Dr.+Heidegger's+Experiment


 * Short Stories - Literary Devises Title:Dr. Heidegger's Experiment ___ **

First Person, limited omniscient
 * Point of View: **

Dr. Heidegger
 * Protagonist: **

Round, Dynamic
 * What type of character is the Protagonist? **

The minds of the four guests.
 * Antagonist: **

The story took place in the doctor's studies.There were many old antiques placed in that room, and there were not many hints of modern technology, so i would guess that the story took place somewhere between 1930-1950. In the room, there was also a portrait of his deceased fiance.
 * Describe the setting **

Man vs Self
 * Type of Conflict: **

The four guests wanted to relive their pasts very, very badly. When they drank the water from the fountain of youth, their outer appearance changed along with their minds. Instead of keeping their old, more mature minds, they started to fight over the widow, and make fun of the doctor and old people. Their joy of reliving their youth has corrupted their mental state, therefore leading to their downfall.
 * Describe the main conflict: **

I would say that the climax of the story is when the vase of water fell and shattered. After that, everything changed. The rose started to wither again, and the four guests each began to grow old again.
 * Describe the Climax of the Story: **

The protagonist changes his view on drinking the water from the fountain of youth after seeing how the four guests reacted to regaining their youth.
 * How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? **

I think the theme of the story shows that humans can never truely forget their youth. Even if they are very old, they can still return back to their ignorant, immature youth mind. "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" proves this theme by having the guests drink the water..
 * Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. **

The conflict shows the guests dancing around and enjoying themselves. This shows how badly they hated being old. Even though only their bodies should've changed, their minds have also been reverted back to their youth. They were like children, always fighting over things, and making fun of others.
 * How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? **

The climax shows the four guests accidentally tipping over the water from the fountain. This resembles the acts of young people, having a fun time messing around until they go overboard. Even though those four were matured adults, they can change their minds to that of a youth's, showing that we can never let go of our youth.
 * How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? **


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

"As Fresh as a violet"
 * Simile: **

"burning passions"
 * Metaphor: **

"The crushed and dried petals stirred"
 * Personification: **

I think that the rose represents the doctor's youth, how he wanted to relive it again.
 * Symbol: **

"the vase dashed into a thousand fragments"
 * Foreshadowing (give both elements): **

"they were old again"

I find it ironic how the ones who were part of the experiment, the ones who witnessed it first hand, did not learn from it, and became even more selfish and greedy.
 * Irony: **

"The crushed and dried petals stirred, and assumed a deepening tinge of crimson, as if the flower were reviving from a death-like slumber' the slender stalk and twigs of foliage became green"
 * Imagery: **

The story shows how humans struggle so hard to survive, and to be able to live forever in their youths. This also shows that most humans do not learn from their mistakes, and instead, turn even more selfish.
 * Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. **


 * 1)** The reason the doctor conducted such an experiment was to see what would one turn into if they drank from the fountain of youth. He wanted to know this so he could decide if he himself should drink the water.


 * 2)** I think that they share many similar traits, in that each of them has lived a terrible youth. During the experiment, Mr. Gascoigne was rambling on about politics, Colonel was dancing joyfully, Mr. Medbourne was scheming a plan to make money, and the Widow was looking at herself in the mirror**.**


 * 3)** After seeing how the four reacted to regaining their youth, the doctor has realized that the water will cause us to lose our sense of being human. While he himself thinks that, the others do not. Instead, it was stated that they ventured to Florida in order to retrieve more of the precious water that flows from the fountain of youth. I feel that this shows how selfish and greedy humans can became, when they really want something, no matter what.


 * 4)** I believe that the narrator of the story may be the person who gave Dr. Heidegger the water. Perhaps the doctor informed him on how the members reacted to the water. I don't think that all the details of the experiment are there, since the man was not at the scene, but nonetheless, i think that most of it was true.The narration shows doesn't show much about the doctor himself, and what he was thinking, so it makes me think that it was him. It also stated that he thinks that the study was a curious place, which means he has never really been in there.


 * 5)** The story shows that people want to relive their youths, and that it is the best part of their lives. No one wants to age or become old. I somewhat disagree with the fact that people do not dislike aging. Surely it isn't desirable to lose your youth, but i think the most important thing is to live to the fullest during that short time of youth, then look back on the glorious times when you are older. That in itself makes a life become a life worth living.


 * 7)** I do not feel the need to have this in our lives, for it is something that isn't meant to be. Living for 800 year may feel appealing, but then we would be living in our youths forever. That would make our youth seem meaningless. In addition, the world would eventually overpopulate, leading to chaos.

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