The Secret Garden was an eye opener for me. Lost in cabin fever, I was anxious to find change. This book definitely brought it to me. The book evolves over time, beginning in late winter. Mary, the protagonist, finds the secret garden in a state much like it is outside now: gray, brown, cold, and 'dead'. She soon finds some green life underneath all the gray. She begins to try to weed and organize the garden struggling for life, until she meets a 'magical' boy (Dickon) who helps her garden. After lots of hard work, the two of them begin to form a wonderful garden full of lilies, crocuses, etc., until the garden has officially come to life again. Throughout this process, Mary's weak cousin, Colin, begins coming into the garden with Mary and Dickon. As the garden comes to life, so does Colin. He transforms from a hopeless, sickly, weak, pale boy, to a plump, healthy one.
My favorite parts about this book were the imagery and evolutions, and the meaning behind it all (to me). The imagery of the evolution of the garden really got me. It made me think of our journey to the woods behind SMH last March in Reilly's class. Everything seemed dead, but if you really looked for it, you could see that spring was coming. You see, I love spring. The colors, smells, warmth, everything. The imagery of the garden evolving in the novel really made me happy, and it made me see that spring is slowing creeping up on us. I also enjoyed seeing the developments of Mary and Colin. They both, before they found the garden, were spoiled brats who only cared for themselves. But the more and more they worked in the garden, the happier and more pleasant they became.
As for the meaning of the book...I understood it to be telling us to find our passion and pursue it instead of whining about how miserable our lives are. It's also telling us that fresh air, the 'magic' mentioned throughout the novel, does wonders for us. There was a passage towards the end of the novel that was talking about how one can feel when outside and happy : it gives a person a certain feeling of immortality. It got me thinking that not many people I know do that any more. So do yourself a favor: when the weather is just right, go outside and enjoy the wonderful mysteries of spring.
"One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands alone and throws one's head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvelous unknown things happening until the East almost makes one cry out and one's heart stands still at the strange unchanging majesty of the rising sun - which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. One knows it then for a moment or so. And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night with millions of starts waiting and watching makes one sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in some one's eye." -Frances Hodgson Burnett
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
The Road...to Apocalypse 2012?
Just kidding about the title. I couldn't resist.
Anyway, I recently finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy. If you enjoy stream of consciousness, or have never read a book with that and are looking for something different, read this. It's an excellent book, and for some one who daydreams a lot (haha), I found it very easy to follow: no really long sentences that go on for an entire paragraph or so. I do have to warn you, though, that this book was extremely depressing and rather creepy, but so good.
While the incorrect grammar and run-ons irked me for most of the book, I did enjoy the power created by the repetitions. The Heart Beat and Warmth coming from the Thin Boy. Carrying the Fire; the will to survive as a "good guy". Ash. Gray. Oh, how gray and dismal this book was.
Oh, and the reason I included the upcoming "apocalypse" in my title was because this book was about a father and his young son traveling the roads in a post apocalyptic world where everything was dead (ash), and the "bad guys" have taken to cannibalism. Yuck.
On that note, I would like to focus on the son. If I had to guess, he is probably around the age of 6 and was born in an already apocalyptic world. And some people think that kids these days aren't having the "best"
childhood. This boy has never tasted Coke until his dad finds one can left in a machine, and he has never seen a blue sky. This boy has grown up gray. Yet, he is the symbol of humanity and unconditional love, which to me is not gray at all. He has seen his dad "steal" (the people aren't around anymore, but they still take from the houses they come across), his dad kill, and he has seen a gutted baby roasting over a fire (sorry), yet he is willing to share what little food and provisions he and his father have in order to help an old, almost blind man. At one point, he sees a boy about his age in a building, alone. He wants to take him with them, but the father says no. As they leave, the son looks back constantly, and then he begins to cry. Later in the novel, the same thing happens after they leave the old man mentioned above to journey alone. When their cart is stolen and the dad finds the cart and the thief, the dad takes the cart and forces the thief to give them every thread of clothing he is wearing, even though it is freezing out. So what does the little boy do? He weeps. And weeps. And weeps. Taking into account everything this boy has been through, it is hard to believe that he is this compassionate and kind. This boy is the main reason why I fell in love with this book and, to me, that there is always hope.
Anyway, I recently finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy. If you enjoy stream of consciousness, or have never read a book with that and are looking for something different, read this. It's an excellent book, and for some one who daydreams a lot (haha), I found it very easy to follow: no really long sentences that go on for an entire paragraph or so. I do have to warn you, though, that this book was extremely depressing and rather creepy, but so good.
While the incorrect grammar and run-ons irked me for most of the book, I did enjoy the power created by the repetitions. The Heart Beat and Warmth coming from the Thin Boy. Carrying the Fire; the will to survive as a "good guy". Ash. Gray. Oh, how gray and dismal this book was.
Oh, and the reason I included the upcoming "apocalypse" in my title was because this book was about a father and his young son traveling the roads in a post apocalyptic world where everything was dead (ash), and the "bad guys" have taken to cannibalism. Yuck.
On that note, I would like to focus on the son. If I had to guess, he is probably around the age of 6 and was born in an already apocalyptic world. And some people think that kids these days aren't having the "best"
childhood. This boy has never tasted Coke until his dad finds one can left in a machine, and he has never seen a blue sky. This boy has grown up gray. Yet, he is the symbol of humanity and unconditional love, which to me is not gray at all. He has seen his dad "steal" (the people aren't around anymore, but they still take from the houses they come across), his dad kill, and he has seen a gutted baby roasting over a fire (sorry), yet he is willing to share what little food and provisions he and his father have in order to help an old, almost blind man. At one point, he sees a boy about his age in a building, alone. He wants to take him with them, but the father says no. As they leave, the son looks back constantly, and then he begins to cry. Later in the novel, the same thing happens after they leave the old man mentioned above to journey alone. When their cart is stolen and the dad finds the cart and the thief, the dad takes the cart and forces the thief to give them every thread of clothing he is wearing, even though it is freezing out. So what does the little boy do? He weeps. And weeps. And weeps. Taking into account everything this boy has been through, it is hard to believe that he is this compassionate and kind. This boy is the main reason why I fell in love with this book and, to me, that there is always hope.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Mr. Darcy Part 3
Before I start, I would like to say how much I enjoyed this book...and the movie. One of my favorite parts about it was how easy it was to relate the characters to people in my life. The absurdity of some of the character's thinking and actions, and the absurdity of the measures taken in order to be married, made it all the more enjoyable. Anyway...
Mr. Darcy, the once very proud, haughty, self-righteous man, which was acknowledged quite a bit in this last part, has been completely "broken". He could not stop loving Elizabeth, who realized how proud she herself had been all along, and did many things to win her over. For example, he paid for her youngest sister's wedding, which was otherwise going to be an abomination and frowned upon in society (he learned of this trouble from Elizabeth when she visited his estate*). He also told his friend, who is madly in love with the eldest Miss Bennet, that he had been wrong before about her not loving him in return. (Of course, Elizabeth learns about all of Mr. Darcy's good deeds through others and not him, at first). When his friend returns, so does Darcy. What does he do? He basically ignores Elizabeth. Until they go for a walk when he proposes again. By this time, Elizabeth has been humbled herself, and knowing all about his good deeds and tolerance of her family (this time around), she accepts. And they live happily ever after. The End!
*Before all that happened, Elizabeth was traveling with her Aunt and Uncle and paid a visit to Pemberly, his estate. All the people who work for Mr. Darcy had nothing but kind things to say about him. Not once did they mention him being proud. This is when Elizabeth began to realize how proud she had been and how proud Mr. Darcy really isn't.
Mr. Darcy, the once very proud, haughty, self-righteous man, which was acknowledged quite a bit in this last part, has been completely "broken". He could not stop loving Elizabeth, who realized how proud she herself had been all along, and did many things to win her over. For example, he paid for her youngest sister's wedding, which was otherwise going to be an abomination and frowned upon in society (he learned of this trouble from Elizabeth when she visited his estate*). He also told his friend, who is madly in love with the eldest Miss Bennet, that he had been wrong before about her not loving him in return. (Of course, Elizabeth learns about all of Mr. Darcy's good deeds through others and not him, at first). When his friend returns, so does Darcy. What does he do? He basically ignores Elizabeth. Until they go for a walk when he proposes again. By this time, Elizabeth has been humbled herself, and knowing all about his good deeds and tolerance of her family (this time around), she accepts. And they live happily ever after. The End!
*Before all that happened, Elizabeth was traveling with her Aunt and Uncle and paid a visit to Pemberly, his estate. All the people who work for Mr. Darcy had nothing but kind things to say about him. Not once did they mention him being proud. This is when Elizabeth began to realize how proud she had been and how proud Mr. Darcy really isn't.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Mr. Darcy Part 2
Today, while stuck on the couch, I finally finished part two of Pride and Prejudice. The more and more I read, the more I like. In this part, Mr. Darcy acts most strangely. He goes out of his way to visit Elizabeth. Although she was at her cousins residence which is across the street from his Aunt's estate, this was a big deal for him. He spent much time with her, even if it was in silence, until the day he asked for her hand. You would think that, because of this, he has been humbled a great deal, but...no. He began his proposal by stating that he is loves her against his better judgement and his friends' wills. And the fact that her family, not including Elizabeth and the eldest sister, are quite foolish and their monetary status is considered low for him. Man, he was so close. Elizabeth, no stranger to pride and prejudice herself, practically yells at him for his proposal and is quite distraught because of this.
The day after this scene, Mr. Darcy writes Lizzie a letter, explaining two situations which have made him seem more proud and apologizing for his proposal. Elizabeth rejected his proposal not only because of the manner he presented it with, but also because he ruined her sister's chance at being happy and marrying his friend Mr. Bingley. He believed that it was a terrible match and that she did not love him. Again, letting his pride and prejudice of her family get in the way of letting his friend be truely happy. The second situation, however, proves him not to be as proud as thought, but misunderstood and hurt. His good childhood friend, Mr. Wickham, was to inherit some of Mr. Darcy's father's money, for he looked after both boys. Mr. Wickham, however, was foolish and greedy and wanted more. Darcy would not give him any. Therefore, Wickham propsed to his younger sister, who at the time was only 15, because he heard she was to have a 30,000 pound inheritance. When he heard he would get nothing of it, he fled. (Elizabeth had been under the impression that Wickham was the one harmed here, for he is just a foot soldier and very poor.)
My prediction for the last part is quite similar to the first. I believe that, especially since Lizzie refused Darcy and "put him in his place", that he will really be humbled this time. BUT will Lizzie be able to look past his cold exterior and see who he really is?
The day after this scene, Mr. Darcy writes Lizzie a letter, explaining two situations which have made him seem more proud and apologizing for his proposal. Elizabeth rejected his proposal not only because of the manner he presented it with, but also because he ruined her sister's chance at being happy and marrying his friend Mr. Bingley. He believed that it was a terrible match and that she did not love him. Again, letting his pride and prejudice of her family get in the way of letting his friend be truely happy. The second situation, however, proves him not to be as proud as thought, but misunderstood and hurt. His good childhood friend, Mr. Wickham, was to inherit some of Mr. Darcy's father's money, for he looked after both boys. Mr. Wickham, however, was foolish and greedy and wanted more. Darcy would not give him any. Therefore, Wickham propsed to his younger sister, who at the time was only 15, because he heard she was to have a 30,000 pound inheritance. When he heard he would get nothing of it, he fled. (Elizabeth had been under the impression that Wickham was the one harmed here, for he is just a foot soldier and very poor.)
My prediction for the last part is quite similar to the first. I believe that, especially since Lizzie refused Darcy and "put him in his place", that he will really be humbled this time. BUT will Lizzie be able to look past his cold exterior and see who he really is?
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Mr. Darcy: Part One
For this quarter, I have been reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and so far, I am enjoying it immensly. Although I have only finished Part One of the novel, I have found that pride is one of the main themes. It is also one of the chief character traits in many of the characters, but especially a characteristic of the male protagonist Mr. Darcy.
Mr. Darcy has every reason to be proud. He's rich, related to power, vain, educated, and well respected. All of this seems to give him a big head. His pride keeps him distant and unliked by many of the other characters. For example, he is insulted when an individual addresses him first or asks him to dance. He thinks he is too good for dancing. For instance, in the first meeting he has with Elizabeth, the female protagonist, he practically ignores her; and when he doesn't after she asks him to dance, he is unbelieveably rude and cold. Why? Because her social status is lower. (Here's where the prejudice comes in: his pride makes him prejudice to others not 'good enough' for him.) But that's just the beginning of it. Although he has judged her to be a poor, sloppy uneducated woman based on her appearance at his friend's manor, he finds that she is quite intelligent in her remarks This puts a certain fire in her eyes that he finds attractive. He cannont stand that he is falling for someone not considered worthy of him, so he, therefore, allows his pride to shine even more, and he treats her more poorly.
The other characters admit (mostly to Elizabeth) that he is a very proud and vain man whenever he comes up in conversation. However, I learned as the novel progressed that he is also very compassionate, for he is an unbelievable big brother to his sister. This compassion also continues to show when Austen narrates his thoughts about Elizabeth. One question I have for part two is if his pride will get in the way of him courting her, or will she humble him?
Mr. Darcy has every reason to be proud. He's rich, related to power, vain, educated, and well respected. All of this seems to give him a big head. His pride keeps him distant and unliked by many of the other characters. For example, he is insulted when an individual addresses him first or asks him to dance. He thinks he is too good for dancing. For instance, in the first meeting he has with Elizabeth, the female protagonist, he practically ignores her; and when he doesn't after she asks him to dance, he is unbelieveably rude and cold. Why? Because her social status is lower. (Here's where the prejudice comes in: his pride makes him prejudice to others not 'good enough' for him.) But that's just the beginning of it. Although he has judged her to be a poor, sloppy uneducated woman based on her appearance at his friend's manor, he finds that she is quite intelligent in her remarks This puts a certain fire in her eyes that he finds attractive. He cannont stand that he is falling for someone not considered worthy of him, so he, therefore, allows his pride to shine even more, and he treats her more poorly.
The other characters admit (mostly to Elizabeth) that he is a very proud and vain man whenever he comes up in conversation. However, I learned as the novel progressed that he is also very compassionate, for he is an unbelievable big brother to his sister. This compassion also continues to show when Austen narrates his thoughts about Elizabeth. One question I have for part two is if his pride will get in the way of him courting her, or will she humble him?
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Watch You're Language!
One of the main themes of Animal Farm is the use of language. In this novel, the main characters, who originally try to lead the other animals to a new and better life, end up leading them to a world that's the same as it was before, but with their own kind as the leader. How did it come to be this way? Language abuse. Many call it an art form (different than poetry and such). Truth is, if you find people who are skeptical about listening to what you say, you can form/shape words, phrases, etc. to almost hypnotize them into believing you whole-heartedly. This puts language under the category of "art", for it turns it into something people would walk past (such as a bush) to something people would stare at for a long time (like a bush the shape of The Thinker). This is what occurs in Animal Farm. Napoleon, the dictator of even the dictators (Snowball-the fairer but weaker leader), constantly stretches the truth, or uses Squealer "the secretary", to do it for him. He even changes the laws to match his behaviors. As much as I loved this book, that is one thing I could not stand about it. As I was reading this, rage was just building inside of me because this just wasn't fair. And nobody, mainly the ones that could, spoke up and questioned it. This happens a lot in today's society. One of the best examples to relate this aspect of the novel to would be the government, but it also relates quite well to high school conversations. This is where language turns from and art form to just abuse, yet it has the same effect.
I know it's a stretch, but it's pretty darn true. I know everyone in high school has at least once been a victim of language abuse or a user of language abuse. What I mean by this is twisting the truth or meaning of a word in a way to hurt a specific person or group of friends. In a way, I think this is worse than what Napoleon did in Animal Farm. Why? It's a weapon. It cuts just as deep as a knife would. I don't know if I've noticed this more around me this year because I'm older or because I hold a leadership position, but it occurs a lot more than I thought. And it stinks. Everyday I hear some rumor about some one I doubt is true, and everyday I hear words used in a way that they aren't meant to be used. Or maybe they are, but I feel like the meaning has been lost, just like the laws that Napoleon twisted. Therefore, they appear to be used inapporpriately. If we're not careful, we'll continue to live in a world of lies that just continues to spiral downward, like in Animal Farm, towards the point where nothing is "real" anymore.
I know it's a stretch, but it's pretty darn true. I know everyone in high school has at least once been a victim of language abuse or a user of language abuse. What I mean by this is twisting the truth or meaning of a word in a way to hurt a specific person or group of friends. In a way, I think this is worse than what Napoleon did in Animal Farm. Why? It's a weapon. It cuts just as deep as a knife would. I don't know if I've noticed this more around me this year because I'm older or because I hold a leadership position, but it occurs a lot more than I thought. And it stinks. Everyday I hear some rumor about some one I doubt is true, and everyday I hear words used in a way that they aren't meant to be used. Or maybe they are, but I feel like the meaning has been lost, just like the laws that Napoleon twisted. Therefore, they appear to be used inapporpriately. If we're not careful, we'll continue to live in a world of lies that just continues to spiral downward, like in Animal Farm, towards the point where nothing is "real" anymore.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
What to Expect from AP Lit.
In all honesty, I have never enjoyed an English class until last year. My teacher last year helped to open my mind to reading any form of literature out there. After finishing her class with such a great final exam grade (and not too shabby year grade), I knew I could handle any English class. Therefore, I took a shot at taking AP Lit. Even though she's not teaching it this year, I still feel like I will be well prepared for the test. I'm also really enjoying the class. Mostly, I listen to what my classmates say about a work until I can take one of their thoughts a little further, but I am quickly beginning to think of my own interpretations. What I hope to get out of this class this year is not a 5 on the AP test. There are only three wishes (haha) I have for the end of the year. 1) I want to be able to open my mind up further to contemplating different views and different possible meanings hidden in the novels or poems. 2) I want to enjoy reading for a class instead of being forced to read "cliched" novels that many schools read as a part of their curriculum. (I'm not saying that none of them are a good read, because I enjoyed a lot of them. I just like to have a choice). 3) I want to be able to write a great essay and not hate writing it. That last goal is going to be hard to reach, but it doesn't mean I can't try. So far, 1 and 2 are going really well. I can't wait to see how the rest of the year in AP Lit is going to go.
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