Archive for April, 2009
Background Information on Interviewee: She likes to volunteer, read frequently, and write. She likes reading all sorts of genres, especially romance and mysteries.
Book Recommendation: Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
1. What makes this book stand out from the others?
It was very realistic and incredibly easy to relate to, especially for me. It had to do with losing your one true love for society obligations
2. What do you mean when you say “especially for me”?
Well, it hit me deep, because I’m dating a Muslim and I’m Jewish. My family would look down on me if they knew. The main character, Newland Archer was in love with Ellen Olenska and she was a divorced woman, which was looked down upon, but he was engaged to her cousin May. He had to marry May though because of family obligations and society standards
3. What type of people do you think will enjoy it?
I think anybody can enjoy the book actually because it’s very easy to read and once you start reading, it’s almost like you become entranced. I just couldn’t stop reading.
4. Do you think it’s more geared towards romantic readers?
There’s more to it than just romance, but yeah, I think more romantic people would like it. Still, it’s very realistic too about upper class New York society.
5. If you were to turn this book into a movie, who would you cast to play the main characters & important supporting characters? Why?
I think Ellen Olenska should be someone like older but beautiful. Maybe someone like Angelina Jolie – someone with an exotic look that captures you. I think someone sweet and innocent looking should play May Welland. Maybe someone like Scarlett Johansson. And I think Newland Archer should be played by someone handsome and young. Someone like Robert Pattinson maybe?
6. At what point did you being to find the book captivating/interesting? If it took a while, why?
It didn’t take a while. I think when Ellen Olenska came in as a character; I was into it because she was so mysterious yet witty and clever. I just loved her. She’s the kind of woman men could fall in love with but never have
Background Information on Interviewee: She is a part of the Stuyvesant Theatre Community, Model UN, and the Spectator. She enjoys cooking and watching television in her spare time.
Book Recommendation: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
1. What makes this book stand out from the others?
This book stands out to me because it is so relatable. It follows Lee over the course of her four years at a boarding school, and though it seems removed from our experience at Stuy, the emotions and changes she experiences are all too similar to our own lives.
2. What type of people do you think will enjoy it?
I think almost anyone would enjoy this. Girls and teenagers would probably enjoy it most, since the main character is both of those things.
3. If you were to turn this book into a movie, who would you cast to play the main characters & important supporting characters? Why?
I would have Lee played by Emma Watson, because throughout the book you get the feeling that Lee has no idea how beautiful she is. Conveniently the author never really physically describes her. I also feel Watson could successfully capture Lee’s insecurity and unique outlook on her life in the context of a rich prep school.
4. At what point did you being to find the book captivating/interesting? If it took a while, why?
I was immediately captivated by Prep. I finished it within a matter of days. It really is extremely entertaining. The way the book fosters a curiosity about Lee’s life and builds up genuine concern on the part of the reader makes it have almost a gossip-y feel.
5. What was it about the character(s) that you connected with?
I think it was particularly easy for me to connect with Lee because I am currently in her stage of life. I was able to understand many of the feelings she developed, and I could relate to her sense of uncertainty about her place in the world. The book really forces you to root for Lee and want her to succeed despite her obvious flaws.
Background Information on Interviewee: She is the captain of the soccer team. She loves to read and enjoys all genres.
Book Recommendation: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
1. What makes this book stand out from the others?
It’s about a missionary family in the Congo during the time of revolution and independence, and that’s a pretty interesting and unique topic. It’s also very historically accurate which adds to the outstanding quality of the book.
2. What type of people do you think will enjoy it?
Anyone who doesn’t mind reading about depressing and religious things. You have to be a reader who can struggle through some slow parts of the book. It’s a little long. More importantly, you need to be interested in African culture and missionaries in Africa. If that doesn’t sound interesting to you, don’t read this book.
3. What attracted you to this book?
My dad’s parents were missionaries in the Congo during the exact period that the book is written about. My dad read the book and recommended it to me. It gives me insight into more of his childhood growing up in the jungles of the Congo.
4. At what point did you being to find the book captivating/interesting? If it took a while, why?
The beginning was a little boring for me but as soon as the family was in the Congo, I was entranced with the book. Each chapter is from the perspective of a different family member so that helped keep my interest as well.
5. What was it about the character(s) that you connected with?
They are very relatable and each character has a different personality, so a reader is bound to connect with at least one. I personally connected because of my dad’s relationship with the activities and emotions described in the book. Lastly, the things that these characters do and see are interesting and new to most Americans.
Background Information on the Interviewee: She plays piano, dance, runs track, and volunteers her time with special ed children. She is currently taking Great Books.
Book Recommendation: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
1. What makes this book stand out from the others?
The book chronicles the history of the Buendia family line. Because it’s set in South America, the culture and just their general way of looking at life is very different from the typical “Western” approach. A lot of it seems very fantastical, but it fits within the context of that culture.
2. What type of people do you think will enjoy it?
It’s a pretty long book, so anyone who enjoys really getting into a book and “living” in it a little would like it. Also, the book can be classified under several genres. There’s history, fantasy, romance, and realistic fiction. So many people would find some part of the book that appeals to them.
3. What attracted you to this book? (like did a friend recommend it, saw it at a library, etc)
I read the book in English class but I had heard about both the book and the author before.
4. At what point did you being to find the book captivating/interesting? If it took a while, why?
The book was interesting from the very beginning. There are some slow parts because the family tree and keeping track of all the names becomes confusing (and you have to keep flipping back to the family tree chart that is provided in the beginning of the book), but in general, it is an enjoyable book throughout.
5. What was it about the character(s) that you connected with?
Well, in all, there are seven generations of characters in the book. Seeing them grow up and noticing how times are changing (how their town – which could also be considered a character – is developing, how they are becoming introduced to new things, how “civilization” is invading their little world) is something that anyone could relate to, in some respect. There is so much history and so many personal stories embedded in the text that it is easy for you to feel like you really know the characters, like they are actual people.
Background Information on Interviewee: She likes to play the violin, compose music, and play tennis. She enjoys reading philosophical books.
Book Recommendation: Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
1. What makes this book stand out from the others?
You have an incredible plot and moral dilemma in one. I guess it starts from the idea “be careful for what you wish for” except the wish is something of questionable ethics. He chooses eternal beauty over having a soul so I guess in that sense, Wilde condemns man’s obsession over beauty.
2. What type of people do you think will enjoy it?
Deep people. I mean, it’s not one of those “oh look at this nice adventure” book. You have to think but it’s gripping and it’s certainly no slow read
3. At what point did you being to find the book captivating/interesting? If it took a while, why?
Instantly! It just dove into a moral conflict. I read it in a day the first time.
4. Did you realize something different after reading it a second time?
Yeah, it left more room for analysis and thought when I went through it more slowly.
5. What was it about the character(s) that you connected with?
I didn’t really connect to any of them and I’m not particularly relatable to a soulless egocentric murderer. I enjoyed experiencing his ethical dilemma but from the outside his opinions differed from. Also, the opinions of people like Lord Henry and Basil clearly affected him and while it did that, it was good input for my brain.
6. What did you think of the ending?
AMAZING! It was so intense and so like, conclusive. I was just like, WHATTTTT just happened?
Timothy Tong
Late British Literature – Ms. Chan
Period 2
Book Recommendations
1)
a. Name: Richmon Kam
b. Year: Senior
c. Book: Catch 22
d. Author: Joseph Heller
e. Interests: Handball, hanging out with my girlfriend.
f. Questions
i. What distinguished this book from the others you’ve read?
1. It was a combination of military and political drama with humor. The book’s exploration of the concept of something as serious as war using humor made it unique. The characters were also really interesting; there was one guy named Major major major major.
ii. Did you relate to the story in any way? How?
1. No, it was a war story. But I did learn about how war affects everybody. Not only in the physical sense, but also in the emotional and mental sense as well.
iii. What theme would you say was essential to your book?
1. The fact that war can drive even the best of men insane.
iv. How influential was this book? In other words, did it inspire any life-changing revelations when you read it (or something remotely similar to that)?
1. Well, not in me. But before, I really didn’t care about wars. After reading this book though, I tried becoming more anti-war and active.
v. Which type of people does this book appeal to?
1. Probably war veterans. But I think it’s also good for the younger generations that haven’t experienced war – for educational purposes and also for enlightenment on the subject.
vi. What could’ve made this book better?
1. Some of the chapters were over-descriptive, and it kind of dragged the story down in those parts. So, I’d say cut those chapters down a bit, and the story would’ve been better.
2)
a. Name: Tracy Sit
b. Year: Junior
c. Book: Twilight
d. Author: Stephenie Meyer
e. Interests: Tennis, hanging out with friends, playing music on the keyboard and guitar, having fun wherever I am.
f. Questions
i. What distinguished this book from the others you’ve read?
1. This book talks about the love between vampires and humans. I love how this book makes it possible that the predator can love the prey and visa versa. The story is very captivating and although it is simply written (making it an easy reading), I enjoyed it thoroughly because of the love story between Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan that I so want to find for myself.
ii. Did you relate to the story in any way? How?
1. I actually don’t relate to the story since it takes place in a fictional world. But I do wish that I would find the true love that exists between Edward and Bella one day. Actually, I did relate to the story in that it takes place in a high school setting, when everyone are seniors, just like me. The same peer pressures and school issues that were in the book are also in my life.
iii. What theme would you say was essential to your book?
1. Love is the major theme in the book. If a “sick masochistic lion can love a lamb,” love can exist between any two people/countries/things.
iv. How influential was this book? In other words, did it inspire any life-changing revelations when you read it (or something remotely similar to that)?
1. This book wasn’t that influential. I just found myself daydreaming a lot about Edward Cullen and his love for Bella a lot.
v. Which type of people does this book appeal to?
1. This book appeals to teenagers. Not only because it takes place in high school, but also because it talks about love, a subject surrounded by much curiosity in the teenage world.
vi. What could’ve made this book better?
1. I don’t think this book could’ve been made better. Except for the sort of repetitive storytelling some people complained about (bogging them down). But I actually liked it – because it only reinforced the love between Edward and Bella.
3)
a. Name: Fang Fang Nan
b. Year: Senior
c. Book: Pride and Prejudice
d. Author: Jane Austen
e. Interests: Eating, cooking, shopping.
f. Questions
i. What distinguished this book from the others you’ve read?
1. The protagonist is a heroine is so different from the other (18th century?) women of her time. She’s independent and a strong individual.
ii. Did you relate to the story in any way? How?
1. I relate to Elizabeth because I consider myself an independent woman, who doesn’t need men. I admire her personal strength, in standing up for herself and rejecting men she couldn’t see herself with.
iii. So have you ever rejected men you couldn’t see yourself with?
1. (Laughs) I don’t want to answer that.
iv. What theme would you say was essential to your book?
1. I’d say standing up for yourself and going against societal norms.
v. Did this theme inspire any life-changing revelations when you read it?
1. I found this book slightly influential because I already had a feministic view on life before I read the book and after reading it, it was only strengthened.
vi. Which type of people does this book appeal to?
1. This definitely appeals to women who are oppressed. This book can help inspire them to stand up for themselves.
vii. What could’ve made this book better?
1. I think it took too long for Elizabeth to realize that Darcy was a good guy. It would’ve been better, in my opinion, if she realized Darcy’s true intentions earlier and they got their happily ever after earlier.
4)
a. Name: Shayanta Hasnat
b. Year: Senior
c. Book: The Stranger
d. Author: Albert Camus
e. Interests: Wrestling, beatboxing.
f. Questions
i. What distinguished this book from the others you’ve read?
1. Most of the stories I’ve read have built up to their main conflict in one way or another. In Camus’ The Stranger, the main character is accused of a crime without knowing what it is or why he is suspected. The absence of rationality in this book distinguishes it from other ones I’ve read.
ii. Did you relate to the story in any way? How?
1. There are times when I feel that the people who have influence over my life have no reason for doing what they do. My parents, for example, sometimes force me to eat at specific times even though I’m not hungry. At times like these, I relate to the main character of The Stranger, who was also forced into a bad situation by his superiors.
iii. What theme would you say was essential to your book?
1. Irrationality.
iv. Would like to expand on that?
1. I actually don’t remember off the top of my head. But I’ll get back to you if I do.
v. How influential was this book? In other words, did it inspire any life-changing revelations when you read it (or something remotely similar to that)?
1. This book made me realize that there is not always a happy ending to every story. The universe does not favor any one person. There is a sort of insignificance that all people share.
vi. Which type of people does this book appeal to?
1. Atheists and realists.
vii. What could’ve made this book better?
1. Skipped.
5)
a. Name: Richard Shyong
b. Year: Freshman
c. Book: Venus Plus X
d. Author: Theodore Sturgeon
e. Interests: Ultimate Frisbee, comics and movies.
f. Questions
i. What distinguished this book from the others you’ve read?
1. I liked this book because the idea of males and females becoming one and the same in the future was intriguing. This is one of the many science fiction stories that play around with crazy ideas that boggle your mind. The science behind it was actually a bit plausible too – besides the time traveling.
ii. Did you relate to the story in any way? How?
1. I couldn’t relate to the story.
iii. What theme would you say was essential to your book?
1. The gender battle between males and females will lead to a dystopia.
iv. How was this evident in the book?
1. In the end, because of all of the conflict between males and females, we find out there’s a lot going up beneath the surface of the utopia Sturgeon describes. The citizens of Ledom are actually more corrupt than they let on and everyone has their flaws.
v. How influential was this book? In other words, did it inspire any life-changing revelations when you read it (or something remotely similar to that)?
1. Not very – it was just interesting to read.
vi. What made it interesting?
1. The fact that there are so few differences between males and females. Our bodies are almost the same with the exception of our sexual organs (which the book describes in detail). But the way we think and the desires that drive our actions are very similar.
vii. Which type of people does this book appeal to?
1. Anyone who likes interesting, weird things.
viii. What could’ve made this book better?
1. Making the plot a little less convoluted. I found it confusing at times because there are a lot of names to keep track of. But I enjoyed it, overall.
Paul Rozenberg
Period 2
1) Tammy Oung, junior
The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams
Q- Can you give a brief plot overview?
Tom is the narrator. Laura, a cripple, is extremely timid and shy. Amanda, the mother, is imposing; she prevents Tom from pursuing his dreams and she tries to control Laura’s life. Tom works in a warehouse and he wants adventure in his life. Their father had left without a warning years ago, so Tom has to provide for his family. However, every night Tom chooses to go to the movies, causing conflict between him and his mother.
Laura chooses to keep to herself, and plays with her glass menagerie. Amanda had wanted her to go to business school, but Laura could not handle the stress, and she walked around instead of attending class. After finding out, Amanda thinks that there is no other option besides finding a man for Laura. Thus, she asks Tom to bring a “gentleman caller” from the warehouse—
Q- Thanks. Did you identify with any of the characters? Will readers be able to understand Laura’s struggles?
I identified with Laura the most because of her timidness and because of her nervous behavior. Readers, especially the more introverted ones, would be able to understand Laura’s struggles because her struggles stem from her lack of self-esteem and because she is self-conscious about her disability.
Q- How important is it that this work is a play, versus a novel or short story?
It is important that this work is a play because there is more emphasis on character dialogue and character interactions. There is less narration and description, so the dialogue sets the scene for the play.
Q- What is the setting for the play (time period)? Is this significant to Laura’s search for a job?
The time period is the 1930s. This is significant because this was probably during the Great Depression, so everyone was trying to get a job. The family is in bad financial shape.
2) Michael Ruan, Junior
Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
Q- Can you give a brief plot overview?
A young black man goes to a black college, but is expelled for his naivety. He goes to Harlem, New York and becomes a leader of a section of the Communist Party. He realizes in the end that the party took away his individuality and to express his freedom, he leaves the Communists and lives in a manhole.
Q- Is he a troubled character? Do you think some people will identify with him?
Yes he is. He is struggling to find his own identity and is constantly being controlled by others throughout the novel. I think people would identify with him because this is a bildungsroman.
Q- What do you think is the social message of this novel? What does Ellison think of the Communist movement?
There are a lot of social messages in the novel. Most of it is against racial injustice and the inefficient Communist Party. This novel was written in the 1950s or 60s, so it was during the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War.
Q- Did it change the way you personally thought about any social issues?
I already knew about these issues, it made me think more deeply about them. Being exposed to them in literature was interesting, and I had not really done that before.
Q- Was this an enjoyable read, or burdensome to get through?
I read it for class, so we read at a fast pace, that made it a little harder to absorb. If I were to read it again I would enjoy it more. The novel has plenty of humor, and in general, it is very readable.
Q- Would you recommend this to someone looking for social commentary, or for a novel about a complex character?
I would recommend it to both. The protagonist has no name, he is very complex.
Q- Would you like to make your own question?
Does the main character or narrator change throughout the novel? Yes he does. He becomes mentally insane. At first he was naïve and thought he could become an equal with the whites. Then he went through a mental institution, had a prefrontal lobotomy, and was brainwashed by the Communists. It is a powerful transition, and it becomes emotional to read.
Q- How does the protagonist interact with the supporting characters—or is this a story of a lone man? Also, I already read The Invisible Man, is that the same thing?
There are many villains: Dr. Bledsoe, Burnside, Mr. Emerson, Broadway, Brother Jack, and Mr. Norton. It’s quite a cast. And no, you should know that, Paul.
3) Harrysh Indranathan, junior
The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins
Q- Give a brief plot summary (include genre, setting, etc.)
The moonstone is a fairly large diamond that was originally worshipped by Hindus. However, throughout history it has been constantly stolen and dedicated Hindus followed it generation after generation. Eventually, it came into the possession of Rachel, a very wealthy British woman in the Victorian Era. One day the diamond is stolen and Blake, who has strong feelings for Rachel, conducts as investigation with the help of Sergeant Cuff. However, it turns out he stole it under the influence of opium, this explaining why he wasn’t even aware of the crime.
Q- Was this one of the first times you read detective fiction? What do you think of the genre?
I began reading detective fiction around this time. It wasn’t my first but certainly among the first. The genre is surprisingly diverse. There are many different sub-genres—I find some extremely boring while others are very intriguing. As a whole, the genre is worth exploring and I am glad that I chose to do so.
Q- This sounds like a suspenseful read. In the detective genre, you know that there will be a mystery that will be solved by the end—does this add to the suspense, versus the climax of a regular novel?
Surprisingly, no. In this novel, the mystery of who stole the moonstone was solved quite early. For most of the novel the story revolves around how it was stolen and why Blake has no memory of stealing it. The book transformed from a who-dunnit to a how-dunnit. While other detective fiction novels were pretty suspenseful, The Moonstone was pretty dull. It consisted of a series of accounts by different characters.
Q- Would it be a good idea to adapt this into a movie?
It would take a pretty good producer to make it interesting. I am not sure if there is a movie about it already but I think it would be pretty boring. Of course I’m just the type of person who enjoys a lot of action. However, I’m sure a lot of people would like it if the scenes were constructed carefully. It would be a challenge to keep the viewer interested.
4) Alan Wu, Senior
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
Q- Plot summary?
This is essentially about a young girl’s growth into a woman. It is a bildungsroman, where the girl starts off as a helpless orphan bullied by her stepsiblings and aunt. As she is sent to a boarding school, she is further tormented by the school officials and poor conditions. Jane applies and gets a job as a governess. At this manor she meets a man—he has a dark secret that threatens to destroy her hopes of love. However, the book ends up happily ever after as his wife commits suicide.
Q- How does Jane Eyre develop from a girl into woman—due to what factors?
In the beginning, she is a poor orphan dominated by her aunt and cousins. When she is sent to school, she is tormented even more, but through the rigors of education, she is refined and civilized. Mr. Rochester falls for her because of this.
Q- You told me this book taught you something. What was that again?
This era does not relate to me that much. But through the fictional world, I saw that romance is not one sided and females are complicated people that have impulses that influence their decisions. I learned a few things.
Q- Could this have been written as a play? Would there be negatives to this?
I do believe that it could be written as a play, as there is sufficient dialogue to draw from. However I don’t think that the play form could fully convey the person’s thoughts and would cut out details in the environs, the personalities of the characters, and important details.
Q- Is this an easy read, or a dense Victorian book you have to plow through?
It’s something you have to plow through if you are not a literary buff. It’s Victorian language.
Q- Did this novel interest you in Victorian English culture? I’m guessing no.
The story takes place in the country, not really the cities. It showed more of peasant culture, not life in London or Liverpool.
5) Aidan Bonner, Senior
Gravity’s Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon
Q- Can you give a brief plot summary?
The plot is kind of really hard to summarize, it is very complex. the novel revolves around Tyrone Slothrop and his quest to find a secret V2 rocket in WWII Europe.
Q- How did the structure affect your enjoyment of the novel?
The plot structure made the plot much harder to follow, but made the book ultimately more rewarding.
Q- Is it difficult to build a connection with the main character because of the structure?
No, since the main character seems to react in the same way we all do when thrust into surreal dreams.
Q- How does this compare to the other things you have read by Pynchon?
Its scope and scale is much grander, but it has the same soul as other Pynchon works.
Q- Why do you think Pynchon writes these books?
Pynchon writes this sort of book as an attempt to plumb deeper into the depths of the psyche.
6) William Gorelick, senior
A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter Miller
Q- Give a brief plot summary (include genre, setting, etc.)
The story takes place after the “Flame Deluge,” or WWII basically, in which the countries’ leaders nuke each other in an attempt to grab power. The first part of the connected trilogy occurs no more than several centuries after the war and is centered around a monastery dedicated to Leibowitz, the one who protected important scientific documents from the Simplification.
Q- Which is what?
An event that occurred after the deluge in which mobs burned everything of importance in a frenzy to see the world anew (compared to the genetic mutants of the day). The book continues with sections that take place further in time and plays with the idea of Armageddon.
Q- Does this novel have the standard sci-fi themes, or are there some unique themes developed here?
I believe that it does use standard sci-fi themes. The possibility of Armageddon was toyed around with a lot during the Cold War and in such films as “Dr. Strangelove.” As for babelfish, outer space, and the life, it is definitely common.
Nonetheless, there are interesting twists on the story—for example, telling the story from the perspective of abbots and other religious underlings.
Q- How do the characters develop throughout the novel? Do they develop by fighting forces outside their control?
The author cycles through the lives of two abbots and Francis, concentrating on each until he moves on (or until Frances dies). They attempt to preserve manuscripts and works of scientists and wise men, but many others are more interested in looting or, in the case of the generals, in conquest.
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Shoumik Dhar -
Book: Crime and Punishment
Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
What is the book about?
The basic plot is about a man named Rodion who begins a downward spiral after killing two women. He thought that they were useless to society, and that he was above the law when he killed them.
Where did you get the idea to read the book?
It had been on the back of my mind for awhile, and while I was at the library, I picked it up and began reading it. I had heard so much about it, and wanted to see what was so great about it. Now I know.
Were there characters you could relate to?
I could relate mostly to Rodion, minus the killings and feelings of superiority he had. He was mainly just a person trying to get through his life, but had to blame others for his misdeeds. He became obsessed with guilt, and he ended up living on the support of family and friends.
Was the book difficult to understand?
Not really. This book had a slightly difficult beginning, but could hold my attention after a few chapters, when it starts to get interesting. It was very interesting to read about Rodion’s plunge into madness as he became overcome with guilt.
Is the book inspiring, or have any positive messages for readers?
The book does contain some positive messages, though most of them are probably common sense. It’s a sort of spiritual guide for readers, showing them how morality works. The author, Fyodor Dostoevsky, was somewhat religious with some of his characters.
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Jeffrey Cheung
Title: Wuthering Heights
Author: Emily Bronte
What is the book about?
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It was about a boy who is mistreated by his adoptive family and runs away from home. He comes back as a fully grown man for revenge.
What made you decide to read this book?
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It was a Kaplan classic with SAT words and their definitions. I thought that it might be easier to improve my vocabulary by reading it than by study a textbook or using a dictionary.
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Were there characters you could relate to?
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Not really; but, like the main character, I do hate snobby people that are stuck up.
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Was the book difficult to understand?
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No, but that was because the harder stuff and vocab was explained on every page.
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Is the book inspiring, or does it have any positive messages for readers?
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It might inspire readers to be more open-minded towards different people especially the lower class.
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Snigdha Das
Title:The Butcher Boy
Author: Patrick McCabe
What is the book about?
Tells the story of an Irish boy named Francie who is very disturbed.
From an abusive father, a suicidal mother, poverty etc Francie deals with such deprived circumstances through his dark fantasies and hallucinations of Mother Marry.
This book is basically a perversion of childhood innocence -that is in many sense a mirror of present society-.
I would describe it as dark comedy really; I could imagine a cult following for this book (and its movie version much like Donnie Darko).
What made you decide to read this book?
I saw a movie based on another book by McCabe (Breakfast on Pluto) and thought I should check out his other works. The Butcher Boy just blew my mind.
Were there characters you could relate to?
Although it might sound very messed up to say, I did relate to this boy with serious mental issues. Throughout the book I truly felt his repression, his rage.
Was the book difficult to understand?
No, it was fine. I mean the book was in a stream of consciousness-style. I guess some people could say that does not made for a very reliable narrator/narrative, but I didn’t have any problems with that aspect of it. I rather enjoyed it actually. I don’t believe in forcing coherence into everything.
Is the book inspiring, or does it have any positive messages for readers?
I really don’t think this book was meant to be “inspiring” or “positive” or what not; since the book ended with Francie going postal and butchering his neighbor and messing around with her blood and organs.
I found the character amoral if anything; and I guess I sort of appreciated that. A change from books that drill morals into you.
Well class differences, bigotry, and various social/human evils were sort of-I guess-addressed in the book. So maybe positive in that sense.
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John Guan
Title: Beowulf
Author: No author
What is the book about?
It’s about a medieval battle between Beowulf and three of his enemies. Beowulf is the hero of the story.
What made you decide to read this book?
I had to read it for a class.
Were there characters you could relate to?
No because the characters were from a different time and it’s not easy to relate with medieval times.
Was the book difficult to understand?
A little because it’s from centuries ago. There can be some problems with understanding the English language at the time.
Is the book inspiring, or does it have any positive messages for readers?
I guess a good message it had was the importance of friendship and family and how they strengthen people.
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John Guan
Title: Brave New World
Author: Aldous Huxley
What is the book about?
It’s about how the world would be like in the future with more technology.
What made you decide to read this book?
Again, I had to read it for a class.
Were there characters you could relate to?
No, most of the main characters would not fit the personalities of today’s people, and some may see the characters as not normal.
Was the book difficult to understand?
No, this book was okay. It may not be the best book for people not into science fiction though.
Is the book inspiring, or does it have any positive messages for readers?
The book didn’t really have any obvious messages, but it’s still a good read for anyone who has a good imagination.
Doo Hyun Lee Ms. Chan Pd.2 / Late British Literature 4 / 26 / 09
Albert Chang: (Captain of the swim team, interested in martial arts, avid drummer)
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Q1. Is the novel as mysterious as the title makes it out to be?
A1. At first I thought the novel might be about a serial killer because the title is pretty ominous. And when I read it there actually was a murder although it was random and ended up going down a very philosophical road. However, the protagonist Meursault is very spooky.
Q2. What do you mean by “random and going down a very philosophical road”?
A2. Meursault leads a pretty happy life with a decent job and a nice relationship with his girlfriend. The death of his mother and the monotony of his life don’t really bother him. He has no motive to kill anyone. The philosophical part comes in the second part of the novel when people try to sentence Meursault for his crime. He’s not too sure of what he’s done while others try to punish him or save his soul.
Q3. Do you find the certain philosophies this novel deals with in other novels?
A3. I’m not sure but I did read a scene in a short story that was similar to a scene in The Stranger. In the short story, a boy who stresses over life finds a weird kind of relief when he gets angry and kills a guy. At the end of The Stranger, Meursault who stresses over his jail time finds an eerie relief when he goes absolutely ballistic on this religious guy.
Q4. How do you feel after having read it?
A4. This book is definitely not suspenseful or thrilling or anything like that, but you really start feeling deep because it introduces knew ways of thinking, although some of them are pretty negative like the irrationality of the universe.
Q5. Do the philosophical aspects overcomplicate things?
A5. Actually, they simplify the story because without the philosophies, you would have no idea why Meursault does the things he does.
Mikhail Goman: (Sports enthusiast who is a member of the football, lacrosse, and swim teams, currently taking Science Fiction and Fantasy)
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith
Q1. What’s the plan and why is it simple?
A1. A man (Hank), his brother (Jacob), and his friend (Lou) stumble upon a great deal of money, and they decide to keep it for themselves. They plan to keep everything under wraps for a couple of months. If any news about the money comes up, they’ll return it, but if things are quiet then the money will be theirs.
Q2. Do things go accordingly or awry?
A2. I mean it wouldn’t be much of a story if things were okay. The main problem the characters face is paranoia while a minor problem is greed. Lou wants to spend a little of his money, but Hank and Jacob are afraid others will find out. Hank winds up murdering Lou, not out of greed but to protect his wife and infant son. Hank even kills his own brother in an attempt to protect his family from getting caught up in the crime.
Q3. Is there a clear-cut hero and villain?
A3. Hank does all the murdering, but he seems to be the most caring character in the novel. Lou doesn’t have any blood on his hands, but he’s a real douche bag.
Q4. Don’t you think you just ruined the story?
A4. When you read the entire novel, you’ll find out that the actual murders were more for shock value then plot.
Q5. Is suspense what really drives the story?
A5. Yeah when a man kills his own brother, you really don’t know what’s going to happen next.
Christopher Kwok: (Captain of the swim team, member of the school orchestra, currently taking Shakespearean Literature)
Prep by Curtis Sittenfield
Q1. What’s so exciting about a prep school?
A1. Nothing. This whole book probably would be really bad if it weren’t for the first-person narrator Lee. She’s a middle-class girl attending a prestigious private high school with very wealthy people. The contrast makes the novel fun to read.
Q2. What kind of contrasts are you talking about?
A2. There are the obvious contrasts like Lee who is from Indiana can’t take her eyes off anything in Massachusetts. There are the less obvious contrasts like the few poor people who attend Ault are mean and easy to anger while the rich people are kind and collected.
Q3. So the narrator is a girl. Does she talk about topics that would be uncomfortable to boys?
A3. She talks about losing her virginity. It’s probably the same for boys, but hearing it from a girl’s point of view was very uncomfortable.
Q4. If the novel is about high school kids but the author is an adult, does the dialogue sound forced?
A4. Her dialogue is free of slang and pretty simple. It’s when Lee is thinking to herself when the language gets sophisticated. Even if the dialogue doesn’t sound real, the reader can understand because the novel is an adult Lee recounting her high school experience.
Q5. Did the novel make you reconsider high school life?
A5. The only thing it helped me realize is how childish teenagers could be.
Toshihiro Noguchi: (A junior on the swim team who enjoys puzzles and classical music, currently taking Late American Literature)
The Gold-Bug and Other Tales by Edgar Allen Poe
Q1. Was this your first Poe experience?
A1. Yes. I always wanted to read the writing of this legendary horror writer, and I think his short stories are the best way to start.
Q2. How was it?
A2. When I think of horror, I expect to feel chills down my back. His short stories only gave me goosebumps because they were so disturbing. “The Fall of the House of Usher” dealt with things like incest.
Q3. What was your favorite short story?
A3. “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” was the first detective story I ever read, and it actually encouraged me to read some Agatha Christie novels. Detective Dupin reminded me of Doctor House from the television show. The ending was actually funny in my opinion. I’ll just say that it has to do with monkeys.
Q4. Poe led a pretty depressing life. Can you tell from his stories?
A4. I think Poe was an alcoholic. In “The Black Cat” the narrator suffers from alcoholism. What happens because of the alcohol haunts him continuously.
Q5. So are you going to read more of his work?
A5. Yes. I heard his poetry is just as disturbing.
Daniel Slutsky: (Member of a swim team both in and out of school, member of the math team)
No Exit by Jean Paul Sartre
Q1. What does the “No Exit” refer to?
A1. The three characters find themselves in a hell with no exit.
Q2. It sounds bad. Is it?
A2. The hell refers to a room in which three complete strangers find themselves not enjoying each other’s company. In the beginning, I didn’t know how bad it could possibly be, but by the end I realized how scary other people could be.
Q3. Why, are the people jerks?
A3. One woman is a bitch, the other woman is narcissistic, and the man is a coward. I guess they make a very volatile combination. Also the one thing that makes the hell worse is that the characters have no eyelids so they can’t even fall asleep to escape each other.
Q4. What did you learn from the book?
A4. I learned how powerful another person’s opinion could be. In the end of the novel, the door to the room opens, and the people are free to leave, but they all want to change each others opinions of themselves, so they just stay in the room. Also in the room, there are no mirrors, so the people cannot judge themselves. Instead they rely on each other to judge.
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