CONTEMPORARY AND POPULAR EMERGENT LITERATURE
- Michael Motas
- Sep 14, 2020
- 32 min read
Updated: Nov 1, 2020
EL116
Course Description: This course focuses on critical issues in contemporary and popular emergent literature world literature and genres.
In this course, I will be able to share to you my analysis in every story we've been discussed all throughout the 1st quarter of the 1st semester.
Talking about contemporary literature it is anything of this moment. Meaning, in terms of literary study it is often refers to anything after the World War II. On the other hand, it follows the modern literature which refers to the post of the World War 1 timeline.
LESSON 1: "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "Little Women"
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by JK Rowling
A. Action/Adventure (Archetypal Approach)
An action-adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements from an action game and an adventure game, especially crucial elements like puzzles. Action-adventures require many of the same physical skills as action games, but also offer a storyline, numerous characters, an inventory system, dialogue, and other features of adventure.
(credits to the rightful owner of the photo)
In the volume 1 of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, I have understand that this book highlights about more on adventure rather than action. The content really deals with fictional story that encourages the readers to continue what they have read while imagining a lot of super powers and/or miracle behaviors and explore a lot of things. I have comprehend that JK Rowling however, places great emphasis on companionship by including Ron and Hermione in virtually all of Harry's adventures and plans. The way in which these three friends work and bond together to get Harry to the Sorcerer's Stone in the book's penultimate chapter lead readers to infer that the journey of self-discovery. In speaking about reality, we also have different journeys toward discovering things and building relationships to people. Thus, the morality displayed in Rowling's book suggests that we individuals don't live in isolation. I mean, we people deserve to have great companions in life whom we trusted a lot, whom we shared our everyday life experiences and whom we love the most. Those companions will be more likely called as another family, not by the blood but by the heart.
When it comes to the archetypal approach, all I can say is that this novel written by J.K. Rowling is somehow belongs to this approach because it is more related to an adventure and the content of the novel is fictional and at the same time it can be distinguished as a myth. As the story unfolds, Harry goes through the classic and mythic stages of a hero's journey. First to this, is a call to adventure. In the story, Harry receives the letters from Hogwarts. Second is a separation from the known world. This is seen in the part where Harry leaves for Hogwarts. Third is an initiation into the new world (Zwelling, 2010). On the other hand, this is very evident of what Zwelling stated about, in the sorting ceremony, where Harry undergoes a placement like ritual through the Sorting Hat. Also, another is the existence of a fellowship which can be justified by the characters of Ron and Hermione. "Ordinary world most hero’s journeys start in the ordinary world" (Little, 2015). Indeed, the setting usually allows us to get to know the Hero and identifying them is likely a good idea along with their journey. Sometimes we can see the flaws and special attributes with them individually and somehow it is essential because we will be able to know their strengths and weaknesses. However, there is a range of the other archetypes which serve to present all the aspects of the Hero’s journey and his rebirth from the ordinary person living in the usual world to become the part of the mythical and supernatural reality.
We all knew that Harry Potter is not alone in his quest. The Allies are also the important archetype which can be related to the Jungian Persona and Anima. The Allies of Harry Potter are Ron and Hermione who follow the wizard at all the stages of his journey (Guerin, 2011). In addition, these two people are good influential when it comes in shaping about Harry's character and also, they serve as the assistants and supporters of the Hero on his way to the shadow to win it. The main character of this novel can be considered as a hero, wherein hero stories have certain elements in common they have magical powers and/or unique strength to fight against monsters. Heroes generally start out in ordinary circumstances, and they are called to adventure and in the end they must confront their darkest fear in a conflict that deeply transforms themselves and at the end of their journey they became a hero.
Some of the photos that will be seen in the Volume 1 of Harry Potter. (credits to the rightful owner of the photos)
LITTLE WOMEN
by Louisa May Alcott
B. Classics (Feminism Approach)
Classic is more likely relating to Greek and Roman antiquity, especially with reference to literature and art.
(credits to the rightful owner of the photo)
In this particular literature written by Alcott, I understand that despite being poor, there will be people out there who are genuine at heart that still gives to the poorest ones. In this literature, I have learned a lot about the spirit of giving and the spirit of family. Thus, the spirit of giving talks about the scenario in which the girls wakes up on Christmas morning to find that their mother was out helping a family of multiple offspring deliver yet another birth. However, before they can eat their food for breakfast their mother returns to tell them that the family she went to help were huddled together on one bed with no fire and nothing to eat. She asks them, gently, whether they would give their meals to the starving family instead, as a Christmas gift.
At that moment, they filled with guilt at their own selfishness, the girls were sure to do so and later, recollect that it was so much more fulfilling to give than to receive. Personally if we are giving, it benefit us a lot in different ways like the feeling or the fact that I donated or gave something of mine, and I believe that in time I will also receive greatly from any act of giving. On the contrary, the spirit of family refers about the unity to one another. "The Civil War, during which the first part of Little Women plays as well, started after the presidential election in 1861, which can be described as an election between the North and the South. The main issue was the question on the future of slavery. While the South insisted on its economical importance for their cotton plantations, the North was for its abolition" (Arslan, 2019). Moreover, this is very accurate and true and somehow this was more problematic for women from lower classes than it was for women from higher classes in a way that they felt useless, they felt unhappy, they felt irresponsible in everything and some of them even wished they were men. "Sometimes, we get a window into what Alcott might have thought and felt herself. “I’ve been angry almost every day of my life,” Marmee says. That anger is present in Little Women, lurking underneath the knitting and kittens and cozy family singalongs. Anger at Jo having to get married at all. Anger for women like Beth, who have no real place outside marriage and motherhood, who die from the world’s neglect. Anger that Mr. March is away doing what he feels is right but neglecting his own family (as Alcott’s own father apparently did)" (Keenan, 2018). Consequently, we can really associate that Little Women argues that women’s lives are worthy of examination. Women’s stories deserve to be heard. Even when beloved female characters make disappointing choices, writing and sharing their stories is a feminist act.
"If Little Women has a rebellious, feminist spirit, somehow it is contained in the character of Jo March. Jo is a funny, clever tomboy with a wild, strong-willed personality, an “unladylike” temper, and a burning ambition to be a writer" (Tracey, 2020). In addition to what Tracey mentioned, I can say that at the beginning of the Little Women, Jo is being described as having a “gentlemanly” manner, which includes using slang words and whistling with her hands in her pockets like a boy. She tells her sisters, in no uncertain terms, that she has no desire to stay home and knit, like a poky old woman but would rather fight in the Civil War with their father. Like Alcott herself, who closely identified with her protagonist, Jo openly laments being born a girl, with all of the limits and restrictions that entails. The feminist values in Little Women written by Louisa May Alcott contains of equality, difference, choice, care, time, and experience. The dominantly feminist value appears on this novel is equality for the reason that the family appears to be valuable in the society they belong. They eager to help people in their lower level and the theme of the movie is quite wonderful. Though they are making a home together and following their natural talents in writing and acting in plays and painting matters the most and at the same time taking care of small children makes them genuinely happy. Despite jealous outbursts, dissatisfaction and natural desires for a better lifestyle, as well as clashing of personal interests and perceptions among the four sisters, the unbreakable bond of family is greatly realized in this novel. Indeed, the strong bonds of a family builds confidence, teaches children about the good deeds of life and about interacting with others, and create wonderful memories that last a lifetime.
Some of the photos of the cast of the Little Women written by Louisa May Alcott. (credits to the rightful owner of the photos)
LESSON 2: "The Walking Dead: Compendium One" and "And Then There Were None"
The Walking Dead: Compendium One
by Robert Kirkman
C. Comic/Graphic Novels (Reader Response Approach)
If we are talking about comics it refers to books who are, of course, recognizable as periodicals issued on a regular basis that feature sequential artwork. While Graphic Novels refers to longer working that tell a single story from the beginning to the end. Thus, the storyline doesn’t have to be broken up over countless problems.
(credits to the rightful owner of the photo)
In this particular book, I have understand and learned about one conflict, in which it refers to a man vs. nature. In a way that all of the characters display man vs. nature role for the reason that they all have to fight off the zombies, who are more animal than human. But Daryl is the hunter and he has the ingrained know how that keeps the group alive in more than one instance.
Another theme that I can associate in this zombie fiction quite easily is religion. "Due to the undead status, zombies almost necessarily impinge on beliefs about the afterlife by making it part of physical reality; zombies cleanly answer the question of existence after death" (Pressnell, 2017). Besides, though this may be true, they were still capable of action and motion and focused on fulfilling only their desire. It would be hard for any ancient description to sound more like the hungering undead. It should be no surprise that the concept of zombies would prove relevant in a more spiritual manner. Kirkman has drawn on intriguing mythic themes in his comics and created a juggernaut of popular culture, given how vastly the franchise has spread. While no one can be sure of how long these different media will run, we can enjoy The Walking Dead’s different incarnations as long as they keep rising. "The assertion of boundaries and the subsequent undermining and permeation of these constructs and mechanisms have been the concern and function of the zombie narrative from the beginning" (Griffin, 2012). Further, in the connection of what Griffin tells us as we can perceived in todays time, they have taken on a new avatar in this contemporary era of the security state. The zombie does not just serve as a metaphor but that it is a metaphor. Thus, metaphor in which it signifies to transfer implying movement is required.
"The Walking Dead reflects the loss of innocence, the ambiguity in choosing right from wrong, and an uncertainty about how to treat our fellow human beings with dignity, challenges many endured after the massacres on that September day" (Jacobs, 2019). Indeed, Kirkman's work inspires about the challenges using the traditions and tropes of gothic and horror narratives, but it is his use of the zombie narrative tradition which has the strongest influence on the morality of his offered lessons. Thus, in choosing hopefulness over cynicism, Kirkman advocates the potential of humanity to improve themselves and their culture in this new world in which we now find ourselves. When it comes to reader response approach, all I can say is that this novel written by Robert Kirkman is a wonderful literary work and is a highly recommended to watch to the public. It is because it display a lot of themes like violence, morality and ethics, isolation, fear, and strong companionship. People can learn something after watching and/or reading this novel and I can assure that this novel is good in a way that it has a comic edition and I've never been much of a comic reader, but I got addicted to this really fast. They're definitely worth reading and people will be able to like this novel due to the outbreak of the virus itself.
This is the book of The Walking Dead: Compendium One. (credits to the rightful owner of the photos)
And Then There Were None
by Agatha Christie
D. Detective/Mystery (Psychoanalytic Criticism)
If we are talking about mystery, the mystery genre is a fiction that follows a crime (like a murder or a disappearance) from the moment it is committed to the moment it is solved. On the contrary, detective novels, these are crime novels that center around a detective (professional) investigating a crime or solving a murder case. These two are most likely the same in meaning but they differ in a way that in mystery it is a narrative and require hidden secrets, which over the course of the text are revealed or discovered. While detective is somehow related in that it too narrates the investigation and solution of a crime.
(credits to the rightful owner of the photo)
In this particular novel written by Agatha Christie the author emphasizes her own neuroses when it comes to her story which it is more suspenseful and at the same time with excitement. This particular story, all I can say is that this novel examines justice, but it bends the formula by making the victims of murder people who committed murder themselves. Thus, the killings on Indian Island are arguably acts of justice. Judge Wargrave does the work of detective and murderer by picking out those who are guilty and punishing them one by one. So, I perceived justice is the theme of this novel.
"The story tells the murders of ten people on Indian Island. The way the people died is based on the nursery rhyme entitled "Ten Little Niggers". The murderer of these cases is a retired judge who disguised as one of the guests in the Indian island. All of his victims are the guilty people because of their deed to kill people" (Luntungan, 2019). In the same way, as what I observed in the story, they are not being arrested because the court lacked shreds of evidence to declare that they were guilty. I reckon to wreak the judge's desire in killing, he selects his victims randomly based on the data that he has from the court. According to Vurmay, 2017, "there is no a detective in And Then There Were None as far as the plot is concerned but a group of previously exonerated criminals and a judge assuming the role of the detective as well as other characters". Furthermore, as what the story was told, the only real detectives are namely Scotland Yard commissioner and his assistant inspector, and they can only be found only in the Epilogue, as a supplement, outside the plot. I perceived, the novel plays with the idea of detection or truth as it renders the judge volunteer to solve the crimes he is responsible on the island. The game or irony is at the expense of the reader who learns at rest that the judge plays the roles of justice, criminal, suspect, detective, victim and narrator. "A subscriber to Freud's narrative thinks that Mrs. Christie was doing a lot of things unconsciously and that she wasn't the only one Freud’s theory of the unconscious and its implications for the conscious self is, if rarely explicit, absolutely implicit in Christie’s works. It is true that critics who, like Colin McNabb, look only for the rehearsal of ‘nothing but complexes' will come away disappointed" (Evans, 2015). In the same way, the man who so vehemently denies any intrusion of psychology into Christie’s novels, draws our attention here to the very way in which the consequences of Freud’s theories are felt in these works. However, coziness is similarly a luxury denied to the individual in the wake of the discovery of the unconscious, and for the individual psyche, it can no longer be complacently certain of its own self-awareness. What is thought repressed often returns, uncontrolled when unbidden.
The author uses her own unconscious desires and anxieties which I can comprehend that this approach validates the importance of literature. While this may be true, this critical endeavor seeks evidence of unresolved emotions, psychological conflicts, guilts, ambivalences, and so forth within what may well be a disunified literary work. Somehow it gives readers the idea of what the author is trying to tell them and they can convey a relevant message that vengeance is really not a good example to fight what was been lost and also, it is a blind path to a bad outcomes. By looking into what motivates revenge, and by increasing our knowledge about how revenge makes us feel, it might be possible to combine the best aspect of justice and revenge. For me, sometimes I have acted and watched and changed (mostly) and find that love is the best response to them. Though, those who I want to take revenge upon are best dealt with by acting in quiet love. I extend quiet love by allowing people the physical and cosmic space to learn what they need to learn. They can have their dramas, their sentiments, their rants and I can refuse to participate, I just only give them the space to work it out, and pray them well. In that particular way I keep making a conscious decision to do the right thing. As best as I can, I let myself to dodge to the unenthusiastic ideas and I really do it for my own sanity.
Some of the photos related to "And Then There Were None" written by Agatha Christie. (credits to the rightful owner of the photos)
Lesson 3: "The Water Dancer" and "Memoirs of a Geisha"
THE WATER DANCER
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
E. Fantasy (Historical Approach)
Wizards, elves, dragons, and trolls. These were certainly the stuffs of fantasy, populating the fictions of such giants, no less than the juvenilia of many aspiring writers. However, it was much easier to identify typical elements of fantasy, than it was to understand the category of fantasy itself. Fantasy was somewhat the faculty or activity of imagining things, especially things that were impossible or improbable. These were some of the types of fantasy: High or epic fantasy, low fantasy, magical realism, sword and sorcery, dark fantasy, fables, fairy tales and superhero fiction.
(credits to the rightful owner of the photo)
In this particular novel written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The story focuses about the life of Hiram Walker, who was born into slavery on a Virginia plantation called Lockless. I have learned that even how long you spent your life in educating yourself, there would be people out there who would belittle you and judge you. Just like what the father of Hiram Walker did to him, even his education it doesn’t helped him to become the ruler of the Lockless because he was still Maynard’s manservant. Hiram discovers that he'd possessed the power of Conduction, or instantaneous travel. In which it refers to a certain power activated by memory. He was recruited as an agent of the Underground, helping slaves to escape the place.
The main character and narrator, Hiram, is no ordinary slave. He is gifted with, among other things, a photographic memory; he is also a son to Mr. Howell Walker, the plantation owner. Howell acknowledges Hiram as his son; he takes him out of the fields and makes him a house slave. This open recognition by his father encourages Hiram to believe in a special destiny for himself, and “in my quiet moments, to imagine myself in their ranks” – this despite constant warnings from Thena, an older slave and Hiram’s adoptive mother, that to the quality he will always remain a slave. (Habila, 2020). On the other hand, as what Thena said to Hiram despite the unique ability he had, he would never be vanished of being one of the slaves in the Lockless. Thus, this action shows an example of exploitation wherein people around you would used you for their own interest and/or for personal gain. That’s what his father did to him in which Hiram always became the slaved of his own father. If I am Hiram, I would really escape the lockless because it was very inappropriate to treat you like you were just a thing. It will really hurt me emotionally, mentally and physically. Having nearly drowned and been buried under a river, dug himself out, been recaptured and escaped again, Hiram joins forces with another character, the actual abolitionist Harriet Tubman, whose daring rescues feature prominently. Like Tubman, Hiram is blessed with a supernatural gift called “conduction”, triggered by powerful emotions and enabling him to travel great distances (Grant, 2020). Indeed, as what the story unfolds, Hiram Walker really had the ability to travel from one place to another. He was somewhat a unique man who could teleport from one place to another and he could also help other slavery to escape from the Underground. I could imagine the life of Hiram Walker wherein the people around you would used you, he still had the chance to run away from the Lockless. Every person deserves to be treated equally and with that said, people should avoid criticizing other people because we were not similar when it comes to life experiences and life backgrounds. We should show respect, love, loyalty, unity and give equal opportunities to people because in that way they would become happy and even in that simple way we could lend our arms to them. The Conduction can only be exercised, and therefore learned, by the recalling and releasing of painful memories both the collective and individual pasts of Hiram and his fellow slaves (Taylor, 2020). Moreover, as I perceived this idea, it gives me a downcast emotion wherein we people tend to just forget everything that had happened from the past but because of Hiram’s power of Conduction everything would be remembered and would remained the same.
The author of the story conveys tensions between black characters along gender line was that they threaten the white Americans because of their competence and black men don’t have enough power to protect women due to their race. Also, they did not have the potentiality and freedom to saved one another from misery. The issue on slavery had always been a center issue and/or topic ever since. In the story, there was the presence of serious inequality because they were forced to labor especially to men. On the contrary, women were seemed as inferior and somehow, they became sex slaves of men. It does impact the relationship between Hiram and Sophia in a way that Sophia was obviously very perceptive and could tell not only that Hiram was avoiding her, but that it was because he couldn’t handle that Carrie was Nathaniel’s daughter. While Sophia was uncompromising in what she wants from Hiram, she had the graciousness and patience to wait for him to grow. This was another aspect of her character that made her so admirable and by that, she combined strong principles and expectations with sympathy and forgiveness to others. The theme of the Water Dancer somehow gave essentiality to modern discussions in a way by educating the current youth when it comes to race, privilege, caste system and power. Though, the story displays a lot of themes say for example inequality and gender oppressions, they were still helpful and the storyline was convenient in educating the learners to stop the so called “racial discrimination”. As a youth, we should stop the modern racism because it will just ruin the lives of the other people. Thus, race was only one aspect of privilege. Religion, gender, sexuality, ability status, socio-economic status, language usage, and citizenship status could all affect our level of privilege. Using the privileges that we have to collectively empower others, it requires first being aware of those privileges and acknowledging their implications. Also, we should learn to recognize and understand our own privilege and might as well validate the experiences and feelings of other people.
Some of the photos related to "The Water Dance" written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. (credits to the rightful owner of the photos)
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
by Arthur Golden
F. Historical Fiction (Feminism Approach)
Historical fiction is a literary genre where the story takes place in the past. Historical novels capture the details of the time period as accurately as possible for authenticity, including social norms, manners, customs, and traditions. Many novels in this genre tell fictional stories that involve actual historical figures or historical events. Historical fiction as we know it in contemporary Western literature dates back to the early 19th century. Sir Walter Scott, Honoré de Balzac, James Fenimore Cooper, and Leo Tolstoy were among the first novelists to explore the historical setting as its own concept for a book. By the early 20th century, the genre was thriving in the United States with a focus on war stories, like Kenneth Roberts’ Arundel about the American Revolution or William Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom about the American Civil War.
(credits to the rightful owner of the photo)
In this particular story I've had comprehended that long before, women were suffered from the patriarchal system in a certain country like Japan. If we were referring to this kind of system it emphasized about the domination of men in the society. Often times, men have the power to plan something and/or they have the power to influence people. Perhaps, this kind of system was good (before) but in today’s times, this was no longer considered as an effective one. Why? Because women have also the capacity to do things right and to do it well. They were beyond skillful and they could do things what men can do. On the other hand, in relation to the novel entitled “Memoirs of a Geisha”, the situation of women there were very painful because most of them were abandoned by their own families and they became slaved to the bars in the City.
The idea of feminism shows that women have now the right to empower themselves and to achieve this idea they need the full support of the public and private sectors. According to Hani, N., Hawasi & Suyudi, I. (2016). “Violence against women is particularly insidious crime against humanity. It is pervasive, appearing as frequently in the houses of the rich as in those of the poor. It knows neither racial nor ethnic limitations only cultural variations, such as female genital mutilation or dowry burnings.” In addition, the physical attributes really protect women from violations such as rape, battering, or prostitution. The result of abused may lead to precede the civil rights that women have and for this stage, women have the right to fight against those abuses, cases of rape and so forth. That’s why, women in the novel really encourage to speak up about themselves and it is highly necessary to respect them as well. In patriarchy system, a social system positioning a man as a superior and a woman as inferior creates the pattern of sex role behavior which embedded deeply in the mind of both man and woman (Mahfudh, 2010). On the other hand, the patriarchal system shows gender inequality of the culture and women became dependent to men, positioning woman easily to be exploited. This is unethical because women became less valued in the society and their role in the community as slaved remained stagnant. There were a lot of hard things happened in her life since she was a little girl. As a poor girl, she was sold by her father to become a Geisha and her life was only to serve being a costumer. It can find many gender biases which can be analyzed as Feminist Literary Criticism in Memoirs of a Geisha like gender inequality by treating women as inferior to men (Widyayanti, 2013). Indeed, we could really associate some present gender biases in the novel written by Arthur Golden. Not everyone experiences inequality the same way. The situation was worse, and often different, for people who face more than one type of discrimination.
The story portrayed about the theme of true love, betrayal, educational neglect and exploitation. I think the reason why Pumpkin brought the Chairman instead of Nobu in the last part of the story maybe because of jealousy. She brought the chairman so that the chairman would got disappointed toward Sayuri. But despite what had happened, the chairman still chose Sayuri’s company over anything else. I've had understand the action showed by Pumpkin because it was an act of envy toward Sayuri. And I could tell that even your closest friends would really betray you for their own personal interest. Thus, love was really essential part of one's life, and if there was uncertainty, it should not be pursued. The true meaning of love is to be in a complete and total bond with each other and care for one another when other was flee. While many people tried to achieved love in other ways, such as seeking financial support or having someone to support them in ways that they did on their own, that was really not the true meaning of love. The true meaning of love is not easily achievable, and that's why some people would settle for less. True love will make one happy above all other aspects of life. The struggle to find one's perfect match is worth it in the end.
Some of the photos related to the "Memoirs of a Geisha written by Arthur Golden. (credits to the rightful owner of the photos)
Lesson 4: "The Bird Box" and "Olive, Again"
THE BIRD BOX
by Josh Malerman
G. Horror (Reader Response Approach)
Horror is a genre of literature, film, and television that is meant to scare, startle, shock, and even repulse audiences. The key focus of a horror novel, horror film, or horror TV show is to elicit a sense of dread in the reader through frightening images, themes, and situations. In the horror genre, story and characters are just as important as mood and atmosphere. A horror story often shocks and provokes with its exploration of the unknown.
(credits to the rightful owner of the photo)
In this novel written by Josh Malerman, I've really appreciate his novel because it was very appealing to the people and it talked about adaptation and survival. Refreshingly, Bird Box gave a much more complex depiction of pregnancy and motherhood. Malorie was one of the two pregnant characters in the film (the other played by rising star Danielle MacDonald, recently seen in Netflix’s Dumplin’), and the two distinct characters have very different relationships to the concept of motherhood and pregnancy (Burt, 2018). Moreover, as I’ve watched the film version, I can tell that Malorie experienced a hardship worked when it comes to her responsibility of the two children. Although the girl in the movie was not her real child but she really portrayed love to her and she took care of her. I'd adored the main character of the story and even the situation was inappropriate for them to lived a happy life but still they've managed to survived and unite at the end part of the story.
“Keep running and don’t stop until you get there.”: Bullock is the ultimate tiger mother in this moment. She is strict, uncompromising, focused, aggressive because her children’s lives depend on it. They must remain blindfolded, or they will die. Surely, they cannot see the monsters but neither can they see the life as it is (Reilly, 2019). On the other hand, the reason why Bullock became a tiger-look-mum in the novel because she wanted to made themselves secured against those unfamiliar monsters. She wanted to be alive together with her two children. I could appreciate her actions and she was very determined in the novel because who’s a mother wants to lose their child, right? Despite the challenges they had faced, Bullock never abandoned her two children. Most of the problems with “Bird Box” come back to a thin screenplay, one that too often gives its characters flat, expository dialogue and then writes itself into a corner with a climax that’s just silly when it needs to be tense (Tallerico, 2018). In addition, we also have the same observation in the film (because I haven’t still read the book version of the Bird Box so I cannot give more critiques in the novel) wherein the main characters made a dialogue in the film I could sense that the feeling of pressure and/or tense were sometimes lost. Although there were times when the film became tense but it was not totally present on other scenarios as well (I did really mean it). But overall, the film was good and it was eventually an eye-catchy to the viewers.
The novel portrayed a lot of symbols in the film and I could associate two symbols. The first symbol that I could associate in the “Bird Box” was a cellular phone. This idea symbolized that people fail to look beyond the box. The fact that they were all looking at the mobile phone also meant that we tend to ignore what’s immediately around us because we were too distracted by what we wanted to focused on. The phone depicts our jobs and our pursuit of material happiness. On the other hand, the phone was very essential in the movie because it serves as a tool to receive messages and/or news from the survivors. If I am going to relate this in our current situation, mobile phones were very useful just like what we were doing right now due to the pandemic. Mobile phones could be a source of information and it gives us the data to help tackle about the COVID-19. The second symbol that I could distinguished in the story was all about blindfolds. In the Bird Box, the survivors were forced into wearing blindfolds whenever they have to leave their safe place. With the loss of their sense of sight, they had to depend on their other senses to survive. And true enough, the importance of this symbol was very clear in the novel and it was achieved by Malorie because she was able to bring the kids to safety in wearing the blindfold.
Some of the photos related the the Bird Box written by Josh Malerman. (credits to the rightful owner of the photos)
OLIVE, AGAIN
by Elizabeth Strout
H. Literary Fiction (Biographical Approach)
Literary fiction is also known as serious fiction. The category of Literary Fiction is quite fluid and for the last few decades has easily overlapped with any number of genres. Even though its definition is a broad target, Literary Fiction definitely has characteristics of its own. Another way to recognize Literary Fiction is by its story structure. Unlike, say, Thrillers or Science Fiction, Literary Fiction doesn’t follow a formula. A story arc may or may not be present, which also means that a satisfying ending is no guarantee. The line between hero and villain is often blurry, as is what they are trying to accomplish. And without a tidy plot to spell out every character’s motive, intangible details like metaphor, symbolism, or imagery.
(credits to the rightful owner of the photo)
In this particular novel written by Elizabeth Strout, Olive was the protagonist of the majority of the related stories in the book. She thinks of Henry (her husband) as the antagonist but realized that in their relationship it was actually the other way around. As the story unfolds, Olive was a former math teacher and maybe the reason why her husband left her because of her attitude. In the novel, the tone was quite nostalgic and in many cases the mood shows a reflective and melancholy. It shows more on the life of Olive for being a lonely woman and at the middle of the novel she'd realized that she failed for being a mother and a wife to Henry.
Here, loneliness is presented as an inevitable consequence of getting old, along with the loss of people you love and the things that shored up your identity, not to mention the control of basic bodily functions. To try to claim such portrayals don’t make for somber reading would be disingenuous, but the candor with which Strout attacks her subject is also oddly stirring (Scholes, 2019). On the other hand, I agree with what Scholes mentioned wherein in life as we get older we tend to think of our past memories, whether we showed kindness to them and/or deep affection to the people we love the most. As I perceived old people should have someone to lean on and with that said, there would be someone out there who could took care of them and love them undoubtedly. There should be a presence of healthy relationship to one another because it helped them to divert their attention to happiness instead of thinking some unworthy things. Yet Olive struggles to figure herself out, and has an urgent need for a summing up: “But it was almost over, after all, her life. It swelled behind her like a sardine fishing net, all sorts of useless seaweed and broken bits of shells and the tiny, shining fish...the billion streaks of emotion she’d had as she’d looked at sunrises, sunsets...All of it gone, or about to go.” (Oates, 2019). Indeed, in life we could never go back to our past experienced that our lives were used to be. We could no longer attained the same situation happened before because we were busy living in the present. If we did something unusual or inappropriate to people, as soon as possible we should show forgiveness to them because everything would be fine if we could communicate to them so that we were free from heavy heart. Oates described the life of Olive as a person who waits for something in the seashore and I reckoned that every person has the capacity to be liked this and sometimes we think deeply whether we made the right choices in life and whether we chose the right path. Olive, Again picks up the plot points, extending them through Olive's life as she responds to widowhood, her failures as a mother, her son's failures as a partner and parent, and their recalcitrant behaviors born of similar personalities. In this, the familiar things about reading Olive, Again becomes the reader's reconnection with all those characters who appeared in the earlier work, the familiarity of the fact that most of them are still at war with each other, and that Olive remains the fraught fulcrum around which all confrontational behavior rotates (Siobhan, 2019). Moreover, in relation to biographical literary criticism, I've had comprehended that the author of this book realized a significant meaning of life. Thus, we are proceeding to the next phase which is adulthood and I can say that our life in the future depends on the decisions we are taking today. In the novel, there was a conflict between Olive and her son Christopher when she announced her intention to marry Jack and tried to hurry their introduction. On this statement, if I am Christopher though I was annoyed to her but I would still chose her happiness. If that Jack would truly made her totally happy then I would show support to her because life was precious even she made mistakes along the way I would still chose what could be best for her.
In this particular novel, although Christopher spoke to her in an inappropriate fashion, Olive was actually sad, rather than grateful, when his wife chastises him for doing so, because she realized that he was now quite henpecked, largely due to the example that she showed him of married life in the way she treated his father whilst Christopher was growing up. Thus, the story unfolds some life-long learnings to people that we should remained happy and we need to show kindness to people despite the hardships that we've been passed through. In addition, it was also stated in the novel about abuses, in fact it was clearly presented some salient points about sexual harassment. The novel talked one of the issues about sexual abused and I could tell that it was very unethical and inappropriate to do this to women. In today’s time many women still experience sexual harassments in the work place and even at home. This was really a huge problem and women should have enough power to file complaints against the perpetrators so that they will be able to get justice. Women empowerment should be prevailed and they should always embrace the truth that they have the power to change something so that the cases of sexual harassments would be lessen and with that said, they could be able to attained peace of mind at the end.
Some of the photos related the the Olive, Again written by Elizabeth Strout. (credits to the rightful owner of the photos)
Lesson 5: "Gone With The Wind"
Gone With The Wind
by Margaret Mitchell
I. Romance (Historical Approach)
Romances are centered on tales of love and adventure. Through these stories characters may face challenges, quests, or battles in order to be with the one they love. William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is an example of a tragic romance. Two teenagers, Romeo and Juliet, fall in love but keep the marriage hidden due to their feuding families. Unfortunately, the plot becomes increasingly complicated. In the end, Juliet fakes her death to be with Romeo; however, he believes she is actually dead. Feeling as though he is unable to live without her he commits suicide, and when she wakes to find him dead, she stabs herself in the heart to be with him in the afterlife.
(credits to the rightful owner of the photo)
Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel is a great, sweeping tale about the tragedy of the Civil War, the end of civilization as the South's known it, and love turned to dust. It is, in short, a book in which everything goes terribly wrong. In this novel written by Margaret Mitchell, herself said, “If Gone with the Wind has a central theme, I suppose it is the theme of survival”. While Mitchell underestimated the presence of several significant themes in her novel, survival is certainly one of the most important (Rentz, 2014). Specifically, the gone with the wind was about survival in the face of catastrophe and upheaval, things with which most Depression-era readers would have been familiar.
The readers who experienced the great depression in America could easily relate to the account of reconstruction depicted in the novel and to the characters Mitchell had created. Just like the character portrayed by Ashley in the novel, many felt a longing for the prosperous way of life and purpose that were now gone, but through with Ashley, they could see the essentiality of moving forward despite their nostalgic experiences and longings. Some people were able to identify the character of Rhett in his contempt for a flawed society whose arrogance was its chief downfall while also noting the dangers of taking that contempt too far. Scarlett’s perseverance, determination and indomitable spirit may have been a source of inspiration for many people, but the readers were also given the example of Melanie to balance that of Scarlett, emphasizing that while adaptation is important, survival involves adapting while still clinging to one’s morals and principles of life. In Gone with the Wind, slavery is portrayed in the most benevolent terms. The slave masters do nothing in the film that seems inappropriate. At least the movie got one thing right: Tomorrow is, indeed, another day; Hollywood is finally offering a grittier, more honest view of slavery in films such as “12 Years a Slave” and “Django Unchained (Lennox, 2014). On the other hand, as what Lennox mentioned “Tomorrow is, indeed, another day” emphasized about life that there were a lot of chances to live and remain humble at all times. Though we experienced any dreadful situations and/or experiences today but we should always remember that life was not rotating just for this day. Instead, life was rotating today, tomorrow, next week and so on. We would never knew what our lives would took us sooner or later so, we should never give up because there’s still tomorrow that awaits for us. A new chance to live, a new life to create and a new journey to run on. The book offers new insights into Gone with the Wind and should be of great interest to scholars who wrestle with how to teach Gone with the Wind as a work of literature. The general public, especially fans of Gone with the Wind, would likely be less interested in such a granular look at this beloved novel. As noted by Taylor, however, such an in-depth analysis of this problematic work suggests that while the continuing popularity of Gone with the Win, it makes it inherently interesting (Dickey, 2016). Indeed, the novel written by Margaret Mitchell was a compelling story because it talked about the historical context and had the twist between the lovers namely Rhett and Scarlet. The contradictions regarding Rhett was that he was a man of words and he had a clear intention to Scarlet. Rhett was not a bad person in the novel because he always gave something and care to Scarlett despite the fact that Scarlet experienced an unnecessary feeling toward someone which was Ashley. Rhett was always on the side of Scarlett and he was the one who saved Scarlett from her misery. Even though Scarlet thinks that she loves Ashley so much, she just only loves the idea of being with her sister-in-law and her niece. After all, Rhett was not a bad person because in the first place we cannot blame for ending his relationship with Scarlett. It’s just a matter of fact that Rhett’s deep affection toward Scarlet had gone forever. Maybe the reason he broke up with her because their relationship became toxic to him and the trust he gave to Scarlet had lost along the way. And he also experienced a deep sorrowful emotion of losing his own child named Bonnie.
The novel was not a happy ending because Rhett became straight forward to his decision to end his relationship towards Scarlett. Gone in the wind emphasizes about the love of a couple and the author highlights the idea that we should value the people we love the most and we should appreciate them before it’s too late. In relation to the historical approach, Mitchell went through nine complete drafts of the thousand-page work, setting an epic romance against the Civil War background she knew so well. In just this concept, while she knew a lot of information happened during the Civil War in Atlanta, Georgia, she made “Gone with the Wind” to showcase the life-experiences of American people way back then. She connects all the knowledge she got from her readings to formulate her novel and this means that the novel somehow dedicated and inspired by what she understands in the Great Depression-era.
Some of the photos related the the Gone With The Wind written by Margaret Mitchell. (credits to the rightful owner of the photos)
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