Go ahead Margaret..Use the boys washroom...

I agree with you Michelle that is was suprising to hear just how funny Margaret Atwood really is. That was a really good presentation by Erica: Lots of detail. I did read The Handmaid's Tale a while back, and like any good book the second time around was interpreted differently, or at least more was seen and understood. I hadn't read Orwell's 1984 prior to my first reading of Atwood's novel, so when I read it the second time I was suprised at the similarities. The eyes and big brother, not allowed to read, and so on. Jesse was saying something in class about it, but as usual it was over my head, please let me know what you were talking about Ratboy. I am glad that Dr. J saved this one for the last, as it was kind of final kick to the subjugation of women. It she had started with this one the others would have seems almost tame by comparison. When I was reading the novel I was reflecting on all of the other book we have read and the presentations given in class, especially Michelle's on women's working conditions in 19c England. The truisms in the nineteenth century about how women were treated and what we learned about them was bad enough. Could you imagine a uterus to give away. I can't remember where in the book that Offred is reflecting on her mother saying something like, "giving of herself for the compensation in the end" does any one remember that.. What did she mean? What possible compensation could there be?
I like Atwood's writing and would definitely read more of her literature.

Extry Extry....

My fellow thespians: I thought each and every member of Dr. J's Advanced Drama Class did a marvellous job, especially the highly under-rated charming little scamp who cried out "Extry...Extry"... What a performance....And the Oscar goes to...... Great job Folks...

Understanding a Room of One's Own.......

My apologies for delayed blogging: When I was reading Woolf's novel, for the second time, once with Dr. Creelman, I really don't know exactly what to make of Woolf. I thought she seemed abrasive and harsh; of course I usually read these characters all wrong. When she talks about the necessity of a female writer needing money and a room of one's own to be able to properly write, I kind of think it [the room] would be more of a sanctuary than a place of inspiration. When she was young she unfortunately was the victim of molestation. Having a secure place to get away from the insanity of the world would be a wonderful escape. Yeah, I guess that would be inspiring. I liked Michelle's take on reading the novel: She said, it was like breaking or shattering glass. I think I now know what she meant.

Another enlightening class.....

Today's class had some really wonderful perspectives about Adam Bede. When Jesse brought up the platonic contrast, it raised some debate over whether or not Eliot intentionally wanted to demonstrate this element. While Hetty and Dinah were seemingly polar opposites, I think they are simply to contrast society. Hetty, the beautiful, vain, pretentious social climber, and Dinah, the beautiful, morally dutiful, albeit verbose, do gooder, made the reader, or at least me, take sides. Was Dinah really hypocritical in her preaching? Perhaps.. However, wasn't gospel a way for women to voice their opinions during the period? If it was said to come from the Bible, wasn't it more likely to be accepted? As Jackie pointed out in her lecture, when it came to tradition, reason and experience, women were excluded. As her lecture stated, if I remember, methodism was personal salvation, sanctification, and witness of spirit. I would think, obviously, this applied to all.
I am glad Dr. J. clarified what "transportation" really meant. I often wondered if they, [convicted] were incarcerated upon arriving in Australia. After she pointed out that they could return to England after a specific term and then made reference to Moll Flanders, I remembered that good old Moll returned to England a rich woman after her stint in exile in Virginia. I wonder if I commit a felony I can get a first class ticket to Sydney.. Of course after I graduate...

George Eliot; Now That's Some Good Reading...

Greetings folks; I was about to call Jackie on her novel review when the book started getting interesting:
I really don't know if I like Eliot's writing better than Charlotte Bronte's, ok, I do, but I won't add another favourite to my "must read list". I liked Eliot's style in Silas Marner, which I read for Creelman's class but actually hadn't thought of it until "Adam Bede" was assigned.
As I said above, the book seemed to lag on for some time, I found it hard to be overly interested; half way through it was certainly more interesting. I think even with all of the dysfunction of the characters it really come down to a simple way of life with seemingly ordinary people. The characters were making their way through hardship and grief and sorrows, which made the book, at least me, sympathtic. I think Eliot tries to get the reader immediately interested or engaged by always seeming to be in the shadows and bringing up little character analysis' of the characters being introduced. One thing I had trouble understanding was, if Adam was such a rightous and morally strong character why was he so enchanted by Hetty, a vain and arrogant woman?
Pastoral life in England during the period, social and moral dilemmas, and Jackie's stamp of approval, Adam Bede has it all.

Jane comes through relatively unscathed

As I said before in my blog and again in class, I really enjoyed reading this novel. I do agree that is was the kind of book that needed to be read all at once; as Jackie's metaphor suggested, "the momentum of a train"; Good analogy.
When reading the book I did get a sense of Anne Shirley lurkng in the shadows. When she flares up at her cousin for what she she as an injustice, when she is put in the room and told to pray, the stern and powerful words of Bessie. While reading, I really did feel as if I were reading what could be a sequel to one of L.M. Montergomery's character's. Even the fact that both Anne of Green Gables and Jane Eyre are bildungsroman novels, although maybe not altogether significant, kept me in this rutt.
Perhaps a rags to riches story, or even romance, but the fact that Jane kept her integrity throughout is wonderful. She may have been socially inferior to Rochester, but surely superior in morals and values.
When Rochester loses sight in both eyes and use of one arm, he is metaphorically brought onto a more level playing field with Jane. She had courage, vlaues, morals, and integrity, but without money, all was in vain.
As I have said, I enjoyed many aspects of the novel, including the narrative. I found it easy to follow. I wish I could remember Wuthering Heights, many of the class alluded to it, including why Jane Eyre was more popular than WH; I shall re-read WH in the future just to get a frim understanding on the conversations.

Now on my Private Reading List

I think i will add "Jane Eyre" to my list of "must reads". Not that I have not read it, rather, I shall read it again; in the future. I was talking to some lady friends of mine who said it was a colossal bore, and that I would not enjoy it at all. Not only did I enjoy it, I think I shall put it before M.S. "Frankenstein" which I have read three times. Not only was the book a good read, the Bronte sisters are amazing in their literary abilities. It seems a horrible shame such talent would have been forced to adopt pseudonyms in the beginning. (more later)

Wow...Scientific Horror..

Like Dr. Jones, I really liked the description of the gothic element as "Scientific Horror". I just wish I had thought of it. Science does play a huge role in the gothic realm. If you read Bram Stokere's Dracula and then see the movie, the one with Keanu Reeves, you see that scientific element. I made the mistake of thinking that science or futuristic themes had no place in gothic, I was quickly set straight. Scientific horror, great analysis.

Pulling out the Gothic Elements

When we think of gothic literature, we seem to think, at least I do, of vampyric images, labyrinths, descending spirals, and images of blood. I believe we are to think more abstractly, by way of the sublime. Unknown or unseen circumstances can also be gothic.
When reading the short stories in the anthology some gothic images were hard to miss, while others were so subtle it was nearly impossible to extract them. For example, the pulling from the fire , in Parvenue, is a gothic image, and is easy to define. However, a rich heroine in Whisper in the Dark and her inability to make much headway in the patriarchially ruled world is another gothic element, but is hard to extract.
In The Old Nurse's Story, the usage of children as a terror tactic is also a gothic element.
Now that I have said my piece on gothic I will try and say a little on the authors who wrote these short stories. I think the motivation behind all of these writers is to expose the social injustices that plagued nineteenth century England. Not only were women marginalized in this era but children as well. I really enjoyed the short stories we were assigned. While we are engrossed in the tale, we are cognicent of real deficits in how genders and children were treated. Looking sub-textually we can identify these social inequalities between men, and women and children.

Well worth a third read...

I was reading some of your comments and it seems alot of may fellow students have read Shelley's Frankenstein at least once, some more, this too is my third time. Once in Dr. Creelman's class and once in Dr.J's class. I have watched the movie, at least one rendition, a couple of time also. I did, however, most enjoy the discussion in Dr. J's class on who in the novel was culpulable; the creature or the creator? In the class we squared off in a debate which seemed to me to end at a stalemate. I think Shelley would have been on the side of the creature. Most of the comments seem to suggest this also. But don't we all have some kind of, "dare I say it", God complex. I was reading one comment about how we treat others in society with less than admiral intensions. We seem to seek out what make us different rather than what makes us similar, and unfortunately start form there. We tend to place ourselves in a higher light while using someone elses shoulders to stand on. As I have said, I do enjoy this book as it forces, or should at least, to take stock in those marginalized by society.