When I first started reading Antigone, something that stood out to me was the extreme similarity between the characters Antigone and Aneeka. First, I noticed this with a more surface level observation. The names Aneeka and Antigone sound quite similar, both beginning with the "An" sound. Next, I noticed similarity in the way both characters spoke. Starting from the very first line of The Burial at Thebes, Antigone speaks with a sense of urgency that matches Aneeka's passionate monologues in Home Fire. This is especially visible in the first few pages of the book when Antigone is attempting to persuade Ismene to help her bury their brother. Similarly to Home Fire, Antigone wants to bury her brother despite a clear order from a powerful figure not to (in Home Fire this was Karamat, in Antigone this is Creon). This desperateness is shown in lines such as "Are we sister, sister, brother? / Or traitor, coward, coward?" (8). Her thinking could be labeled as irrational and Ismene stays true to her character of acting thoughtfully and fully considering all possible repercussions of their actions. Already, we begin to see the repeating storyline of a wedge being driven between the sisters because of their disagreement regarding personal safety and finding justice for their brother. I am curious about how these parallel character traits and storylines will progress over the course of the play.
Hey Audrey! I agree that there is a striking similarity between Antigone and Aneeka. I also noticed how fast Antigone spoke, suggesting that there was something urgent she needed to deal with. Aneeka came across the same way in her diction.
ReplyDeleteHi Audrey, I also wrote on the similarities between Aneeka and Antigone, but you caught a couple things that I did not. For example, I did include the similarity of their irrationality, which is a key character trait of theirs throughout the play/novel.
ReplyDeleteHey Audrey! I really enjoyed all the different similarities you found between Aneeka and Antigone, both surface-level and beyond. Just like James mentioned in his comment about the two protagonists' diction, I found it interesting that Shamsie also made Aneeka's voice rushed and urgent. The quote you found is a great example of Antigone's parallel of that, and I'll be sure to look out for more examples as I continue reading!
ReplyDeleteHey Audrey, I liked hearing your take on Antigone's character in the book. I do totally get how both Aneeka and Antigone have similar speech patterns. They both convey their thoughts with much intensity and emotion. Your comments made me notice things about Antigone that I had not considered before.
ReplyDeleteHey Audrey! I noticed the similarities quickly too. Adding on to your point about how they both spoke, they both also denounced their sisters quickly when Isma/Ismene refused to accompany them. I thought this quick switch made more sense reading Antigone and I now better understand why Shamsie allowed Aneeka to be so harsh and rude to Isma when she learned what Isma did.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the parallel between Antigone and Aneeka's diction and voice. They both speak with robust passion, integrity, and emotion. Unlike the calculated words of Creon and Karamat, Atingone and Aneeka have raw emotion and genuine reactions. They both come from a much more personal and passionate place.
ReplyDeleteI think it is super interesting that the characters of Aneeka and Antigone were both able to be portrayed in such a similar manner through a play and a novel. The novel really allowed us to get into the head of Antigone and understand how she was feeling where as the play riled only on dialogue, and yet it was still able to convey Antigone's personality through her voice and line structure.
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