Yes, I know, I know, I know... I'm late. Very, very late. I haven't posted in a while, and I feel rather guilty about that fact.
So. Long story short?
One. Finished The Catcher in the Rye. I must tell you, I really did enjoy this book. Holden's loneliness and crappy social skills pulled at me -- although I guess those same behaviors irritated the rest of my class. Meh.
Two. Watched Ghost World.......... Oh wow. Female Holden Caulfield. And yet not. Holden clings to childhood, Enid craves adulthood. Both fail with relationships. Not to mention they can only seem to reach out when overwhelmed by drunken emotion. Overall, a strange movie -- go watch it. The symbolic horse will never leave my mind. :/
Three. Began Persepolis. A graphic novel (or rather, a graphic autobiography) told by Marjane Satrapi. It's the story of her life growing up in Iran, and it's a challenging perspective, I think, for any American to easily take.
But her childlike viewpoint is delicate on the audience and the imagery makes a vivid impact. It's a thick book that reads fast, and I would recommend this book to anyone. In any case, I think just about every American could use a little more understanding. Never before did I know the meaning of Shah or even give second thought to the pronunciation of the current Iranian president. Mouhmad Ahmadinejad, that is.
And I've been downright foolish for that. But I want to know, I really want to learn. As I read Persepolis, I just feel happy for the fact that Marjane published her story -- that she's teaching me.
Because what greater insult can you give to a country, than to ignore their culture?
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Leave the lies to the liars...
Reading The Catcher in the Rye, the book that may have inspired mass murder. I hear it's a classic. The life and thoughts of a self-proclaimed liar... who hates liars.
Holden Caulfield is... a strange character, to put it lightly. For a single moment, he invites you into his world with all his self-absorbed talk, and then he spins it upside down. He tells one tale for you, and another version of what should be his own solid opinions for yet another reader.
At first, Holden is pleased, almost eager to deal with whatever/whomever he wants. Then he turns critical, intensely spiteful. Does he truly like this person, or doesn't he? Well, do you? If you do, then Holden likes him too. He really does.
... But then, do you believe him?
I don't know how to trust Holden. There are always two sides to his story. I've never met such a likeable, distasteful, irritable, brazen misfit of a character before.
Who is he trying to please? Or is he really trying to please anyone at all?
Because at the end of the day, Holden seems to believe that he is better than everyone else. He's lonely, I think, but he'd rather be alone than under someone else.
For most, I think it would be difficult to keep up this self-isolation when in reality, there's this craving for good company. But then, whenever Holden is around other people for a while, the social interaction gets to be too much for him. So he pulls back, he lies, he gets bitter.
It's a constant struggle to be around people.
Holden Caulfield is... a strange character, to put it lightly. For a single moment, he invites you into his world with all his self-absorbed talk, and then he spins it upside down. He tells one tale for you, and another version of what should be his own solid opinions for yet another reader.
At first, Holden is pleased, almost eager to deal with whatever/whomever he wants. Then he turns critical, intensely spiteful. Does he truly like this person, or doesn't he? Well, do you? If you do, then Holden likes him too. He really does.
... But then, do you believe him?
I don't know how to trust Holden. There are always two sides to his story. I've never met such a likeable, distasteful, irritable, brazen misfit of a character before.
Who is he trying to please? Or is he really trying to please anyone at all?
Because at the end of the day, Holden seems to believe that he is better than everyone else. He's lonely, I think, but he'd rather be alone than under someone else.
For most, I think it would be difficult to keep up this self-isolation when in reality, there's this craving for good company. But then, whenever Holden is around other people for a while, the social interaction gets to be too much for him. So he pulls back, he lies, he gets bitter.
It's a constant struggle to be around people.
Friday, April 9, 2010
'Ello Stranger
Hello. My name is... Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
Haha, I wish.
Hello. My name is.. crazy high school girl. Lazy senior. Potential to become... something. Later.
Hello. My name is. My name is.. recovering after life kicked my butt. Learning to trust. Dreaming the impossible. Thinking too much, saying nothing. Rambling in simple written words.
Nice to meet you. The purpose of my strange spiels is to update you on the literary thoughts of my puzzling mind. First off, I'd like to tell you about my favorite book.
And that oh-so-amazing book is Speak. Brilliantly written by Laurie Halse Anderson. For those of you who haven't read this book, it is about a young girl named Melinda, struggling through both the typical awkward challenges of high school society as well as a recent tragedy that's compelled her to hide her voice. It's a beautiful, artistic journey through the mind of a broken girl, learning to pick up the fragile, sharp-edged pieces.
Hello. My name is Riley. Honestly.
P.S. If you don't understand the Princess Bride reference at the very beginning of this post, well, that's just wrong. Leave now. Save yourself.
Haha, I wish.
Hello. My name is.. crazy high school girl. Lazy senior. Potential to become... something. Later.
Hello. My name is. My name is.. recovering after life kicked my butt. Learning to trust. Dreaming the impossible. Thinking too much, saying nothing. Rambling in simple written words.
Nice to meet you. The purpose of my strange spiels is to update you on the literary thoughts of my puzzling mind. First off, I'd like to tell you about my favorite book.
And that oh-so-amazing book is Speak. Brilliantly written by Laurie Halse Anderson. For those of you who haven't read this book, it is about a young girl named Melinda, struggling through both the typical awkward challenges of high school society as well as a recent tragedy that's compelled her to hide her voice. It's a beautiful, artistic journey through the mind of a broken girl, learning to pick up the fragile, sharp-edged pieces.
Hello. My name is Riley. Honestly.
P.S. If you don't understand the Princess Bride reference at the very beginning of this post, well, that's just wrong. Leave now. Save yourself.
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