Category Archives: Literature

Books, Short stories, and poetry oh my! For anything your eyes can look at and understand.

A Study Into Coming Out / My Reflection of a Pandemic Senior

Posted on by under Literature, Moden Literature, Thing-a-Majigs

For my independent reading book, I chose This is How it Always is by Laurie Frankel. Because of this, the voice I decided to amplify was the trans voice. My voices project is called A Study Into Coming Out, which focuses on how both remaining in the closet and coming out of it can influence both the person in the closet and the people outside of it.

Link to project here

One of the most influential ideas to come out of this, for me at least, is the idea of coming out multiple times. In movies, there’s a big build-up to this one momentous occasion, where it’s told once; then judgment day is upon them. However, my research shows that just isn’t the case. Sure, there’s the first time to their friends or the time they tell their parents that are really nerve-racking, but there’s also the thousands of times when they tell strangers. Every time they meet a new person, they have to come out. In the words of Simon Spier, “Why is straight the default?”(Allbertali). Another influential idea that I discovered was the idea of existing outside the binary. About half of my sources have to do with characters or people who come out as non-binary. It’s exactly what it says: outside the binary. People are right in that gender is a spectrum, but then some people don’t even exist on that spectrum. They hover above or around it. But just because they don’t exist on the gender spectrum we know doesn’t make them any less valid. There’s a whole world out there of demi-boys, agender people, non-binary people, genderfluid people, and genderqueer people that I didn’t even start to scratch the surface on. There’s so much left to learn.

What I hope people take away from my project is that there may be a million reasons why someone comes out or doesn’t. I also want them to know that their reaction and support(or lack thereof) makes a noticeable impact. Every person within the voices project was supported by someone in their life; that’s how they were able to grow and feel comfortable. When a person comes out to you, they may want you to be that person. On the flip side, if a person doesn’t come out to a larger group, even if you think it may help them, there may be other reasons. Above all, though, it is not your choice. Coming out is something so extremely personal to the LGBT+. By coming out, this person is choosing to announce that they are a marginalized identity, they may be attacked, but they will be themselves. That, to choose to open themselves up to discrimination, is an incredibly brave choice. It’s also one you can’t make for them. Even if you think you are helping someone, or for whatever reason you may have to do it, outing someone is extremely detrimental. All these stories prove it. So, whatever you take away from this collection, at least take away the idea that it isn’t your choice, it’s theirs.

Moving on from the project, I believe the most important thing I learned about myself at Naperville North is that it’s ok to fail. People say it all the time, but no one really wants to fail. However, North pushed and pulled at me in ways I had never been pushed or pulled. It forced me to grow. Sometimes, I couldn’t reach the benchmark. But that’s ok because I knew what I needed to work toward and that I could work harder toward it. Through Naperville North, I was able to discover that failure is not an absolute negative. It is neutral. Only what we decide to feel about failure can make us hate it or appreciate it.

Some advice I would give the class under us is to not be a senior in a global pandemic(seriously, it sucks). Besides that, something you can control would be the effort you put in. Trust me, I know that once you find out where you’re going to school, the last thing you want to complete is some busy work in classes, or write yet another essay. But do it. Even if it’s the worst thing you’ve written because you can’t be bothered, turn in something. Yes, it’s important for your grade, but it’s also important for you. It gives you a sense of finality, of “At least I turned in something”. As every senior has, I’ve been hit by senioritis. However, I kept chugging along, even if it was at the pace of a snail. I urge you to do the same.

Shadow and Bone: From a book Reader’s perspective

Posted on by under Literature

For those of you who have not been bombarded with promotional material for Shadow and Bone, that’s impressive. However, Instagram knows that I love books, and have read all the books in the Grisha verse. As everyone knows, books are always better than movies. So, did Shadow and bone stack up?

Now here’s the thing. I really have movie adaptations. All my favorite series have been crippled by them. Shadowhunters, Percy Jackson, I am number 4, Ender’s Game, Artemis Fowl. Not one of my childhood books has emerged unscathed. So, I came into this expecting Shadow and Bone to an absolute shadow of the books. However, I was pleasantly surprised. What sets apart this series from the others? The plot.

This TV series is made up of two series. There is the title series, Shadow and Bone, and then there is the sequel series that features a completely new cast of characters than the original, Six of Crows. These characters are completely different from the first. Shadow and Bone feature characters that are royalty, that are important. Their action plays a large influence upon the importance and stability of the country. Six of Crows focuses on thugs and criminals from the slums. Their tag line is literally, “No Mourners, No Funerals.” Because they understand their death has no meaning. And yet, everyone loves the crew who tried to pull off an impossible heist because why not? They are far more beloved than the original set of characters. So, the TV show combines them both, and this is the genius of the show that enthralls book readers.

Since Six of Crows takes place two years later, the author, Leigh Bardugo, created an entirely new plot for the book fans. While the events of the first book transpire, the characters from the dreg’s gang take on a job that was never seen. While the sun saint tries to dispel the fold, the crows undertake another impossible heist while staying completely in character. And that’s the fun in the show for those of us who love the Grisha verse, and for those who don’t know it. While new viewers are meeting the characters for the first time, those of us who already love them are still getting new content. Just as everyone else is amazed by the plot, so are we because it’s just as new to us.

Moving onto my personal reaction, I must say the casting and setting are absolutely stellar. For those of you who have not read the books (you should), the characters were uncanny in their role; especially Jesper. It was amazing how true the show stayed to the book. Even more so, I liked how they played upon the character’s thought. In the books, the chapters switch perspectives, so you get each character’s internal monologues. You can’t really replicate that in a show. However, they still managed to convey each character’s desire while missing that critical part of their storytelling.

As a die-hard Grisha verse fan, I was extremely worried when I heard the Riverdale director would bring my beloved world to life. Despite the horrible possibilities, the show managed to bring the wonder out of the books and onto the screen, while making me feel like I was cracking the books open for the first time. What are you waiting for? Go watch it!

Here’s Why I love Public Domain, and Why You Should Too:

Posted on by under Classic Literature, Literature

The Great Gatsby, Mrs. Dalloway, and In Our Time. On the surface, these books have very little in common. They have different messages, are part of different literary movements, and really are not similar. The one thing they do share, however, is the fact that they entered the public domain on January 1st, 2021. You may be thinking, why am I so excited about this? What makes public domain day for a book so special?

According to Standford law, public domain, “refers to creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public owns these works, not an individual author or artist. Anyone can use a public domain work without obtaining permission, but no one can ever own it.”(Stim) So here’s the general gist. A set amount of years after an author’s passing, there is nothing to gain from copyrighting their works. So, they enter the public domain. Everyone can use them, and no one can own them. It’s truly communal art at its finest.

So, Gatsby entered the public domain this year, and people were pretty excited. With the trainwreck this past year was, people needed some creative outlets for the upcoming year. For example, there is The Great Gatsby Except Gatsby Says Bestie Instead of Old Sport by fiopsonly. Also, a large portion of Disney fans are lobbying for a Great Gatsby movie… in muppet form? (While I personally think it would be amusing to see Mrs. Piggy as Daisy, it doesn’t seem likely because of Disney’s own copyright issues) My whole point is that the public domain not only allows us access to such pieces, but it also allows us to expand upon them.

Now I’m not going to sit here and say that replacing the phrase “Old Sport” with “Bestie” vastly improves the story. It doesn’t. But here is what the public domain can do for the public. Now, authors can use the plot of gatsby in a modern adaptation. You may be thinking, couldn’t they do that before? Well, not really. They would have had to buy the rights, and those rights don’t really transfer to a plot-based similarity. If you aren’t quite clear on what I’m saying, think of it this way. Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew was adapted into 10 Things I Hate About You. Its not anywhere close to the original text, but its major plot points are anchored in the novel. However, we can relate to Patrick’s ballads much more than Petruchio’s. Even though they lament the same thing, we understand Patric more because he exists in our world.

I believe that existing in the public domain can do this for all texts. In reference to Gatsby, we don’t live in the roaring 20s where we can buy a mansion across the lake from our beloved. But the message of that Unattainable dream is still relatable. That is why the public domain is so important. While there is nothing quite like the original text, having that story packaged in a relevant way to us makes it that much easier for someone to understand what Fitzgerald was saying, despite his not saying it.

What is public domain: https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/public-domain/welcome/

Other works released to the Public Domain this year: https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2021/

36 questions to happily ever after… just not the kind you’re thinking of

Posted on by under Literature, Moden Literature

It’s been a year since we’ve been in lockdown, and it’s made me reflect on what relationships are important to me. What “love” means to me. We all aspire to find that one someone, but that’s not all there is. There’s familial love, platonic love, and all sorts of others we as a society just don’t seem to value quite as much as romantic love. What makes romantic love so much more important?

 

In a study by Arthur Aron, he asks participants 36 questions of varying intrusion into their personal lives. He wanted to see if intimacy can be accelerated between them. In the end, it wasn’t the time they spent together or the way they were sitting, it was a mutual vulnerability that really connected people. When asked to look into the eyes of each other for two minutes, the participants could do it and said it helped their bond. In the end, the study proved. Mutual vulnerability does lead to a form of connection.

 

While in quarantine, I’ve lost touch with people, but I have become a lot closer with others. Even my pen-pals, I feel incredibly connected to, more than before. It made me wonder, Aron’s study never mentioned “love” in the way people think does. Those who know of this study often reference it like 36 questions to fall in love but that not what it offers. It does offer love, but not necessarily romantic love. It connects people and makes them familiar with each other. It creates a platonic connection. And so, I wonder if I’ve inadvertently answered these 36 or likeness with these people. Even if I only see them twice a year, I still know them, because I understand their fears.

 

So, when I was reminded about this study, I wasn’t surprised that people took it in such a romantic context. Who wouldn’t want love in two hours? However, I just feel like some people were cheated out of a great friendship. Maybe these questions could repair families. Why does everything have to center around romantic relationships?

 

The greeks had six words for love: Eros, Philia, Ludus, Agape, Pragma, and Philautia. As a civilization, they valued Phila, or friendship, more than eros, or romance. I always found it strange that we always know that our friends have our back, yet we have an inherent mistrust in love. When we are young, we do value Philia. But as we grow older and move into adulthood, that value falls away. Its no longer treated as a form of love. I find that really sad.

 

We’ve been stuck indoors for a year now. Think about who you’ve stayed in touch with. You survived a once-in-a-century pandemic with them. We are all soon to embark on our own paths, whether that be college, vocational school, military, or otherwise. Don’t give up on philia. Eros is important but no more important than our friends. Keep them close.

Study:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0146167297234003

NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/09/style/no-37-big-wedding-or-small.html?auth=link-dismiss-google1tap

description of the grecian loves: https://www.yesmagazine.org/health-happiness/2013/12/28/the-ancient-greeks-6-words-for-love-and-why-knowing-them-can-change-your-life/

Quietness – Rumi

Posted on by under Classic Literature, Literature

Quietness- by Rumi

Inside this new love, die.

Your way begins on the other side.

Become the sky.

Take an axe to the prison wall.

Escape.

Walk out like someone suddenly born into color.

Do it now.

You’re covered with thick cloud.

Slide out the side. Die,

And be quiet. Quietness is the surest sign

that you’ve died.

Your old life was a frantic running

from silence.

 

The speechless full moon

comes out now.

 

      As a poet who was striving for enlightenment, Rumi uses poetry as a vessel to tell the world about life lessons and how to make meaning of our time on Earth. In his poem, “Quietness”, Rumi uses silence as a metaphor for a transitionary period, creating the idea that letting a facet of yourself die is good, and helps promote personal growth.

      In the first three lines, Rumi goes right into the message using a second person’s commanding tone. Coupled with his end-stopped sentences, it creates a compelling argument stylistically as we read the poem. He tells the reader, right off the bat, “ Inside this new love, die.”(1) Even within the first line, he brings up the idea of death and gives the command for us to die. He combines the idea of comfort within love and fear within death and allows us to feel the embrace of love, even in death. The second line of “your way begins on the other side.”(2) seems mystical, and implies a journey, even beyond this realm. The choice of using the words, “way” and “other side” help convey this, creating our journey to the afterlife.

      The third line helps emphasize this point when he says, “Become the sky.”(3) By allowing ourselves to die(or a facet of our selves), he says we can transcend corporeal form and meaning, painting the meaning of our life. His use of words like, “die” and “become” help set the tone. One is very distinctive and harsh. The other is the gradual development. By contrasting this, he is able to help view death in a positive light; it’s something to work toward, note fear.  He continues this thought in the fourth and fifth lines, telling his followers to, “Take an axe to the prison wall./Escape.”(4-5) Once again, the use of end-stopped sentences is a clear stylistic choice, bringing out the urgency within his words. With his combination of short diction and frequent periods, Rumi rushes the reader, almost forcing them past our point of hesitation. Throughout this section, he also uses assonance to help section the transition of his poem, despite only having to stanzas. The use of words such as “die”, “side”, and “sky” help create the illusion of a transition into the next phase, despite there being none. The sixth line is where the transformative meaning of the poem in regard to the self starts to flower. After escaping the prison of your mind, then you can, “Walk out like someone suddenly born into color./Do it now”(6-7) This represents the shedding of the previous self. Once again, the succinct and direct addressing creates a powerful message. He contrasts this with the idea of quietness. While the connotation of quiet is usually audible, Rumi uses wordplay and context to shift the meaning from calm and quiet noise to a bleak color scheme. Comparing this to the self, he calls out those who cannot existing color; they are quiet and dead, for “Quietness is the surest sign/ that you’ve died.”(10/11) Once again, the use of assonance couples together these two lines, separating them from the rest of the block. In addition, the imagery he spins allows the reader to truly understand the implications of a quiet soul, and drive home his point. This is further supported when he says, “ You’re covered with thick cloud/ slide out the side.”(8-9) Metaphorically speaking, clouds often represent confusion or a person being lost. Rumi is calling the old soul lost, and no longer relevant. By using the adjective of a “thick” cloud, the metaphor is further implied as someone who is very lost; someone whose soul, whose mind is extremely quiet. 

     One direct contrast that further divides this stanza is the distinct lack of end-stopped sentences. In fact, Rumi moves into enjambment, which is the exact opposite of what he was doing previously. This change halfway through the poem once again signifies a transition but also signifies confusion. In the first portion of the stanza, Rumi uses end-stopped sentences because he is certain that he is right. He is commanding the reader to follow his lead. But as the “thick cloud”(8) starts to appear, even his vision is clouded, showing how muddied the old self truly has become.

     The last two lines in this stanza wrap up the initial thought but also brings it to a nice close. By saying that, “Your old life was a frantic running / from silence.”(12/13), Rumi acknowledges the human plight of trying to avoid this “quietness.” by using words such as “frantic”, he perpetuates that hurried tone, as if death truly is upon their heels. By separating the “from silence”(13) using enjambment, Rumi can isolate it, but also create this disjoined connection to the first part as if to understand the effort put into escaping it, even if it was futile.

     The final portion of the poem is significant because of how it parsed away from the rest. While it is physically parsed away, there is no mention of  “death” in any form, despite being abundant in the previous stanza. Quite frankly, the use of the moon, a symbol for the calm of the night, as a connection to the silence of the heart is odd. “The speechless full moon”(14) is the source of beauty, a muse, an inspiration for many. Despite its connotations, it ignites the soul back into color. For Rumi to pair it with the adjective “speechless”, shows us that even quiet can be multi-faceted, just like humans. While many crave that tranquil calm, not all calm is good, and this line showcases it better than others do. The final enjambed line of “comes out now.”(15) connects to the previous thought. The peace of the soul, though in full color can now come out. While it is quiet, it is not silent. There is an important distinction to make between the two words. By separating the last line from the previous one, he is able to do that, creating a semblance of that calm through the tone for the reader.

      Overall, Rumi’s use of contradicting stylistic choices helps bridge the gap between life and death as well as stagnation and growth.

 

Why Everyone should read Chick Lit(Yes, Even Guys)

Posted on by under Literature, Moden Literature

 

For those of you who are unaware, Chick Lit is a genre that, as described by GoodReads as, “ a genre fiction that addresses issues of modern womanhood, often humorously and lightheartedly. Although it sometimes includes romantic elements, chick lit is generally not considered a direct subcategory of the romance novel genre, because the heroine’s relationship with her family or friends is often just as important as her romantic relationships.” Sounds great, right? So why does Chick Lit get such a bad rep? And what can you do about it?

The genre is defined by its categorization of a female heroine. When I asked my female friends if they wanted to read a chick Lit book I liked, they were all for it. Yet when I recommended it to my guy friends, they all shirked at the idea. You probably know why. The common responses are “I don’t read Chick Lit.”, “That just doesn’t interest me.”, or more simply put, “No.” This is something that not only exists within this genre though. Ask your guy friends vs. your girlfriends. How many have finished Percy Jackson or Harry potter? How many have finished Hunger Games or Nancy Drew? When my friends always ask me to recommend books, I throw list upon list at them. I always seemingly get the same response. “I couldn’t get past the first book.” The one common denominator: they all had female protagonists. Now, I’ve read dozens of books with male protagonists, and I like them, but it’s hard to relate. We don’t have the same struggles. However, whenever I find a book that has a well written female protagonist (aka NOT Bella Swan), I find myself immersed in the novel. And it’s the same with other identities, like race. As John Green Said, literature is about connecting, and I find myself within these characters. 

So why should you read Chick Lit? Well, if you’re female, you will find something to relate to, regardless of the plot. It’s in a world of books written for different people, it’s a genre just for you. You will be able to relate to the characters strongly and understand the plight they face. Also, they are pretty light reads. Sometimes, all you want is to not think. A nice Chick Lit book will give you a few hours of bliss.

More importantly, though, I think men should read Chick Lit. So much of the world is connected through literature. We empathize because of it. Yet, in a ~shocking~ twist of events, men seem to avoid Chick Lit like the plague. It’s seen as embarrassing to read, despite having a really meaningful storyline. With their hesitancy to read these books, they put forth the idea that men’s issues are important. Women? It’s embarrassing to talk about theirs. So, break the norm and read some books. You may find yourself understanding people in a way you couldn’t before

While most books in this group do have romance, they cover so much more. I encourage everyone, regardless of gender to pick up a book with a female protagonist. Even if it’s not true Chick Lit, it will still leave an impression on you as a person.

 

My Personal Recommendations

Fiction: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L Konisburg

Fantasy: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Historical Fiction: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Mystery: One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Autobiography: Becoming by Michelle Obama

 

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper: Can the genius take him down?

Posted on by under Classic Literature, Literature

A few weeks ago, I finished a book called Stalking Jack the Ripper by  Kerri Maniscalco. The historical fiction book recounts a mortician-in-training trying to solve the crime, using her wits to do so. One of the places where a body was found, however, was Scotland Yard. This is where General Lestrade from Sherlock Holmes works. It got me thinking; could Sherlock Holmes catch Jack the Ripper?

When surveying my family and friends, every single one of them said Sherlock Holmes.

“He’s Brilliant.” My dad said.

“But he needs clues to find the culprit. Jack the Ripper left nearly none.” I responded

“He can work with what he has to pull it off.”

I disagree. I believe that Jack the Ripper would be able to escape. I think that, despite his best efforts, Sherlock Holmes’ methods would work against him in this case.

On September 25th, 1888, Jack the Ripper  mailed his most credible letter to the press, detailing how he would mutilate the body of his next victim. This letter was not published until after that murder had taken place, showing that truly, Jack the Ripper had sent this letter. On top of that, the Grammar and language used in the letter were poor, showing that the homicidal maniac was most likely uneducated. Despite this, most of the suspects, even to this day, are educated men ranging from dentists to eccentric millionaires. His time frames were erratic, yet the murders always occurred in the same fashion; there was no doubt this was the work of a serial killer, but no one knew how to track him.

Enter: Sherlock Holmes. Born in 1854, the detective would have been in his 30s, his investigative prime during the string of murders. His stories of 221B have regaled people for ages. Some of his well known stories include A Study in Scarlet, The Hound of Baskerville, and The Last Bow. With his reputation for manifesting something from nothing, he has to be the man for the job, right? With a murder taking place in Scotland Yard, a serial killer now operating in his backyard, the Holmes and Watson team was sure to make a move.

Sherlock Holmes is a Genius. For that, there is no question. But, his particular brand of genius would not help him here. He has a very specific way of deducing what he can from what he knows. And, believe it or not, it has failed him before. In A Scandal in Bohemia, Sherlock Holmes is outwitted and outplayed several times by the woman named Irene Adler.

Irene Adler is a very peculiar woman, especially for her time period. She was a talented opera singer living on her own, who occasionally made midnight visits to the King of Bohemia.(the crown prince) When a photo is taken of the two together, the King turns to Sherlock Holmes after being defeated twice by her already. When she realizes the famed Sherlock Holmes is onto her, she dresses up as a man and tails him to confirm it, before leaving town with the photo included. So how was Irene Adler able to beat the amazing Sherlock Holmes? By being herself.

 

As mentioned before, Adler was not a normal woman. She operated outside of what society deemed woman should and would do. Sherlock’s methods to catch people bank on them playing to these norms so that they fall into his traps. Adler was not normal, but she also accepted the fact that she operated outside of these bounds. She used them to her advantage. That is how Sherlock Holmes was defeated.

Back to the concept of Jack the Ripper, this is exactly how he would evade Sherlock Holmes. At night, he stalks the East Side, killing women at random, but is completely normal in the day. His timing is erratic at best( a day between some, months between others), yet he was still able to go about his daily life, stirring no suspicion to him, even when he gave a letter providing more context about the person. While most people would think this odd behavior would make it easier for Sherlock Holmes to catch him, its that very same odd behavior, if leaned into, that could protect him from a very specific brand of genius.

Obviously, Sherlock Holmes is a completely fictional character, dreamt up by the brilliant mind of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Jack the Ripper is not. But, I do think that this is an important reminder: nothing and no one is infallible, even one of the most brilliant characters known to man.

 

Sources:

Jack the Ripper timeline: https://www.jack-the-ripper.org/timeline.htm

A Scandal In Bohemia by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 

 

“Lamb to the Slaughter” Can We Escape The Box Society Has Put Us In, and Can We Find Redemption?

Posted on by under Classic Literature, Literature

Fans of Roald Dahl know him for his whimsical children’s story such as Matilda, James and The Giant Peach, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. While some of these stories contain dark themes, (my friends and I refer to Wonka’s chocolate factory as a murder house) none talk about the deeper, darker parts of society quite as much as Lamb to the Slaughter.

In the story, a woman six months pregnant, Mary, waits for her husband to come home as she takes care of him. After settling in, her husband tells her that he will be leaving her. He will still support her and such, but he ultimately says he no longer loves her. On autopilot, Mary starts to prep supper when he says to not bother. In a crime of passion, she ends up killing him with the leg of lamb and tries her best to cover her tracks.

The one thing I really like about Dahl’s writing is his ability to convey emotion. as an avid reader, I’ve read books that go into gory detail about torture scenes. Somehow, Dahl is still able to create that depth and dimension of emotion in less than 4,000 words. Within the first paragraph, we already sympathize with Mary, wanting her to achieve her dream of living out her life with her husband. We see her try so hard to keep his love, and in the end, it was all for naught.

One aspect that I really liked, however, was her pivot in emotion after the homicide. She ends up going from this seemingly desperate housewife to a confident, ‘kind’ person who just wants her husband’s murder solved. For all techniques and styles used, I think the most intriguing part of the piece is how fast Mary pivots. At first, she plays the traditional 1950s housewife who simply does whatever her house and family requires of her. Toward the end though, she becomes sly, cunning, and clever while still painting this facade. “She came out slowly, feeling cold and surprised, and she stood for a while blinking at the body, still holding the ridiculous piece of meat tight with both hands. All right, she told herself. So I’ve killed him. It was extraordinary, now, how clear her mind became all of a sudden. She began thinking very fast.”( Dahl) Her ability to adapt really shows the depth of characterization that Mary has. At first, she seems very flat, with one simple purpose. But as the story evolves, we too, see her evolve as she finds a way around the homicide and how to get away with murder. This is really important because it goes against the beliefs that society had about women at this point. They didn’t just cook and clean, they were people who could make meaningful contributions to society, but were often stifled by the men in their life.

Another thing that stood out to me was her reason for trying to escape the penalty. “As the wife of a detective, she knew quite well what the penalty would be. That was fine. It made no difference to her. In fact, it would be a relief. On the other hand, what about the child? What were the laws about murderers with unborn children? Did they kill then both-mother and child? Or did they wait until the tenth month? What did they do? Mary Maloney didn’t know. And she certainly wasn’t prepared to take a chance.”(Dahl). She was okay with dying, which proves worrisome in itself. But what I  found really interesting was that despite her willingness to die, she wanted to give her child a chance to live. This once again places Mary back into our favor. As the protagonist, we are forced to see the story from her side of view. By placing herself beneath a larger evil ( Capital punishment), I found myself rooting for her despite her previous actions. I found this really interesting because it brought out more of her personality, but it also sets her up for a redemption arc. In books or cartoons, the character that originally starts out as evil and becomes good needs something to fight for so we understand their actions. In Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy has to fight against his father, who we learn early on is a horrible, horrible man. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Zuko constantly faces new threats despite hunting the protagonists, making us silently root for them. This tactic of forcing us into the anti-hero’s square can be really effective, and Dahl uses it well with narration to help us understand Mary’s actions.

Even past all of these amazing things, Lamb to the Slaughter is really just a good read that will have you on the edge of your seat until the last word. The murder, the stakes, and the cunning really make it interesting to think about. Honestly, it makes me think, can I get away with murder?

Read the story here

The Start of a Bookish Relationship

Posted on by under Classic Literature, Literature

Art always has a muse. It may be the inspiration or a foundation of a character, but something pushes artists to create a separate reality from what we know. People say art imitates life, but they often don’t see that life can also imitate art. For me, literature wasn’t introduced to me through people, people were introduced to me through literature. It was books that connected me to people; not the other way around.

Growing up, I lived just outside Detroit. For me, I never noticed anything off, because I never knew anything different. I was born after the race riots, so the burned homes and boarded up windows were normal for me. There was never an emphasis on reading. The teachers focused more on math and science but never dedicated true time to teach us to appreciate literature. When I was about to enter first grade, I moved to Illinois. I was always a bit socially awkward, so meeting new people was hard for me. On top of that, Illinois was an incredibly different landscape. I saw haphazard streets instead of the neat grid system I knew. I saw cornfields instead of blackened buildings. I was out of my element and didn’t know how to connect with people. It seemed like we had nothing in common. Because of this, I threw myself into school and all things academia. With this, my love of reading grew. I remember being resentful that kids who were more advanced could check out more books. I visited the library at least three times a week to get a new book. The librarian knew who I was, but I still couldn’t check out more than two books. She tried to limit me to two books a week. I pushed back. I became a voracious reader.

Sometimes I read in math class with my book hidden under the desk. It wasn’t an issue until my third-grade teacher took my book, read the ending, and threatened to spoil it. Needless to say, I only read during the reading time from that point on. While other kids played outside after school, I would curl up on the sofa under a blanket and read whatever new novel had captivated my interest. When I was in fifth grade, I lost a majority of my friends to… unpleasant experiences. Because of this, I went into the cesspool that is middle school without any people to rely on. So when I couldn’t depend on people, I turned to books once again. This time around, I discovered the young adult genre. It was game-changing. Everything was all of a sudden more interesting, complex. There the protagonists weren’t just heroes, they were anti-heroes and morally grey characters.  For me, the idea of an antihero helped me connect to the books I read more. Sure, we may not have magic in our world, but we do know people who have murky morals, or people who don’t fight just because the world needs them. It made it easier to relate to their trials; it was someone whole thought processes I could understand. Yes, they end up saving the world, but the underlying guilt of acting selfishly at some point is something that everyone carries with them. These characters became the people that I turned to when I had an issue. What would Halt do? Maybe asking what a hero would do is more realistic, but I wasn’t a hero. I wouldn’t make the same choices as them. But these protagonists who were selfish, greedy, and wanted what they could never have. They were the ones who were the most realistic. I was unable to connect with people, but I found their spirit in these characters. It was a one-sided conversation, but a conversation nonetheless.

           

Later in life when I acted out, my parents would punish me, but never by taking away books. When it was getting late at night, my mom would look into my room. If I was on my phone, she always said, “Go to bed, it’s too late for you to be on that thing.” If I was reading, she said, “Go to bed at a reasonable hour.” and shut the door. Eventually, another girl at school saw the book I was reading and struck up a conversation. The girl was Maya Kathinokkula, who would become one of my closest friends. Others would talk with me about the new Cassandra Clare book, or what we thought about the next installment of Ranger’s Apprentice. Maya introduced me to the classics, and so we read them together and talked about what we thought they meant. I had always turned to books when I was isolated, but in the end, it was books that found my family.

When I entered high school, I found myself alone once again. A majority of my friends went to Naperville Central, and I felt awkward without them. During my freshman year, it wasn’t uncommon to find me spending my lunch hour reading while I ate, entranced in whatever novel I had that day. As time went by, I had less and less of it for reading. I joined clubs and picked up AP classes; I never stopped moving. Despite this, I would always try to have a book in my backpack, ready to read in my spare time. As I tried to find what I wanted to do with my life, I realized that I didn’t even know what I wanted. I didn’t know who I wanted to be. So like with every other problem I faced, I turned to books.

           

Books for me are a sort of portable magic; when the world gets too mundane or scary, you can always retreat to a fantasy where the protagonist always wins. Words, to me, are special. They hold power over who we are, and how we view ourselves. I feel that I share the uncommon opinion of loving literature, of loving books and writing. I feel odd that I take time out of my day to do so. Books taught me, however, that there is a beauty to being odd, to be “quirky”. It sets you up to be the protagonist of your own story. I still try and keep up with my favorite authors, and I still try to find new books. But now, reading is less about trying to find another world and more about trying to find another lens to see our world with.

Skip to toolbar