Muwahheed’s Reading Experiences
Metamorphosis
Franz Kafka
I came across this book in my senior year. It was the first book of the semester. My initial reaction was that it was going to be something dealing with science, because of the title. But as I read the book, I saw the true message that Kafka was trying to give to the readers. I saw that everything that he wrote had a purpose and that the novella is deeper than just a story of one man and his metamorphosis.
The main character, Gregor, is the one who goes through the metamorphosis and turns into an insect. After that, his life changes for the worse. Sometimes, in my life I felt as if I went through some type of transformation overnight too and that everything was better the day before. I felt a real connection to Gregor in this way and that helped me understand why he did the things that he did.
I also felt that I related to the book in my life in that sometimes it felt as my family treated me like an insect too and the only one who cares for me is my little sister. This is exactly how Gregor felt and as I was reading the book I felt accustomed with the feelings that he felt as well.
I remember the first day that we discussed the book. We looked at the first sentence of the novel before we even got the book. I felt like that was very substantial because of the ideas and questions that the first sentence brought up. I think that is one of the main aspects of the book that differentiates it from others. Everything in the book is a mystery.
My thoughts on the book are that it is very different from all other books that I read throughout my life. The writing styles, the characters, and the imagery are all aspects that are unique to Franz Kafka.
The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer
I read this book in my senior year English class. At first I thought it was going to be a bunch of short stories compiled together in a book. But after reading it, I found it to be way more than what I expected. The book was filled with humor and action and almost every story was tangled with each other. I could not relate to most of the characters, as the time period is very different, but I could relate to some of the situations of the characters. Many of the characters dealt with class distinctions, which is something Chaucer ridiculed throughout all of the stories. I felt that I understood what people of different social classes go through everyday just by reading the narrative of an individual.
The part in the book which I remembered the most was when Chaucer apologized if he hurt anyone in writing the story. This had many important aspects about it. For example, it showed how realistic Chaucer portrayed his book to be. Another aspect is that it showed how strict the Catholic Church actually was during that time period.
I kind of related the movie Crash which is similar to the structure of The Canterbury Tales. In the movie, several different stories are told from different standpoints and in the end all of them intertwine into one main plot. If the book had been adapted into a movie, I think that it would have ended up looking just like Crash.
Jane Eyre
I read this book in my Early British Literature class. Déjà vu is what came to my mind as soon as I finished the first few chapters of this book. My thoughts were that it was just another book with the same familiar storylines, but with different characters, which I have read before. But little did I know how different the moral was in this book. The book itself was filled with sadness, happiness, and indefinable surprising moments.
The déjà vu I mentioned earlier was pertaining to several other masterpieces of literature such as Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I expected Jane Eyre to be similar to that novel in that they have the same storyline and structure, but it was completely different as Jane Eyre exceeded my expectations.
One of the scenes which stuck to me from the novel was when Jane’s aunt imprisoned Jane in the red-room where her Uncle Reed died. This was Jane’s punishment for fighting with her bullying cousin John Reed. While locked in the room Jane fainted believing that she saw her uncle’s ghost. As she screamed and fainted, I felt the emotional pain that she was going through because Bronte did such a good job in unfolding that moment.
I really enjoyed reading this book as I felt that it put me through an emotional roller coaster, making me feel everything from remorse to guilt. I think that the book can lay out these emotions in a way that even someone with no emotions at all will feel something.
Beowulf
Seamus Heaney
I remember reading this book senior year in my Early British Literature class as the final book of the semester. I expected the book to be a joke because the teacher said that we were going to watch the movie while we were reading the book. As I started reading further on in the book, I knew why the class was called Early British Literature. It was very difficult to comprehend and truly understand everything that was going on, and that is why I guess the teacher helped us follow along with the movie.
My initial reaction to the book was that it can’t be as good as the movie was. In my opinion it was not even close to being like the movie. The book itself was not bad; it’s just that the movie was way beyond my expectations and standards. I
The characters in this book really showed me what a true hero actually is. The most memorable scene, in my opinion, was the battle between Beowulf and Grendel’s mother. This scene truly shows why the book is named Beowulf and why he is such a hero. I read and watched this scene several times, and I thought to myself why it didn’t get old. It was because I was at the standpoint from both Beowulf and Grendel’s mother. I understood why Beowulf had to protect his people and I also understood why Grendel’s mother had to get revenge for the slaying of her son.
The book reminded me of Odysseus as a hero that saves the day for everyone. I remembered reading The Odyssey and I realized how similar the two epic heroes actually are.
The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy
I came across this book in my Later British Literature class in my senior year. My initial reaction to the book was, “A book written by an Indian. Finally something I can relate to!” The characters in the novel are very similar to me in the way that they have to try and make the right decision, even if what they decide is not what is best for them. A good example of this is when the twins lie when they testify against Velutha. Even though they caused harm to others, they still had the right intention in that they were trying to protect their mother.
I remember reading the book and I especially remembered how violent and disturbing the book was. I understood this, however, because I knew that it was by an Indian author. All the violence and lewdness was justified in the end as it was shown to be an essential part of the plot. I do not think that the novel would be the same without this important aspect of it.
I can relate the book to Slumdog Millionaire in that it truly shows the real India uncensored. In the movie, there were many graphic scenes such as people being beat to death or people being burned alive. Without these features, it becomes hard for the viewer to familiarize themselves with the situations that are going on throughout the movie.
I was not expecting to read a book like this in an English class, especially in Stuyvesant, but I am very happy that I did. The book taught me many things about Indian culture that I did not know myself and it really showed me what makes that part of the world different from everywhere else.
The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne
This was the first book that I had to read in my junior year. I was not surprised to be reading this book in class because I knew how great a book it is because I saw the movie before.
The characters in the book are the standards of those in puritan times. I felt like I could relate to the main character, Hester, who was publically ashamed due to one of her mistakes. In my past, I have committed errors which I have been humiliated for and because of that I felt like I really knew what was going on through Hester’s mind as everything was happening.
I especially remember the part in the end of the book where Hester is buried. I thought that this part was very memorable because it shows how a bad deed can harm someone for their whole life, even after their death. Hawthorne revolves the whole book around the scarlet ‘A’ which is engraved on Hester’s grave.
The book relates to the movie Seven, which stars Brad Pitt. I liked how in the movie, people are being punished for the seven deadly sins. I think that it really relates to the novel in that it shows how one little sin can have an effect on you for the rest of your life. The message in both the novel and the movie is choose your actions wisely and to know that you will be accountable for anything that you do.
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
I remember reading the book in my junior year. I heard of the book before I even began to read it that had a huge influence on what I thought of the novel. I started reading the book with very high expectations, and when I was done I felt as though the expectations never changed. I thought that it was a very well written novel and that it deserved all the awards that it got.
The characters in the book are very comparable to me because it is just a story about some people in New York. I especially felt a connection with Gatsby as I too have felt underappreciated throughout my life due to some event which occurred in the past. In the end, I understood why even though Gatsby was not the protagonist, the whole story revolved around him.
I remember how in the end of the novel, no one attended Gatsby’s funeral. People just came to claim his personal belongings. This really made the readers feel sympathy towards Gatsby and it eventually uncovered why the book is called The Great Gatsby.
I can relate this book to Scarface as it shows how one man can become rich doing immoral things. Gatsby was a bootlegger with many underground ties and connections. He proclaimed himself self made millionaire, just as Tony Montana did in his movie. I thought that all this really explained why Fitzgerald came up with the exposé of Gatsby as “Great”.
Hedda Gabbler
Henrik Ibsen
I came across this book in my summer school English class during my junior year. This is one of those books that never really caught my attention. The fact that Hedda committed suicide was frightful itself and not only did she commit suicide, but she also lead to the death of Ejlert Lovborg. It wasn’t a first hand murder because it was not her who shot Lovborg but it was her pride which forced her to keep Lovborg’s manuscript, which frustrated him to the point to kill himself.
Lovborg was a character which I can relate to in that he is someone who tried to get his life back on the right track but was hindered by stupid mistakes. I felt connected with him and I understood why he killed himself in the end.
I despised Hedda since the beginning of the book and felt that the best part of the book is when Hedda committed suicide. I felt relieved that no one else would have to suffer from the hands of Hedda Gabbler.
The book contained of too many depressing events for it to attract me. That is why I think that it is very similar to Final Destination because, in the end, no one survives. Reading the book definitely made me uncover the bad side in things and I think that’s what Ibsen was trying to do when he wrote the novel. The book really makes one disregard the value of human life.
Holes
Louis Sachar
During the summer classes in my junior year, I was introduced to this wonderful book. I saw the movie and thought that it was amazing and so I knew that the book would be too.
I felt that I can relate to Stanley Yelnats because sometimes I feel like I have all the bad luck in the world. When something goes wrong for me, everything goes wrong at once. This is exactly what Stanley was goin though and through my lens I experienced the same frustration and aggravation that he felt.
My favorite thing about the book was the part that Stanley carried Zero to the top of the mountain and then took care of him. This showed how Stanley progressed throughout the book and how bad luck can change into good luck with just a little effort. It was also the climax of the book in that the curse that had haunted Stanley’s family for ages was finally over.
I can relate the book to Pirates of the Caribbean because it deals with curses that have been passed on throughout generations. The movie is very similar to the book in that, in the end, the curse is removed and everyone lives happily ever after. Both the movie and the book show how people don’t give up, no matter how bad the situation, and in the end all the perseverance pays off.
The Taming of the Shrew
William Shakespeare
I ran into this book in my junior year English class. At first, I thought it was just going to be another love story by Shakespeare, but after reading the first act, my view on the book indefinitely changed. It was not just another cliché of a romance, but a comedy and a drama as well.
The characters in the play are all part of a sub-plot which the servants use in a play to try to confuse a drunkard. I can relate to the characters in the play in that sometimes I have pretended to be someone else to get somewhere that I want to be. In the play, many characters develop another persona just to try to deceive other into doin what they want them to do. I think that this is one of the true comedic geniuses of Shakespeare to unravel all the characters at once in the end.
I especially liked the part in the book when Petruchio tries to tame his wife like an animal by starving her and depriving her of sleep. I thought that this scene was hilarious and that it truly showed the reader why the title of the play is The Taming of the Shrew.
The book was remade into a movie in 1999, which is called 10 Things I Hate About You. In the movie, the same situation is being dealt with as Petruchio tries to tame his wife. The only difference is that the movie takes place in a modern day high school while the play occurs in medieval times.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson
I read this book sophomore year as an introduction to the class. When I first saw the book, I thought that it was a kid’s book because of its size. But that all changed when I actually began to read the book. I immediately saw how Stevenson used the idea of a split personality to change the views on how one perceives the main character.
The characters in the novel were very fictitious in the way that they acted. I can relate to the main character, Dr. Jekyll in that sometimes I go through phases which I lose my temper and become very violent and unfriendly just like Dr. Jekyll when he transforms into Mr. Hyde. But I think that it true with everyone, not just me.
I especially remember the end of the novel when Dr. Jekyll does not even have to drink the potion anymore to become into Mr. Hyde. I thought that this showed how evil is more powerful than good and that it is easier to become immoral than it is to become moral. I think that this is the main message that Stevenson was trying to project in his book.
Whenever I think of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I always think of Van Helsing. In that movie, a hunter tries to hunt down Mr. Hyde for all the bad things that he has committed. One can always imagine Mr. Hyde as being the true bad guy due to the fact that he does not drink the potion anymore so that he is not in control of his mind and actions.
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
I read this book in my sophomore English class. Upon reading this book I came across a lot of characters whose approach to life I found a bit extraordinary, especially that of Elizabeth’s. Elizabeth the only character in the book who came across as not arrogant to the readers, but she was in fact very ignorant. Her prejudice towards Mr. Darcy had blinded her to the extreme that she forgot all wrongs, and became acceptant to the very man who had run away with her sister. I can relate to Elizabeth’s prejudice towards Darcy very much because it taught me the true meaning of “not to judge a book by its cover.” After reading this book it had opened my eyes and I realized that everything around me is not how it appears but rather there is something beyond everything.
I especially remember the views on marriage and love in this book and I found it very amusing. I found it very ironic that Elizabeth is the very person who had hated Mr. Darcy from the beginning of the book and had fallen in love with and married him in the end. This was funny to me but had also made me realize that no matter how much one denies something, they may come to accept it if they clear themselves from ignorance and look at things from a clear point of view.
I can relate the book to real life in that I have seen families with multiple daughters and I have seen the problems that the parents go through to marry them off. I can relate the problems Mr. and Mrs. Bennet went through to that of my cousins and their family members. I understand the struggle that the parents go through in order to ensure that their daughter makes the very best choice that she can.
The Three Theban Plays
Sophocles
I read this book in my Classical Literature class during my sophomore year. I thought that this was going to be three long plays all bunched up into one book, but I found out that it was rather one long play divided into three parts.
I feel like I can especially relate to Oedipus, the protagonist of the Three Theban plays. He is a very strong and dominant figure and his power overwhelms the fact that he is blind. I feel like I too, have made many great accomplishments even with all my setbacks.
The part of the play which I consider to be most memorable is the scene in which Oedipus blinds himself when he finds out that his wife, Jocasta, has killed herself. He takes two pins from her dress and he gouges his eyes out. This is the part of the play which many consider to be the climax of the story as the prophecy is completed and Oedipus is defeated.
The three plays remind me of Homer’s Odyssey as they are both examples of classical literature. In the Odyssey, there are also many references to Oedipus and the prophecy which he fulfills.
Candide
Voltaire
This was a book that I was forced to read as an extra credit assignment for my Classical Literature class. It was a very difficult looking book, but the teacher argued that it was a satirical comedy so I thought that it was going to be fun to read.
The one that I can relate to in the book is Pangloss as he is the only one who is an optimist all the time. I am very similar to him in my thinking in that I believe that everything always happens for a reason and that whenever something bad occurs, something good will always occur right after.
The scene which I can vividly remember and which stuck to me through out the entire novel was the killing of Cunégonde’s brother. Because Candide proclaimed he was going to marry Cunégonde, Cunégonde’s brother became enraged and went to attack Candide. However in the twist of situation Candide killed Cunégonde’s brother. This scene, to me, seemed to be the turning point of the story and of Candide’s milestones.
I can relate Candide to many other satirical works, but the one that always comes to mind when I think of satire is American Psycho. Both these works really show how satire can be used to set the mood and they explore the message that satire brings to the plot.
Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde
characters maintain fictitious identities to escape unwelcome responsibilities. It also shows that the best personality one can have is their own and that people should not pretend to be others because that has its own consequences.
Things Fall Apart
Chinua Achebe
This is the book that I introduced to freshman year as I walked into my Freshman Composition class. It was the first book that I had ever read and discussed in my Stuyvesant career. I initially had no emotions on the book, but later on I saw why the book was viewed as the archetype of modern African writing in English.
The characters approaches towards life are very similar to that of mine. In Igbo culture, status can be gained through fighting and wrestling. This is how I also earned part of my status and my respect. When other people saw what I was capable of doing when I was in a fight, they changed their views on me and my status in society changed, just like Okonkwo’s.
I especially remember the part in which the District Commissioner and his messengers go to look for Okonkwo and find him dead, having hanged himself. The most important aspect about this part was that the commissioner was asked to take down his body as suicide was regarded as an act of weakness in Igbo culture. This lead the commissioner to come up with the idea to write a book about African culture and mention Okonkwo’s death in it. This truly showed the effects of British colonialism in African culture and it unraveled how native their culture actually is.
I can relate the book to Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness as both the stories revolve around African culture and how British colonialism affects these African traditions. In both the stories, the African culture is “restored” with the contents of colonialism.
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Randle McMurphy. So I walked into the class with hopes that I would enjoy reading the book and I did.
I really felt connected with the personality of McMurphy. I knew that possessed many qualities which he possessed as well such as leadership and bravery. I know that if I played the role of Randle McMurphy in the movie, I would do as well a job as Jack Nicholson.
I especially remembered the end when the Chief smothers Randle with a pillow to let him die with dignity instead of being a representation of what the Nurses are capable of doing. I thought that this showed the real effects of Randle’s actions and it also showed how he changed everyone around him. He helps the Chief regain his self-respect and that is when he pays one last tribute to Randle and finally escapes from the asylum.
I can relate the book to real life situations such as Martin Luther King. He was a hero who helped everyone else and in the end he was the one who suffered. But his accomplishes did not go unnoticed and neither did Randle’s. I think that is what makes both these men such great heroes.
Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck
I came across this book in my Freshman Composition class. At first I thought that the book was goin to involve animals because of the title. It was not until I read the book for the second time that I truly understood the title and why the book is named the way it is.
Characters in Of Mice and Men had a drastic view toward life. Their aspirations of living came directly from their dreams of having a better future. Although George and Lennie grew up in a pretty nomadic life style which was always limited, they always hoped for the better and always held on to their dreams of achieving something greater. From reading this novel and understanding how George and Lennie coped with the conflicts given to them, I was able to tell that these two characters were strongly steadfast and willing to break boundaries that held back their dreams. That is one way which I felt a connection with the characters in the novel.
One memorable moment which really stuck to me from this novel was all the way in the end of the story when George finally realized that Lennie is a major setback in his life and takes his life by shooting him in the head with a gun. I thought that this scene was really shocking because George dealt with Lennie his whole life and never had problems with him until the end. This showed how even the most patient of all humans can snap and become corrupt.
A particular book which I have currently read that I can relate this novel is Night by Elie Wiesel. In this novel as George and Lennie, Elie Wiesel, the protagonist of the novel, sought only out to his dream of looking for a better future. Being in the Concentration Camps and living through the Holocaust, Elie’s only dream was to get a better life. Just like George and Lennie, Elie’s dream was not fulfilled in the end.
The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini
I ran into this book freshman year. It was the second to last book I read in my freshman year. I knew that book involved kites and that is one of the reasons why I loved it so much as I am a huge fan of kites. I never watched the movie, The Kite Runner, but I had heard that it was amazing. I finally watched the movie after reading the book, and I am glad that I read the book first because it was much more entertaining than the movie.
For one thing, I feel like I can relate to the characters in the novel because I love playing with kites as well. Even the act of “kite running” is something that I am familiar with because of my passion for kites. I am especially fond of the characters which show as much passion about kites as I do, such as Hassan and Amir.
My most memorable part of the novel is when Hassan receives a beating from Assef just for standing up for Amir’s kite. I like the loyalty and brotherhood that Hassan showed, and I especially like the fact that he is doing all that to protect a kite.
Whenever I think of Khaled Hosseini’s Kite Runner, I also think of other works by Hosseini such as A Thousand Splendid Suns. Both his books are similar in that they revolve around Afghanistan and its culture and traditions. I think that Hosseini does a good job in both these books in making the reader feel as if they are actually in Afghanistan. I think that is what sets apart Hosseini from all other writers.
Catcher in the Rye
J. D. Salinger
This was the last book that I read freshman year and it was also one of the best books that I ever read in
my life. At first, I was wondering what the title meant. Even though I have read the book many times, I
still feel as though I do not truly understand what a “Catcher in the Rye” actually is.
The characters attitude towards life is very similar to mine. I feel like I especially can relate to Holden in
many ways. One way is that I consider a lot of people to be “phonies” especially in Stuyvesant. But I
never obsessed about “phonies as much as Holden. Another way in which I am similar to Holden is that I
care about my little sister a lot, more than anyone else in my family.
The most memorable thing about the book was the vulgar language and all the obscenities. Holden swears
a lot in the novel and that is one of the main reasons why the book was so challenging to teach in high
school. It went through a lot of censorship and challenges and that is why it is one of the most
controversial books of all time. I think that the vulgarity played a huge part in the book, and that the book
would not be the same without it.
I can relate this book to my real life experiences as I personally have been through many of the situations
which Holden goes through in the book. Sometimes I fee like the book is a narrative and an
autobiography of my life instead of Holden’s.
Book recommendations by Stuyvesant students for Stuyvesant students and readers around the world. Also known as Stuy Bookshelf/Book Box. Submissions are open—click on register below!