D.W Harding "Regulated Hatred"

Harding discusses how most of Austen's fans like her because of her ability to poke fun of people and society of her time, while still being able to appreciate them.


As a novelist, part of her aim was to become an independent writer with her own ideas, without causing conflict.

While her characters are direct representations of people in her life-- many of whom she disliked-- she still wanted and needed their affection.

Austen found it interesting that people from her society were willing to remain blind to the implications of a caricacture.

Austen found people eager to laugh at faults they tolerated in themselves and their friends, as long as the faults were exaggerated and "good natured."
    - For example Mrs. Bennett.

Fortune

I am curious to learn more about the word fortune because I think it is something most people believe in on some level but never think about it. Every day we go about our lives hoping that we will do well on our test, find money on the floor, or will have the fortune to have something good happen. I am curious to see how far back the concept of luck or good fortune goes. I find it hard to imagine in a time where someone did not desire the chance of something turning out favorable. Right now fortune to me contains an important message or desire present in almost everyone's life on some level, which can be unreliable but reassuring.

Percy Shelley and Frankenstein

Bryon and Shelley helped her start writing Frankenstein after discussing about “the principle of life.” Shelley helped with Publishers.

While Bryon saw Mary's writing as a diversion, Shelley pushed Mary to keep writing. He even dropped his own writings to encourage her. However while Mary states she owes the expansion of her ideas to Shelley, she insists that not " the suggestion of one incident, nor scarcely of one train of feeling" was his. 

Shelley, took the name Victor for his writing. The word “victory” was often used in his poems. Anyone who knew Shelley could scarcely think of Victor or victory without thinking of him.

Frankenstein and Shelley close in character. Both are ardent and high-spirited youths that are both promising and passionate individuals.

Frankenstein and Shelley both have a similar description of their childhood.

“my  temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement; but by some law in my temperature they were turned , not towards childish pursuits, but to an eager desire to learn.”

            Shelley’s boyhood in Life: His early understanding and early development of imagination never permitted him to mingle in childish players.”

Both Shelley and Frankenstein had an interest to learn “the secrets of heaven and earth.” It is believed that in Frankenstein when Frankenstein describes his obsession to find the secrets of both the material and immaterial worlds “ whether it was the outward substance of things, of the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied me, still my enquiries were directed to the  metaphysical or , in its highest sense, the physical secrets of the world”—it might be Shelley speaking.  

Harry Potter and Sir Gawain

Everyone watches movies or reads books in search of the same thing; a noble hero, or at the minimum someone to admire. It is for the trite—but always successful-- handsome young man the takes our breath away, the underdog who wins for the little guys, or simply the person who surmounts the adversary placed upon him and defeats the villain, that we commit ourselves to reading books or lengthy movies. Examples of these timely heroes are Harry Potter and Sir Gawain. It is unlikely that a person would think of these two famous characters and naturally think of the other as similar characters. Nevertheless, both Harry as well as Sir Gawain are very similar in character and how they present themselves to the people around them. However, while these characters are similar in their character, not many people would think of Sir Gawain as their ultimate hero, yet numerous people around the world look up to Harry Potter. By looking into the similar personalities and moral values of Harry Potter and Sir Gawain, we see the most important realization the comparison of the two brings to light; what defines a hero in the audiences eyes.

            Both Harry Potter and Sir Gawain both exude the insecurities and humbleness of an underdog.  They both are openly insecure and doubtful of their own abilities and know they’re place in the world around them. Before discovering that he is a wizard and leaving to Hogwarts, Harry is constantly reminded by his aunt, uncle, and cousin of his minimal existence and importance in life. While living in a closet and tolerating the terrible  treatment of his only family, Harry is subdued and has seemingly come to terms with his place in life. When Harry arrives to Hogwarts his insecurities are seen throughout his first years especially when attacked by his enemy Malfoy. However throughout the course of his years at Hogwarts, as well as his successes against Voldemort that made him into a hero, Harry remains humble (QUOTE).  Similarly Sir Gawain follows a comparable path to Harry’s.  In the opening of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we see Sir Gawain as a small presence in the grand hall in comparison to the other nobles present as well as King Arthur himself. Despite Sir Gawain’s being Arthur’s nephew and having a high place in his society, when he takes on the Green Knight’s game he presents himself as the weakest man of King Arthurs. (SITE) Despite his insecurities Sir Gawain, much like Harry, strives for greatness when he takes on the Green Knights daunting game. Both of these characters are aware of their weaknesses and self-criticism, yet they push through their own limitations to complete their duties. Both Harry Potter and Sir Gawain face the same insecurities of not being good enough that is present throughout their entire journey. Harry Potter and Sir Gawain both represent the underdog that strives to prove themselves by helping the people around them, while simultaneously facing their toughest critique; themselves. 

Exeter Book

Exeter Book

Anthology of Anglo Saxon Poetry

1^st of the four Major Anglo- Saxon literature codices

Along with other texts, the Exeter book holds over 90 riddles

-       Cover topics from religion to every day topics.

-      Some are double entedre

 Riddle 25:    (In Old English)

Ic eom wunderlicu wiht wifum on hyhte neahbuendum nyt; nægum sceþþe burgsittendra nymthe bonan anum. Staþol min is steapheah stonde ic on bedde neoðan ruh nathwær. Neþeð hwilum ful cyrtenu ceorles dohtor modwlonc meowle þæt heo on mec gripe ræseð mec on reodne reafath min heafod fegeð mec on fæsten. Feleþ sona mines gemotes seo þe mec nearwað wif wundenlocc. Wæt bið þæt eage.

Modern English:

I am a wondrous creature for women in expectation, a service for neighbors. I harm none of the citizens except my slayer alone. My stem is erect, I stand up in bed, hairy somewhere down below. A very comely peasant's daughter, dares sometimes, proud maiden, that she grips at me, attacks me in my redness, plunders my head, confines me in a stronghold, feels my encounter directly, woman with braided hair. Wet be that eye.

Riddle 45:

I have heard of a something-or-other, growing in its nook, swelling and rising, pushing up its covering. Upon that boneless thing a cocky-minded young woman took a grip with her hands; with her apron a lord's daughter covered the tumescent thing.

Riddle 26:

Some fiend robbed me from life, deprived me of wordly strengths, wetted next, dipped in water, took out again, set in the sun, deprived violently of the hair that I had after, the hard knife's edge cut me, ground from impurities, fingers folded and a bird's delight spread useful drops over me, swallowed tree-ink over the ruddy rim, portion of liquid, stepped on me again, traveled with black track. After, a man clad me with protective boards, covered with hide, adorned me with gold. Forthwith adorned me in ornamental works of smiths, encased with wire Now the trappings and the red dye and the wondrous setting widely make known the helm of the lord's folk, never again guard fools. If children of men want to use me they will be by that the safer and the more sure of victory the bolder in heart and the happier in mind, in spirit the wiser. They will have friends the more dearer and closer, righteous and more virtuous, more good and more loyal, those whose glory and happiness will gladly increase, and them with benefits and kindnesses, and they of love will clasp tightly with embraces. Ask what I am called as a service to people. My name is famous, bountiful to men and my self holy.

Answer 25: Onion

Answer 45: Dough

Answer 26: Bible

1984, An Emotional Ride

For the summer reading I chose 1984 by George Oswell. I remember reading and enjoying Animal Farm so it was the natural choice. I had heard some things about the book from some friends and family members that had read it and I heard almost always-positive comments. I went into the book knowing that it was intended to be a futuristic book taking place in a very different society with different rules and government in place. I chose the book seeking—and expecting—a novel of an unlikely hero who surmounted all the obstacles he was faced with and ultimately defeated or escaped from his government. However, despite the complete opposite ending occurring and being left with an emotionally broken character instead of the underdog hero I was expecting, the unexpected plot switch for me was what made the book an excellent example of story telling.

            Now looking back I can see it was kind of a bad call on my part to assume that the book would be off a heroic escape. Not only is my idea of the ending very predicable, but also it is also very unrealistic. It is hard to imagine how a character from a world surrounded by big brother could escape and have a positive outcome. However it is this view that made me see and appreciate the storytelling and overall change in plot later in story. The stage was set perfectly to believe this was a story of battling against all odds when Orewell creatively sets up the twisted and unpleasant environment of Winston’s life.  Orwell plays on our emotions as readers and pulls at something he knows most readers have in common: family. Orwell’s description of Winston’s lack of memory other than he once had a mother and a sister that were taken away from him, show the lack of a normal life. Orewell does a fantastic job of highlighting the importance of Winston’s vastly broken childhood—by our standards—by making what he does for a living which is edit and change history. His editing history—as someone else edited his own life—sets up a disturbing and creepy tone that will be followed out through the entire novel.

An excellent example of story telling that held my attention very close was the interaction with O’Brien towards the middle and end of the novel. The suspense built up by their indirect encounters and understanding was only heightened by their meeting where Winston borrows the book and is set to meet him later on. This background is presented in such an effective way that it draws the reader in  the plot twist and  pulls the whole plotline together. The intense interrogation, questioning, and torture that Winston goes through is done in a very effective manner. The fact that Orwell does not rely on grotesque description of torture or just instill disgust and terror allows the sentiment and fear to become more real for the reader. After days of torture, O’Brien asks Winston how many fingers he is holding, Winston fails to give the “correct” number by giving the actual number shown. His demonstrating that he has not been cured of his “insanity” results in his being forced to be  tortured once more. Winston  is finally released  into society when he shouts for O’ Brien to put the rats on Julia and not himself. This demonstrates that Winston’s love for Julia, is not greater than his fear.  The fact the Orwell does not rely on pure terror by specific imagery, but rather on emotional terror is what makes this an example of great story telling. The process of Winston’s anguish and breakdown is more powerful than if we were just presented with a bunch of horrific details.

            I will never forget the ending of the book. The way Orewell followed the very dramatic and intense breakdown of Winston is excellent. Nothing could have demonstrated the change in Winston that then interaction with Julia. The awareness and most importantly the acceptance of what had happened was disturbing. Not only was their perception of what happened the same, the fact that they both seemed to agree on how things had to be was disturbing. The love that filled Winston throughout the book, was now gone. Orewell symbolizing his acceptance and overall defeat in his conversation with Julia really gets to the reader. One of the only things that Winston fought so hard for, was destroyed by what he originally hated the most: big brother. Orewell sums up this grand shift in character masterfully with Winston saying he loves Big Brother at the very end of the novel. The haunting ending ties together the very different Winston.

            

My Most Memorable Reading Experiences

1. Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger is one of the best books I have read in high school. I know it will be one of the books I will remember for a long time. Holden Caulfield to me is a character that everyone can relate to at some level. I will remember Holden because of the sadness, confusion and other emotions he goes through, and how those feelings feel so real.  While it is fiction, it feels so honest and real.

2. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. The tragic and inspiring story of Mariam and Laila remind us of the importance and power of love. While it seems so easy to get caught up in our own problems it is so hard to be unselfish. Mariam reminds us of the sacrifice an individual can make in the name of love.

3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a story of tragedy and personal growth. The moving words and storytelling bring tears to my eyes still. It easily connects to the reader and highlights terrible feelings of regret and suffering.

4. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. The unlikely and genuine friendship of Huck Jim is one of the most memorable relationships. The growth and bond that forms regardless of other pressures is one of a kind. I think the unique dynamic of their relationship can stand on its own without the other events.

5. The Redhunter by William F. Buckley. Being able to see a different viewpoint and side of the Notorious Senator  Joe McCarthy is not easy. The Redhunter successfully gives McCarthy a personality and a story that show a more human side of McCarthy that is rarely seen. I never thought that by the end of the novel I would end up feeling sympathetic towards McCarthy.

6. 1984 by George Oswell takes us into a different and overall unpleasant world. While I was hoping throughout the entire novel that he would find someone to help him escape--if not overcome-- his society and government, I was still left satisfied at the end. The complete terror in watching the brainwashing and its results left me with chills. One of the only books that has actually disturbed me.

7. Twilight By Stephanie Myer- Even though it's slightly embarrassing to admit, I'll never forget spending my first week of Christmas break Sophmore year reading the entire Twilight Saga. While the writing wasn't great and the plot got progressively worse, the fact that it kept me going all the way till the end is pretty memorable. The most reading I have ever done in 4 days.