Summary - Part 3 brings us back to Briony's point of view as she undergoes rigorous training as a nurse. She and her peers go through long hours of tedious chores and classes under the watch of the tough Sister Drummond. The hosipital is preparing for a large group of wounded of soldiers to come in from the battlefield. The soldiers finally come, shocking all of the women forever. The extent of some of their wounds was inconceivable. The amount of fatalities and horrific wounds was astronomical. Briony's perspective on nursing changes forever on that day. She doesn't mind giving up writing for helping save others. In critical moments, she learned how to separate herself from normal emotions to help the wounded. She finds a letter from a publishing company rejecting her novel, which is clearly a retelling of the events of that fateful day at the fountain, but encourages her potential with constructive criticism.
On her day off, Briony walks through London to go to a church where Lola and Paul Marshall are getting married. She arrives and wants to stop the wedding and confront everyone with the truth. However, she lets her cowardice get the best of her, and she did nothing. She walks to Cecilia's house where she sees her for the first time in several years. Cecilia confronts her with the issues of the past and says she will never forgive Briony what she did. Robbie enters the room and the confrontation only becomes more heated. Cecilia calms him down and they come to an agreement. Briony will redeem herself by telling the family the truth and get an official statement of the new evidence. The part ends with her leaving to get the statement while Cecilia and Robbie enjoy their last moments together before he leaves for drill.
The story takes us to London in 1999. It is Briony's 77th birthday, and she has been diagnosed with dementia. She is trying to write a book about the events of WWII. She runs into Lola and Paul Marshall outside of the library, where Marshall looks frail, but Lola is strong as ever. The couple has obviously contributed greatly to the community and are admired in the city. Briony goes back to her childhood home, which is now a hotel, for a birthday dinner with the extended family. The children perform her play, The Trials of Arabella, before dinner. The family shows Briony lots of love and respect for her and what she has accomplished. In her room that night, she contemplates over her book that contains the truth about the situation that has never gotten published. It can't be until Lola and Paul Marshall are dead, but truth wouldn't make a good story. Robbie died at Bray Dunes on June 1, 1940. Cecilia dies the following September from the bomb in Balham Station. Briony wanted them to be at the dinner table, still in love and happy, but that was out of reach.
Response - WORST ENDING EVER. The last two pages broke my heart, but I shouldn't be surprised. Life isn't a fairy tale. There isn't always justice. Heroes lose and villains prevail. It just seems that Robbie and Cecilia deserved their fairy tale more than anyone else.
The injuries described in the beginning of Part 3 made me realize that this actually happened. The soldiers just didn't get small scabs or break their arms, it was beyond anything I could possibly imagine. I could never be able to treat them without being emotionally and physically affected. This just put the hell of war into perspective even more than Part 2 did.
Briony is certainly morally ambiguous. I start to like her again, until I realize it was all a lie. Her cowardly ways cost Cecilia and Robbie the chance to live a life of love together, while Lola and Paul live a long life and prosper. I realize she was scared of confrontation. I would have been too if I were in her situation, but she knew she had to facing the truth was the right thing to do. She just couldn't get past her selfish fears.
I almost refuse to believe that Robbie and Cecilia end so tragically. It hurts my heart. I hate how Briony lives on. It seems to not affect her as greatly as it should. Her actions are just like a bad taste in her mouth that she just covers up and moves on. It should have consumed her enough to do something about it! As bad as she may be, I believe Lola and Paul are worse. They knew exactly what they were doing, but it didn't matter. They lived on while the innocent die. It's mind blowing how one night can change so many people's lives forever.
Ian McEwan is an amazing writer. I love how his style of varying view points and his sophist philosphies. However, it really hurt me to read the last two pages. Even the last line, "But now I must sleep," makes me dislike Briony even more. It's like she's pushed that so far out of her mind that it doesn't even matter, when really, their tragic love story was completely her fault. I'm interested in seeing the rest of the movie and possibly reading more Ian McEwan in the future.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Atonement Part 2
Summary - The book takes a total shift and focuses on Robbie as he is a soldier fighting in WWII after his time was served in prison. He is with two men who are with him through the war, Nettle and Mace. They see so much morbid violence and death that they become more numb. Robbie pushes himself to survive because of his lasting love for Cecilia and his longing to spend the rest of his life with her.
While Robbie was in jail, Cecilia cut off all communication with her family. She blamed them for Robbie's false arrest and ultimately, ruining his life and their love. She leaves her family and becomes a nurse. Cecilia and Robbie's love was re-established when he was released from prison. They were hoping to spend some time together after his basic training, but he was immediately sent to the war, leaving them with no time at all and no promise of return. She wrote him often always ending with the quote, "I'll wait for you. Come back." This was Robbie's only motivation for surviving.
Robbie faced many physical and mental obstacles in his time of service. He had gotten a terrible wound in his side but continued to press on despite his pain. That's what all the soldiers had to do. Robbie, Nettle, and Mace were allies that stuck together through all of their missions. They would find shelter and food together. They spent the night in a barn where Robbie relived his short memories of her over and over again in his mind. He also contemplated his hatred for Briony and why she blamed him so adamently. He remembers a moment several summers ago when he was teaching Briony a swimming lesson. She jumped into the water and almost drowned, just so he would save her. Robbie was angry at her and demanded an explantion. She only wanted to see if he would save her because she loved him. He wondered if she still held on to this childish love and became jealous of his love for her sister. Cecilia debates on reuniting with Briony since she wants to become a nurse also, but he doesn't know if his hatred for her will allow it.
Robbie leads Nettle and Mace through some highly dangerous situations. Although, he was sometimes delusional from fever and malnutrition. Numerous planes attacked a village killing many soldiers and civilians, but they somehow survived. They kept pressing on toward the beach, but they saw so much death along the way. I do believe they even saw a march to a concentration camp, if I read that correctly.
The three men make it to a bridge where trucks were handing out luxury items for the soldiers. They realize that they were taking the healthy men to fight in the infantry, so Robbie fake an injury to avoid this fate. They make it to the beach where several soldiers were taking refuge. They all try to take advantage of the food, drink, and lodging to where it led to violence. Mace single handedly saved a RAF representative, (the company that failed to help during the bombing attack). During this rescue Mace was separated from the others. Nettle and Robbie saved a pig in exchange for food and wine. They find shelter to sleep in an abandoned cellar. A boat arrives the next morning and they are on their way back to their normal lives.
Response - So, you were right. Part 2 did make me love Robbie even more. The love between Cecilia and Robbie is precious. She had to be in deep, serious love in order to permanently exclude her family from her life. But in a way, I don't blame her. They did ruin his life, which was so promising, and they did ruin their happines, which was so beautiful.
Robbie's hatred for Briony is completely justified. I do admire him for wanting Cecilia to reunite with her family, though. This proves his love for her is true and he truly wants what's best for her, and he doesn't let his selfish wishes come inbetween that. I wouldn't know how to handle having a relationship with her either.
The stories of all the death and gore of war puts a lot of things into perspective for me. We hear about soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan all the time, but we never really stop and think of the hell they are going through daily. They see so much that people should never have to see in a life time. They also endure so much physical hardship that I know I could never handle. This just gave me a much needed reminder that we all must be more supportive of our armed forces fighting for us right now, whether we agree with the cause or not.
My heart aches for Cecilia. She's made a life of her own while waiting for her true love that may not even return. She's invested so much into an uncertainty, but that's what love does to people. I only hope that Robbie and Cecilia are reunited soon and live the typical story book happily ever after. No characters deserve it more than they do.
While Robbie was in jail, Cecilia cut off all communication with her family. She blamed them for Robbie's false arrest and ultimately, ruining his life and their love. She leaves her family and becomes a nurse. Cecilia and Robbie's love was re-established when he was released from prison. They were hoping to spend some time together after his basic training, but he was immediately sent to the war, leaving them with no time at all and no promise of return. She wrote him often always ending with the quote, "I'll wait for you. Come back." This was Robbie's only motivation for surviving.
Robbie faced many physical and mental obstacles in his time of service. He had gotten a terrible wound in his side but continued to press on despite his pain. That's what all the soldiers had to do. Robbie, Nettle, and Mace were allies that stuck together through all of their missions. They would find shelter and food together. They spent the night in a barn where Robbie relived his short memories of her over and over again in his mind. He also contemplated his hatred for Briony and why she blamed him so adamently. He remembers a moment several summers ago when he was teaching Briony a swimming lesson. She jumped into the water and almost drowned, just so he would save her. Robbie was angry at her and demanded an explantion. She only wanted to see if he would save her because she loved him. He wondered if she still held on to this childish love and became jealous of his love for her sister. Cecilia debates on reuniting with Briony since she wants to become a nurse also, but he doesn't know if his hatred for her will allow it.
Robbie leads Nettle and Mace through some highly dangerous situations. Although, he was sometimes delusional from fever and malnutrition. Numerous planes attacked a village killing many soldiers and civilians, but they somehow survived. They kept pressing on toward the beach, but they saw so much death along the way. I do believe they even saw a march to a concentration camp, if I read that correctly.
The three men make it to a bridge where trucks were handing out luxury items for the soldiers. They realize that they were taking the healthy men to fight in the infantry, so Robbie fake an injury to avoid this fate. They make it to the beach where several soldiers were taking refuge. They all try to take advantage of the food, drink, and lodging to where it led to violence. Mace single handedly saved a RAF representative, (the company that failed to help during the bombing attack). During this rescue Mace was separated from the others. Nettle and Robbie saved a pig in exchange for food and wine. They find shelter to sleep in an abandoned cellar. A boat arrives the next morning and they are on their way back to their normal lives.
Response - So, you were right. Part 2 did make me love Robbie even more. The love between Cecilia and Robbie is precious. She had to be in deep, serious love in order to permanently exclude her family from her life. But in a way, I don't blame her. They did ruin his life, which was so promising, and they did ruin their happines, which was so beautiful.
Robbie's hatred for Briony is completely justified. I do admire him for wanting Cecilia to reunite with her family, though. This proves his love for her is true and he truly wants what's best for her, and he doesn't let his selfish wishes come inbetween that. I wouldn't know how to handle having a relationship with her either.
The stories of all the death and gore of war puts a lot of things into perspective for me. We hear about soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan all the time, but we never really stop and think of the hell they are going through daily. They see so much that people should never have to see in a life time. They also endure so much physical hardship that I know I could never handle. This just gave me a much needed reminder that we all must be more supportive of our armed forces fighting for us right now, whether we agree with the cause or not.
My heart aches for Cecilia. She's made a life of her own while waiting for her true love that may not even return. She's invested so much into an uncertainty, but that's what love does to people. I only hope that Robbie and Cecilia are reunited soon and live the typical story book happily ever after. No characters deserve it more than they do.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Atonement Part 1
Summary - The novel begins with the innocent scenario of a young girl, Briony, and her creative writing. She writes a play, "The Trials of Arabella", for her cousins to be cast as a surprise for her brother, Leon, returning home. However, her dreams of the perfect play are shattered when her ten year old cousins, Jackson and Pierrot, do not fit their parts appropriately. She is also disappointed because she unwillingly gives the role of Arabella to her 15 year old cousin, Lola, and feels like her play has lost all of its meaning and eventually cancels it.
Briony's sister, Cecilia, is home from college and is not sure what to do with the rest of her life. She ponders her identity and the possibilities of leaving home. Cecilia and the servant's son, Robbie, have grown up together around the house with an ongoing attraction to one another, even though Cecilia refuses to recognize it at first. Cecilia carries a vase of sentimental value out to the fountain where she and Robbie are fighting over it. The vase ends up broken into pieces in the fountain. Cecilia boldly strips down to her undergarments and retrieves the rest of the pieces from the fountain.
Briony witnesses this scene from her bedroom window and wonders what it could possibly mean. This thought leads to many mature psychological theories that enter her mind. She explores the possibilities of creativity and tries to reflect that in her writing.
Leon comes home with his creepy friend, Paul Marshall, who is in the chocolate business. Cecilia, Leon, and Paul all relax by the pool and talk of how their lives have been. Leon tells Cecilia that he has invited Robbie to dinner. This frustrates her because she is so annoyed with him about the scene from earlier that day at the fountain.
As Robbie is getting ready for dinner at the Tallis' house, he realizes his strong romantic feelings for Cecilia. He wants to express his feelings in a letter, but he can't find the words. He looks at his medical textbooks and discovers a picture of the vagina. He types, "I want to kiss your cunt. Your sweet wet cunt," with no intentions of this being seen. He writes another letter but picks up the explicit one instead. He gives the letter to Briony to deliver to Cecilia. Briony reads it out of curiosity and is mortified at the use of the word "cunt." She confides in Lola and they are both equally shocked. They both agree that he is a maniac and they must protect Cecilia from him.
Robbie confronts Cecilia about the mix-up in the letters in the Tallis' library. One thing leads to another, and they let out their sexual tension towards each other and make love. Briony walks in on the scene and her suspicions about Robbie.
The dinner was quite awkward to say the least. The twins ask to be excused from the table. After their dismisal, a letter is discovered in their seats. Lola reads that the twins are miserable in their new home and they have decided to run away. This sets everyone into a frantic search on the grounds late at night.
Briony searches the grounds with the intentions of finding the twins and protecting Cecilia from Robbie. She goes to the lake island on their property because she had a hunch Jackson and Pierrot might be there. Instead she finds Lola on the ground and her sexual assaulter running away. Briony is convinced it is Robbie, even though Lola didn't clearly see the attacker. Briony is almost positive it was Robbie because of the events from earlier, but something in her is doubtful. She ignores these doubts by steadily convincing herself.
Briony tells her family of the attack and the authorities arrive at their house. All of the family is questioned, but Cecilia is obviously disturbed by Robbie being accused of the crime. Briony shows the "cunt" letter to the police and everyone else, which frustrates Cecilia even more. Robbie finally returns with the twins, but he is arrested. Briony watches his arrest from her bedroom window and sees him and Cecilia have one last conversation. Briony admires her sister at what she believes is her forgiving heart. She still struggles with doubt into the coming years of her life.
Response - This is definitely the best book that I have ever had to read for an English class. After the slow moving 79 pages, I was intruiged. I love how McEwan shows the all of the deep layers of the main characters, especially Briony. She is a girl at her awkward stage between being a girl and a woman, and she really doesn't know how to handle her new maturity. Her creative mind is phenomenal, but I feel like she thinks she knows more than she actually does.
Paul Marshall creeped me out since he was introduced. I'm pretty sure he is the one who raped Lola instead of Robbie because of the awkward nursery scene where he is admiring her. Cecilia and Robbie remind me of Romeo and Juliet in a way. They are separated by class, but there is that undeniable chemistry between them. Robbie's arrest is tragic for Cecilia. I loved reading the scene where he is about to go off in the cop car, but they have their final loving words.
I pity Lola, Jackson, and Pierrot. They feel abandoned in a house where they don't belong because of a wreckless mother and divorce. This is something that we take lightly now because of the astronomical divorce rate, but the effect on the children is still the same throughout the ages. I'm glad McEwan reminds us of this.
I'm anxious to see how the rest of the story plays out. I am almost 100% sure that Robbie is innocent and Paul Marshall is to blame. The whole time I just want to save Robbie from his awful fate. I also want Briony to stop being so stubborn and actually investigate her self-doubt. But that's just where her naivety (sp?) is destructive and not innocent like in her writing. She doesn't understand the concepts of romance, love, and sensuality. This isn't necessarily her fault because she's only a child. However, I hope that this misunderstanding clears up and justice is served.
But then again, what if I'm wrong? What if Robbie really did do it?
I guess I'll find out later.
Briony's sister, Cecilia, is home from college and is not sure what to do with the rest of her life. She ponders her identity and the possibilities of leaving home. Cecilia and the servant's son, Robbie, have grown up together around the house with an ongoing attraction to one another, even though Cecilia refuses to recognize it at first. Cecilia carries a vase of sentimental value out to the fountain where she and Robbie are fighting over it. The vase ends up broken into pieces in the fountain. Cecilia boldly strips down to her undergarments and retrieves the rest of the pieces from the fountain.
Briony witnesses this scene from her bedroom window and wonders what it could possibly mean. This thought leads to many mature psychological theories that enter her mind. She explores the possibilities of creativity and tries to reflect that in her writing.
Leon comes home with his creepy friend, Paul Marshall, who is in the chocolate business. Cecilia, Leon, and Paul all relax by the pool and talk of how their lives have been. Leon tells Cecilia that he has invited Robbie to dinner. This frustrates her because she is so annoyed with him about the scene from earlier that day at the fountain.
As Robbie is getting ready for dinner at the Tallis' house, he realizes his strong romantic feelings for Cecilia. He wants to express his feelings in a letter, but he can't find the words. He looks at his medical textbooks and discovers a picture of the vagina. He types, "I want to kiss your cunt. Your sweet wet cunt," with no intentions of this being seen. He writes another letter but picks up the explicit one instead. He gives the letter to Briony to deliver to Cecilia. Briony reads it out of curiosity and is mortified at the use of the word "cunt." She confides in Lola and they are both equally shocked. They both agree that he is a maniac and they must protect Cecilia from him.
Robbie confronts Cecilia about the mix-up in the letters in the Tallis' library. One thing leads to another, and they let out their sexual tension towards each other and make love. Briony walks in on the scene and her suspicions about Robbie.
The dinner was quite awkward to say the least. The twins ask to be excused from the table. After their dismisal, a letter is discovered in their seats. Lola reads that the twins are miserable in their new home and they have decided to run away. This sets everyone into a frantic search on the grounds late at night.
Briony searches the grounds with the intentions of finding the twins and protecting Cecilia from Robbie. She goes to the lake island on their property because she had a hunch Jackson and Pierrot might be there. Instead she finds Lola on the ground and her sexual assaulter running away. Briony is convinced it is Robbie, even though Lola didn't clearly see the attacker. Briony is almost positive it was Robbie because of the events from earlier, but something in her is doubtful. She ignores these doubts by steadily convincing herself.
Briony tells her family of the attack and the authorities arrive at their house. All of the family is questioned, but Cecilia is obviously disturbed by Robbie being accused of the crime. Briony shows the "cunt" letter to the police and everyone else, which frustrates Cecilia even more. Robbie finally returns with the twins, but he is arrested. Briony watches his arrest from her bedroom window and sees him and Cecilia have one last conversation. Briony admires her sister at what she believes is her forgiving heart. She still struggles with doubt into the coming years of her life.
Response - This is definitely the best book that I have ever had to read for an English class. After the slow moving 79 pages, I was intruiged. I love how McEwan shows the all of the deep layers of the main characters, especially Briony. She is a girl at her awkward stage between being a girl and a woman, and she really doesn't know how to handle her new maturity. Her creative mind is phenomenal, but I feel like she thinks she knows more than she actually does.
Paul Marshall creeped me out since he was introduced. I'm pretty sure he is the one who raped Lola instead of Robbie because of the awkward nursery scene where he is admiring her. Cecilia and Robbie remind me of Romeo and Juliet in a way. They are separated by class, but there is that undeniable chemistry between them. Robbie's arrest is tragic for Cecilia. I loved reading the scene where he is about to go off in the cop car, but they have their final loving words.
I pity Lola, Jackson, and Pierrot. They feel abandoned in a house where they don't belong because of a wreckless mother and divorce. This is something that we take lightly now because of the astronomical divorce rate, but the effect on the children is still the same throughout the ages. I'm glad McEwan reminds us of this.
I'm anxious to see how the rest of the story plays out. I am almost 100% sure that Robbie is innocent and Paul Marshall is to blame. The whole time I just want to save Robbie from his awful fate. I also want Briony to stop being so stubborn and actually investigate her self-doubt. But that's just where her naivety (sp?) is destructive and not innocent like in her writing. She doesn't understand the concepts of romance, love, and sensuality. This isn't necessarily her fault because she's only a child. However, I hope that this misunderstanding clears up and justice is served.
But then again, what if I'm wrong? What if Robbie really did do it?
I guess I'll find out later.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Heart of Darkness Parts 2 and 3
Summary - Marlow overhears a conversation between the manager and the clerk complaining about Kurtz's methods of getting ivory. He hears that Kurtz is ill and isn't fully recovered. Marlow sets out on a trip on his newly repaired steamer to see Kurtz with the manager, clerk, and several pilgrims. The river and climate are sometimes difficult. They all occasionally hear the sounds of the natives on the riverbanks. During their journey, the steamer finds a hut with a stack of firewood and a note that says, "Wood for you. Hurry up. Approach cautiosly," with what seems to be a code on the side. The manager infers that it is from the troublesome Russian trader. The steamer stops close to Kurtz's location despite Marlow's will to avoid dangerous waters. However, the next morning, a heavy fog falls upon them, but they continue to travel anyway. A group of natives attacks their ship with arrows, killing one of the pilgrims. Marlow displeases lots of his hungry pilgrims by throwing the potential meal into the water. Marlow doubts that Kurtz is still alive, and this disappoints him. The men finally arrive at the Inner Station where they run into the Russian trader. The man seems to be brain washed by Kurtz with his constant praise and his never ending defense of Kurtz's honor, even though Kurtz threatened his life at times. Marlow discovers that he was the author of the code, which were only notes written in Russian. The pilgrims arrive with Kurtz's sick body on a stretcher. He is obviously extremely ill, but the natives still respect him with great honor. The manager criticizes Kurtz's methods, but Marlow defends him, making him an outcast to the men of his ship. That night, Marlow is woken up by the sound of drums and native songs. He goes to find the noise and discovers Kurtz is missing from his cabin. Marlow finds Kurtz, and Kurtz threatens him. Marlow convinces him to leave and helps him back to the ship. The steamer left the next day with Kurtz on board. While on his death bed, Kurtz fascinates Marlow with his philosophies on life, death, and success. He gives Marlow the remainder of his papers for safekeeping. Kurtz soon dies with his last words being "The horror! The horror!" Marlow becomes ill and almost dies too, but returns to Brussels after he recovers. Journalists beg, plead, and threaten Marlow for Kurtz's last papers, but he refuses to give them away until he finds one of Kurtz's colleagues that he trusts with them. To receive full closure of Kurtz's death, Marlow decides to go visit his Intended. She is still in deep mourning over a year after his death, and Marlow gives her the sympathetic ear that she needs. She begged to hear his lasts words. Marlow couldn't dare tell the poor woman the truth, so he tells her his last words were her name, only to find that nothing bad resulted from the lie.
Response - I have to say, I hated this book until about the last 10 pages. Yes, section 2 was more interesting than the first, but it felt like the story didn't even reach it's climax towards the end.
I was fascinated at how much of an effect Kurtz had on people. He obviously was an amazingly gifted leader because he seemed to brainwash the ones he was closest too, especially the Russian trader.
I loved how in the end Marlow hated ordinary people because of the experiences he had gone through because I can relate to that in a sense. I've walked down the hallways and wanted to curse at people for their ignorance before. It is frustrating to see people care about the most insignificant things, when you know that there are so many more important things in the reality. So when I read this, I couldn't help but laugh at how alike we are even though Marlow's circumstances were much more severe than my own.
The Intended was who really broke my heart. She was truly in love with Kurtz and she saw no flaw in him. Part of me wanted Marlow to tell her the truth about his last words, so she could get the proper closure she needed, no matter how long it would take her to come to terms with it. However, I completely understand why he lied. In a way, it didn't really hurt anything. In fact, it helped the hurting woman, even though she would heal based on lies.
Even though Heart of Darkness wasn't my favorite by any means, I can appreciate why it's such a literary classic. Though some of the descriptions were dense and seemingly pointless, others were so beautifully written that it made me think about things in an entirely new light.
Response - I have to say, I hated this book until about the last 10 pages. Yes, section 2 was more interesting than the first, but it felt like the story didn't even reach it's climax towards the end.
I was fascinated at how much of an effect Kurtz had on people. He obviously was an amazingly gifted leader because he seemed to brainwash the ones he was closest too, especially the Russian trader.
I loved how in the end Marlow hated ordinary people because of the experiences he had gone through because I can relate to that in a sense. I've walked down the hallways and wanted to curse at people for their ignorance before. It is frustrating to see people care about the most insignificant things, when you know that there are so many more important things in the reality. So when I read this, I couldn't help but laugh at how alike we are even though Marlow's circumstances were much more severe than my own.
The Intended was who really broke my heart. She was truly in love with Kurtz and she saw no flaw in him. Part of me wanted Marlow to tell her the truth about his last words, so she could get the proper closure she needed, no matter how long it would take her to come to terms with it. However, I completely understand why he lied. In a way, it didn't really hurt anything. In fact, it helped the hurting woman, even though she would heal based on lies.
Even though Heart of Darkness wasn't my favorite by any means, I can appreciate why it's such a literary classic. Though some of the descriptions were dense and seemingly pointless, others were so beautifully written that it made me think about things in an entirely new light.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Heart of Darkness Part 1
Summary - Four men are on a ship, The Nellie, sitting around and taking in the environment around them. They are all quiet and in a meditative state of mind until Marlow makes the observation that the Thames was a river where so many men have fought, died, and explored. He talks of his fascination of land and exploration even as a child. He reminisces about his experience as a younger man when he got a job as a fresh water sailor at a Belgian company with help from his aunt. He was taking the place of a captain who was killed in a fight with some African natives. Marlow goes through all the formalities with the Company and sets sail on a French steamer to Africa, which he feels like is the center of the earth. He sees lots of death and other inhumane circumstances along the way. When Marlow finally reaches Central Station, he realizes his boat has sunk, which may or may not be an accident. He hears many great think about the manager, Mr. Kurtz, but he is very suspicious about him. Marlow wants rivets to repair his ship, only to be disappointed by the Eldorado Exporing Expedition's arrival.
Response - I found this book very hard to get into in the beginning. It's density and descriptions just didn't grab my attention at first. However, there were some quotes that stuck out to me and were even facebook status worthy. Marlow's reflection of death and conquering land was beautiful to me. "They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force - nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others," practically jumped out at me. Just something about Marlow's reflections gave me an immediate appreciation for the book's excessive descriptions. Marlow recollections of the Africans broke my heart. It just made me hurt for them, since they were human beings. But I know back then, people didn't see things that way, and it's a shame. I would like to know the purpose of Marlow's life story and why it's significant, but I know I will find out soon enough. There are lots of subtleties in this book also that make me have to go back and read a certain passage again. It's challenging, but I appreciate the complexity and the beautifully written words.
Response - I found this book very hard to get into in the beginning. It's density and descriptions just didn't grab my attention at first. However, there were some quotes that stuck out to me and were even facebook status worthy. Marlow's reflection of death and conquering land was beautiful to me. "They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force - nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others," practically jumped out at me. Just something about Marlow's reflections gave me an immediate appreciation for the book's excessive descriptions. Marlow recollections of the Africans broke my heart. It just made me hurt for them, since they were human beings. But I know back then, people didn't see things that way, and it's a shame. I would like to know the purpose of Marlow's life story and why it's significant, but I know I will find out soon enough. There are lots of subtleties in this book also that make me have to go back and read a certain passage again. It's challenging, but I appreciate the complexity and the beautifully written words.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Poetry Analysis Blog #5
"In a Farmhouse"
Luis Omar Salinas
"In a Farmhouse" makes me think the poem will be about a significant moment happening in a farmhouse. The poem tells of a young Spanish American boy who is in his bedroom thinking of all the work he did and the the money he made that day. He thinks of all of his brothers in his race who may be dying of hunger. The whole poem is straight-forward. Salinas uses imagery so the audience can understand the boy's concern for himself and his people. The author wants the audience to have sympathy for the young, overworked boy, and the many others like him. The audience does feel sympathetic towards him and the Mestizos who may be dying of starvation. The shift occurs in line 12 when the boy stops talking about his work and wonders about the well being of other young boys like him. "In a Farmhouse" is significant because it is where the little boy realized that starvation is indeed "an odd way to leave for heaven." The theme is that no child should ever die from poverty or starvation.
Response
I liked how the poem was told from the young boy's point of view. I particularly liked the line, "what an odd way to go to heaven," because it made me think of all the children out there who really are starving while I'm snacking as I'm typing this. I realize just how blessed we are.
"The Beauty of the Trees"
Chief Dan George
The title and the name of the author make me think the poem is going to be about nature and the primitive way of life. The poet is describing things in nature that speak to him and how all their beauty makes his heart soar. Chief Dan George wants the audience to feel the same passion for nature that he has. The audience is imagining the beauty of his description and feeling his passion in his words. The shift occurs in the last line, "And my heart soars," because it's how his heart reacts to how nature speaks to him. "The Beauty of the Trees" is significant because it along with other things of nature, makes his heart soar. The theme is to appreciate the beauty of the simple things of nature.
Response
I like the parallelism that Chief Dan George used to describe the land. You can just see how passionate he is about it in his writing. He pours his love of the land into his words.
Luis Omar Salinas
"In a Farmhouse" makes me think the poem will be about a significant moment happening in a farmhouse. The poem tells of a young Spanish American boy who is in his bedroom thinking of all the work he did and the the money he made that day. He thinks of all of his brothers in his race who may be dying of hunger. The whole poem is straight-forward. Salinas uses imagery so the audience can understand the boy's concern for himself and his people. The author wants the audience to have sympathy for the young, overworked boy, and the many others like him. The audience does feel sympathetic towards him and the Mestizos who may be dying of starvation. The shift occurs in line 12 when the boy stops talking about his work and wonders about the well being of other young boys like him. "In a Farmhouse" is significant because it is where the little boy realized that starvation is indeed "an odd way to leave for heaven." The theme is that no child should ever die from poverty or starvation.
Response
I liked how the poem was told from the young boy's point of view. I particularly liked the line, "what an odd way to go to heaven," because it made me think of all the children out there who really are starving while I'm snacking as I'm typing this. I realize just how blessed we are.
"The Beauty of the Trees"
Chief Dan George
The title and the name of the author make me think the poem is going to be about nature and the primitive way of life. The poet is describing things in nature that speak to him and how all their beauty makes his heart soar. Chief Dan George wants the audience to feel the same passion for nature that he has. The audience is imagining the beauty of his description and feeling his passion in his words. The shift occurs in the last line, "And my heart soars," because it's how his heart reacts to how nature speaks to him. "The Beauty of the Trees" is significant because it along with other things of nature, makes his heart soar. The theme is to appreciate the beauty of the simple things of nature.
Response
I like the parallelism that Chief Dan George used to describe the land. You can just see how passionate he is about it in his writing. He pours his love of the land into his words.
Poetry Analysis Blog #4
"The Secretary Chant"
Marge Piercy
The title makes me think of some cheesy chant a group of secretaries made up when they were bored in the coffee room. The poem describes all of the stressful things a secretary must deal with it and how it takes total control over her. Connotative language is all over this poem. It's a giant metaphor saying different body parts are pieces of office equipment like, "My hips are a desk." Onomatopoeia is also used in lines 7 and 14. Piercy wants the audience to feel how overwhelmed the secretary feels in the poem. The audience does feel the stress and anxiety while reading it. The shift occurs in line 21 when she says, "File me under W because I wonce was a woman," because the poem saying she is no longer a human, but apart of the office. The title shows the significance of the secretary's voice that is lost in the jumble of work that must be done. The theme is that sometimes work can be so overwhelming, that you lose yourself in the process.
Response
This poem reminded me of myself now. I feel so stressed with all of my senior project and indoor percussion things that time for myself just doesn't exist anymore. It's a little ironic that I found this poem while in the midst of all the work I have to do...
"Assailant"
John Raven
"Assailant" makes me think that the poet is going to describe a serious attack. The poem describes a man reporting an attack to the police, but it was only a rat. Raven uses a Southern dialect to promote comedy and to show that the man in the poem wasn't educated. Raven wants the audience to think something serious is about to happen, only to laugh when it doesn't. The audience laughs in relief of the outcome. The shift occurs in line 9 when the man says he is talking about a rat and not a man. The title mocks the seriousness of the word assailant. I believe Raven is saying that we shouldn't take life so seriously, and we should all have a good laugh every once in a while.
Response
I laughed at this poem as well because it was nothing like any of the other ones I've read in the chapter. The others have deep themes of love, death, life, etc. while this seems to have no theme at all. However, that's just what Raven wants. He doesn't want us to think so hard, but to merely laugh at how ridiculous life can be.
Marge Piercy
The title makes me think of some cheesy chant a group of secretaries made up when they were bored in the coffee room. The poem describes all of the stressful things a secretary must deal with it and how it takes total control over her. Connotative language is all over this poem. It's a giant metaphor saying different body parts are pieces of office equipment like, "My hips are a desk." Onomatopoeia is also used in lines 7 and 14. Piercy wants the audience to feel how overwhelmed the secretary feels in the poem. The audience does feel the stress and anxiety while reading it. The shift occurs in line 21 when she says, "File me under W because I wonce was a woman," because the poem saying she is no longer a human, but apart of the office. The title shows the significance of the secretary's voice that is lost in the jumble of work that must be done. The theme is that sometimes work can be so overwhelming, that you lose yourself in the process.
Response
This poem reminded me of myself now. I feel so stressed with all of my senior project and indoor percussion things that time for myself just doesn't exist anymore. It's a little ironic that I found this poem while in the midst of all the work I have to do...
"Assailant"
John Raven
"Assailant" makes me think that the poet is going to describe a serious attack. The poem describes a man reporting an attack to the police, but it was only a rat. Raven uses a Southern dialect to promote comedy and to show that the man in the poem wasn't educated. Raven wants the audience to think something serious is about to happen, only to laugh when it doesn't. The audience laughs in relief of the outcome. The shift occurs in line 9 when the man says he is talking about a rat and not a man. The title mocks the seriousness of the word assailant. I believe Raven is saying that we shouldn't take life so seriously, and we should all have a good laugh every once in a while.
Response
I laughed at this poem as well because it was nothing like any of the other ones I've read in the chapter. The others have deep themes of love, death, life, etc. while this seems to have no theme at all. However, that's just what Raven wants. He doesn't want us to think so hard, but to merely laugh at how ridiculous life can be.
Poetry Analysis #3
"A Black Man Talks of Reaping"
Arna Bontemps
At first, I believe this poem is going to be about a slave telling his story. The poem talks of a man who is sows all his life, but has little material rewards to show for it. He also makes the point that those who do not work (White America) reap the benefits, while his people suffer. The whole poem uses imagery to give the reader a picture of black and white America and shows the injustice of the times. It is also a picture of a black man working hard for almost nothing. The last stanza (lines 9 - 12), is a metaphor showing the mistreatment of black men and the prosperous white man. Bontemps wants the audience to realize how severe the injustices of racism were. The audience feels sympathy and wants to change the circumstances. The shift occurs in line 9, when the black man shows the irony of slavery and racism. After reading the title, it has more significance because the black man talks of more than just reaping. He describes how he's worked his whole life just for the convenience of others, with nothing in return. The theme is that slavery is unjust, and people should be treated with equal rights.
Response
This poem had a beauty that wasn't complex. It wasn't long and elaborate, but it's message was so deep. It showed the black men's pain of seeing their people suffer in a way that stayed true to their simple way of life.
"Marks"
Linda Pastan
When I first read the title, I thought of marks on someone's skin. The poem tells of an ordinary American wife who does all she can for an underappreciative family who judges all of her hard work, until she reaches her breaking point. The whole poem is a metaphor comparing her family's approval to a report card. Pastan wants her desire to be appreciated relatable to her audience. The audience laughs at the poem because she expresses her desires in such a sarcastic and comical way. The shift occurs in the last line when she says, "I'm dropping out." The title symbolizes her "marks" that her husband and children give her based on her mother/wife performance." The theme is that we should be more appreciative to our mothers and/or wives.
Response
This is the only poem that has made me laugh. I love Pastan's dry sense of humor. She is like so many hard working mothers out there who don't get the credit they deserve. I admire her wit while addressing a serious issue.
Arna Bontemps
At first, I believe this poem is going to be about a slave telling his story. The poem talks of a man who is sows all his life, but has little material rewards to show for it. He also makes the point that those who do not work (White America) reap the benefits, while his people suffer. The whole poem uses imagery to give the reader a picture of black and white America and shows the injustice of the times. It is also a picture of a black man working hard for almost nothing. The last stanza (lines 9 - 12), is a metaphor showing the mistreatment of black men and the prosperous white man. Bontemps wants the audience to realize how severe the injustices of racism were. The audience feels sympathy and wants to change the circumstances. The shift occurs in line 9, when the black man shows the irony of slavery and racism. After reading the title, it has more significance because the black man talks of more than just reaping. He describes how he's worked his whole life just for the convenience of others, with nothing in return. The theme is that slavery is unjust, and people should be treated with equal rights.
Response
This poem had a beauty that wasn't complex. It wasn't long and elaborate, but it's message was so deep. It showed the black men's pain of seeing their people suffer in a way that stayed true to their simple way of life.
"Marks"
Linda Pastan
When I first read the title, I thought of marks on someone's skin. The poem tells of an ordinary American wife who does all she can for an underappreciative family who judges all of her hard work, until she reaches her breaking point. The whole poem is a metaphor comparing her family's approval to a report card. Pastan wants her desire to be appreciated relatable to her audience. The audience laughs at the poem because she expresses her desires in such a sarcastic and comical way. The shift occurs in the last line when she says, "I'm dropping out." The title symbolizes her "marks" that her husband and children give her based on her mother/wife performance." The theme is that we should be more appreciative to our mothers and/or wives.
Response
This is the only poem that has made me laugh. I love Pastan's dry sense of humor. She is like so many hard working mothers out there who don't get the credit they deserve. I admire her wit while addressing a serious issue.
Poetry Analysis Blog #2
"Sonnet 146: Poor Soul, the Center of My Sinful Earth"
William Shakespeare
At first the title makes me think that Shakespeare is feeling powerful conviction over all of his sins. In the sonnet, he is appaled at all of the sins he's let contaminate his soul. He is amazed at the beauty that sins portrays, and the negative consequences that they bring. He knows that as long as his flesh is alive, his soul can not be holy. So, he asks his body to die so his soul can live in holiness. Line one is a metaphor, referring to his soul as the center of his sinful earth. The metaphor continues portray sins negative beauty. He is talking to his soul the whole time, which makes it a villanelle. In the end, Death is personified. The last line is irony, "And Death once dead, there is no more dying then." Shakepeare is repenting throughout the sonnet, begging to be free from the bonds of sin. He wants the readers to see their sins and repent because of his experiences. The shift occurs in line 9, when he asks for his body to die so his soul can reign. The title is just the first line in the sonnet, so Shakespeare had no real meaning in mind when naming it. However, the first line made me predict the message of the poem somewhat correctly. The theme is that flesh is prone to sin, and we can only be truly holy when free from our earthly bodies.
Response
I can tell Shakespeare is under deep conviction at this time in his life, and he wants nothing more than to be set right with God. This sonnet is like a heart-felt prayer. I wouldn't doubt Shakespere said these words to God Himself.
"Days"
Billy Collins
The title makes me think the poem is about the poet's daily walk through life. The poet describes days as a gift, but throughout the poem he makes the readers evaluate how they approach their days. He says that we all carefully stack one day on top of the other, hoping that they won't all collapse and cause disaster in our lives. In lines 13 - 16, simile is being used to compare passing days to an impossible tower of dishes. Line 17 until the end of a poem is a continuous metaphor saying humans are all on a giant ladder, carefully stacking their days as to not cause everything to fall. Collins wants the reader to see how they are living their lives and not taking them for granted by giving us this giant metaphor. The readers are left to think if they are actually that person on the giant ladder and left to question how they want to change their attitudes. The shift occurs in line 16, when Collins starts referring to the reader as the person perched on the tall ladder. "Days" is actually meant to symbolize the Collins' perspective on how humans live. The theme is we should be more appreciative of our days because they all contribute to our lives as a whole.
Response
I had to read this poem a few times until finally, it clicked with me. I love Collins' connotative language because he describes human nature in such a unique way. He wants people to do more with their lives and not just stack one routine on to the next. He put life into a light that I had never seen. His style is genius!
William Shakespeare
At first the title makes me think that Shakespeare is feeling powerful conviction over all of his sins. In the sonnet, he is appaled at all of the sins he's let contaminate his soul. He is amazed at the beauty that sins portrays, and the negative consequences that they bring. He knows that as long as his flesh is alive, his soul can not be holy. So, he asks his body to die so his soul can live in holiness. Line one is a metaphor, referring to his soul as the center of his sinful earth. The metaphor continues portray sins negative beauty. He is talking to his soul the whole time, which makes it a villanelle. In the end, Death is personified. The last line is irony, "And Death once dead, there is no more dying then." Shakepeare is repenting throughout the sonnet, begging to be free from the bonds of sin. He wants the readers to see their sins and repent because of his experiences. The shift occurs in line 9, when he asks for his body to die so his soul can reign. The title is just the first line in the sonnet, so Shakespeare had no real meaning in mind when naming it. However, the first line made me predict the message of the poem somewhat correctly. The theme is that flesh is prone to sin, and we can only be truly holy when free from our earthly bodies.
Response
I can tell Shakespeare is under deep conviction at this time in his life, and he wants nothing more than to be set right with God. This sonnet is like a heart-felt prayer. I wouldn't doubt Shakespere said these words to God Himself.
"Days"
Billy Collins
The title makes me think the poem is about the poet's daily walk through life. The poet describes days as a gift, but throughout the poem he makes the readers evaluate how they approach their days. He says that we all carefully stack one day on top of the other, hoping that they won't all collapse and cause disaster in our lives. In lines 13 - 16, simile is being used to compare passing days to an impossible tower of dishes. Line 17 until the end of a poem is a continuous metaphor saying humans are all on a giant ladder, carefully stacking their days as to not cause everything to fall. Collins wants the reader to see how they are living their lives and not taking them for granted by giving us this giant metaphor. The readers are left to think if they are actually that person on the giant ladder and left to question how they want to change their attitudes. The shift occurs in line 16, when Collins starts referring to the reader as the person perched on the tall ladder. "Days" is actually meant to symbolize the Collins' perspective on how humans live. The theme is we should be more appreciative of our days because they all contribute to our lives as a whole.
Response
I had to read this poem a few times until finally, it clicked with me. I love Collins' connotative language because he describes human nature in such a unique way. He wants people to do more with their lives and not just stack one routine on to the next. He put life into a light that I had never seen. His style is genius!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Poetry Analysis Blog #1
Title - "Those Winter Sundays" This title makes me think the poet will reminisce about times in his childhood.
Paraphrase - The poet talks of his hard-working father who would do lots of nice things for him. However, the father's short temper made him indifferent in speaking to his father. He didn't realize how much his father loved him.
Connotative Language -
Paraphrase - The poet talks of his hard-working father who would do lots of nice things for him. However, the father's short temper made him indifferent in speaking to his father. He didn't realize how much his father loved him.
Connotative Language -
- The whole poem creates imagery.
- "hear the cold splintering, breaking" - personification
- "love's austere and lonely offices" - metaphor.
Attitude
- Mood - Robert Hayden wants the audience to feel his feelings of regret about being unappreciative to his father. It's like he's warning us to not make the same mistake he did.
- Tone - Hayden is nastalgic in his tone of voice, and he regrets not appreciating his father's love for him.
Shift - The shift occures in line ten when Hayden starts talking about his feelings instead of merely recalling the past.
Title - "Those Winter Sundays" I was correct in the fact that he is remembering former parts of his life. The poem has a deeper meaning because it shows his failure to realize the extent of his father's love.
Theme - Love can be found more so in actions than words.
Poem 2
Title - "Life Cycle of Common Man" (Howard Nemerov)
The title gives me the impression that it will describe the common way of life in an original perspective.
Paraphrase - Nemerov discusses all the possible material things that men leave behing in their lifetime. He describes the amount of words a person says in their lifespan. The poem shows shows the awe of all that men use, do, and say in their life.
Connotative Language -
- Lines 13 - 19 are a metaphor describing all of the objects men leave behind in their lengthening trail.
- Lines 38 - 40 use imagery to describe the imagined cartoon bubble of dialogue that men use daily.
- Word is personifies in line 42.
- Line 43 is a metaphor saying that the world is his apple, and forces him to eat.
Attitude
- Mood - Nemerov wants the audience to be amazed at the amount of all the average things we do daily and how they build the structure of our lives.
- Tone - Nemerov is fascinated as well and ponders the significance of life itself.
Shift - The shift occurs in line 19 when Nemerov questions the purpose of all the things we use in life and their outcome.
Title - "Life Cycle of Common Man" It reinforces the emphasis on the common man and what one does during their lifetime.
Theme - Life is made of countless technical things that are pointless if not used for a greater purpose.
Oops, I forgot my responses....
"Those Winter Sundays" - This caught my attention becasue I could relate to Hayden's emotions. My father and I used to have a similar relationship when I was younger. I was glad to know that someone else had been through the exact same thing. I'm just glad I came to his later realization earlier in life.
"Life Cycle of Common Man" - This poem also caught my attention because it described small things that no one ever really pays attention to. His style was really unique, and I like his perspective on life.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Pride and Prejudice Chapters 51 - The End
So, it is one of those happily ever after stories.
Lydia and Wickham's visit at Longbourn was very uncomfortble. Lydia and her mother's continuous chatter made it unpleasant for everyone but themselves. They both seemed to have forgotten about the circumstances that got them to the wedding After the marriage, Elizabeth receives a letter from her aunt, Mrs. Gardiner. The letter said that Darcy was the one that found the missing couple and convinced her uncle to pay for Wickham's bribe. Elizabeth is so grateful for his actions, and her fondness of him continues to grow.
Mr. Bingley is said to come to town. Mrs. Bennet invites him to their house for dinner almost immediately. However, he brings a surprise guest, Mr. Darcy. Jane and Elizabeth don't know how to react. It's like you could cut the awkwardness in the room with a knife.
Bingley and Darcy continue to visit. Jane and Bingley's affections become more evident while Elizabeth and Darcy's are still weird. Bingley proposes to Jane, and the family could not be happier. Mrs. Bennet becomes obsessed with the engagement, since marriage is the only thing that matters to her. They were truly in love, and Elizabeth couldn't be any happier for her sister.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh makes an unexpected visit to Longbourn. She comes to warn Elizabeth against marrying Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth is taken off guard because she didn't know that he still wanted to marry her. Lady Catherine simply tells her that she is not good enough for her nephew and that he was her daughter's future husband. Elizabeth holds nothing back in the confrontation. She tells Lady Catherine that her intentions were none of her busines, and she basically do whatever she wanted without her approval.
Bingley and Darcy arrive at Longbourn again. Elizabeth and Darcy take a walk outside that will change things forever. Elizabeth confronts him about his strange behavior. They both confess their affections for each other, and Darcy proposes. The family is shocked because they thought she despised him. After having to explain herself, everyone is happy for her, including Mrs. Bennet, who made her hatred for him quite obvious. They get married and live a wonderful life in Pemberly.
This book had such a great ending. I was happy that Jane and Bingley finally got together. Such a sweet person deserved happiness. Elizabeth is an amazing young woman. I absolutely loved how she handled herself with Lady Catherine. She stood her ground, and didn't let anyone disrespect her. I also loved how she had the courage to confront Darcy about his strange behavior. They are two strong minded individuals that were made for one another. I didn't even get mad at Mrs. Bennet's reaction. I just laughed at her shallowness. Elizabeth deserved a great life, and I'm glad she got what she wanted - a beautiful life with the man she loved.
Lydia and Wickham's visit at Longbourn was very uncomfortble. Lydia and her mother's continuous chatter made it unpleasant for everyone but themselves. They both seemed to have forgotten about the circumstances that got them to the wedding After the marriage, Elizabeth receives a letter from her aunt, Mrs. Gardiner. The letter said that Darcy was the one that found the missing couple and convinced her uncle to pay for Wickham's bribe. Elizabeth is so grateful for his actions, and her fondness of him continues to grow.
Mr. Bingley is said to come to town. Mrs. Bennet invites him to their house for dinner almost immediately. However, he brings a surprise guest, Mr. Darcy. Jane and Elizabeth don't know how to react. It's like you could cut the awkwardness in the room with a knife.
Bingley and Darcy continue to visit. Jane and Bingley's affections become more evident while Elizabeth and Darcy's are still weird. Bingley proposes to Jane, and the family could not be happier. Mrs. Bennet becomes obsessed with the engagement, since marriage is the only thing that matters to her. They were truly in love, and Elizabeth couldn't be any happier for her sister.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh makes an unexpected visit to Longbourn. She comes to warn Elizabeth against marrying Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth is taken off guard because she didn't know that he still wanted to marry her. Lady Catherine simply tells her that she is not good enough for her nephew and that he was her daughter's future husband. Elizabeth holds nothing back in the confrontation. She tells Lady Catherine that her intentions were none of her busines, and she basically do whatever she wanted without her approval.
Bingley and Darcy arrive at Longbourn again. Elizabeth and Darcy take a walk outside that will change things forever. Elizabeth confronts him about his strange behavior. They both confess their affections for each other, and Darcy proposes. The family is shocked because they thought she despised him. After having to explain herself, everyone is happy for her, including Mrs. Bennet, who made her hatred for him quite obvious. They get married and live a wonderful life in Pemberly.
This book had such a great ending. I was happy that Jane and Bingley finally got together. Such a sweet person deserved happiness. Elizabeth is an amazing young woman. I absolutely loved how she handled herself with Lady Catherine. She stood her ground, and didn't let anyone disrespect her. I also loved how she had the courage to confront Darcy about his strange behavior. They are two strong minded individuals that were made for one another. I didn't even get mad at Mrs. Bennet's reaction. I just laughed at her shallowness. Elizabeth deserved a great life, and I'm glad she got what she wanted - a beautiful life with the man she loved.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Pride and Prejudice Chapters 35-50
So Mr. Darcy isn't the bad guy after all.
After Elizabeth and Darcy's heated argument, he gives her a letter explaining his side of the story for all of the awful things he for which he was accused. The charming Wickham isn't everything he seemed to be. Elizabeth is appaled to find out that he was involved in a scam with Darcy's younger sister and he misused the kindness of Darcy's father's inheritance. Elizabeth is so shocked that she doesn't know how to feel towards Darcy. However, she is really guilty for everything she thought without any solid proof.
Elizabeth and the Gardiners go on a vacation to see the lakes, but make a stop at Pemberly, Darcy's home. She doesn't expect to see him, but of course, she does. She is shocked by how he acts towards her. He is so civil and admiring of her. Elizabeth isn't sure how to react and she has no idea what she wants, like so many women, myself included. She enjoys meeting his family and friends at dinners and such, but their trip comes to an abrupt halt by a family crisis.
Lydia runs off with Wickham. It comes as a total shock to the whole family except Kitty, of course. Jane informs Elizabeth with a letter requesting that their uncle come home at once to help their father in the search for her. They are thought to have gone to Scotland to get married, but other evidence suggested they were in London and not intending on marrying at all. Such a scandal was unheard of in those days. The whole family is grieved, especially Mrs. Bennet. Lydia and Wickham are finally discovered by Mr. Gardiner. He bribed Wickham with astronomical amounts of money to marry Lydia. They are obviously not in love, but Wickham could not pass up the money to pay his massive gambling debts. Elizabeth believes any hopes of getting Darcy are ruined by this scandal, and she is upset at the loss of him. Mrs. Bennet is miraculously better after the news of the engagement and gets to making extravagent wedding plans. Lydia and Wickham plan to visit Longbourn once more before they must move to Northern England.
While they were at Pemberly, I found myself wanting Elizabeth to be more direct with Darcy. She liked him the whole time, but she held herself back. I wanted her to be bold and go after what she wanted. I know she regretted it in the end.
I find the Lydia situation hilarious though. She's such a little skank. I would have never expected this though. It's funny how they all think that them having an affair before marriage is such an unthinkinable scandal, when it's such a normal occurence today. I guess that shows how low our morals have gotten in our society. I'm starting to like Mr. Bennet now. He has such a dry and sarcastic humor that his time period really couldn't understand. Mrs. Bennet, however, I hate even more than I did. Marriage is literally the only thing she cares about. The fact that she completely ignores Lydia running away when she is engaged to Wickham blows my mind. It shows how much she really doesn't care about her daughters. I also find it funny how all the daughters think they will not marry well now because of Lydia's actions. Society should have looked past their family and looked to individual character, but I guess having a good reputation is all that mattered back then.
I found this part of the book easier to read and more interesting, and I'm anxious to see how it ends.
After Elizabeth and Darcy's heated argument, he gives her a letter explaining his side of the story for all of the awful things he for which he was accused. The charming Wickham isn't everything he seemed to be. Elizabeth is appaled to find out that he was involved in a scam with Darcy's younger sister and he misused the kindness of Darcy's father's inheritance. Elizabeth is so shocked that she doesn't know how to feel towards Darcy. However, she is really guilty for everything she thought without any solid proof.
Elizabeth and the Gardiners go on a vacation to see the lakes, but make a stop at Pemberly, Darcy's home. She doesn't expect to see him, but of course, she does. She is shocked by how he acts towards her. He is so civil and admiring of her. Elizabeth isn't sure how to react and she has no idea what she wants, like so many women, myself included. She enjoys meeting his family and friends at dinners and such, but their trip comes to an abrupt halt by a family crisis.
Lydia runs off with Wickham. It comes as a total shock to the whole family except Kitty, of course. Jane informs Elizabeth with a letter requesting that their uncle come home at once to help their father in the search for her. They are thought to have gone to Scotland to get married, but other evidence suggested they were in London and not intending on marrying at all. Such a scandal was unheard of in those days. The whole family is grieved, especially Mrs. Bennet. Lydia and Wickham are finally discovered by Mr. Gardiner. He bribed Wickham with astronomical amounts of money to marry Lydia. They are obviously not in love, but Wickham could not pass up the money to pay his massive gambling debts. Elizabeth believes any hopes of getting Darcy are ruined by this scandal, and she is upset at the loss of him. Mrs. Bennet is miraculously better after the news of the engagement and gets to making extravagent wedding plans. Lydia and Wickham plan to visit Longbourn once more before they must move to Northern England.
While they were at Pemberly, I found myself wanting Elizabeth to be more direct with Darcy. She liked him the whole time, but she held herself back. I wanted her to be bold and go after what she wanted. I know she regretted it in the end.
I find the Lydia situation hilarious though. She's such a little skank. I would have never expected this though. It's funny how they all think that them having an affair before marriage is such an unthinkinable scandal, when it's such a normal occurence today. I guess that shows how low our morals have gotten in our society. I'm starting to like Mr. Bennet now. He has such a dry and sarcastic humor that his time period really couldn't understand. Mrs. Bennet, however, I hate even more than I did. Marriage is literally the only thing she cares about. The fact that she completely ignores Lydia running away when she is engaged to Wickham blows my mind. It shows how much she really doesn't care about her daughters. I also find it funny how all the daughters think they will not marry well now because of Lydia's actions. Society should have looked past their family and looked to individual character, but I guess having a good reputation is all that mattered back then.
I found this part of the book easier to read and more interesting, and I'm anxious to see how it ends.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Pride and Prejudice Blog Number 1
Okay, so I'm new to all this blogging thing but hopefully I did this right.
Pride and Prejudice has been a nice read though. I can understand why it's a classic. Sometimes I find myself getting confused in the dialouge and rereading paragraphs to catch all the deeper meaning in their conversations. It's a challenge, but, this is AP...
I find myself getting frustrated with the mother, Mrs. Bennet. She is so caught up in marrying off her daughters, that she loses sight of who her daughters really are as individuals. Their whole society is so wrapped up in rules and hospitality that no one is original and nothing else is valued other than tradition.
I do love Elizabeth, though. She is definitely strong willed and she knows what she wants. She knows what's going on in the world around her and she's not afraid to stand up for herself. I love how she stands by her sister, Jane's, side every step of the way and is not afraid to fight for her in her struggle with the Bingley sisters. By not accepting Mr. Collins' ideal engagement, she put her interests ahead of what everyone else thought was best for her. I gained so much respect for her in that moment. In a society that credits women so little, it would've been so easy just to marry him to get the estate, but she valued her happiness more than the approval of her family and land ownership. However, I don't really know how I would've reacted with my best friend getting engaged to him a few days later. Awkward situation, I guess.
Mr. Darcy is a mystery to me. I know he really likes Elizabeth, but I don't know what his problem is. There is a lot more to him that has been revealed yet, and I'm ready to see the what is behind all those walls he has up. I've never read the book or even seen the movie for that matter, but I do know Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy end up together in the end. And judging by Chapter 34's conversation, a lot is going to have to happen before that can be possible.
And I'm ready to find out.
Pride and Prejudice has been a nice read though. I can understand why it's a classic. Sometimes I find myself getting confused in the dialouge and rereading paragraphs to catch all the deeper meaning in their conversations. It's a challenge, but, this is AP...
I find myself getting frustrated with the mother, Mrs. Bennet. She is so caught up in marrying off her daughters, that she loses sight of who her daughters really are as individuals. Their whole society is so wrapped up in rules and hospitality that no one is original and nothing else is valued other than tradition.
I do love Elizabeth, though. She is definitely strong willed and she knows what she wants. She knows what's going on in the world around her and she's not afraid to stand up for herself. I love how she stands by her sister, Jane's, side every step of the way and is not afraid to fight for her in her struggle with the Bingley sisters. By not accepting Mr. Collins' ideal engagement, she put her interests ahead of what everyone else thought was best for her. I gained so much respect for her in that moment. In a society that credits women so little, it would've been so easy just to marry him to get the estate, but she valued her happiness more than the approval of her family and land ownership. However, I don't really know how I would've reacted with my best friend getting engaged to him a few days later. Awkward situation, I guess.
Mr. Darcy is a mystery to me. I know he really likes Elizabeth, but I don't know what his problem is. There is a lot more to him that has been revealed yet, and I'm ready to see the what is behind all those walls he has up. I've never read the book or even seen the movie for that matter, but I do know Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy end up together in the end. And judging by Chapter 34's conversation, a lot is going to have to happen before that can be possible.
And I'm ready to find out.
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