact, however, books are the product of human minds expressing themselves, and when you read you are making a connection with that mind over time and space. â€Å"Stuff your eyes with wonder. Live as if youd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. Its more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask for no guarantees, ask for no security, there never was such an animal.† (Part 3) This statement is made by Granger, the leader of a group that memorizes books in order to pass the knowledge on to a future generation. Granger is speaking to Montag as they watch their city go up in flames. The first part of the statement implores the listener to see, experience, and learn about as much of the world as possible. He likens the mass-produced world of television to a factory of false fantasies, and argues that exploring the real world brings greater fulfillment and discovery than factory-made entertainment. At the end of the passage, Granger concedes that there never was such an animal as security- knowledge may very well bring discomfort and danger, but there is no other way to live.