I believe that a classic typically endures because it is about a character experiencing something unique to the time period, for instance; George Orwell, Animal Farm. This story is representative of Communist Russia, and I believe it is a classic because of these references to what is going on in the world. A classic can be about someone doing something significantly brave in their lives, but not nescessarily something significant in the lives of the people surrounding them. I think that a book can endure when it is different from what else is available at that moment. when it has a unique writing style and does not follow the latest (ahem, vampire) trends. something forbidden; a forbidden love, a forbidden freedom are the trends I find in the literature I read, or experience through the media. A story can be popular even if it uses common aspects, just as long as it does it differently. I feel that there are many people who will not recieve something different well, but negative popularity is necessary to be well known. The rest respect things that are different because they wish they could have the strength to be different themselves.
I do not think that the book I am reading, the Hunger Games, has what it takes to become a classic. A classic is a book that is completely unique in its field (typically), and is relatable. The Hunger Games-though by far the best I've read-is not alone, there are many other books with similar ideas. Also, love triangles are always a pattern, but are found even more commonly at the moment, so any book with one in it appears cliche.
Friday 28 October 2011
Tuesday 25 October 2011
Blog Post #4:The Hunger Games
'"You mean that this will make me puke?" My prep teams laughs hysterically. "Of course, so you can keep eating says Octavia. "I've been in there twice already. Everyone does it, or how else would you have any fun at a feast?" I'm speechless. Staring at the pretty little glasses and al the imply. Peeta sets his back on the table with such precision you'd think it would detonate.'
'All I can think of is the emaciated bodies of children on our kitchen table as my mother prescribes what the parents can't give. More food'......'And here in the capitol they're vomiting for the pleasure of filling their bellies again and again. Not from some illness of mind or body, not from spoiled food. It's what everyone does at a party. Expected.'
I think that these books are a metaphor for our world. Each district does a different job, for instance, coal, agriculture, and working with the sea. The people recieve smallest amount of pay for their hours of hard labour as possible. The food, and other things that are created are sent to the capitol. To Katniss, the world of the capitol is the farthest thing from sane she can imagine. They spend money to get tattoos, or get patterns cut into their skin based on the latest craze. They dye their skin blue, and their hair green, wear animal fur, and think that the ultimate form of entertainment is the Hunger Games; a grotesque battle to the death between a boy and a girl of each of the twelve districts. Perhaps worst is that while the people of the districts starve to death, the population of the capitol has cononcocted a drink to make them throw up so they can enjoy more food. I think that this is really representative of how the rest of the world might view countries, like the U.S. especially, and also Europe and Canada. People in third world countries work all the time at minimum wage, in the worst of conditions to create things for us that wont last long at all. These people can turn on the tv and see us on shows like Cake Boss or America's Next Top Model and wonder why we do things like we do? How we are perfectly capable of helping them, and yet we sit by, and watch. I think that this is what it would be like for a member of a district to watch the Hunger Games. Something that horrifies them that they have become able to accept, because they know that they dont have the power to change the way things are.
'All I can think of is the emaciated bodies of children on our kitchen table as my mother prescribes what the parents can't give. More food'......'And here in the capitol they're vomiting for the pleasure of filling their bellies again and again. Not from some illness of mind or body, not from spoiled food. It's what everyone does at a party. Expected.'
I think that these books are a metaphor for our world. Each district does a different job, for instance, coal, agriculture, and working with the sea. The people recieve smallest amount of pay for their hours of hard labour as possible. The food, and other things that are created are sent to the capitol. To Katniss, the world of the capitol is the farthest thing from sane she can imagine. They spend money to get tattoos, or get patterns cut into their skin based on the latest craze. They dye their skin blue, and their hair green, wear animal fur, and think that the ultimate form of entertainment is the Hunger Games; a grotesque battle to the death between a boy and a girl of each of the twelve districts. Perhaps worst is that while the people of the districts starve to death, the population of the capitol has cononcocted a drink to make them throw up so they can enjoy more food. I think that this is really representative of how the rest of the world might view countries, like the U.S. especially, and also Europe and Canada. People in third world countries work all the time at minimum wage, in the worst of conditions to create things for us that wont last long at all. These people can turn on the tv and see us on shows like Cake Boss or America's Next Top Model and wonder why we do things like we do? How we are perfectly capable of helping them, and yet we sit by, and watch. I think that this is what it would be like for a member of a district to watch the Hunger Games. Something that horrifies them that they have become able to accept, because they know that they dont have the power to change the way things are.
Friday 14 October 2011
Post #3 Bella
Twilight by Stephanie MeyersBella is a pale, stubborn girl; who grew up looking after her erratic, irresponsible mother. Bella is selfless, and so when her mother marries Phil, a baseball player who has to travel, she exiles herself to her dad's house in the rainiest city in all of north america so that her mom can travel with Phil. Forks is how she knew it would be, awkward moments with Charlie, her dad, the omnipresent clouds, and friends she doesnt really care about. However she suffers through it, pretending as always, to be happy so that other people can be. Bella complains a lot, and most of the time I dont like her, because her obliviousness ends up hurting a lot of people, but I believe that she is a really good person with good intentions.
"Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something. I knew that if I'd never gone to Forks, I wouldnt be facing death right now. But terrified as I was, I couldn't bring myself to regret the decision. When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, its not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end."
I chose this section of the story because Bella is being unquestionably brave, and selfless. Those months had been the happiest of her life with Edward, but she was able to give it up so her mom could live, and so Edward could move on, and be happy again. I feel like in this scene Bella grew up, because typically she is always finding someone to blame, or a way to feel sorry for herself, but in this she is forgiving, and accepting.
I think that Bella will either die, as she clearly thinks she will, or survive this experience and be better because of it. She will know what she values, and never let them go because of the few minutes where she did and she almost lost everything.
I chose this video from the movie Juno because this song is about how anything that the author is, the one he loves is something that fits perfectly with it; natural. Bella is a human, and Edward is a vampire, and that makes their love unique and forbidden is that they contrast with each other. Edward is the predator of Bella. I guess what makes their love beautiful is that they defy all odds, and are pretty much about as opposite as two things can be but they love each other anyways.
Friday 7 October 2011
Post #2: The Hunger Games
I
I am currently reading the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. In the story, it follows a girl, and competitor in the hunger games; Katniss, living in a country known as Panem. It is meant to be futuristic, because it is mentioned that Panem is descended from the ashes of what is known as North America. Panem is constructed of 12 Districts, and each district specializes in a need, for instance, district twelve, of which Katniss is a member, specializes in coal. At the heart of Panem is the capitol, which just takes from, and controls the districts. Years before, the districts rebelled against the capitol, and lost. The capitol lives in constant fear that something similar may happen, so they instituted the hunger games, a gruesome way to keep each district hating each other. Every year, the children from each district aged 12 to 18 are seperated, by boy and girl, and a name from each is drawn. The boy and girl from each district is sent to be a member of the Hunger games, a fight to the death in which one child can be victorious, while every district member is forced to watch on a television. To the capitol this is the ultimate form of entertainment. In my opinion this story is poignant because it is very symbollic and gruesome. There is no happy ending, but that is what makes you stop and think of all the connections to our world, and how ultimately, if we continue to act the way we do, we will have no happy ending either.
This book has an addictive non-stop writing style that doesn't permit you to put it down, combined with a world different enough from our own, that makes you want to know more about it. If you think about it, the idea is disturbing. Katniss goes up against children years younger who have no chance and men who were trained for these games, and the glory that would follow being the victor. The games are designed for the winner to wish they hadnt won, and in that way no one will ever truly win. I liked that the main idea, which was interesting enough was intertwined with a horrible love triangle that made you want to read on even when the book got boring. There were many layers of character development throughout these books, and in my opinion they were very well written. I would suggest it to anyone.
I am currently reading the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. In the story, it follows a girl, and competitor in the hunger games; Katniss, living in a country known as Panem. It is meant to be futuristic, because it is mentioned that Panem is descended from the ashes of what is known as North America. Panem is constructed of 12 Districts, and each district specializes in a need, for instance, district twelve, of which Katniss is a member, specializes in coal. At the heart of Panem is the capitol, which just takes from, and controls the districts. Years before, the districts rebelled against the capitol, and lost. The capitol lives in constant fear that something similar may happen, so they instituted the hunger games, a gruesome way to keep each district hating each other. Every year, the children from each district aged 12 to 18 are seperated, by boy and girl, and a name from each is drawn. The boy and girl from each district is sent to be a member of the Hunger games, a fight to the death in which one child can be victorious, while every district member is forced to watch on a television. To the capitol this is the ultimate form of entertainment. In my opinion this story is poignant because it is very symbollic and gruesome. There is no happy ending, but that is what makes you stop and think of all the connections to our world, and how ultimately, if we continue to act the way we do, we will have no happy ending either.
This book has an addictive non-stop writing style that doesn't permit you to put it down, combined with a world different enough from our own, that makes you want to know more about it. If you think about it, the idea is disturbing. Katniss goes up against children years younger who have no chance and men who were trained for these games, and the glory that would follow being the victor. The games are designed for the winner to wish they hadnt won, and in that way no one will ever truly win. I liked that the main idea, which was interesting enough was intertwined with a horrible love triangle that made you want to read on even when the book got boring. There were many layers of character development throughout these books, and in my opinion they were very well written. I would suggest it to anyone.
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