As sort of a last book to read this semester, I chose Animal Farm by George Orwell mostly because I never had the chance to study it when I was a sophomore. A fairly quick read, I was overall completely surprised with the relevancy that the story holds to human history. The most obvious tie is the rise of Communism. But Orwell explores deeper into the beginnings than just the rise- it takes a group of uneducated people (or animals in the case of this novel) and a very persuasive leader who is able to instill trust upon the followers. Once the leader has talked his way into a more authoritative position, he then adds a military regime in order to protect his "equal preachings" or just outright absurd laws from the public's potential backlash. As soon as the military (or rather threatening dogs in the book) is in place, the preacher of equality for everyone becomes a feared dictator and benefits from the reductions forced upon the public. So it seems as if history prevails in every equal-rights movement and that eventually the system becomes corrupt.
Reading this book made me realize that if a country (the average people inhabiting the region) is not educated enough to realize the rise of a dictator when it is occurring, it is almost easy for it to be engulfed in some type of scheme to benefit the few in power. At the end of the book, it was almost depressing to read that the pigs learned to walk on two legs to better fit in with the human race when the animals worked so hard to separate and better themselves from man. It seems that eventually things will return to their natural state before the up rise and revolt because although history repeats itself, it is nearly impossible to change.
-A. Pruett
Showing posts with label By: A. Pruett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label By: A. Pruett. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Awakening Book Review
Chopin, Kate, The Awakening, Ware, Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Limited, 1995, 117 pages
Reviewed by Ashley Pruett, Los Osos High School, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
In a rather simple and summed up story, Kate Chopin writes of a woman in her late twenties disregarding all of society's rules and fights off all inhibitions to become her own individual. Written with a setting in the late 1800s, Edna Pontellier, the protagonist, faces judgment from her French-influenced Lousiana home when she decides to give her life an extreme makeover. Society has set a guideline that women are solely to be homemakers and caretakers of their children, while men are to support the family financially. This restricts the actions and will of women profoundly.
Edna faces a feeling she has never dealt with before when she meets a young man by the name of Robert Lebrun at her summer home in Grand Isle. She begins to develop an attraction which turns into a love for Robert. The only problem with this situation is that Edna is a married woman and a mother to two sons. Edna feels very confined to a life she had not specifically chose to be her fate, and she fights often between the will of her soul and the responsibilities she holds maternally. Most of her friends are married with families as well, so Edna dares not to consult them on her situation. Upon the end of summer, however, Robert disappears from the plot for a spell, but not from Edna's heart and soul.
Once returning back to New Orleans with her family, Edna begins to debate and explore different options for her life- somewhat similar to a midlife transition. She realizes that women did not think so radically as she, and they wouldn't even dare to think of an affair with another man. But Edna is overcome with a feeling she had never experienced, not even when marrying Mr. Pontellier. This feeling, though she might not be fully aware of it, drives her story as one of the front runner's into the future feminist movement. Her thoughts and actions directly relate to the awareness and advancement of women's rights.
To a very minimum degree, Edna's experiences occur out of coincidence, which propel her objectives forward. She is well aware she is in the midst of fighting a battle against being in a role that she had not dreamed of for the rest of her life. Edna's coming into her own person, and away from her husband's control, enlightens readers to be an individual and that "perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one's life."
-A. Pruett
Reviewed by Ashley Pruett, Los Osos High School, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
In a rather simple and summed up story, Kate Chopin writes of a woman in her late twenties disregarding all of society's rules and fights off all inhibitions to become her own individual. Written with a setting in the late 1800s, Edna Pontellier, the protagonist, faces judgment from her French-influenced Lousiana home when she decides to give her life an extreme makeover. Society has set a guideline that women are solely to be homemakers and caretakers of their children, while men are to support the family financially. This restricts the actions and will of women profoundly.
Edna faces a feeling she has never dealt with before when she meets a young man by the name of Robert Lebrun at her summer home in Grand Isle. She begins to develop an attraction which turns into a love for Robert. The only problem with this situation is that Edna is a married woman and a mother to two sons. Edna feels very confined to a life she had not specifically chose to be her fate, and she fights often between the will of her soul and the responsibilities she holds maternally. Most of her friends are married with families as well, so Edna dares not to consult them on her situation. Upon the end of summer, however, Robert disappears from the plot for a spell, but not from Edna's heart and soul.
Once returning back to New Orleans with her family, Edna begins to debate and explore different options for her life- somewhat similar to a midlife transition. She realizes that women did not think so radically as she, and they wouldn't even dare to think of an affair with another man. But Edna is overcome with a feeling she had never experienced, not even when marrying Mr. Pontellier. This feeling, though she might not be fully aware of it, drives her story as one of the front runner's into the future feminist movement. Her thoughts and actions directly relate to the awareness and advancement of women's rights.
To a very minimum degree, Edna's experiences occur out of coincidence, which propel her objectives forward. She is well aware she is in the midst of fighting a battle against being in a role that she had not dreamed of for the rest of her life. Edna's coming into her own person, and away from her husband's control, enlightens readers to be an individual and that "perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one's life."
-A. Pruett
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Awakening- Part 1
Mrs. Elliott recommended that I read this book due to the fact that I needed a 19th century piece of literature to add to my list. I had no idea what to expect, and with a quick overview of the plot, I gladly accepted the challenge.
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, is a rather short read, but the grounds upon which the plot is developed are very deep. Mrs. Pontellier (a.k.a. Edna), a mother and a wife living a very restricted lifestyle in a world where women and freedom do not combine. In fact, many quotes in the first chapter alone suggest that Mr. Pontellier views his wife as his "property" and that she should obey what he says no matter the circumstances. The plot introduces another character from the beginning as well- Robert Lebrun. The way the author characterizes Robert as very flirtatious, and the reader does get a vibe that Robert will have something more than a friendship with Mrs. Pontellier, or at least he will try to. Robert seems to go out of his way in every opportunity possible to spend time with Mrs. Pontellier or to please her.
Madame Ratignolle (a.k.a. Adele) is another woman who lives in the same community as Edna, but she is a Creole. The two seem to be good friends, but Adele seems to be much more proper and set in the ways that women should excel in homemaking. She is a very intelligent woman and knows what Robert is after. She has even warned him that Edna "is not like [them]" and told him to stay away. However, his pursuits have still continued and Adele seems to watch in vain.
Mrs. Pontellier herself is not a Creole, but she is surrounded by a community that is. The novella is filled with French words and references and is not for those who lack the motivation for a challenge. The setting is near the Gulf of Mexico, presumably in Louisiana. During the 19th century, as we all know, women were condemned to a life of mothering and wifehood. As far as I have gotten through this book, I am expecting Mrs. Pontellier to break the barriers and leave a demeaning husband for true romance and to become a unique individual as a woman.
On an interesting note, the back cover of the novella states that after Chopin published her novella, society criticized her work for being completely abstract of a women's duties and her career in literature ended thereafter. This novella seems to have pioneered feminism, and allowed women to see that society can be egalitarian after all.
More to come when I conclude the novella.
-A. Pruett
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, is a rather short read, but the grounds upon which the plot is developed are very deep. Mrs. Pontellier (a.k.a. Edna), a mother and a wife living a very restricted lifestyle in a world where women and freedom do not combine. In fact, many quotes in the first chapter alone suggest that Mr. Pontellier views his wife as his "property" and that she should obey what he says no matter the circumstances. The plot introduces another character from the beginning as well- Robert Lebrun. The way the author characterizes Robert as very flirtatious, and the reader does get a vibe that Robert will have something more than a friendship with Mrs. Pontellier, or at least he will try to. Robert seems to go out of his way in every opportunity possible to spend time with Mrs. Pontellier or to please her.
Madame Ratignolle (a.k.a. Adele) is another woman who lives in the same community as Edna, but she is a Creole. The two seem to be good friends, but Adele seems to be much more proper and set in the ways that women should excel in homemaking. She is a very intelligent woman and knows what Robert is after. She has even warned him that Edna "is not like [them]" and told him to stay away. However, his pursuits have still continued and Adele seems to watch in vain.
Mrs. Pontellier herself is not a Creole, but she is surrounded by a community that is. The novella is filled with French words and references and is not for those who lack the motivation for a challenge. The setting is near the Gulf of Mexico, presumably in Louisiana. During the 19th century, as we all know, women were condemned to a life of mothering and wifehood. As far as I have gotten through this book, I am expecting Mrs. Pontellier to break the barriers and leave a demeaning husband for true romance and to become a unique individual as a woman.
On an interesting note, the back cover of the novella states that after Chopin published her novella, society criticized her work for being completely abstract of a women's duties and her career in literature ended thereafter. This novella seems to have pioneered feminism, and allowed women to see that society can be egalitarian after all.
More to come when I conclude the novella.
-A. Pruett
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Like Water for Chocolate
Like Water for Chocolate seems to be a title not well-known; nevertheless, I found myself intrigued in the plot within the first few chapters. It was also a fairly quick read.
This novel, written by Laura Esquivel, is written with a Latin American style with the setting residing in Mexico. There are 12 chapters in the book, and each chapter is a month of the year- starting in January and ending in December. Along with these chapter titles, a unique recipe is written for each month. Throughout the course of a chapter, the narrator speaks of the events occurring and weaves in the recipe and all of the instructions until it is served in the actual plot. It is quite an usual way to write a novel, but it adds to the passion of this romantic story.
The novel begins explaining the birth of the youngest daughter, Tita, and also the main character, and her younger years. Tita was born in the kitchen and therefore grew up loving food and taking great pride in creating each meal. She was the most skilled in the kitchen of her two other sisters- Rosaura and Gertrudis. As the plot progresses, Tita begins to realize that food can have "magical" powers, which change the attitudes and bring out true feelings in the people who consume her food. Eventually, Tita falls in love with a man, Pedro, but her mother, Mama Elena, won't allow Tita to marry him because of an ancient tradition. This tradition states that the youngest daughter in the family cannot marry because she must take care of her mother until she passes away. Mama Elena is a very strict lady and holds down Tita and punishes her harshly for anything she does wrong.
Tita struggles with this tradition, especially when Pedro marries Rosaura. Pedro only married Tita's sister so he could be as close as he could to Tita, but Tita is extremely upset by the whole concept. She is heart-broken, and the relationship she had with her sister Rosaura is severed. Mama Elena keeps a watchful eye over Tita and Pedro to make sure that nothing happens between the two. Time passes and Rosaura has two children with Pedro- the first dies and the second lives. The second child takes after Tita, which Rosaura is bitter about.
Eventually, Mama Elena dies and Tita is relieved somewhat of her extremely restricted lifestyle. She is able to see Pedro more, and when Rosaura dies, Tita is free from all the pressures that her family traditions placed on her. In the end, Tita passes away while making love to Pedro. The two go into the light together, after living life hiding in the dark.
The novel can be explicit, and other minor details add to the intensity of the plot. Overall, the tragedy that plays a decent role throughout the plot is heightened at the very end, creating a sense of sadness for the life that Tita had been forced to live.
-A. Pruett
This novel, written by Laura Esquivel, is written with a Latin American style with the setting residing in Mexico. There are 12 chapters in the book, and each chapter is a month of the year- starting in January and ending in December. Along with these chapter titles, a unique recipe is written for each month. Throughout the course of a chapter, the narrator speaks of the events occurring and weaves in the recipe and all of the instructions until it is served in the actual plot. It is quite an usual way to write a novel, but it adds to the passion of this romantic story.
The novel begins explaining the birth of the youngest daughter, Tita, and also the main character, and her younger years. Tita was born in the kitchen and therefore grew up loving food and taking great pride in creating each meal. She was the most skilled in the kitchen of her two other sisters- Rosaura and Gertrudis. As the plot progresses, Tita begins to realize that food can have "magical" powers, which change the attitudes and bring out true feelings in the people who consume her food. Eventually, Tita falls in love with a man, Pedro, but her mother, Mama Elena, won't allow Tita to marry him because of an ancient tradition. This tradition states that the youngest daughter in the family cannot marry because she must take care of her mother until she passes away. Mama Elena is a very strict lady and holds down Tita and punishes her harshly for anything she does wrong.
Tita struggles with this tradition, especially when Pedro marries Rosaura. Pedro only married Tita's sister so he could be as close as he could to Tita, but Tita is extremely upset by the whole concept. She is heart-broken, and the relationship she had with her sister Rosaura is severed. Mama Elena keeps a watchful eye over Tita and Pedro to make sure that nothing happens between the two. Time passes and Rosaura has two children with Pedro- the first dies and the second lives. The second child takes after Tita, which Rosaura is bitter about.
Eventually, Mama Elena dies and Tita is relieved somewhat of her extremely restricted lifestyle. She is able to see Pedro more, and when Rosaura dies, Tita is free from all the pressures that her family traditions placed on her. In the end, Tita passes away while making love to Pedro. The two go into the light together, after living life hiding in the dark.
The novel can be explicit, and other minor details add to the intensity of the plot. Overall, the tragedy that plays a decent role throughout the plot is heightened at the very end, creating a sense of sadness for the life that Tita had been forced to live.
-A. Pruett
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
The Secret Life of Bees- Part 1
Bees have come to mean tragedy and death spiritually and in literature.
From what I have read so far in this book, it has vastly exceeded my expectations. I was recommended to read The Secret Life of Bees by a classmate who gave me a brief depiction of the plot. My initial thought was that the story would be simple, a story about a young Caucasian girl moving in with an African American family in the 1960s. However, the novel is much more complex.
Each chapter begins with a small quote or excerpt about bees. The main character, Lily, makes several references to bees as well from the very start of the book while incorporating the background of her life into the story. The novel is written in small parts; a few pages with tell a story of a specific event, and then a break will occur causing the story to seem almost choppy. Lily begins by narrating her current life, and then flashes back to old memories. The only memory Lily has of her mother was of the day she accidentally killed her. She was four, and her parents began to argue for a reason unclear to Lily. As the argument progressed, her mother produced a gun from the closet when her father, also known as T. Ray, hit the gun out of her hands. At that time, Lily vaguely remember picking up the shiny object from the floor and hearing it go off. She shudders every time she recalls that day.
In the present day, Lily has no motherly figure other than Rosaleen, the African American who worked on T. Ray's peach farm and also nannied Lily. She resents her father because he is a very cruel and demeaning man. T.Ray claims girls have to reason to go to college, and he hardly shows any emotion towards his daughter. Lily is the type of hopeless outcast who needs a huge event to occur in order to change her life around. The spark that ignited this future change were the three keepsakes Lily has found from the attic and kept for years- a pair of white gloves, a picture of her mother, and a picture of an African American Mary with "Tiburon, S.C" written on the back.
After being punished the night before, and being with Rosaleen while she was sent to jail, Lily decides to run away from home. She leaves a horrible note to T. Ray saying she was leaving plain and simple. She then manages to break Rosaleen free and the pair flee to Tiburon. It is here that Lily assumes her mother had been, and therefore wants to learn all she can about her. She winds up a "fugitive," as she calls herself and Rosaleen, and finds a home of three black women- May, June and August. This house produces honey with the African American Mary on the mason jar, identical to the picture that Lily owns from her mother's old stash. August welcomes the two in and Lily lies about her situation in order to get a chance to learn about her mother's past. As she spends more time with the "calendar sisters" she begins to find her true feelings and what really makes her up as a human being. She assists August in the upkeep of the beehives and the producing of usable honey. June feels burdened by Lily and Rosaleen, but August insists that Lily will leave when she's ready, and also hints that she will spill the truth as well.
Lily lives on a fine line; racism, cruelties from her father, the unknown of the past, her possible future, and bees all surround her life. The bees have come to play a significant role in the development of her character. She realizes that bees have been associated with the negative times in her life, but she is trying to make it a positive outlet in the present. While learning about her past and where her mother had been, she learns that "every little thing wants to be loved," including herself (92). Lily is looking to feel like she belongs and that she is welcomed. She ultimately wants to free the chains that T. Ray has tied her down with and create a life in which she sees as suitable.
-A. Pruett
From what I have read so far in this book, it has vastly exceeded my expectations. I was recommended to read The Secret Life of Bees by a classmate who gave me a brief depiction of the plot. My initial thought was that the story would be simple, a story about a young Caucasian girl moving in with an African American family in the 1960s. However, the novel is much more complex.
Each chapter begins with a small quote or excerpt about bees. The main character, Lily, makes several references to bees as well from the very start of the book while incorporating the background of her life into the story. The novel is written in small parts; a few pages with tell a story of a specific event, and then a break will occur causing the story to seem almost choppy. Lily begins by narrating her current life, and then flashes back to old memories. The only memory Lily has of her mother was of the day she accidentally killed her. She was four, and her parents began to argue for a reason unclear to Lily. As the argument progressed, her mother produced a gun from the closet when her father, also known as T. Ray, hit the gun out of her hands. At that time, Lily vaguely remember picking up the shiny object from the floor and hearing it go off. She shudders every time she recalls that day.
In the present day, Lily has no motherly figure other than Rosaleen, the African American who worked on T. Ray's peach farm and also nannied Lily. She resents her father because he is a very cruel and demeaning man. T.Ray claims girls have to reason to go to college, and he hardly shows any emotion towards his daughter. Lily is the type of hopeless outcast who needs a huge event to occur in order to change her life around. The spark that ignited this future change were the three keepsakes Lily has found from the attic and kept for years- a pair of white gloves, a picture of her mother, and a picture of an African American Mary with "Tiburon, S.C" written on the back.
After being punished the night before, and being with Rosaleen while she was sent to jail, Lily decides to run away from home. She leaves a horrible note to T. Ray saying she was leaving plain and simple. She then manages to break Rosaleen free and the pair flee to Tiburon. It is here that Lily assumes her mother had been, and therefore wants to learn all she can about her. She winds up a "fugitive," as she calls herself and Rosaleen, and finds a home of three black women- May, June and August. This house produces honey with the African American Mary on the mason jar, identical to the picture that Lily owns from her mother's old stash. August welcomes the two in and Lily lies about her situation in order to get a chance to learn about her mother's past. As she spends more time with the "calendar sisters" she begins to find her true feelings and what really makes her up as a human being. She assists August in the upkeep of the beehives and the producing of usable honey. June feels burdened by Lily and Rosaleen, but August insists that Lily will leave when she's ready, and also hints that she will spill the truth as well.
Lily lives on a fine line; racism, cruelties from her father, the unknown of the past, her possible future, and bees all surround her life. The bees have come to play a significant role in the development of her character. She realizes that bees have been associated with the negative times in her life, but she is trying to make it a positive outlet in the present. While learning about her past and where her mother had been, she learns that "every little thing wants to be loved," including herself (92). Lily is looking to feel like she belongs and that she is welcomed. She ultimately wants to free the chains that T. Ray has tied her down with and create a life in which she sees as suitable.
-A. Pruett
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