"The Horror, the Horror"

Like we have talked about in class, I think that when Kurtz says to Marlow "The Horror, The Horror," he could be talking about his life. I also think that these words could be referring to the jungle where Kurtz spent the majority of his life. Looking back on his life, Kurtz could have possibly realized how much "horror" the jungle has in it. After all, it did bring him to his death. Kurtz could be blaming the jungle for his ruin both physically and mentally. Like many things that are filled with "horror," the jungle was very intriguing to Kurtz. It is natural for humans to be "mystified" by dangerous things in the same way that the jungle and all of the secrets that it seemed to hold intrigued Kurtz.

The Horror, The Horror

I think Kurtz says "The horror, the horror" as he is dying because he is thinking about all of the horrible things he has done while in the jungle.  He might also be realizing the true horrors the jungle possesses, and the fact that he has become one with the jungle is horrifying to him.  I also believe that what we said in class today is true. Kurtz's life flashes before his eyes, and he realizes the magnitude all of the horrors he has ever seen in his life.  He becomes sane by the hand of something insane; the jungle.  He becomes tame in the untameable. 

The Darkness of the Heart: consider this inversion of the title. Any significance?

Heart of Darkness

Like everyone has been saying, Heart of Darkness was extremely confusing to understand and read.  It also did not help that I had my wisdom teeth taken out at the beginning of the break, so every time I read it I was completely out of it.  Though I can admit I cannot give much insight as to the plot, I personally appreciate why it was written how it was written.  Like we have said in class, the book was written to be read as if the reader is going through the jungle.  In my opinion the words are the leaves and trees you are trying to push your way through, not being able to see very far ahead, while the overall theme of the book is reached from how the journey was taken.  The movie we are watching in class is really helping me understand what happened in the book and to play out how everything went on.  I think it is very creative how Marlon Brando (sp?) changed going through the jungle to being in war.  Yes, Vietnam is a lot of jungle, but I can make the connection to the fact that the jungle is a gruesome, raw, long struggle as is war. 

Heart of Darkness

I thought that Heart of Darkness was very different from the other books that we have read this year. There is no clear villain, and no cunning plan. It is apparent that Marlow sees the jungle as an evil being and it constantly terrifies him throughout the story. To me it seems as if Marlow sees Kurtz as a victim of the jungle. All of the evil that surrounded him ended up corrupting him. It was a difficult story for me to follow, but I liked the narrative story. I confused why we never find out who our narrator really is.

HOH

Heart of Darkness was a really tough read. I felt like I was reading the same sentence five times before I  had actually processed. To be honest, I'm not quite sure how Heart of Darkness ties in to what we're studying, but that may be a part of my inability to understand what I read. Yes, there were cannibals, a seemingly corrupt "Company," dark, twisty jungles, and ferocious natives, but nothing really evil stuck out at me. From what I read, it seemed like an antsy captain, eager to get back out there, got assigned a really challenging "mission" that brought him to hell and back. Anything truly bizarre happened in the third part of the book when the reader finally meets the notorious Kurtz, a washed up old man that became immersed in the native culture. From all of that I don't think I could pin point a certain theme. Maybe disappointment? I feel like Marlow built up this big adventure (Kurtz included) in his head only to realize that what awaited him was nothing more than a bunch of savages and a narcissistic scholar.

heart of darkness

After getting through most of the confusing parts, at the end of the book i really enjoyed it. When i started reading, i wasn't sure of what the story had to do with the class. I think that it has to do with evil because once Marlow is in Africa, he is surrounded with nothing but evil. There are cannibals, random cannon shootings, the bad guy Kurtz, dead bodies, skulls, etc. Good is no where to be found, so Marlow has no other choice but to choose evil and become intrigued by the ways of Kurtz. In the end, once he is out of the evil area, he still shows the effects of it when he lies to Kurtz's fiancee. He stresses how much he hated lies at the beginning, but after being around the people and conditions at the station, he has obviously changed,

Heart of Darkness

I read Heart of Darkness last year, but I still found it a little confusing this time that I read it. However, it did make more sense than the first time. I think that this book is definitely one that you have to read a couple times in order to fully understand everything. I like what we said in class today about how Conrad wrote this book in buched up, confusing words.....so that it kindof resembled the jungle. To me, this book was about Marlow finding himself through his journey to see Kurtz. He had heard mostly all praises about this great man and was looking forward to finally hear his wise voice. However, when Marlow finally reached that point, I think that he found the station a bit disturbing with all the heads on the poles and what not. I think that throughout Marlow's journey up the river, his human consciousness became less and less prevalent. At the beginning, he war horrified with all of the people running around  in chains and firing randomly into the jungle; however, by the end he had kindof almost accepted this wildness and was only slightly disturbed by the things he saw. When he met Kurtz, he realized that he seemed kindof normal, even though he still praised him. I think that the whole story, maybe once fully understood, can be related to the reader's life. It involves a journey where you may change and in the end, you might be pleasantly surprised, or disappointed depending on your choice on path. I'm not really sure if I'm on the right track here.....these are just some ideas!

Heart of Darkness

I thought Heart of Darkness was very difficult to understand, but it was an interesting story and worth the confusion. One thing I was not clear on in the book that Coach Crook answered today was that there are two mistresses. I was also confused as to why Marlow still took a fond interest in Kurtz once he found out that Kurtz was evil. Marlow states that he hates lies, yet he is not appalled by far worse done by Kurtz. Kurtz is so intent on killing all the brutes, yet Marlow is not shocked or discouraged at all. I actually think the best part of Heart of Darkness for me was the fact that the cannibals were portrayed as allies with restraint, whereas the natives were portrayed as scary savages. It's small, but I thought it was cool how he just simply gave the word "cannibals", which is not a words to describe someone you want to be friends with,a somewhat positive connotation without even trying hard. Overall, I thought the book was really interesting!

HOD

I liked the concept behind Heart of Darkness. I think it was hard to read, which may be attributed to the style that Joseph Conrad wanted to portray. I liked the plot and the idea of the story. The parallels as well as the obvious evolution in Marlow, which can be noted by many factors including his lie at the end of the novel, are very beneficial to the story. I agree with Kathan, the fixation that MArlow has on Kurtz is a bit weird, but at the same time I think all of us have similar obsessions at one point or another.
Someone in class today said that they thought of Kurtz as extremely old, however I think we have to remember that in those time periods people had a much shorter life span than we do today, I would guess 40 years old was considered elderly.
Overall, I liked the novel. I think the term having a Heart of Darkness can be said about everyone. Human kind has definitely proved it has an evil side, and even if you are outwardly an angel, you probably have inner thoughts that reflect a heart of darkness.

Heart of Darkness

I honestly did not completely understand The Heart of Darkness, so my thoughts on it might be completely off.  I thought one of the main themes of the novel was corruption/madness.  This corruption and madness I feel like had a presence in Kurtz throughout the whole novel, but it soon transferred over to Marlow to some extent.  Marlow tells us near the beginning of the book that he can't stand lies.  Yet, at the end of the book, Marlow lies to Kurtz's fiance about Kurtz's last words.  I think that Marlow's obsession with Kurtz kind of led him down the road of corruption.

Heart of Darkness

I just finished Heart of Darkness and I am confused about two things.  The first is why Marlowe likes Kurtz so much.  I understand that he is very interested and fascinated with him, but I do not understand why he wants to defend his reputation.  I also do not really know all of Kurtz's ideology.

Othello Critical Discussion

" I do not mean the ridiculous notion that Othello was jealous by temperament, but the idea, which has some little plausibility, that the play is primarily a study of a noble barbarian, who has become a Christian and has imbibed some of the civilisation of his employers, but who retains beneath the surface the savage passions of his Moorish blood..."

I like the idea of not only Othello being considered a "noble barbarian" but us as well. It's like the idea of everyone having good and evil in them. I think this also relates to how in Paradise Lost, Adam and Eve are the creation of god, but are tempted by sin anyway. Humans try to not sin and be good so they can go to heaven. Yet, a lot of people sin daily. So on the surface some are good, but beneath they actually can be bad.

Paradise Lost

I have found what we have been reading for the past couple days very interesting. I love the part when Satan sees the sun and thinks back to his days in heaven. It's like we get a sense of Satan's small existing humanity here. However, his pride over rides this regret, and he soon jumps back into his normal self. He recognizes his own faults, but is too prideful to repent. He figures he must make the best of the situation....which is somewhat admirable. I also really like the part when he first sees the Garden of Eden and again recognizes the perfection of this place. He is mad at Adam, Eve, and God because he lack what they have so abundantly: peace and harmony.

Othello and Paradise Lost

One quote which I really agreed with was "Othello's hell is to contemplate the result of his own hideous perversity, and ours is to see ourselves in him." This quote came from a book titled Motiveless Malignity. I really like this quote because o the last part. While we were reading and discussing Othello, whether it was the first time or third time, almost everyone in the class was speculating about if they would have been tricked. Because of Iago's methods, I think we all would have. Yes, perhaps Othello got mad a bit too fast, but in the long run the result of Desdemona's death would have been the same. Iago was that good at being a master puppeteer for the other characters in the play.
Iago manipulates all the other characters in the same way Satan does. Beezlebub is Satan's Roderigo at this point in PAradise Lost. I am really enjoying how all the material we have covered is becoming more and more connected.

Othello Discussion

One of my favorite quotations that i wrote about in my discussions was "It was only when alone that Iago revealed his frightful wickedness and his fiendish joy in it, and there it was, in that revealment, an icy malignanty of exultation that caused a strange affect of mingled admiration and fear."I found this quote very true because after I read it, I noticed how Iago really did save his ultimate villainy for the moments when he was alone or talking to the audience, where we could see his true colors and how deceiving others brought him happiness. I wanted to feel hatred towards Iago, but at the same time, the way he was so passionate and ruthless in his business made me want to admire him too. The same goes for Satan in Paradise Lost because although he is a larger than life evil character, something about him is intriguing. He makes Hell seem so interesting, especially how he takes on tasks like a war with God with such ease and pleasure. We want to find him Hellish and grotesque, but the craziness of all of his stories (like the one today about his twisted family tree) make us want to hear more and hate less.

Paradise Lost

I am really enjoying Paradise Lost. The plot twist today was the last thing I expected, and I loved it! I can't wait to find out more about Satan's children that he never knew existed. I really want to know who the mother is!!!! I can't wait to find out.

Othello Critical Discussion

One critical discussion quote that I found interesting was "His [Othello] jealousy and disillusion, to be sure, are entirely justified by the actual events and are not the result of deceitful slander, but they hit him with equally destructive force."
I said that Othello obviously makes himself suspicious enough that Iago doesn't really have to do much of anything. Even the littlest events (like the handkerchief) seem to upset Othello. He is responsible for his own misleading and suspicions. Iago places these ideas into his head, which are mainly illogical, yet Othello continues to believe them and act accordingly upon Iago's nonsense. Othello's mind has the ability to put him into a totally ridiculous state. He is so full of suspicions that his brain is eating away at itself and destructing little by little.

The four plans

I have confusion about the plans.  I know Moloch wants to fight in another open war because he would rather die than lose, and Belial wants to do nothing because he thinks that he can get use to living in Hell.  I think that what Mammon wants to do is build a kingdom in Hell that they can call their own.  I don't get why that is greedy; it just seems like another Idea.  What really confused be is when Beezulbub started talking. He mocked Mammon for wanting to separate them selves from heaven, but Satan and Beelzubub don't want to associate with heavn, and they want to build a kingdom in hell just like Mammon wanted.  

Othello Critical Quoatation Gathering

“it is her relaxed, frank, sexuality and the passionate response it arouses in Othello which generate the tragedy.”

Pg. 81

(Women and Men in Othello  -Thomas Neely)

This quote talks about Desdamona and her role in the tragedy.  This particular viewpoint only focuses on her "relaxed, frank, sexuality" that brings about a passionate, loving quality in Othello that is so different from his rough, warrior exterior "which generate[s] the tragedy" (Neely 81).  However, coach crook commented on this quote and asked about how her innocence plays into the tragedy as well.  While I agree with the quote above, I also think Desdemona's complete innocence in this situation stirs up the reader's pity for her.  Yes, the out-of-character tenderness Othello shows towards Desdemona is moving, but her purity and sincere innocence to the crimes laid upon her definitely contributes to the sad inevitability of her unfair fate. 

Paradise Lost

In lines 120-228, Belial is giving his opinion of what the fallen demons should do.  In his argument, he states that "Our purer essence then will overcome / Thir noxious vapour, or endur'd not feel, / Or chang'd at length, and to the place conformd / In temper and in nature, will receive / Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain; / this horror will grow milde, this darkness light" (215-220).  Basically what Belial thinks they should do is nothing.  He argues that eventually, they will get used to hell and it will become less horrible than it seems to be now.  In his long speech he also points out that if they go to war again, their punishment from God could only get worse.  He believes that by doing nothing, things cannot get any worse, only better or more bearable. 

Angel Edline Sheet

All I really know about Angels are stereotypes, and random things in the City of Bones book series. I am definitely familiar with some of the terms mentioned in the handout, such as Seraphim, Cherubim, and some of the Magnificent 7, like Raphael, and Sariel. In the City of Bones, the swords of shadow hunters are named after angels, so that's pretty cool. At the end of the sheet it says that a scholar noted the angel count to be above 304 million....I am not quite sure how you can make that number....

I am really enjoying Paradise Lost. I kind of wish it was not so detail orientated and more narrative like because the story and plot itself is very engaging, but we are definitely moving through it at a good pace. I like how more and more ex-angels are getting introduced, I that keeps happenning.

Iago's Deep-Hearted Inferiority Complex

When going back through my Othello Critical Quotation paper, Coach Crook had an interesting question about the comment that I made about Iago's hidden evil motives.  He asked me whether I thought Iago has a deep-hearted inferiority complex that he could ever admit.  I definitely think that Iago has a deep hearted inferiority complex, but he doesn't really admit it.  At the end of the play, he does not deny that he caused all of the chaos to happen, but he never directly tells Othello or anyone else in the bedroom exactly why he did what he did.  I think that Iago wants to keep his motives to himself because he has a reason to dislike Othello, but that reason is not legitimate enough to cause the major blood bath that he did and I think he knows that way deep down.

Paradise Lost Book 2

I wanted to make sure that I was understanding what I was reading today in Book 2 of Paradise Lost...... It seemed like in the 40 lines or so Satan was again trying to suck up to all of his demons by calling them "deities of heaven" and such. But then I think a new character came into the scene...Moloch. Then he starts talking about how everyone there has no where to go but up since they are in hell and cannot really do much worse than that. But who is Moloch? Just another demon?
The reading said that he was a "sceptred king" but I was kindof confused on what that meant.....

Reading 2- Why the angels are in Hell

The main thing I still do not understand is what God is going to do with Satan and all of the angles that followed him.  I also do not understand what is fueling Satan to keep his rebellion going.  He knows he will never get anything out of it so he is just acting out of anger, but I do not see why he is so angry.  The only reason I can think of is because he is to proud to give up.

Reading #2

In the reading tonight and in class I found the part where Beelzebub sucked up to Satan very interesting. I was kind of confused about there relationship at first, but when Beelzebub started his speech "O Prince, O Chief" I started to see what he was to Satan. The seriousness of this address showed that their relationship is all about business, and also how servile B is to Satan. Even though B is inferior, some of his ideas were really good and his intelligence is probably why he is Satan's right hand man. When B suggests that they are still alive for a reason, and that God has a purpose for putting them in Hell, whether it is to suffer to be slaves. The way the speakers switch up a lot is what confuses me most about the poem, but once we get further into it I think it should be easier to follow.

The Voice of Reason

In our reading tonight, I found the conversation between Satan and Beelzebub to be very interesting. Disclaimer...I could have completely read this the wrong way. What it seemed like to me was that Satan kept going on and on about how the battle with God was not over and how the Rebel Angels can still defeat God because now that they have fought him once, they know His tactics.  After Satan has shared all of this information, Beelzebub seems to be the voice of reason.  He keeps saying that God is almighty,and he is also trying to figure out what they should do while they are in Hell because he is trying to indirectly make the point that they are not going to defeat God, so they should try to make a life for themselves in Hell.

1st reading: Paradise Lost

From what I have read so far of Paradise Lost, I have found it to be very interesting. Milton starts out the poem showing great respect for God and all of the miraculous things that he has done. I thought it was kindof strange that he really just listed alot of familiar stories from the Bible since God obviously already knows these, but maybe they're just part of his prayer. I like that he draws the comparison between the God that helped Moses on the mount Sinai and that he is the same God that Milton is trying to address right here. He seems a little arrogant when he is talking about how he is going to write a poem greater than anyone's ever before him.....but I don't know...maybe he has good reason to be? I really like all of the evil language that Milton uses when he describes Satan and the process of becoming Lucifer to what he is now. It kindof reminded me of Othello when Milton talks about the fact that by God allowing Lucifer to go on living in hell rather than just killing him, he is actually making him suffer more. Those lines are similar to when Othello tells Iago that it would be more desirable to die, which is why he just stabbed him. Othello kindof hopes that Iago will go on living and suffering in the same way the God wants Lucifer to suffer and regret his decisions. I also liked the contrast that Milton made when he described hell and its absence of anything good as the complete opposite of heaven. The images that Milton puts into the reader's head when describing all of these seemingly intangible things is very helpful.

Paradise Lost

I really like this book/poem so far. I think it is a cool perspective on a story that most of mankind knows from childhood. The only thing I wish was that there was a more defined set of rules for angels v. humans. Although speculation isn't necessarily a bad thing, I don't really like how everything we say is either a human rule applied to the angels or a hypothesis.

Man's Possesions

I just wanted to comment on something that I thought was interesting today. Coach Crook pointed out that God was not interested in the unnecessary gifts that man had to offer he was just interested in them being the best self they can be. Immediately my mind went to the dragon in Grendel that hoarded treasures that he couldn't even use. He wanted men to not have possessions, whereas God sees he has no use for them so he helps man make use of them. I don't know quite where I'm going with this, but I thought it was kinda interesting!

Godfather part II

I feel the same way as Carter about the family without Vito. Even though Michael is the new leader of the Corleone's, Vito was a stronger power and held the family together a little better than Michael. I found the abortion news also very surprising, but also, I kind of felt myself waiting for Michael and Kay's relationship to fall apart since it had so many problems and barley any communication. Even though the slap was a little dramatic, I understand why it happened. The fact that he was going to have a son and was to busy in the family business to realize it probably also made him feel guilty. Michael had so much stress building up inside him from everything going on lately in the movie and then the news of his family falling apart puts him over the edge. At the end of the day, he needed his family and when he found out they were leaving him, he couldn't control himself. The fact that he was going to have a son and was to busy in the family business to realize it probably also made him feel guilty.

The Godfather Part 2

Michael's full-of-himself attitude is really getting annoying. Kay obviously had reasons to be mad at him, since he was never really honest with her. I can understand her being so mad at him; however, the part when she told him that she got an abortion was really shocking. She didn't really seem like the character to do something like that, which was what made it so surprising. Yeah it was not cool when he hit her that hard. They were both doing the screaming, and she didn't deserve to be hit. He was being an inattentive husband. He was always consumed with the "family business" and always just left her out of it, for her own safety. Also I really liked the part when Fredo was telling Michael how he was always feeling left out. I always wondered if that bothered Fredo that he was so disconnected, and today we saw that it obviously did. That was the first time that Fredo really spoke up for himself. I kindof even felt bad for him at that point, since the family really did forget about him. He probably only tried to shoot Michael to get some attention out of someone. This family is getting really really dysfunctional without Vito Corleone.

The Godfather Part II

The flashbacks in the movie are starting to annoy me.  At first I liked them, because I saw their purpose.  I also liked the plot they portrayed.  (Background of how Vito comes to power and his experiences as a child that make him the way he was).  While the purpose of the flashbacks remain the same, the spacing of them is frustrating.  I feel like some of them are too short or too long without enough of the present day shown in between. 

The Godfather Part II

I really enjoyed what we watched today. I hated how we ended when Michael hit Kay; that was not cool. I understood how Michael got to face the court, but I was confused about what step in the legal process that was. It seemed like they had no proof of anything they asked him except what I can only think was Cicci's accusations. It definitely didn't appear to be a courtroom, more like a round table discussion of some sort, so that threw me off a little bit. I am still enjoying the flashbacks. I love how Vito is just gaining more and more power. I think as I like Vito even more I start to dislike Michael even more, probably because I am always finding differences between the two of them. I love Vito's calmness and the way he handles things; Michael on the other hand is just becoming annoying.

Vito vs Michale

   When I was watching the first movie, I kind of forgot the fact that the the Corleone Family was an crime family.  During the first movie, I loved all the characters in the corleone family, and I wanted them to stomp out the rival families.   In the beginning of part two, Michale doesn't have the respect that his father had, the family looks unhappy and cynical towards each other, and the business is more white collar crime.  The plot to get the senator on their side reminded me of what the Corleone family really does.  It makes me wonder what Vito did to get the respect and power we saw in the first movie.   When Vito died in the garden, we talked about him dying as a friendly monster.  The more I watch Michale and Tom create the new Family empire, the more of a criminal he seems to me. 

Godfather Part II

So far I think the Godfather Part II is really good.  It is definitely as shocking as the last movie.  One thing I noticed was that Michael is always very calm and fatherly.  Don Corleone in the first movie was not portrayed to be as fatherly as Michael is in this movie.  I also have sympathy for Michael, because he is not treated with as much respect from his family and business partners as Don Corleone was.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that later in the movie Michael might do something rash in order to assert his dominance. 

Flashbacks

I am really finding all of the flashbacks into Vito Corleone's life to be very interesting.  The flashback that we saw today really gave me insight into why he did what he did when he grew up.  I also found it interesting that Clemenzo was his "mentor" and how in the Godfather part I, Clemenzo was working for Don Corleone even though Clemenzo taught him the ropes of the business.  I wonder how Don Corleone moved up in the ranks to be more powerful than Clemenzo because in the flashback, Vito follows Clemenzo around like a lost puppy!

The Godfather part 2

Two things that I noticed about the movie today were that, one, the senator was obviously uneducated about Vito Corleone because when he read out the name of who the check was addressed to he pronounced the boys middle name like v-eye-toe. Also, what was the old man blabbering about when he pointed to the band on his arm? the man next to him said "It wasn't a heart attack". I'm assuming they are talking about how Clemenzo died, but I wasn't too sure.

Act 5 Othello

Something I noticed in the movie was the scene when Othello is trying to convince himself to kill Desdamona.  When he says "put out the light, then put out the light," he was holding a candle.  He continues to hold the candle and carry it around as he continues to talk to himself.  Since I thought he meant he was going to put out the candle and then Desdamona, it was distracting when he dragged out blowing out the candle.

Othello Ending

I found a lot of scenes in the end of the movie Othello to be very interesting. First of all, it really made me mad when Othello was walking into the bedroom to kill Desdemona, and he was having to convince himself that murdering her was "the right thing to do." It was like he had to brain wash himself into doing something that he actually didn't want to do. And then Desdemona's face and her whole scared character was rather terrifying. The way that Othello killed Desdemona was really insane and it showed how messed up Othello's mind really was. Also, the end when they put their bodies into the ocean was also cool because it was the exact same thing when Iago dropped the chess pieces into the water. That was very clever of the movie producers to set it up that way.

Iago's Soliliquies

I am not a huge fan of the way Kenneth Baranagh stares directly at the audience.  I know thats how he does it in the play sometimes, but I don't like it on the film.  It feels a little to dramatized. I think I would like it a lot more if he would just talk to himself. 

Iago's Reaction

I forgot to mention this in class, but when we watched the video in class today I noticed something that I thought was comment-worthy. At the beginning of the scene we watched, you see Cassio and Iago standing after Cassio's demotion. When Cassio goes down on his knees and wails at the thought of what he's done, it seemed to me that, for a second, Iago sort of looked like he was contemplating whether or not he thought it was worth it to comfort Cassio. I'm probably wrong about that, but it was something I noticed and didn't mention in class, and IT'S BEEN BOTHERING ME. Did anyone else notice that??

Everything goes Iago's way

I really really enjoyed this play as a whole. I found it very easy to keep reading because a good amount of interesting action was always taking place. I liked Shakespeare's style of building up all of the reader's suspense and thoughts until the very end when everything kindof works out all falls into place. Certainly alot of things all happened in the last act....but I liked this. About Iago...I think that he is very clever because throughout the whole play he is really just using each of the characters and really turning them all against eachother. Everyone in the play may be a little gullible until the ending, but I think that is what makes Othello so good. Iago takes advantage of everyone's trusting attitudes and really uses them to make himself look like the good guy....even though he obviously isn't. I think that Iago knew that eventually in the end everything was going to crumble down once people started realizing what was going on; however, I think this is how Iago intended it to be. He knew that he was probably going to get caught in the end, yet still took the chance to ruin everyone else's lives. I think that is what makes Iago a true villain.

Othello Thoughts

What a great way to end the week!  Excellent comments on the play that we will continue to explore.  If you have any leftover thoughts, please post them.  Ms. Robinson is also monitoring our posts to see if we can get email alerts.  Have a good weekend!

Shakespeare makes me depressed

Well, I just finished the play and basically I am depressed. I am extremely upset Desdemona died, even though I knew it was coming. I am glad that Othello and Rodrigo died though. I wish that Othello would have had to suffer a bit more for what he did to Desdemona. I feel like he understood he got tricked...then immediately killed himself. I am not even sure if he really truly understood what happened.
For some reason I don't think the pacing of the events in this play worked for me. I realize that Shakespeare's tragedies all unfold very rapidly, but this one didn't feel right.
It also makes me really sad that Barbantio died because of Desdemona and Othello, especially since there marriage ended up so horribly.
Also I may have misinterpreted this, but I think Othello had a line right before he killed himself saying he would see people in heaven....thats annoying because he should definitely go to hell, at the very least purgatory.

Iago is Hardcore

I actually find it somewhat funny that Iago is constantly in the room when people are talking about him. It's like those cliche moments when someone does something bad, doesn't tell anybody, and then feels like they just look so guilty when their friends are talking about it with them. I mean people are constantly calling him a jerk or the devil, and he is standing right there hearing these things said. Somehow he STILL manages to live with himself even when he knows people think these things about him!

A really bad Iago

I don't know if you guys watch the office, but there's an episode where Andy tries to get Michale to fire Dwight.  The joke is that Andy is doing a really bad job of what Iago does, but Michale is too trusting and incompetent to figure out that he is scheming. 

Othello Act 4

There is no doubt this play is frustrating for the reader because of the seemingly aloof characters.  They all seem to fall a little too perfectly into Iago's hands.  However, I have a theory about why these "coincidences" are so.  It is obvious that the people in the play are not a standing off to the side watching Iago as he stares into the camera telling us all of his evil plans and thoughts.  The characters have no indication of Iago's masterful plan, because all they see is "honest Iago".  They have no reason to believe anything other than what he tells them, because he has a reputation of being honest.  Beside the obvious fact that the characters in the play do not see his soliloquies or his asides, Iago has another strategy that helps him achieve the unbelievable.  Iago has yet to actually do a vicious act.  He just aids the others in doing things that get them in trouble without them realizing what they are doing.  They put themselves in bad situations, and they are completely oblivious.  This strategy is how Iago achieves turmoil.  He sets up others in such a way that Iago looks good and is never suspected of being the villain.

Othello

After talking today in class, I find a lot of the advice Iago gives to people to be ironic. He tells Othello not to be jealous, but Iago himself is jealous of Othello. He also tells Othello to not believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio because he has no proof, but in on of his asides Iago tells us that he believes the Moor is having an affair with Emilia and he has no proof to back it up. I can't tell if he is intentionally being a hypocrite and it's all apart of the master plan or if it's just coincidence.

Othello the Movie

The scene that we watched today and Thursday in class was very interesting. I think that Roderigo's character and the way that he reacts to Desdemona's love for Othello is a little dramatic. I realize that is how his reaction is supposed to be....but he might be over doing it a little bit. Especially when he so immediately switches into a good mood as soon as Iago uses his persuasiveness. I think that Iago does a very good job with his character, acting somewhat similar to a devil figure. The movie shows him whispering into Roderigo's ear just like a little devil figure on his shoulder. Somehow, Iago's words are very influential on Roderigo and immediately pull him out of his slump. I didn't really like Iago's aside when he was just staring into the camera. I thought it was a little too obvious that he was saying something important and maybe for once finally telling the truth. The ending to that scene, with the chess pieces representing Othello, Desdemona, and Cassio was a little over the top I thought with the lightning and crackling fire. However, I did like that the chess pieces represented the plot that will occur in the play. Iago is a very clever one.

Othello the Movie

One of the reasons I liked the movie is because the actors saying things helps me understand what is going on.  One thing I don't like is that I feel that a lot of important little words are flying over my head. 
The scenes also go a lot faster than I think they when I am reading the play.  I don't know if it's because they or they abridged the play or I just read slow. 

Othello the Movie

I have yet to make an opinion specifically about the movie, but I think so far when we discuss the play in class it is more effective for me. I like the visual that the movie provides, but I feel like because Kenneth Branagh who plays Iago has been so many characters to me within the past year, including Hamlet, Gilderoy Lockhart, and Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing, that he hasn't quite assumed the Iago role for me yet.

On the other hand, I like Othello. I disagree with what Caroline said, but that's probably because I envisioned Othello as creepy. I didn't really imagine him as kind of a sentimental man except when he's with Desdemona, which I have so far seen in the movie. I like Laurence Fishburne in a lot of other movies, Matrix, Tuskegee Airmen, but since I haven't seen those movies in a while, his other character roles aren't interfering with my opinion of him in Othello like they do with Kenneth. 

Othello

    After reading act three, I didn't get the clown part.  I know it probably isn't important.  One thing that is really bothering me is that everyone is doing things that make Iago's task easier. 
Desdemona keeps nagging Othello about Cassio being reinstated and Cassio makes a secret meeting with Desdemona, and when Othello shows up, he storms out.  If Cassio just went home and Desdemona just stopped talking, everything would be okay. 

Othello the Movie

I really enjoyed the parts of the movie that we watched in class today.  I do think that the actor that plays Othello, though, has very little emotion which makes his role less effective in the play.  His speech to the Duke was a lot more effective to me personally when we went over it in class than when he said it in the movie.  I also find him to be a little bit creepy in the movie, and I don't see him being like that when I picture him when I am reading.  What are y'alls thoughts on the actor that plays Othello?

Othellow

When I was reading Act II, I was very confused about why Iago encourages Cassio to petition to Othellow to get his job back.  Wasn't the whole point to get him fired and out of Othellow's respects? Maybe I am missing something.  Could someone please help me figure this out?

What's Iago Really After?

I definitely agree with Julia that Iago is similar to Dorian in that every evil action he does is driven by selfish desires, and the thought that doing so will make him a better person. Iago is obviously jealous to a certain degree of the success that Othello has reached. In Iago's mind, Othello doesn't deserve to have this kind of recognition or ranking. So instead of taking his lack of promotion like a man, Iago targets Othello, the most successful one there, and tries to bring him down. Just like the Devil did in "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", Iago is trying to take down the most successful in order to satisfy himself with just a pinch of pride for doing so.

Othello

I am wondering if y'all think Iago has a similar internal struggle as Dorian Gray. They both create chaos, and I wonder if Iago is immune to it, or if he like Dorian has some kind of internal turmoil. Looking forward to reading a lot more of the play this weekend!

I really found our discussion today in class to be very interesting.  The thing that absolutely amazed me was the comparison between Iago saying, " I am not what I am" in Othello, and God saying "I am what I am" in the Bible.  I think the contrast between the two is really interesting because Iago is the opposite of God because he is so evil, and this quotation confirms that he truly is similar to Satan.  The thing I wonder about though is if Shakespeare meant for Iago to say those lines to contrast God saying "I am what I am" or if it has just been interpreted to be that way.

Othello

   I actually read Othello in eighth grade for Independent Reading, but like the first time I watched the Godfather, a bunch of things flew over my head.  I never really took the time to think about Iago, I just really did not like him, and I didn't really like talking about him.  Now that we are discussing him, he seems a little more interesting to me.  When we were talking about his mind set, he really seemed like a modern villain because the way he finds pleasure is so strange and hard to understand.  The way he takes everything as an insult makes him feel so nasty.

Another thing that I kinda glossed over when I read the play was the amount of racial commentary/content.  The way that the race issue seems really modern to me.  I think it is interesting that people back then found it interesting. 

The Godfather

I thought the movie was really good, and it really ties into what we are learning this year. The characterization of evil that comes through as "doing good" is fascinating. At first, I did not care for Michael, because I thought his intentions were evil rather than "business" like his father. Don Corleone focused on the business side of things and keeping the family on top.

The Godfather and Othello

So now that you've finished the first movie, what are your thoughts?  What is the manifestation of Evil that you see so far?  What are your thoughts on Michael?  How is he like/different from his father, The Don?  Also, please read Act I of Othello for Tuesday.  As you read, please post thoughts/questions on this great tragedy.  Have an Evil Labor Day!

The Restaurant Scene

I think the most effective part about the Restaurant scene was when Mikey was looking for the gun. It was presented like it wasn't planted there and it took him a while to find it, so watching it I thought maybe it wasn't there and his whole plan would be ruined! It was almost annoying that it took so long to play out. I understand the point but he probably spent five minutes in the bathroom, or at least it felt like it. Once he managed to find the gun, he took his sweet time actually pulling it out from behind the box, and then even more time fixing his hair before he walked out. It really got suspenseful when the train came flying by. The noise got louder and kept building and when it finally ended, Mikey decided to shoot everyone. Overall it was a great scene, just frustrating.

The Restaurant Scene- The Godfather

Probably the most effective part of the scene is illustrated in how there are no subtitles when the two men are speaking Italian. Coppola intentionally keeps the mystery, because he feels that the audience should pay more attention to the body language and hand gestures the two men make. It leaves the audience's imaginations to do the work, and they have to infer what is being said in this important meeting. After watching the scene the second time, I picked up on a few words that helped me get the basic idea of the conversation; however, I could not understand the whole thing. At this point my imagination was left to the translation. We also realize that Michael is not very comfortable speaking Italian. This shows the audience how, up until now, he has not been involved in the family "business". This scene in the restaurant is his first real hit, and it is also his sort of "induction" into the family. In this scene, Michael goes from being the little brother in the family to a respected, valuable member.

The Restaurant Scene

In my opinion, the most suspenseful moments were the ones where you were so sure in your mind you knew what was coming next because it is so self explanatory, but then you ended up being wrong. So instead of watching everything play out as planned, you were constantly debating in your mind how they were gonna go about it. For example, when Mikey went to the bathroom to find the gun, he starts to panic because he can't find it. In my head, Im thinking "Oh no, it's not there" and I quickly play through what I think the stories gonna turn out like in my head. However, moments later he finds it, and that makes me nervous because now I'm not sure what's coming next.

The Godfather

I found the restaurant scene to be very suspenseful. It made me so nervous because I was unsure if Mikey was going to go through with the plan and if everything was going to work out like it was planned. When they started to talk in Italian, it made me suspicious as to what they were saying, and that scene also helped build the suspense. It was interesting how unsure Mikey seemed about talking in Italian, but then again he was just about to commit a murder, so he was probably pretty nervous anyways. The part when Mikey went to the bathroom to get the gun was so nerve wrecking. At first I thought he wasn't able to find the gun, which made me even more nervous. The whole set up of the scene in a little town, in a deserted restaurant, also made the scene more suspenseful. However, Mikey did play the murder very cool and hasn't gotten caught...yet.

The Godfather

So, what do you think about the movie so far?  Any questions?  What do you like about it?  What is confusing?  How do you see it fitting in with any of our summer reading? 

Oscar Wilde and Dorian Gray

So, what do you think about the biography of Oscar Wilde?  Does it give you some insight into our novel?

Out of all three required summer reading books I read this summer, I enjoyed Grendel the most because of the thoughts he had and the progression of his “evil side”.  Grendel was also my favorite character, because out of all the characters I read about, Grendel was the only one I sympathized with. The Picture of Dorian Gray had the most “action”; therefore, it was my favorite plot.  The Screwtape Letters and Grendel had a less traditional plot and instead focused more on the development of a character or the development of evil.  In my opinion, Grendel had the best setting and atmosphere because of the eerie and whimsical nature of the book.  The portrait of Dorian Gray that changed the more evil Dorian became was the most developed and obvious symbol that illustrated the horrible effects of sin.  I found all of the books fascinating because in all of my readings at Woodward, none of them have really had the purpose of displaying evil.  I am not saying all of them have had happy endings, but I believe the ideas of a tragedy are different than the ideas of a book that is “evil”.  However, I did not care for The Screwtape Letters, because I never got into C.S. Lewis’ style and language.  Other than some of the profound language in The Screwtape Letters, the thing that confused me the most was the relevance of the dragon in Grendel.  The dragon was the only character that I did not understand fully.  When it comes to being “emotionally involved” with a book, I related to Grendel’s character the most.  His confusion about his identity, the uncertainty of why he does certain things and his struggle to understand his place in the world is relatable to my own life in ways.  I can sympathize with the struggle to find who you are as a person and where you belong in the cycle of things. 

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight was amazing. Christopher Nolan is a genius. I am not sure how to discuss it without giving anything away :) therefore coach crook you need to go see it now so then we can discuss it!

Evil Movies

Thanks for your Evil Vents. Now, before we get to Othello, I  ask you to post or comment on movies you have seen lately that will relate to our class.  I am interested in the latest Dark Knight, which I have not seen.  So don't give things away!!! But you don't have to stick to The Dark Knight.  Thanks--CC

Summer Reading Vent

In my opinion, all of the summer reading books were relatively interesting, but if I

had to choose one, I would choose Dorian Gray. Maybe it’s because his story slightly

resembles a reversed Benjamin Button, or maybe it’s because a he was just a guy who

gave into temptation which most people can relate to. Also, I’m the kind of person

whose guilty pleasures consist of crime shows, lawyer shows, and more crime shows. So

even though he murdered Basil in the very ending part of the book, I kind of felt like

I knew all along that he was going to go crazy by using my television-given knowledge

of murders and crimes, and that kept me intrigued. Although most people saw Lord Henry

as good comic relief, my favorite character would have to be Basil. Basil is really my

kind of character because, even though Dorian treated him like an annoyance, you can

tell that from the moment Dorian changed until the moment Dorian stabbed him, Basil

wanted Dorian to get better. He saw that Dorian was going down a bad path and needed

help, whereas Lord Henry led him right to the welcome mat of the crazy shack. In my

opinion, everybody, no matter what kind of character, needs a friend like Basil.

Although he was a bit stubborn, he stuck to who he was, not who someone (Lord Henry)

made him believe he should be. For this reason, when Dorian killed Basil, someone who

would never turn his back on Dorian, it was clear to me that there was no hope for

Dorian to get better. All the lives that he ruined, or even ended, made me kind of

glad when he killed himself. As much as I would like to know what the book said, or

what the note said, I was really just satisfied that Dorian finally realized that even

though the painting kept him beautiful, it was a punishment. It kept him pretty, but

it made it so he could never escape his sins, but in fact, would be haunted by them.

In a normal world, a person makes a mistake and they get the advantage of learning

from it and moving on; however, Dorian chose to cheat the system, I

guess you could say, of growing old, so in return, he had to live with the memories of

every single sin until the day he died.

Summer Reading Vent

            I liked Picture of Dorian Gray, but it was my least favorite out of the three summer reading books and my book of choice.  The plot of was exciting and original.  I really like how dark the story gets, and how it probes questions about people and human nature.  As the story progresses it made me think about how immoral people can be.  Watching Lord Henry easily mold Dorian into a hedonist made me wonder whether or not people really want to “yield to their mind’s temptations.”  I also liked a lot of the dialog in the book, especially Lord Henry’s.  It is nice to hear such uncensored justification of selfishness, adultery, prejudice, and pleasure.  His rants were extremely engaging and sometimes they even sounded reasonable.  My main complaint about the book was the characters. I really did not like any of the characters.  Lord Henry was interesting at the beginning, but that was it.  Dorian should have been smart enough not to listen to Lord Henry’s nonsense about giving in to himself.  Then he drives Sybil to suicide, then ruins a bunch of peoples’ lives, and then kills Basil. Then there is Basil who should have stayed far away from the Dorian because he was clearly going to kill him in his house. 

            I was confused by some parts of the book.  The part where Henry convinces Dorian that Sybil’s Death was artistic did not make any sense to me.   I really do not understand how Dorian is comforted by the fact that her death was artistic. I also did not really understand Lord Henry’s rant about influence and why it is bad. 

            The Screw tape Letters was really interesting and thought provoking.  I like how hell is portrayed as a business or a bureaucracy of some sort.  I got a picture of the Screwtape sitting in his office and plotting the depravity of humans.  I like Screwtape as a character because he is sarcastic and has a funny view of the world.  I also like the Screwtape’s relationship with his nephew because it makes the story funnier and more relatable. 

            I thought that telling the story through letters between demons was fantastic.  The letters show a different view of the theological and moral points that C. S. Lewis.  Every time Screwtape writes a letter, he includes how the “Enemy” wants people to act in order to join him and then he describes how the demons  get humans to ignore his rules, break his rules, or make them think that they are following God’s rule while in reality they are sinning, bringing them closer to Hell.  It is hard to describe why, but for some reason the morality that Lewis and many other religious writers try to convey is much more influential coming from a demon.  Maybe it is because we are thinking about Screwtape’s goals while reading his letters to Wormwood and while I or read religious texts, I feel like I am reading a rule book.   

            Throughout the whole book, I felt really bad for The Patient because he was constantly tempted by Wormwood.  The thing that really stuck with me is how easy it is for humans to sin.  The Patient was a normal guy, and at the end of the book it almost felt as if he went to heaven because of a lucky chain of events.  I think the fact that he is normal and he does normal things helps get the message across because it makes explain the sin in everyday life.  Things like murder and theft do not really need to be explained.

            Grendel was my favorite book because I really like fantasy books like The Lord of the Ring and the Inheritance Cycle.  When we read Beowulf in ninth grade, I did not really feel good or bad about it.  It was interesting and fun to discuss in class but I had forgot about the story after I read it.  Grendel made was great because it gave Beowulf so much more depth.

            One of the things that I like about this book is the fact that it gave Grendel a personality.  The complex villains and their twisted incentives are the best part about comic book.  I think that is what was missing from Beowulf.  Old Grendel was basically an animal.  New Grendel has a fascinating past that explains why he goes to the Danish mead hall to terrorize them.  In some ways he is even a relatable character.  He is just trying to find a sense of purpose in the world.  I think he sees the animals in the wild and gets mad because he does not want to be like them; a brainless being that does the same thing every year.  The only person who gives him advice is the crazy dragon who tells him his only role in the world is to give the Danes value to their life.  I love the way he observes the humans before marauding and listening to his justifications and philosophy.  It reminded me of reading a super villain origin comic.

            There were two other things that I wanted to bring up with this book.  One was Hrothulf who was talking about overthrowing Hrothgar to Red Horse.  It just seemed out of place in the book.  Another is the way that Beowulf takes a back seat to Grendel in the story. In this book, Beowulf is only included in about ten pages and has a very small role in the whole book.

               Overall, I actually liked summer reading this year. I chose Mockingjay as my optional book. Even though you aren’t supposed to choose a book you have previously read, I did because I am a die-hard Hunger Games Trilogy fan. Naturally as a die–hard fan, I had already read the book, but I did re-read it for probably the 15^th time. I am excited for the discussion tomorrow mainly because I love just talking about the Hunger Games, and I know other fans are in my discussion group. Luckily with a series like the Hunger Games Trilogy, even though Mockingjay is by far the worst of the three, the discussion will still be amazing because of the background plot set by the first two books.  Overall I am just an obsessed Hunger Games fan, so it was great to jus tre-read the book. The first book of the mandatory summer reading books that I read was The Picture of Dorian Gray. Being the first summer reading book I picked up, reading it dragged on and on for me throughout the summer. I never really got into the story until Dorian becomes the vain, selfish person that he is when he dies.  The flaw in Dorian is his impressionability. Originally he starts off, as a sheltered, innocent, and especially attractive boy who basically has not experienced anything the world has to offer. Lord Henry manipulates him as early as their first interaction, but even then I was not interested in the book. The writing style that Oscar Wilde uses seemed to drag on and on for me. I can’t even tell you when I began to not mind reading it. Thinking back I think it was when Dorian’s character and morals had fully transformed, but that might just be my opinion after having read the entire book. Personally I did not think all the description of Dorian at parties with random people was necessary. The connection between people could have been established in less than half the pages that Oscar Wilde used, in my opinion. Next I read the Screwtape Letters. My mentality going into this book was horrible. I had heard from multiple people that it was the worst of the three books. I was dreading reading it, but after I realized what the book was about after the 2^nd or 3^rd chapter, I couldn’t put it down. I have a weird fascination with religious studies, not in the sense of studying the bible, but more like why people believe what they do. I loved “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” and almost everything we read in Ms. Ratliff’s class during the unit involving Puritanism. I knocked out Screwtape in a day, and I don’t think I have any problems with it. Initially I was confused as I am sure most people are about who was who. Because of the perspective, “the Enemy” is God, and I found that fascinating. Almost all of the human tendencies and traits that Screwtape described, I could relate to, either directly or indirectly, in my experiences with religion, and that fascinated me. I loved the book, and I loved how Sckrewtape analyzed the human behavior patterns. The idea of the subtle influence that the Devil’s helpers were using to influence the humans was a topic I have read about, and it was great to see that topic from a different perspective. After finishing Screwtape I started Grendel. I thought Grendel was okay, but I didn’t really enjoy Beowulf, and I didn’t really connect with Grendel either. I am glad I read Beowulf first though mainly because I view prequels as a type of reveal, and I enjoy that a lot. I understood the plot overall about Grendel’s transformation from a sheltered beast to one who terrifies humans. The dragon at first confused me, but then after getting further in the book I realized the significance. Overall for me it was just a book to finish for the test, I didn’t really enjoy it too much. It was just the typical summer reading book for me, and I also think that reading it after Screwtape was a let down.

Summer Reading Vent

My favorite book would have to be The Screwtape Letters. I enjoyed this book the most because I found every short chapter of the novel to be interesting. Every time that I ended a chapter, I was wanting to start the next one in order to find out about Wormwood’s success. Also, I loved that the book was written from the demon’s point of view and telling the reader the opposite of what one would normally hear. When I first started reading the book I remember being a little confused because Screwtape referred to God as the “Enemy”, which you usually don’t here. I loved how he called the devil “Our Father Below.” At times I found the book to be ironic because it was based on such an oddity being written from one of the demon’s stand point. I also found this book interesting because I knew that C.S. Lewis generally writes Christian novels, so this book took a different approach to that. While Screwtape was telling Wormwood what to do in order to get his victim away from Christianity, C.S. Lewis was simultaneously telling the reader what is “moral” in the Christian views. 

I also really enjoyed The Picture of Dorian Gray very much. What I enjoyed the most about it would probably be the dramatic personality change that is most apparent in Dorian Gray. The corruption of Dorian Gray into the man that Lord Henry ultimately dictates was very entertaining. Although his character changes very dramatically, this influence that Lord Henry had over Dorian is sometimes apparent in real life. Lord Henry had a way with words, which made him so appealing to Dorian. It is also interesting how Basil knows and sees the original, perfect Dorian Gray and is murdered trying to tell Dorian that he should repent for all of the horrific sins he has committed.   However, the ending would have to be the most interesting part. The irony of the ugly painting showing Dorian’s ugly soul is now portrayed on his dead body, which is now ugly and decrepit. 

Grendel was also an interesting novel because it showed the point of view of the monster that we all know and have read about in Beowulf. Throughout the whole novel, I have some sympathy for Grendel, which probably comes from seeing his mother and their relationship. Also, Grendel seems to have some pretty solid thoughts when he sees the corruption and disorder of man kind. From the beginning of the novel, we see how Grendel is constantly being mistreated my other animals as well as humans, which forces the reader to pity him. The ending of the book, although kind of expected, is still sad because Grendel’s convincing story has, after all, persuaded the reader to side with him against the humans. 

Summer Reading Vent

Grendel

For starters I couldn’t help but sympathize with Grendel. To put it best, he was really just misunderstood, which was made evident when he first encountered the warriors. In the beginning, his kills weren’t just for mere sport. They either came as a whim or to satiate his hunger. Even after his meeting with the dragon and he embraced his monstrous nature, he still showed a gentler side by sparring the queen. It was incredibly frustrating to read about a monster, who truly didn’t seek out to harm, give up simply because his words could not be understood by the warriors. Context wise, I didn’t quite understand what Grendel’s mother’s point was to being in the story. She was mute, and didn’t do much but lie around in their lair. Was the author only trying to prove how years of monstrous living could depreciate a soul in its entirety? And if so would that have been Grendel’s ultimate fate? It was a good read. It may have been a little slow in parts, but not so slow that I lost interest.

Mocking Jay

            Mocking Jay was definitely my least favorite of the series. In the first and second book the author builds you up to expect this grand finale. It comes, but it’s the majority of the book. Not to say that it wasn’t exciting, because it absolutely was. However it wasn’t the climax I would have expected from a teen, romance, drama. It all became incredibly depressing. Everyone you’d grown to love in the first two installments died, or worse, lived in misery. So I suppose in some ways it is what you would expect, rather it is what would rationally come from the siege of a corrupt society: death and despair. Unfortunately it’s not what I wanted. Peeta and Katniss did end up together, which is exactly what I was rooting for, however, Katniss could never fully heal from the Hunger Games and everything that resulted from it. All in all it was a lovely read. It just left me wanting a happier ending.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

            This book had me all over the place. In comes Dorian Gray, a charming, wealthy, beautiful young man that was utterly stripped of his purity. Lord Henry is the venomous bad guy that you just want to scream, “Shut up!” at, and naturally the author sets it up perfectly. You know something terrible is going to happen when Basil warns Dorian of Lord Henry. You know it’s going to be even worse when Dorian completely ignores the warning. Compare it to any bad scary movie that’s ever been made. There’s a suspicious noise in the background, and the helpless damsel goes to investigate. She slowly creeps open the closet, back tracks for the slightest of seconds, and out pops the stalker, waiting with a knife. All the audience, or in this case, reader can do is just sit helpless and watch as this idiot girl walks into her death. Well, that’s exactly what happened. Dorian walked straight in to Lord Henry’s trap, without even thinking twice about Basil’s warnings and all other obvious red flags. You think things might turn around when he gets engaged, but no. He emerges from it more terrible and self-serving than one could have ever expected. I think that the worst part was that he realized his mistake too late. Once he had truly wished to take it all back his death had already been laid out before him.

The Screwtape Letters          

                The patient goes to heaven! After all of that conversion that went on in the book I was so happy to find out that when the patient died, Wormwood hadn’t been successful in making him a meal. I learned a lot from this book, although it wasn’t my favorite I appreciated the interpretation had on religion. I noticed that by writing as the devil’s servant it made the message of God that much easier to understand. For example, Screwtape mentioned regularly how little thoughts and opinions mattered unless put into action. The action was key to sin. Say I don’t like someone at school. That does neither God nor the devil any good. If I were to vocalize those opinions, In C.S. Lewis’s eyes that rewards the devil and disappoints God. The action, if you will, is the defining factor that brings you either closer or farther away from God. It really frustrated me that the letters took so long. I felt like Lewis either dragged his point on, or took to long to get to it. But of course, that extra detail is what makes a story. You’d think though that being a “Senior Tempter” would require a certain amount of efficiency in relaying a message, but Screwtape delivered none whatsoever. I also found myself annoyed with Wormwood. I know he was learning, but he seemed to be truly incompetent. No matter what the cause laziness and negligence, as seen when the patient had his second conversion, just shouldn’t be excused! If your going to do something, I think you should be darn good at it!

WELCOME EVIL CLASS OF 2013!!

Let's get off to an Evil start by posting your Summer Reading Vents to our EVIL BLOG, as well as to TURNITIN.COM.  You may simply cut/paste the same post for both, or in your BLOG, you may expand your comments to follow up on a fellow EVIL STUDENT'S comment.  There is no wrong way to do this.  Just don't DISAPPOINTMENT me with not giving good effort or being on time or being insightful.

CC

Evil Music Genre

I was looking at a music blog Tuesday night and the latest post of the day was called Tarot Cards volume 1. And I read the description and it said the genre was called 'witch' and it took a while to warm up to because it's insanely dark. I listenedto a few and there was definitely one song that scared me. The song is called lxc999 by white ring. Right from the beginning you get the feeling that something's looking for you and there's someone whispering "my face is gone" the entire time. Plus there are a few gun shots throughout. Definitely listen to it and tell me what you think

Hitler etc.

I remember in class that someone mentioned that Hitler does not look like the typical Arian and that it was a flaw of his, but I think it may actually be a strength. Because he does not look typical, he is beyond the realm of normal humans. This inability for the Germans to compare themselves to their leader may have help perpetuate this greatness- the idea that Hitler is someone different, beyond all others, someone to worship and someone worth of a sacrifice...