Dr+Heidegger's+Experiment

Literary Devices
> Third-person, but not omniscient; it seems that the narrator is a friend / has some sort of relationship with the doctor. > Dr. Heidegger. > Round and dynamic. > Age (specifically, old age.) Interesting! > The story takes place in Dr. Heidegger's study Describe the study, seemingly in the early 1900s. The mood in his study is quiet and eerie. > man vs. environment (the environment being their own bodies) > The main conflict is Dr. Heidegger testing the fountain of youth's water on his friends. > The climax of the story is when Dr. Heidegger's friends, turned young after drinking the water from the fountain of youth, started to revert to their former old selves. > Dr. Heidegger, at the beginning of the story, is not sure what happens when one drinks water from the fountain of youth; after the experiment, he is sure that he will never drink some. Why, we do not know, though one could suspect that is it because he witnessed the delirium it caused in his friends or that it's effect was only temporary. > The title well represents the fact that there is an experiment in the story, and that this experiment is brought about by Dr. Heidegger. > The main conflict is Dr. Heidegger testing the fountain of youth's water on his friends, to find out what the effects of the fountain of youth are, and the theme of this story is the effects of the fountain of youth's water when drunk. > The climax, where Dr. Heidegger's friends start to revert back to their older selves, proves that the effect of the fountain of youth's water is not permanent. The theme of this story is the effect of the fountain of youth's water when drunk. > Being able to make someone younger, even temporarily, is a very powerful thing. Also, if you were in control of this fountain of youth, you could sell it to gain wealth / use it to gain power.
 * 1) //Point of view://
 * 1) //Protagonist://
 * 1) //What type of character is the protagonist?//
 * 1) //Antagonist://
 * 1) Describe the setting.
 * 1) //Type of conflict://
 * 1) //Describe the main conflict://
 * 1) //Describe the climax of the story://
 * 1) //How does the protagonist change over the course of the story?//
 * 1) //Describe the relationship between the title and the theme.//
 * 1) //How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme?//
 * 1) //How does the climax help to illustrate the theme?//
 * 1) //Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes)://
 * 2) //Simile:// "They felt like new-created beings"
 * 3) //Metaphor:// "their sunny youth"
 * 4) //Personification:// "a looking glass, presenting its high and dusty plate within a tarnished gilt frame"
 * 5) //Symbol:// a skeleton in a closet is a symbol for a secret hidden
 * 6) //Foreshadowing (give both elements)://
 * 7) //Irony:// it is ironic that when Dr. Heidegger's friends are restored to their youth they start to make fun of Dr. Heidegger's old age, even though they were just as old moments ago.
 * 8) //Imagery:// "(the chamber was) besprinkled with antique dust"
 * 9) //Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story.//

Questions
> The purpose of his experiment is to observe the effect of the water of the fountain of youth on the human frame. > All of Dr. Heidegger's friends are very old, and wasted their younger years. All of them become delirious during the experiment and start doing what they did while they were younger. > Dr. Heidegger would not drink from the Fountain of Youth because he saw the delirium it caused and would never want to experience it. His friends, however, think differently and would drink water from the Fountain of Youth in an instant. > The narrator seems to be a friend or aquaintence of the doctor, who was probably told the story by the doctor himself. He is very certain of his facts, but does hint that he may be exaggerating a bit. > The story implies that in young age you are a lot more carefree and think less, which seems like delirium coming from old age. Dr. Heidegger states that he likes being old and wise, and it took him a long time to get there, so he does not want to become young again. I agree with these views. > Host: So, Dr. Heidegger, what did you learn about the Fountain of Youth's water from your experiment?Dr. Heidegger: Well, I learned that it does make you younger (gasps from crowd). Unfortunately the effect only seems to last for a few minutes. > Host: That is a breakthrough discovery, Dr. I assume you have not drunk any of the water recently, since you look very old - why not? If I had access to this water, I would drink it non-stop! > Dr. Heidegger: The water does make you a bit delirious, as my friends can confirm. I have never drunk any of the water and do not plan to. > Host: What a shame, Dr. Heidegger. Your friends here do drink the water regularly; Mr. Medbourne, do you feel delirious after drinking the water? > Mr. Medbourne: Yes, I do feel slightly lightheaded, but it is worth it to experience youth again! > Host: Exciting. Join us after the break for more with Dr. Heidegger, his friends, and the amazing Fountain of Youth. > Yes. I feel that it would be great to develop a vaccine against aging, because old age is a horrible thing, and even though there could be a few unfortunate side-effects (overpopulation, limitation of who receives the vaccine, and others), they could never come near to out-weighing the near elimination of death and the suffering of old age. > Effort: 4/5 > Content: 4/5 > total: 13/15 > > Question Completion Mark: 5/5 > > total 18/20
 * 1) //According to Dr. Heidegger, what is the purpose of his experiment?//
 * 1) //What do Dr. Heidegger's friends have in common? How does each of them behave during the experiment?//
 * 1) //Why would Dr. Heidegger not stoop to bathe his lips in the Fountain of Youth? Do his friends feel the same way? Comment.//
 * 1) //Who is the narrator of the story? Though s/he is not a participant in the experiment, the narrator relates all the details. How doe s/he know what happened to the doctor and his friends? How certain of his facts is the narrator?//
 * 1) //What points are made about youth and aging in the story? Do you agree with the views in the story? Comment.//
 * 1) //Improvise a conversation in which Dr. Heidegger and his friends are interviewed on a talk show focussing on aging.//
 * 1) //Some scientists hope to develop a vaccine against aging. They speculate that human beings could then live approximately 800 years. Do you feel this is desireable? Explain your answer.//
 * 1) Completion: 5/5