Analysis Of Quest By John Foster

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Summary: In chapter one, Foster begins giving an example of a quest; he explains how a trip to the store is considered a quest. Foster provides five key details included in a quest: a quester, a place to go, a reason to go there, challenges and tests on the way, and a real reason to go there (Foster 3). Furthermore, Foster explains how the “stated” reason is not the reason to go on the quest. The quester goes on the quest believing it is their life mission. Quote: “The real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge” (Foster 4). Personal Example: The Epic of Gilgamesh is an example of a quest. Gilgamesh is the protagonist of the poem who makes a long quest in search for immortality.

Chapter 2 (Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communication) …show more content…
Fairytales tend to be easily understood; therefore, authors use the fairy tales to make more complex and change the “happily ever after” ending. Foster talks about how fairytales are portrayed in authors’ works just like Shakespeare and the bible. Furthermore, author use fairytales to help communicate their main ideas to the readers. Quote: “Because fairy tales, like Shakespeare, the bible, mythology, and all other writing and telling, belong to the one big story…” (Foster 57). There are always some sort of parallel between stories and fairytales. Personal Example: The Harry Potter series and Cinderella form a parallel. The main characters of both stories are neglected by their …show more content…
Foster explains how the main characters are known as rounded and dynamic in the sense that they show emotion and have a purpose; whereas, the secondary characters are known as flat and static (Foster 85). Fosters illustrates how the main purpose for the secondary characters is to help the main character reach his/her destination even if it means death for the secondary character. Main characters are the centerpiece in the story, and it’s the secondary characters job to get the main characters to the end no matter the cost (Foster 87). Quote: “Characters are products of writers’ imaginations—and readers’ imaginations” (Foster 81). The writer invents the character using observational skills, and the readers reinvents the character using his/her memory skills, observational skills, and imagination. Personal Example: In Night, the secondary characters, Nazis, are more important than the main characters. Because of the Nazis, the main plot occurred. Without the Nazis, the Holocaust and World War II would not have taken place. In addition, the millions of lives would have been

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