Thursday, December 13, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
The Count of Monte Cristo Storyboard
The
Count of Monte Cristo Storyboard Outline
- ONE MAN
- Young Edmond Dantes, at the railing of the deck of the Pharon, happily sailing into port at Marseilles (MS)
- Edmond rushing down from the ship to hug Mercedes tightly (LS)
- WHO FACES INCREDIBLE SORROW
- Edmond being wrenched away from Mercedes at their engagement party (MS)
- Edmond's old father being held back by soldiers (CU)
- Edmond sitting in a prison cell with guards walking back in forth in front of his door, staring brokenly at his hands (MS)
- MUST TRANSFORM HIMSELF
- Edmond looking up darkly from his hands and meeting the abbe (MS)
- Edmond on his knees in the sand, holding jewels and banknotes in his hands (CU)
- TO DELIVER VENGEANCE
- The Count sailing into Paris and sternly standing at the deck of his own boat (MS)
- The Count sitting broodingly in a chair and observing a conversation between Danglars and Mondego (MS)
- BUT CAN HE FIND WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR?
- Haydee staring duskily at the Count from beneath her lashes while sitting on a cushion (MS)
- The Count locking eyes with an older Mercedes at a dance (LS)
- The Count unclenching his fists and turning his face heavenward, the dead bodies of Madame de Villefort and her son (and a prostrate Monsieur de Villefort) on the floor before him (MS)
- THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Information Literacy
Information Literacy: a set of abilities requiring individuals to 1 "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information. 2 "
The cynical and pretentious literary snob in me wants to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose and primly remark that the definition of information literacy, as defined by the ALA and NFIL, sounds quite like the definition of good thinking.
But, like I said, she's a snob; so let's ignore her, shall we?
To me, information literacy is just a term used to convey the fact that people know how to properly find, analyze, and utilize information in whatever areas their lives may require. From a book editor in New York City to a foot soldier in Afghanistan to a waitress in Nevada, all of those jobs would demand that the people in possession of them should be able to accurately, if not perfectly, know how to exercise their ability to make good decisions, complete assignments correctly and thoroughly, and interpret the information they are presented with accurately in accordance with their job.
The cynical and pretentious literary snob in me wants to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose and primly remark that the definition of information literacy, as defined by the ALA and NFIL, sounds quite like the definition of good thinking.
But, like I said, she's a snob; so let's ignore her, shall we?
To me, information literacy is just a term used to convey the fact that people know how to properly find, analyze, and utilize information in whatever areas their lives may require. From a book editor in New York City to a foot soldier in Afghanistan to a waitress in Nevada, all of those jobs would demand that the people in possession of them should be able to accurately, if not perfectly, know how to exercise their ability to make good decisions, complete assignments correctly and thoroughly, and interpret the information they are presented with accurately in accordance with their job.
References:
1. "Information Literacy Competency Standards for
Higher Education." American Library Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec.
2012.
2. "What Is the NFIL?" National Forum on
Information Literacy RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2012.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Revenge
Revenge is a dish best served cold. After being wrongfully accused and imprisoned as a thriving, honest young man, Edmond Dantes slowly evolves and transforms into his titular ego---and he's a man with a plan for action against those who took so much away from him.
The key word to the plot of Monte Cristo: revenge. The Count is driven to enact and deliver vengeance to those who wronged him so terribly, and as a reader I empathize sincerely. There is something inherently satisfactory about seeing the Count execute well-formulated plans to bring those who wronged him so terribly to justice. And that is, I think, what the Count views his revenge as---an enaction of justice, to give those who chose to cause chaos in an innocent's life a taste of their own bitter medicine. After all, "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise (Exodus 21:23-25)." And as citizens of a good justice system and of an inherent sense of right and wrong, we nod our heads vigorously in agreement with Dantes' plans and actions to make those who caused harm answer for what they'd done.
(Plus, we also just like the action and seeing the enemy crushed.)
But then that brings up a rather large question: who are we to execute justice on behalf of divine morality? After all, if the world was really fair and God actually gave every man and woman what he/she deserved, we would literally all go to hell. And if every man really sought to redeem the "eye for an eye" voucher for himself, the world would be in chaos.
If you think about it, we have been given so much grace. Grace is us getting out of bed this morning when we deserve death. Grace is us having families and knowing love when we deserve death. Grace is us being redeemed eternally when we deserve death. Grace has been poured into the very air of our existence and, especially as Christians, woven into the hidden corners of our souls. And I think that fact alone should cause us to sincerely evaluate our approach to vengeance.
If I were ever wrongfully imprisoned and told that I could escape and choose between two lives once I got out; 1) a life spent in careful planning and enacting of satisfying vengeance on those who had wronged me, or 2) a life spent finding another to fall in love with and start a family with and pursue art and music and warm summers with; I think I would chose the second. Because I think that revenge, while instantaneously gratifying, eventually leaves you empty and unfulfilled; whereas investing in finding and treasuring things that make life worth living and enjoying will give you the peace to move forward with your life.
I am a huge fan of ABC's Revenge, a show based on The Count of Monte Cristo that tells that story of a young woman under an alias seeking to avenge her father's wrongful framing by the wealthy in the Hamptons. And while I will absolutely not deny that it is so cool to watch her plans unfold and the people who hurt her father get their due one by one, the most powerful moments on the show are the ones where I see her glimpsing what she could have had if she gave up her revenge (in her case, a childhood love) and remembering what she lost (moments of unmarred joy with her father). My heart always aches the most at those moments, and I think that those who set out on the path of epic revenge like her's and the Count's are some of the loneliest people to walk the earth.
In this past Sunday's episode, one character asked another (in reference to her recent achievement of revenge), "Was it worth it?"
For me, I know that a lifetime of it---and honestly, even a moment of failing to extend the incredible grace I've been given---will never be in the end.
The key word to the plot of Monte Cristo: revenge. The Count is driven to enact and deliver vengeance to those who wronged him so terribly, and as a reader I empathize sincerely. There is something inherently satisfactory about seeing the Count execute well-formulated plans to bring those who wronged him so terribly to justice. And that is, I think, what the Count views his revenge as---an enaction of justice, to give those who chose to cause chaos in an innocent's life a taste of their own bitter medicine. After all, "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise (Exodus 21:23-25)." And as citizens of a good justice system and of an inherent sense of right and wrong, we nod our heads vigorously in agreement with Dantes' plans and actions to make those who caused harm answer for what they'd done.
(Plus, we also just like the action and seeing the enemy crushed.)
But then that brings up a rather large question: who are we to execute justice on behalf of divine morality? After all, if the world was really fair and God actually gave every man and woman what he/she deserved, we would literally all go to hell. And if every man really sought to redeem the "eye for an eye" voucher for himself, the world would be in chaos.
If you think about it, we have been given so much grace. Grace is us getting out of bed this morning when we deserve death. Grace is us having families and knowing love when we deserve death. Grace is us being redeemed eternally when we deserve death. Grace has been poured into the very air of our existence and, especially as Christians, woven into the hidden corners of our souls. And I think that fact alone should cause us to sincerely evaluate our approach to vengeance.
If I were ever wrongfully imprisoned and told that I could escape and choose between two lives once I got out; 1) a life spent in careful planning and enacting of satisfying vengeance on those who had wronged me, or 2) a life spent finding another to fall in love with and start a family with and pursue art and music and warm summers with; I think I would chose the second. Because I think that revenge, while instantaneously gratifying, eventually leaves you empty and unfulfilled; whereas investing in finding and treasuring things that make life worth living and enjoying will give you the peace to move forward with your life.
I am a huge fan of ABC's Revenge, a show based on The Count of Monte Cristo that tells that story of a young woman under an alias seeking to avenge her father's wrongful framing by the wealthy in the Hamptons. And while I will absolutely not deny that it is so cool to watch her plans unfold and the people who hurt her father get their due one by one, the most powerful moments on the show are the ones where I see her glimpsing what she could have had if she gave up her revenge (in her case, a childhood love) and remembering what she lost (moments of unmarred joy with her father). My heart always aches the most at those moments, and I think that those who set out on the path of epic revenge like her's and the Count's are some of the loneliest people to walk the earth.
In this past Sunday's episode, one character asked another (in reference to her recent achievement of revenge), "Was it worth it?"
For me, I know that a lifetime of it---and honestly, even a moment of failing to extend the incredible grace I've been given---will never be in the end.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Modeling Dumas
I selected this first passage because I love the vivid imagery (and utilization of adjectives) Dumas employs to describe the story.
"The next day was gloriously fine. The sun rose red and resplendent, its first rays tinting the fleecy clouds with many delicate and brilliant hues (Dumas 19)."
"The next day was gloriously fine. The sun rose red and resplendent, its first rays tinting the fleecy clouds with many delicate and brilliant hues (Dumas 19)."
- "The night was quietly majestic. The moon shone regally and mysteriously, its beams casting clouds into dancing shadows and light-bathed wisps."
- "The afternoon was horrifically calm. The wind blew its bated breath out gently, trying not to disturb the echoes and remnants of the previous night's dance of death."
- "The twilight was beautifully mournful. The trees reached for the hidden lovers, their branches embracing and weaving leaves into their fallen footsteps."
I selected this second passage because I like the third person omniscience in which Dumas employs to convey his characters' emotions and motivations.
"Dantes threw himself into the arms of his new friend, for whom he had waited so impatiently and so long, and drew him toward the window that the little light that penetrated into his cell might reveal his features (Dumas 67)."
- "Claire collapsed on the pebbled shore of the cold lake as her once-dead husband ran toward her, for she could hardly breath from the sorrow and joy constricting her chest."
- "Penryn walked steadily towards the broken zombie child, dragging her under a tree and covering her with leafy branches, so as not to scare her little sister when she came back from finding berries."
- "Naughty John hummed softly under his breath as he carefully carved pentagrams into the muddy soil, thinking of how soon his patience would finally pay off."
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
"The Good Earth" Book Review
Title: The Good Earth
Author: Pearl S. Buck
Genre: Culture/Asian Literature
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Overall Impression: Overall, I realized that this novel is what I like to call a "gray novel": a novel whose characters are neither completely good nor completely evil, where "good men" do terrible things and "bad men" do good deeds. The only other book I have read beside this one that I can categorize as a distinctively "gray novel" is George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones, but I knew that it was a "gray novel" going into it; with The Good Earth, I actually did not. But I like how "gray novels," and The Good Earth in particularly, can make me think so hard about how human nature works and how we should respond to it. I thought that this novel was culturally rich and written in a very sparse, factual sort of prose, which gave it a very comforting/ambivalent cadence. So although Wang Lung evoked some incredibly strong negative reactions from my semi-feminist conscience, and while I wish I could have seen a bit more redemption in the storyline, I think it very well deserved the Pulitzer Prize it earned in 1932.
Author: Pearl S. Buck
Genre: Culture/Asian Literature
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
- Defense (Explanation) of Rating:
- On a Goodreads scale, (1) means "didn't like it," (2) means "it was okay," (3) means "liked it," (4) means "really liked it, and (5) means "it was amazing." So for this novel, I opted for a 3.5, because to me it was somewhere between "liked it" and "really liked it." Although I hated Wang Lung for most (if not all) of the second half of the book and called him all kinds of obscene names during that time, I did not hate the book; and although I thought it was a brilliantly written and well-visualized novel (especially when I finished it and took a step back to analyze the structure), I did not love it. I don't think I have ever hated a fictional protagonist so much in my life before, and while I thought that Wang Lung's characteristics and path allowed Peal S. Buck to communicate her theme and message very clearly, the bitter taste he left in my mouth and his lack of clearly redemptive choices (for the most part) in the second half of the book ruined it from gaining a full (4) from me.
- Characters
- Overall, I thought the character portrayals were excellent; there was a wide range of characters with personalities that spanned a large spectrum, and many of them were given a complex depth that was very realistic. Even Wang Lung, who I wanted to punch in the face for quite a few chapters, was a very well-portrayed and realistic character; he had to be, for me to hate him so ambivalently. Yet even he had his good moments, with how he cared for his mentally handicapped daughter and rescued Pear Blossom from his nephew. O-lan was diligent and patient and unselfish, and yet she had her moments of longing for jewels and anger with a figure from her past. Lotus was physically beautiful and very demanding, but she was also pettily shallow and kind to Pear Blossom (for the most part). The sons and their wives were the most interesting in diversity, I thought, and everything they did worked within their personalities.
- Plot
- I liked the cyclic structure of the plot, and how the author was able to subtly arrange the series of events so that they followed the cycle unnoticed until the second half of the book. It was a very realistic plot that served Pearl S. Buck well by communicating her theme effectively. It was also a plot that made me furious towards the protagonist for a large part of the reading; if it had been my choice, Wang Lung would have fallen in love with and truly cherished O-lan for her kindness and diligence and faithfulness before she had died; but then I suppose it would have been a romance story instead of a realistic picture of the nature of man.
Overall Impression: Overall, I realized that this novel is what I like to call a "gray novel": a novel whose characters are neither completely good nor completely evil, where "good men" do terrible things and "bad men" do good deeds. The only other book I have read beside this one that I can categorize as a distinctively "gray novel" is George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones, but I knew that it was a "gray novel" going into it; with The Good Earth, I actually did not. But I like how "gray novels," and The Good Earth in particularly, can make me think so hard about how human nature works and how we should respond to it. I thought that this novel was culturally rich and written in a very sparse, factual sort of prose, which gave it a very comforting/ambivalent cadence. So although Wang Lung evoked some incredibly strong negative reactions from my semi-feminist conscience, and while I wish I could have seen a bit more redemption in the storyline, I think it very well deserved the Pulitzer Prize it earned in 1932.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
"Stepping Heavenward" Diary Entry #9
September 12, 2012
Dear Diary:
In Chapter Twenty-Five of Elizabeth Prentiss's Stepping Heavenward, Katherine and Helen are visited by a lively and eagerly growing Miss Clifford, who shares with them a Christian thinker's thoughts on what it means to really be a child of God. Katy is especially stunned and delighted by the notion that it is the little things, the daily acts of life done with the right heart, which glorify God so greatly. When she shares this with Ernest, he agrees wholeheartedly that Christian living should be a holistic experience, apparent in all areas of life (from work to church), rather than a categorical one. Katherine also goes to visit Mrs. Campbell in this chapter, for what she thinks will be the last (or one of the last) time, as Mrs. Campbell is getting ready to go home to her Lord and family. Una gets very sick again, and Katherine is torn up about giving her up to God; and she does, but as soon as she decides it in her heart, He allows her to get better.
Chapter Twenty-Six begins with a farewell to Mrs. Campbell, but the people around her are at peace with her homeward departure and Katherine especially is thankful for the time she has been able to spend with her. In her very last conversation with Katy, Mrs. Campbell gave her parting words of wisdom in the importance of a surrendered, joyfully humble countenance that relies completely on Him. After her death, Katherine and Helen are discussing Mrs. Campbell's last conversations when Helen reveals the anguished struggle she has been having with believing in Christ and following after Him, and her doubts about being His child at all. Katy then replies, "suppose, for argument's sake, you are not a Christian. You can become one now (Prentiss 304)." This relieves Helen's burden so greatly, and I don't know if I was ever so proud of Katherine than in that moment; for although she is a marvelous character and I truly admire her, her simple and yet deeply profound words to Helen were so encouraging to read. Martha becomes sick with rheumatism, and so Helen goes to stay with her for a while, while Katherine and her four children decide to get some fresh air in the countryside with a lovely and opinionated Mrs. Brown. As the months go by, we also learn that Katy is expecting another baby.
We have now approached the final chapter, Chapter Twenty-Seven; oh, how sad I was/am to see the story end! Katy has her baby, and all is well; she gets very sick, and my heart was very heavy in thinking she would die, but I was also glad that she would get to go home. But she is blessed with seven more years, and possibly more to come; as she continues to step westward, toward home.
Dear Diary:
In Chapter Twenty-Five of Elizabeth Prentiss's Stepping Heavenward, Katherine and Helen are visited by a lively and eagerly growing Miss Clifford, who shares with them a Christian thinker's thoughts on what it means to really be a child of God. Katy is especially stunned and delighted by the notion that it is the little things, the daily acts of life done with the right heart, which glorify God so greatly. When she shares this with Ernest, he agrees wholeheartedly that Christian living should be a holistic experience, apparent in all areas of life (from work to church), rather than a categorical one. Katherine also goes to visit Mrs. Campbell in this chapter, for what she thinks will be the last (or one of the last) time, as Mrs. Campbell is getting ready to go home to her Lord and family. Una gets very sick again, and Katherine is torn up about giving her up to God; and she does, but as soon as she decides it in her heart, He allows her to get better.
Chapter Twenty-Six begins with a farewell to Mrs. Campbell, but the people around her are at peace with her homeward departure and Katherine especially is thankful for the time she has been able to spend with her. In her very last conversation with Katy, Mrs. Campbell gave her parting words of wisdom in the importance of a surrendered, joyfully humble countenance that relies completely on Him. After her death, Katherine and Helen are discussing Mrs. Campbell's last conversations when Helen reveals the anguished struggle she has been having with believing in Christ and following after Him, and her doubts about being His child at all. Katy then replies, "suppose, for argument's sake, you are not a Christian. You can become one now (Prentiss 304)." This relieves Helen's burden so greatly, and I don't know if I was ever so proud of Katherine than in that moment; for although she is a marvelous character and I truly admire her, her simple and yet deeply profound words to Helen were so encouraging to read. Martha becomes sick with rheumatism, and so Helen goes to stay with her for a while, while Katherine and her four children decide to get some fresh air in the countryside with a lovely and opinionated Mrs. Brown. As the months go by, we also learn that Katy is expecting another baby.
We have now approached the final chapter, Chapter Twenty-Seven; oh, how sad I was/am to see the story end! Katy has her baby, and all is well; she gets very sick, and my heart was very heavy in thinking she would die, but I was also glad that she would get to go home. But she is blessed with seven more years, and possibly more to come; as she continues to step westward, toward home.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
"Stepping Heavenward" Diary Entry #8
September 11, 2012
Dear Diary:
Chapter Twenty-Two of Stepping Heavenward begins by describing Katy's struggle to find a good person to help her in caring for her family, and how she deals with each situation of disappointment. Her visit to Mrs. Campbell refreshes her spirit and soothes her frustration, though, and we learn that a new addition is about to arrive in Katherine's household. Her baby daughter Ethel arrives around the same time she and her loving husband celebrate their tenth anniversary. Miss Clifford has gotten saved and is under the guidance of Katherine's mother, and Ernest's sweet sister Helen is a joy to Katy, both to learn from and to teach by her everyday reactions. Katherine and Helen discuss the differences of the treatment of women in their respective childhood homes, and Katy explains how she learned to expect gentleness and chivalry from men because of how beautifully her father treated her mother. She also talks about how God's love is the foundation of her (and any good) marriage, because human love is so unstable but His is steadfast and pure. At the end of this chapter, we learn that Helen believes she has found the kind of love Katherine and Ernest share....and that she has found it in James. Katy and the people around her are so delighted by this news that they can even overlook the age difference between Lucy and her recent fiance.
Chapter Twenty-Three brings about the bitter dregs of a pleasant time of life, as James is taken home to heaven suddenly and Katherine's mother leaves soon afterward. At this point of Katy's life, I know that it is only by faith and the endless grace of God she could bear to part with her child, brother, and mother, and still say "God is good and they are His to take" and believe it. When Katherine described how brightly her mother's crown, gained by so much patience and love, must be shining in heaven, I admit that I did get slightly misty-eyed. Helen comes to live at Katherine and Ernest's home permanently, and amidst the sorry we learn that Katy is now the mother of four lovely little ones. Six years go by, and Helen is still struggling with the sorrow of James' death; but Katherine gives her Dr. Cabot's letter from years ago to read, and encourages her to see Mrs. Campbell for a glimpse of God's comfort through others.
Chapter Twenty-Four delves into the hustle and bustle of Katherine's life as a doctor's wife and mother of four, and explains her trials of trying to balance daily tasks with a healthy spiritual life. But while she finds some of the more mediocre things of life, like socializing and feeding callers, Ernest encourages her that she is demonstrating His graciousness even through little things. Dr. Cabot dies in this chapter, and his wife follows soon after, but Katherine is at peace over how they are both now rejoicing eternally.
Dear Diary:
Chapter Twenty-Two of Stepping Heavenward begins by describing Katy's struggle to find a good person to help her in caring for her family, and how she deals with each situation of disappointment. Her visit to Mrs. Campbell refreshes her spirit and soothes her frustration, though, and we learn that a new addition is about to arrive in Katherine's household. Her baby daughter Ethel arrives around the same time she and her loving husband celebrate their tenth anniversary. Miss Clifford has gotten saved and is under the guidance of Katherine's mother, and Ernest's sweet sister Helen is a joy to Katy, both to learn from and to teach by her everyday reactions. Katherine and Helen discuss the differences of the treatment of women in their respective childhood homes, and Katy explains how she learned to expect gentleness and chivalry from men because of how beautifully her father treated her mother. She also talks about how God's love is the foundation of her (and any good) marriage, because human love is so unstable but His is steadfast and pure. At the end of this chapter, we learn that Helen believes she has found the kind of love Katherine and Ernest share....and that she has found it in James. Katy and the people around her are so delighted by this news that they can even overlook the age difference between Lucy and her recent fiance.
Chapter Twenty-Three brings about the bitter dregs of a pleasant time of life, as James is taken home to heaven suddenly and Katherine's mother leaves soon afterward. At this point of Katy's life, I know that it is only by faith and the endless grace of God she could bear to part with her child, brother, and mother, and still say "God is good and they are His to take" and believe it. When Katherine described how brightly her mother's crown, gained by so much patience and love, must be shining in heaven, I admit that I did get slightly misty-eyed. Helen comes to live at Katherine and Ernest's home permanently, and amidst the sorry we learn that Katy is now the mother of four lovely little ones. Six years go by, and Helen is still struggling with the sorrow of James' death; but Katherine gives her Dr. Cabot's letter from years ago to read, and encourages her to see Mrs. Campbell for a glimpse of God's comfort through others.
Chapter Twenty-Four delves into the hustle and bustle of Katherine's life as a doctor's wife and mother of four, and explains her trials of trying to balance daily tasks with a healthy spiritual life. But while she finds some of the more mediocre things of life, like socializing and feeding callers, Ernest encourages her that she is demonstrating His graciousness even through little things. Dr. Cabot dies in this chapter, and his wife follows soon after, but Katherine is at peace over how they are both now rejoicing eternally.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
"Stepping Heavenward" Diary Entry #6
September 6, 2012
Dear Diary:
Chapter Sixteen of Stepping Heavenward starts off at a good place for our Katherine; she is with her little ones and husband, and they are all back together in their own home. Her baby daughter is still weak, but more healthy than before; and I thought that Katy's perceptions on being able to give up your child to God when the time comes were very faith-filled but also achingly sad. Then guess who comes to town? A certain ex-best friend Amelia and an ex-beau, Charley Underhill. They are wealthy, with three daughters; but Charley is negligent of his family and Amelia is quite unwell. Katherine is reluctant to see the two people who injured her so when she was younger, but with the support of her wonderful (and far superior to Charley, might I add) husband, she decides to visit Amelia and her family. While Amelia is still semi-ridiculous, Katherine is filled with compassion for her old friend, and tries to convince her to bring her weary burdens of life to Christ. Katy's baby begins to be more unwell again, and while she prays for her daughter's health she also makes observations in the difference between the characters of her two children (little Ernest is vivaciously alive and well, and the baby is gentle and delicate). James, Katherine's cherished elder brother, has been pondering things (which are not revealed to Katy, but she suspects may be due in part to Lucy's company), and we finally learn the baby girl's name as she reaches her first birthday: it is Una.
Chapter Seventeen opens with an audience with the sagely Mrs. Campbell, who proffers some world-weathered, Savior-trusting advice for our heroine and for us, the readers. It was really great to see that Katy is no longer the same girl who once shuddered at helping sick/bedridden people, as being sick herself caused her to gain a new perspective. Katherine throws herself into the work of caring for her family, and little Una becomes sick---almost to the point of death. It really did hurt my heart to read of any parents having to surrender their child to a place where they cannot yet follow, but gladly the little fighter made a blessed recovery. We learn that James is to become a missionary instead of a wealthy city doctor, and his family (especially Katy) are so proud that their hearts are nearly bursting; plus he gets to stay with them for a few more years, as he prepares to go out into the field. Amelia reemerges in Katherine's life, and is filled with the cocky glow of those who believe they have defeated ill health all on their own. This causes Katy to stumble by becoming very proud and arrogant that she is not like Amelia and her worldly pettiness, and exposing her vanity to Dr. and Mrs. Cabot when they call on her home. She does realize the error in her thinking almost before it has passed, and she immediately becomes deeply ashamed; but she does the right thing in going to the Lord about it and taking comfort in knowing that although Christians stumble, they eventually get home.
In Chapter Eighteen, we find out that Amelia is about to die; and that all her wealth and all her pretty things can't save or comfort her in the end. Katy, being heavily burdened for her, prays for her; and in the midst of all this heartsickness, Ernest forgets their wedding anniversary again (although it is slightly more understandable this time). Martha spends a lot of time doctoring the dying Amelia, and Katherine sees her one last time and sincerely encourages her to seek God in her final days. Then Amelia dies, little Una turns three years old, and Katherine gives birth to another little boy, who she considers another treasured blessing from her heavenly Father. Martha becomes engaged to Charley Underhill's wealthy uncle, and preparations are made for her and him to be wed soon and take care of Amelia's three motherless daughters; however, when Katy's father-in-law is asked to go with them, he reveals how much he truly loves and loves being with Ernest and Katherine and their children. It honestly squeezed my heart when he became sad that he would have to wait till winter to be with Katy's family again.
Katherine really has turned into a dear, wonderful thing, hasn't she?
Dear Diary:
Chapter Sixteen of Stepping Heavenward starts off at a good place for our Katherine; she is with her little ones and husband, and they are all back together in their own home. Her baby daughter is still weak, but more healthy than before; and I thought that Katy's perceptions on being able to give up your child to God when the time comes were very faith-filled but also achingly sad. Then guess who comes to town? A certain ex-best friend Amelia and an ex-beau, Charley Underhill. They are wealthy, with three daughters; but Charley is negligent of his family and Amelia is quite unwell. Katherine is reluctant to see the two people who injured her so when she was younger, but with the support of her wonderful (and far superior to Charley, might I add) husband, she decides to visit Amelia and her family. While Amelia is still semi-ridiculous, Katherine is filled with compassion for her old friend, and tries to convince her to bring her weary burdens of life to Christ. Katy's baby begins to be more unwell again, and while she prays for her daughter's health she also makes observations in the difference between the characters of her two children (little Ernest is vivaciously alive and well, and the baby is gentle and delicate). James, Katherine's cherished elder brother, has been pondering things (which are not revealed to Katy, but she suspects may be due in part to Lucy's company), and we finally learn the baby girl's name as she reaches her first birthday: it is Una.
Chapter Seventeen opens with an audience with the sagely Mrs. Campbell, who proffers some world-weathered, Savior-trusting advice for our heroine and for us, the readers. It was really great to see that Katy is no longer the same girl who once shuddered at helping sick/bedridden people, as being sick herself caused her to gain a new perspective. Katherine throws herself into the work of caring for her family, and little Una becomes sick---almost to the point of death. It really did hurt my heart to read of any parents having to surrender their child to a place where they cannot yet follow, but gladly the little fighter made a blessed recovery. We learn that James is to become a missionary instead of a wealthy city doctor, and his family (especially Katy) are so proud that their hearts are nearly bursting; plus he gets to stay with them for a few more years, as he prepares to go out into the field. Amelia reemerges in Katherine's life, and is filled with the cocky glow of those who believe they have defeated ill health all on their own. This causes Katy to stumble by becoming very proud and arrogant that she is not like Amelia and her worldly pettiness, and exposing her vanity to Dr. and Mrs. Cabot when they call on her home. She does realize the error in her thinking almost before it has passed, and she immediately becomes deeply ashamed; but she does the right thing in going to the Lord about it and taking comfort in knowing that although Christians stumble, they eventually get home.
In Chapter Eighteen, we find out that Amelia is about to die; and that all her wealth and all her pretty things can't save or comfort her in the end. Katy, being heavily burdened for her, prays for her; and in the midst of all this heartsickness, Ernest forgets their wedding anniversary again (although it is slightly more understandable this time). Martha spends a lot of time doctoring the dying Amelia, and Katherine sees her one last time and sincerely encourages her to seek God in her final days. Then Amelia dies, little Una turns three years old, and Katherine gives birth to another little boy, who she considers another treasured blessing from her heavenly Father. Martha becomes engaged to Charley Underhill's wealthy uncle, and preparations are made for her and him to be wed soon and take care of Amelia's three motherless daughters; however, when Katy's father-in-law is asked to go with them, he reveals how much he truly loves and loves being with Ernest and Katherine and their children. It honestly squeezed my heart when he became sad that he would have to wait till winter to be with Katy's family again.
Katherine really has turned into a dear, wonderful thing, hasn't she?
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
"Stepping Heavenward" Diary Entry #5
September 5, 2012
Dear Diary:
Chapter Thirteen of Stepping Heavenward brings about the arrival of many presences; starting with Katy's cherished mother. I feel that her arrival is a refreshment for our heroine, and gives her an insight of patience regarding her trying in-laws. Exeunt her mother, and cue in the sage Mrs. Campbell and her Four Steps to Peace (which I found to be quite accurate). Of course, our protagonist is slightly discouraged at the prospect of so much self-sacrifice, but she very quickly realizes that Christ is worth it all. Dr. Cabot makes an appearance and reminds us (as readers) of the good ol' days when Katherine's biggest worry was finding a balance between her present self and the person she wanted to be. And then....three letters, from three different perspectives, describe the arrival of a beautiful baby boy. Katherine is delighted to have him in her life, but of course her happiness is not perfect; Martha is still sassy, the baby isn't named after her dead father (although I do suppose that marriage is made up of compromises), and her father-in-law (while probably having good-intentions) has the audacity to misjudge Katherine's love for her son as idolatry. But Ernest does remember their anniversary this time, and Martha's hardened composure softens just a wee bit.
Chapter Fourteen kicks off with a bittersweet scenario; Katherine has inherited the money from Susan Greer (remember, our Katy prayed for her in her last hours), and she now has over a hundred dollars a year to give away to the poor for the rest of her life; however, she finds out that Dr. Cabot knows about Ernest's struggle to pay for his father's debts, which Katherine thought was a secret between her and her husband. With this weighing on her heart, she also feels like Ernest is becoming more and more distant from her and the baby isn't doing as well as she would like. Then her dear aunt comes to visit her household, and the sweet-tempered woman becomes angry with how heavy Katy's burden of life has become (which I loved her all the more for). The tension between Martha and Katherine is alleviated a little when Martha convinces her brother that Katy has been dealing with a lot, and Katy is graced with further relief when she goes to visit her lovely mother with her baby. It is being away, however, that causes both Katherine and Ernest to realize how much they love one another and want to be in each other's company, so Ernest does a perfectly lovely thing and takes some time off from work to spend with his family (his wife and baby, which should be his priority right after God). They sincerely make amends, and things are looking up.
Chapter Fifteen seems to be a sort of "calm after the raging storm," where things aren't perfect (are they ever?) but they are much, much better. I liked the conversation Katherine and her father-in-law have about recreation and its purposes, because I don't think there would be very much pleasure in serving a God who did not allow you to enjoy His magnificent creation and things He has enabled us to do. And although I highly doubted that Katy would actually die when she was "faced by death" in her illness, I really did appreciate her readiness to go home. To me, that seems like a sincere blessing of God's peace and love than someone who has a wailing panic attack before their life ends. But no, anything involving a lack of suffering in Katherine's life surely must be wicked to the extreme, so of course her father-in-law decides to comment that it makes her seem less sincere in her faith. Thankfully, Ernest steps in and, rather heatedly, defends his wife from his father's attack, and after Katy goes on a (righteous) rant, her father-in-law is given the grace to see the wisdom in her words. A baby girl arrives in the family, and though she is feeble her family has high hopes for her health; and little Ernest has inherited his mother's stubbornness and sweet strength of character.
Dear Diary:
Chapter Thirteen of Stepping Heavenward brings about the arrival of many presences; starting with Katy's cherished mother. I feel that her arrival is a refreshment for our heroine, and gives her an insight of patience regarding her trying in-laws. Exeunt her mother, and cue in the sage Mrs. Campbell and her Four Steps to Peace (which I found to be quite accurate). Of course, our protagonist is slightly discouraged at the prospect of so much self-sacrifice, but she very quickly realizes that Christ is worth it all. Dr. Cabot makes an appearance and reminds us (as readers) of the good ol' days when Katherine's biggest worry was finding a balance between her present self and the person she wanted to be. And then....three letters, from three different perspectives, describe the arrival of a beautiful baby boy. Katherine is delighted to have him in her life, but of course her happiness is not perfect; Martha is still sassy, the baby isn't named after her dead father (although I do suppose that marriage is made up of compromises), and her father-in-law (while probably having good-intentions) has the audacity to misjudge Katherine's love for her son as idolatry. But Ernest does remember their anniversary this time, and Martha's hardened composure softens just a wee bit.
Chapter Fourteen kicks off with a bittersweet scenario; Katherine has inherited the money from Susan Greer (remember, our Katy prayed for her in her last hours), and she now has over a hundred dollars a year to give away to the poor for the rest of her life; however, she finds out that Dr. Cabot knows about Ernest's struggle to pay for his father's debts, which Katherine thought was a secret between her and her husband. With this weighing on her heart, she also feels like Ernest is becoming more and more distant from her and the baby isn't doing as well as she would like. Then her dear aunt comes to visit her household, and the sweet-tempered woman becomes angry with how heavy Katy's burden of life has become (which I loved her all the more for). The tension between Martha and Katherine is alleviated a little when Martha convinces her brother that Katy has been dealing with a lot, and Katy is graced with further relief when she goes to visit her lovely mother with her baby. It is being away, however, that causes both Katherine and Ernest to realize how much they love one another and want to be in each other's company, so Ernest does a perfectly lovely thing and takes some time off from work to spend with his family (his wife and baby, which should be his priority right after God). They sincerely make amends, and things are looking up.
Chapter Fifteen seems to be a sort of "calm after the raging storm," where things aren't perfect (are they ever?) but they are much, much better. I liked the conversation Katherine and her father-in-law have about recreation and its purposes, because I don't think there would be very much pleasure in serving a God who did not allow you to enjoy His magnificent creation and things He has enabled us to do. And although I highly doubted that Katy would actually die when she was "faced by death" in her illness, I really did appreciate her readiness to go home. To me, that seems like a sincere blessing of God's peace and love than someone who has a wailing panic attack before their life ends. But no, anything involving a lack of suffering in Katherine's life surely must be wicked to the extreme, so of course her father-in-law decides to comment that it makes her seem less sincere in her faith. Thankfully, Ernest steps in and, rather heatedly, defends his wife from his father's attack, and after Katy goes on a (righteous) rant, her father-in-law is given the grace to see the wisdom in her words. A baby girl arrives in the family, and though she is feeble her family has high hopes for her health; and little Ernest has inherited his mother's stubbornness and sweet strength of character.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
"Stepping Heavenward" Diary Entry #4
September 4, 2012
Dear Diary:
Chapter Ten of Stepping Heavenward felt like the slightly cliched (but endearing and heartwarming) "beginning of the rest of their lives" kind of chapter, in which Ernest and Katherine finally declare their affection for one another and get married. I thought it was lovely that her mother approved so heartily (but really, Ernest is a very decent fellow), and it was nice to see Katherine so happy about something as worthwhile as marriage. I also liked seeing the conflict arise for the happy couple in spending time with each other and whatnot (because conflict is the soul of plot), and the observations Katy is able to pull from it when deeply pondering marriage and its operation ("...is it the sacred union of the twain who walk together side by side, knowing each other's joys and sorrows, and going Heavenward hand in hand [Prentiss 108]?"). Ah yes, and then guess who sweeps into the story? The In-Laws *cue dramatically dark music*. I think that when Ms. Prentiss selected the name Martha, she did so with great care and purpose for the following events.
In Chapter Eleven, the tension within Katy and Ernest's household is palpable from the very first line. Honestly, I sympathize with Katherine (perhaps because she is the narrator?) over her angered thoughts and overall frustration with her in-laws (I found myself thinking "You go, girl!" when "...all the vials of my wrath exploded and went off [Prentiss 116]."). This leads to an honest and open conversation with her husband (which I believe is always vital in a good relationship), but she still finds herself dissatisfied and guilty for exploding by the end of it. Martha really does not try to help or encourage Katherine and Ernest's relationship in this chapter (honestly, I don't know if I would be able to control my tongue from saying something very cold and scathingly blatant if I were in Katy's place). But her actions do trigger the couple to having an honest and open conversation yet again, with much better results this time around.
At the outset Chapter Twelve, Martha sorely degrades her own sex (by very nearly worshiping men) and has really crossed a couple of boundaries in Katherine's eyes. But James, Katy's lovely and cheerful older brother, arrives at their household and helps to somewhat alleviate her sense of intense frustration with her in-laws. I think that her father-in-law is lonely and afraid, which is why he comes up with so many scenarios of his own death; but I also think it was pretentiously judgmental and quite Pharisaical for him to assume things about Katy's relationship with God. Katherine and Ernest's first anniversary rolls around, and Ernest seriously drops the ball by not even remembering it (yeah, terrible move, husband!); but I think that he maybe sort of slightly atones for it by introducing his wife to Mrs. Campbell, who is a very wise and spiritually mature woman who gives very good counsel to Katy. And then the chapter ends on a rather rancid note (literally), as Martha decides to buy disgusting butter.
Dear Diary:
Chapter Ten of Stepping Heavenward felt like the slightly cliched (but endearing and heartwarming) "beginning of the rest of their lives" kind of chapter, in which Ernest and Katherine finally declare their affection for one another and get married. I thought it was lovely that her mother approved so heartily (but really, Ernest is a very decent fellow), and it was nice to see Katherine so happy about something as worthwhile as marriage. I also liked seeing the conflict arise for the happy couple in spending time with each other and whatnot (because conflict is the soul of plot), and the observations Katy is able to pull from it when deeply pondering marriage and its operation ("...is it the sacred union of the twain who walk together side by side, knowing each other's joys and sorrows, and going Heavenward hand in hand [Prentiss 108]?"). Ah yes, and then guess who sweeps into the story? The In-Laws *cue dramatically dark music*. I think that when Ms. Prentiss selected the name Martha, she did so with great care and purpose for the following events.
In Chapter Eleven, the tension within Katy and Ernest's household is palpable from the very first line. Honestly, I sympathize with Katherine (perhaps because she is the narrator?) over her angered thoughts and overall frustration with her in-laws (I found myself thinking "You go, girl!" when "...all the vials of my wrath exploded and went off [Prentiss 116]."). This leads to an honest and open conversation with her husband (which I believe is always vital in a good relationship), but she still finds herself dissatisfied and guilty for exploding by the end of it. Martha really does not try to help or encourage Katherine and Ernest's relationship in this chapter (honestly, I don't know if I would be able to control my tongue from saying something very cold and scathingly blatant if I were in Katy's place). But her actions do trigger the couple to having an honest and open conversation yet again, with much better results this time around.
At the outset Chapter Twelve, Martha sorely degrades her own sex (by very nearly worshiping men) and has really crossed a couple of boundaries in Katherine's eyes. But James, Katy's lovely and cheerful older brother, arrives at their household and helps to somewhat alleviate her sense of intense frustration with her in-laws. I think that her father-in-law is lonely and afraid, which is why he comes up with so many scenarios of his own death; but I also think it was pretentiously judgmental and quite Pharisaical for him to assume things about Katy's relationship with God. Katherine and Ernest's first anniversary rolls around, and Ernest seriously drops the ball by not even remembering it (yeah, terrible move, husband!); but I think that he maybe sort of slightly atones for it by introducing his wife to Mrs. Campbell, who is a very wise and spiritually mature woman who gives very good counsel to Katy. And then the chapter ends on a rather rancid note (literally), as Martha decides to buy disgusting butter.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
"Stepping Heavenward" Diary Entry #3
August 28, 2012
Dear Diary:
Let me preface this entire entry by saying this: Katherine (Katy, Kate, etc.) is really beginning to grow on me. I like her much, much better now than I first did, and it has been lovely watching her grow and mature throughout the course of her journal entries.
That being said, Chapter Seven began with Katherine and her mother having a conversation regarding the merits of being able to indulge in "frivolous pleasures," such as piano playing, singing, and drawing; and whether or not they detract from the ability to be spiritually attentive. It was an interesting discussion, and I liked her mother's response---that it is vastly importance to find a good balance between pursuing God through studying and indulging in fine arts/other healthy pastimes. I do wish, however, that her mother (or pastor or friend) could have brought up the idea that creating art and playing music and other forms of creativity are some of the best ways we as humans are able to glorify God, because we were made in His image and our impulses to create are an echo of His own creation of the universe. In this chapter, we were also introduced to Katherine's aunt (who is a lovely woman, by the way), and a reappearing man who has now been given a name: Dr. Elliott. I sensed that romantic tension was very likely near on the horizon for our narrator, and sure enough; my thoughts were confirmed by a declaration of affection by the end of the chapter.
Chapter Eight began by revealing Katherine's wild, emotional confusion after Dr. Elliott's declaration of love, which I think was a perfectly normal response of shock for her to have. She is at first very much confused and vexed, but then she slowly---even as she returns home to her mother, and does not see the doctor very often anymore---realizes that she erred in speaking so quickly and rashly. Katherine's slow shift in perception of Dr. Elliott reminded me very much of the relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett in Pride & Prejudice, and I enjoyed it a lot. This chapter also described Katherine's continuing struggle to live like Christ and give in less to worldly emotions and reactions, but it made me happy to read that she was feeling as if she were on a deep sea of peace.
Chapter Nine set the stage for future dramatic events by starting with Katherine explaining that her aunt and uncle are to go on holiday for her uncle's health, so she and her mother are to mind their home and care for the children. This allows for some very awkward/heightened tension between Katherine and Dr. Elliot, and it even comes to the point where both respond hurtfully to the other (Katherine was rude to the doctor regarding her mother, and Dr. Elliott made a jab at Katherine's compassion and empathy). The way in which Mrs. Embury approached Katherine with the matter of a relationship with Dr. Elliott also reminded me of Pride & Prejudice; except that in this scenario, Mrs. Embury was encouraging a relationship and wasn't quite as scathing as Lady Catherine of Jane Austen's novel. It was interesting to learn that Dr. Elliott was a very good speaker, but even more interesting to observe Katherine's reaction (and how it causes her to yearn for the doctor even more). A poor little girl, one of the Katherine's cousins, gets badly burned from a fire, but she ends up being okay. Katherine finds out that the woman she was jealous of seeing on Dr. Elliott's arm was his sister (I honestly expected as much), and I thought the last bit of the chapter (in which Katy/Kate have discussions on everyday moral choices and obligations), was done very well.
Dear Diary:
Let me preface this entire entry by saying this: Katherine (Katy, Kate, etc.) is really beginning to grow on me. I like her much, much better now than I first did, and it has been lovely watching her grow and mature throughout the course of her journal entries.
That being said, Chapter Seven began with Katherine and her mother having a conversation regarding the merits of being able to indulge in "frivolous pleasures," such as piano playing, singing, and drawing; and whether or not they detract from the ability to be spiritually attentive. It was an interesting discussion, and I liked her mother's response---that it is vastly importance to find a good balance between pursuing God through studying and indulging in fine arts/other healthy pastimes. I do wish, however, that her mother (or pastor or friend) could have brought up the idea that creating art and playing music and other forms of creativity are some of the best ways we as humans are able to glorify God, because we were made in His image and our impulses to create are an echo of His own creation of the universe. In this chapter, we were also introduced to Katherine's aunt (who is a lovely woman, by the way), and a reappearing man who has now been given a name: Dr. Elliott. I sensed that romantic tension was very likely near on the horizon for our narrator, and sure enough; my thoughts were confirmed by a declaration of affection by the end of the chapter.
Chapter Eight began by revealing Katherine's wild, emotional confusion after Dr. Elliott's declaration of love, which I think was a perfectly normal response of shock for her to have. She is at first very much confused and vexed, but then she slowly---even as she returns home to her mother, and does not see the doctor very often anymore---realizes that she erred in speaking so quickly and rashly. Katherine's slow shift in perception of Dr. Elliott reminded me very much of the relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett in Pride & Prejudice, and I enjoyed it a lot. This chapter also described Katherine's continuing struggle to live like Christ and give in less to worldly emotions and reactions, but it made me happy to read that she was feeling as if she were on a deep sea of peace.
Chapter Nine set the stage for future dramatic events by starting with Katherine explaining that her aunt and uncle are to go on holiday for her uncle's health, so she and her mother are to mind their home and care for the children. This allows for some very awkward/heightened tension between Katherine and Dr. Elliot, and it even comes to the point where both respond hurtfully to the other (Katherine was rude to the doctor regarding her mother, and Dr. Elliott made a jab at Katherine's compassion and empathy). The way in which Mrs. Embury approached Katherine with the matter of a relationship with Dr. Elliott also reminded me of Pride & Prejudice; except that in this scenario, Mrs. Embury was encouraging a relationship and wasn't quite as scathing as Lady Catherine of Jane Austen's novel. It was interesting to learn that Dr. Elliott was a very good speaker, but even more interesting to observe Katherine's reaction (and how it causes her to yearn for the doctor even more). A poor little girl, one of the Katherine's cousins, gets badly burned from a fire, but she ends up being okay. Katherine finds out that the woman she was jealous of seeing on Dr. Elliott's arm was his sister (I honestly expected as much), and I thought the last bit of the chapter (in which Katy/Kate have discussions on everyday moral choices and obligations), was done very well.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
"Stepping Heavenward" Diary Entry #1
August 22nd, 2012
Dear Diary:
"How dreadfully old I am getting! Sixteen! Well, I don't see as I can help it."
Chapter One of Elizabeth Prentiss's novel Stepping Heavenward began with the line above, and I was immediately intrigued by the sheer queerness of the statement. I am sixteen years, eight months, and nine days old, and I assure you that I do not feel "dreadfully old." I do, honestly, feel quite tired some days (in a poetic, soul-wearied way), and there are small moments here and there where I long for the innocent sun-drenched days of childhood laughter and vivid imaginings; but I never feel dreadfully old. Nevertheless, I do understand that young adults grew up much faster and assumed heavy responsibilities at a much earlier age during that time period, so her opening statement does, in fact, make sense. In this chapter, I found the narrator and protagonist, Katherine, to be a bit shallow and trivial; I was especially annoyed (and even mortified and a little taken aback) when she was complaining about her mother tending to their sick neighbors, and the little boy she had just been whining about died the next day. However, I did like her honesty and her hot temper, because they made her seem very realistic.
Chapter Two began with Katherine and her experience at church with a pastor named Dr. Cabot, and I really liked reading through their conversations concerning God and how we are supposed to love (or express our love to) Him, because Katherine asked genuine questions and Dr. Cabot gave good examples. I especially liked when he explained how obeying God really is a way to prove your love for Him, by saying: "If you had no love for [Him] you would gradually cease to dread [His] displeasure, whereas it is in the very nature of love to grow stronger and more influential every hour (Prentiss16)." I was, however, highly annoyed yet again with Katherine when she ignored Dr. Cabot's visit because she was vexed with her mother (RUDE!). But then I was a little shocked and very sorry for her when her father died suddenly, although I admire her mother very, very much for the way she handled his death.
Chapter Three delved into Katherine's life about half a year after Chapter Two ended, and she had graduated from school. I liked reading of her novel addictions and her conflicted jealousy regarding her best friend Amelia being "stolen" by a girl named Jenny Underhill, because I've experienced similar things to both situations before in my own life. Katherine also does end up falling for Jenny's handsome older brother, Charley. I was caught between snorting with laughter and smiling without irony at Charley's Greek love note, although I had a sense that it was very likely a doomed and trivial affair of selfishness as soon as Charley was disrespectful towards her mother (really, he asked Katherine why she [her mother] couldn't be sick once in awhile!). Turns out my super-novel sixth sense was correct: by the end of the chapter, I was sincerely ready to slap some of my slightly feminist policies on How To Be the Kind of Man a Woman Needs/Wants into that whining boy-child. He made her half-strangle herself because of his comment about being scared of consumption, when really he should have made her a pot of tea and kissed her forehead before leaving if he was really that scared of germs. But overall, I am looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Dear Diary:
"How dreadfully old I am getting! Sixteen! Well, I don't see as I can help it."
Chapter One of Elizabeth Prentiss's novel Stepping Heavenward began with the line above, and I was immediately intrigued by the sheer queerness of the statement. I am sixteen years, eight months, and nine days old, and I assure you that I do not feel "dreadfully old." I do, honestly, feel quite tired some days (in a poetic, soul-wearied way), and there are small moments here and there where I long for the innocent sun-drenched days of childhood laughter and vivid imaginings; but I never feel dreadfully old. Nevertheless, I do understand that young adults grew up much faster and assumed heavy responsibilities at a much earlier age during that time period, so her opening statement does, in fact, make sense. In this chapter, I found the narrator and protagonist, Katherine, to be a bit shallow and trivial; I was especially annoyed (and even mortified and a little taken aback) when she was complaining about her mother tending to their sick neighbors, and the little boy she had just been whining about died the next day. However, I did like her honesty and her hot temper, because they made her seem very realistic.
Chapter Two began with Katherine and her experience at church with a pastor named Dr. Cabot, and I really liked reading through their conversations concerning God and how we are supposed to love (or express our love to) Him, because Katherine asked genuine questions and Dr. Cabot gave good examples. I especially liked when he explained how obeying God really is a way to prove your love for Him, by saying: "If you had no love for [Him] you would gradually cease to dread [His] displeasure, whereas it is in the very nature of love to grow stronger and more influential every hour (Prentiss16)." I was, however, highly annoyed yet again with Katherine when she ignored Dr. Cabot's visit because she was vexed with her mother (RUDE!). But then I was a little shocked and very sorry for her when her father died suddenly, although I admire her mother very, very much for the way she handled his death.
Chapter Three delved into Katherine's life about half a year after Chapter Two ended, and she had graduated from school. I liked reading of her novel addictions and her conflicted jealousy regarding her best friend Amelia being "stolen" by a girl named Jenny Underhill, because I've experienced similar things to both situations before in my own life. Katherine also does end up falling for Jenny's handsome older brother, Charley. I was caught between snorting with laughter and smiling without irony at Charley's Greek love note, although I had a sense that it was very likely a doomed and trivial affair of selfishness as soon as Charley was disrespectful towards her mother (really, he asked Katherine why she [her mother] couldn't be sick once in awhile!). Turns out my super-novel sixth sense was correct: by the end of the chapter, I was sincerely ready to slap some of my slightly feminist policies on How To Be the Kind of Man a Woman Needs/Wants into that whining boy-child. He made her half-strangle herself because of his comment about being scared of consumption, when really he should have made her a pot of tea and kissed her forehead before leaving if he was really that scared of germs. But overall, I am looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Copyright
Copyrighting. Like the wrath of your mother when she is coming down hard on your case and you do not agree, the copyrights preventing you from certain things can often be annoying, hard to understand, seemingly unjust. But when your mother's wrath is upon someone else who has wronged you, it resonates with the sweet satisfaction of justice and serves-you-right. Personally, I have been frustrated with copyright laws and prohibitions when it comes to things like being unable to skip songs on Pandora or being unable to watch movies for free online (legally). But when it is your creativity, your hard work, your sweat and blood and tears, your idea that is stolen or illegally downloaded, well; suddenly copyright laws don't seem like such a bad thing after all. The laws, like your mother's wrath as your advocate, suddenly stand for something that is universally approved of and cherished: the protection of rightful ownership. Now, by no means are copyright laws in America currently perfect; in fact, the whole concept of copyright infringement is in multiple shades of gray and has many side roads of almost and not-quite-stolen. However, there are also clear and definite HE/SHE CROSSED THE LINE rules currently established, and as an aspiring author and person of creative means I suppose I am quite thankful for that.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Questions & Answers
What are your thoughts on writing?
I thoroughly enjoy writing, mostly of
the creative variety. I love writing poetry, prose, short stories, analysis,
reviews, and I hope to one day complete a novel (if not many). I currently keep
a creative journal and a regular journal, and I have a book review blog that I
try to keep up with at least once a month. Writing is my favorite way to creatively express my thoughts and ideas.
What are your thoughts on reading?
Reading is pretty close to breathing for me on the list of life's important activities. I love the beauty of words and the stories they weave, and
I am usually content to lose myself in a book in almost any place at almost any
time. While I do appreciate books on history and other
non-fiction subjects, I normally prefer fiction (fantasy, contemporary, science fiction, YA, dystopian, etc). My voracious reading habits began when I was a little girl and first picked up Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods, and I have read hundreds of books since. Among my favorite novels are The Host by Stephanie Meyers; Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly; the Iron Fey novels by Julie Kagawa; My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares; The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger; and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I am currently reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
What are your thoughts on technology?
I think that technology is, like most other things in this world, an extremely valuable tool that can either be greatly utilized or horribly abused. I personally have a great appreciation for technology in general, with special appreciation for things such as my Apple iPad or HP desktop that serve to make my work that much easier and more productive. I am currently only a gamer of the Angry Birds and Dragonvale iPad app variety, but I hope that someday I will find time to become a Skyrim player. I am currently active in Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, Goodreads, and Tumblr. I am not overly or unusually paranoid about my identity and security, but I also understand the necessity for precautions and discretion while on the Internet.
What are your thoughts on learning?
Learning is something that I deeply appreciate and thrive
on. I love learning my favorite subjects, learning new things every day, and
learning things that I can apply to my life both at the present and in the
future. I believe that education is also the key to success in both a healthy
society and a healthy capitalistic government, and that without education
people would be miserable and in a state of acute dissatisfaction. Human
curiosity demands that we be educated and constantly understand as much as we
can. My personal learning style is actually a pretty even blend of audio,
visual, and kinesthetic methods, but I think visual rises a bit over the others
in the way my mind is able to absorb information. I do believe in projects as a
way to creatively express one's thoughts on a matter and also view it in a new
light, and I believe that tests/quizzes help a great deal in allowing one to
retain information.
Why do you want to take this course?
Last year, I had the privilege of being able to take Honors British Literature, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really appreciated learning how to apply twenty-first century skills to learning and appreciating British literature. I also really liked the flexibility and interaction components of the online class, and so for the wonderful experience I had in last year's course alone would I have taken this "companion" course. But, as I mentioned above, I am also an avid reader and lover of literature; so a class where I to get to read books, discuss them with others who love literature as well, and get credit for it sounded like just the kind of class I wanted to be in.
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