EngL1401W - Fall 2006: Introduction to "Third World" Literature

-Susan’s story needs to be told truthfully yet she says “For though my story gives the truth, it does not give the substance of the truth”? (Coetzee 51). Is she trying to get a point across or something else? If she is then, to whom is she talking to?

-Does Friday have a voice in the world, is he heard, can he even speak or is he in a way subaltern? What about Susan, is she heard? Or is she in a way like Friday but has a voice and is not heard? Are the two related in a way?

-Why does Susan mention about being free when the book is written? (66) Why does she feel the need to be free? Isn’t she already free or is it something else that she wants to get away from? Is it Friday who follows her around constantly the problem?

Coetzee does not represent Friday's and Susan's oppression similarly. Although Susan tries to understand Friday, she is unable to and continues to refer to him as a savage. If she truly understood his plight, she would not do that.

The supposition that just because Susan is a woman she will understand what Friday underwent is completely inaccuarate.

What causes Susan and Foe to change how they view Friday as the book progresses? Do these changes give or take away power from Friday? In, what ways does changing the narrative mode affect Friday's voice?

- Why is Foe so intent on "making up" the story that Susan wishes to tell truthfully"?

- Why are there so many different interpretations to what "truth" means in this novel, what is Coeztee trying to tell us?

- Why does Coetzee end the book as the narrator/first person character?

- How can one compare some of the aspects in Foe to some of the other works we have already read in the class. For example, can one relate the subaltern, Spivak, to what Coetzee is trying to say in this novel?

Susan is able to be biased in telling her story. she can pick and choose the parts that she wants. DO u support the argument that she is doing what she can because she cannot get anything out of Frideay and Cruso is dead or do you support the argument that she can be biased and she is ?

Does Susan really have a daughter? Is the girl who comes to her house saying she's her daughter her real daughter? Or is she an imposter, set up by Foe? And why doesn't Susan want to talk about her past with her daughter? Why does she only want to write about her period with Cruso and the Island?

Why is Susan so obsessed with Crusoe? What was so special or unique about him that made her drawn to him?

What are the levels of power in this book. Out of Susan, Cruso, Friday, Foe, Coetzee, "little Susan" etc... Everyone here has a story, who's story is more important, more real...is it all really a part of the same story? Are all the stories important for the one big picture? Or do any of the stories actually work together to create one story?

What is the significance of Friday and the rose pedals? Does it give insight about silence? Does it speak to us about interpretation (Foe’s thoughts vs. Susan’s)?

Why does Susan only choose to tell a portion of her life, the life on the island with Foe? Why is she so hesitant to talk about her life prior to the island?

What is the significance of Friday’s inability to speak? A major theme of the novel is language, so why does Coetzee create a character with the inability to express his thoughts to Foe and Susan through language? Does this lack of language expression bring about a greater message in the novel?

Compare and contrast the relationships in the story. Friday to Crusoe, Susan to Friday, Susan to Foe.

How is it that so many stories can be created from one event? What is the importance of storytelling and interpretation and truth? How do these themes relate to the novel?

who really has a voice? susan wants Foe to give voice to her story and also give voice to Fridays silence. is Friday silent on purpose? does Fridays silence have significnce? the lost girl that claimed to be Susans daugher, is there a connection between her and Friday?