"Midnight's Children" Post 7b

In the New York Times Review of this novel, it was stated that "The literary map of India is about to be redrawn... Midnight's Children sounds like a continent finding its voice". Although this is only from the back of the book itself, I think that it is very telling of the novel. Through the plot, the characters, and most certainly the prose, Rushdie creates a story of India. This reminded me much of the way that both Faulkner represents the South in his writing, specifically Absalom, Absalom! and Garcia Marquez represents Latin America in his writing, specifically One Hundred Years of Solitude. All three of these literary giants use their prose to immerse their reader in the place. Faulkner uses semicolons and runon sentences, making the reader feel like their are snared in the heat of the South, or listening to some old story teller going on endless tangents, almost forgetting the original story. Marquez blends realism and magic in a unique way, by including it not as something mystical but something simply to be accepted, much as curanderas are still figures in Latin America. Rushdie combines both of these elements in his novel, but he also focuses on quick sections of extremely vivid description, especially scents, which seems to simply evoke India for the reader. He also uses Saleem's journeys into Pakistan and his fighting on the other side of the war to show how closely the two countries were related, and how twisted their ties had become. Marquez also involves history in his novel: José Aureliano finds a ship left over from colonial times, a banana company comes to plantation the land, and Aureliano finds himself immersed in numerous insurrections and civil wars which to him have no meaning. In Abasalom, Absalom! Thomas Sutpen built his house upon the backs of slaves, all of the children are raised by slaves, and Rose's marriage is complicated and then ruined by the Civil War. 

I extremely enjoyed reading Midnight's Children and would definitely recommend it, but it falls in with both Absalom, Absalom! and One Hundred Years of Solitude in that it is literature. The writing style is not the one we are accustomed to: it is another vehicle for the author to impart their country and their home. This makes for an interesting, tough, yet ultimately rewarding reading experience. 

"Midnight's Children" Post 7a

Another cultural aspect of India in the modern time period that I noticed in "Midnight's Children"? I suppose it would have to be mysticism. I mean, the entire premise of the novel is based on the fact that all of the children born within the hour of midnight of the birth of India in India were endowed with special gifts, magical abilities. The author is requiring that the reader either take a leap of faith, read the novel disbelievingly, or decide to focus on another aspect of the novel than this integral feature (I took the last route). Superstition figures throughout "Midnight's Children", aside from the children's gifts. Many of the events happen in reoccuring cycles: Meruochrome flowing, sons not being sons, wives changing their names, women growing into Reverend Mothers, men shrinking, relying on magicians, and countless other repetitions . The characters in the book seem to stake a lot by the way of omens as well: when Saleem arrives in the magicians ghetto, an old woman calls him out: "'Ai-o-ai-o! Bad luck is come! You go to foreign places and bring it here! Ai-oooo!'" (445). Many of the magicians are swayed and it is only through the efforts of Picture that Saleem is allowed to stay. Even Saleem himself falls sway to meanings and signs: he applies the fact that Indira Gandhi's hair was white on one side and black on the other and applies it to numerous events: the black and white sides of the economy, the black and white sides of the Emergency, the black and white sides of her detainment of the MCC. Fortunately, everything is not black and white for long: the opposition party comes into power and Saleem is allowed to continue with what little life he has left. 

"Midnight's Children" Post 6b

In this section, Saleem describes the pickle factory where he is currently living. One isn't really certain what he is doing there, but you get the feeling that he is the owner. A pickle factory doesn't seem like a very appealing place, but he includes one description of it that, if it isn't a beautiful place, is at least a beautiful description of it: "I have not shown you the factory in daylight until now. This is what has remained undescribed: through green-tinged glass windows, my room looks out on to an iron catwalk and then down to the cooking-floor, where copper vats bubble and seethe, where strong-armed women stand atop wooden steps, working long-handled ladles through the knife-tang of pickle fumes; while (looking the other way, through a green-tinged window on the world) railway tracks shine dully in the morning sun, bridged over at regular intervals by the messy gantries of the electrification system. In daylight, our saffron-and-green neon goddess does not dance above the factory floors... Human flies hang in thick white-trousered clusters from the trains; I do not deny that, within the factory walls, you may also see some flies. But there are also compensating lizards, hanging stilly upside down on the ceiling... sounds too, have been waiting to be heard: bubbling of vats, loud singing, coarse imprecations, bawdy humor of fuzz-armed women; the sharp-nosed, thin-lipped admonitions of overseers; the all-pervasive clank of pickle-jars from the adjacent bottling-works; and rush of trains, and the buzzing (infrequent, but inevitable) of flies" (240).  I really loved this description: the area was covered so fully yet not systematically, more in a rambling way but you still got a feeling and view of the space: the image of the copper vats bubbling and seething was perfect, and the comparison of the human flies upon the trains to the flies inside the room was so well done: it just showed how a simple description of a pickle-factory is beautiful and unique in the author's words. 

"Midnight's Children" Post 6a

In this chapter an American character is introduced and I thought that it was interesting how she was described, both stereotypically and not. Evie Burns, or Evelyn Lilith Burns, lives "with her widower father in an apartment in one of the two squat, ugly concrete blocks which had grown up, almost without our noticing them, on the lower reaches of our hillock, and which were oddly segregated: Americans and other foreigners lived (like Evie) in Noor Ville" (207). The foreigners are sequestered in area, the rich success Indians are in a similar building but not intermingled. Evie, of course, is the quintessential American with her braces: "her teeth lived in a metal cage... (I permit myself this one generalization: Americans have mastered the universe, but have no dominion over their mouths; whereas India is impotent, but her children tend to have excellent teeth.)" (208). Another generalization, related to expansionism and Manifest Destiny of the United STates: "It has been observed that all Americans need a frontier: pain was hers, and she was determined to push it out" (208). Her way of talking is poked fun at: "'Hey, you widda leaky nose! Stop watching the schoopid ball, ya crumb! I'll showya something worth watching!'" (208). Evie's differences as an American go beyond where she lives, how she looks, and how she speaks: she comes in as a whirlwind and takes control of the boys lives. She is not a wife-to-be, has no romantic aspirations, is instead ready to occupy the position of "chief" (208). From a culture where women were traditionally expected to throw themselves on their husband's funeral pyre (called sati), this is quite a departure and shows the difference in her role as an American girl. However, its interesting to note that the boys don't mind her taking charge: Saleem falls in love with her and all of the others listen to what she commands, even from the first day. They don't resent that she is lording over them but is only a girl; they simply follow her. Either her personality simply makes it so or these boys are being raised in a more modern time. 

"Midnight's Children" Post 5b

Sometimes this book has a very unique writing style that is helpful, and makes it special cause it says something that could be said in a conventional way but in the way that the author expresses himself it actually makes more sense and is more natural when you think about it, besides inherently being rather beautiful. As this is rather vague, here are several examples: 

"Muffled shrilling of a bell penetrates the washing-chest, in which a nearlynineyearold boy lies uncomfortably concealed" (182). This one works well because Saleem is not yet nine but almost here, in a way that he is not eight any longer. I'm certain that when he is asked his age he rattles off this phrase "nearlynineyearsold" all in one thing: it has somehow taken on a meaning of its own, that stage of being on the verge, in between two states.

"I was gripped by hot fingers of excitement- the agitated insects of excitement danced in my stomach" (186). I enjoyed this metaphor because it does not seem as cliche as butterflies in one's stomach, it seems a little less sugar coated as insects are not quite as appealing. The repetition of the word "excitement" makes it really stick in one's mind, especially with its staccato sounds, and the juxtaposition of the words "agitated insects", which has a slightly disgusting connotation, and "excitement", which is generally a positive term, really describes that feeling of nervous apprehensive excitement-  not quite comfortable or happy but  not unpleasing.

Overall, although sometimes his writing style comes off as unnecessarily confusing or different, for the most part it's not only beautiful but purposeful, putting the reader more fully in the place of the story. 

"Midnight's Children" Post 5a

"In a country where any physical or mental peculiarity in a child is a source of deep family shame, my parents, who had become accustomed to facial birthmarks, cucumber-nose and bandy legs, simply refused to see any more embarrassing things in me; for my part, I did not once mention the buzzing in my ear, the occasional ringing bells of deafness, the intermittent pain. I had learned that secrets were not always a bad thing" (194), "This was it; the beginning of the repayment of their investment; my first dividend- first, I was sure of many" (187). These two quotes show the relationship between Saleem and his parents, most likely similar to the relationship of children and parents across India. Here, Saleem feels that he must repay his parents for the time and effort that he has put into raising him, most likely a social obligation expected of children. It is sad that his parents have no room to understand him; it seems that children are an extension of their parents and some of the standing of the parents is based on the standing of the child. In this setting, it takes a rather extreme measure when Saleem's father beats him as recompensation for attempting to tell them about the voices in his head. However, this is not a specific cultural aspect to India: some of the odd relationship in the expectations of parents for their children is still found today, here in the United States. All of the parent pressure regarding colleges, grades, and sports ties into this connection between a child's success and their parent's standing. Unfortunately, this seems only to complicate Saleem's family further. 

"Midnight's Children" Post 4b

This section really shocked me! Saleem is Saleem yet at the same time he is not, all due to the meddling of Mary. "And when she was alone- two babies in her hands- two lives in her power- she did it for Joseph, her own private revolutionary act, thinking He will certainly love me for this, as she changed name tags on the two huge infants, giving the poor baby a life of privilege and condemning the rich-born child to accordions and poverty... On the ankle of a ten-chip whopper with eyes as blue as Kashmiri sky- which were also eyes as blue as Methwold's- and a nose as dramatic as a Kashmiri grandfather's- which was also the nose of grandmother from France- she placed this name: Sinai" (130). I felt rather cheated after this section: all the history leading up to this moment of Saleem's birth was not his own? He wasn't even born at midnight! Is he still endowed with these powers? I was overall confused; the story had thrown me for a loop on the constant leading up to this point, which was the birth of the narrator Saleem. However, a quote the next page, as his lover Padma protested the same way reassured me, in a way, that despite this switch, this complication the story is still Saleem's as we know him: "It's this: when we eventually discovered the crime of Mary Pereira, we all found that it made no difference! I was still their son: they remained my parents. In a kind of collective failure of imagination, we learned that we simply could not think our way out of our pasts..." (131). Even though he is biologically not their son, Saleem is his parents' child: he has been raised by them and by their history; even if the story described preceding his birth is not technically his, if those mentioned are not his ancestors, it is still his story: it shaped the events that brought him to the moment in which he became his family's child and affected their actions from there on out. 

"Midnight's Children" Post 4a

The conflict between Mary, Saleem's new ayah, and Musa, the family's servant for years, shows that the issue between the Muslims and Hindus in India (a) is not as simple as it seems, with other religions and viewpoints complicating it, (b) may not be solved by the creation of Pakistan and (c) also must work with the difference of generations and ages. A quote on page 164 defines the struggle between Mary and Musa: "What remnants of guilt fear shame, pickled by time in Mary's intestines, led her willingly? unwillingly? to provoke the aged bearer in a dozen different ways- by a tilt of the nose to indicate her superior status; by aggressive counting of rosary beads under the nose of the devout Muslim; by acceptance of the title mausi, little mother, bestowed upon her by the other Estate servants, which Musa saw as a threat to his own status; by excessive familiarity with Begum Sahiba- little giggled whispers in corners, just loud enough for formal, stiff, correct Musa to hear and feel somehow cheated?" (164). This section outlines a conflict not only between Mary and Musa but most likely across India. On one hand, we have Musa: old fashioned, aged, devout Muslim, clinging onto his life and afraid of it being pulled out from underneath him. On the other hand, we have Mary: a Western, Christian name to compliment her faith, familiarity with her masters, Catholicism as her religion. Perhaps it wasn't always the Christian-Muslim conflict, but the meeting of the old ways and the rapidly encroaching new ones must have been quite a struggle. And of course, the fate of Musa tells all: he is convicted of stealing from the house and leaves of his own accord, dooming his own fate. 

"Midnight's Children" Post 3b

A couple of quotes that I have noticed in my reading:
"... and Amina standing still as she is tugged in opposite directions wants to say Wait, white woman... And now Lifafa Das, with a curious expression on his face, says, "They're funtoosh! All finished! Soon they will all go, and we'll be free to kill each other."" (90). This quote was interesting in that it showed both the Indians' surprise at seeing a white woman in a comprimising situation, begging for food, pointing to the rather "myth of invicibility" that the English had apparently successfully created to establish their rule. Additionally, its interesitng that Lifafa would say such a violent remark hinting at the tension between the Muslims and the Hindus considering that Amina saved him from an angry Muslim mob.
"... but, staying despite it all, he saw the godown as it burst apart under the force of the licking red tongues, he saw pouring out of the godown an improbably lava flow of molten rice lentils chick-peas waterproof jackets matchboxes and pickle, he saw hot red flowers of the fire bursting skywards as the contents of the warehouse spilled on to the hard yellow ground like a black charred hand of despair" (99). Part of winning the Booker Prize is contemporary writing style, and this quote exemplifies this excellently. I really enjoyed how the contents of the godown aren't separated by commas, visually signifying how in the fire they are all running together and turning into one mass of ruin. The colors were also beautiful with the "hot red flowers", the "hard yellow ground" and the "black charred hand of despair".
"the Estate, Methwold's Estate, is changing them. Every evening at six they are out in their gardens, celebrating the cocktail hour, and when William Methwold comes to call they slip effortlessly into their imitation Oxford drawls; and they are learning about ceiling-fans and gas cookers and the correct diet for budgerigars, and Methwold, supervising their transformation, is mumbling under his breath.... All is well" (109). This quote I enjoyed not only for the slyness of Methwold (he requires that the new owners of his homes live with his belongings for two months so that they become accustomed to the European way of life) but the aim of his transformation. Why does he care how his homes owners will live their lives? Is he trying to protect the buildings, retain their European character? I think that he is trying to keep some vestige of England's time in India alive, by instilling the character and social traits of the English in its people, so that they will forever carry on its legacy. After all, it was his great forefather who came up with the brilliant plan to conquer Bombay; he must wish for some impact upon India as well.

"Midnight's Children" Post 3a

One extremely interesting cultural aspect of India showcased in this novel is the conflict between the Muslims and Hindus. The Sinai family is Muslim and consequently experiences a significant amount of racism, especially from the group Ravana, named after a many-headed demon in Hindu mythology, who burn down his store house of clothing supplies, ruining his business. Hinduism originated in India, but Islam became prominent in the northern areas as the Islamic caliphates extended their rule. The Muslim Mughal Empire even ruled India for a period of time, and even the Taj Mahal was built by the Muslim Shah Jehan for his wife. Although Muslims comprise a major part of India's population, Hindus are still in the majority and there is much conflict from this division. Another issue discussed in this novel was an effect of this strife: the creation of Pakistan. Pakistan was envisioned as a state for Indian Muslims who did not wish to continue to experience discrimination there, and was supported by Muhammed Ali Jinnah, head of the Muslim League. Although both Nehru and Gandhi opposed it, it was created around the birth of the independent India. It is interesting to watch the path of the Sinai family; after their traumatic experience one would expect them to move further towards the west, back towards their homeland of Kashmiri, and least of all eastwards towards the heart of India, but they do just that.

Research Paper Issue

I think I'm going to write about the genocide in Darfur for my paper. Although it is an extremely well known issue, the thought of a country splitting in two with one group simply massacring the other is simply mind-boggling. Can neighbors really turn upon neighbors? Children be taught to accept killing? For many of us, we simply can't understand this but it is happening in our world currently. Why isn't anything being done simply to stop it? Do we not have the capability to stop such an act? Why not? Is it not worth it? We look back on the Holocaust and wonder how the world could have allowed such an act to be committed; why aren't we changing that fact today? Specifically in Africa, why have these genocides occurred? What can we do to alleviate the issue, prevent these atrocities from being committed in the first place?
And as with my other research paper, this topic may change. But hopefully it'll be interesting and not a quagmire to research!

"Midnight's Children" Post 2b

'"I started off as a Kashmiri and not much of a Muslim. Then I got a bruise on my chest that turned me into an Indian. I'm still not much of a Muslim, but I'm all for Abdullah. He's fighting my fight."' (39). This quote intrigued me for several reasons. First of all, the image of a bruise turning someone into a different nationality is amusing in its absurdity, but the actual event has some interesting observations. While attending a supposedly peaceful rally, Aadam witnessed a defenseless crowd be gunned down by troops. He was lucky enough to escape because his doctor's bag escaped his hands and he was down on the ground before they started shooting, but this event profoundly impacted him. The horror and outrage at what he witnessed caused him to feel more connected with these people than ever before. This makes one reconsider different foreign policy moves. Sometimes, moves aimed to intimidate can be effective, but at least in Aadam's case, they encouraged him to connect more with the Indian cause and be willing to risk more for it, almost the opposite of the intention of the soldiers. The other interesting thing about this statement by Aadam is his comment about Abdullah "He's fighting my fight". I feel like this phrase is used often, but it seems to cliché-y and doesn't really mean much. Is he really fighting your fight? Shouldn't you be fighting your own fight? Is he representing you in your fight? I suppose its catchy, it just seems that people can take leaders blindly with this phrase without really thinking of what it represents.

"Midnight's Children" Post 2a

This chapter brought up more interesting cultural perspective on the roles of women in Indian society. Aadam marries Naseem in this chapter, and their courtship takes a most unorthodox manner. He comes to diagnose her for various illnesses, of which she has one each week. Each time a small part of her is revealed to him through a sheet with a hole cut in it. Apparently this is not creepy or abnormal in any way, and they eventually get married. Aadam is a more modern person than Naseem's father, and he finds it unnecessary for her to wear purdah. One would think that this liberation would be welcomed by her, but she rejects it strongly: "'You want me to walk naked in front of strange men." (He has told her to come out of purdah.) He says, "Your shirt covers you from neck to wrist to knee... Wife, are your face and feet obscene?" But she wails, "They will see more than that! They will see my deep-deep shame!"' (32). One would think that restrictive practices such as this would not be accepted by women, that they would enjoy more freedom and less restriction, but here this doesn't seem to be the case. These practices seem to have been so deeply ingrained in Naseem that she can't imagine any other way, and that she truly believes that she is disgracing herself by not following purdah. Perhaps this has to do with the period; Aadam is a fairly modern person and I suppose it would be awkward if you were the only one following the new fashion. However, wouldn't the freedom from the second class status that wearing special garments that obscure and restrict you outweigh the potential social pressure? How can one adjust to not being allowed freedom? If you've grown up with something all your life, can you always have adjusted to it? How far does one have to go to have something one cannot adjust to?

"Midnight's Children" Post 1b

Why did I choose to read "Midnight's Children"? There are several reasons. First of all, the name Salmon Rushdie came up as I was doing research for my award from last quarter, the Man Booker Prize. I was curious and looked into it, finding that his novel "Midnight's Children" had not only won the Man Booker for the year it was published; it had also won the Booker of Bookers! This award was given after the first twenty-five years of the prize to the best book out of all of the Booker winners, and "Midnight's Children" had been that novel. This award seemed significant to me because, as one judge described it, it was awarded to the best contemporary fiction novel that was not necessarily the most fun read, but that would make an impact on literature for years to come. Sometimes books such as these are a struggle to read, but you always feel satisfied that you have completed them and taken something from the experience in the end, and I was in the mood to read such a book. The story sounded interesting as well: when reading the Odyssey, the thing that fascinated me was the involvement of the gods in the mortals lives, and this dealt with the similar subject of fate, in Saleem's fate being tied to that of India's. This novel also sounds interesting in that it deals with a foreign country, and in learning about Saleem one also learns of India's culture and history. Finally, Rushdie is supposed to be a more difficult author, and I have to admit that this challenge drew me to his writing. Others of his novels, such as "The Satanic Verses", are supposed to be a little more dense, whereas this novel looked to be a good balance between a tough writer, an impressive award, and an interesting plot. We'll see how it goes!

"Midnight's Children" Post 1a

"This mother, who had spent her life housebound, in purdah, had suddenly found enormous strength and gone out to run the small gemstone business (turquoises, rubies, diamonds) which had put Aadam through medical college; so he returned to find the seemingly immutable order of his family turned upside down, his mother going out to work while his father sat hidden behind the veil which the stroke had dropped over his brain" (7). 

This quote from the book was interesting because it talked about the restrictions of purdah which I initially had no idea what it was. Purdah, according to Wikipedia, is "the practice of preventing men from seeing women. This takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes, and the requirement for women to cover their bodies and conceal their form. Purdah exists in various forms in the Islamic world and among Hindu women in parts of India. Physical segregation within a building can be done with walls, curtains, and screens. A woman's withdrawal into purdah restricts her personal, social, and economic activities outside her home... with... a veil to conceal the face". This step by Aadam's mother shows how she is independent, and although their family had been quite strict, she was a modern person and dedicated to her son. It is also interesting to note that the father's new role after his stroke is characterized by a veil, a piece usually worn by women when following purdah. Aadam's mother and father have truly switched places, and this must make him rather uncomfortable. 

"Midnight's Children" by Salmon Rushdie

For my outside reading novel, I'm going to try reading Salmon Rushdie's "Midnight's Children". India seems like such a vibrant place and truly, I don't know much about it. This novel explores the nation after it gains its independence through the voice of a child as he grows up in this new India. I was interested in Salmon Rushdie in particular after seeing his name mentioned in the information regarding the Man Booker Prize (this novel won not only the Booker but the Booker of Bookers as the best book out of the first twenty-five winners of the prize). I loved "The Blind Assassin" so much and I hope this book will be similarly good. 

"One Hundred Years of Solitude" Post 7b

This book is very odd, but beautiful to read. It's tone is so even, calm, and matter of fact; after Anna Karenina it's quite a nice change. No one is sentimentalized and everyone has faults or makes mistakes: José Arcadio Buendía wastes his time on silly alchemical experiments, Úrsula is domineering and pushes Arcadio to his doom, Amaranta pushes Pietro to commit suicide, Rebeca spurns her lover, and many others. This very up front, clear tone contrasts with the almost dream-like confusing nature of the plot. The relentless sound of the bones of Rebeca's parents, the founding of the town itself, José Buendía's slip into madness, Arcadio's take over of the town, the flying carpet, the power of alchemy, the return of Melquíades from death: all of these events have a mystical aspect to them. Pilar Tenera embodies this idea: not only does she bring out the passion in almost every man, including her own son, but she has the power to read the future in cards. This contrast of real and mythical is the foundation for the novel. One Hundred Years of Solitude also plays an interesting role in literature. For me, it seems much like Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner. In Faulkner's novel of a Southern family's twisted history, Thomas Sutpen and his Hundred slaves like devils seem just as mystical, and his family's legacy becomes just as confusing with different relations between members. It also focuses on a patriarch's ensuing clan. However, in perhaps a Southern way it makes things extremely complex and connected, each part of a sentence bringing the reader to the next thought, and then the next, and then back to the beginning, weaving the story in circles. Márquez's novel's writing is much more straightforward, it is the relations between people that become confusing. Perhaps this novel represents Latin American thinking much as Faulkner's novel does.

"One Hundred Years of Solitude" Post 7a

Vocabulary
soporific (72): causing or tending to cause sleep
encyclicals (78): a papal letter addressed to the bishops of the Church or to the hierarchy of a particular country

Literary Elements
'"None of that, because he's alive," was the answer of José Arcadio Buendía, who finished the seventy-two hours with the mercurial incense as the body was already beginning to burst with a livid fluorescence, the soft whistles of which impregnated the house with a pestilential vapor" (79). The use of the verb "impregnated" or filled gives this passage a rather creepy air, aided by the use of the words "livid" and "pestilential". It describes how, as the mercury burst in the body of Melquíades, the whistling sound it gave off filled the house with a rather malevolent air. Impregnated makes the house seem especially full with this sound.
"The Italian, whose head covered with patent leather curls aroused in women an irrepressible need to sigh, dealt with Amaranta as with a capricious little girl who was not worth taking seriously" (80). This simile mocks not only the Italian but Amaranta as well. It undermines her plea and demands to her sister and fiancé, showing her rather selfish nature in doing so. However, the addition of speaking of Pietro's hair perhaps points to a vain part in his nature, as women are constantly admiring him. Perhaps the author is trying to make the point that both Amaranta and Rebeca are too good for him. Perhaps this more of a sibling rivalry than true love.
"She would arrive at any hour of the day, like a flock of goats, and would unleash her feverish energy in the hardest tasks" (83). This simile relating to Pilar seems like a rather odd one. Firstly, other than for milking and such I don't think goats are especially useful, especially not for doing work. Actually, they are more thought of as contrary creatures. Secondly, Pilar is just one person, not a group as suggested by the simile. Thirdly, a group of goats is not commonly called a flock, usually a herd.

Quote
"Father Nicanor Reyna- whom Don Apolinar Moscote had brought from the swamp to officiate at the wedding- was an old man hardened by the ingratitude of his ministry. His skin was sad, with the bones almost exposed, and he had a pronounced round stomach and the expression of an old angel, which came more from simplicity than from goodness" (89). This quote was really representative of the writing style of this novel and the characters within it. They all have some odd quirk, which is explained by the narrator with such a matter-of-factness that it almost stands out more to the reader. Everything is presented with its faults and value, nothing is "sacred" but nothing is criticized more than anything else. It's nice to read in it's straightforward tone, very different from the plot itself.

Theme
Nothing is as it seems.

"Anna Karenin" 6b

The ending to this novel shocked me incredibly. I couldn't believe that Anna truly went through with her suicide, although it had been foreshadowed during the novel. The earlier suicide obviously was pointing to something similar in the following novel, and Anna impetuousness had been shown before, in her abandonment of her life for Vronsky and previous mood swings. I felt that the author did a really good job portraying her state of mind and her feelings leading up to her jump off the station, and then removing the reader's perspective from inside Anna gradually as she jumped: "And exactly at the moment when the space between the wheels dew level with her she threw aside the red bag and drawing her head down between her shoulders dropped her hands under the truck, and onto her knees. At the same instant she became horror-struck at what she was doing... She tried to get up, to throw herself back; but something huge and relentless struck her on her head and dragged her down on her back... A little peasant muttering something was working at the rails" (802). This is a decision that Anna cannot back out of, and is so unfortunate that she felt compelled to take this step. Looking back, a reader might be confused as to why she needed this dramatic finish to her life simply to punish Vronsky. He had never abused her, had given up his career for her, cared for her and loved her; she may have had her doubts about his fidelity, but that often doesn't warrant throwing herself under the train. However, their inability to discuss their differences lead to increasing resentment and even hatred for the other, as their behaviors became incomprehensible to the other. They also had different priorities in the relationship; Vronsky loved Anna but wished for his "freedom", and Anna wanted to make sure that he did not stray, as her position was compromised enough already. However, neither explained themselves fully: their reconciliations were temporary only. The author contrasts this well by ending with Levin, although this section confused me a little. Accepting unfair business practices does not seem to fit with Christianity, and simply living the way you are living because you are living that way just seems a stretch to fit in with the rest of the book. However, I enjoyed that Kitty completely understood Levin's thoughts and was at peace with them, showing how the two as a happy couple could have conflicting interests and still achieve harmony. 

"Anna Karenin" 6a

Vocabulary
morocco (732): a fine pebble-grained leather, originally made in Morocco from tanned goatskin
bailiff (734): a legal officer to whom some sort of authority or jurisdiction is granted

Literary Devices
"He felt as though he were on some unattainable height, from which he painstakingly lowered himself every now and then, so as not to hurt the feelings of the people he was talking to" (749). In this simile, Levin describes his immense joy at his wife having successfully given birth to their son. He is so ecstatic that he feels different from other people, but as to not hurt their feelings he contains himself and lowers himself to their level of happiness.
"And he began pricking up his ears an casting around, and towards the end of the winter he heard of a very good post and began an attack on it, first from Moscow through uncles, aunts, and friends, and then in the spring, when matters had matured, he himself went to Petersburg" (752). This metaphor, describing the process used by Oblonsky to secure a government post for himself, makes it seem truly like a campaign, as his relatives begin the "attack on it". This military characterization emphasizes the importance of him winning this post, for himself and his family.
"... Oblonsky, touching Karenin's hand this time, as if he were sure the physical contact would soften his brother-in-law" (757). This simile talks of how Oblonsky is confident in all social matters, even ones as delicate as extracting a divorce for his sister from her husband after she ran away from him. He touches his hand confidently, as one who is sure that his brother in law can be softened and will be by his charm.

Quote
"But the Moscow significance of the word 'honest was lost on Karenin. 'Honesty is only a negative quality,' he said" (755). The section of Oblonsky's plea to Karenin leaves the reader rather confused about who is right and who is wrong here. Karenin is obviously holding a grudge by not allowing the divorce to go through, but Anna hurt him badly and he feels so hurt it is no wonder. He behaved nicely before, immediately after she left him, so perhaps he is within his rights to not present her with this option now, as she refused it earlier. However, the reader knows the negative affect that this withholding of the divorce is having upon the relationship between Anna and Vronsky, and one wishes that he would just accept that she is gone from his life forever and let her go. However, Anna is being rather silly as well, holding onto the idea of her son although she has already let him go.

Theme
Expectations can never live up to reality.

"Anna Karenin" Post 5b

The section relating to the death of Levin's brother was particularly interesting for several reasons. Firstly, Levin does not wish for Kitty to come along with him, which is an odd thing for a couple so in love. The two of them have trouble expressing their feelings to each other: Levin doesn't wish to show Kitty the squalor he is sure his brother is in and thinks that she is being too clingy; she wants simply to help and show her devotion to her husband by being interested in what he is, and thinks that he thinks that she will simply be in the way. Levin relents and allows her to come along, and they understand each other in the end. This was interesting in that some of the same behaviors were shown between Karenin and Anna, where he was trying to express his concern for her and could not form his thought, and they were both misinterpreting each other. However, in Anna's case the Karenins never tried to remedy the situation, and thus it continued the misunderstanding. The Levins come to see each other's point of views after the agreement, and one is happy knowing that they are a true couple. Vronsky has just left Anna now to go to a conference and they parted each hiding things from the other: this must be foreshadowing their downfall. Secondly, relating to Nikolai's death, Levin's inability and Kitty's extreme ability makes things odd. Levin knows his brother the best but is helpless, whereas Kitty can't know him but is able to make him much more comfortable. However, showing their strength as a couple, they do not feel jealous of the other but complement each other, Kitty providing constant care and Levin being there finally at the end for his brother. It is interesting to note that this is chapter is the only one in the book with a title, it being "DEATH".  

"Anna Karenin" Post 5a

Vocabulary

consecrated (297): blessed, divine, sanctified

onerous (297): difficult, tiresome

Literary Devices

"All that had been swallowed up in the sea of cheerful common toil" (297). This metaphor talks of how the discontent and tension between Levin and the peasants dissipated through the hard work they had done together, and after the plowing and haying was done the conflict seemed nonexistent.

"'How beautiful!' he thought, looking up at some fleecy white clouds poised in the middle of the sky right above his head, like a strange mother-of-pearl shell" (298). Levin's simile here shows the strange mood of reflection he is in, as he is not often apt to come up with such sentimental similes as here. He is an extremely reflective mood and, having just reexamined his direction in the world, is in a way looking at it with new eyes.

"No trace was to be seen of the shell; but spread half across the sky was a smooth tapestry of fleecy cloudlets, growing thinner and thinner" (299). This metaphor of the "smooth tapestry" of cloudlets shows how the world isn't quite as mystical and ideal as Levin thought in the previous section, but it still holds value for him and he still needs to decide a focus for his life. Kitty's entrance in this scene decides where he will  be headed. However, now it's up to him to decide what to do about his obvious love for her. 

Quote

"The singing women were drawing nearer Levin and he felt as if a thunder-cloud of merriment were swooping down upon him. the cloud swooped down and enveloped him; and the haycock on which he was lying, the other haycocks, the carts, and whole meadow and the distant fields all seemed to advance and vibrate and throb to the rhythm of this madly-merry song with its shouting and whistling and clapping... But he could do nothing except lie and look and listen. When the peasants and their song had disappeared out of sight and hearing, a weary feeling of despondency at his own isolation, his physical inactivity, his alienation from the world, came over him" (297). This quote was so descriptive, and is something the reader really can relate to. That feeling of not relating, of being in one's separate world leading to reflection is common to all of us. This quote also sets the scene for the rest of the chapter.

Theme

Once one has found one's direction in life, one must pursue it.

"Anna Karenin" Post 4b

Coincidentally, I recently read "Doctor Zhivago", a rather similar novel. Both books were by Russian authors and related to the time period at the end of the 19th century/the beginning of the 20th century where there was much political turmoil and readjustment of social classes in Russia. "Doctor Zhivago" was an interesting read, but I felt myself rather struggling through it. With "Anna Karenin(a)", I really don't have that sensation. It's not really the writing style; those are actually pretty comparable between the novels. It's truly the characters. Oblonsky and Levin make for extremely interesting narrators: they offer such contrasting view points, the reader can look at situations from multiple perspectives and not feel confined by the narrator. Anna is seeming a little condescending and all-knowing at the moment, especially as she talks of how boring dances have become to her with Kitty, but perhaps her affair with Vronksy will mar her perfection a little bit, in a good way.  I really enjoy Levin viewpoint: he's such an interesting character from the inside and the out. He is extremely independent, in his living in the country and pursuition of different things, yet you can feel how he is so unsure of himself despite his fits of strong conviction. You can also understand how people can be put off by him: in his need to be independent and not to conform, he doesn't afford people the respect of being courteous in most regards. It is also interesting to contrast Levin and Oblonsky in which is the "better" person: Levin with his high standards yet social awkwardness and unsure-ness, or Oblonsky with his more relaxed attitude, skill at putting others at ease, and contentedness  with himself. Oblonsky certainly seems happier, and also as if he will be in the long run, and he makes people happy along the way as well. However, Levin would never betray his wife as Oblonsky did. Who does the greater good? Or the worse damage? Is there a difference? Can one be both?

"Anna Karenin" Post 4a

Vocabulary

zemstvo (38): elected local assemblies in Russia, established in 1864 by tsar Alexander II to replace the political authority of nobles in local affairs after the emancipation of the serfs; these bodies became the core of the revolutions from 1905 to 1917

turbot (46): a European flatfish with a diamond shaped body valued as a fish for eating

Figurative Language

"And indeed, no sooner had he uttered the words than all at once, like the sun going behind a cloud, her face lost all its friendliness and Levin recognized the familiar change in her expression that denoted the working of a thought: a wrinkle appeared on her smooth brow" (43). This simile describes the change in Kitty's face when he begins to hint at his intentions in marrying her. The phrase "the familiar change in her expression that denoted the working of a thought" might lead the reader to think that she is simply surprised by his offer, but the simile of a "a sun going behind a cloud" has a definite negative connotation and helps the reader better understand the feelings of the situation.

"They play at begin a parliament, and I am neither young enough nor old enough to amuse myself with toys" (31). In this metaphor, Levin relates the acts of the men in the zemstvo to men with playthings, mocking their acts and describing his disgust of the councils. He feels that they do not take the post seriously and are not using it to it full power, much like young children with toys.

"Moving in a certain circle where a desire for some form of mental activity was a part of maturity, he was obliged to hold views in the same way as he was obliged to wear a hat" (10). This simile compares, in the circle of Oblonsky, how it is necessary for one to hold views on different subjects, but only in a superficial way, simply for the purpose of holding vies, much as one would wear a hat without really needing it. 

Quote

"But the difference lay in the fact that Oblonsky, as he was doing the same thing as everyone else, laughed with confident good humor, while Levin, not feeling so sure of himself now and then got angry" (30). This is an interesting idea, that not feeling sure of oneself can make one angry, as well as a way of judging life: is it really what you do or the attitude you live with?

Theme

Life in Russia was full of forced situations: because of the time, the fashion, and also inherently the people. 

"The Blind Assassin" Post 3b

What makes this novel so interesting to read? Here are a few of its features which add to it in ways which other novels often don't explore:
- It has parallel story lines. I really enjoy parallel story lines in general: it's so interesting to see them coming together, and to think about what each one tells about the other one. How are these two characters going to act together? Parallel story lines provide you a different perspective on the story, because you are at the hands of the author in this regard: you only know what they deem you should know. With parallel story lines, you can escape from this one viewpoint and see the story through multiple ones. In "The Blind Assassin", the author provides multiple story lines but at the beginning, you really have no idea how they connect. Iris' story is recounting her childhood while Laura's novel is exploring the relationship between two lovers. Even when they begin to collide, it's easy to miss the hints, most noticeably the picture overlapping the two. However, as we enter Iris' married life and meet Alex again, we can see exactly where Laura got her material. I liked this style of parallel stories a lot, because Laura's novel is not only another well-written story but an insight into her character, into Iris' character, and into Iris' situation.
- Iris' tone is at once childish and old. In the section recounting her childhood, one never forgets that she is looking back at her life, the reader is always sure of what time is the present. However, in an effort to portray herself truly from that time, Iris doesn't attempt to hide any of her faults or childish mistakes. She is bluntly honest with her character at that time, and reflects it in her writing: "(I have to admit I was gratified by this. I'd wanted her to suffer too - as much as me. I was tired of her getting away with being so young.)" (97). With Iris' voice, the author simply finds that perfect medium.

"The Blind Assassin" Post 3a

Vocabulary

lugubrious (96): mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected, exaggerated manner

albatross (102): used as slang for a trap or a deception

Figurative Language

Simile: "Her mouth opened into a perfect rosebud O, like a child blowing out birthday candles in a picture book. Then she began to cry" (97). Iris makes the connection here in the similarity of reactions of sadness and happiness. This fits with her misunderstanding or skewed perspective of human emotions.

Simile: "Then she brought the soda for me, in a cone-shaped glass like a dunce cap upside down; it came with two straws" (100). Once again, something usually thought of as happy (being treated to a soda) takes on a skewed negative aspect in Iris' mind: the shape of the soda glass is likened to that of a dunce cap. Is this foreshadowing her confusion and disinterest into economics? Her connections aren't a problem with her character; it's just interesting to see what she associates.

Simile: "Hands like stumps: those hands could rescue you or beat you to a pulp and they would look the same while doing either thing" (105). This simile is interesting: the author makes the association of the hands and stumps, blunt objects, but continues to talk of two extremes in which they could perform: helping and harming. Perhaps this is the nature of blunt instruments: they must be used generally, there is no fine tuning, they are either saving you or beating you up. 

Quote

"Now I think it was more complicated than that. It may have been a warning. It may also have been a burden. Even if love was underneath it all, there was a great deal piled on top, and what would you find when you dug down? Not a simple gift, pure gold and shining; instead, something ancient and possibly baneful, like an iron charm rusting among the old bones. A talisman of sorts, this love, but a heavy one; a heavy thing for me to carry around with me, slung on its iron chain around my neck" (102). This quote was depressing in its appraisal of love but shows well the experiences of Iris as a child: she doesn't have a way to understand love. For her, it is a burden, an obligation to a family member. Even as an adult, what reference does she have to understand it? Is familial love for her different than romantic love? Does she know any love? She seems to love her granddaughter; why's that? Is that familial love? Why isn't it forced? What about her daughter?

Theme

One can't be entirely independent but one cannot rely solely on others. One has to find a middle ground. 

"The Blind Assassin" Post 2b

"The Blind Assassin", though an excellent read, is an extremely depressing book. Iris' family, like all families, has its own tragedies, but it is its inability to prevent them or even to do anything that makes it so hard to read. She and Laura are constantly being trapped: in their roles in the town as the children of the factory owner, in their father's unrealistic business practices, in their ensuing debt in which they have no training to prepare them for, in Mr. Erskine's teaching (where they are unable to go to their father), and finally in Iris' marriage. The writing also adds to the general mood: it is so straightforward and truthful, but not blunt, just honest. Some of my favorite quotes from this section: 

"That's another thing: my father is now the heir, which is to say he's fatherless as well as brotherless. The kingdom is in his hands. It feels like mud"(76)

"But appearances are deceptive. I could have never driven off a bridge. My father could have. My mother couldn't" (80)

"My father has gone back to gazing out the window. (Did he place himself outside this window, looking in? An orphan, forever excluded - a night wanderer? This is what he was supposed to have been fighting for - this fireside idyll, this comfortable scene out of a Shredded Wheat advertisement: the rounded, rosy-faced wife, so kind and good, the obedient, worshipful child. This flatness, this boredom. Could it be he was feeling a certain nostalgia for the war, despite its stench and meaningless carnage? For that questionless life of instinct?" (81)

"But perhaps Laura wasn't very different from other people after all. Perhaps she was the same - the same as some odd, skewed element in them that most people keep hidden but that Laura did not, and this was why she frightened them" (89)

"I was sulky during these visits. I could see how ill she was, and I resented her for it. I felt she was in some way betraying me - that she was shirking her duties, that she'd abdicated" (93)

"(What fabrications they are, mothers. Scarecrows, wax dolls for us to stick pins into, crude diagrams. We deny them an existence of their own, we make them up to suit ourselves - our own hungers, our own wishes, our own deficiencies" (94).

"The Blind Assassin" Post 2a

Vocabulary

bowdlerized (69): to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable

tam (69): a woolen cap of Scottish origin, short for tam-o-shanter

Figurative Language

Simile: "He's in his uniform; his medals are like holes shot in he cloth, through which the dull gleam of his real, metal body can be seen" (76). This simile acts to further the reader's understanding in several ways. Firstly, it gives us a perspective of Iris in which she has her own fantasies, such as her father as a robot, a metal man. As the book continues, these notions are dominated by Laura and Iris is left to be the sensible on, but she has her own unique way of looking at things as well. Additionally, this simile shows the man that Iris' father has become: cold, hard, stiff, not someone one would imagine as a loving father and husband. The image of holes in his uniform reminds the reader of what he has just been through, but one doesn't truly forgive him for the pain this is sure to inflict upon the rest of his family.

Simile: "It was as if they'd drunk some fatal potion that would keep them forever apart, even though they lived in the same house, ate at the same table, slept in the same bed" (78). This simile shows the transformation in the relationship between Iris' parents. After the war, each had changed in ways that the other could not comprehend even if they had tried. They were stuck knowing only a part of the other, not able to break away or learn of the other part.

Personification: "I think of my heart as my companion on an endless forced march, the two of us roped together, unwilling conspirators in some plot or tactic we've got no handle on. Where are we going? Towards the next day" (83). In this personification, Iris talks of herself and her heart as separate entities bound together to soldier on unwillingly towards a perhaps empty goal, "the next day". This shows the disconnect that she feels throughout her telling of her story, between her current condition and her past self. She is old now, but she does not have that view of her inside self. She is bound to her body, but not willingly. Perhaps not in the sense that she wishes to die: more that she cannot believe quite how time has passed. 

Quote

"There. It's over. The guns are silent. The men who are left alive look up at the sky, their faces grimed, their clothing sodden; they climb out of their foxholes and filthy burrows. Both sides feel as if they have lost. In the towns, in the countryside, here and across the ocean, church bells all begin to ring. (I can remember that, the bells ringing. It's one of my first memories. It was so strange - the air was so full of sound, and at the same time so empty" (75). This passage was particularily affecting because, although it is describing a supposedly joyous event, the end of WWI, it reminds the reader that the ending of the war couldn't account for the losses, the atrocities, and other tragedies which it had brought.

Theme

It's better to do something or almost anything, to have motion, to have the possibility of escaping, than to do nothing, to be stuck. 

"The Blind Assassin" Post 1b

When I first turned the page and entered the novel within the novel, the Blind Assassin by Laura Chase, I was confused. Not that I hadn't been expecting it: every review of the book that you read flaunts this unique fact. Its abruptness was what shocked me, the immediate entrance with no warning into a completely different story. This one relates to two lovers, just first beginning to know each other. Both seem to recognize their status as lovers as an eventuality, it's just attaining that state that may take some time. The male seems to write science-fiction stories as a career, and their meetings result in him telling her a story that he is making up, that she has requested of him. Its interesting to note in these segments that we never learn the couples' names. Iris' tale is quite explicit in telling us the names of the characters, but this one fails to mention them. Perhaps the author felt that their names weren't important in this novel and wished their awkward interactions to take the center stage, or for the reader to be able to imagine any person in their situation, not making it unique to them. Possibly they don't know the other's name, and the author is pointing out their unfamiliarity with the other. However, the constant omitting of the names actually draws more attention to their absence. Maybe the author is actually drawing attention to our need for a name, to label the characters. Why do we need to name things? Is it simply to remember them better, such as "red-haired Menelaus"? Or do we hold certain connotations with different names, and wish to apply these to a name itself? Names have almost become a thing of value, as calling someone "boy" or "woman" has become a derrogatory way to refer to someone. Its interesting how the absence of something draws attention to it.

"The Blind Assassin" Post 1a

Vocabulary

"Sibyl in the bottle" (42): a tale from Greek times by Ovid concerning a nymph forever imprisoned in a bottle to grow old but never die.

"enervating" (65): to weaken, deprive of force or strength

Figurative Language

Simile: "The orange tulips are coming out, crumpled and raggedy like the stragglers from some returning army" (42). This simile is interesting because spring and the return of flowers, especially tulips, is usually remarked upon as a joyous occasion, celebrating the beauty and return of life. Here, Iris remarks that her flowers are barely hanging in there, even in the spring as they begin to blossom. Perhaps she is remarking as to her own similar state, as she continues in the next line: "I greet them with relief, as if waving from a bombed out building; still, they must make their way as best they can, without much help from me... I can't kneel very well any more, I can't shove my hands into the dirt" (42). 

Metaphor: "I prefer to be upright and contained- an urn in daylight" (43). Iris is speaking of how she feels a desire to be melodramatic about the end of her life, as well as looking back on it, or "romantic" as she describes it. Instead, it's more her style to be "classical" like an urn in daylight: proud, on the verge of putting on a face, things concealed without be sly about it as in the darkness.

Simile: "They killed as softly as a moth brushing against your neck" (22). This simile of the blind children working as assassins builds a great but disturbing picture in the reader's mind: one can imagine how their killing would be gentle, delicate, just a little slice with their capable hands. At the same time, the idea of children working as killers is so horrible because death and destruction is something their innocence shouldn't be tainted by.

Quote

"That's unnecessarily cruel, she says coldly.

When is cruelty necessary? he says. And how much of it? Read the newspapers, I didn't invent the world. Anyways, I'm on the side of the throat cutters. If you had to cut throats or starve, which would you do?" (23)

This quote was interesting in the questions that it raised. When one says unnecessarily cruel, does that mean that cruelty to a certain level is "necessary"? Or at least to be expected? And if one was presented with the situation of stooping to acts not thought of as moral in order to survive, what would one do? Is cruelty "necessary" there because of the circumstances?

Theme

Cruelty is a fact of the world.

The Odyssey: "Girl Sailor" The Shins

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