Introduction
Throughout my high school career I have been trying to figure out what my occupation will be in the near future. The one question I forgot to ask myself was what kind of person do I want to be. Not until my senior year did I realize I needed to improve my character and correct my flaws. These movies and books have taught me important lessons that helped me to become a better person.
Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court
Written by Jan Crawford Greenburg
Since I first learned there were three branches in the United States government, I thought the most powerful branch was the executive branch. That was until I learned about all the landmark cases through the liberal Warren Court. Without any restraint, the Warren Court allowed United States citizens to have the right to privacy, publish articles without interference from the government, and attend schools with students of other races. Although the President could sign a bill into a law, the Supreme Court had a wide range of powers due to its ability to interpret the strength of the law.
My United States government teacher had recommended me this book after he claimed that the textbook made the Supreme Court seem like a body of people with either extremely conservative or liberal political views. During that time, I also wanted to find where I was positioned in the political spectrum. I decided to pick up this thick book and uncover the mystery behind the Supreme Court.
Surprisingly, this book was written from an unbiased perspective. In this book, Greenburg analyzed the three big swing justices and the factors that caused them to stray from their initial political views. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor had resisted the pressure to join a particular side since she became a justice, but when she met a diehard conservative, Justice Clarence Thomas, she was repelled from the Right and was pushed toward the Left. Justice Anthony Kennedy was even more malleable than O’Connor and frequently sided with the liberal justices on issues such as granting gays more constitutional rights. As an extreme conservative, Justice Thomas was frequently at odds with the public, often ruling for harsher punishments.
This book indirectly taught me the importance of independence. The justices had the courage to stay away from the majority and instead ruled cases based on their past experiences and intuition. The book motivated me to not side with a group due to pressure, but to instead establish my views through my experiences.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in discovering the extent of power the Supreme Court has or has a love for the complexity of the United States judicial system. This book would be a great read before taking a United States government class.
The Hurt Locker
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
I was first drawn to The Hurt Locker after I was informed that the movie had won six Academy Awards. Since it was a war film based on the American occupation of Iraq, I decided to spend my Saturday watching it. I did not know that I would soon be in for a huge surprise.
The director of the movie, Kathryn Bigelow, filmed all the events about a specific unit in the United States Explosive Ordnance Disposal team in a way different from most war films. Although the film was mainly about the difficulties American soldiers face due to insurgents planting improvised explosives, it was actually centered on the psychological state of Sergeant First Class William James. SFC James’ unorthodox methods of disarming bombs put his team in danger. He further fueled his team’s anger toward him when he refused to heed orders from a superior and decided to find the insurgents that set off a bomb in a town center. SFC James’ refusal to change his unique way of disarming bombs inspired me to be true to my opinions and methods of work.
After finishing his tour in Iraq, SFC James returned home to find himself engaging in the menial tasks of suburban life such as shopping for cereal in supermarkets and washing dishes. SFC James signed up for another tour in Iraq, finally realizing that his life was only complete with the excitement of bomb disposal. SFC James’ actions and emotions regarding a routine lifestyle made me think about what field of occupation I want to start a career in. When I am unoccupied for a weekend, I become restless. I realized that my definition of a satisfactory life includes finding excitement and adventure every day.
This movie should be watched by everyone who wishes to watch a realistic film based on the fragile mental states of the American soldiers fighting in the Iraq War.
In the Company of Heroes
Written by Michael J. Durant
When Somalia entered another civil war in February 2009, I decided to research what the United States did to assist the Somali government. My research led me to the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, where the United States attempted to suppress insurgents led by a warlord. During that conflict, Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant was captured by militants and quickly rescued by his fellow soldiers. The bravery of his fellow soldiers was impressive and I decided to read Durant’s first-hand account of the incident in his book, In the Company of Heroes.
Michael Durant had piloted a helicopter in the battle, which was quickly shot down. Surviving the helicopter crash, the unarmed Durant was stranded on the open battlefield. Two of his fellow soldiers fought off the militants until they ran out of ammunition and were shot dead. Shortly after, Durant was dragged through the streets of Mogadishu before being thrown into a dingy room. Treated relatively well, Durant was released after several days. Despite being a national hero, Durant felt his fame was undeserved.
Durant even went on to say that he felt incompetent while he was locked in the room by his captors. Because he was unarmed and severely injured, Durant was unable to protect himself and caused five soldiers to die trying to bail him out. His emotions reminded me of my dependence on close friends for protection and help. As not the most outspoken person in my group of friends, I often require my friends’ assistance in order to solve problems. Reading Durant’s powerful narrative allowed me to realize my lack of leadership and my need for improving my confidence.
This narrative was very descriptive, being laced with Durant’s accounts of his past missions and his relationship with the night. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who seeks a gritty war story filled with emotion.
The Killing Fields
Directed by Roland Joffé
The only movie that had ever prompted me to cry was The Killing Fields. I had been looking for a movie based on a historical time period. Since it was filmed in 1984 and was a British film, I was reluctant to watch it. But, I knew little about the Khmer Rouge and the period after the Vietnam War, so I decided to borrow the DVD from the fantastic Queens Borough Public Library.
The movie followed two journalists (Dith Pran and Sydney Schanberg) who report on the startup of the Khmer Rouge. When the Khmer Rouge moved into the Cambodian capital, Pran and Schanberg were immediately captured by a squad of rebels. Schanberg was about to be executed for his role as a journalist, but Pran, a Cambodian citizen, negotiated with an officer to set him free. Pran and Schanberg soon quickly flee to a French embassy. Because the powerful Khmer Rouge had demanded all Cambodians to be turned over, the embassy turned over Dith Pran. Pran was promptly put into a labor camp where he stayed for several years.
Meanwhile, Sydney Schanberg won an award for his coverage of the Cambodian civil war. He was criticized by his colleague for using Pran to win the prestigious award and doing nothing to rescue him. During this part of the movie, I realized one of my flaws. I had a tendency to use people so I can advance forward. Watching an extreme example of this action happening before my eyes, I realized how much my selfishness can affect other people.
The movie concluded when Pran escapes to a Red Cross camp in Thailand and was met by Schanberg. Schanberg asked Pran to forgive him for allowing him to suffer for so long and Pran answered that there is nothing to forgive.
The film also let me comprehend how easy it is to be swept up into a movement and not realize the consequences of taking aggressive action. Not considering the arguments of the opposing party often results in poorly planned solutions. The Khmer Rouge’s claim to solve Cambodia’s poverty and famine by revitalizing its agriculture quickly turned into evacuations of urban areas and forced labor camps. Seeing the failure of a revolution has opened my eyes to the importance of having a diplomatic personality.
This movie should be included on every student’s movie list. The movie was not just a tear-jerker, but one that taught the importance of friendship and loyalty.
The Kite Runner (novel)
Written by Khaled Hosseini
Having nothing to do during the Finals Week of my junior year, my sister recommended me read The Kite Runner. I was first turned off by its length and its title, but I quickly grew attached to Hosseini’s style of writing and skillful character development.
The novel’s themes of honor, guilt, and loyalty were clearly portrayed. The most shocking scene was when Amir, the protagonist, won a local kite tournament. Hassan, Amir’s friend of lower social status, ran down Amir’s winning kite, but encountered Assef, an older boy with a reputation for bullying Amir and Hassan. Assef demanded that Hassan give up the kite, but Hassan refused, hoping to gain Amir’s respect. Amir rushed through the town to find Hassan, only to see him being raped by Assef. Amir ran away, too scared to intervene. For quite some time, Amir avoided the Hassan, ashamed of his cowardice. But, Hassan continued to serve Amir and treat him nicely. Hassan eventually departed and allowed Amir to not think about his cowardice for a while.
Hassan’s similarity to Dith Pran in The Killing Fields was remarkable. Hassan, knowing that he had a lower status than Amir’s, tried to earn Amir’s respect throughout his childhood. Dith Pran, a native Cambodian, considered himself lower than his American colleague, Sydney Schanberg. Because of this, Pran allowed Schanberg to take credit for the acclaimed reports by spotting the controversial scenes in war-torn Cambodia.
This scene also reminded me of the attacks that were inflicted against Stuyvesant students in the autumn of 2007. My friend had been assaulted by several black teenagers from a local high school. Similar to Amir, I was afraid of protecting my friend. I stood and watched him suffer through thirty seconds of pain. After the students ran away, I took him into the school and called the police. For the next several weeks, I tried to avoid my friend, even though he tried to arrange a time for us to hang out. Eventually he graduated and I tried to forget about the incident which still brings up feelings of guilt and cowardice. The novel had brought back the feelings of guilt for my cowardice during the attacks. But, it also allowed me to accept that I was spineless during the attack and helped me learn to be more confident so I can eliminate the coward in me.
This novel was one that taught the importance of loyalty and how powerful guilt is. It is a must-read for high school students as high school is the period when most people encounter serious dilemmas.
Into the Wild (film)
Directed by Sean Penn
I watched this film as part of a class in the Youth Theological Initiative at Emory University. This film was supposed to conclude the theological course about pilgrimages.
This movie documented the true story about an American wanderer, Christopher McCandless, who tried to separate himself from mainstream society. After he graduated from college, he decided that all of his accomplishments and possessions were worth nothing. He discarded his money and identification, burned his car, and destroyed his credit cards. He then broke off contact with society and wandered into the Alaskan wilderness to find his true self.
Into the Wild caused me to ask myself why I had certain opinions about certain issues. I soon realized that my environment played a large part in my life. Everything I know or think was influenced by my background. I also realized that a large part of my life has been trying to fit in with the majority. Watching this movie had caused me to try to be unique. I would rather wear flashy clothing than dark clothing and I tried to differ from my classmates in terms of political opinions.
Christopher McCandless had traveled through most of the United States to find the small things in life that make it worth living. Although most of us won’t be able to traverse the continent, this movie allows us to see through the eyes of somebody who did. This movie could help instill some thoughts that can help people live more fulfilling lives.
American History X
Directed by Tony Kaye
My middle school friend had recommended the movie, American History X, to me during the summer of my ninth grade. In the first scene of the movie, a white supremacist curb stomps a black man to death. I was traumatized by the violence and racism presented, but was also fascinated by the political issues that the film brought up.
Derek Vinyard, the film’s protagonist, became an active member in the neighborhood neo-Nazi movement after his father is murdered by a black criminal while putting out a fire in South Los Angeles. While interviewed by a reporter, Derek screamed out that illegal immigrants exploit the country, instead of embracing it. His hate of all minority groups caused him to lead an invasion of Venice Beach, taking over basketball courts originally belonging to blacks and raiding supermarkets owned by Koreans and Mexicans. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Danny Vinyard, followed his footsteps, slowly rising up through ranks in the white supremacist group. When Derek Vinyard murdered two black males that try to steal his car, he was charged with manslaughter and incarcerated.
In prison he joined the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang, but quickly abandoned the group after discovering that they are allies of a Mexican gang. With no one to protect him from black prison gangs, he was forced to rethink whether being part of a neo-Nazi group ever helped him. Fortunately, he did not get attacked by the black prison gangs due to a black prison inmate that he befriended in the penitentiary. Being forced into an unknown environment, filled with dangers and surprises, for three years, Derek discovered his true inner self. He was no longer the tough radical he thought he was. Especially since the person who saved him from being murdered in prison was black, Derek discontinued his racist thoughts and left the white supremacist group.
After being released from prison, Derek explained his thoughts to Danny. Danny promised to leave the neo-Nazi movement and tried to start anew. Sadly, Danny died after being shot to death by a black gang member in the school bathroom.
American History X was the movie that changed my perspective on illegal immigration. Both my parents and siblings favored decreasing border security, but I strongly resented illegal immigrants. In one scene, Derek claimed that illegal immigrants came to the United States not to embrace the country, but to exploit it. I have heard of stories where illegal immigrants work at jobs that allow them to claim that they have extremely low incomes so they can qualify for welfare and Medicaid. Also, the most dangerous gang in the United States was started by Salvadoran illegal immigrants that entered the US through Mexico. These bits of information have strengthened my arguments. With the knowledge that I currently have, I support measures that increase border security and the efforts to prevent of illegal immigration.
Because this film brought up questions about racism, immigration, and law enforcement, this movie should be part of every high school’s curriculum. These issues are always on the top of our nation’s agenda and every student should realize the conflicts that surround these issues.
Conclusion
Part of what I am today was affected by the books I read and the movies I watch. I could even go as far to say that the books and movies allowed me to understand myself better. Since the beginning of my high school years, I have been trying to be different from everyone else. But, all I had been doing was running away from my true self.
The movies and books have indirectly displayed my flaws such as cowardice, selfishness, and lack of confidence and independence. They have helped me improve my character and will hopefully help other students improve theirs.
Existence
I often try to learn about as many different things as I can. It does not matter that I do not understand it completely, because I only want to have a certain amount of knowledge, a suffice degree of conceptual understanding, of whatever I learn about. I do this because I believe that every piece of information I know can become an advantage in the future, but I realized that knowing more can sometimes serve a negative effect.
The negativity came from a bookshelf that I pass by every day on the way to my room. On it was a book, titled The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene, which was given to my brother by one of his teachers. My brother has recommended the book to me many, many times, as he was an aerospace enthusiast. However, the thousands upon thousands of words on the hundreds of pages of the book never appealed to me, so I ignored him. Eventually, I picked up the habit of learning a bit about everything, and started reading the book.
My impression of the book from reading the introduction on the back cover and from what my brother tells me was that the book would be a boring physics book. In fact, it was not, and learning something on my own accord and enjoying it made me feel more mature. Not only were the implications of the string theory explained in the book profound and logical, but the clarity with which the theory can be related to worldly objects was also astounding. However, as the book drew me more and more into the principles and ideas behind string theory, I found a competing conscience rejecting the possibilities that the theory offered. As this conflict occurred each time during my reading, my existence and the world’s existence appeared more and more trivial. This did in fact help me lessen the impacts of certain unhappy events that occurred in my life, but it also tore apart my view of everything. I could no longer do things without questioning the purpose of the tasks, and fun and boredom seemed to mix into one. I seemed to have lost motivation, as whenever the thought that our world could very possibly be a speck of dust in the world of some other being appeared in my mind, I would think, “So then what’s the point in doing anything?” However, as I continued further in the book, I found that it was indeed the boring physics book that I expected. Nevertheless, I finished the book, and reoriented my mindset to a comfortable position.
Although this book created many philosophical conflicts for me, it is nonetheless a very well-written book. It serves its purpose well and is likely to not cause the problems I encountered for someone else. However, it did derail much of what I once believed and acted for. In the end, the comfortable mindset I adapted is no longer as stable as it once was, but likewise it could no longer be shaken as much as it has been by this book. For anyone who likes to know about things, this book has the potential to change your views of everything in the world.
Responsibility
Year after year, as I see my mom’s movements become duller and duller, I am reminded of the responsibility that she carries for the sake of me and my brother. At the same time, I think of what responsibilities I will eventually carry as my mom’s job is completed and mine is begun. Usually, I do not come to any conclusion because I have simply not begun carrying any significant responsibilities. However, I found an example of the burdens of responsibility within Ender Wiggin, a character from the popular Ender’s series by Orson Scott Card of which I have read Ender’s Game, Ender’s Shadow, Ender in Exile, and Speaker for the Dead. This character embodied the responsibilities and the suffering that result. However, such suffering did not make him interesting. Instead, it was how unending his sea of responsibilities was that warned me of the future that awaits me.
From birth to manhood, Ender was meant to be different. He was conceived for the sole purpose of saving humanity through war, yet once he succeeded, he found himself paying the debt of the salvation of the human race. After killing the enemy, the enemy became a part of his responsibility, his conscience. Everything he did was for the sake of others, yet in helping others, he seemed to have found the responsibility to save everyone.
If responsibilities give rise to further burdens, then I predict that my life will be a tedious one. Yet without responsibilities, there would not be any purpose. In this series, the intricate personalities and connections of the characters detail the workings of responsibilities within a society. It may be unrealistic, but, as you read about Ender growing older, you will find many connections and perhaps gain some insight as to what your future may hold.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
The Pillars of the Earth follows the construction of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England during the twelfth century. Although Follett’s novel is fiction, it is very well researched and provides a fantastic overview of the time period, and an insight into the worlds of people from all walks of medieval life, from nobles and knights, to masons and monks. Taking place over the course of forty years, during the Civil War following the death of Henry I, the story follows a community and its leader who struggle to build the cathedral that will revive their town amidst the political and social instability of the nation. I would strongly recommend this book to future students, simply because of its entertainment value. Follett is a fantastic writer, and this is one of his best efforts. Despite the vast time difference, Follett makes it easy to relate to his characters, and tells an amazing and vivid tale of life in Medieval England.
World Without End by Ken Follett
The sequel to Pillars of the Earth, World Without End takes place in the same town of Kingsbridge 200 years after Pillars and follows the descendants of the characters from the first book. The remarkable thing about this book is that, like its prequel it is over 1000 pages, but yet the action never slows down and the reader is always engaged in the story. In this book, the politics of religious and civil power clash in medieval England as the townspeople try to wrestle their political destiny out of the hands of the stubborn, proud and inefficient Prior of Kingsbridge. Although at times similar to Pillars of the Earth, the book is as good, if not better than its predecessor, and is one that I would again recommend. An amazing story, and very well researched, it is a major asset for background knowledge in any Early British Literature class.
The Economist
Since my freshman year, I have had a subscription to The Economist because of my participation on the Speech and Debate Team. Although dry or complex at times, The Economist is a great asset. In an era of cable talking heads and thirty second sound bites, American news networks often lamentably follow the “if it bleeds, it leads” philosophy of journalism, with a few exceptions. A British magazine, The Economist provides an interesting, outsider point of view, especially in its analysis of the United States. At the same time, it is comprehensive and all encompassing, carrying news from all over the world, in detail. In less than an hour, one becomes well informed about all of the major stories, all around the world. The Economist has definitely provided me with an insight on world affairs that I would not have otherwise had. When one first begins reading the magazine, its almost akin to starting to watch a T.V. show half way through the season, however, after a few issues, one knows all the characters and their relationships.
The Appeal by John Grisham
In his novel The Appeal John Grisham draws attention to the ability of well financed groups to have tremendous influence over elected office, including, in some states, the court system. In The Appeal, a chemical company, that spent years dumping toxic byproducts into a small Mississippi town’s water supply loses a multimillion dollar wrongful death lawsuit after one of the many cancer cases in town dies as a result of the polluted water. To protect itself from further financial harm, the company’s CEO covertly funds a candidate in the Mississippi Supreme Court election in order to overturn the verdict on appeal. The very conservative candidate wins the race, and overturns the decision on appeal. Unfortunately for the judicial system, Grisham’s inspiration for this novel was a similar, real life case, Capperton v. Massey in West Virginia.
Americans often extol the virtues of our government, and truth be told, there is much good in our system, but as the saying goes, money talks, often quite loudly. As long as elections continue to cost, even on the local level, well into the hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions of dollars, our politics will in some sense always be tainted by those interests, whether individual or corporate, with more money than others. This is a problem however, that can be solved.
The Richard Sharpe Series by Bernard Cornwell
The Sharpe series, spanning 21 novels, follows the military service of Richard Sharpe, of the British Army, during the Napoleonic Wars, starting with Seringapatem in 1799 and culminating with Waterloo in 1815. Sharpe is one of the few men who served in the ranks to win promotion to the officer’s mess, in an era where officer’s commissions were bought and sold. The books focus on his extraordinary skills, and his fight for acceptance by the aristocratic and class conscious officers serving with the Duke of Wellington in Spain and Portugal. Sharpe, the bastard son of a London prostitute, who joined the army to escape a murder charge, has no family but the army, and no skills except ruthlessness in combat, and thus sees the army as the only place in which he is comfortable or where he thrives. Unfortunately, he knows that a peacetime force would get rid of him in an instant, despite his wartime heroics. Cornwell is a very skilled author with fantastic character development. (which I suppose is not hard to do over the course of 21 books featuring the same character) He also takes the time to create very intricate relationships between characters that become very well developed. Cornwell is a fantastic author who makes his stories come to life through his detailed, but never dry or excessive descriptions.
Armageddon Leon Uris
In Armageddon, Leon Uris shows the deterioration of Western-Soviet relations after the end of WWII, with Berlin as the epicenter. The book follows one Lt. Col. Sean O’Sullivan, an officer working with the Military Government in postwar Germany as the administrator of a region of Germany, and then, an attache in Berlin. Uris deals with the conflicts between the Soviets and the West, as well as the internal conflict Sean experiences. The death of his two younger brothers, both soldiers, while fighting the Germans has caused Sean to hate everything German. However, as he lives in Berlin, fighting for the people of Berlin as they are threatened by the Soviet Union, his mixed emotions, including the fact that he falls in love with a German girl, torment him. As the story progresses O’Sullivan tries to reconcile his views. On the political front, the United States, which would like nothing more than to send their troops home and retreat into isolationism, but stands with the Berliners against increasing Soviet manipulation and arm twisting. The story culminates in the Berlin Airlift. The Soviet Union cut off all rail, road and water links to West Berlin, in an attempt to force the Western nations out of the city. However, the United States, in conjunction with the United Kingdom and France began the greatest air supply operation in history, flying over 7,000 tons of cargo a day, with over 1,200 flights a day, and a plane landing once every 30 seconds. The Russians are forced to relent, and lift the blockade. Uris is a very interesting author. He presents the interesting emotional conflict of a man who spent years fighting the Germans, and losing both of his brothers to German bullets, but is now fighting to save the people of Berlin.
The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth
One of his first novels, The Odessa File, by Frederick Forsyth was written over the course of a trip to West Germany in 1971. The book, which draws on the authors experience as a reporter for Thomson Reuters, features a freelance, West German journalist, Peter Miller. The story begins on the night of Nov. 23, 1963 with Miller hearing about the assassination of John F. Kennedy on the radio. That same night, he follows an ambulance to the home of an old Jewish man, a holocaust survivor who committed suicide, leaving behind a journal recording his life, especially the time spent a Concentration Camp in Riga, Latvia during the Second World War. The journal describes many of the atrocities committed by SS Captain Eduard Roschmann. At one point Miller reads that Roschmann shot a German Army Captain, who was decorated with a Knights Cross for valor, in cold blood. The date and location of the shooting, as well as the Knights Cross, which was awarded to very few soldiers, reveals to Miller that the Captain was actually his father, who died in the same place, on the same date. Miller sets off on a mission of revenge to bring Roschmann to justice. In the process, he clashes with ODESSA, a dangerous organization of former SS members, and barely escapes with his life.
ODESSA (“Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen” or in English “Organization of Former Members of the SS,”) was a real life clandestine organization formed by SS officers in the final months of WWII to provide for the escape of members of the SS charged with war crimes, generally to the friendly Peron government in Argentina. Many infamous members of the SS used the resources of ODESSA to escape to Latin America and Egypt after being faced with the possibility of being charged. Towards the end of the 20th century, most likely following the death of many of its members, the activities of ODESSA came to light, and several books were published documenting the organization. Forsyth was one of the first writers to discuss ODESSA, in the early 1970’s.
The ODESSA File is a fantastic book. It takes many turns that deviate from the usually expected thriller plot line, and manages to engage the reader very well. The unlikely hero, that of a journalist rather than the typical thriller hero mold of spy or soldier, made the book quite unique and presented a very interesting, and refreshingly different point of view. This was the first book by Forsyth that I had read, and because of it, I developed a strong liking for his novels, and made him one of my favorite writers.
The Alienist by Caleb Carr
The Alienist is a novel that I picked up recently in the Stuyvesant library, almost by accident. While looking for another author, this book caught my eye, and as it turns out, was one of the best books I’ve read recently. The book is set in New York City in 1896, and paints a vivid portrait of a city rife with poverty, gang violence, slums, filth, corruption and greed, where humanity exists only as a thin veneer. Carr, a historian who generally writes non fiction work provides a very accurate, and almost depressing portrait of the city at the turn of the century. Following the conclusions of the Lexow Commission in 1894, Theodore Roosevelt is appointed president of the Board of Police Commissioners, and attempts to reform the “most corrupt municipal organization in America” (according to the Lexow Commission). However, he is met with hostility from the entire NYPD, and faces a hard battle. In this setting, a young boy is found murdered and mutilated on the not yet finished Williamsburg Bridge. Considering that the boy was merely a street urchin, the NYPD would not bother investigating the crime. However, Roosevelt engages a strange team, consisting of a New York Times reporter, two reformist NYPD detectives who are shunned by the department because of their adherence to new investigative methods, like fingerprinting, and rudimentary forensic analysis, Roosevelt’s private secretary, and an Alienist (the 1896 term for a behavioral psychologist). They attempt to discover the identity of, what is becoming to be, a serial killer.
Caleb Carr does an amazing job on creating the setting of his story. Making good use of his background as a historian, he describes the City in rich and vivid detail, while avoiding the pitfall of boring the reader by doing so excessively. This is, perhaps the best thing about his book. At the risk of sounding cliche, Carr really does make the hectic, turn of the century New York come alive for the reader. His two main characters, John Moore (the journalist) and Lazlo Kreizler (the Alienist) are described in great detail, as are their lives. Both characters are deeply flawed, and portrayed on a deeply human level. For any author, but especially for one who doesn’t write fiction, this is an amazing novel.
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Gone With the Wind is a book that, on picking up off the shelf, I would never decide to read. A thousand pages of what I perceived as the story of a whining, selfish, southern girl never seemed that interesting. My sister rented that movie, however, and since I had nothing better to do, I watched it. I was so impressed by the movie, that I decided to read the book. My preconceived notions were immediately banished. Contrary to what I thought, Gone With the Wind is a vivid description of the old, antebellum South, the carnage and horror of the Civil War, and the pain and ultimate failure of Reconstruction. More than that, however, it is an incredibly engaging story, and probably one of my favorite books. The book presents a romanticized view of the old south that even the staunchest northerner can feel a nostalgia for. (albeit, without slavery) and presents in vivid detail the collective horror at the butchery of the Civil War and the frustration of reuniting the nation after the conflict. The plot and the characters, which were written in great detail and depth, were simply fantastic, and engaged my interest, despite the fact that a romance novel is certainly not my type of book. This is simply an amazing work of literature that I would recommend to anyone who has the time to read it.
All’s Well that Ends Well by William Shakespeare
All’s Well that Ends Well is one of my favorite Shakespearian plays, and is one that I am intimately familiar with. In eighth grade, my grade read, saw, and performed the play, but over time, as my scope of Shakespeare grew, I developed a deeper appreciation for it. This is, in my opinion the funniest of Shakespeare’s comedies. Helena, after years of longing for him, marries Bertram by order of the King of France. Bertram, who hates the idea of marrying Helena runs away to Italy to fight as a mercenary with his friend Parolles. He tells Helena that “if thou canst get the ring upon my finger, which never shall come off, and show me a child, begotten of thy body that I am father to, then call me husband. But in such a ‘then’ I write a ‘never.’” Helena follows him to Italy and enlists the help of two local women in trapping the unwitting Bertram, accompanied at all times by Shakespeare’s witty remarks and double entendres. This is one of Shakespeare’s funnier comedies, but one must have some background knowledge to glean all the jokes from the script.
A Novel Journey Through High School
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
My first English teacher at Stuy read this book on her own and since she liked it so much, she decided to add it to the curriculum. She described this novel as the experiences of a girl in her prep school. New to the high school experience and only having had five years at a public school, I thought this book would be interesting – something I could relate to. While the plot and setting may have captured my interest, a few chapters in and I was in torment. The characters were not at all realistic and the main character, Lee, was so depressing, she reminded me of a female Holden Caulfield.
I never enjoyed English class and writing was a chore. However, with this book, I realized English class could be so much worse. Reading Prep was bad enough but having to analyze it and break it down was just painful. Fortunately, the essay was an opinion piece and opinions I did not speak in class were fully expressed. The only benefit I had from this book was it produced the first essay I wrote wholeheartedly. I would not recommend this book, especially to any English teacher.
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
This book was on the curriculum because the author, Frank McCourt was a Stuy alum, but this book is, to this day, one of the better assigned English books I’ve read in class. The story seems like one of just another poor boy growing up but, this book is actually a memoir and this adds another dimension to an otherwise average book. McCourt writes so elegantly of all his experiences that although he probably doesn’t recall everything as he wrote it, nothing is out of the ordinary. Readers truly feel like they are watching him grow up and because he was in fact poor, we sympathize with him, making us want to read even more (and perhaps buy his second and third autobiographical books).
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Frankenstein is exactly what society made it – a misunderstood horror story. I grew up with the notion that the story was just like the movies and cartoons in which a monster named Frankenstein goes around terrorizing innocent villagers. However, I soon learned that Frankenstein was actually the name of the scientist – the first of many surprises. I read this book during my freshman year and it was the first book I actually enjoyed analyzing. Mary Shelley wrote this novel in a profoundly engaging way where you just have to turn the page and read it cover to cover again and again.
There are so many universal topics that Shelley touches upon that one can’t help but become emotional. Unfortunately this was the book I last read before my father passed away and the theme of life and humanity particularly stuck with me. Instead of just reading an entertaining horror story, I got a book that in a way helped me through one of the toughest times of my life.
The Odyssey by Homer
The Odyssey is a classic book that everyone will read and in introducing the book, my teacher said, “If you haven’t read this book yet, you will now in class and you will again in another class”. So I paid attention and this book receives mixed reviews from me. The story on the surface was interesting enough with gods, monsters and humans both good and bad. However, I disliked analyzing this book and my habit of hating to write reappeared. Every tiny little thing supposedly had a deeper meaning to it and I repeatedly found myself wondering “How do you know that’s what Homer is implying? Maybe all of this is just a story and you’re reading too much into it all.” Learning the history and mythology of the book was a more enjoyable experience than the actual reading of it. Under normal circumstances, I would not recommend this book but in this case, because The Odyssey is such an epic classic (pun intended), I recommend reading it on your own before having to inevitably read it in an English class.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde’s novel is by far my favorite school assigned book. The story itself is captivating and writing the assignment was challenging yet pleasant. There is so much to analyze and the story prevents the usual student-coma-like reading of a heavily symbolic book. It also helps if the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is watched prior to reading this book. The movie is the only one I know of that brought together literary superheroes. Dorian Gray was one such character. He was the double agent in the movie and my favorite of character so of course I was interested in reading this book from the beginning.
The first chapter reveals that much of my interest was due to Hollywood but Wilde’s story still managed to keep my interest. Dorian is portrayed differently; he is hardly super but as his story of downfall is so strange that even all my disappointments were interesting. So far, Oscar Wilde managed to write the only book that I looked forward to read.
The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare
No collection of high school books is ever complete without something written by Shakespeare. Although not the first Shakespearian play I read, The Taming of the Shrew is by far, the most interesting and perhaps the only one I would willingly read again. This is quite obviously a comedy and even I, as one who must use SparkNotes in understanding Shakespeare’s words, was able to laugh along with the story. As much as it was fun, it was written in a way that I had no problem with dissecting the story in an attempt to better know the story, particularly since the ending continues to puzzle me so. I would definitely recommend this book that I believe it is a far more interesting Shakespearian romance story that Romeo and Juliet.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
What stands out about this book is not the characters or the storyline but the assignment itself. I was grouped with other students and had to write and perform our own version of a major scene in the book. Of course, in the age of Gossip Girl and Jersey Shore, it wasn’t hard to transform a story of love and marriage. We made it modern and changed a couple things. However, as I try to remember, I don’t remember my retelling, I remember Jane Austen’s original version. While modern or contemporary shows and stories will fade into history, Jane Austen’s story has managed to survive time. I recommend this book on the sole fact that it’s a classic that no one will be able to top.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Another classic, The Great Gatsby is a title heard all around. However, because I lived under a rock, although I recognized the title, I did not have an inkling of what the book was about. Thankfully, this classic is short. On the hand, despite its length, it is jammed packed full of ideas both big and small. My writing assignment for this book was one of my best. I found the storyline to be simple and like all my favorite school books, the themes and ideas did not dull the storyline. In fact, having to search around for deep meanings and thesis probably enhanced my reading experience. I would not have picked this book up on my own but with the help of the Stuyvesant English Junior curriculum, I found a hidden gem.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Making its way up on my “banned” list is Chabon’s novel. While others may rave about this book, I simply can not. Like a traumatized child who was forced to keep eating cake as punishment, I will never read this book again. As a storybook, Chabon produced a wonderful tale of two young boy/men and their life involving comics. Even when being taught this book, I got to learn about Superman and the history of comic books. Overall, it seemed like a book I would have found and read on my own.
However, once class became more than remembering what we just read, I almost died. Looking for meaning and trying to write a thesis about this book was by far, the hardest writing assignment I had the displeasure of being assigned. Chabon’s novel was wonderfully written, switching from one character to the other, with both getting enough page space that readers feel for both, but I simply couldn’t find anything substantial to write about.
At the same time I began having trouble in my math class and math is not something that one can sail through without understanding. I had thought that I, at least, understood what was going on in English class but my teacher seemed bent on proving me wrong. The end result of my frantic typing and page turning was two pages of what my teacher thought I wrote in ten minutes. Therefore, no matter how great the story, I can never again pick this book up.
Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl
This book, although assigned, was not for an English class. For my senior medical ethics class, my teacher replaced the usual textbook with this book. Split into two sections, Frankl tells of his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp and of how he lived through it all. Not particularly eloquent, Frankl writes in the way one speaks, with only his ideas keeping any sort of flow throughout the book. This style of writing made me more emotional about the things he described and it allowed the scientific point of view to be easily expressed when past experience showed me that science is never easy to read about. I would recommend this book because the experience of reading and actually learning was so great, I will remember this book when I think of school assigned books.
What do you think is the main theme of the play? Did other themes intertwine with it or do you think that theme dominated the play? Do you think other themes should have been emphasized more?
One of the pervading themes in The Flies by Jean-Paul Sartre was control, in that the king (Aegisthus) used fear in order to get people to be more pious and make sacrifice to the gods. At the same time there was an obvious message being made about how religion and superstition can be used to control people, such as when Aegisthus told the people that the dead would be released to haunt the people that wronged them forcing them to be more respectful. There was a very strong existentialist / humanist message in this play, which is portrayed in the very, very humanlike Zeus. This theme obviously helped to support the message. There was not a more fitting theme to be truly emphasized, especially considering the historical context of this book’s inception. This was written during a time of Nazi occupation in France, and Sartre was trying to make very obvious parallels to the Oresteia in his revision so that the French audiences could realize what they’ve gotten themselves into, and the course of action that they needed to take.
What action in the play do you think had the most impact on later events? Why? Do you think that particular action fit into the plot well, or do you think it should be changed? If yes, how so?
The event that had the most impact in the trilogy was Electra’s use of reverse psychology to get Orestes to murder Aegisthos and Clytaemnestra. The reason that this event was so crucial, besides leading to the deaths of these two main oppressing characters, was that it signaled a transformation in Orestes. He stopped being the weak brother and assumed a role of responsibility and power. He even declared himself a free man, not under the influence of any king, or even any god (which I think Sartre uses in order to not only convince the 1943 French to rise up against fascist rule but to convey the ideas of existentialism further).
What do you think of Electra’s role in the play? Do you think she should have had a larger part, especially in Clytaemnestra’s murder? What do you think about the role and status of women in ancient Greece as a result of the way Sartre portrayed Electra?
I believe that in The Flies, Sartre had Electra play the most crucial role in Clytaemnestra’s murder, and it felt so fitting because of that fact that Electra was so oppressed by both Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus. In comparison to the Oresteia, Electra played a lot less of a passive role in this revision, not only in that she used reverse psychology to manipulate Orestes, but she at certain points in the story, disobeyed her oppressing parents. She wasn’t portrayed as easily swayed in this revision. In fact that would better describe Orestes, since he went from outcast to godless free man and murderer. I think Sartre does women more justice than Aeschylus considering that in the Oresteia, women are portrayed with a bunch of bad qualities: murderous, fickle, etc. Sartre also makes women in this play vindictive, and manipulative, but these qualities are a lot more “manlike” I suppose, or more so portrayed as manlike.
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