Archive for June, 2010
Travels With My Aunt by Graham Greene
This book has been one of the most delightful and inspiring reads for me in a great while. It tells the story of a middle aged retired bank manager named Henry Pulling, who leads a very dull life, at least by my standards (his greatest hobby is maintaining his dahlias). When his mother dies he has the great fortune to meet his Aunt Augusta at the funeral. She reveals things to him about his family’s past that he could have never imagined to be true. For one, his mother was actually his step mother and his father fell in love with another woman right before he died. Aunt Augusta is a wild woman, who can’t be told what to do or contained. She brings Henry along on one of her travels and he is awakened to what opportunities life holds for him, or anyone ready to accept it. He becomes hooked on this new lifestyle and continues along with Aunt Augusta on her many adventures. Travels With My Aunt is exciting and inspiring, definitely a must-read.
Defiance, Ohio
Defiance, Ohio is one of my all time favorite bands. They come from Columbus, not Defiance, Ohio and play the most wonderful folk punk you will ever hear. They have been together for eight years now and put out one amazing record after another. They have politics heavily rooted in their songs like in “The New World Order” and “Lambs from the Slaughter”, both from the album “The Great Depression”. They go on tour often and play incredibly high energy shows. It takes a lot for me to think so highly of a band, because I have high standards with bands that preach certain ideals. But I think Defiance, Ohio truly stand behind their politics. They play all-ages shows for as little money as they need to travel. If you send them a shirt they will silk screen their original designs on it for free! They are super nice and awesome and talented, you can even write them letters and they will write back!
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
This novel, which I read for the first time my freshman year, completely changed my life. It presented me with a mindset that I had never even considered and I was truly shocked every time I turned the page. It almost felt like everything I had ever learned was apart of some conspiracy. I’m not saying everything in the book should be taken as fact, but Quinn’s ideas and creative approach are really incredible to take in. For example, he presents the idea of a “Law of Civilization” which most people would have trouble comprehending. Then he cleverly parallels it to a “Law of Aerodynamics”, which people could similarly not understand until scientists figured it all out. Essentially, he theorizes that there are a number of laws that humans have been breaking involving the natural harmony of the circle of life. For an alternative perspective and really enlightening read, definitely give Ishmael a try.
Ryan McGinley
Photographer Ryan McGinley is my favorite photographer and a huge inspiration to me. His subject focus is very similar to mine, youth. He sees artists, musicians, graffiti writers, skaters, kids and represents them in a totally original way. There is this unbelievable spirit in his pictures that make me gape and stare at them for extended amounts of time. He is super successful, especially considering how young he is. In 2003, when he was just twenty-five years old, he became the youngest artist to have a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art. But I admire him most for his courage to tackle such a complex demographic and produce something truly revolutionary in the world of photography.
Eating Animals by Johnathan Safran Foer (And Food Inc!)
Don’t be afraid by the size of this book, it is an easy page turner, if only for the horrific things you’ll learn inside. While I have mixed feelings about the book, especially after learning the author is not a strict vegetarian, I think it is undeniably a positive read and I would recommend it to anyone. The fact of the matter is, there is an entire industry, the food industry, that is kept hidden from us. This, to me, is not only unacceptable but also terrifying. People don’t even realize how much standards have dropped, and in some cases completely disappeared. Eating Animals gives an extremely wholesome argument, ranging from factory farms and slaughterhouses on land, to the trawling of the sea that is decimating ocean life. Foer also intertwines his own personal connection to meat, which really came into question at the birth of his son, which I think is a very admirable approach. Giving up meat is not for everyone, but people should be given the facts so they can consider the best option for them. I truly believe if the industry had glass walls around it, would collapse or change drastically. For this reason, I recommend this book, or if you would rather watch a film, Food Inc is an incredibly informative and engaging documentary about food policy on a wider scale. Get involved!
Death & Dignity
Understood within the natural world not as a failure or misfortune but as a necessary detail in the successful perpetuation of the circle of life, the idea of death couldn’t be more different as it is perceived by humans. Its immeasurable power is so vast it is almost incomprehensible, yet we strive to postpone our ultimately inescapable expirations as long as we possibly can. Through the analysis of three novels, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy one can see that despite differences in time and setting, as well as, the author’s cultural background, death is a theme that consistently serves as a catalyst for the main characters and the society they live in as a whole.
One interesting contrast that all three authors present is the varying of responses to death depending on whether it was brought on by “natural causes” or rather some external force, the most prevalent of which being murder. In Heart of Darkness, disregarding the hints of racism and self-concernedness, Marlow’s distress at his helmsman’s death at least shows his acknowledgment that it was undeserving and premature:
“I missed my late helmsman awfully, —I missed him even while his body was still lying in the pilot-house. Perhaps you will think it passing strange this regret for a savage who was no more account than a grain of sand in a black Sahara. Well, don’t you see, he had done something, he had steered; for months I had him at my back—a help—an instrument” (Conrad 62).
Conrad even ventures to compare the worth of Kurtz’s life to those his on-board companions, which shows a more encouraging side to his morality: “He had the power to charm or frighten rudimentary souls of the pilgrims with bitter misgivings…No; I can’t forget him, though I am not prepared to affirm the fellow was exactly worth the life we lost in getting to him” (Conrad 62). Marlow realizes that for all the hype and “success” surrounding Kurtz, he doesn’t deserve the light that shines upon him while the natives who have been enslaved for his cause remain in the darkness.
Achebe, in his novel Things Fall Apart, presents a society in which culture and tradition are valued above all else, including the individual. Regarding death, the Ibo have many strict practices depending on who dies and how. While their conventions might seem terrifying and foreign to someone raised under Western ideals, they still seem to maintain a positive balance within the tribe, at least up until the missionaries arrive with their agenda and their influence (manipulation). For example, it is not only acceptable but also necessary for twin babies to be thrown away into the forest, based on the belief that twins are evil or a curse. Another interesting focus on death in the novel is that of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo’s adopted son. After the tribe leaders announce that Ikemefuna must be sacrificed, chaos ensues. Okonkwo’s initial response is to respect this decision and in a moment of frenzy he even takes part in the killing. Later on, when reality sets in for Okonkwo, he is deeply affected by the event: “Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna…He did not sleep at night. He tried not to think about Ikemefuna, but the more he tried the more he thought about him. Once he got up from bed and walked about his compound. But he was so weak that his legs could hardly carry him” (Achebe 54). What he eventually realizes to be an unjust murder wrecks havoc not only on his emotional strength, but his physical well being too.
Then, by the end of novel, Okonkwo’s suicide directly affects the rest of the tribe, saddened by the loss of legend and a friend. More importantly though, they are distressed by the fact that he took his own life because it is one of the most extreme offenses against the Earth: “We cannot bury him. Only strangers can. We shall pay your men to do it. When he has been buried we will then do our duty by him. We shall make sacrifices to cleanse the desecrated land” (Achebe 170). The Ibos feel an intense sorrow after Okonkwo’s death because it marks a turning point in their life and customs. For them, nothing can ever be the same again after one of the most revered warriors in history was broken down by the corruption of colonialism.
In Roy’s The God of Small Things, death plays an extremely significant role in the development of the plot and the relationships between characters. She cleverly connects certain characters to death, foreshadowing their lingering demise. Sophie Mol, for example, is fascinated by death: “Where do old birds go to die? Why don’t dead ones fall like stones from the sky?” (Roy 17). Similarly, Ammu shows signs of collapse long before her actual end: “Rahel saw that her eyes were a redly dead” (Roy 31). This represents all the loss Ammu endures and the pain she feels, the separation from her children being the final event to send her into her final downward spiral. A more extreme and catalytic death is that of Velutha, which affects many of the characters in a very big way. It compels Baby Kochamma to do her most evil scheming yet and Ammu, Rahel, and Estha lose possibly the only positive figure in their lives. I think Roy expertly arranged his death at the end of the novel to stand as the final and most heartbreaking tragedy within the novel.
While all three authors used death in a creative and intriguing way, as an instrument to convey their thoughts on human nature and society, I think Roy unveiled something truly remarkable in her novel. It seems to me that the delicate relationships she produced were the perfect models with which to express these thoughts.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
This was one of the required readings in my Freshman Composition class. The story depicts how the main character, Holden Caulfield, flunks class and runs away from his college preparatory school. His sojourn to New York City and his struggles with the surrounding reflect the insecurities and confusions in many adolescents like me. I shared many similarities with him: I had just entered high school and struggled to adjust. At the same time, we worried over how to face our families. Like Holden, I wanted to run away from failures and didn’t know how to recover. However, he was much bolder to wander around New York by himself.
When Holden secretly returns to his home, he reconnects with his little sister and reveals how he feels guilty for the death of his brother. When his future seemed so uncertain, I felt sympathy and anxious to find out about his decision. To me, the descriptions of Holden’s journey and his pessimistic views of the world are realistic and solemn. This novel surprised and relieved me; it taught me that my problems were common among teenagers. Holden and I needed to be more confident to handle the issues in life. For the freshmen who will face various hardships in Stuyvesant, I hope this book will ease their inner struggles and influence them to have more determination.
The Odyssey – Homer
I read this epic during sophomore year in English class with Ms. Moore. In Classical literature, this is one of the most well known works by the Greek poet, Homer. He connects the stories of the gods and goddesses of Olympia to the lives of Odysseus and his family. I could not help but exult over the courage and faith of the hero. Despite obstacles imposed by giants, muses, and the torrent sea, Odysseus overcomes them with determination and finally returns home after twenty years. Likewise, the devotion of his wife and his son, who wait upon his return despite the pursuit of greedy suitors, convinces me that loyalty will not go unrewarded. Their example teaches me to have patience and stay resolved if I have goals to achieve.
This early form of literature is also unique in incorporating characters of various shapes and sizes; it opened my eyes to Greek culture and conveyed how avidly people stressed virtue and worship of gods. This long battle included the themes of good versus evil, virtue versus corruption, and modesty versus greed. Odysseus, the protagonist who endured the various hardships at sea and stayed loyal to his wife, has become a model to me. He revived in me the sense to live righteously and not fear judgments. I think this epic will echo strongly in the minds of high school students in the future, reminding them what is right and what is wrong.
Macbeth -William Shakespeare
Another famous work that I read in English Class in sophomore year was Macbeth. I had a chance to delve deeper into the unique writing styles of Shakespeare, such as his iambic pentameters, rhythmic alliterations and elegant language. At the same time, I was able to learn of the significance and moral meanings behind this tragedy. Shakespeare uses words such as “blood” and “sleepless night” to portray the ominous air and depict the fouls of greed. Macbeth, initially a noble, listens to the claims of three witches that he will become king and turns heartless to murder his friend and his king. He soon drowns in guilt and becomes delusional. The moment that he sees his hand stained in blood and claims that even the sea will be stained by his hand, conveys his regret and self derision. At another instant, when he sees the ghost of the Scottish king and tries to fight him, chills my heart and makes me wonder if this power is actually worth it. This regret also affects his wife and causes her to become delusional.
The unsettled mind of Macbeth produced a psychological effect upon me and indeed taught me to be honest and not to aspire too high. In using Macbeth as an example, Shakespeare warns of the tragic consequences of greed and calculation. This piece of tragedy, with grave language and solemn message, will easily communicate to high school students the importance of morals.
The Joy Luck Club – Amy Tan
Being a Chinese American who hopes to communicate her own culture through writing, I decided to take Asian American Literature during the first term of senior year. The Joy Luck Club was a part of my reading in Ms.Choi’s class. This poignant work offers glimpses into the stories of four mothers and their daughters. The mothers, an early generation of immigrants who hope to pass their dreams to their daughters in America, have to accept the different goals of their daughters with reluctance. The daughters, raised in a westernized culture, recall their childhoods to better understand their mothers. I learned how their mother-daughter relationships are often hindered by language and cultural barriers. Through the narratives of the mothers, I began to see the impact of historical events such as World War II on their lives and the push factors to settle in America. Through the accounts of the daughters, I began to see their aspirations and events that shape them today.
I connected more with these personal narratives, because I am also the daughter of an immigrant family. My mother and I also share language and cultural barriers. She speaks mostly Chinese and binds more to traditions while I speak English to adjust in society and is less familiar with customs. This reading made me recall the hardships that Asian Americans faced in coming to a new land and our dreams for better lives. The realistic experiences and bitter sweet times that united the main characters into a club greatly affected me. I bonded to my family and culture more strongly. This book would be great for those high school students who are dealing with similar issues in life. It helps them to appreciate the early generations who overcame many hardships to make more opportunities possible.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay- Michael Chabon
This is a comical yet meaningful novel that I read in Mr. La Bonne’s Late American Literature class in junior year. Filled with length and depth and humor, it can be very moving and historically significant at times. During the later periods, World War II and Nazi Germany occupied a great part of American history. The autobiographical novel portrays the conflicts of a Jewish refugee in America, Joseph Kavalier. When he achieves his dream and gains success making graphic comedy with his cousin Sam Clay, he attempts to bring his family over from Europe to escape persecution. However, when his attempts fail and his family is separated, he drowns in excessive guilt and could not let go of his family back in Europe. He runs away from his family in New York and has since been concealed from the fact that his lover is pregnant. The misfortunes that Joseph undergoes aroused my sympathy and bitterness.
Reading this autobiographical work reminds me of The Diary of Anne Frank, which is also a famous work that depicts the horrifying life of a Jewish refugee who has to starve and constantly fear and hide from the Nazis. Images of the Jewish massacre and the numerous deaths in concentration camps floated once again into my mind as I read on. The slow and painful recovery of Joseph from the traumas of losing his family stirred my anger and derision of Nazis. This work taught me how important human rights are and how each ethnic and race should be treated equally. This novel will help raise awareness in future students of the sufferings brought on by racism and hatred. I hope that readers will adopt a greater sense of respect and appreciation for humanity.
Frankenstein – Mary W. Shelley
Before tenth grade, I spent my 2007 summer vacation in preparatory school, volunteered at Queens library, and passed the times reading off the shelves. Frankenstein was one of the books that grabbed my attention, and it did not prove to be a disappointment. I found it exhilarating and was easily lured into this highly creative piece of work. My initial horror turned into pity as I learned how Frankenstein, the human experiment come to life, never receives the love and care he yearns from his creator. He takes down the loved ones of his creator as revenge and make warnings, yet his creator continues to neglect and blame him for the miseries. I was surprised and moved; Frankenstein is not born a harmful creature, but forced to become a murderer. Even to the end, he is seen as a hideous monster and reviled.
This classical and elegant novel offered a break from monotonous preparatory school and loneliness. The winter setting and shallow themes also helped to chill my scorching summer. The book has proved more than one essential point: Do not judge by appearances, respect other’s feelings, and be content and peaceful with life. Because without accepting Frankenstein, society will suffer losing their own loved ones to the creature who turned wild for revenge. I hope this could be as enjoyable to future high school students, and teach them to see inner beauties and appreciate the creations of life!
The God of Small Things-Arundhati Roy
I read this during senior year in Ms. Chan’s Late British English class. This book had unique style and great story line. The theme of British colonialism and how it tore India apart emerged frequently as the story of an Indian family progressed. The perspectives seen through the twins, Rahel and Estha, can be humorous in one instant and grim in another. Their normal childhood lives are interrupted by shocks from the Terror and deaths in the family. The author used many flashbacks to emphasize how the twins have changed after the incidents and continue to struggle as adults. This aroused great pity in me; suddenly, there did seem like innumerable holes that were shaped like people and objects in India as Rahel had described.
The unhappy ending, the unexpected deaths, and the broken family, are enough to depict the confusion that India was in after British colonialism ended. Arundhati Roy also used the novel to criticize the caste system and rigid traditions in India. I could not believe how Rahel and Estha were shunned by society just for the fact that they are twins and children of a divorced woman. I was angered by descriptions of how the females endured the beatings of their husbands and are treated as properties. I was even more ridiculed to find how Indian society reviled and mistreated Velutha, an untouchable, who is actually the most capable, admirable, and pure character. Roy has successfully touched upon the various cultural and familial issues that deserved more attention.
Inglourious Basterds
World War II is a sensitive topic to discuss and parody even now, 65 years after its close. One could say that Quentin Tarantino, the director of Inglourious Basterds, was being blatantly flippant with this film, but it would be more appropriate to say that he was trying to create a film about revenge, justice, and the hero, and succeeded in doing so.
I first saw Inglourious Basterds with my father and had a long discussion afterwards about whether it was more or less awkward to indicate the number “three” using the index, middle, and ring fingers or with the thumb, index, and middle fingers (an important distinction which influences the course of events in the film). I then realized that Tarantino had turned horrific events, World War II and the Holocaust, and molded them into an operatic, elegant story of glory and sacrifice, which is hard to accomplish about any subject, but is especially difficult with this one.
The film is a near work of art, not only because of its characters, costumes, music, and script, which are excellent, but because it proves that dark events in history can be treated lightheartedly, without any hint of hypocrisy. Tarantino shows that sometimes, by treating an event or topic as if it is infected with a deadly virus, one is actually refusing to look at it closely. World War II, like another catastrophic event in human history, was shocking and horrifying, but it is not to be treated as some sacred object. This movie shows that tragedies should be considered with the utmost respect, but as with all other significant events in human history, they should not be remembered merely as a lesson, but should be examined for elements of absurdity and even levity. Tarantino’s revision of history mixed with humor reflects the human instinct to come to terms with tragedy by positing an alternative ending.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Borat, directed by Larry Charles, while vulgar and mildly disturbing, shows the state of mind in the United States, and is a valuable tool for showing educated Americans and foreigners America’s failings. I have lived in New York City essentially my entire life, so I have never seen firsthand how people act in the rest of the country. From the redneck rodeo watchers who cheer when Borat declares, referring to Kazakhs, “We support your war of terror,” to the drunken college kids who pick Borat up from the side of the road, the whole country, with the exception of the major cities and a few other places, is disturbed beyond comprehension.
After seeing this movie, I could finally comprehend how someone like George W. Bush could have been elected President of the United States, not only once, but twice. I also learned why the entire world, again with a few exceptions, thinks Americans are stupid: because many are, or at least they are making a very good impression of it. This sudden comprehension that I was living in a nation of greedy, violent, dangerous fools, with the only beacons of intelligence being in the major cities (New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, etc.) made a huge impression on my 14 year old mind. Ever since then, blatant ignorance has become much more evident to me, not just in the United States, but throughout the world. I believe I would give anything to view the world as I did four years ago, if given the chance. Ever since then, I have become more cynical, which I do not enjoy one bit. It is much easier to see the world through rose-tinted lenses than as it truly is.
The Departed
Most people assume that the boundary between good and evil is a clear cut line, with everybody having clear reasons for being on the one side or the other. The Departed, directed by the excellent Martin Scorsese, shatters that belief entirely and shows that even generally “good” people can have malevolent intentions and that people who one would assume to be ignoble can be more righteous than any of their peers. I learned from this movie two important truths, which are both necessary to the survival of all humans.
The first is that even the most noble of groups, such as the police department or the government, are not free of corruption. While this message seems self-evident or obvious, it made an impression on my naïve mind. This is not to say that we should be wary of everyone with good intentions, which would be ridiculous, but that one must be prepared for the possibility of a betrayal by a trusted person and must not be blinded by rank or position.
The second lesson is just as important: it is likely that what appears to be malevolent may contain some good. For example, a criminal may have a wife and child and may only be committing crimes in order to support them. This criminal cannot be forgiven merely because he has a reason for his actions, but should not be treated as if he is not even human. One must remember that someday, one may be in a position where it becomes necessary to decide between one’s family or friends and one’s honor, which is an impossible choice.
Both of these lessons seem abstract and irrelevant, but they are in fact necessary to see the world as it truly is and have helped me since I learned them.
Crank and Crank: High Voltage
These two movies, both directed by Mark Neveldine, lack any meaning whatsoever, but I have found them to be highly enjoyable when I am depressed, which admittedly, does not occur very often. These movies personify the inner lunatic and manly man within every person, which is usually hidden, but appears when in a rage or when a person experiences some other strong and violent emotion. Perhaps I am assuming too much about other people, but I believe that most people sometimes just want to let go of life and their problems and act solely on emotion and instinct every so often. The two Crank movies allow the viewer to do this without so much as lifting a finger, and, of course, with the added benefit of not having to go to jail for murder, destruction of property, grand larceny, grand theft auto, and a metric ton of other violent crimes.
While it seems insane to merely fantasize about these movies, it would be much crazier to actually go around doing what is seen, which I don’t ever plan on doing. It’s lets us release some rage just as seeing a romantic comedy can satisfy one’s own feelings of unrequited love. Watching these movies helps me relax, and I would advise that anyone else who feels pent up stress and anger try this therapy, as there is no way their lives could be as messed up as Chev Chelios’s is in these movies. When one finishes watching either of these movies, one is guaranteed to have adrenaline pumping and feel much livelier than before.
District 9
Encounters with beings from another planet have been a fascinating topic for humans for at least the past century. Usually novels and films with this premise are about oppressive aliens and valiant humans. District 9, directed by Neill Blomkarp, gives new perspective on this subject, with the aliens arriving to Earth helpless and with little unity. The humans immediately quarantine them and start to conduct experiments on their technology and bodies, many of which are painful or lethal. This is, perhaps, a twisted form of irony, as mankind’s greatest fear of aliens seems to be that it will be “probed” or studied by invading aliens, when in fact, it seems most likely that we would do the same thing to them if given the chance.
District 9 made me think about how we, the human race, should and would react if aliens arrived to Earth stranded and alone. We should, of course, try to help them to make friendly relationships with the other beings in the universe for our mutual benefit. We would, on the other hand, do exactly to them what was done to the “prawns” in this movie. We would dissect, destroy, and torture them in order to find out how we could “defend ourselves” against them, despite not even knowing whether they have hostile intentions or, perhaps, no intentions whatsoever. Eliminating the possibility for peace and coexistence is certainly not the advisable thing to do, yet it is surely what we would do, taking into account how most meetings between two different groups of humans ended in the subjugation of one of them. Now, one may have lost all confidence in the human race after hearing this message. Fortunately, one can take comfort in the fact that not every human is hellbent on destruction, such as Wikus van de Merwe in District 9, the hero.
Sin City
While Sin City, directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez, can be purely enjoyed for its action scenes and violence, it does carry many messages in each of its many episodes. One can learn to sacrifice oneself in order to protect a loved one, that determination is sometimes the only thing necessary to preserve justice, that honor and intelligence can prevail over brute strength and, perhaps most importantly, that even the darkest of times and places can carry a spark of decency, courage, and loyalty.
Most movies seem to enlighten the audience on the evil in our generally peaceful world. While that is a fine and noble goal, it can end up disheartening the audience and plunging the world into the dark times it warns against. Occasionally, in order to restore one’s faith in the human race, one must watch a movie like Sin City, which, while infused with darkness and violence, shows the good qualities of man: namely his compassion and desire to help his fellows. Noble people will always prevail over the dishonest, corrupt, and cruel. While it would be nice to live in a carefree world, one must always recognize, as I do, that times may change for the worse, but that there will always be some modicum of compassion present in the world, ready to guide the rest of it back to glory and sanity.
It seems odd that such a vibrant and strong message could come out of a movie so dark, but that is what I saw. I hope that all the other people who saw Sin City picked up on this message as well and did not mistake it for a pure action movie about violence.
The Prestige
The Prestige, directed by Christopher Nolan, cannot be fully comprehended until its conclusion, but that does not mean it cannot be enjoyed. The experience or journey can be more important than the resolution or destination. While the ending to this movie is unexpected and incredible, it would not be fair to say that the rest of the movie is any less enjoyable or remarkable. Throughout the movie, the audience tries to piece together the incredible events witnessed, from a man seemingly teleported from one box to another to a man who drowns himself so that his clone will be able to gain fame and fortune.
The Prestige is like an intricate machine that ticks and turns incessantly forward. It spits out bits and pieces of information until it stops at the incredible resolution, which is simple, yet elegant. This is the second lesson to be learned: sometimes simplicity is best and complicated interweaving can only hide the truth.
I usually prefer movies which are either action thrillers or complete comedies, but that have a plot that is memorable. In the case of this movie, the plot carries the whole and no explosions or witty wisecracks are necessary to keep the viewer entertained, something which I would not have expected before I saw it. I did not expect to enjoy this movie, but I did, and though I cannot be sure, I believe that seeing this movie made me more open to new genres and themes and has allowed me enjoy things I would usually have dismissed.
Blazing Saddles
Blazing Saddles, along with History of the World: Part I and Space Balls, all three directed by the great Mel Brooks, ranks among the very greatest comedic films of all time. I am ashamed to say that I only saw Blazing Saddles for the first time last year, but am glad to say that it is one of the most enjoyable movies I have ever seen. That is also what one must take away from this film: that pure comedy, raucous laughter, and ridiculous antics are some of the most enjoyable things available to humans. Since life would be meaningless if it was not enjoyed, one must always remember that no matter how bogged down or stressed one is, he should never give into it, for eventually he will laugh again. The greatest feat possible, in my mind at least, would be to banish all thoughts that cause stress or intrude upon one’s happiness, but without giving up the ability to deal with one’s problems.
I feel that I may have accomplished this task, with the help of Blazing Saddles and several other factors. For example, during a college interview, an experience that most people seem to find stressful, despite the fact that the interviewer likely wants to help them, I had set firmly in mind the scene in which Mongo walks into town and all the people run away, with Lili Von Shtupp’s scene as backup. While these scenes seem an insignificant defense against a wall of stress and uncertainty, they served well in practice and got me through the interview without so much as a frown or a bead of sweat running down my forehead. Perhaps this is a feat not many people can accomplish, but I would advise all people to at least attempt something similar before they dismiss it.
The Old Man and the Sea
Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea is merely a novella, but within its pages, it carries a message suited to a volume at least ten times as large. The old man, Santiago, is a poor Cuban fisherman who goes on his journey with the determination to catch a notable prize. With all his determination and after a long-fought battle, the old man catches a great marlin, greater than any other that has ever been caught, only to have it eaten off the side of his boat by sharks. There is much to learn within this story that is typical of Hemingway: how to show courage, honor, pride, and stamina, but there is also a message that is more prevalent here than anywhere else.
The accomplishment is more important than the reward for actually accomplishing it. Santiago does not get to sell his prized marlin in the market, but he does have the privilege and honor of knowing he accomplished something that no one else could ever hope to do. That alone is enough to put him up in the halls of those respected few who deserve praise for what they have done. What one must take away from this story is that determination and strength are the only things necessary to accomplish a great feat, but that more importantly; one must not expect to be rewarded with any more than the knowledge of the accomplishment. Whether I will ever be able to accomplish anything as meaningful to myself as catching that marlin was to the old man, I do not know, but I know that I will be satisfied with the knowledge that I did, if I ever do. This must also be remembered when accomplishing small, irrelevant feats, such as learning something that one thought impossible to comprehend, despite it seeming obvious to everyone else.
Rogue Male
Geoffrey Household’s unnamed protagonist in Rogue Male exemplifies all that a man could wish to be. He is daring, bold, brave, cunning, and, of course, noble. The hunter, for that is his passion, decides to hunt game which he has never hunted before: man, but not just any man. He will hunt one of the most well protected men in the world. He goes into Poland and comes very close to shooting the Hitler-esque dictator who is his target. Unfortunately, he is caught and flees, resulting in a journey back to England where he hides in what amounts to no more than a hole in a ditch. This is his transformation back to an animal, living in the wild.
If there is one role model I look up to, it would certainly be the rogue male. Not only does he exemplify some of the best qualities in man, but his worst flaws prove his humanity. The rogue male was not even aware that he actually intended to kill the man he hunted, until the man who hunts him psychologically tortures it out of him. The male could not admit to himself that he was going to actually kill another person for his country, as he hates patriotism, so he had deluded himself into believing that he was doing it for sport. While this may not seem like a flaw, a man who does not even know his own intentions cannot be trusted to do anything. However, this odd justification of killing: for sport, would have been enough for the rogue male to accomplish his task, shows that he would do his duty, despite not believing in it personally. The greatest thing a man can do for the world is to perform a task that will benefit others, even if he finds it distasteful himself.
A Tale of Two Cities
I admit that I never would have read Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities if I hadn’t been required to do so for a class. I will also admit that I detest most of what occurs in this novel, but I do admire one of the characters. Sydney Carton is the only interesting character, as he does not seem plagued by foolishness and folly. Carton’s self sacrifice in order to preserve the happiness of the one he loved, Lucie Manette, despite the fact that she did not love him, shows his pure nobility. I will forever remember the scene in which Carton ascends the gallows with no regrets, and I like to think, the honor and privilege of sacrificing himself for someone he truly loves.
Despite being a drunk and an unlikely hero, Carton shows more daring than anyone else I have even seen or heard of, fictional or real. Some may say that his sacrifice was in vain and that he is the fool for saving Lucie’s beloved, Charles Darnay, when he could have had a chance for her himself if Charles was executed. Those people may be correct, in theory, but they fail to realize that Carton would not have been able to live with himself if he had known that he betrayed and hurt the woman he loved by his inaction. His death underscores his nobility and pure passion for his beloved.
I do not know what I would do if I were put in a similar position, as it is impossible to know such things until the time comes, but I know what I would like to do. Most of us would not be able to make Carton’s noble sacrifice for love, which is why he inspires us.
Candide
Voltaire, the author of Candide, is known for his wit and harsh criticism of monarchy and clergy because of their blatant corruption. He does not disappoint in Candide, with Candide himself constantly running into trouble caused by kings and the Catholic Church. I do not believe that monarchs and religious bodies are necessarily corrupt, but I do agree with Voltaire that they are prone to corruption and believe that it is wise to heed the warnings hidden in Candide. Quite simply, one must always be aware that the people in power are likely to be corrupted by their power and that it is sometimes necessary to rebel in order to live life the way one sees fit. One would expect that Americans, whose country was created in a revolution, would be all too aware of this message, but alas, that is not the case.
The clergy and the vast majority of the monarchies of Voltaire’s time have become harmless or been eliminated through various means. Today, we have corporate CEOs and politicians playing their role, which is much more frightening, in fact. Candide was merely a boy when he started on his journey through Europe and the Americas, but even he recognized the corruption and evil in the world and sought to avoid it. Now it is much more difficult to do as he did, as there is essentially nowhere to run, but the evils of Voltaire’s age are the same. Voltaire criticized the Spanish Inquisition for its radicalism and violence, but now we have entirely different types of inquisitions, where people who are not rich are the targets. Candide does not provide any insight in how to fight this corruption, but Voltaire does say that every free soul must, which I believe wholeheartedly.
Crime and Punishment
Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, tells the story of a man who becomes deluded by his own intelligence into believing he has a justified reason for murder. This man is Raskolnikov, a former student living in poverty in St. Petersburg. Even in his folly, Raskolnikov has much to teach, but by far the most important thing is the price of arrogance and egotism. Raskolnikov even realizes his own folly and confesses the crime he had committed, avoiding the more serious punishment he would have received had he not done so. The entire sequence of events that ends up putting Raskolnikov in exile in Siberia could have been entirely avoided had he realized that no amount of intelligence or cunning can create a justification for murder, even of a despicable old woman.
It would do the world a tremendous amount of good if more people who deem themselves intelligent would realize, as I hope I have realized, that they are still bound by the laws of the common man. Indeed, the men who are victim to this great folly appear less intelligent than even the most ignorant of men, who at least realize that they are only human and can do nothing to change that. I have become victim to the folly myself, but have always remembered what happens to those who cannot control their arrogance before I could cause any true harm to myself or any one else. Crime and Punishment reads as a warning of what happens when a man becomes carried away, and for that reason, it deserves a place in every library merely as a reminder of the consequences of one’s actions.
The Demolished Man
The Demolished Man, by Alfred Bester, carries much the same message as Crime and Punishment. Instead of Raskolnikov, we have Benjamin Reich, the head of Monarch Industries, who murders the head of the D’Courtney cartel, a rival company. This would be the first successful premeditated murder in nearly 80 years, thanks to the Espers, a group of psychics who are able to read minds and detect murderous intentions. Bester presents much the same message as Dostoyevsky: that not even the most intelligent and powerful of all men can justify murder, and he shows it with the capture of Reich. Where the two stories differ is in what happens to the protagonist after their capture.
While Raskolnikov is exiled, Reich is demolished, which is not, as it sounds to be, execution. When a man is demolished his mind is destroyed and all his criminal and harmful thoughts are erased, but his basic intelligence and natural abilities are left intact. This leaves a man who is perfectly capable of functioning in society, but who has all the talents of his former self. Since the man went against society and committed an extraordinary act, murder, he must be far more capable than the average man and be a great benefit to society. The lesson to learn here is that even people who have committed unthinkable crimes or evils are not necessarily pure detriments to society. If they can be remolded, they can, in fact, function perfectly normally and benefit their peers. Of course, we do not have the tools to literally demolish someone’s mind and rebuild it, but I still believe it is necessary to try to do so to people who may seem beyond help or rehabilitation, with the help of doctors if necessary.
The Last Cavalier
The Last Cavalier is most likely one of Alexander Dumas’s least read works, as a nearly complete copy was only released in 2005, but it does remain one of his best. I came across this novel while working on a project for one of my classes and was amazed by what Dumas describes. He seems to have compacted every aspect of the Napoleonic Era into this novel with royal courts, murder plots, naval battles, piracy, and a host of other adventures which pivot around the Compte Hector de Sainte-Hermine. The true message of this novel is perhaps only clear in the title of the English version: The Last Cavalier, as opposed to its French title: Le Chevalier de Sainte-Hermine, which translates to The Knight of Sainte-Hermine. This message is that there are no more cavaliers or adventurers, as there are no more adventures to go on.
I only accepted this depressing realization once I actually looked at the world and saw that there are no more pirate ships, court backstabbings, or expeditions to the jungle, or at least none that have been untainted by the modern era and remained pure. Now, most people would never have even dreamed of going on such a journey in the first place, so one may argue that it is no great loss, but for the few adventurers out there, and I number myself among them, that option is closed forever. Now we are left to wallow and fade away in the modern world, which, admittedly, has its own dangers and trials, but has none which are reminiscent of the days of old. The Last Cavalier, with all of its adventure, merely serves to bring to light to the modern man of all he has lost and what little he has to gain. Of course, one must realize that the world has changed, if only to be able to take the modern world and perhaps use it to create something enjoyable.
The Greatest Generation
The Greatest Generation, by Tom Brokaw, is purely nonfiction and tells the story of many men and women who served the United States in one way or another during World War II. This is another book which I would not have read had I not needed to do so for a class, but it is one of the few that I read a second time. Unlike many of the novels of fiction I have written about previously, this one shows honor, courage, valor, and the desire to do what is right in people who actually lived or are still living. I was awed by the incredible tasks and achievements accomplished by Brokaw’s subjects, not only during the war itself, but afterwards as well.
These people served their country not out of greed or desperation or any sick desire to kill, but because they were true patriots and wanted to do what was right for the world. I only wish I could be as valiant and noble as they were, though I am not sure that I would not be if presented the opportunity. It seems that World War II was the last noble war in which the victor did not fight merely for power or glory, but to defend the world from a threat against humanity. These soldiers, both drafted and enlisted, were true heroes and truly deserve their place in history with the title The Greatest Generation. Ever since that time, it seems that each successive generation has been much more susceptible to greed, weakness, and malicious intentions, including my own. I hope this will change and know that it could be accomplished if more people would look back on the last great generation and see what they had to do.
7. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Before reading this novel, I think it was very important to study the context in which this novel was written. Knowing the fact that Conrad was a British writer who disliked the British’s system of imperialism, we can better understand some of the reverences and criticisms of the British. Also Conrad could not directly criticize the British or else he wouldn’t have been able to publish his book. So when reading this novel, we have to look between the lines in order to understand what Conrad is really trying to say.
I personally liked this novel the least out of the three I’ve read in Late British Literature class. Nevertheless, it was a deep and interesting novel. I felt like the novel further added to the idea that the world is getting more and more corrupt. Although the other two novels also mention the deteriorating of cultures because of the acts taken by the whites, this novel shows how people saw the corruption and did nothing to stop it. Perhaps I disliked this because of my inherent personal preference to side with the minorities being exploited, but I do think that the other novels were more captivating.
Conrad’s novel seemed to highlight the idea of corruption. Through his criticisms of the Imperial Empire, Conrad first told us the lies of how imperialism was meant to civilize the savages of Africa. However, when Marlow gets closer to finding Kurtz we see that the whites are certainly not trying to civilize the Africans. They were in fact doing the complete opposite by destroying everything hindering the process of extracting materials from Africa and oppressing all those who oppose the process. Furthermore, Conrad first tells us that Kurtz got rich because he is well skilled in his trade. However, we learn that Kurtz is outright stealing ivory from the natives by using force.
At the same time I was reading this, I was learning about the corruptness of Wall Street and investment banks in economics class. Learning about so much corruption in the world makes me strive to right the wrongs. Questioning the morality of such acts in order to obtain a dream (wealth in this case), lead me to side with the more moral side. It angers me to see how the elite are always out to oppress the weak in order to stay at the top.
I hope that future students who read this novel. Will see the corruption in the world and try to fix it. From reading this novel I’m motivated to stick to my moral values instead of destroying anything that gets in the way of me reaching my goals.
6. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Dan Brown has always been one of my favorite authors. Although some people view his book as far-fetched and full of shit, I think Dan Brown has a special talent for captivating his readers. Dan Brown is known as a thriller/suspense author. His novels also tend to include conspiracy and several plot twists after plot twists. I first go into Dan Brown when I did volunteer work at a library. My friend recommended Digital Fortress to me (another Dan Brown book I hold with high regards). I read it and I was amazed at how Dan Brown had me hooked on his book and how I couldn’t put it down.
In the Lost Symbol, Dan Brown uses his famous technique of fracturing scenes. Dan Brown usually has two or three scenes all happening at once and with each change in chapter, the scene would change. Although I love this technique, I hate it because I am always at the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens but the scene changes. However, the scenes are usually equally as suspenseful and I continue to read. While reading the novel, I noticed Dan Brown’s very well constructed plot. He usually lets us become aware of something and become fond of it. Then, ten chapters later he’ll refer to it and shed some new light on the situation. This way he is able to easily twist the plot in such a way that propels the plot a hundred feet further.
I give Dan Brown a lot of props for being able to write so captivatingly. He is hands down the most captivating author I’ve read. But this might be because his topics are always very interesting. I love reading about secrets or conspiracy theories and Dan Brown’s book are chock full of them. As I mentioned earlier, some people might view his work as a load of lies. As that might be true I don’t know. But I think Dan Brown’s skills in weaving believable facts with fictional ideas to advance his plot are exceptional. It’s much harder disposing a fact as fake when there are so many supporting details and descriptions of the surrounding scene that are true.
I would recommend this book to all students. This book is a great thriller and is very suspenseful. I’ve read this book for pure entertainment, but there are some interesting themes that reoccur in this novel. For example, brotherhood, morality, and family relationship appear many times throughout the novel.
5. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
This novel is a direct response to Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and other novels that look down on Africa as a home for uncultured savages. The fact that authors have a sort of rivalry to inform the public of their view is quite interesting. I could imagine Achebe sitting down with pen and paper thinking of how he could insult or belittle Conrad without coming off as too aggressive (author beef). Even before I read this book, I had a good impression of it because I felt that Achebe put extra effort into this book to overshadow Conrad’s novel.
Reading this novel in class definitely benefited me more than if I read the novel by myself. I would not have been able to pick up some of the subtle parallels and references to Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Also class discussions helped me understand the novel better. By understanding the novel better and being able to wrap my head around it contributed to my liking of this novel.
The theme in this novel that stood out to me the most was the balance between tradition and change. As a child of an immigrant family I too find have to find a balance between tradition and change. Just as the villagers of Umuofia have to choose between Christianity and traditional Ibo values, I often have to choose between Chinese traditions or conforming to what’s socially accepted in America. For example, when I was little, my parents bought me a silky red robe, a type of traditional Chinese attire, and had me wear it for the week of Chinese New Year. I was humiliated at school and decided that it was not a good idea to follow some of the Chinese traditions.
Two of the main characters stood out to me in the novel, Okonkwo and Nwoye. Okonkwo is the traditional Ibo worker who has a high status because he is strong and hardworking. Nwoye on the other hand, is Okonkwo’s weak son, who Okonkwo beats in hopes to make Nwoye manlier. In my eyes, Okonkwo is like my father, always wishing to stick to tradition and forcing me to be like him. I can relate to Nwoye and how he rebels against his fathers demand.
I feel like many future students who will read this novel will see it the same was as I have. I feel this way because immigrant fathers tend to push their children to strive, and sometimes fathers tend to push their children more than necessary.
4. Naked by David Sedaris
David Sedaris was recommended to me as a great essayist. I didn’t know exactly what that meant at first, but after reading a blurb from the novel Naked I figured it out. This Novel is about a young man, who grows up from being a strange quirky grade school kid to a grown mature man. Through out his life, the narrative experiences an array of interesting events and adventures. The novel uses a lot of dark humor, but it doesn’t seem out of place because the way David Sedaris writes makes the reader feel like he is inside the main characters head. David Sedaris’ talented novel makes it seem as if the main character had invited me to watch a montage of clips from his life and while he sat right next to me explaining everything as it happened. Because of this effect, I could relate to this novel and I would, with no doubt, recommend it.
One thing I felt myself relate to closely was when David moves to colleges. His thoughts and fears are very common and quite normal. His experiences with his roommate are similar with mine when I went to take a college course over the summer. David’s quirkiness and obsessive-compulsiveness alienates him from his roommate. Personally, I’ve experienced that from the other end of the table. One of my roommates was so quirky that he alienated himself from the rest of my roommates. But this novel has shed some light on David as well as my old roommate. I guess it wasn’t his fault that he was obsessive-compulsive and he wasn’t intentionally trying to be weird. This novel let me see things from a different perspective.
Another thing that I can relate to in David’s life story is his thirst for adventure. I’ve always wanted to travel to many places that the main character goes to. For example, he visits the west coast and hikes in the Rockies. However, his methods of getting there are a bit questionable; he hitch hikes, transferring cars every time his host cannot follow the path he needs to go on anymore. I’ve always wanted to travel and go out into the world and just find my way around. However, I know of the dangers and repercussions of not being prepared for such a journey. But by experiencing David’s adventures, let me see how this type of journey might’ve play out without having to deal with the dangers.
I would recommend this novel to all high school students because Sedaris shed’s like on a lot of taboo topics that a high school student, like myself, would find interesting. I also think his way with words is just spectacular and very comfortable reading, no matter how strange or bizarre the topics are.
3. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
This was one of my favorite books that I read in a class at Stuyvesant. I liked the details that Roy used to describe a scene. Roy’s descriptive scenes are not only vivid; she also chooses specific words to allude to a deeper meaning. Also Roy includes a lot of interesting scenes about sex, scandal, and violence. These topics might seem a little taboo but Roy expresses them in an honest and outright manner.
The theme of forbidden love is written all throughout this novel. I liked this novel because I could personally relate to that theme. Just as Ammu and Velutha cannot be together by social standards, I cannot have a girlfriend by my parent’s standards. However, I believe love should have the space it needs to manifest and social or parental standards should not hinder it. Of course my situation is definitely not as severe as Velutha’s, the theme is there.
Looking back on the book as a whole, I remember Roy’s very strong message. She seemed to step out of her way to tell us that she dislikes how India is slowly losing its traditional culture. She emphasizes how the Indian culture is losing its purity due to English culture seeping into India.
Similarly, I believe that my family and I have lost some of our traditional Chinese culture after moving to the United States. Although this is different from Roy’s argument, because my family came here by will. But the fact is that preserving traditional culture when English culture is prevailing all around us is quite hard. For example, one part of culture that is easily lost is traditional foods. I grew up eating traditional Chinese food that my dad would prepare and try to teach me how to make. But now, society’s view of Chinese food is Chinese takeout, which is far from traditional dishes.
Another parallel that I can relate to is when Velutha is beat by fellow Indians. Although I cannot relate to anything as terrible as the actual beating itself, I can relate to the fact that the officers could be so cruel to a man of their own kind. Similarly, Comrade Pillai despises Velutha, but uses him to further his political goals. This lack of companionship between the people of India can also be seen with the Chinese in America. I’ve been to a Chinese restaurant once and the person sat my family in the far back corner because he didn’t believe other Chinese people could tip well. They were saving the center seats for the white people because the manager thought white people would tip more. I was shocked at why I had such terrible seats when such nice seats were available. How could a Chinese person do this to another Chinese person?
2. TV Series: Fringe created by J.J. Abrams
Fringe is a sci-fi/thriller TV series created by J.J. Abrams. It’s about a department of the FBI that deals with the bizarre and things unexplained, Fringe Division. The things seen in Fringe are mindboggling. Things ranging from a cold virus that has been biologically engineered to grow so large, it rips out of the victim’s body, to an alternate universe that sends biologically engineered humans in order to infiltrate high positions. These far-fetched events may be bizarre but the TV show claims they are possible by theoretical models which adds to the believability of these strange events.
Personally I love this type of series. As an intended science major, I love to learn about how impossible things may become possible by mankind’s advance in science. I remember watching my first episode and becoming so freaked out that I sat on my couch speechless for a good ten minutes. Only afterward I felt a compelling urge to talk to somebody in order to make sure all the scary mindboggling things I’ve seen on TV was really on TV and not in real life.
After watching this show, I’m always asking myself, what if? What if these theoretical science theories are actually possible? What if the government has actually come up with something similar to this type of destructive biological warfare? Or even worse, what if this show inspires a mad scientist to create some destructive weapon? After a while of questioning, I come to the conclusion that this is just a TV show; it’s all fictional.
I admire the creator of Fringe, J.J. Abrams. His creativity is amazing. Most of the supernatural bizarre things I’ve seen in Fringe are things that I would never imagine possible. And some of his episodes include things I would never have imagined even if I was trying to think of the impossible. J.J Abrams is a true genius of creativity. His constant plot twists are amazing and work really well to create cliffhangers that leave me bewildered.
To top all this creativity off this TV show has many side puzzles and mysteries. The Fringe series can get really involved for those who wish to dig deeper. The side puzzles beg the viewer to solve it. For example, before every commercial, the screen goes blank and displays an image for about three seconds. This image at first glance appears to be normal, but if one looks closer they will notice something odd. In on of these images, the screen shows a cross section of an apple. But if you look closer, the tiny black seeds of an apple are shaped like two baby fetuses. As bizarre as that sounds, its true and I still don’t know the meaning of it. But it doesn’t end there. Each of the pre-commercial screens also has an orange dot placed on the image. It is said that if arrange the dots in a certain way, it’ll spell out a key word or phrase that will help solve the plot in the TV series. I really enjoy how the creators of Fringe put in all these little details to entertain their viewers.
Also, I love watching this because the next day my friends and I discuss the latest episode. And then others hear us talking about the show and we all try to convince them to start watching. I also like watching this show because sometimes my friends and I would have sleepovers and watch the show together. This is always fun as we can be anxiously be left at the cliffhanger at the same time.
1. Movies: Yip Man (2008) and Yip Man 2(2010) directed by Wilson Yip
These two movies are based on a true story of a skilled martial artist named Yip Man. The man lives in traditional villages of china, when martial arts was wide spread and well respected. This movie touches on a lot of moral and character qualities that I find very important. It also displays the hardship of poverty that I find very sad and touching.
Yip Man as I said is a very skilled martial artist. However, at all times, he is a respectable man. Yip Man does not own a dojo like his fellow martial artists, partially because his wife disapproves and because he wants to spend time with his son. Regardless, the villagers all know of his skills and he is titled the most skilled in fighting in the whole village. Then a group of foreigners come to the village to challenge all the masters of martial arts. They beat all of martial art masters and makes his way to Yip Man. Yip Man does not want to fight anybody for a mere title of most skilled martial artist. He fights only when necessary to defend himself. The country man keeps provoking Yip Man and eventually he loses. The next day, the whole village gives him presents and gifts for ridding the aggressive, peace destroying foreigner. However, Yip Man is the most modest character I’ve seen, he tries his best to take as little as possible because he is already well off. But the villagers insist on their gifts.
Yip Mans qualities of skillfulness, peacefulness, modesty, respectability, and generosity are inspiring. Seeing how his modesty and generosity brings him respect from his fellow villagers gives me hope that the world is not as corrupt as the media makes it seem. I really like and respect the idea that a man who treats others well will be treated well. However, a lot of other movies seem to convey that “the nice guy always finishes last.” Yip Man is my idol of a successful man who is completely happy and content with his life.
However, its time of war and Yip Man must flee his village in order to stay alive. In the second movie he relocates and starts from scratch. With only a few pennies in his pocket, he makes his way to a more corrupt village. He is not welcome there by the other martial artists and is picked on. The fact that wartime has relocated and caused so much turmoil for many people is very sad, but to see how such a great man’s life has been ruin and turned to dust in a matter of days is even worse. Nevertheless, Yip Man keeps his cool and starts from the bottom. He works at a factory in order to bring rice home for his wife and kid. He is paid a bag of rice and is given a yam for lunch. Most of the time, Yip Man saves his foods and doesn’t eat, in order to feed his family.
I was very touched at seeing this. A skilled martial artist was reduced to starving man in order to provide for his family. What makes this worse is that, this movie is based on a true story and to think that my ancestors or fellow Chinese have been damaged so bad by wartime is like a stab in the heart.
I would recommend this movie, again, to everyone. It brings up many great qualities of human character that I believe are respectable. If only the whole world could be so peaceful and modest, then many of our problems would be solved. The directing in this movie is also very good. By having many foils of Yip Man, the director further puts Yip Man on a pedestal. I would say this is one of the best movies that received very little publicity.
Book: Ishmael
Author: Daniel Quinn
Two good friends of mine independently recommended this book to me within the same week. My two friends couldn’t be more different from one another but they have several things in common that made reading Ishmael a life changing event for them: they recognize humans are destroying the world; they have trouble articulating exactly what we are doing that is so wrong (there is so much) and; they are searching for alternatives to the “story we are currently enacting.”
That is how Ishmael, a wise gorilla teacher that serves as Quinn’s voice box, would refer to human history, which he considers began with the agricultural revolution. The actual plot, in which a nameless middle-aged man becomes Ishmael’s apprentice, and its characters are thin; they serve only to frame a pretty radical view, taught by Ishmael, of how humans are ruining the world by cheating evolution.
Thwarting evolution and nature is the ultimate goal of the actions that we have been making since the agricultural revolution, the actions that negatively affect the world both immediately and in the long run. Quinn brilliantly manages to zoom out and clearly explain his theories of where and how we went wrong. He does so by examining the history of the world anthropologically, and creating a scope that at times made me feel like an alien looking in on a society that I couldn’t believe was my own.
Ishmael, speaking of humans in one of his first lessons, says “you know how to split atoms, how to send explorers to the moon, but you don’t know how people ought to live.” Ishmael differs from other books because there is no other teacher quite like Ishmael. He doesn’t only depict and analyze the problems, but also offers (by having his apprentice discover) solutions, simple rules that every species in the world (with the exception of homo sapien sapiens) follows. He highlights and analyzes (through a zoomed-out lens) the way we blindly continue with ways that we know are bad.
I knew three things were going to happen as soon as I finished the last page: I was going to read every other books and essay of Quinn’s; I was going to reread Ishmael; and I was never going to look at the world, our society or my action’s the same way. All three came true. “Once you learn to discern the voice of Mother Culture humming in the background, telling her story over and over again to the people of your culture, you’ll never stop being conscious of it. Wherever you go for the rest of your life, you’ll be tempted to say to the people around you, ‘How can you listen to this stuff and not recognize it for what it is?’” The book has done exactly this. I often cannot share my opinion, on a wide range of topics, because people (either for not having read Ishmael, not thinking like Quinn, or not feeling like me) just don’t view the world with the same scope and awareness as I do now that I’ve read this book.
Book: The Dharma Bums
Author: Jack Keruoac
My father’s friend and colleague Peter, a beatnik type guy, gave me his dusty- copy of the Keruoac’s The Dharma Bums when I was visiting his place at Berkeley. He is a cool guy who publishes awesome poetry and I was thrilled when he gave me the book. I was even more excited when I saw that the margins were filled with writings of Peter (memories, notes, anecdotes, poems). He suggested that I omit his commentary the first time through. We had just had a pretty open and epic conversation over dinner, after which he was concluded that I had to read this book immediately. Good call Peter.
I don’t think any other book would have been more appropriate for me to read at that point in my life. I was in what would be the last month of a long and intense relationship. Before dating my ex-girlfriend, I had been sort of Dharma Bum-ish (in moderation of course) in my way of being. During my relationship however, I became the complete opposite and towards the end, was yearning to return to the old me and approach life like the old me did. I would say my ex’s extreme dependency, narrow-mindedness and temper were more significant factors than this novel was, but reading about this beautiful way of living definitely catalyzed our breakup. And I’m glad it did.
The book (published in 1958) is a semi-fictional account of events that followed Keruoac’s earlier novel On The Road (published in 1951). It mostly covers the complex relationship between Keruoac himself (Ray Smith in the novel) and poet/essayist Gary Snyder (Japhy Ryder). There is no real beginning, middle or end, nor is there any real conflict or climax. Ray’s unique story is told differently than any other I have read or heard. Snyder was pivotal to Keruoac’s introduction to, interest in and practice of Zen Buddhism.
Keruoac explores, always with traces of the somewhat-westernized but cool interpretation of Zen Buddhism, a number of concepts that are of interest to me: individuality, identity, inner-peace, transcendence, connection to nature, and connection to societal norms. He also examines a curious duality of his ideas and existence, comparing (though he says “comparisons are odious”) his “outdoors” life to his wine-filled, jazz-blaring, endless-partying “city” life. I often have trouble with the same duality and, as Keruoac did, value aspects of both, and have trouble accepting or pursuing only one. Though the intense descriptions of nature and its worth, at times, pushed me towards the outdoor end of the spectrum, I came away from the book with both a better understanding of the importance of the two sides of my life, and a goal to (inactively) find the right balance.
It took me far longer to read it the second time, and even longer the third. This is for a number of reasons: Firstly, Peter doesn’t only have chicken-scratch for handwriting but is also, I’m pretty sure, mildly dyslexic; he is also one of the few people I know that is more cerebral than I, making his writing even more difficult to understand; and, lastly, I feel that in between reads (specifically between the first and second) I acquired a lot of awareness and intellectual curiosity that made me slow down and think more. It’s without a doubt not a book for everyone, but I would argue that everyone should read it (or at least give it a chance).
Book: Homage to Catalonia
Author: George Orwell
This was the first of three books my dad asked me to read last summer. He had wanted to give it to me since we witnessed a curious incident in San Francisco. My father had been invited to the unveiling of a monument dedicated to the American volunteers that went to fight against fascism in the Spanish Civil War. He accepted and brought the family along to be at the opening, to visit his brother, my cousins and his friend Peter.
Many of the engraved beige names whom the statue remembered were pro-union, communist, or socialist, some were anarchist. Many were persecuted during the years of the McCarthy witch-hunts and portrayed to be active radicals (which a portion were) and having a monument in the downtown of a major U.S. city is a huge step forward. However, while we were still in the city, the anarchists disagreed. They showed their dissent towards the monument by covering it with graffiti. I was shocked. Why would they do that to people who hated the system as much as them? How could they be against volunteers of the brigade, men and women who sacrificed their lives to fight (alongside anarchists) against oppressive forces? Why is it like that?
My dad remembered having the same question when having heard about it, and recalled a friend giving him this book. It gives an incredibly detailed account of the Spanish Civil War. I don’t know if it’s his enjoyable, detached-but-passionate and detailed narration or the fact that I’m kind of into this time in history, but I managed to bear all the facts, dates and acronyms just fine.
That being said, because of the detail, the political journalistic style and the essay-ish narration, I wouldn’t classify this book as a novel. It is more a plain and simple personal account of observations, explanations and events. At times, I say this in a good way, it sounds sort of like an extremely revised and edited, self-done oral history.
Although this book, more than anything else for me, confirmed and increased my already strong interest in the Spanish Civil War, it probably would not do the same to too many others. When thinking about whether or not to recommend this book to others, I asked myself what value it would have were it stripped of its historical context. The fact that I initially felt it would have very little kept me off from recommending it for a little. I later realized though, that this is because all the explored emotions and characteristics of humanity are so interlaced with the time period and everything that was going on. That alone is a good reason for someone to pick it up and see if it interests you.
Book: Things Fall Apart
Author: Chinua Achebe
I knew I was going to enjoy reading Things Fall Apart after just five minutes. Achebe begins the novel by establishing Ibo society as being culturally rich. The tone is incredibly fable like as he goes into the customs and way of life in Umuofia. I found this portion interesting because aboriginal people fascinate me. I wanted to just learn more and more about their ways, and that’s exactly what happened.
Achebe portrayed the clan as living in accordance with their land. He cleverly set it up with glossed-over flaws that only became apparent and inappropriate with the arrival of the missionaries. Amongst these problems was; the killing of twins, the misogyny, the caste of slaves and many other things that are just not cool with the church. They can be not cool with it because organized religion doesn’t ever kill, discriminate or promote classism.
Either way, here is a solid example of when I wouldn’t be able to voice my opinion in class because most others (not having read Ishmael) don’t have the same scope as I do. The scope comes with a duality though, because a lot of the stuff it makes you think is difficult to truly accept or admit to others who don’t know the main arguments. For instance, I sort of believe that killing twins (as awful as it may seem) is a form of necessary population control. I by no means view that as a good thing to do, but I also do not (because it helps them maintain balance with their environment) condemn it. See, some people would think I’m crazy for that.
The middle chunk I didn’t enjoy as much as the first part. Everything (his temporary expulsion, returning to his mother’s land, the conversion of Nwoye) seemed so plotted and deliberate that it I just couldn’t deal with any of it. The ending (what becomes of Okonkwo) was the decision of Achebe that most interested me. Not trying to give away the ending but his novel screamed optimism (by having the systems complement one another) throughout, to me at least, while the end was far from optimistic. His actions aren’t crazy, and aren’t even necessarily pessimistic but the way it is described made it feel very tragic. Suicide is against the clan’s laws.
The real reason I like this book is because it explores the way oppressive systems can clash, blend and bend with one another. In addition, it, although plotted so conveniently by Achebe (making it slightly corny), makes commentary on the effects of the multiple systems.
It is a light read that evokes heavy thinking. Try it out.
Book: White Teeth
Author: Zadie Smith
I read White Teeth for my contemporary literature in spring of senior year. It tells the multigenerational story of several families in a racially diverse London. Samad Iqbal and Archie Jones- whom are unlikely but best friends connect the two main families. Samad, great-grandson of Mangal Pande (the first leader to die fighting the English in 1857) is married to a fellow Bengali Alsana. They have a pair of twin boys—Millat and Magid. Archie, a typical British bloke who has several recent failed suicide attempts, falls in love with and marries a Jamaican girl, Clara, a third his age. They have a daughter Irie, the same age as Magid and Millat.
Throughout the book I, as well as my class, had difficulty gauging Smith’s degree of seriousness and satire. She, really impressively, makes fun of (often by caricaturizing) absolutely everybody and everything, to the point where everything (its legitimacy, image, significance, absurdity, etc.) is equal. It’s one of the many interesting techniques that she uses really effectively. The other most noticeable is just that she made it as cinematic as she possibly could. The plot progression, character development, transitions, and descriptions all make reading the book feel very akin to watching a film. A good film that often makes you laugh aloud, even if you’re all by yourself.
Smith is extremely funny and writes with a unique pop that keeps the reader (kept me at least) intrigued throughout. So captivating is her pop and so tangible are her descriptions that it didn’t bother me one bit when characters were blatantly turned into tokens of different ideologies, something that I normally don’t appreciate.
White Teeth explores a number of interesting topics all across the board: racism, sexism, religion, identity, environmental sustainability, justified violence, fate/predestination, free will, fundamentalism, hypocrisy, liberalism, science, immigration, and assimilation. There is something in there for just about everybody. Smith manages to remain vague about her own views in all areas and shows, rather, (through satire) that any position on any of the subjects is as subjective and silly as the next. She also portrays a number of these themes as being oppressive.
Another great thing about Smith’s novel is that it can be read on pretty much any level. There is a lot of literary mumbo jumbo that is great for English class discussion, a lot of profound thought provoking material that is great for thinking, and there is also a superb story that can be read and enjoyed without (over) analysis.
Book: Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison
Author: Michel Foucault
Reading and understanding (parts of) Foucault’s Discipline and Punish was hard work. It is easily, because of both Foucault’s brilliant but complex ideas and his long-winded, super-French writing style, one of the most difficult books I have ever read. Though, at times, it would make my head hurt, it was definitely worth reading in the end.
The mother of my friend, whom is head of the innocence project and has worked with the penal system for over thirty years, recommended that we both read the book. My father got excited when I told him I was planning on reading Foucault. My father had read a lot of his work in graduate school but not since and, remembering having loved it, decided to read along with me. It was great that my friend and I had both our parents, far more prepared to read Foucault than we, there to talk about the book. If we hadn’t had them in this sense, my friend and I, I’m sure, would have come away from the book with far less.
Foucault examines the social mechanisms behind the evolution of attitudes of, and giant changes that occurred in, the Western penal system. Sounds very scholarly, no? Well it is. Normally I don’t appreciate when writing is overly extravagant sounding and I am (too) quick to judge something as pretentious, but Foucault’s eloquent and embellished style, I feel, is far from being grandiloquent. I found it perfect for his approach towards exploring the concepts he does brilliantly. Although his denser sentences can be a page and require (from me at least) multiple reads thru, they sometimes evoke a sense of pure astonishment—did he just say that? How did he manage make this point, about this, and about that, and that, and this, and that, and he put it all together so smoothly? I understood that, could it be?
Again, I feel that if you are interested in this sort of stuff or are slightly cerebral and have the time, you should definitely read Discipline and Punish or anything else by Foucault. He is a truly intelligent man with some crazy thoughts that should be considered.
Book: The God of Small Things
Author: Arundhati Roy
Reading this book was, from the very second it introduced to us in class, nothing but interesting and enjoyable. Before distributing the book, the little my teacher told us of its author, Roy, made me really want to read it. She wasn’t a writer but an architect, and she didn’t just write the book but also worked on its visual representation, page layout, format, etc. This extra attention, in addition to her mastery of language and story telling, is apparent from the first chapter and really adds to the atmosphere, which is possibly the most wholesome of any novel I have read.
We were also told that Roy was very active, specifically with issues relating to social justice and economic equality. This was another plus for it told me that she was most likely going to get at some of the concepts that I most enjoy reading and discussing. We were then made aware that she used to live in a squat. Another plus because it made me think that she was going to do more than just touch on these subjects. I was right. She completely nailed (and with the slant I like) every last one of them.
The novel is set in a small village in postcolonial India where all the oppressive forces (the subjects she nailed) are especially present. All of her commentary must be deciphered through analysis for it is disseminated beautifully throughout the novel through the usage of very effective literary techniques— non-sequential narration, capitalization of certain words and phrases only when certain characters are children, clearly intentional juxtapositions, irony, repetition, etc. All the things that, just because of the classroom dynamic at Stuy, I dread discussing, I now felt like we weren’t discussing enough. Each time we did discuss them, Roy’s writing talent just impressed me more and more. Her style, poetic to the point of mild trippiness, flirts with magical realism magnificently. The non-sequential narration also makes the book and atmosphere more wholesome and real by resonating more like memory than anything else. I have rarely (maybe only with three others on this list and two not) been so impressed by an author and so immersed in his or her work.
Point being- you should definitely check this book out because it forces you to think about a lot of things that are good to think about, through an enchanted and engrossing story.
Book: The Modern School Movement: Anarchism and Education in the United States
Author: Paul Avrich
This is the only book that made the list that I have never completed. It is crazy long and, at times, painfully scholarly. Having only read the first third, I can comfortably say that it (the first couple hundred pages) drastically changed the way I view everything— our world, education, my education, and myself.
The author, Paul Avrich, was a professor of history at Queens College for most of his life. My father met him through a mutual friend and is now fairly well read in his work. He is, according to my father, one the most important preservers of anarchism in the United States and Russia. This book specifically is about an approach to education and type of school designed by a Spanish education-reformer named Francesc Ferrer i Guardía. His methods and schools, based heavily on anarchist principals, had so much success in Spain that they spread to other European countries and the United States. The first chapter recounts the formation of the first schools and the ideals behind it, but most of the later chapters seem to go into incredible depth about individual schools and programs (based of Ferrer’s teachings) in the United States. Though the sections I read are equally detailed, I feel like their subjects are far broader and more interesting than specific schools.
The interpretation of education and its purpose as well as the approach towards educating are absolutely brilliant. It’s the only way I can really put it because the ideas are all intertwined and getting into the arguments would require far too much explanation because of how radical (and sensible) they are. It is just a different way of thinking that cannot be discussed in bits and pieces.
I have recommended and lent (its hard to find) this book to four friends. They have all come back to me (two actually finished the entire book) saying that it radically changed the way they view education and their own upbringing. Although it affected each of them and I differently, we all wished we had learned in that kind of school, and not our own system. It also made us all, by highlighting the flaws, strongly dislike (certain aspects of) our own education system.
This book will painfully smack you with reason, truth and reality. Beware! But if you would like to read it and cannot find it- please feel more than free to ask me. I would like as many people to read it as possible, even if just a little. So, do not beware!
Book: Kiss of the Spider Woman
Author: Manuel Puig
Back in the day, I was an avid reader. My mom’s pride. I would breeze through countless books of any and every sort. I was open and enjoyed reading mostly everything. Then there was a period in my life, which I would say began in eighth grade and ended near the end of eleventh, when I stopped reading for pleasure. There is not one reason that this change occurred but there are several factors to which I attribute the patch of dryness. Regardless of the reasons, it’s over. I’m back baby! And in large part thanks to this book.
I selected it from the top of a box in the basement of our (at the time) newly acquired retreat house upstate. My family had gone to town to get groceries when it started pouring. I am embarrassed to admit (to you reader and to myself) that I wouldn’t have decided to read had there been sun, or someone around to play ping-pong with, or internet, or something to cook, or pretty much anything. It upsets me but that is how I remember being at the time. Either way, Kiss of the Spider Woman had a sick cover, a cool title, and was near the top of the box.
I read until early next morning in the fireplace’s light (the only light for the electricity wasn’t yet set up). It sounds romantic, reading for the first time in the flickering orange of a fireplace, and it was. The story hooked me immediately and I just couldn’t stop. My parents were thrilled when they returned to the house to a reading me. They were even more thrilled the next day when they learned I had finished one of their favorite books, which was later (in 1985) turned into what is one of my mother’s favorite films.
The majority of the book is set in a single, two-prisoner jail cell in Argentina. There is no conventional narrator voice and all text in the book (with the exception of metaphysical government documentation and a few streams of consciousness) is dialogue between the two inmates— Molina (a homosexual pedophile) and Valentin (a Marxist revolutionary). Puig develops between them a complex and fascinating relationship. The dialogue is formatted interestingly, indicating only when someone (and not who) begins talking with a dash. Though, because which of the two is talking makes a large difference, one must sometimes reread if he or she gets lost, I find it to be a really cool technique that paints relationships distinctly.
The conversations between the characters revolve around the films that Molina recounts to Valentin. Over the course of the book, Molina shares four very different movies, all in amazing detail, with Valentin. The four films, skillfully told by Molina, would be interesting by themselves, even as short stories, so having the four of them together, framed by a fifth larger and equally interesting story, is awesome. It is fairly obvious that Puig uses Molina’s stories to parallel his and Valentin’s relationship, but, having read it only for pleasure, I have never really analyzed this parallelism or his other affective techniques. All I remember is being incredibly moved at a number of points, both in the main and imaginary stories.
Kiss of the Spider Woman was banned in Buenos Aires, for its controversial content and power to move people, from its publication in the late seventies until 1983. It is (comparatively-speaking, especially in comparison to the other books on this list) a fairly light read (in terms of style, not content), and one that should definitely be read.
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