Dune Research paper - critical reviews?
02-23-02 | 06:19 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Cool New Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dune Research paper - critical reviews?
We were assigned a research paper for my 10th grade honors english class. Rather than pick one of the 'classic' books from the list and bore myself to death, I decided to do my paper on my favorite book, Dune. Just so my teacher doesnt give me a horrible grade for doing scifi, Im comparing the transcendentalist ideas in the writings of Thoreau and Emerson to Dune. (power of the human mind, self reliance, etc). Hopefully he'll accept that..
Well ANYWAY, I know Im going to need some secondary sources. My teacher was talking about things called 'critical reviews' that have been written on other books. I was wondering if any such things would exist for a novel like Dune. Im not sure that it really counts as a 'classic' like some of the other works on the list, but could anyone point me in the right direction? Im not expecting someone to do my work for me, but this is the first REAL lit research paper Ive ever had to do, and I really need a nudge in the right direction..
Any idea what other sources I could use for my research? I need to hit the public and college libraries tomorrow.. Thanks...
Well ANYWAY, I know Im going to need some secondary sources. My teacher was talking about things called 'critical reviews' that have been written on other books. I was wondering if any such things would exist for a novel like Dune. Im not sure that it really counts as a 'classic' like some of the other works on the list, but could anyone point me in the right direction? Im not expecting someone to do my work for me, but this is the first REAL lit research paper Ive ever had to do, and I really need a nudge in the right direction..
Any idea what other sources I could use for my research? I need to hit the public and college libraries tomorrow.. Thanks...
02-24-02 | 10:35 AM
#2
Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Knoxville, TN
Go to your nearest college library, find the reference room, and head straight to the reference librarian. He or she will be your best resource. If the librarian is really busy (or not very helpful), find the following. All will likely be located in the main reference room:
- Dictionary of Literary Biography (DLB) -- Go to the most recent volume (they will probably be lined up on a shelf like a set of encyclopedias) and flip to the back. Look up Frank Herbert in the Author Index, which will lead you to the correct volume of the DLB. There, you'll find a brief biography and overview of his work.
- Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC) -- Published by same folks as the DLB (Gale), it works in the same way, except that instead of getting a brief biography of Herbert, you'll find collections of critical articles about his work. He might also show up in Twentieth Century Literary Criticism (TCLC).
- Book Review Digest -- These are released annually. So, start by going straight to the volume for whatever year Dune was originally published (also look at the next two years).
If you really want to impress your teacher, dig into some article length criticism, which can be tracked down using the Modern Language Association (MLA) database. I'd definitely ask the reference librarion for help here. I just did a quick search and found:
TI: Listening to Ourselves: Herbert's Dune, 'the Voice' and Performing the Absolute
AU: Kucera,-Paul-Q..
SO: Extrapolation:-A-Journal-of-Science-Fiction-and-Fantasy (Extrapolation) Kent, OH. 2001 Fall; 42(3): 232-45.
TI: 'Plots within Plots ... Patterns within Patterns': Chaos-Theory Concepts and Structures in Frank Herbert's Dune Novels
AU: Palumbo,-Donald
SO: Journal-of-the-Fantastic-in-the-Arts (JFA) Stow, OH. 1997; 8(1 (29)): 55-77.
TI: History and Historical Effect in Frank Herbert's Dune
AU: DiTommaso,-Lorenzo
SO: Science-Fiction-Studies (SFS) Greencastle, IN. 1992 Nov; 19(3 (58)): 311-25.
TI: Frank Herbert and the Making of Myths: Irish History, Celtic Mythology, and IRA Ideology in The White Plague
AU: Feehan,-Ellen
SO: Science-Fiction-Studies (SFS) Greencastle, IN. 1992 Nov; 19(3 (58)): 289-310.
Enjoy.
- Dictionary of Literary Biography (DLB) -- Go to the most recent volume (they will probably be lined up on a shelf like a set of encyclopedias) and flip to the back. Look up Frank Herbert in the Author Index, which will lead you to the correct volume of the DLB. There, you'll find a brief biography and overview of his work.
- Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC) -- Published by same folks as the DLB (Gale), it works in the same way, except that instead of getting a brief biography of Herbert, you'll find collections of critical articles about his work. He might also show up in Twentieth Century Literary Criticism (TCLC).
- Book Review Digest -- These are released annually. So, start by going straight to the volume for whatever year Dune was originally published (also look at the next two years).
If you really want to impress your teacher, dig into some article length criticism, which can be tracked down using the Modern Language Association (MLA) database. I'd definitely ask the reference librarion for help here. I just did a quick search and found:
TI: Listening to Ourselves: Herbert's Dune, 'the Voice' and Performing the Absolute
AU: Kucera,-Paul-Q..
SO: Extrapolation:-A-Journal-of-Science-Fiction-and-Fantasy (Extrapolation) Kent, OH. 2001 Fall; 42(3): 232-45.
TI: 'Plots within Plots ... Patterns within Patterns': Chaos-Theory Concepts and Structures in Frank Herbert's Dune Novels
AU: Palumbo,-Donald
SO: Journal-of-the-Fantastic-in-the-Arts (JFA) Stow, OH. 1997; 8(1 (29)): 55-77.
TI: History and Historical Effect in Frank Herbert's Dune
AU: DiTommaso,-Lorenzo
SO: Science-Fiction-Studies (SFS) Greencastle, IN. 1992 Nov; 19(3 (58)): 311-25.
TI: Frank Herbert and the Making of Myths: Irish History, Celtic Mythology, and IRA Ideology in The White Plague
AU: Feehan,-Ellen
SO: Science-Fiction-Studies (SFS) Greencastle, IN. 1992 Nov; 19(3 (58)): 289-310.
Enjoy.
02-27-02 | 11:18 PM
#3
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
From: Seattle, Washington, America the Beautiful
In addition to Darren's excellent advice and breakdown on what to do, before consulting the university librarian for additional source info, you might also first take a look at the INFOTRAC. These computerized database (or whatever brand they use) are available at one of the computer terminals. These systems are also the replacement version of the traditional card catalogues of the books within the library. If the library has paid for the extra services, the INFOTRAC will have additional cross-referencing items for you to look at so it becomes more than just a "card catalogue" of the books inside that library....
Keywords to use:
keyword set #1: thesis, herbert, frank
reason: you are looking for any thesis or dissertation on him
keyword set #2: biography, herbert, frank
reason: biographies will in themselves contain bibliographies
------------
In addition to the books mentioned by Darren, you might look at the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature. It is a nice cross-reference of periodical articles on various subjects and personalities....
------------
I just went online to a database right now and found with almost no effort:
a. Frank AND herbert AND dune AND transcendental --> Sci-fi speculative article talking about how the use of nanotechnology in modifying human behaviour [wow, surprised to see Dune in there]
b. Semantics, General Semantics, and Ecology in Frank Herbert's Dune. By: Parkerson, Ronny W.; ETC: A Review of General Semantics, Fall98, Vol. 55 Issue 3, p317, 12p; Explores Frank Herbert's examination of the heroic nature of his protagonists through Herbert's principles of semantics (the power of language). <-- if you are looking at the differences of thought based upon cultural relationships and personal strengths, this might give you a hook into how Frank Herbert's approach differs wildly from your Thoreau.. Hmm, reading the article (12 pages) it talks about how Herbert drew upon his journalism background. A quote from Herbert in the article: """I had already written several pieces about ecological matters, but my superhero concept filled me with a concern that ecology might be the next banner for demagogues and would-be heroes, for the power seekers and others ready to find an "adrenaline high" in the launching of a new crusade. I could begin to see the shape of a global problem, no part of it separated from any other -- social ecology, political ecology, economic ecology. I find fresh nuances in religions, psychoanalytic theories, linguistics, economics, philosophy, theories of history, geology, anthropology, plant research, soil chemistry, and the metalanguages of pheromones. A new field of study arises out of this like a spirit rising from a witch's caldron: the psychology of planetary societies. """ It gets more into this stuff. Kinda Thoreau like too, but more workman oriented in how Herbert describes (plenty of quotes from Herbert, nice article) his goals in use of linguistic power coupled with linguistic semantic understanding. Hmm, it sure contrasts with Thoreau.
c. wow, quite a few strange articles like the one above which only a pedantic scholar could love.... I have no idea what some of these pedantic articles are about!!!!! whooiiieeee!!!
I'm just amazed at all the things online!!!! whooiiieeee!!!!
Keywords to use:
keyword set #1: thesis, herbert, frank
reason: you are looking for any thesis or dissertation on him
keyword set #2: biography, herbert, frank
reason: biographies will in themselves contain bibliographies
------------
In addition to the books mentioned by Darren, you might look at the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature. It is a nice cross-reference of periodical articles on various subjects and personalities....
------------
I just went online to a database right now and found with almost no effort:
a. Frank AND herbert AND dune AND transcendental --> Sci-fi speculative article talking about how the use of nanotechnology in modifying human behaviour [wow, surprised to see Dune in there]
b. Semantics, General Semantics, and Ecology in Frank Herbert's Dune. By: Parkerson, Ronny W.; ETC: A Review of General Semantics, Fall98, Vol. 55 Issue 3, p317, 12p; Explores Frank Herbert's examination of the heroic nature of his protagonists through Herbert's principles of semantics (the power of language). <-- if you are looking at the differences of thought based upon cultural relationships and personal strengths, this might give you a hook into how Frank Herbert's approach differs wildly from your Thoreau.. Hmm, reading the article (12 pages) it talks about how Herbert drew upon his journalism background. A quote from Herbert in the article: """I had already written several pieces about ecological matters, but my superhero concept filled me with a concern that ecology might be the next banner for demagogues and would-be heroes, for the power seekers and others ready to find an "adrenaline high" in the launching of a new crusade. I could begin to see the shape of a global problem, no part of it separated from any other -- social ecology, political ecology, economic ecology. I find fresh nuances in religions, psychoanalytic theories, linguistics, economics, philosophy, theories of history, geology, anthropology, plant research, soil chemistry, and the metalanguages of pheromones. A new field of study arises out of this like a spirit rising from a witch's caldron: the psychology of planetary societies. """ It gets more into this stuff. Kinda Thoreau like too, but more workman oriented in how Herbert describes (plenty of quotes from Herbert, nice article) his goals in use of linguistic power coupled with linguistic semantic understanding. Hmm, it sure contrasts with Thoreau.
c. wow, quite a few strange articles like the one above which only a pedantic scholar could love.... I have no idea what some of these pedantic articles are about!!!!! whooiiieeee!!!
I'm just amazed at all the things online!!!! whooiiieeee!!!!
02-28-02 | 04:22 AM
#4
DVD Talk Hero
Have you done an exhaustive search on Google yet? I should think that the web was invented for this sort of thing.
Probably wouldn't hurt to scour the usenet archives of Deja, either.
Probably wouldn't hurt to scour the usenet archives of Deja, either.
03-06-02 | 12:05 PM
#5
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
From: Seattle, Washington, America the Beautiful
Re: Dune Research paper - critical reviews?
Originally posted by Pr00zac
Any idea what other sources I could use for my research?
So what happened?
Any idea what other sources I could use for my research?
So what happened?
03-14-02 | 03:31 PM
#6
Thread Starter
Cool New Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
update- well we got an extension on the project, not due for another 2 weeks, and ive been pretty busy, so i havent got a whole lot done
i did, however, go to the local college library (CNU community college) and found the contempary literary criticisms, and found lots of good stuff
havent quite sorted through it all yet...
btw, startide and / or darren, could you send me some of those articles you found in the databases? (especially that one you found startide, on semantics)
My high school subscribes to galenet, but i guess we dont have the full services because i couldnt find any of those articles when i searched
At the college i couldnt find any computers with infotrac on them, its not a very big university so i dont think they subscribe..
and thanks for all the help so far!
i did, however, go to the local college library (CNU community college) and found the contempary literary criticisms, and found lots of good stuff
havent quite sorted through it all yet...
btw, startide and / or darren, could you send me some of those articles you found in the databases? (especially that one you found startide, on semantics)
My high school subscribes to galenet, but i guess we dont have the full services because i couldnt find any of those articles when i searched
At the college i couldnt find any computers with infotrac on them, its not a very big university so i dont think they subscribe..
and thanks for all the help so far!
Last edited by Pr00zac; 03-14-02 at 03:37 PM.
03-14-02 | 04:18 PM
#7
Mod Emeritus
If you are researching from a General Semantics point of view you might also like to look at and/or make reference to the work of A E van Vogt who was a dabbler in that field.
I think it was the Null-A series where he used some of the ideas. He was writing at about the same time as Herbert but probably started a decade earlier (not checked).
I think it was the Null-A series where he used some of the ideas. He was writing at about the same time as Herbert but probably started a decade earlier (not checked).
03-15-02 | 07:12 AM
#8
Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Knoxville, TN
The database I used -- the Modern Language Association -- is only an index. It lists the citation information, which tells you where to find what you're looking for, but it doesn't provide the actual article.
For instance:
TI: History and Historical Effect in Frank Herbert's Dune
AU: DiTommaso,-Lorenzo
SO: Science-Fiction-Studies (SFS) Greencastle, IN. 1992 Nov; 19(3 (58)): 311-25.
To get this article, you'll need to find the November, 1992 issue of Science Fiction Studies and turn to page 311-25.
Darren
For instance:
TI: History and Historical Effect in Frank Herbert's Dune
AU: DiTommaso,-Lorenzo
SO: Science-Fiction-Studies (SFS) Greencastle, IN. 1992 Nov; 19(3 (58)): 311-25.
To get this article, you'll need to find the November, 1992 issue of Science Fiction Studies and turn to page 311-25.
Darren
04-09-02 | 05:46 PM
#9
Thread Starter
Cool New Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
update- Thanks for all the help! I really wouldn't have had a clue what to do otherwise (our english teacher had a death in the family so we couldnt ask him for help the last week or so, which is when everyone started writing)
So I turned it in, and got an A+ (im in 10th grade honors english, its the same course as 11th AP english though..)
If anyone is interested in reading it, i can send it or something. Oddly enough, I really enjoyed writing it. Guess I have something to look forward to in college...
So I turned it in, and got an A+ (im in 10th grade honors english, its the same course as 11th AP english though..)
If anyone is interested in reading it, i can send it or something. Oddly enough, I really enjoyed writing it. Guess I have something to look forward to in college...
04-11-02 | 03:32 PM
#11
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
From: Seattle, Washington, America the Beautiful
Congraduations on the A+ Honours English result! I wish I had some of the online resources available now back when I was in school. Our teacher gave us a "challenge" type research paper where we would have to put down a great deal of our own personal interpretations (as opposed to just looking things up that agreed with our premise). So, I had come up with my topic (and the instructor accepted it) of "Oedipus Rex knew what he was doing and did it anyways". I ended up with one of the three semester "A" grades in the class (it was a killer instructor, not popular but i had to take that instructor due to my odd scheduling).
Some of the resources I use only give bibliographic listings with a precise/summary, but others will give the entire article in either HTML or PDF format. If you work for a corporation in the R&D arena, chances are you might have such access and didn't know that such resources were available (because your company might have bought a site license but didn't publicize it to the employees).
Some of the resources I use only give bibliographic listings with a precise/summary, but others will give the entire article in either HTML or PDF format. If you work for a corporation in the R&D arena, chances are you might have such access and didn't know that such resources were available (because your company might have bought a site license but didn't publicize it to the employees).
Last edited by Startide; 04-11-02 at 03:36 PM.
