Sometimes a Great Notion is a great American novel if I’ve ever read one (and I’ve read a few). Read the Study Guide for Sometimes a Great Notion…, Sometimes a Great Notion and the American Dream, View Wikipedia Entries for Sometimes a Great Notion…. Kesey’s, Viv, is a truly … Hank Stamper and his father, Henry Stamper own and operate the family business by cutting and shipping logs in Oregon. The town is furious when they continue working despite the town going broke and the other loggers go on strike ordering the Stampers to stop, however Hank continues to … The … With reluctance, he passed the reigns down to his son Hank. -- Floyd Evenwrite [first lines] Floyd Evenwrite: He's been over there a while. Sometimes a Great Notion Quotes Showing 1-30 of 102. Sometimes a Great Notion begins and ends with independent Viv—and that is just as Kesey envisioned it. Sometimes a Great Notion is the second novel by American author Ken Kesey, published in 1964. Biggy Newton: [shrugs] Floyd Evenwrite: I got payments to make on a Chevrolet. He encourages his union members to sabotage the Stamper's operation, though it does not stop them. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous. At over 70, he is crotchety and stubborn. Unlike the other Stamper's, he is refined and well-educated, having attended a graduate program at Yale. Characters and language. of great notion with our games and virtual. Sometimes a Great Notion essays are academic essays for citation. Unlike the other males in his family, Joe Ben is a bright and cheery character. The setting is soggy and green, with big trees and beer drinking – just like a real Oregon winter. Like Love and the Time of Cholera, Sometimes a Great Notion isn’t just buoyed by an imaginative array of compelling characters. . Like Evenwrite, Draeger is another union man. Take the three most important. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. The challenge of reading “Sometimes a Great Notion” comes in the voice. The characters are exceptional; they’re stubborn and angry and very much alive. Paul Newman. This action raises the ire of the townsfolk, though Hank does not relent. Vincent Canby of The New York Times called it "an extremely interesting, if impure (happily impure, I might add) example of a genre of action film that flourished in the 1930s in movies about tuna fishermen, bush pilots, high-wire repairmen and just about any physical pursuit you can think of . When Lee arrives she is slowly taken with his soft personality and intelligence, eventually developing romantic feelings for him. As forceful as his will may be, he cannot stop the Stampers. Throughout high school Hank was popular. The most significant of the psychologically disturbed characters, however, is Lee Stamper, whose oedipal resentment of Hank almost destroys his capacity to love. It is revealed that he has had a rivalry with Hank since their high school days. The title, “Sometimes a Great Notion,” is taken from the old folk song “Goodnight, Irene,” and fans of that song will see something in the formation of this story. "Either you're on the bus or you're off the bus." Like. Floyd Evenwrite Quotes: [last lines] Floyd Evenwrite: That goddman family. Share. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Ken Kesey. The characters seem a little familiar, too. Henry's son, Hank, is the current chief of the Stamper Logging Operation. The town is furious when they continue working despite the town going broke and the other loggers go on strike ordering the Stampers to stop, however Hank continues to push his family on cutting more trees. The story involves an Oregon family of gyppo loggers who cut and procure trees for a local mill in opposition to unionized workers who are on strike. When the child presses, Viv responds that it is ―Just [her]‖ who is travelling. When he receives a letter from his family imploring his help in a log run, he returns to the Oregon to join the Stamper's operation. In the climax of the novel, he is trapped in the river by a felled log. The Question and Answer section for Sometimes a Great Notion is a great This big story involves a man, his family, a town, the country, a period of time, and the effects of time. While One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1962) is more famous, many critics consider Sometimes a Great Notion Kesey's magnum opus. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. The raucous, picaresque, rough-and-tumble style befits the backwoodsy characters of the story as well as it does the 1960s America of its author, a cauldron of newly free love, unruly hair and even more unruly drug use. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey. It is revealed that he engaged in a sexual affair with his father's second wife, causing a lasting resentment with his half-brother Lee. Beautiful print. Your IP: 193.189.75.22 The author has created a world of realistic characters in a small logging town in Oregon, each one telling a part of the story in his/her own voice and from a deep personal perspective, sometimes more voices cross one another, the result is surprising, it is like being there among fir trees, sweat shirts, axes, logs and rain, lumberjacks and union men. Once an attractive man, he was involved in an accident that scarred his face. It is a Western story written by an ex hippy who analyses the mind of each character… Some people know of him as the grand master of the Merry Pranksters in all their counter-cultural madness. One of the most interesting characters to follow is Indian Jenny, who is the town prostitute, as well as local indian. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. Having been raised in New York, she quickly grew bored with life in rural Oregon. Tweet +1. You'll know it when you see it. Released: 15 Nov 1973: Runtime: 81 min: Genre: Action, Crime, Drama: Director: Gerardo de Leon this section. He exudes a positive outlook on life, and is an overwhelmingly likeable character. His assertiveness is now coming into conflict like never before, however, as the owner of a family-run logging business finds himself at odds with the union loggers on strike. Cast. It is no coincidence that two of his works have ended up as major motion pictures. As the logging workers of Wakonda participate in a strike, Hank barters a deal to provide the lumber in their place. He is cunning and manipulative, attempting to turn the townsfolk against the Stampers. Henry is presented as the archetype of the rough and tumble Western pioneer, flawed and all. Concerned with the ongoing timber strike in the fictional coastal range town of Wakonda, Sometimes a Great Notion revolves around the very proud and unyielding Stamper family, who decide to continue logging despite the acrimony and pleading of their neighbors. These types of characters are protagonists whose personalities are defined not only by more traditionally "heroic" traits such as loyalty, honesty, integrity, commitment and/or courage, but also by negative traits such as ruthlessness, aggression, selfishness, insensitivity and/or greed. As a child Lee discovered that Hank and his mother were engaging in an affair. As an intelligent and knowledgeable person, she is often disappointed by her role as a housewife. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating and Hank Stamper in Sometimes a Great Notion (1964). Hank's wife, Viv, is a beautiful and poised lady. It’s long and meandering, overflowing with detail. The protagonists of Sometimes a Great Notion are Hank and Leland Stamper, half-brothers who are the opposites of each other. He was a talented wrestler and football player, and always attracted the attention of females. Sometimes a Great Notion 1971 DVD (Region 1 - Playable in North America - The US, Canada, Mexico, etc.) The plot centers around a family of independent loggers who work in opposition to unionized loggers. Some parts “The Grapes of Wrath,” “Absalom! We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. During the climax of the novel, a felled tree severs Henry's arm and he later dies in the hospital. After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. But these very characteristics, which in the hands of lesser talent would be pointless distractions, in the hands of Kesey make Sometimes a Great Notion a work to be savored. Sometimes a Great Notion Character List Henry Stamper. Cloudflare Ray ID: 643e28032bb254be Henry's son, Hank, is the current chief of the Stamper Logging Operation. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. • ... Hank. Though he presided over the Stamper logging operation for decades, his aged body prevents him from doing much of the work. In Sometimes a Great Notion… • Evenwrite is the leader of the logger's union engaged in the strike with the Wakonda company. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. Like his father/ he has a strong will and unflinching character. Unlike Evenwrite, he is capable, intelligent and persuasive. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. Sometimes a Great Notion study guide contains a biography of Ken Kesey, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. As you can imagine, the story spans generations and touches on the notion of fate and free will (as any story with stubborn characters might). Hank is one of the two central characters in the novel, both of whom can be described as "anti-heroes." This is the motto by which Hank Stamper lives and he is true to it. Sometimes A Great Notion was his second novel. Starring: Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Lee Remick, Michael Sarrazin, Richard Jaekel. She refuses to move the reservation, despite being constantly down on her luck, and living in a shack by the mudflats. Lee Stamper is the child of Hank and his second, much younger wife. Decades later, Lee intends to seduce Hank's wife, Viv, in revenge. The book doesn’t simply boast dozens of characters; it takes us inside these personae, making us privy to their inner thoughts. Hank Stamper. I met Ken Kesey at a book signing in 1993, and he signed my battered copy of Sometimes a Great Notion, which I consider to be one of the best American Novels, along with Moby Dick and On The Road. His intellectualism irritates the other Stampers and he struggles to connect with them. . Original Release. These characterizations evolved from … Henry Stamper is the patriarch of the Stamper logging family. The title is taken from a lyric in the song “Goodnight, Irene”: “Sometimes I take a great notion / to jump in the river an’ drown.” The novel is experimental, switching between multiple characters in first-person narration without always clarifying which character … After seducing young Hank, she leaves Henry and takes Lee with her, later committing suicide. The novel's narration passes fluidly from third person to first person. Henry Stamper is the patriarch of the Stamper logging family. Henry Fonda. ... Henry. Sometimes a Great Notion Summary & Study Guide. As the water rises he is drowned. As in Howard Hawks's Only Angels Have Wings, these films are, at their best, considerably less simple-minded than they sound—being expressions of lives lived almost entirely in terms of rugged, essentially individualistic pro… Nephew to Henry and cousin to Hank, Joe Ben also works in the Stamper logging operation. Based on t When I got my Kindle several years ago, Sometimes a Great Notion was one of my first purchases. Lee Remick. NEVER GIVEN AN INCH! He married a jolly woman named Jan and raised three children. While he eventually coerces her to run away with him, he decides to remain with the Stampers and work as a logger. Ya think he's doing any good? An incredibly beautiful woman, she was much younger than her husband. Literally teeming with symbolic imagery, the novel engenders some conflicted loyalties in the reader, as even the most reprehensible behavior on the part of some of the characters … Not affiliated with Harvard College. After the suicide of his mother, he begins to abuse drugs and attempts his own suicide. Paul Newman made his second directorial outing in the sweeping saga, Sometimes a Great Notion. 12/31/1970. figure out how to unlock them. Mrya Stamper was Leland's mother and Henry's second wife. Paul Newman's "Sometimes a Great Notion" tells sort of an old-fashioned story about prideful clans carving empires out of the wilderness. Filled with complex characters and issues that still resonate today, Sometimes a Great Notion is an intense and riveting portrait of life set against the rugged backdrop of logging. When the Stampers break the strike by continuing to log, Evenwrite is outraged. Ken Kesey’s novel, Sometimes a Great Notion (1964), is a complex and integrated historical background and relationship study of the Stamper family, a prideful logging clan living in Wakonda, Oregon. Sometimes a Great Notion (1970) quotes. Floyd Evenwrite Quotes in Sometimes a Great Notion (1970) Share. Sometimes a Great Notion is the second novel from Ken Kesey, first published in 1964. He possesses an ulterior motive, however, which is to avenge the actions of his half-brother Hank. There are little surprises everywhere, if you can. An editor Most people only know of Ken Kesey, the novelist, because of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Anonymous "Sometimes a Great Notion Characters". GradeSaver, 29 January 2018 Web. Were Sometimes a Great Notion not a masterpiece in its own right, Tom Stechschulte’s performance would still make this book essential listening. This section contains 647 words. Ken Kesey is an icon to me; he writes the way we all should, from the gut. will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback. “For there is always a sanctuary more, a door that can never be forced, a last inviolable stronghold that can never be taken, whatever the attack; your vote can be taken, you name, you innards, or even your life, … Sometimes a Great Notion can be looked at in countless ways, as any novel of 600 pages with such a complex style can be. She packs lunches for the men and has earned the respect of the ornery Henry. From his second marriage he fathered Lee, though the two men are distant. He is called up from California to assist with the Wakonda strike. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. It is made ascendent by the crude and colorful jibberings of Henry Stamper, the colloquia of the loggers, and the marked esteem with which Kesey writes about the Oregon landscape. 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