My Vote is for My Sisters Keeper

I really didn’t know who to vote for because everyone made their book sound so perfect for the class. I wanted to pick something that will keep the students interested, spark a lot of contestation and also be worthwhile. My top three, well besides my own:), were The Alchemist, The Road and My Sisters Keeper. Each one of these book seemed like they would add something to the class and had new concepts and take on good literature. Also, the groups did a really good job and persuading the class and giving us solid, concrete reasons for us to vote for them. The Alchemist seemed like a new take on an old story, The Road seemed like it would work for both men and women in the class but eventually I decided that my vote is for My Sisters Keeper. The group really got me hooked on reading this book by not telling the ending, I liked how it is told from different points of view, it incorporates current touchy subjects and it seems like a better My Year of Meats. So overall, it really was the presentation that got me to vote for this book. I don’t know if it actually going to be as great as they made it sound but the surprise twist ending got my vote. This book clearly has a lot of potential and will also have a lot of opportunities for mid- term projects and other fun in class stuff like casting, power points like the circus one and group presentations.

Other Books to Read

There are two other books that I really want to recommend to everyone! The first one doesn’t fit into the class requirements but it is called The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It is a really well- written novel from the perceptive of a married couple at different ages. Henry De Tamble has "chrono displacement" disorder and will suddenly disappear to a different time in the past or present. He will come in and out of his life together with his wife Clare and interact with her, how ever old she is. Sometimes she is six or 20, when the met or in her 40's when they are already married. It is a new twist on a love story because you get to see the different perspective of what Henry thought happened and what Clare saw. The story follows their relationship, struggle to be a normal couple and the overriding love that they have which keeps them together despite Henry leaving randomly. It is REALLY good so try to read it if you have a chance over break.
The other book is called Jesus’s Son by Denis Johnson. This book is absolutely nuts! It is about an unnamed character who call himself "Fuck Head" and a collection of short stories told from his perspective as a heroin addict. It is about drug trips and adventures but you actually feel like you are under the same influence the characters are. We read some of them in my English 251 class, I never like drug books, but this is something you have to read. Denis Johnson creates a world that you enter while reading his book and you actually feel like you are forgetting the details like the main character does, like you are there with him and the emotions he feels. If you are looking for something new to read and want something like nothing else check this book out.

Vote for My Most Excellent Year!!!

I am getting really excited to present our book My Most Excellent Year. This is a book that I personally picked and I think that it has a lot of offer the class. I wouldn’t call it the most difficult or mind blowing book ever but I think it has a lot of Water For Elephants qualities to it. The book is basically about three kids growing up in Massachuset and their best year of high school. I know it seems a little immature or more high school level but all of the characters are really complex and the story line is addictive. What I liked the most about this book is the incorporation of instant messaging and e-mails. They are part of the text and help tell the story. I didn’t know that this book had that until I started reading it and I was immediately taken back to eighth grade when your entire grade was online by 8 pm. I feel like the best way to describe this book is a symbolic, complex and thought provoking novel disguised as a quick, lighthearted read. It tricks you into thinking you are reading a fun, enjoyable story but the depth of the characters and symbols will make for some awesome in class discussions. This won’t be a book that the professor has to pull teeth to get us to talk about. Also, for anyone who hates this book, there can be lots to say about why as well. I think the most important thing about this class, to make it successful, is that people have to feel passionate about the book and have something to talk about or else everyone will just sit there waiting for the clock to say 11:00 and I think this book will do that like Happiness and Water For Elephants.

Presentations

I just wanted to say good job today for everyone’s presentations. I think that explaining the book is hard for everyone because as an audience we aren’t able to experience the way the words effect us or make us feel. Everything can seen boring when someone is standing up in front of the class just telling us what happened but everyone has been doing a great job bringing back the audience with their arguments for why we should vote for them. I really liked how everyone is using the literary terms that we learned in class to explain why it is a good choice. It a makes me be able to assume more about the book and why you liked it so much. Also, I like it how everyone is saying what we can do with the book, example cast it, or why it would make such good conversation. Everyone seems really into their books and that makes me want to read them over the break. I think right now my vote is for The Road because it seemed to have an Brief and Wondrous tone. I don’t think that it would be everyone’s favorite but it would give us something to talk about and also pick apart in class. It sounds like it will make us work and give the class room for interpretation and possibly lots of argument about what everything means. Plus if there is a movie coming out that would make for a cool new aspect. The class could read the book, then watch the movie and compare them, even if it was just for a mid- term or extra credit since it will probably still be in theaters.

The Edge Foundation List

First, I thought that this was the most interesting thing that we have read in our class. I loved how it took something to serious, like young men and women having children, and made you look at it like a real problem or with a solution that seems extreme but necessary. I think that what the piece is trying to comment on is first what are we going to do about these problems and how far can we go to solve them. Taking something that small like the word nature and thinking about it in terms of literature and its transformation into environment gives us a look at how our society is changing things to fit our current state. We discusses how environment seems more solid and hard where as nature seems more free, with things to discover and the book shows us how we are changing our idea of nature into one that is accepting of global issues. I also think that the commentary being made is about recognizing what we are doing. Using the example of having a license to have children seems totally absurd but honestly is it that insane? So many young people are having children and they are not ready but this also sparks thoughts of how much is too much from the book. I think the overall commentary from the section is to get us thinking about how some of the things we are doing are crazy and the things we will need to go to fix them are even more out of this world.

Consumer Culture

I think that Edward Norton is a symptom of consumer culture because he feels as though having all of the things in the "perfect" rooms of the catalog will make his apartment and life complete and perfect as well. He models his apartment after each page and needs to have all of the newest things. Also, because he knows exactly what is what and from which catalog, that shows me that he wants recognition for each of them from his guests. I think this is something that is really relatable to our WSU campus. I see so many girls with something as simple as Ugg boots on going to class everyday. They are just meant to keep your feet warm so why does it matter if the Ugg tag is showing on the back of the boot or not? Im not saying this is something that I never do, in fact I would call myself a slave to consumer culture as well, but the honest truth is that many other types of sheep lines boots are much warmer. It is the recognition of wearing expensive Ugg boots that drives our desire for them. The idea that something as simple as furniture or boots will make us happy is crazy but what I think it really is, is the recognition that other people give you for having it. I mean even going way back, having a Bible was something that showed you were rich and religious. If you didn’t care so much what other people thought why would you display it?

Everything is Illuminated vs. Toga Party

I think that the grandfather killed himself in the end because he felt that his life quest was over. He had achieved his dream of moving to Odessa to find a wife. He found the love of his life and stared a family that was successful and grew with time. He was also able to finish his mission of going back to his hometown and make peace with leaving. I think that he felt serious guilt for surviving the Nazi massacre and by seeing another survivor he was able to come to terms with making it out alive. I also think that he was able to come to peace with leaving his past identity, for example being Jewish.  To me, the grandfather killed himself because both of his lives were over, his life with his wife and their family in Odessa but also his life in Trachtenberg.

            This is very different from the reason the couple in Toga Party decided to kill themselves. This to me was more about having nothing to look forward to and decided to end life early as a way to escape the boring future ahead of them. They killed themselves because they did not want to suffer in old age and were content with their past. It was not about being finished with life but more about escaping it. They had already described how their children don’t visit often and they didn’t really even want to go to the toga party. This to me shows that they look back on their more exciting past as they best that is going to happen so they saw no point to just fade into the last years of their life. simply, they killed themselves because they wanted life to be over not because it was like with the grandfather. 

It just keeps getting more disturbing for me!

  I had no idea why The Kite Runner was so controversial until we watched it yesterday. During the scene when Hassan is sexually assaulted, initially I was shocked but not as disturbed as I became through out the day. Don’t get me wrong the scene made my stomach turn but thinking back on the movie in my next classes and into the night it made me sick.

            I actually expected the scene to be much more graphic and violent. I thought that if the child actor is now in hiding there had to be something that crossed a major line, something even beyond the act itself. What this could be is unthinkable to me but I think what makes it so bad is the emotions that each character had before, during and after.

            Hassan is so devoted to Amir. He took physical pain over a kite for him. Being raped will ruin him emotional for a very long time and he is so good to Amir he didn’t even flight back. Also the look on his face after he is defeated, lying on his stomach, is what stayed with me. He looks so helpless and subservient. Assef seems to be getting pleasure out of this “punishment” which is extremely disturbing and his henchmen watch and help hold Hassan down, which is beyond unsettling. Also, the fact that Amir sees the whole act and, even after Hassan has defended him, doesn’t do anything. Then he starts to resent him and shy away from their friendship.

            Overall, I totally get it now. Any unthinkable act, especially with children, is something that makes your stomach spin but putting faces, voices and gut wrenching visuals like dripping blood on the big screen is something I would have rather not scene. I can see how this would be bad enough in the book. 

Everything Is Illuminated Reaction

            When we first began watching Everything Is Illuminated I was simply confused. Jonathan seemed so complex and round I didn’t know how to relate to him or even what this movie was going to be about. I didn’t understand his collecting or why he was watching his family member die but like everyone else this movie was making me laugh so I was getting into the plot. I thought this movie was definitely going to be a comedy. I was laughing at Alex, the collecting, the soundtrack and especially the gag jokes like the “seeing eye bitch”. It wasn’t until the mystery and real plot of the movie was exposed that I really started to enjoy the film. When Jonathan started on his quest for answers about his family I got really into the movie and wanted to know about the picture, insect charm and the history of his family as well.

            I was very impress by the foreshadowing of this movie. I liked how after something was brought to light you, as a viewer, would actually have an out loud reaction because you had seen that river before or you knew what that line really meant. But, to me, what made this movie so good were the other searches for answers. As viewers, we were all searching for answers about the Grandfather. We were looking for answers about what his role in the town was, if he was a Nazi or resident, if he killed or was shot at and what actually happened to him before he came to Odessa. Alex was wondering what was wrong with his Grandfather and the Grandfather, I thought, was looking for closure.

            Overall, it was the overlapping of themes and searches that make this movie so interesting to me. I thought this movie was so entertaining because you got to go along and find the answers to each search but also watched the characters transform from odd, complex and easy to dislike to people you cared about because you knew something secret about them the other characters didn’t. 

Alternate Ending to Happiness

If i could change the ending of Happiness I would have May and Edwin get together after a fight between Jenni, Edwin and May. Then I would have Jenni leave Edwin for a more sucessful man. Also I would have Nigel be Tupac and have Oprah show up in the end of the book mad at Tupac because she told all her fans out him and his books then found out he is a fake.