The Eye of the Crow

I have actually read quite a few books on the subject of Sherlock Holmes, whether they be the Sherlock Holmes books themselves, or a book about the author, or a book about his almost-sister. However, this was the first book I have read with the audacity to try and capture the mind of Holmes at an early age.

He seemed much more bitter and indifferent towards life than he did in other books. This, even though he was a child. It was a very interesting hook that, though it was different, did not seem out of place. In London, the poor had to grow up fast to survive. They were given nothing and blamed for much. In such a hard life, it would be no wonder if someone were to become bitter.

That said, the book also gave an interesting view on the lower class of that time period. Immigrants, people of different beliefs, fallen nobility and the bankrupt were all ostracized as lesser, given only the hardest, lowest-paying jobs, making them all out as criminals when they only commit crimes to live.

An Abundance of Katherines

An Abundance of Katherines is John Green's first book, about a boy named Colin, a child prodigy, who has only ever dated Katherines. Colin never had many friends because he was child prodigy, so when Katherine I became his first friend and then first girlfriend, she left a mark upon him that would haunt him to the end of high school. Colin, a washed up child prodigy, feels like he can go no further neither taking the last step to "genius" nor finally figuring out the formula of why Katherines keep dating and dumping him gives him fufillment.

 John Greene wrote about the psycology of someone who has been ahead of everyone else their entire life, and now can go no further. For someone who views themselves as "superior" this can be a crushing blow. The Katherines are a bit of a symbol for that, in that they always dump him in the end. He can never formulate a relationship that lasts, that goes further. He cannot break free of this cycle, just as he cannot break free of his tarnished glory. However, in the end he breaks the cycle, learning there is more to life than fame or superiority or Katherines.

So, in the end Colin's life is changed by, and he changes  the life of, a girl named Lindsey.

The Harper Hall Trilogy:

In the Harper Hall Trilogy, Menolly, the main character, is subjected to a great injustice. She grew up in a place where no one appreciates her talents. In an isolated hold where everyone is needed to support the fishing industry, music is viewed as a waste of time. Menolly has an amazing musical talent, but not only is music not "productive" where she is from, she is also a girl. In this world, girls can't be harpers, a type of music and history expert of the world of Pern who also act as teachers and a news spreading system. Girls  cannot become harpers, at least, that is what everyone thinks. Everyone is against her, going so far as to purposely failing to heal her hand so she could never play an instrument again.

In primitive communities like this one, women were often seen as secondary to men. It doesn't make sense, yet it was often so. Thus, we must think why it would be so. It is a popular theory that it was because men were more suited to heavy-lifting and endurance needed for hunting and farming based communities. Some people might have taken certain useful qualities for overall superiority, and that notion has bled into an age where physical skill is not the primary function needed for running a society. So though there is no evidence saying men are superior in the field of music, they are viewed as superior. By giving women no chance to prove their skill in music, this view is not contested. Eventually, though, Menolly challenges this view and wins. She becomes the first female harper.

The White Dragon: Social Action Question: Whose Perspective is Missing?

In The White Dragon by Anne McCaffery, the story is told mostly from the point of view of Jaxom, Lord Holder of Ruatha and Rider of Ruth, The White Dragon, and MasterHarper Robinton. A major conflict in the book, at least what I have read so far, is when the Southern Oldtimer DragonRiders steal Benden Weyr's Queen Egg. Everyone is furious, even willing to pit dragon against dragon to get it back. Luckily, it is returned by a third party. However, the Southern Oldtimers are viewed as untrustworthy, the lowest of the low, a dying minority. Yet, no one really stops to ask where they would do such a dishonorable act. They are viewed as villains, and yet, even villains have a reason for their actions.

In the book, they need a villian, and the southerners fit the bill. They steal a queen egg, an unfathomable crime in this world. Everyone despises them. However, they have reason. After being exiled to the southern continent, they began to grow old. No new eggs were hatched, queens were dying, and the rest would follow soon. They believed they had no choice but to steal the egg, facing death if they didn't. I am not saying what they did was right, but they have the right to be heard out.

Little Women

I recently read the classic, Little Women. To many it may seem a bit boring or contrite, but I found it rather interesting. The characters seemed a bit to me like stereotypes, not archetypes, but not completely original either.

Jo is "The Tomboy" Smart, sporty, everything a "lady" shouldn't be. She will be put to the test, being the main character, and because she has a lot of conflict in her, being a tombotish lady, wich at the time was a bit of an oxymoron. Beth is the sweet shy type, the very definition of purity. Because of this, she is the one put in peril,testing the other, more conflicted characters. Meg is the older sister, she wants what's best for her sisters, but also remembers a time when they were rich, and is vain of her looks. Her quest for higher society serves as a cautionary tale.

To Kill A Mockingbird :a title analysis

I will be doing a title analysis of To Kill A Mockingbird. Some people, upon first read claim that the title has almost nothing to do with the book, but that is not so. The title is based mainly on symbolism. Once, the quote "to kill a mockingbird is a deadly sin,... he does no harm... only sings for our enjoyment" I take this to mean that while other birds can cause harm, the mockingbird does not, therefore, though it may be justified to hurt someone who wronged you sometimes, it is never acceptable to hurt something that never caused you any hurt, worse, may have done you good many a time.

That said, I believe the mocking bird to be a symbol, at least partly, for Tom Robinson. He helped a girl who was worse off than him many times, and then she accuses him of comitting a crime he didn't do just to cover up her and her dad's own wrongdoing. As the quote said, to kill a mockingbird is a deadly sin. To end someone's life, someone who has done you a good turn for more times then you can count? Such is the worst of sins, a travesty to humankind.

In that, the title is symbolic. It not only pertains to the book, but carries a powerful message.

The Da Vinci Code

Recently, I read The Da Vinci Code.  It was a great book full of mystery, suspense, and most of all, symbols. There were symbols every where, and I learned a lot about them. It was fascinating because, not only was it full of plot twists, it also taught me much about a multitude of subjects. For example, I learned that a some of people don't think the holy grail is a grail (or chalice) at all, but that the grail symbolizes Mary Magdalene, represented by the chalice, a symbol of womanhood. I found that all the speculation over age old mysteries made for a great modern mystery book. After I read it, it inspired me to do more research on the subject. Overall, I think that is a wonderful quality in a book.

Character Questions: The Giver

I will be adressing the character question: Does the main character change or resist change?
In The Giver,the main character, Jonas, changes immensely throughout the course of the book.
In the beginning, he was content to live his life in conformity, however, as he learned more about what the community was really like, as well as just how much they were all missing, he realized just how horrid conformity can be. He stopped taking the pills that take away feelings because he found out one could have strong feelings. He wished for choices because he found out there were differences. In the end, he found what he once saw as perfectly normal so unbearable, he longed for change and yet, the community changed not once in the book. He was the one who had changed.

Archetypes cont.

Hey there! I'm back with more on archetypes in The Giver. The Giver himself is a good example of the mentor archetype, having knowledge and experience he literally gives to Jonas, hence the title. Jonas can be seen as the hero in that he displays self sacrifice, taking on the Giver's harsh burden. He shows reflection and is changed so much by the journey. He finds an entire reality outside that which he once knew, with color and feeling and pain. That's all until this friday!

Archetypes in The Giver

In The Giver, there are many examples of archetypes. The main character, Jonas, is an obvious example of The Hero archetype. The Shadow archetype, however, is a bit more difficult. One could say that it's the community, but one could also say it's the committee. The committee controls the community, making unfair, unjust decisions, however, the people in the committee grew up in a community that raised them to have certain opinions and views that caused them to make these decisions. It turns into a chicken and egg argument. In the end, I decided that the best decision would be  the society itself, encompassing not only the committee and the community, but the way of life and way of thinking.That's all for now, but I'll add more on the subject tomorrow.

The Obligatory Introduction Post

Hello, and welcome to the first post on my new blog. This will be a blog discussing books and my thoughts on them. I might also talk about other literary works like poetry or graphic novels, maybe even my own work. Stay tuned!