Upon learning that we were going to be watching "The Importance of Being Earnest" I was kind of happy. Simply because its an AP English class, not often to you get to just watch something and after coming out of just having read Hamlet (a play I do really like) it was a nice break.
Even with that said, I still had my doubts as to how well I would actually like the movie, I figured that it would be okay, but not necessarily anything I would ever again want to watch. Oh how I was wrong.
I'm just going to come out and say it: I freaking loved this movie. I found it whimsical and funny, but not in the laugh out loud comedy way that must funny movies tend to be funny in, but as in the intellectual funny so that it made you think and actually digest what was happening. I liked the fact that the movie was completely serious, yet the dialogue in it is utterly outrageous.
I really liked the movie, I'm glad that we had a chance to watch a play that seemed more modern and was an easier assignment than most anything else that we've done. I do like a lot of the other assignments but something simple and easy at the end of semester was really nice.
Also I really did like the use of literary devices and irony and satire that was present in the movie.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Makeup Blog for Week 13
Mullins posted this article about "GIF" being named the word of the year and suggested we write about what our word of the year might be. That was originally my plan, however upon reading the article I saw that at the end it listed what it called "the shortlisted words according to OUP" and YOLO was one of them. Seeing that then sealed my plan for this blog, I would talk about YOLO and how in no way should that be considered one of the words of the year.
YOLO- defined as "You Only Live Once" has become the call of a lot of teens and young adults, its like a moment but an extremely stupid and haphazardly organized as in truth the only thing it stands for is an excuse for people to do stupid things without justifying having to worry about consequences. This is just breeding a society where it is acceptable to do whatever you want because well you only have one life. That does not rein true and shouldn't be taught to young, stupid children easily influenced by falsehood.
On another note, YOLO even isnt a word, its an acronym. Which yes some acronyms are words like "asap"but thats different and frankly not stupid. I dont think something short lived and ridiculous such as YOLO should be named the word of the year.
For the most part my hatred of the idea of naming YOLO as the word of the year just comes from the fact that in doing so it would almost be like stamping a seal of approval on the people that use that as reasoning for doing stupid and careless things. People are already going to do those things, they dont need any extra help from the Oxford American Dictionaries.
And for my favorite meme against YOLO:
YOLO- defined as "You Only Live Once" has become the call of a lot of teens and young adults, its like a moment but an extremely stupid and haphazardly organized as in truth the only thing it stands for is an excuse for people to do stupid things without justifying having to worry about consequences. This is just breeding a society where it is acceptable to do whatever you want because well you only have one life. That does not rein true and shouldn't be taught to young, stupid children easily influenced by falsehood.
On another note, YOLO even isnt a word, its an acronym. Which yes some acronyms are words like "asap"but thats different and frankly not stupid. I dont think something short lived and ridiculous such as YOLO should be named the word of the year.
For the most part my hatred of the idea of naming YOLO as the word of the year just comes from the fact that in doing so it would almost be like stamping a seal of approval on the people that use that as reasoning for doing stupid and careless things. People are already going to do those things, they dont need any extra help from the Oxford American Dictionaries.
And for my favorite meme against YOLO:
Makeup Blog for Week 12
I have to say that I believe the beauty of a word is very much a thing of personal choice. What attracts one person to a certain word, may not be the same that attracts another person to the same word, or even another person may not be able to stand the word. However, there are words that strike everyone in a way where that person suddenly sees them as beautiful, no longer are they just a word, but they become almost a single spoken masterpiece.
I think the beauty of a word for a person comes from the meaning, the pronunciation, the connotations attached to it, as well as personal experiences with it.
So here is my list of 9 of the most beautiful words in the english language and an explanation as to why:
I think the beauty of a word for a person comes from the meaning, the pronunciation, the connotations attached to it, as well as personal experiences with it.
So here is my list of 9 of the most beautiful words in the english language and an explanation as to why:
- Lovely - defined as "exquisitely beautiful;" I seriously really just love this word and probably slightly over use it due to that. I tend to favor it more so over simpler words such as "beautiful" or "pretty" because I feel like lovely encompasses so much more. I also like how it flows when you say it; it easily falls off the tongue, yet doesnt tend to slither out without notice and beautiful and nice can sometimes do.
- Wicked - defined as "evil or morally wrong" I also really like this word because it encompasses more than simply saying something is evil, it goes beyond that. I also however mostly like it because it has a second meaning, or more so of a connotation come out of it where as something is so good that it is evil or sinful. Like things being described as "wicked good" making them oxymoronic. I like the more positive definition of the word and the fact that it is so contradictory.
- Tattoo -
- Headstrong - defined as "self-willed, obstinate" I think one of the main reasons that I really like this word is just the fact that it tends to describe my personality a lot of the time, the fact that if I want something bad enough I will be unmoving until I get it.
- Wanderlust - defined as "a strong desire to travel" I'm not going to lie, technically this word is not a word in itself that I find beautiful, I really wanted to put the word "fernweh" however that is german and not part of the english language. With that being so, wanderlust was the closest I could come to it. Fernweh alternatively literally translates to "farsickness" which I find an interesting concept. Wanderlust seems to not capture the complete essence that I love from Fernweh, in the fact that it leaves out how fernweh means a longing for a foreign unknown place. I find the idea of that really cool.
- Efflorescence - defined as "flowering, blooming, growing" I think this word is really cool, it seems to almost paint a picture in your head of what is happening. It goes far beyond the words that define it, bring in an almost new meaning within itself. I just really like it.
- Eloquence - defined as "fluent or persuasive speaking or writing" I just like this because in itself it kind of is the definition and I think that is really cool.
- Labyrinth - defined as "A complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way" I just really like the definition, the idea of a maze and running around it, millions of paths around you and not knowing for certain which one will lead you out. Labyrinth is very much like life.
- Serendipity - defined as "finding something nice while looking for something else" I like the idea of what this word holds. The fact that you have found something worth while while looking for something else, its like and unexpected surprise and who wouldnt like that?
Makeup blog for Week 11
For my second independent reading book I had picked "After Dark" by Haruki Murakami. I had heard that Murakami was a really awesome writer and had many of his books recommended to me, but never before had I read one. So when I saw this as a choice on the list (and noticed that it was one of the shorter ones and since I was reading this and "Breakfast of Champions" at the same time it seemed to make sense) I decided it was about time that I read a Murakami. And I'm glad I did.
I really loved this book, it was different and festinating and read really quickly. Needless to say I enjoyed it a lot. There were two main reasons that I really liked this book, the first being that it was written in 2nd person point of view. Second person POV is used little in writing just because usually authors don't want to break the third wall with the reader and acknowledge that the reader exists in a separate world from the book. However Murakami wrote in second POV and it actually provided some really cool insight that otherwise would have been lost. By writing in second person POV Murakami invited the reader into the world of the book, he made it more essential that they notice every detail of what was happening and made it feel like they were part of it by observing the action. This was key to the major themes within the book.
The other main reason that I really loved this book was by the way that everything in it was very circular. All the characters tied into one another, they all had their stories intertwine in one way or another. By doing this Murakami achieved his purpose of showing that the world may seem like such a large place, yet it is completely and totally interconnected. In doing this he was also able to show that one tiny event, such as someone you met years ago recognizing you in a restaurant, can change the whole entire course of a night.
The theme of the book was something that I found really cool and almost enlightening, "After Dark" is definitely a book that I would read again and would recommend to others.
I really loved this book, it was different and festinating and read really quickly. Needless to say I enjoyed it a lot. There were two main reasons that I really liked this book, the first being that it was written in 2nd person point of view. Second person POV is used little in writing just because usually authors don't want to break the third wall with the reader and acknowledge that the reader exists in a separate world from the book. However Murakami wrote in second POV and it actually provided some really cool insight that otherwise would have been lost. By writing in second person POV Murakami invited the reader into the world of the book, he made it more essential that they notice every detail of what was happening and made it feel like they were part of it by observing the action. This was key to the major themes within the book.
The other main reason that I really loved this book was by the way that everything in it was very circular. All the characters tied into one another, they all had their stories intertwine in one way or another. By doing this Murakami achieved his purpose of showing that the world may seem like such a large place, yet it is completely and totally interconnected. In doing this he was also able to show that one tiny event, such as someone you met years ago recognizing you in a restaurant, can change the whole entire course of a night.
The theme of the book was something that I found really cool and almost enlightening, "After Dark" is definitely a book that I would read again and would recommend to others.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Makeup Blog for week 10
For this blog post I've decided to do the attempt to tackle the question of fate vs. free will.
Fate (per definition from google) is "The development of events outside a person's control." Meaning that basically it is all the things in life that are happen and are going to happen simply because the higher power of the universe wills them that way.
Free will (again, per definition from google) is "the ability to act at one's own discretion, without the constrains of fate." Again, this means that basically its out ability to act and do as we please.
Now, for the big question. What defines the things we do, fate vs. free will? No one has been able to come up with a simple answer for this, and honestly there probably isnt one. Personally i feel that it is a good mix of both, I think you kinda can't have one without the other. This is because if we left every life choice be decided by faith then nothing would ever be accomplished, we would become paralyzed by our lack of decision. And the same can essentually be said about trying to control everything with our free will, if something is meant to happen in life then one way or another it is going to happen, no matter how hard we try to stop it.
This is essentially the problem that arises in Oedipus Rex as Oedipus is told the prophecy that is going to happen to him so attempts to do everything in his power to keep it from coming true. Even in doing this, even with extending the reach of his free will he still can not escape fate and the prophecy reins true.
I guess it boils down to the fact that personally, I feel like to make life work and to move forward in it, we need a good balance between fate and free will. We have to make out own choices and live with the consequences of them, not just wait for some outside force to decide things for us, but in the end if something is supposed to happen, it will happen regardless of what we do to try and stop it.
Fate (per definition from google) is "The development of events outside a person's control." Meaning that basically it is all the things in life that are happen and are going to happen simply because the higher power of the universe wills them that way.
Free will (again, per definition from google) is "the ability to act at one's own discretion, without the constrains of fate." Again, this means that basically its out ability to act and do as we please.
Now, for the big question. What defines the things we do, fate vs. free will? No one has been able to come up with a simple answer for this, and honestly there probably isnt one. Personally i feel that it is a good mix of both, I think you kinda can't have one without the other. This is because if we left every life choice be decided by faith then nothing would ever be accomplished, we would become paralyzed by our lack of decision. And the same can essentually be said about trying to control everything with our free will, if something is meant to happen in life then one way or another it is going to happen, no matter how hard we try to stop it.
This is essentially the problem that arises in Oedipus Rex as Oedipus is told the prophecy that is going to happen to him so attempts to do everything in his power to keep it from coming true. Even in doing this, even with extending the reach of his free will he still can not escape fate and the prophecy reins true.
I guess it boils down to the fact that personally, I feel like to make life work and to move forward in it, we need a good balance between fate and free will. We have to make out own choices and live with the consequences of them, not just wait for some outside force to decide things for us, but in the end if something is supposed to happen, it will happen regardless of what we do to try and stop it.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Blog Post for 11-29-12
I really suck at this whole blogging thing. I cant every keep up with it or remember it and I'm going to go ahead and say that I've not done one of these for way to long in English. So tonight I'm making sure that I do this.
After a nice 1.5 hour nap, I'm ready to type something up, but my only problem is I'm not entirely sure what to write. I could talk about something in class, maybe having just finished up Hamlet? or our about to begin watching the Oscar Wilde play. However, as I sit here thinking what to write, none of that seems appealing.
No, instead whats on my mind is college stuff because college stuff is always on my mind. This is what kind of happens when you are being forced to make decisions that are going to effect every aspect of the next four years of your life.
Back to strictly college stuff. A while ago I posted a blog about having just submitted my first college application fully and that both made me super excited about college stuff as well as completely terrified. As awesome as that moment was for me it was extremely short lived as that is all that I have done college wise and originally I had plans to do so much more, I've fallen majorly short though, this has then forced me to once again become proactive and make some decisions about college.
I submitted my college application, met with my counselor, had them send my transcript and the extra form the college required and then just waited. I finally heard back from them and it was the news I had wanted, they accepted me. Shortly fallowing that letter from them came a second, except this time bigger and it held my scholarship offer from them, which was nice and once again reignited the flame of my interest in the whole college application thing. This was once again short lived, I made lists, lots of lists narrowing down the schools i'd apply to, then crossing those out, narrowing down further, then adding more back to the list.
In reality I had no idea where I wanted to go or why I was wanting to apply to a lot of the schools outside of they had a good program for the major I wanted to go into. But applying to a lot of schools is what everyone else seems to be doing so I felt I should as well. The lists became massive and bogged me down about college once again so I ignored everything I should probably have been doing.
Then the college that had already accepted me and made me a nice scholarship offer sent me a third letter, this one small though and almost more of a announcement/reminder printed on card stock front and back. It talked about now that I was accepted I should confirm my acceptance and schedule for their two day orientation. The arrival of this put me once again half heartedly back in college planning mood.
This time though, i was determined to majorly simplify it. First that meant throwing out all the colleges I had originally planned to apply to except one other. Another instate school with a very revered program for the major I wanted to apply to. My reasoning for this was I didnt need the other schools, I had already been accepted into one I loved and would be happy to go to and this other one I had heard very good things about and seemed to fit what I wanted as well.
I determined I'd apply to this second school, make a campus visit and if I didnt fall completely in love with it then I was done. I'd take the offer of the first schools and confirm my enrollment.
Honestly this decisions makes me more excited about college then ever. I'm also way more calm and not so afraid as I was before because I have a plan. I know what I want to do now.
Ultimately what I'm trying to say is that you shouldnt get caught up in the whole college search thing. Instead pick places you really want to go to and really would be happy at, apply there and even if thats only two or three, theres nothing wrong with that. College is your choice, its the next four years of your life, making the right choice is stressful enough, so dont add any extra for yourself by adding applications that you know you have no real intention of going to that school.
With all that being said, this super long blog post (seriously, I'm so sorry about that...) can end, as will my college search after December 13th.
After a nice 1.5 hour nap, I'm ready to type something up, but my only problem is I'm not entirely sure what to write. I could talk about something in class, maybe having just finished up Hamlet? or our about to begin watching the Oscar Wilde play. However, as I sit here thinking what to write, none of that seems appealing.
No, instead whats on my mind is college stuff because college stuff is always on my mind. This is what kind of happens when you are being forced to make decisions that are going to effect every aspect of the next four years of your life.
Back to strictly college stuff. A while ago I posted a blog about having just submitted my first college application fully and that both made me super excited about college stuff as well as completely terrified. As awesome as that moment was for me it was extremely short lived as that is all that I have done college wise and originally I had plans to do so much more, I've fallen majorly short though, this has then forced me to once again become proactive and make some decisions about college.
I submitted my college application, met with my counselor, had them send my transcript and the extra form the college required and then just waited. I finally heard back from them and it was the news I had wanted, they accepted me. Shortly fallowing that letter from them came a second, except this time bigger and it held my scholarship offer from them, which was nice and once again reignited the flame of my interest in the whole college application thing. This was once again short lived, I made lists, lots of lists narrowing down the schools i'd apply to, then crossing those out, narrowing down further, then adding more back to the list.
In reality I had no idea where I wanted to go or why I was wanting to apply to a lot of the schools outside of they had a good program for the major I wanted to go into. But applying to a lot of schools is what everyone else seems to be doing so I felt I should as well. The lists became massive and bogged me down about college once again so I ignored everything I should probably have been doing.
Then the college that had already accepted me and made me a nice scholarship offer sent me a third letter, this one small though and almost more of a announcement/reminder printed on card stock front and back. It talked about now that I was accepted I should confirm my acceptance and schedule for their two day orientation. The arrival of this put me once again half heartedly back in college planning mood.
This time though, i was determined to majorly simplify it. First that meant throwing out all the colleges I had originally planned to apply to except one other. Another instate school with a very revered program for the major I wanted to apply to. My reasoning for this was I didnt need the other schools, I had already been accepted into one I loved and would be happy to go to and this other one I had heard very good things about and seemed to fit what I wanted as well.
I determined I'd apply to this second school, make a campus visit and if I didnt fall completely in love with it then I was done. I'd take the offer of the first schools and confirm my enrollment.
Honestly this decisions makes me more excited about college then ever. I'm also way more calm and not so afraid as I was before because I have a plan. I know what I want to do now.
Ultimately what I'm trying to say is that you shouldnt get caught up in the whole college search thing. Instead pick places you really want to go to and really would be happy at, apply there and even if thats only two or three, theres nothing wrong with that. College is your choice, its the next four years of your life, making the right choice is stressful enough, so dont add any extra for yourself by adding applications that you know you have no real intention of going to that school.
With all that being said, this super long blog post (seriously, I'm so sorry about that...) can end, as will my college search after December 13th.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Blog vir week sewe!
So, I've decided that this week I'm going to stray from the usual super english related blog post and instead tackle something that is more prevalent on my mind tonight.
I sent in my first college application tonight.
Now, its not officially finished as I still have to have my official transcript sent from the guidance office along with them filling out an additional paper requested from the university, but everything else is done. According to said college, in about two weeks time I will have an answer from them.
The thing is though, this is a process that I've dreaded starting for so long. It was inevitable, I knew and accepted that, but I continued to put it off. I figured, I guess, that once I started it I wouldnt stop until all of them are sent in, which is probably going to be true, but that this would suddenly consume every part of my life. For some reason, I thought that something major would change, something would be different, that I would feel different. Cliche I know, but thats my life.
Instead, I sit here at 11:47 PM listening to Michael Buble's Christmas album (this is evidently what my iPod plays this late at night) having just submitted my college application and honestly it feels like any other night. That is if any other night my stomach was filled with terror and my brain the maddening thought that this could all turn out to be a complete failure. Oh wait, its my senior year and college applications are due, that is every other night.
In all honestly, I guess I just feel this is some sort of let down, I was expecting more. Don't ask me what more I was expecting, but in my mind I guess I thought I'd feel different, maybe more accomplished? This is just so anticlimactic now.
Of course, even as I say that I am filled with tremendous excitement at getting to go and do something awesome with my life and fear at all my planning coming crashing down, unraveling at the seems.
And now I'm rambling and not at all saying what I came here to say.
Rewind a little now, "I sent in my first college application tonight."
College has always been a reality for me, I never thought about not going, my parents always seem to have expected me to go, and my educational path has told me that eventual I will be in college. That means that at times, I have to reality check myself and think that not everyone feels the same way.
I feel at times that I sit in the middle of the college spectrum, someone who knew they would be going to college, yet never had huge set in stone plans about it. I find it amazingly interesting the students that have known for years their top three schools they plan to go to and exactly how theyre going to get there, I almost envy this, the intense planning, the idea of actually knowing where your going is tempting. I then remember though, that I hate conforming to ideal expectations set out for me like that and the envy passes. However even more strange for me to think of is the fact that not everyone plans on going to college, and that is perfectly acceptable.
I feel that sometimes I get lost in the glorified ideal path of life that is preached to me and forget that other paths are just as good. I don't like when this happens. Like I said, college has always been a thing for me, but if I was to forget that others dont choose college that would mean being out of touch of the reality of the world. In doing so I'd feel that I was almost placing myself above others just because of college and thats not true or right. Choosing a path that doesnt require college is not at all bad, I think personally you should choose whatever path that makes you happy and if anyone belittles you for doing so they can shove it in all honesty.
Harsh maybe, but people who act better than others gets under my skin more than it should.
Again, I feel I'm rambling and tangent-ing badly and this post is becoming really long. What I'm really trying to say is that I sent in my first college application tonight and that terrifies and excites me, but even more than that it is weird to think that I hold a unique place in my college process that is different than what every other senior anywhere is doing. And that every persons unique choices are just as valuable and awesome and equally terrifying and exciting to them as mine is to me.
For now, I'll quite my rambling and just go back to my late night listening of Buble's Christmas album because that sounds a lot more simple than trying to figure out what I really am wanting to say.
I sent in my first college application tonight.
Now, its not officially finished as I still have to have my official transcript sent from the guidance office along with them filling out an additional paper requested from the university, but everything else is done. According to said college, in about two weeks time I will have an answer from them.
The thing is though, this is a process that I've dreaded starting for so long. It was inevitable, I knew and accepted that, but I continued to put it off. I figured, I guess, that once I started it I wouldnt stop until all of them are sent in, which is probably going to be true, but that this would suddenly consume every part of my life. For some reason, I thought that something major would change, something would be different, that I would feel different. Cliche I know, but thats my life.
Instead, I sit here at 11:47 PM listening to Michael Buble's Christmas album (this is evidently what my iPod plays this late at night) having just submitted my college application and honestly it feels like any other night. That is if any other night my stomach was filled with terror and my brain the maddening thought that this could all turn out to be a complete failure. Oh wait, its my senior year and college applications are due, that is every other night.
In all honestly, I guess I just feel this is some sort of let down, I was expecting more. Don't ask me what more I was expecting, but in my mind I guess I thought I'd feel different, maybe more accomplished? This is just so anticlimactic now.
Of course, even as I say that I am filled with tremendous excitement at getting to go and do something awesome with my life and fear at all my planning coming crashing down, unraveling at the seems.
And now I'm rambling and not at all saying what I came here to say.
Rewind a little now, "I sent in my first college application tonight."
College has always been a reality for me, I never thought about not going, my parents always seem to have expected me to go, and my educational path has told me that eventual I will be in college. That means that at times, I have to reality check myself and think that not everyone feels the same way.
I feel at times that I sit in the middle of the college spectrum, someone who knew they would be going to college, yet never had huge set in stone plans about it. I find it amazingly interesting the students that have known for years their top three schools they plan to go to and exactly how theyre going to get there, I almost envy this, the intense planning, the idea of actually knowing where your going is tempting. I then remember though, that I hate conforming to ideal expectations set out for me like that and the envy passes. However even more strange for me to think of is the fact that not everyone plans on going to college, and that is perfectly acceptable.
I feel that sometimes I get lost in the glorified ideal path of life that is preached to me and forget that other paths are just as good. I don't like when this happens. Like I said, college has always been a thing for me, but if I was to forget that others dont choose college that would mean being out of touch of the reality of the world. In doing so I'd feel that I was almost placing myself above others just because of college and thats not true or right. Choosing a path that doesnt require college is not at all bad, I think personally you should choose whatever path that makes you happy and if anyone belittles you for doing so they can shove it in all honesty.
Harsh maybe, but people who act better than others gets under my skin more than it should.
Again, I feel I'm rambling and tangent-ing badly and this post is becoming really long. What I'm really trying to say is that I sent in my first college application tonight and that terrifies and excites me, but even more than that it is weird to think that I hold a unique place in my college process that is different than what every other senior anywhere is doing. And that every persons unique choices are just as valuable and awesome and equally terrifying and exciting to them as mine is to me.
For now, I'll quite my rambling and just go back to my late night listening of Buble's Christmas album because that sounds a lot more simple than trying to figure out what I really am wanting to say.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Blog for uge fem.
For class we recently read "Hills Like White Elephants" (HLWE) by Hemingway, I have to say this was probably my favorite reading to have done for class so far. I really liked this story and its hard for me to be able to pin point exactly why I did. A lot of it I believe has to do with the fact that it was written in a very unconventional way as well the fact that there was so much symbolism in it that all connected back to the never stated discussion of an abortion.
Hemingway was able to craft a magnificently simple yet powerful story with HLWE. In most works of literature there is a lot more description and set up to the story, the text is usually filled with narration, Hemingway, however, choose to go in the opposite direction of that. He instead used manly dialogue, with very little description, to tell the story. I as surprised by how effective this turned out to be as I had originally thought that with the story being told this way I would have felt like I was missing important parts of the story. This was not the case at all, instead I felt the meaning was deepened because of how I was forced to focus on how the couple interacting with one another. Hemingway challenged the conventional format for short stories, took a risk, and it paid off extremely well. I really enjoyed how this story was told.
Usually in most stories, I feel like the abundant use of symbols gets annoying and over used quickly. I HLWE, I felt the complete opposite. The story focuses on a major issue between the couple, one that is never named out loud. Yet, the numerous phrases and context clues that point to it make it unmistakable upon a close reading. I thought Hemingway employed the use of symbols in a new way, allowing them to all intertwine perfectly giving the story a tighter connection and more meaning, something that pleasantly surprised me.
This was the first story or piece of literature that I had ever read by Hemingway and I really like it, I plan to attempt to read more by him in the future.
Hemingway was able to craft a magnificently simple yet powerful story with HLWE. In most works of literature there is a lot more description and set up to the story, the text is usually filled with narration, Hemingway, however, choose to go in the opposite direction of that. He instead used manly dialogue, with very little description, to tell the story. I as surprised by how effective this turned out to be as I had originally thought that with the story being told this way I would have felt like I was missing important parts of the story. This was not the case at all, instead I felt the meaning was deepened because of how I was forced to focus on how the couple interacting with one another. Hemingway challenged the conventional format for short stories, took a risk, and it paid off extremely well. I really enjoyed how this story was told.
Usually in most stories, I feel like the abundant use of symbols gets annoying and over used quickly. I HLWE, I felt the complete opposite. The story focuses on a major issue between the couple, one that is never named out loud. Yet, the numerous phrases and context clues that point to it make it unmistakable upon a close reading. I thought Hemingway employed the use of symbols in a new way, allowing them to all intertwine perfectly giving the story a tighter connection and more meaning, something that pleasantly surprised me.
This was the first story or piece of literature that I had ever read by Hemingway and I really like it, I plan to attempt to read more by him in the future.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Blog per quattro settimane
So, honestly I'm not completely sure what to write for this Blog post... On that note I'll just go with what we continue to talk about in class literary vs commercial fiction, specifically characterization. I never really thought that there was that big of a difference between the two when it came to how the characters are developed. I have been enlightened by our reading though that there is.
Commercial fiction is based around wanting to tell a story, to entertain a reader, leaving little room for magnificently developed characters. Instead we are given static characters that are common, easily related to. This means that however fun the story is we are less than likely to remember any specifics about a character.
However, literary is the opposite, giving us ever changing characters that perpel the story and make us question the events that are going on.
I find this contrast interesting, especially as a writer. This had made me think about the things I write and what I focus more on, and honestly I feel I like playing with characters more. There is more that you can do with them, you can bend the situation to there will building around them. I like the idea of creating this individual with unique characteristics and ideas that when others read make them think. However my writing is not at all close to being literary or placed in a category with great literary writers, but I do aspire to har characters like theirs.
Commercial fiction is based around wanting to tell a story, to entertain a reader, leaving little room for magnificently developed characters. Instead we are given static characters that are common, easily related to. This means that however fun the story is we are less than likely to remember any specifics about a character.
However, literary is the opposite, giving us ever changing characters that perpel the story and make us question the events that are going on.
I find this contrast interesting, especially as a writer. This had made me think about the things I write and what I focus more on, and honestly I feel I like playing with characters more. There is more that you can do with them, you can bend the situation to there will building around them. I like the idea of creating this individual with unique characteristics and ideas that when others read make them think. However my writing is not at all close to being literary or placed in a category with great literary writers, but I do aspire to har characters like theirs.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Blog wochen drei
In class, we have been discussing quite a bit about the difference between literary and commercial fiction. This has gotten me started thinking about the books that I read and where they would fall into, as well as ultimately why I look to read a book.
At first thought, I would have said that most of what I read is pretty commercial fiction, with some balancing more towards the middle. The more I think about this though, the more I realize that this is mostly wrong. I do read some almost completely commercial fiction, but the majority of what I read probably falls in the middle of the spectrum with some straying closer on the literary scale.
I'm going to say that what I read is extremely literary, because a lot of it isnt or is really just for fun because I want to read it. But I do know that when I go looking for a good book, I want a mix of literary and commercial. I want an enjoyable story, something that is fun and relatable, but I also want something that is going to make me think.
Now, I'm not saying I want something that is going to make me question everything in the world and my own existence, but I do like authors that challenge my perceptions of life. I like when while I'm reading a book if I can step back and think that maybe not everything in life is exactly how I perceived it, that maybe things are a little more twisted and wicked than I thought.
This is very evident in one of my favorite books, A Clockwork Orange by Antony Burgess. The book has a story, one that snags my interest and keeps me reading, yet I can feel the deeper meaning that Burgess puts behind what he is writing. It has been several years since I read the book, and I admit I should probably give it a second reading soon, but I still remember that as I read it I began to question a lot about how society was set up, things such as government, and the prison system. I also began questioning the value that is placed on human life and to what extent should we be allowed to go to I order to "rehabilitate" criminals. The book was extremely thought provoking for me, and very much ventured onto the literary side of the scale.
I feel that I may have rambled slightly while writing this, but bottom line is I really do enjoy literary fiction, and sometimes even more so then commercial simply because I like the feeling of wonder and questioning that those types of books leave me with while reading them.
At first thought, I would have said that most of what I read is pretty commercial fiction, with some balancing more towards the middle. The more I think about this though, the more I realize that this is mostly wrong. I do read some almost completely commercial fiction, but the majority of what I read probably falls in the middle of the spectrum with some straying closer on the literary scale.
I'm going to say that what I read is extremely literary, because a lot of it isnt or is really just for fun because I want to read it. But I do know that when I go looking for a good book, I want a mix of literary and commercial. I want an enjoyable story, something that is fun and relatable, but I also want something that is going to make me think.
Now, I'm not saying I want something that is going to make me question everything in the world and my own existence, but I do like authors that challenge my perceptions of life. I like when while I'm reading a book if I can step back and think that maybe not everything in life is exactly how I perceived it, that maybe things are a little more twisted and wicked than I thought.
This is very evident in one of my favorite books, A Clockwork Orange by Antony Burgess. The book has a story, one that snags my interest and keeps me reading, yet I can feel the deeper meaning that Burgess puts behind what he is writing. It has been several years since I read the book, and I admit I should probably give it a second reading soon, but I still remember that as I read it I began to question a lot about how society was set up, things such as government, and the prison system. I also began questioning the value that is placed on human life and to what extent should we be allowed to go to I order to "rehabilitate" criminals. The book was extremely thought provoking for me, and very much ventured onto the literary side of the scale.
I feel that I may have rambled slightly while writing this, but bottom line is I really do enjoy literary fiction, and sometimes even more so then commercial simply because I like the feeling of wonder and questioning that those types of books leave me with while reading them.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Blog para dos semanas!
Recently for class we were asked by Mullins to read The Most Dangerous Game and The Child by Tiger. He then asked us if we liked the two stories, most said yes they like TMDG, but few said they enjoyed TCG. I am one of the few that actually did like The Child by Tiger.
I found The Child by Tiger interesting, for lack of a better word. I thought the way the writer chose to write it was intriguing. As a reader, I was given a story, with lots and lots of details, yet still not all the details that I wanted. The author left out simple things that are usually given in a story like this, like explaining what was with Pansy and her leaving or why Dick did what he did. Even with these major details that seem like without them the story would not be finished, I felt it was. Somehow the author seemed to gain a sense of wholeness with the story, but not with the expected story.
To me at least, it seemed that the author was telling us the story that he wanted us to know, not the one that we wanted to know. As a reader I did originally want the questions as to why Dick shot every one or what was the deal with him anyways answered, however, I was able to find satisfaction in the events that I was given. I found this odd as usually stories that end like that leave me with a feeling of being disatisfied and like I was cheated out of something.
The Child by Tiger though was a story where the story itself seemed to lack importance, instead the idea that someone that you looked up to or respected could turn into a monster ranked superior. The thought that people may not be exactly what you think they are, especially when as an innocent child you see them in a larger light, held an intriguing quality about it.
Oddly enough, I enjoyed reading The Child by Tiger.
I found The Child by Tiger interesting, for lack of a better word. I thought the way the writer chose to write it was intriguing. As a reader, I was given a story, with lots and lots of details, yet still not all the details that I wanted. The author left out simple things that are usually given in a story like this, like explaining what was with Pansy and her leaving or why Dick did what he did. Even with these major details that seem like without them the story would not be finished, I felt it was. Somehow the author seemed to gain a sense of wholeness with the story, but not with the expected story.
To me at least, it seemed that the author was telling us the story that he wanted us to know, not the one that we wanted to know. As a reader I did originally want the questions as to why Dick shot every one or what was the deal with him anyways answered, however, I was able to find satisfaction in the events that I was given. I found this odd as usually stories that end like that leave me with a feeling of being disatisfied and like I was cheated out of something.
The Child by Tiger though was a story where the story itself seemed to lack importance, instead the idea that someone that you looked up to or respected could turn into a monster ranked superior. The thought that people may not be exactly what you think they are, especially when as an innocent child you see them in a larger light, held an intriguing quality about it.
Oddly enough, I enjoyed reading The Child by Tiger.
First Blog Post!
So, this will mark my first blog post for AP Lit. The thing that strikes me the most as something to blog about is my summer reading book of American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Going into reading the book, I had heard many good reviews of Gaiman and his writing styles and that American Gods was particularly good. I however, do not feel this way about the book. Honestly, I tried really hard to like it. I really wanted to, it seemed like an awesome story and was a really interesting concept yet no matter how hard I tried to enjoy it, I just couldnt.
I am not entirely sure why I was unable to really enjoy this book like I expected I would, but I do know that a good part of that reason is Shadow.
I hate Shadow. I tried and tried to like him. I gave him second chance after second chance to do something that I could relate to him about, or in all reality to do anything. But...he didnt. I hate Shadow.
Shadow is a character that is really cool, I was excited to have him in the story, and I sat eagerly reading waiting for him to develop. Unfortunately this didnt happen. Shadow stayed static, passive, and emotionless. Nothing seemed to make him have true feeling or to really care about anything. He was going through a world with ridiculous things going on and he just silently excepted them and went on. Shadow was a shadow of the person I was expecting him to be.
Bad pun, I know.
All jokes aside, I really did want to like this book, I wanted to be impressed by Gaiman, and I wanted to love his writing like so many others. I couldnt though. I'm thinking though that I may give American Gods a second read at some point, and maybe then I will grow to like it.
I am not entirely sure why I was unable to really enjoy this book like I expected I would, but I do know that a good part of that reason is Shadow.
I hate Shadow. I tried and tried to like him. I gave him second chance after second chance to do something that I could relate to him about, or in all reality to do anything. But...he didnt. I hate Shadow.
Shadow is a character that is really cool, I was excited to have him in the story, and I sat eagerly reading waiting for him to develop. Unfortunately this didnt happen. Shadow stayed static, passive, and emotionless. Nothing seemed to make him have true feeling or to really care about anything. He was going through a world with ridiculous things going on and he just silently excepted them and went on. Shadow was a shadow of the person I was expecting him to be.
Bad pun, I know.
All jokes aside, I really did want to like this book, I wanted to be impressed by Gaiman, and I wanted to love his writing like so many others. I couldnt though. I'm thinking though that I may give American Gods a second read at some point, and maybe then I will grow to like it.
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