Historical Fiction Setting

If I were to write a historical fiction novel (and I do hope to someday!), I think that I would set it during the British Raj. I've always been drawn to the Victorian era and to the vibrant culture of India, so I think that I would have a positively splendid time researching this setting for my novel. I would include mention of Queen Victoria and King Albert, as they were the distant but highly influential rulers of the vast British Empire; and I would also possibly integrate Viscount Charles Canning, the first viceroy of the British Raj, because he was the first to undertake representing the British Empire's authority in India. This would probably be a dark fantasy historical novel, as I seem to have a fondness for those sorts of stories; a blend of historical facts, a richly painted setting, universal characters, and fantastical elements.

Dickens' London

This was a very interesting game; I believe that I played it last year for Honors British Literature, which is probably why I subconsciously remembered certain facts and was able to navigate it without too much difficulty. I think that reading the article by Matthew Davis and watching the whimsical video on Dickens last week helped me a lot to remember various things, and overall I think that this game was a good way to learn more about/review Dickens.

Sidenote: Twice, I experienced immense frustration in trying to catch the colored characters with my mouse; they wouldn't hold still long enough for me to click on them!

Also, I think that the Dickens in my screenshot looks an awful lot like Leonardo di Caprio in Django Unchained.

Dickens

"...I would also heartily recommend the principle of doing one thing each day for an entire 12 months, and basking in the satisfaction of a year's worth of endeavour."

Matthew Davis begins his article by admitting that reading fifteen novels and a few short stories in one year wouldn't be a Herculean task for the average Booker Prize judge or even the first year English literature undergraduate, and he's absolutely right. As a junior/senior in high school, I read fifty-one novels in 2012, and as of right now I am already fourteen books into my 2013 goal of sixty books.

But, I give him so much credit for devoting a year of his life to truly understanding a set of literary works and the author behind them, despite a full-time job, a wife, children, and the general hustle and bustle of life.

But, not only did he devote his time and efforts into understanding great prose and the man who wrote it all; he was also able to experience and learn so much about a culture that is a part of history, a culture that now really only exists in books, films, and antique museums.

But, despite the vast differences in culture and even syntax and vocabulary, Davis was able to truly connect with the timeless aspects of Dickens' works; like realistic characters, heartfelt moments, and sage observations. In my own personal observation of Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, I think that moments like the reunion of Dr. Manette and Lucie, or the internal self-loathing of Sydney Carton, are timeless because of their very basic human qualities and universality. In regards to perceptive observations, I especially liked the quote that Davis mentioned from Oliver Twist:

"Strip the bishop of his apron, or the beadle of his hat and lace; what are they? Men. Mere men. Dignity, and even holiness too, sometimes, are more questions of coat and waistcoat than some people imagine."

Also, quick side note: Little Dorrit is now on my reading list. That last quote from the book was lovely.

Overall, I thought that this article was a very intriguing, well-written, and thoughtful one that had a lot of literary merit. It wasn't dry or too lengthy, neither was it preachy or pretentious; it was just the reflections of a man who set a goal and stuck to it, which is both inspiring and commendable. I hope that I too can undertake a yearly challenge like this in the near future.

To learn more about Charles Dickens, please feel free to watch this whimsical and educational video.

1682: Christian Parentage (Virginia Slave Act)

Stowe 18-22

Chapter 18: Responsibility, Prue, Empathy. I chose the first word for Tom, the second word for Prue's story, and the last for the strong empathy both Eva and I felt by the end of the chapter.
Chapter 19: Property, Friendship. I chose the first word because that is what the whole struggle of the story revolves around (people being property) and the second because that is what continues to develop between Tom and Eva.
Chapter 20: Topsy, Missionary. I chose the first word because of the new character and the second because it explains how St. John convinces Miss Ophelia to tutor her.
Chapter 21: Redemption, Aid. I chose the first word because Mrs. Shelby wishes to buy Tom back, and the second because she enlists Aunt Chloe's aid to do so.
Chapter 22: Angels, Illness. I chose the first word because I think that Eva is pretty close to their goodness, and I chose the second because I think she is beginning to be truly ill.

Stowe, Chapters 5-8

Passage from page 37.


Passage from page 54.


Passage from page 55.


Passage from page 81.

Philosophy on Objectionable Elements

My personal philosophy concerning objectionable elements within media, literature, and the arts can be broken up into three main categories that must be addressed in order, as follows.

Right Choice
When it comes to making a right choice in life, I firmly believe that there are three main components involved in the process. First, I believe that you must have the right goal: God's glory. We exist to glorify and worship Him with our entire being, and therefore to make a choice without this being the goal is already wrong. Second, I believe that you must have the right motive: love. If your choices and actions aren't motivated by the great love that He gave us and continues to pour into our lives, then you aren't coming from the right place with your choice. And third, I believe that you must have the right standard: God's Word. What does His word say about the choice put before you? And if it does not specifically address the matter (such as abortion), what are God's principles on the essence of the matter? (God values life). If you do not have the right standard, then you are most definitely doomed in your attempt to make a right choice.

These, I believe, are the first things to take into consideration when deciding whether or not to read, view, or analyze art with objectionable elements involved. Quite often, you will find that one of these things will be off; your goal may be rebellion, your motive may be lust, and your standard may be your own personal, extremely flawed conscience.

However, I also believe that you most definitely can read, view, and/or analyze art that contains objectionable elements while having a correct goal, motive, and standard. This leads me to the matter of God's glory and inherent truth.

God's Glory and Inherent Truth
I believe that as beings created in God's true and perfect image, we hold the same desire to create as our Creator did. This manifests itself in many different ways throughout a wide, nearly infinite spectrum; whether through painting, or writing, or engineering, or calculating, or sketching, or building a car, or farming, or plastic surgery; we all want to express our talents and create.

Besides the desire to create, I believe that we all carry and understand inherent truth. The amount a person realizes and obeys inherent truth varies by each individual being, but everyone knows what is true at some level. Therefore, I believe truth can be found in almost anything an individual produces and creates. The problem is, though; we are fallen humans in a dying world, and our creativity is corrupted as well. So the amount of uncorrupted truth within a piece of art depends on the artist and the message they are trying to create. No matter if it is a rap song about a soldier giving up his life for his comrades or a hymn about sharing the Gospel, I believe that God can be glorified equally through both; but if the first song had curse words while the second one did not, then the first could very well stumble in bringing full glory to God.

Personal Accountability
I believe that someday, each person will give an account and be held accountable for their own individual actions and choices. Therefore, each individual person must exercise personal discretion and right choice making concerning objectionable elements within media, literature, and art. I believe that if we follow the principles of right choice-making and keep the perspective of God's glory in mind, then personal accountability shouldn't be a frightening thought.

Dracula Free Writing Response

18 February. --- I started reading Dracula by Bram Stoker last week. I was expecting a rather bone-chilling and possibly scarring reading experience to commence, but so far I haven't been too terrified. The suspense, though, has been absolutely, deliciously terrifying and terrific! I admit, the first ten pages or so took a bit of resolve to soldier through; but after Harker arrived at Dracula's castle, things started to get quite interesting. I am enjoying the exposition, tension, and steady pacing of the plot so far. As someone who has read quite a few novels and watched various films/television shows concerning vampires (The Vampire Diaries, The Vampire Academy, The Historian, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the inevitable Twilight), I've picked up a thing or two about vampires---and definitely how to defeat/slay them! And so in my suspense, I've been chanting quite fervently for Harker to pick up a wooden stake and drive it through Dracula's heart, or harvest vervain to burn the vampires' skin (or ingest it to prevent any feeding), or TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SUNLIGHT TO RUN! So I think that it's safe to say that I'm quite invested in this story so far, and I am definitely looking forward to continue.





*I highly recommend listening to this while reading/watching this blog post; I found it to be an amusing and enjoyable experience!

I Capture the Castle Storyboard

I Capture the Castle Storyboard Outline

1. From the writer who brought you 101 Dalmations:
2. Rose and Cassandra running up the lane to meet Thomas as their father looks over his book (LS)
3. Cassandra sitting in the kitchen sink, staring dreamily into the distance with a pencil in hand and journal in her lap (MS)
4. Stephen and Cassandra shyly glancing at each other in the kitchen (MS) 
5. The Cottons' driving up to the castle at night in the pouring rain (LS)
6. Simon and Neil standing in the kitchen, soaking wet and smiling (MS)
7. Rose and Cassandra lying in their beds, facing each other and whispering about marriage (CU)
8. Rose holding a creme de menthe and Cassandra holding a cherry brandy as they laugh with the Cottons (MS)
9. Cassandra looking on from behind a door as Simon proposes to Rose and she asks him to kiss her (CU)
10. Simon walking towards Cassandra as she twirls on the mound for her Midsummer's Night rituals (LS)
11. Simon and Cassandra slowly dancing in a gazebo and then kissing (CU)
12. Cassandra yelling at a surprised and distraught Rose in her bedroom in London (MS)
13. Cassandra kissing Stephen in the woods and then running away, crying (LS)
14. Cassandra wistfully writing in her journal on the mound as she watches a figure walk away towards a car (CU/LS)
15. I Capture the Castle.

I Capture the Castle: BabyLit Primer Ideas

Type of Primer: Colors

• After looking through the different types of primers available in the BabyLit Primer collection, I have decided to go with presenting I Capture the Castle through the medium of colors (as this Alice in Wonderland primer does so whimsically well). One of the things that really stood out to me while reading the novel was the vivid and lovely descriptions of the unique world Cassandra Mortmain lives in, and so I think that this idea will work quite well.

Page Ideas

• Red-Haired Rose
• Orange Cat (Abelard)
• White Branched Coral
• Blue Bluebells
• Black Bear Coat
• Pink Muslin
• Green Creme de Menthe
• Silver Moat
• Scarlet Pen
• Peach Towels
• Gold Sunlight
• Gray Autumn Mist

Medium

• As of now, I have decided to create my images on Adobe Premiere Illustrator; embed them within a Microsoft Word document and create a streamlined layout; and export my primer as a PDF. Hopefully, I can find a pain-free way to embed it into my blog; if not, I will create a post with a click-through link to the file.

I Capture the Castle Review

“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.”

So begins I Capture the Castle, a charming, frustrating,  and compelling novel about an English girl and her family in the early 1900's. And while other reviews and the book itself compared the story to that of an Austen or Bronte novel, I am happy to say that it actually was much more Anne of Green Gables than Pride & Prejudice.

The Characters:

Let's start with Cassandra. Sadly, my overall reaction to her wasn't as positive as I'd hoped; she actually seemed to decrease in wisdom and maturity at certain points toward the end of the book (which is never a plus, because we try to develop during the story!), and while her reactions were pretty relatable, I really wished for more strength and development on her part. In my opinion, I think that her personality is a bit too naive and childish for a seventeen-year-old (probably because I am seventeen myself, and I don't find myself  looking at things half as naively as she does); but I did find her to be a very unique, descriptive, and usually charming narrator.

On a more positive note, though: in this novel, I found some of the strangest and most uniquely wonderful fictional characters I have ever read. Topaz, Mortmain, Thomas, and even Leda Fox-Cotton were all so vivid to me, I almost felt as if I had met them! Thomas especially I wish I could have seen more of. And Stephen; oh Stephen, how I wished you a better story!

The Plot:

Overall, I thought that the plot was well-thought out and engaging. Certain parts seemed to lag slightly, especially towards the middle of the book; and the slowness was enhanced by the fact that the last 100 or so pages had many things happening in rapid succession! While it was very interesting to spend lazy days or long evenings with Cassandra in which not much happens besides a chat or two, I think that maybe the story could have been a tad bit more evenly paced. However, it was a very, very realistic story, and if life happens that way then I really cannot begrudge an author too much for that!

All in all, I am glad that I got to read I Capture the Castle, and especially in contrast to what my fellow readers are exploring at the time (Pride & Prejudice). I think that I missed the target age to sympathize with Cassandra fully, and so in that respect I wish I had read it a bit earlier; however, it was really lovely to be able to observe different things and appreciate Dodie Smith's gorgeous prose as an older reader. I think that most of all, this book taught me how to be very, very fond of an author herself after finishing it; I am now seeking to pursue 101 Dalmations in the near future for some more of her great work!

How Fiction Can Change Reality - Jessica Wise Response

What do you think is the most influential book of your generation? What about that book makes it so special? List two other books that you think everyone should read, and explain why they should read them.

• I believe that the most influential book of my generation (as of now) is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I think that it is so influential mostly because it has all the elements of excellent storytelling intact: it has realistic, developed characters; an intriguing setting; a driven, purposeful plot; a simple (uncomplicated and engaging) narration style; and a well-presented theme. But there are many other books out there that contain these elements as well, and so I'd say that the distinguishing features of Suzanne Collins's book are its popularity with a wide-ranged audience and its subsequent mass marketing. 
• But why is it so special and popular that it resonates with so many people? Well, I'd say because the message of the book is clear, profound, and true: we (as people, as the media) glamorize and promote awful things in the name of entertainment, and by doing so, we give our governments permission to do so as well. But even though we may mess up, we still can and need to have the courage to right the wrongs we see and identify. And I think that message is one that can apply to most, if not all, people.
• Two books I believe that everyone should read in their lifetime are The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I would recommend that everyone read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in order to enjoy a good story; though more importantly, to witness all of the best rules of plot structure and a near-flawless execution of allegory firsthand. I feel that as a child, one would like the novel for its plot, characters, and magical elements; and as an adolescent/adult, one would like the novel for it's deeply resonant truths and near-flawless execution. As for The Book Thief, I think that everyone should read it because it deals with one of the most publicized and difficult events in history---the Holocaust---in a unique, tasteful, and completely captivating way. Aside from language that may discourage me from recommending this as freely as I would recommend Narnia, I think that it is a very poignant and beautiful novel that has a really good message and story to tell.

Smith Thoughts

Q. What kind of man do you want to marry?

“I would like my life’s companion to be honest and noble and my friend. I want to love him without regrets.”

― Colleen Houck, Tiger's Voyage

I found this quote a few months ago while reading an adventure novel, and I thought that it was quite lovely and very accurate. Among other things, I really would like to have my husband be a man who is honest, noble, and someone I have a deep and soul-bonded friendship with.

On the first of this year, I started a password-protected Tumblr blog for the man I will marry one day. Surprisingly, I've been able to keep up with posting to it/reblogging things pretty regularly, and it has caused me to think about a lot of things concerning him and the future of us. Particularly, it's caused me to think about what he's like and who he is (or will be, when the time is right). And while there are some things about him that I want but don't need, I have thought through some things that he needs to be in order to be the kind of man I want to make a sacred vow in front of God with and spend the rest of my life cherishing.

I want to marry a man who loves Jesus more than me. A man who realizes that his worth comes not from the utter depravity of his basic nature, but from the overwhelming love and redemption He pours onto us continually. A man who understands the importance of hard work, but views life as an adventure to be had. I want a man who observes and perceives because he wants to understand the world, even though he knows that it can often be brutally ugly. A man who is filled with compassion and willing to feel all of the emotions he is meant to feel. A man who believes the best in people until he is forced to see the worst, but understands the great importance of forgiveness. A man who understands that people are special, and that relationships are so much more important than tasks. A man who thinks before he speaks, and deeply appreciates the power of words. I want to marry a man who is brave and strong enough to lead me when I need to be led, one who treasures me not as a follower but as a gift. A man who is more than willing to earn my trust before marriage, and even more willing to strive to maintain that trust afterwards. A man who respects my heart and wants to spend the rest of his life exploring it. A man who understands that love is a choice; and a man who chooses me.

As soon as I find him and I'm sure of his identity, I'll be thanking God profusely for him for the rest of my life!