Dr.+Heidegger's+Experiment

The point of view in //Dr Heidegger's Experiment// is first person, limited omniscient. The protagonist of //Dr. Heidegger's Experiment// is Dr. Heidegger. He is the protagonist because he is the most important character, and the story revolves around him.
 * Short Stories - Literary Devises** **Title: Dr. Heidegger's Experiment**
 * Point of View:**
 * Protagonist:**

The protagonist in this story is a dynamic, round character.
 * What type of character is the Protagonist?**

The antagonist in //Dr. Heidegger's Expeiement// would be Man vs Self. It is person vs Self because the whole story is about how these old people are battling with their appearance. They all would rather die than live old. When they are granted youth, they forget everything they have learned in their life and they become immature once again.
 * Antagonist:**

The setting in //Dr. Heidegger's Expeiement// is Dr. Heidegger's office. It is described as a very curious place. It is a dim, old fashioned chamber with cobwebs, bookcases, and a skeleton in the closet. There is also a full length portrait of a young lady. It is a picture of the women that Dr. Heidegger was going to marry fifty years prior. There was also a folio volume, bound in black leather with massive silver clasps. There was no letters on the book, and you could not tell the title. It was a book of magic.
 * Describe the setting:**

The type of conflict in the story is Man vs. Self.
 * Types of Conflict:**

It is about how society is so focused on appearance, and we are never fully thankful for what we have. It is the inner struggle for youth.
 * Describe the main conflict:**

I think that the climax of the story is when you could see the old peoples reflections in the mirror and the rose and butterfly die once again. I think this part is the climax because nothing major except for the people turning old again happens. It is the turning point in the story when you realize that you can not always have what you want. When you hear about the mirror it makes you second guess the water from thte fountain and it makes it seem more like wine or something else.
 * Describe the Climax of the Story:**

The main character changes because Dr. Heidegger realizes that even though these people are still old in young bodies, they act as if they were young again. It shows the immaturity in people and it also shows their worst qualities. All they care about is their apearance and nothing other. Dr. Heidegger learns that he shouldn't drink the water because it would not be worth it.
 * How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story?**

The title is //Dr. Heidegger's Experiment// and Dr Heidegger is the protagonists of the story. It is an "experiment" because Dr. Heidegger's plan was to find out the side effects of the water and see if the old people learnt a lesson.
 * Describe the relationship between the title and the theme.**

The main conflict is about how appearance can rule your life. The old people would rather be dead in a coffin then alive with grey hair and wrinkles. This just shows how greedy people are are, and also how arrogant.
 * How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme?**

I think that the climax illistrates to the theme because it is when they all turn old and that is the end of his experiment. It shows that there youth can not last forever, no matter how much they crave it.
 * How does the climax help to illustrate the theme?**


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

"... as black as ebony" "One limped across the floor, like a gouty grandfather."
 * Simile:**

"I love it as well thus as in its dewy freshness." It means he will love his fiancee even if she was old or young. "... in pursiut of simple pleasures which had given birth to a brood of pains..." "... It was apparently impregnated with an effervescent gas..."
 * Metaphor:**
 * Personification:**

A symbol in the story would be the rose. It deeply symbolizes his love for his deceased wife, and how he has treasued it after all of those years.
 * Symbol:**

Foreshadow: "My poor Sylvia's rose!" cried Dr. Heidegger, holding it in the light of the sunset clouds, "It appears to be fading again." Result: "Yes, they were old again." "I would not stoop to bathe my lips in it..... such a lesson you have taught me!" "They resolved forthwith to make a pilgramidge to Florida."
 * Foreshadowing (give both elements):**
 * I****rony:**

"... as if the flower was reviving from a death-like slumber..."
 * Imagery:**

The realationship between the class theme and the story is that you should not give up your intelligence and maturity to look younger. It is sad how these men and woman can hate themselves so much because of their appearance. The story is about how arrogant people can be and how that can lead them to do unreasonable things such as traveling to Florida to drink out of the fountain everyday.
 * Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. **

1) According to Dr. Heidegger, the purpose of this experiment was to see if the water from the fountain of youth worked with no side effects on humans, and to teach the group of old people in the story that youth can not last forever and you have to be satisfied with yourself no matter what.

2) Dr. Heideggers friends all have three things in common: they rather be dead than to be old, they have all made some mistakes in their past, and appearance to them is the most important thing to them. Each friend reacted a bit differently. Mr. Melbourne was already planning ways to make money, Colonel Killigrew was flirting with the widow, Mr. Gascoigne started talking about politics, and Widow Wycherly went straight to the mirror to admire her reflection.

3) Dr. Heidegger decided he would not drink from the fountain of youth because he did not want to become immature like his fellow test subjects. He had found the meaning in life, but the others did not. His friends do not feel the same way because they are now going to find the fountain after the Dr. ran out of the water.

4) I think that the narrator of the story was the mirror. Not the mirror itself, but a friend or co-worker of Dr. Heidegger behind a two way mirror. This friend was taking down notes and all of the details of the experiment. That is how he knows what happened to the doctor and his friends. He was there the whole time watching. The facts would most likely be right, the only thing is that the friend would not know the thoughts and feelings or the people.

5) There main point about youth and aging is that youth is good for you, and aging is bad. The people in the story don't even give growing old a chance. They all think they should be dead. Their view on life is basically once you grow old, there is no point in living. I do not agree with the points in the story, even though I do not know much about aging myself. Its a part of life and everyone must face it sometime or another.

7) I think this would be desired because many people want to live longer. There are many downsides to this vaccine being made though. It will cost alot of money, and only the rich will be able to use it. It could also break the natural circle of life, and the planet could become over-populated. It would also be less desirable if your body continued to age. Nobody would want to wander the earth in an 100 year old body. The vaccine could most definetly be desirable, I think we just need to know more about it first.

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