Our memories are a rich landscape painted and blended like watercolors in a glass. Each one is tied to and connected to one another. At some point, the memoriesruntogether and faces, and names, and stories lose definition. This week's blog comes to you from a classmate. I do not know if they want their name shared, so I will hold it in my memory. Ray Bradbury was a writer who touched my heart and spoke to my inner child. His book Dandelion Wine will sit perched on my memory shelf and painted into my canvas for as long as I am permitted to remember. When I buy new shoes, I am reminded of Douglas and his new summer tennis shoes. When I think of age, I think of the dragon that swallowed a swan, and when I think of love, I think of the timeless nature of it and a blue envelope and lime-vanilla ice. Each book we read becomes another color or shape painted into who we are as human beings, and as writers. I would like for you to listen and read this short tribute to Ray Bradbury by Neil Gaiman, "The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury." As you listen, I would like for you to think about what it is that you remember about an author you love. What have they taught you? What have you internalized? Now, this is the hard part. What do you remember and what are you afraid to lose from them? Explain what that author asks you to remember. Please feel free to include any quotes that help you remember so that we too can be part of your memory.
My favorite author by far is John Green. My love for John Green began late in my junior year when my AP English Language and Composition class read the book The Fault in Our Stars. The Fault in Our Stars was the first book that I was able to truly pick up literary devices and figurative language on my own without a class discussion. When I think of John Green, I remember the literary devices that he used throughout his novel and my excitement towards finally being able to spot literary devices in literature. I remember everything from using the boy Michael to forebode the outcomes of Augustus to the television incidents that occurred on Hazel and Augustus’ plane rides to and from Amsterdam. John Green taught me the importance of literary devices in literature. Literary devices change the way one reads literature and John Green showed me the beauty in that. Another distinct lesson I learned from John Green is that things don’t always happen how you expect them to. I realized this lesson from the outcomes of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns. I think it is so interesting that John Green tells stories from the viewpoints of teenager characters in distressed situations and that is partly why I love John Green. What I am afraid to loose from John Green is an author who dares to nonconform to typical topics. In an interview, Green said he didn’t want The Fault in Our Stars to be a typical cancer love story where both parties live and there is a happy ending. Green showed that cancer is a nasty thing and “The world is not a wish granting factory.” I love John Green’s reality towards cancer and his ability to write a moving story about cancer patients that defies the typical happy cancer story.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most influential authors I have come across is Veronica Roth, the author of the Divergent Series. Despite writing about the taboo dystopian society, she delves deeper into what that society means and how it affects the human mind. She chooses a female character that is empowered and chooses a dangerous path despite the easy path she already had laid out before her. Nothing out of the ordinary. It is the internal monologue of Trish, the main character, that allows the reader to learn something from Roth. Trish not only second guesses herself multiple times, but acts on those insecurities and gets herself into trouble, but even though she is at the bottom of the heap, she allows herself to overcome an already risky decision. She asks the reader to remember that no one is perfect, even the star of a novel. Bad decisions are made and the wrong people are trusted, but the odds are never enough to trump will power. That’s the one thing I wish to never forget from her books. It is sometimes a struggle to come to terms with imperfection because we work so hard to achieve it, but Roth stresses that anything can be overcome. Even deserting yourself from everyone you know to discover who you are.
ReplyDeleteBrittany G 2*
I am not a reader, meaning that I have not been exposed to a variety of authors. However, I do hold great respect for Marcus Luttrell. Although the author of a single novel, The Lone Surivovr, Luttrell will forever hold a spot in my mind because of this book. Luttrell is not the master of the pen. There are many intense depictions of the landscapes and characters, but Luttrell’s language still shows that he is not an avid writer. Yet, I remember Luttrell not for how we wrote, the embellishments of a writing, but for what he wrote for, the foundation of a writing. Luttrell wrote The Lone Survivor for his fallen comrades and he venerates the Navy SEALs. He uses The Lone Survivor to remember his friends and SEAL family, just as I write this blog to remember him. Each of his comrades shared a perspective to Luttrell that forever stays with him. Likewise, reading about the Navy SEAL training and the bravery evinced in Afghanistan forever stays with me. I remembered The Lone Survivor as I went through my own fitness training for soccer: “Pain is weakness leaving the body”. This book allows me to push harder not just physically, but also intellectually. I always think to myself that someone has it harder and that I must match that difficulty so that I can benefit more.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the greatest lesson from Luttrell is that there is no wrong or right decision. A decision is only a choice, and what we experience afterwards determines whether we respect or regret the decision we made. Luttrell’s decision not to kill the Afghan boys was a choice. Seeing that his friends died from it gives him reason to regret, but realizing that maintaining his decision was for the respect of the God he loved reminds him that he should be proud of the decision he made.
I have learned many great things from Marcus Luttrell’s experience and to lose those lessons is a great fear of mine. Luttrell taught me through his experience the importance of God or at least having faith in someone. As far-fetched the idea that his rifle was constantly by his side despite all the explosions from RPG’s and falling from cliffs, Luttrell’s rifle is the reminder to him that he still has faith in God. I believe that his faith is what grounded him to the Earth, what allowed him to survive. If I were unable to remember his commitment to faith, I would do a disservice to my own faith. Reading how faith allowed Luttrell to survive his traumatic experience is the reminder to me that I can withstand any negative experience that comes my way. To forget about this lesson would cause me to become fragile as a person. I would become lost on my own path and would find great suffering in negative experiences, rather than see every experience as an opportunity to grow. I truly thank Luttrell for his service of not only remembering his friends, but also of allowing me to remember him and what he stands for.
Srivastava R, 2
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ReplyDeleteF. Scott Fitzgerald taught me to see the beauty in the pain of the world. He taught me to look at the world through level eyes and observe rather than judge. He taught me that a story doesn’t necessarily have to be real or even realistic to be completely true, and that happy endings are too typical to really capture the complexity of the human spirit- in order to truly sketch the fine lines of the human condition one must depict a great suffering. And yet at the same time as preaching all of these cold truths, Fitzgerald still teaches me that we must blindly pursue our passions.
ReplyDeleteParticularly at this point in my life, when I am applying to colleges and considering what my life will be like in the future, I remember Fitzgerald every time that someone asks what I want to do and what my goals are. All that I can tell them is that I don’t know and for some reason they think that that is a weak answer; I can only imagine that if they remembered Fitzgerald, they would know that it is only the epitome of the human condition. Fitzgerald put words to my enchantment with the world: “I’m not sure what I’ll, but- well, I want to go places and see people. I want my mind to grow. I want to live where things happen on a big scale.” When I visit colleges or read a poem I think of Amory Blaine and his newspaper and his lost purpose in the world. When it rains outside or the air is warm in the summer or particularly windy in the winter, I think of the poem that Amory sent to Eleanor called “A Summer Storm”. When I see the light at the back of a dark room and somewhat lose myself in it, I remember Gatsby reaching his hand out for the dock on the other end of the bay that held his heart in Daisy and stole the reader’s heart with pity for his unwavering hope. When I think of my future and the feats ahead of me, I remember poor Anthony Patch who would wait until the end of time for the world to revolve around him rather than work.
I’m afraid that if Fitzgerald ever leaves me he will leave a hole in my emotion. So much of the world I have stored in the care of my memories of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The unfairness and the highs and the lows. The way that the human psyche can be so affected by just a few words. The way that a single line can make a single person simultaneously the most important and most minuscule commoner ever to have existed. How he can condense all of mankind into a simple ending: “and so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past”.
Fitzgerald asks me to remember how to feel like the world is falling apart in even the most simplistic of situations. He wants my heart to bleed at the green light on the VCR. He wants me to remember that life isn’t fair, but that it doesn’t have to be. We will all move on whether we want to or not. The world will slip from under us if we decide to sit down just where we are. We will fall and we will not be able to get back up- but that’s just how it goes. Life is life, and there is nothing that we can do about it. Passion and failure and love and decay are all inevitable, but that is not sad; it is beautiful.
Fitzgerald asks that I don’t forget how an unsatisfying ending feels. In his book, Tender is the Night, he perfectly encapsulates this: “I don’t ask you to love me always like this, but I ask you to remember. Somewhere inside of me there will always be the person I am tonight”. If I am to forget everything about Fitzgerald but one idea, I wish to remember that inspiration comes and goes, but emotion lives forever. Characters die, but souls and heartbreaks and humans are eternal. We are all doomed beings, yet we are magnificent in our capacity for life.
A. Jankovsky 7-8*
I am an avid reader. My room has two bookshelves that are full and there are 3 stacks of books on the floor surrounding my bookshelves. My mother and I argue about the "messiness" of my room all the time, but it's really just the books. After reading this article by Neil Gaiman (who is a great author), I was reminded of my bookshelf predicament. I refuse to get rid of books that meant something to me even once I've read them once, twice, or ten times. I keep all my books because they made me feel something, they changed my perspective on something, or they taught me something. I'm afraid to forget these things that books allow me to have, so I hoard all my books in my room and look at them often to remember what I liked about them and what I learned from them. If at one time I look at a book and forget why I chose to keep it, I reread that book so that I can remember.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I can ever pick a singular author to write about who has changed me, because there are hundreds. My favorite writer in elementary school was J.K. Rowling for her "Harry Potter" series, middle school brought James Patterson and Neal Shusterman (whom I still adore for his series of "Unwind" and "Everlost"). High School brought me classical writers like Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe (whom I still love as well) and John Ajvide Lindqvist (who wrote one of my favorite books ever, "Let Me In" - the book was way better than the movie, trust me). It seems that every book I read changes me in some way. In middle school, I read "Suicide Notes" by Micheal Thomas Ford, the very book that introduced me to LGBT issues faced by people in our society, something that I'm crazy passionate about today. I am terrified of letting these books go and I also have a slight fear of my house becoming one of those TLC episodes of "Hoarders".
The aforementioned book "Suicide Notes" was a big mind-changer to me. I would highly recommend this book because it is actually hilarious, I still smile when I think about it. The story revolves around a teenage boy who wakes up in the psychiatric ward at a hospital due to his failed attempt at committing suicide. He is forced to stay for something like 46 days, and in that time he meets some wonderful friends who have problems of their own. The main character, however never reveals why he tried to kill himself until the last quarter of the book. Seriously, go read it, it totally changed my perspective on several issues.
I grew up on my parents' beliefs. I think that the books I've read are the reason that I've developed my own personal opinions. After realizing a bunch of things that I'd never had opinions on, I decided to tackle my biggest issue: religion. I have a small handful of books that I read that were both for and against religion and I've ultimately changed my mind from what I grew up on and became an atheist. I have "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins and "A Brief History Of Time" by Stephen Hawking to thank for that.
Books are a huge part of me and I will try my absolute best not to forget what they've taught me. However, my memory will eventually fail me and when it does, I'll have a house filled with books to read again.
- S. Bahr 7/8*
I am kind of sad to admit that I don’t read very often anymore because frankly I don’t have the time. However, I did read a lot as a kid, and I wish I could now, and my favorite then, and now too I suppose, is J.K. Rowling. She is the first author that I ever truly read, and her works definitely stick with me now. Although some people may view the books as childish or whatever, she actually did teach some valuable lessons. One of those lessons that is incredibly relevant to me at the moment is the lesson she teaches about friends. She proves that you only need to have a few close friends, and other people are irrelevant. That sounded way harsher than intended but that’s life. That people will turn your back on you, but as long as you have a few close people it will all be okay. Throughout high school I have learned that lesson well. I started high school with a ton of friends and now let’s just say that changed. I learned that people suck and I didn’t need them as my friends anyways. I literally have my three very best friends that I’m super close with that’s okay. The whole quality over quantity idea is relevant to this situation. Another lesson that Rowling taught is that courage is everything. I mean just the whole series is about how you have to be courageous. I mean look at Neville, without that kids courage Nagini would still live and Harry’s world would still be plagued by Voldemort. That is Rowling’s main lesson that I do not want to forget. I need to remember that to accomplish great things I need to have courage, and face my fears to go as far as I want. I don’t care if people think that she is a childish author or shenanigans, she still had an impact on me, and taught me many lessons.
ReplyDeleteBunting, Anna 2nd
My favorite author comes from a different background compared to most. When I was in middle school, I developed a love for Cleveland sports. I would read any statistics book, news article, and game summary just to tame my craving of each of the three major sports teams. As I grew older, my love grew stronger. Throughout this journey I discovered an author that loved Cleveland sports just as much as I did, and his name was Terry Pluto. Many people know Pluto from his writing for the Plain Dealer newspaper, but he also has the gift of writing novels.
ReplyDeleteOne of the main things Pluto taught me was to always be yourself, no matter how hard it is. Throughout one of Pluto’s novels, Everyday Faith, he talks about being a Christian and his overall belief in God. Sometimes, it is a great challenge to share with others what one believes in. Pluto does it with great pride, one of the main skills I learned from reading his novels. Another thing I remember about Terry Pluto is his honesty. Everyone in Cleveland knows that it is hard being a sports fan. Terry Pluto feels the pain more than anyone out there, mainly because writing about sports effects his career. Throughout all his books, he does not cover up the hard times of Cleveland sports. Whenever he talks about a sports trade or milestone game, he explains it in its entirety. Many of the biggest sporting events happened before my time, and Pluto’s descriptions and honest helps me understand each moment in great detail. Lastly, throughout Pluto’s writing, I have learned the value of commitment. Being a writer is a very hard business to be apart of. Being a writer in Cleveland makes the job even harder. Throughout all his writing, Terry Pluto stays positive and tries to make the best out of every moment in Cleveland sports. They might not always be fun, but Pluto’s commitment shows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
The main thing I am afraid of forgetting is Pluto’s idea of perseverance and commitment. When times become tough, it is important that I remember to get through each moment. Although times might be tough, each moment will make me a better person in the end. Overall, Terry Pluto has taught me so much about reading writing, and how to carry myself. The knowledge he has provided me will be with me for the rest of my life.
Wasylko, G 7/8th
Now, I know very well I’ve already used Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist in a previous blog, but the second I read this prompt it instantly came to mind. I read it in 10th grade, when I was going through…I guess you could call it a belief crisis. It seemed like all the magic I used to believe in when I was little was just gone from the world leaving nothing but an empty place. Coelho’s Santiago and the things he learned on his journey just filled it right up. I learned from it the interconnectedness of everything and everyone, the existence of the Language of the World and the omens you can use to interpret what that connection, that Soul of the World, is trying to tell you:“This Soul of the World allowed them to understand anything on the face of the earth, because it was the language with which all things communicated” (pg 80). It even gave me a little romantic advice (the merchant’s daughter), but let’s not open THAT kettle of fish. In the end, what I really learned from this beautiful book is that everyone, even me, has some kind of purpose in life that they must fulfill, even if they don’t quite know how or what it is. This was a big comfort to me when I started thinking about what to do with the rest of my life. I mean, I’m part of the Soul. There’s got to be something I can do well enough to make a living out of it, right?
ReplyDeleteWhat I would love to remember most from this book is how the world is one living, breathing organism; everything is connected, and for that reason every creature deserves a chance to live to the fullest. If they are different, let them be different, because they are all parts of the same world and know the same language. I would also like to remember the omens, and that everything happened for a reason. However, if I forget the original magic, I will be lost. I have always been fascinated by magic, any kind of it at all. There is how that love continued into the present day, and it is this love, this fight to find the beautiful and surreal in my own dull and hectic life, that has kept me going in trying times. If I forget to find the magic, I think life would become completely unbearable and I would just want to end it. I believe this is what the author wants us to remember. Everything that I have stated here, plus that everything happens for a reason. Or, as the Arabs in the book teach Santiago to say, “Maktub.”
Maslach, K 2
When I think of Neil Gaiman, I think of magic and moonlight – of stars and ravens and graveyards. When I step into one of his novels, I’m a guest in a crazy brilliant mind that can pick reality up between its finger and thumb and crush it like a berry. It’s a place both miraculous and extraordinary, where “boring” doesn’t exist because it can’t exist – where everything is strange and interesting and new.
ReplyDeleteGaiman once wrote, “Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot” (The Sandman). When I was a kid, there was always a little part of me that believed the fictional stories I read were true. In some alternate universe, Lucy was discovering Narnia, Harry was destroying horcruxes, and Frodo was carrying the One Ring to Mount Doom. Knowing that these things were happening in my mental landscape made life an adventure. Fiction taught me lessons that reality simply couldn’t and introduced me to people who were often more human than the ones I really knew. I’ve always been in love with fiction and its truth – a truth that, at times, seems more whole and sacred than that which is solid and proven. Gaiman’s novels reaffirm my childhood convictions that a fictional story – with all its magic and monsters and nonsense – is simply a story so true it can only be told in the form of a lie.
I’ve internalized Gaiman’s characters. Lettie Hempstock, the ageless girl who kept the universe in a pond in her backyard, has never left me. The Ocean at the End of the Lane, the book she came from, hangs over me like the moon – omniscient, illuminating everything around it with its dark light. I am most afraid of losing Gaiman’s wonder. He approaches his books and his life with an endearing hopefulness that in turn inspires his readers, and I never want that exchange to be lost. Gaiman asks readers to remember childhood, to revert back to a state of mind that involves looking up at stars and checking under the bed for monsters. He asks that, as adults, we now look for those things in ourselves. Gaiman writes, “We who make up stories know we tell lies for a living. But they are good lies that say true things, and we owe it to our readers to build them as best we can” (The Graveyard Book). I want to remember that as a writer, my trapeze act is to toe the line between lie and truth, to dance between the two but never fall completely off the rope.
I believe that when we lose something, it’s discovered elsewhere. A story is never really gone – not in a world build on ripple effects. I am afraid of dropping the mantle, that essence of humanity that is larger than me, larger than Gaiman, larger than any of us: a love of story, a sense of wonder, and the desire to see both exist in the world. I know that one day, someone will write another book of moonlight and magic. It might be next year. It might be a hundred years from now. But I know that it will be written and I know that it will be loved by someone like me and I know Gaiman will not be forgotten so long as there are words and the mouths to utter them. And knowing this, I am not so afraid anymore.
I have faith in humans and our ability to carry on what matters. So long live Gaiman. Long live his stars and ravens and graveyards.
Keller N 7/8
So many books… So many authors…
ReplyDeleteI very much agree with Gaiman when he says, concerning books: “We will commit them to memory. We will become them. We become authors. We become their books.” After reading a certain author, I find myself writing in their style; or after reading books of specific genre, I start to think within the boundaries of that genre. Every book becomes a part of who I am, so it is hard to choose just one that has taught me something that I have internalized.
So with that, I will narrow it down to one…
Many people know him for being the author of the famous “Chronicles of Narnia” series, but I know and admire C.S. Lewis for his influential theological texts. So far I have read only a few of his novels (in addition to the entire Narnia series), but Lewis has quickly become one of my favorite authors.
He does not reference the Bible and then bash every non-Christian for not believing, but he writes fictional stories of real-life characters and situations that any human being could relate to. Worldly temptation, encountering the Devil, rejoicing miracles, embracing love… Lewis takes these concepts and reconnects the blurred lines that society has formed around them. I have taken what Lewis has taught me and am more conscious when faced with these situations and concepts everyday. I am more appreciative and optimistic with the world I live in. I live out the truths in his books in everything I do.
Here’s one of my favorite quotes from “The Screwtape Letters.” This book is a series of letters from Screwtape to his nephew as guidance on how to tempt Humans into sin:
“Your man has been accustomed, ever since he was a boy, to have a dozen incompatible philosophies dancing about together inside his head. He doesn’t think of doctrines as primarily ‘true’ or ‘false’, but as ‘academic’ or ‘practical’, ‘outworn’ or ‘contemporary’, ‘conventional’ or ‘ruthless’. Jargon, not argument, is your best ally in keeping him from the Church” (page 1).
-K. Brav 7/8*
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ReplyDeleteWhen I was only in elementary school, I hated to read. We had to earn a certain number of points each quarter through Accelerated Reader tests, and reading quickly became a chore. I remember sitting in the school media center looking through the point values for different tests and trying to find books that would give me the most points in the fewest pages. At that point in my life, I hadn’t yet been exposed to any good literature. That changed in Jr. High when my teacher required us to read ‘The Giver’. We started a few pages that day in class and were only supposed to read another ten for homework. Later that night, I had the entire book read and none of my other homework done. I rushed to the media center the next day to get the last two books in the series. I spent the next two days finishing the series and discussing the books with my teacher. I can honestly say that The Giver was instrumental in my love of literature and played a large role in my decision to take Honors English freshman year.
ReplyDeleteLois Lowry did not change my world, but she certainly chained the way I look at it. For once, rather than reading books, I began reading into books. I related to The Giver easily because I could relate to the main character. My will for knowledge is similar to the will that he had in his town. I feel as if the book sparked a flame inside me for reading that has yet to be extinguished. We all likely have a first book that we remember: the one we can say got us interested in literature. Lois Lowry delivered her story in a way that engaged me and led to deeper thoughts. She changed the way I read as I began asking more questions about the book and trying to draw my own conclusions. Mine did not always match those in the class, but Lowry never explicitly answered some of the questions she presented. For me, that was an excuse to come up with my own answers. I believe that it is the goal of any author to force readers to remember the magic of books. Not only did Lowry help me to remember, but she formed the original thought.
I laughed when I read Gaiman’s comment about forgetfulness: “If I am losing concepts, I am not aware of it. If I am losing concepts, how would I know?” I asked myself the same thing when reading this week’s prompt. However, as I began to think more about the books that have impacted me, and in particular The Giver, I found some gaps in my memories. I am a bit ashamed to admit it, but I do not really remember what The Giver is about. I remember the main points of the book, but would not be able to go any further. But I do remember what was important- the love that I found for literature. I will say that I am a bit afraid of losing that in the future. As life becomes busier, I am finding it more difficult to pick up a good book. I must constantly remind myself of the love I have for reading. It will take work, but I hope that I never lose the feeling that Lowry gave me many years ago.
- Ryan M. 2
Forewarning, this is personal and a lot of tears were shed in the process of writing this. I’ve never quite felt like I fit it, not exactly a groundbreaking statement for a high schooler, but still true. People made me uneasy, filled me with dread and put a knot in my stomach that I could never untangle. In 7th grade, that uneasiness around my peers created a pit of self consciousness and dread for me. I hated going to school or interacting with people because hey, they probably didn’t like me. I felt as though I could never do anything right, nothing I did would ever be good enough. More than ever, I found sanction in books. While in the library one day, I came across a book that would continue to help me even up to this point. Impulse by Ellen Hopkins spoke to me in ways that I never imagined were possible. It taught me that I was never alone in what I was feeling. A few pages into the novel, there was a stanza in the poem The Thread that sticks with me today, “Pray/You could somehow stop/ the uncertainty, somehow /stop the loathing,/somehow stop the pain.” It’s hard to imagine that in seventh grade, that was what I related to most in a book. I knew I needed help, it wasn’t a secret, but I found my help in the characters of her books. They got better and for some reason, I thought by reading their getting better, I would feel better too. I didn’t, of course. It took me until my sophomore year of high school to get the help I needed.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of Ellen Hopkins, I think of a woman who stopped me dead in my tracks. I think of rereading a book, for several years until I realized what was going on. I wasn’t weird or crazy. People more than likely didn’t hate me and it didn’t matter what anyone else thought of me. The only thing that really mattered was if I was good enough for myself, what made me happy. I’m so afraid to lose that sense of confidence and belonging. I remember reading that Impulse, late at night during my sophomore year. I remember thinking maybe I would be brave enough to… But instead, I was brave enough to not. I was brave enough to march out of my room and into the living room. I handed my mom the letter I had been writing, and we cried. For hours. Today I can say I am happier. I can say I am more confident. I can say I still feel uneasy around my peers and I am still scared to death in large crowds. I can say I don’t like parties and that is more than okay. When I reread Ellen Hopkins now, I am reminded that I have come a long way. It is a constant fear that someday I will lose my confidence and once again I will be petrified in my room again. Ellen Hopkins asks me to remember that I am not alone and happiness is always an option.
McGregor 2nd
My favorite writer, who I feel has had the most impact on me, is Anthony Burgess. I first read A Clockwork Orange in the eighth grade and since then Burgess has been one of my favorite, and one of the most prominent authors I have ever read. Burgess has taught me about the value of standing out in society, while also teaching me to accept the fact that we are all a product of our society. He was the first writer who ever made me realize that in society, we are not made by predetermined decisions, nor are we made by specialty. Burgess made me realize that we are all a product of society, and that individualism does not exist. This is what I have internalized. I remember, as I hope to always remember, that no one is special, no one is perfect. And it is with this in mind that I remember that my future has endless amounts of potential, considering nothing is predetermined.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the hard thing is if I ever forget this concept. That is the one lesson/memory of Burgess that I never want to forget. I will always aspire and hope to remember that the future is ours to take. Society makes us who we are, but it is our defiance of society, our individual thought that makes us the people we are destined to be. In light of college applications, and so many other conforming challenges it is hard to remember who we are and how we need to be independent.
However, it is this lesson of Burgess that I hope to hold on to.
Burgess teaches in A Clockwork Orange that like Alex, we are created by our society and it is through the action of our society and others that we become the person society wants us to be. However, with individual thought in mind, Burgess teaches us to break from society and other expectations and define who we are as people, as Alex never did. “What’s it going to be then, aye?” is repeated continuously throughout the work to remind us that we are in charge of our own future. The most important message that Burgess tries to tell us.
Megan Lear 2nd
Every author has many lessons for their readers, but not all these lesson are always noted. Readers too often gloss over many of the messages that authors stitch into their text—not even noticing their existence. But when a conscious effort is made to find and grasp the author’s messages, then the reader truly experiences the author’s text at its fullest. As Neil Gaiman states, “We will commit them to memory. We will become them. We become authors. We become their books.” Discovering the author’s messages embroiders the text itself into the mind; the knowledge found in the book seems to linger once discovered.
ReplyDeleteEach reader has their own author, their own preferred style, and often their own ideal genres. I myself tend to read solely based on whether or not the book seems interesting; I only avoid romantic, sappy novels. In my short time reading on this earth, I have become fond of Cormac McCarthy. He is disregarded by many, and hated the same. His extensive descriptions, often multiple pages long, are a painful journey for many—even causing some to put his books down. But I find his descriptions beautiful, and in my own writing I often see myself trying to reach the level of eloquence and beauty his writing exists in. I have read many of McCarthy’s novels, and the one thing I always take away is an element of his style: his prose, language, and syntax have all played large roles in shaping my own writing. I wont dare compare my writing to that of McCarthy, but I do see how his texts have molded my style and writing tendencies across the board, and I enjoy my description and prose. So when I read C.S. Lewis or Orwell, I have the slight fear that these authors will slip into my writing and slowly kill the roots McCarthy has left. But my fear is false: the beauty of reading is that you can take elements of all your favorite authors and amalgamate them into a unique style. While some elements of McCarthy’s writing may loose sway over time, his eloquence and passion in description will always remain a driving influence on my writing.
Bruggeman, Jacob 7/8th
My favorite author by far is Kurt Vonnegut. More than anything else, Vonnegut has shattered my preconceived notions about everything from religion to politics. Nothing is black and white, and above all, storytelling does not have to be a linear, by-the-books affair. Writing is a pliable and variable medium, and Vonnegut was the first author I read that exemplified that excellently. His sardonic tone is one that I attempt to replicate when appropriate. He has an interesting view on literary criticism, a view that has heavily shaped mine, saying in Palm Sunday: An Autobiographical Collage “As for literary criticism in general: I have long felt that any reviewer who expresses rage and loathing for a novel or a play or a poem is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae or a banana split.”
ReplyDeleteOf everything that I’ve read or learned from reading his books, of all the quotes of his that I’ve seen, one sticks out the most. It’s found in his novel Mother Night, and he says “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” That is among the most insightful quotes that I’ve ever encountered, and to say that it has impacted how I carry myself on a daily basis would be an understatement.
I must be careful though, not to forget that. And also remember that there’s more than one side to almost everything, and that it would be brainless to believe that everything is clear cut, both in writing and in life.
Crow, M 7/8
I enjoy many authors and their works that have contributed to my imagination. I can make a list of authors that I genuinely enjoy, but honestly there is only one author that has truly impacted my life. That author is C.S. Lewis. In class whenever discussing books and archetypes I constantly reference Lewis and his works. I’m concerned that people will grow annoyed of me by the end of the year when I mention Lewis and his works. His children’s books and Christian ideals have implanted a seed in my mind and soul, constantly growing taller than any beanstalk. I love his works because they ironically are real. His characters are real. Not entirely relatable but they are real. As a child I had read his Narnia series. As a child I personally was extremely shallow and had a very negative, emotionless attitude. When I finished the last of his seven Narnia books, I cried my eyes out (I was eleven at the time). Six years later before I was to be baptized I had this invincible desire to journey back to those books, looking for something that will help prove to myself that I was ready for baptism. Reaching the seventh book once again, I didn’t intensely sob at the end, instead I simply understood. Lewis taught me to keep my faith strong in the end of any journey. Through all the terror and decay life will bring around you, one must stay strong in their faith. Into my life I see things differently now. When it snows I constantly imagine (and occasionally pretend) that I woke up in Narnia. Whenever I see trees in the spring and summer I always wondered if at one point in the world… I wondered if they could truly dance in the wind.
ReplyDeleteAfter my baptism I discovered his “Screwtape Letters”. A novel that explained to me that humans have a guardian angel, as well as a guardian demon whose job is to redirect your life away from your religion. What I worried most about is losing the message Lewis taught me about life. HE taught me an abundance of life lessons; such as standing up for others when no one else would, and that one’s actions and sanctions are due to their choices. I fear that one day I will grow into a cruel individual such as Lewis’s White Witch, Miraz, or most worryingly, the personality and mindset of an Ape (antagonist of the last book). Sadly I feel like that demon had me on a rope, dragging me away from my faith and I was losing hope. However I just knew by standing my ground I could rise and stay strong. Nowadays I am playing tug-of-war with my inner demons, and I am winning.
Turnea, D 2nd Period
My favorite author and undoubtedly my favorite book is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Although this book taught me valuable life lessons that I use with relationships with my family and friends another book I recently read has spoken to me more. This book is Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom. In the book, a man is taught to appreciate life more because his college professor is dying from a disease that causes a person’s muscles to stop working. I could not believe how many quotes I was highlighting as I read through the book. The entire book pretty much gives life lessons on how to life your own life to its fullest. Here are a list of quotes that I tell myself to remember day in and day out because I read the book Tuesdays With Morrie:
ReplyDelete“Well, for one thing, the culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. We’re teaching the wrong things. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn’t work, don’t buy it. Create your own. Most people can’t do it.”
“This is part of what a family is about, not just love. It’s knowing that your family will be there watching out for you. Nothing else will give you that. Not money. Not fame. Not work.”
“You can’t substitute material things for love or for gentleness or for tenderness or for a sense of comradeship.”
“I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on the good things still in my life. I don’t allow myself any more self-pity than that. A little each every morning, a few tears, and that’s all.”
“Dying is only one thing to be sad over. Living unhappily is something else.”
The list of beautiful, inspirational quotes that I have found within this book goes on for pages, but these are some of the quotes I try to truly live by. In the book, Morrie speaks about not relying on material items and that through buying these items a person will not find what they are looking for: love. This is one of the things I am afraid of forgetting. As a person grows older, they tend to make more money and therefore are able to acquire more things than they had before. I hope to someday become a doctor because I want to be a part of the health care community while helping save lives by doing research or performing operations. Although this is a dream of mine, I am also concerned that one of the reasons I wish to become a doctor is because of their large salary. As demonstrated in the above quotes from Tuesdays With Morrie this goes against one of the fundamental principles in the book- do not lose sight of what or who you love because of money.
- Bolger, J. 2
The author that has taught me the most is JK Rowling. The Harry Potter series had introduced me into a world of magic and adventure that made my childhood colorful and exciting. Reading about my favorite trio’s victories made my days a little less boring. Harry, Hermione and Ron taught me my first lessons in friendship and love. I watched them grow up as I did, each year boarding the Hogwarts Express to face a new journey. I have internalized them as my own personal friends in my heart. My Hogwarts family lives on with me every time I watch one of the movies or read one of the books. I think what JK Rowling wants her fans to remember is this friendship, which has been instilled in me. Her books speak to the overwhelming power of friendship and love which can sometimes be forgotten. In today’s world, too often do people lose this connection, but when I return Hogwarts I immediately feel Rowling’s message. As my personal hero Hermione Granger once said, “Books! And cleverness! There are more important things- friendship and bravery.” As much as the Harry Potter book series means to me, it is the lessons I have taken away for them that truly matter. And I am very grateful to JK Rowling’s genius for sharing them with the world.
ReplyDeleteFlorek, E. 7/8
What I remember from the author Rainbow Rowell is that sometimes the truest of love happens unexpectedly, without you wanting it even, and can be gone in a flash. She gives the reader characters that are so odd that it seems as if there should be no possible way for them to be compatible (I am talking about her novel Eleanor and Park that is actually my favorite book) and yet it is one of the greatest love stories I can think about. Even though it is also one of the most depressing books I can think of, that I’ve read at least, I love to read it because the author took characters that are obviously fictional and made them real to the reader, made them people that the reader cares about. That is something I am afraid to lose from this author because it does not happen often for me that an author gets me to cry. I believe that what Rainbow Rowell wants us to remember is to love when love happens, do not worry about whether or not there is an expiration date because that can ruin things. Let love happen.
ReplyDeleteDame, E 2
Though it may seem rather cliche, I, too, grew up on the mystic and magic that many children my age did. Harry Potter is not just an incredibly successful book series, it is the foundation for my love of literature. JK Rowling has undoubtedly left a remarkable impact on my life. Rowling’s rather simplistic style of storytelling offered so much more than I could have ever anticipated.
ReplyDeleteShe taught me about life and literature through her series. In regards to literature, she truly taught me about the effects of symbolism and allusions. Rowling often employed usage of Latin phrases to create spells and she used Greek mythology to name her characters. These things, which I caught upon during my second and third times reading through the series, just reaffirmed my love of the books.
Through Harry’s magical journeys, I learned about the importance of courage. In every book of the series, Harry faces the Dark Lord and has to face his inner demons to defeat Voldemort. He radiates courage and inspires others, as seen in the Order of the Phoenix with Dumbledore’s Army. It is from the Goblet of Fire that comes my favorite quote: “It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.” This seemingly meaningless quote by Dumbledore ending up becoming a bit of a mantra for me. It is still something that, to this day, inspires me.
I suppose that the reason I hold these books so dear to me heart is that somewhere within their pages is my childhood. Whenever I reread Rowling’s books I am reminded of how much simpler my life was: coming home from school and throwing my backpack on the ground, rushing to my room to grab my book, and then out to my backyard where I’d cozy up and read for hours. I guess that is was I am afraid of losing. I am afraid of losing one of the last remnants of my youthfulness. Especially at a time like now, my senior year, where I am almost forced to act nothing but mature as I prepare for adulthood. In this eleventh hour, I can’t help but cozy back up to those Harry Potter books that were my escape many years ago. In the words of JK Rowling, “Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.”
-Kett J 2
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ReplyDeleteAn author I have an undying love for would have to be John Green due to the book The Fault in our Stars. My affection for this book began during junior year in Mrs. Raglow’s class and though this book has become a popular cliché since the time we read it, I will never forget the way I was able to read this novel. I am typically not one to read for pleasure, but when I picked this novel up I could not put it down. The enhancement of this text did not come solely from reading it alone, the reason I loved this book so much was the way we broke it down in AP language arts. From them I remember the bitter truth, the bare facts that were not dressed to seem less intense. The harsh reality that cancer does kill, and that not all fairytales endings exist. From reading these pieces I felt a subtle loss of innocence comparing this novel to ones I’ve read in the past. I would be afraid to lose the importance of layers in texts one day. The literary devices, the colors, and things that transform the text may seem to slip away from me one day when I am not forced to seek further meaning, which scares me because I feel as though the further meaning comes more from analyzing than the pure text itself. This author asks me to remember the basis of reality. The unreasonable state of happiness and faith during times of struggle. The fact that 2 beings may not end up together in this world no matter how badly they want to. And the undying strength that can come from love, even if it may be temporary.
ReplyDeleteMewhinney, M 2
I have to be honest and admit that I am not much of a reader and I honestly only read what is assigned for classes. It is hard to find the time and also by the end of a day, after school, work, etc., I find it harder to focus on a book, and would much rather sit and watch a movie on Netflix. I am the type that can view a film and get sucked into the story so emotionally, that the outside world becomes a blur. However, an author that I did enjoy reading, (who also pursued his work into becoming a movie), was John Green and The Fault in Our Stars. I layed in bed one night with the lamp on and just could not put the novel down, and to find a story that does this for me is rare. I wanted to keep finding out more about the characters and their lives, and I had that moment where the words did not look like words anymore, it all looked like a giant image. John Green taught me that love comes when you least expect it. Hazel was going through cancer and felt so depressed and low and that nothing good would ever happen to her, then Augustus slid into her life. He gave her purpose. This goes to show everyone that there is hope, even if you really do not feel like there is. Unexpected moments are the best, and one person, one event, can change your whole mood. I know this goes against the whole saying of "you shouldnt rely on other people to make you happy", but let's be honest...we all do, especially me. John Green wrote a beautiful story that captivated my heart so much and brought tears, as well as inspiration to me.
ReplyDeleteAsturi V 7/8
I was an avid reader throughout my childhood. My collection of books read over time ranges so immensely. This shelf contains the Nancy Drew series, Judy Bloom, Meg Cabot, James Patterson, and so many more authors who have all impacted me in their own way. However, amongst the others lays a book so dear to my heart. The pages are discolored due to tears, it is bent and contains several creases due to the dog-eared corners and the bright pink that glowed off the cover has faded with age. This novel probably has little to no literary merit, simple text and structure and is not all that difficult to read. This book, unlike every other I have read, taught me more about myself and life than ever before. I have read this book over and over and it continues to keep me sorrowful, but appreciative at the same time. It is etched in my memory. Natasha Friend, a less known author, wrote a book called “Perfect”. This novel indulges into the taboo subject of eating disorders, specifically bulimia.
ReplyDeleteIsabella Lee is faced with a tragedy when her dad passes away. As a coping mechanism she turns to the binge and purge of her meals. Friend wants readers to not look the other way when this subject comes up. She shows her readers the darkest points of this horrible disorder. Friend is showing readers just how imperfect Lee’s life has become. Natasha Friend asks her readers to look inside themselves and face their insecurities with strong force. She explains that it is okay to have weaknesses and self doubt. It is a part of human nature. The most important idea Friend shows her readers is that it is okay to be whoever it is you are, flaws and all. She also shows how not coping with an issue can really push someone over the edge. It is okay to get help and relapse and then be forced to get help again. It is the effort that counts. My favorite point Friend makes in this book is that words mean nothing. How someone makes themselves appear to be is almost never the true way they feel. A quote that explains this is “The thing is, if you just look at a person’s mouth, you can be fooled. What you have to do is look at their eyes. That’s where the truth is at.”
Cika, M 2
It’s a bit difficult for me to automatically think of an author because that is not what I think of when I think of written works. I think of the story first, then the book title, then the author who has come up with that story that first came into my mind. The only author that popped into my head before his stories was a poet named Shel Silverstein. As soon as his name came to me it brought back a plethora of memories. I remember the copious amounts of poetry I read from him when I was a child. It started with a gift, Falling Up, and continued with other works such as Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Giving Tree. Throughout his different stories and short poems, he has showed me that it is a good thing to be whimsical, to be a child every once and a while even as I grow older and have more responsibilities. He has also taught me that life does not always go the way people plan. Some people will do anything for those they love (The Giving Tree), sometimes it is necessary to find new friends that better suit the person you are (“Long-Leg Lou and Short-Leg Sue”), and that everyone has something that they are afraid of (“Settin’ Around”). Through a fun and childish feel, he manages to teach his readers about the life ahead of them.
ReplyDeleteI am afraid to lose a childlike heart as I grow older. I feel that as I grow older, the young, rose colored glasses start to break or fog up. I am not looking for ignorance, but I am looking for the happiness that kids feel and to avoid becoming rigid and cold. I am afraid that I will forget that with all of the trials I will face, it is possible to be an optimist, to be playful, mischievous, and curious. That is Siverstein’s message, to never lose those traits as you take on and experience the world.
Hornung, A. 7/8
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ReplyDeleteI don't have a favorite author, but here are so many books that I co sider to be my favorite. Among them is the book Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Its enchanting tale is full of wonder and awe and after reading it I was unable to put books down. Cornelia Funke teaches readers in the most magical of ways that reading can bring you adventure and take you to far away places. I loved how the book illustrates the power that words can bring to a person. I would not like to lose that from this author: the idea that reading is one of the most magical and powerful things that we as humans have at our disposal. I remember how this book made me want to explore the possibility of bringing characters to life. It was a moment of pure innoccence and wonder that overtook me and even though I realized it was not possible I did it anyway. I don't want to forget that feeliing ever .
ReplyDeleteAs a child, I loved to read and every moment of my free time was spent reading. Sadly, when I began middle school, reading became a chore and it was no longer enjoyable to me due to the fact that a good book was accompanied by an endless sea of questions and assignments. The summer before my freshman year, I decided to start reading for fun again after my best friend recommended a book called, “Uglies” by Scott Westerfeld to me.
ReplyDeleteThrough his book, “Uglies,” Westerfeld thought me to be brave and embrace my imperfections, for they are what make me an individual. Tally Youngblood’s desire to conform to the physical expectations of her world conflict with her desire to discover the truth about the utopia where the Pretties lived. I strongly identified with Tally’s adventurous spirit and Shay’s hatred of the value that society placed on a person’s physical appearance. Tally maintained her individuality regardless of the challenges she faced and uncovered dark secrets about the seemingly perfect world she had always dreamed of living in.
I remember Tally and Shay’s hover boarding adventures, Tally’s escape from Garbo Mansion, and Tally’s shock when she found out that the surgery needed to become pretty would not only change her appearance, but her personality would also be altered. I am afraid to lose the courage and the strength that Tally has given me. This book has made me realize that being perfect is impossible and that it is better to accept yourself than change everything about yourself to please others. Westerld asks me to remember that intelligence and individuality are the true aspects that make a person pretty.
Judele C, 2nd
This blog is actually challenging for me because I do not think I have a favorite author. I do, however, have favorite books. But, unfortunately, that is not what Perrin is requesting from me on this lovely Sunday evening. Alright, here goes nothing! I would have to say in a literal sense; Stephanie Meyer is my favorite author. Not because I see the Twilight saga as a timeless collection of literary art (even though I might think as much), but because she was the first author to really hook me. I read the whole saga through 6th grade, and I own them. Yes, it could be because it piqued the interest of pre-teen and teenage girls, but it taught me a lot. When the saga came out, I did not seem that interested. But everybody was raving about it, so I decided to give it a whirl. And that is when the addiction began. I have to say, Meyer can put on a great story. And I am not afraid to say that I love Twilight. I am not one to purchase books, because I never usually re-read them. But, I bought that entire saga, and still hold them precious till this day.
ReplyDeleteMeyer taught me to get lost in literature. I loved and still love reading, but for awhile, it was hard for me to stay in tune with the plot. But once I got a taste of Meyer, I let myself fall. She also taught me to believe in love, because vampires sure know how to love. And in a funny sense, she taught me about teenage stupidity. Bella, in my opinion, was a freaking idiot. I mean I get she was in love with the guy but COME ON, he is a vampire who left you for about 6 months. Bella sacrificed so much for Edward, and tore her family apart on several occasions. Meyer taught me how to not let teenage love take control of your morals and values. And I find that entertaining because I’m sure that was not her intention when writing Twilight.
Reva 7/8
When I was in elementary school, I loved reading. I would win gift cards for having the highest number of Accelerated Reading points and my parents would always have to hide books from me in order to get me to do my homework. Looking back on all of the books I have read, Barbara Park is the only author who stands out. She was the author of the Junie B. Jones books. I was incredibly saddened when I found out she passed away last year due to cancer. I believe that I liked Junie B. because I was really relatable with her. I could understand all of her made-up words and the language she made up. Park wrote like I would write and that is one of the reasons why I loved her series.
ReplyDeleteJunie B. Jones taught me many life lessons throughout the series. She was forced to experience the pressures of bullying—she ended up staying in the bathroom stall and not boarding the bus at the end of the day, and she even cut her hair on one occasion—but Junie B. Jones was a girl who loved to have fun. Looking back, I see how much Junie inspired me to be unique and love who I am as a person.
Park was an author who dedicated her life to providing books for children who are beginning to learn a lot about this immense universe. Not many authors wrote books that appealed to only little kids because they wanted to make money writing adult books. Sure I could have read adult books in elementary school but I would not have been able to understand them. What I am afraid to lose from Park is something I believe I have already lost. I feel like her death put an end to my childhood days. I really woke up and thought “wow, the author I loved growing up will not be able to write any new books and entertain the new generation of children.” That is the sad part, though. The happy part is that I am glad she began writing in the first place, because she gave me a book to read; my passion of reading grew and I still love reading today.
Patel, D 2
My favorite author is definitely J.K. Rowling, I grew up reading the harry potter series and I can honestly say that the series has majorly shaped my life. I grew up with Harry; I started on a journey with him in the cupboard under the stairs and ended it (spoiler alert) when he defeated Voldemort. Reading that series taught me so much and as a kid instilled in me the values I still have today. J.K. Rowling made her characters relatable. In school her characters faced problems like bullying, homework, and family issues. This allowed me to connect to the characters on a deeper level. I can say now that these books were, and still are such a big part of my life that I don’t think I would be the same if I never read them. What I am afraid to lose from J.K. Rowling is that it’s okay to not be perfect. The characters in Harry Potter all made mistakes but they all were able to redeem themselves in one way or another. The series taught me to stick up for those that I love and not to give in to the dark part of you.
ReplyDeleteGall A. 2
My favorite author has been (and most likely will be for quite some time) Chuck Palahniuk for years now. His books aren't something you necessarily want to learn from, as every character and page is brimming with unadulterated, horrific deeds. I think that's what I'm afraid to lose though - the sharp edge of honesty, for losing that means becoming a sugar-coated subtlety. I love that about Palahniuk - but I also love how real his characters are, how he tells a story, how it isn't a dreary 'narrator did this then this then this' sequence. I love how he's not afraid to be weird. I'm scared I'll lose my ability to not care what people find weird. I'm scared of losing my edge, of thinking I sound pretentious (like some people think he does). I think these are common fears though, although set off by my love for this author. I believe everyone should have a 'Palahniuk', whether it be an author, a friend, something that isn't scared to rip the bandage off all at once and let you see the world for how it really is.
ReplyDeleteDaugherty M 7/8
It's hard to pick one author out of all I have read but if I had to choose one I remember and love it would be Lemony Snicket. Probably due to my early love of his Series of Unfortunate Events. To me they were more than just misery tales. The were about siblings working together through family pains to overcome greed and, plain and simple, evil. These books always had a new story with new challenges to overcome. I was taught to take challenges in my life and push through them with my sister. Even when we are pushed apart, we're still siblings and there is always a connection that helps us get through the tough times. I have also learned that just because the ending turns out the way you want, it may not always be happy. I would say Snicket wants his readers to remember that not all good stories are happy. The sadness or grievances we feel make a story real. It helps us feel what others feel and connect with people on an internal level. I think that lesson is something I would regret never learning or losing.
ReplyDeleteSarah palmer 7/8
John Patrick wrote the play The Curious Savage and we performed it here at BHS last year. Some of the memories I have of this story are because of the memories I made with those on cast and crew, but some are from the play itself. For those who do not know the story, there is a woman, Mrs. Savage, whose husband has died and she has been put in an insane home by her children because they do not agree with what she chooses to do with the money left to her. While at the home, she meets the residents and becomes friends with them. Each one has their own quirk. Jeffery believes his face is scarred, constantly hiding it with his hand. There is nothing there. Fairy just wants to be loved, but she only knows the feeling of love through flattery. Mrs. Paddy hates everything in the world and believes she is a wonderful artist. Still there are more characters.
ReplyDeleteEach character teaches the audience or reader something important about life. Jeffery has lost some memory of the past. His wife works as a nurse in the home but he does not remember who she is. Nonetheless, she stays by his side and continues to love him, even if he cannot return the love in the same way. It is heartbreaking for those watching, but it teaches about the strength of true love. Mrs. Paddy only ever talks about the things she hates, never making other conversation. In the end, she tells Mrs. Savage that she hates everything in the world, except for her. Mrs. Paddy has finally learned the joy of a friend. Fairy is also taught the true meaning of love and that it does not come from flattery, but for genuine care from and for another person.
Already, I have begun to lose some of the memories I held so dearly once before. There is one phrase that I hope I will never forget. It is simple, but it means so much: “Take an umbrella, it’s raining.” This is first said by Mrs. Savage to Fairy (if I remember correctly) and she explains that when you care for someone and love them, you want them to be safe. At the end of the play, Fairy says this to Mrs. Savage as Mrs. Savage departs from the home. All of us the cast and crew resonated with this line because we are all one family. The love we have for each other is a deep familial bond that cannot be broken. That line, and this play, reminds all of us of the importance of a true friend, something I hope to always remember.
Woods, L 2
Take an umbrella, it's raining <3 <3 <3
DeleteWhen I think of my favorite authors J.K. Rowling, Ellen Hopkins, and Stephen King come to mind. Each of these authors have written books that forged a fire in my heart that still exists today. Although these authors have given me intangible people and places that I adore, they were not the authors that made me love reading. Daniel Handler, under the pen name of Lemony Snicket, author of “A Series of Unfortunate Events” gave me an insatiable appetite for literature. He presented me a platter full of intrigue, dark-humor, and horror from which I ravenously delved into in just the first grade. Seeing as I was six, I was seldom exposed to books that did not have a happy ending. Reading these books was the beginning of an unusual preference that I have for the endings of stories. I crave for stories that end in unappealing ways, ones that leave readers feeling incomplete and seeking reassurance. As a reader now, I often find myself rolling my eyes at books that end with a cliché happy ending. I have always enjoyed books that do not end as the reader would like or expect, and Lemony Snicket gave me the first dose of this. Life is not a happy ending. Bad things happen, things do not always go as planned. Lemony Snicket showed me all of this, while also showing me that hope and perseverance can elevate one from the torments of life. I have internalized the essence of Violet Baudelaire and her ability to see a brighter future when the present is not pleasant. I have internalized dark-humor and the ability to see light in dark places. I remember that failure is not the end, but rather the beginning of something new, just as the Baudelaire orphans did when moving place to place. I fear that if I lose this author, I will be reenter a world of reading cliché happy endings and sappy love stories. Lemony Snicket asks that I remember that life can be dark, but if you look hard enough you will find the light.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite authors is Carlos Ruiz Zafón, who wrote The Shadow of the Wind (or La sombra del viento, as it was originally titled, as he is a Spanish author). I believe I first read The Shadow of the Wind when I was in middle school, browsing my sister’s bookshelf for a good book, as I often did. I came upon Shadow and the cover intrigued me, it being a man walking on the streets and into a book (say what you will about “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but you’re not going to pick up a book with a boring cover). I began reading it and was instantly enthralled in the mystery. There was suspense, love, romance, action, and, of course, death. It was probably one of the first books that I had read that wasn’t labeled as “Young Adult,” and I absolutely loved it.
ReplyDeleteThis book and this author, overall, taught me how to love books. Zafón states, “Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.” It spoke of the souls of books, how fragile they are. It also spoke immensely of the timelessness of books. It has been a while since I have read it, but I still keep the story with me.
However, I am afraid of forgetting the details. I remember the storyline, but not exactly. The last time I read it was sophomore year. Parts are escaping from me, and that terrifies me. It is one of my favorite books, but I cannot seem to remember all of it. That’s just not right. I am also afraid of forgetting the name of Carlos Ruiz Zafón. He is not an extremely well-known author in America, so who is there to tell me who he is when very few people here know him? The plot of the novel surrounds around this boy, Daniel, who has found a rare and truly one-of-a-kind book because the author, who is thought to be dead, has been tracking down and destroying all copies of his books. The prevalent message is that, even if only one person has read the book and loved it and cherished it, it has made an impact. Zafón only asks that if this book has impacted our lives, that we remember it. And that is what I am trying to do.
I really don’t want to lose this. I have already mostly lost that feeling of being immersed in the mystery, so maybe that means that it is time for me to pick up the book again and discover that world anew.
-Dushek, K 2˚
My favorite author would have to be Mary Pope Osborne. She is the children’s author of the Magic Tree House series. She created two characters that are siblings, Jack and Annie, who are able to travel through certain books that they point at when they are in a magical tree house. When they are placed in the plot of the book, time stops in the normal life that they live while they explore the pages within the book that they have chosen. From a very young age, Osborne taught me the value of a book. Some books have the power to take you on a journey with them and make it feel as if you are not reading a book at all. I often found myself in the place of Jack or Annie as they traveled through a medieval setting or climbed among the pyramids in the dry dessert of Egypt. Just as Osborne’s characters would be pulled into a story I was similarly lost within the book as well. I hope I never lose the sight of the significance in books. Osborne taught me that they were not created to just be read but for adventure, learning, and most of all a break from reality that her characters depicted in her stories.
ReplyDeleteRamsumair 7/8
Usually when I read I go by my interest in the book, not the author. When I was younger I would read all the time because I had so much free time, which unfortunately is hard to find now. Although Harry Potter is a cliché series to adore, I couldn’t help but fall in love with not only the story but I fell in love with the characters. Most people hear the word Harry Potter and make fun of it for its use of wizards and magic, but when I think of it I think of Harry being the most courageous character I’ve ever met. I think of how I idolized Hermione and her being the strong woman in the group who was intelligent and didn’t care what others thought. I think of Ron being the goofy guy that made a fool of himself but always stayed loyal to his friends. Its traits like these that help shape who you are while reading as a 12 or 14 year old. It teaches readers that these qualities are just something that we all have even if they’re not visible to ourselves yet.
ReplyDeleteI’m afraid of having these visible traits being lost to readers, that they wont be able to connect as greatly as I did to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Its hard to find honest characters to connect to and look up too and for it to be forgotten would be difficult to connect to another character like them. I feel that J. K. Rowling wants us to remember that when life changing things happen in our lives, to not forget who we are and what special qualities we all have.
S. Güt 7/8
ReplyDeleteThe author I love is James Patterson. Since I was in middle school I admired his books. He wrote my favorite series Maximum Ride and now looking back I realize how young he made himself seem. He put himself in a teenage girls shoes and told it as Max would. I connected with her because of how Patterson wrote. Patterson taught me that even when you think you cant, you can. He wrote books from all different viewpoints. Whether it was a humorous book for kids or serious for adults, so many age groups fell in love with his words. The way he portrayed scenery through his description makes the books seem so timeless. He never gives a year but its not hard to figure out what time frame he is writing in. the themes are never too hard to catch so that makes it easy for me and all readers. Some like the challenge of figuring it out, but I enjoy the obvious. I internalized the character of Max, because as weird as it sounds, I think of her when tough times happen. She fought through every situation she was in, whether it was a natural disaster, relationship issue or the fact that she was half bird, she never gave up. She had a tough side that I love to carry.
I remember how I felt when I was about to purchase a new book in the Maximum Ride series. That set of books made me want to read. It showed me how reading can become a movie screen in your mind. I am afraid to forget the feelings I had when reading the book. I cried, laughed, smiled, and was scared or disgusted, depending on which book and what event was taking place. I remember the order of events and how I felt and am afraid to loose it in fear that reading will fade in it’s meaning to me. Max’s sarcasm such as “So there you have it, the extent of my charms: brown hair and eyes like unbarfed chocolate. I'm a lucky girl,” from the book titled Max, shows her attitude that carries you through the book and I believe I inherited part of that same attitude she has. Max has become a huge part of why I read, and James Patterson can take all the credit for writing words that changed the way I see books.
-Camille
A book more than an author stands out to me for this post, being the Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Though I was not alive in the time of World War II, like many books they remain relevant no matter the time period. I loved the language, and a quote from the books saying "your words...make them your own" really gets to me. It says that we have ultimate of our own outcomes in the world. It says we decide what happens to us, what's next in our story. I fell in love with the characters, though with a tragic ending I will not spoil for those who read it, I found myself nostalgic for reading the book when it was over. Someone once asked me what my favorite book was, and my response was I don't know. They said to me, imagine if you could only read one book for the rest of your life. Though not a fair scenario it helped me to find this one. Told from the perspective of death, I will miss the interesting thoughts and commentary of the world through death. I hope to not lose the passion and light the characters show, even though the rest of the world is such a horrible place at the time of the book, the characters are so happy and content with reading and writing in a basement with some chalk on a wall.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the recording. I don't know how to explain how I feel which is contradictory because the entire thing is about using words. However I just really related to it.
Westphal 2nd
One author that I have loved the works of for a long time is Rick Riordan. Riordan wrote the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, which is one of the best series that I have ever read. I remember the humor the most. The books were easy to become hooked on because of the humor put into them. I know that I was hooked by the table of contents with the witty and funny, yet strangely accurate chapter names such as “we got advice from a poodle”, “I become supreme lord of the bathroom”. What it has taught me is about teamwork, friendship and how to deal with responsibility. There are not really any quotes I use to remember this. The overall idea and plot is what I remember: a group of friends with the fate of the world resting in their hands, and they must work together and rely on each other to save it. There are the things he taught me: friendship, teamwork, and responsibility. I have adopted his thoughts on these things and started to realize that sometimes there is a need to work with others and rely on other people to get a job done. What I am afraid to lose from the books and the author is not any of things; in fact it is actually the characters that I fear forgetting. Each character has a reason for being added, and each character has a unique personality that seems unforgettable. It has been a while since I read his books, and I have to admit I find myself asking, “Was it Elizabeth Rachel Dare, or Rachel Elizabeth Dare? Was her name Clary or Clarisse?” Each character has a lesson that they bring to the table, be it bravery, loyalty, kindness, or the like. I fear forgetting them and the lessons they bring. Selena with her bravery, Percy with his loyalty, Bianca with her love for her family, or Annabeth with her intelligence. I fear forgetting their descriptions, names, purposes. Riordan, however asks us not only to remember his words, his characters, his stories, but also his morals. The most unlikely person turns out to be the one who saves the day. The morals behind the books: do not judge people on past actions, trust others to have your back, anyone can be a hero, and stand up for what is right and what you believe in. These morals that every human being should share is what Riordan urges us not to forget. Through time, these lessons will be necessary, because everyone will have to defend their opinion at one point; everyone will have to rely on others for support at least once in life. For these reasons, he asks me, and other readers, to not forget the morals that Percy and his friends come to realize.
ReplyDelete~C. Lenhoff 2nd period
Now this question is very hard for me. I have many books that are a part of my favorites list for different reasons and they are not all by the same author. Though if I had to choose one author I would say Stephanie Meyer. The reason being that just recently I was asked to choose what my favorite book was and it took my forever to even decide but I eventually decided on The Host because of the story and writing.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though Meyer’s writing is enticing and it is hard to stop reading once you start. Even though I am not the biggest fan of the Twilight Saga I still believe it is not a bad story and there have been many worse ideas published. This was actually the series that got me interesting in reading because I started the book one night and I could not put it down, I was half way through the book in one night when a few months before I could not even get though half of a book in a month. I felt like every word was pushing me forward and there was no stopping point. I did not like Bella and thought she was an idiot through all of the books but I still reread them because I was drawn to this because I felt something for the characters, and there was so much to talk about. This was the same with The Host where I could not stop reading and there was so much information to analyze. I think in all of her novels they present ideas that have not been explored and pushed the boundaries of what is accepted. She created the idea of sparkly vampires and wrote a novel about an alien invasion from the alien’s point of view. I feel like she is teaching us just through her ideas to not always accept what is normal, but to try our own ideas and see what happens. Now whenever vampires are discussed more than likely the word “sparkly” is not far behind because of the impact Meyer had with her idea. I hope she writers more novels and continues to push the boundaries of what is considered normal. And I wish to maybe do the same however I can in my life.
A, LoDolce 7/8
I read and listened to Neil Gaiman’s tribute this morning before work, which is when I had planned to do my blog. I read the prompt, however, and just could not decide who my favorite author was. After having thought about this all day, I decided that John Green is my favorite author. Green taught me the importance of just having somebody. In his most recent novel, The Fault in Our Stars, Green showed us the impact Hazel Grace had on Augustus. If he had never met Hazel, Augustus would have died alone in his car the night that he had tried to get himself a pack of cigarettes, the night his G-tube burst. However, Augustus had somebody to call. Augustus had Hazel. This portion of the novel really spoke to me. Green really got across to me here, and he made me realize how much light can be made of each and every situation when you have someone to support you through it. Similarly, in his novel Paper Towns, Green taught me the same lesson. Q could not have found Margo if it weren’t for Radar, Ben, and Lacey. More importantly, however, Margo never would have been found without Q. Although John Green has taught me many lessons, the most apparent of them all is that everybody needs somebody. This is what I have internalized most. I am currently around a quarter of the way through his other novel, Looking for Alaska. I’m frightened that after I finish this book, I will have nothing left of John Green. Although he has other books out, I’m afraid that nothing else will ever compare to these three, especially Paper Towns, which is my favorite book. I think John Green wants us to remember to make time for love. Without it, we are empty.
ReplyDeleteCruse S, 2
Stephen Chbosky and C.S. Lewis -- two very different writers from completely different time periods -- shaped me into the person that I am today. I can not say that I have a favorite author, but these two men created texts that I believe helped me grow up.
ReplyDeleteThe evil queen of snow and the godlike lion immersed me into the world of reading. I remember an instance in elementary school when our class attended the book fair, I knew exactly what I wanted. I remember immediately locating the six-book series depicting the tales of Narnia, tugging on my dad's pant leg asking if I could get it. Those were the first real books I read, graduating from the children's books with elaborate pictures. I started the novels at a very young age, so they took me years to finish. Naturally, they impacted me greatly given the time I spent with them.
Unfortunately, my middle school career was spent with the Twilight saga glorifying a weak female character who could not function without some sort of male figure, so I like to pretend that those years never happened.
As we move into high school, one of the books that helped me through these past four crazy years was "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. I had mentioned it in a previous blog post, but it really is an important novel to me, even if it is a bit cliche. Given everything that happens to us in high school, we can't help but wonder if we've gone insane or if everyone thinks like we do, or if they walk down the hallway and see things the way you do. That book honestly kept me sane. It taught me that it was okay to think unpopular things and to be passionate about it.
The most prominent lesson it taught me is to enjoy the little things and live life as it happens. The golden trio in the book has a favorite pastime of simply driving through a tunnel and listening to good music or their "tunnel song". The gesture is simple, but the moment in the book contains the most expressive writing and conveys overwhelming emotion from the characters just basking in the glory of existence. The novel made me believe in being human.
The following quotes are from "Perks" and are very important to me:
“So, I guess we are who we are for alot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there."
“Because I know there are people who say all these things don’t happen. And there are people who forget what it’s like to be sixteen when they turn seventeen. I know these will all be stories some day, and our pictures will become old photographs. We all become somebody’s mom or dad. But right now, these moments are not stories. This is happening. I am here, and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it. This one moment when you know you’re not a sad story. You are alive. And you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you’re listening to that song, and that drive with the people who you love most in this world. And in this moment, I swear, we are infinite.”
-Javorsky, R 2*
As with many people in my generation, and even my classmates within this course, the author that has impacted me and changed my life the most drastically was JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series. Reading is and has been my life for a very long time. I admit, I very rarely have time to read for pleasure anymore because there is an endless parade of work from my classes and projects, even in the summer, but the feeling of cracking open a book about fictional lands and imaginary people is still one that I hold near and dear to my heart. Because to the readers, they are not imaginary nor fictional. To the readers? They are our friends and our homes.
ReplyDeleteI wasn’t always the most popular girl, I admit that much, so my friends weren’t necessarily traditional. Yes I had people I spent time with and walked through the halls next to, but my real adventures didn’t start until around eight o’clock at night when I would hop into bed and dive into the world of Ron, Hermione, and Harry himself. These books taught me about friendship, perseverance, and what it means to give up the things that are most important to you for the benefit of others. I remember laughing and crying and chucking my book across the room occasionally because THAT is the impact that a novel can have on it’s reader. If you’re not feeling anything about the characters (love, hate, grief, jealousy, annoyance, etc.), then either you or the author is doing something wrong. Books are the closest humans have come to magic if you ask me.
I couldn’t imagine what would happen if I were to lose my memories of the Harry Potter series. Frankly, thinking about that happening makes me want to cry. Those books were my childhood, and I know that sounds cliché but it’s true. I wouldn’t have nearly as many fond memories of growing up if it hadn’t been for those characters and those places. Following that train of thought, for about two years now I have wanted a tattoo from the last Harry Potter novel, The Deathly Hallows, that says: “We are part of you, invisible to anyone else.” In context it was about Harry’s loved ones walking with him to his death, but for me and for many of the readers that these books touched so deeply, it means so much more. We carry their stories, and their triumphs, and even their loses with us. I can try and explain it a million different ways but deep down, what JK Rowling gave me is a precious and priceless gift that I will carry with me for the rest of my life and (hopefully!) pass on to my own children… Only they won’t have the pain of waiting a whole summer for the last novel.
- Angie G. 2*
When I read and listened to this tribute, it was a bit difficult for me because unfortunately, I do not have a favorite author. Though this is the case, the first author that came to my mind was J.K. Rowling. Typing her name seems a bit cliché to me because when people think about J.K. Rowling, they think about the Harry Potter series, and then they think about how everybody loves those novels. As cliché as it is, she has really shaped my life in the way that I view reading and the way that my childhood went.
ReplyDeleteReading these books by J.K. Rowling taught me as a child to have an imagination and to never let it go. She taught me to get into something and to be passionate about it, no matter how difficult it may be or what other people think of you. Surprisingly, a lot of the people that I went to school with as a child did not like the Harry Potter novels. The only reason I got into them was because my cousin was reading them, so I thought I would give them a try too. This taught me that it is okay to like something that others do not. It was kind of funny because at my first glance of these books, I thought to myself, “Oh my gosh, I can’t read these books… They’re huge!” I was never really a “reader” as a child; it wasn’t really something that I would willingly do for enjoyment. These books, however, expanded my views and interests in reading and gave me a chance to experience some of that wonder of reading as a child. This is all of the great stuff that I remember and I think I will remember for a long time.
I am actually kind of scared of forgetting my love of magic that J.K. Rowling instilled in me through her novels. These books and their author taught me how to have an imagination and how to enjoy reading, and I am afraid of losing that love. Each time that we are obligated to read a novel for school that is not enjoyable, part of my love of reading sort of diminishes and makes me remember all of the bad experiences with reading. In remembering J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series, I hope to not lose the love for reading that I have developed.
Shaniuk B, 7/8
The structure of “Anthem for Doomed Youth” demonstrates a Petrarchan sonnet, including an octave for the first part and a sestet for the second section. This helps break up emotion throughout the piece. The octave is more direct about the present while the sestet reflects on the future. One rhetorical device used is imagery when Owen states, “Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes” (11). The imagery helps give the reader an inside look at to how the people feel when a loved one is lost, especially to the violence of war. It can bring sorrow and tears; something no on should be subjected to. Another device used is a simile in the first line when it states, “What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?” (1). The simile helps compare the death of the soldier to the deaths of different animals on the farm. When the killing takes place on the farm, it is so routine, just like it is happening on the battlefield. By using the comparison, Owen is able to demonstrate just how the men are killed, with little attention and memory. Overall, Owen is able to demonstrate the magnitude of the war with many different literary devices.
ReplyDeleteBruggeman, Jacob 7/8th