A Perfect Night Spent For Thoreau in the Bananafish Jail

Hello, all! It's been a while, but it's kind of hard to blog when you've got nothing to talk about except, "Yeah, I did some reading and stuff, and it was kind of cool and stuff. So, like, reading and stuff. Yeah." But, anyways. We had lots of reading to do this week. First up is J.D. Salinger's short story, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish."
Well then.
That was a story I had to re-read a couple of times. I'm still not totally sure what happened. But, I still have to compare the characters to those in The Catcher in the Rye, and so I shall do that. I would say Seymour Glass was most similar to Holden Caulfield. They both don't really care what others think, and mostly want to be unique. Both seem to go out of their way to annoy others, but seem to do it in a joking manner. However, Holden is a little less... unstable.
The girl in the room, Muriel, reminded me of Sally. Both are more focused on themselves, and seem to care about their image. They both seem somewhat annoyed by the 'Holden' in their lives, but both still care about him.
The last main character, Sybil, reminded me, in part, of Phoebe. Both have childish attitudes, but both still hold a special place in their heart for those they care about. However, Sybil struck me as a little annoying, which is a stark contrast to Phoebe's caring nature.
So, it's easy to see some of the similarities between this story and The Catcher in the Rye. Except, you know, the crazy ending. That was just weird.

Our other reading was from "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail," a play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. This was surprisingly enjoyable literature, though I was slowed down by the format. It was actually harder for me to figure out who was talking and doing what than in regular reading. But, I suppose it's all another part of active reading.
Anyways, we were supposed to take a quote, and describe how it fits Transcendentalist thought. I chose the quote, "Our own school, John. No buildings. Break out of the classroom prison. All we need is the sky!" This is a good representation of Transcendentalist ideals, as it embodies the whole idea of freedom that I associate with Transcendentalism. They try to be free-thinking people, who aren't held down by earthly chains and needs. Henry encourages his students to ask questions and really think about their learning, and I feel a prison-like classroom could hinder his goals. He ultimately wishes for a free, unrestricted school where kids will not only live, but also be.
On a somewhat related note, I found the descriptions of actions and emotions in the play to be... bemusing. For example, on page 60, it says in parentheses, "Now all the molten outrage within Henry David Thoreau bursts out like lava from a live volcano."
Aw, darn, I hate when my molten outrage bursts out like that. But thankfully, I'm taking medicine to fix that problem XD

Book- Skeleton Crew- Stephen King (For you horror people out there)
Video Game- Halo: Reach
Music- Stare at the Sun- Thrice
Classical Music- Beethoven's 7th Symphony

Well, that's about it. It's been nice ranting to you. Hope you have a good week!

Losing Innocence

Yeah. Sounds about right. They say it's Holden who loses his childhood and his innocence, but I think it's really the readers instead...

But anyways. I've been surprisingly wrapped up in the Catcher in the Rye. It's nothing like the Odyssey, which I really appreciate. This one I can actually READ! All joking aside though, it's great to have an at least somewhat normal book. Emphasis on the 'somewhat'. This book is the strangest book I've ever read, to be honest. But I don't have to go into detail about THAT, do I? Good.

As for the questions... If I were Holden, and I had just been kicked out of school, I think the first place I would go would be home. If I had truly deserved my expulsion, I would first want to reconcile with my parents., and find a way to get into another school, and try again. I would also send a letter to the principal, and apologize for what I had done. Then I would probably mope and be all angry and whatnot. Which, of course, Holden does first, but I'M Holden here, not... the actual Holden..? Never mind.

Jane, to me, represents innocence, hope, and all that is good. I think she was and could be a very good influence on Holden, someone he can look up to and talk to. To Holden, she represents what could have been or could be, and someone he can always rely on. He spends lots of time thinking about her, and hoping her relationship with Stradlater doesn't go too far, which tells me he still holds lots of feelings for her. Though that was pretty obvious...

I think the phrase 'people are always ruining things for you' is both true and false. Yes, it's true that very often, other people are getting in your way and screwing things up. But the only reason you think that is because you let them get in your way and screw things up. For example, if someone ate the last slice of cake, they did 'ruin' it for you, persay. But it's up to you to be better than that, and not start petty disputes over cake. Although I must admit, it is very annoying to lose that last piece ;)

Book- Mistborn- Brandon Sanderson
Video Game- Bioshock
Music- M.I.A- Avenged Sevenfold
Classical Music- Prelude of Bach's Suite No.1, in G Major, For Solo Cello (Y'know, the famous one? That one.)
 
Well, that's about it for me. If anyone feels so inclined, the All State Concert is in Grand Rapids... at 8:30 in the morning... And who gets to get up at 5:00 in the morning? Haha... ha... *sigh
Being good at things kind of sucks sometimes. But have a good week nonetheless!

Kicked Out for Good Reasons

Nope, definitely don't miss The Odyssey, not one bit.
I finished the reading for the Catcher in the Rye, and have been surprised with how much I liked it. The writing is actually easy to read, unlike the Odyssey, and the whole don't-have-to-write-in-the-margins thing is pretty relaxing. I've found myself wrapped up in the story of CITR and have really enjoyed it so far. Except for the main character. Honestly, he's really bugging me. He just seems like an arrogant jerk. He talks like he knows he's a jerk, and doesn't care about it, which also tends to get on my nerves. He's abrasive, uncaring, and mostly just annoying. Most people would probably say he's just 'unique' or 'misunderstood' but I have to disagree. When I think of unique, I think of someone who's their own person, within reason! The main character is basically breaking all the rules. Uniqueness is when you don't break the rules, but follow  them in your own way. I think Holden is just a jerk. Just because you're unique, doesn't mean you're useful.
I think the way to keep our individuality and sense of self is through childhood tradition. Eat your favorite childhood meal. Watch your favorite childhood show. Read your favorite childhood book. These little things can help us remember who we are, and how we too were once children, with our own wants and needs. It's important that we keep our individuality in order to keep ourselves, and not just fade into another face in the crowd.
Allie's character has been my favorite character in the story, mostly because he reminds me of... well, me. Yes, this is going to sound arrogant and vain, but it's true. I'm not necessarily my favorite person, but the parallels between Allie and I are surprising. He's smart, kind, and never seems to stop laughing. While I don't necessarily connect to the last part, I'm always trying to excel in school, and be an overall good person... but I don't know. He also helps out wherever he can, and always manages to put a smile on his brother's face.
Wow, that sounded really, really arrogant. I apologize, it's hard to compare without bias. But I do think Allie and I are very similar. Except he has red hair and plays baseball, neither of which applies to me...
But anyways. I can't wait to see how the story turns out!

Book- The Lost Stories- John Flanagan
Video Game- The Elder Scrolls IV- Oblivion (Yes, this is the 3rd Elder Scrolls game I've put here. Deal with it.)
Music- Faceless- Red
Classical- Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major

Have a great week, and see you all on Wednesday!

A Good Man is Hard to Read

Sorry about the complete lack of posts for a while, and a very late one this week. Christmas was hectic, to say the least. I wanted to at least try to get a post in once a week, but there was so much family and friends and forks... ANYWAYS. I read "A Good Man is Hard to Find". And didn't like it at all.

Alright, that's not entirely true. I did like how the author told the reader everything they needed to know without saying much at all, a trait I believe is necessary for a good short story. The story was written well, making for a good setting without lots of clutter. In fact, I really only found two glaring problems. I didn't like any characters, and found it hard to connect. And the actual plot was, in short, annoying. I found myself asking, "Why are they doing this? Why are they doing that?" way too much in the story. If there's one thing I'm fickle about, it's having a clear-cut plot. Sure, I like the occasional plot twist as much as the next guy, but I like to have an actual plot in the first place, something this story couldn't really deliver. The scrapes of story it did have were crushed by how illogical they were. The ending made NO sense whatsoever. Maybe I wasn't 'reading deep enough' or 'focusing on the themes' or whatever, but I just plain didn't enjoy the story.

But I still have to answer some questions, so here I am. I think fate plays a heavy role in the story. The Misfit describes how he couldn't really remember why he ended up in penitentiary, implying that it was fate more than anything else that led him there. This was the start of his life of crime, which eventually led him south to Florida. Fate just so decided to send the family south to Florida, and in the end, they ran into The Misfit himself. It just so happened that the family's car crashed, which happened because the grandmother remembered a house from Tennessee. Coincidence? I think NOT.

I think the grandmother's idea of a 'good man' is... Okay, I'm going to blunt here. I have no clue. Because she keeps saying the Misfit is a good man, because he's not just a 'common man' and doesn't shoot a lady. But this makes no sense, because in the end he kills the family, one of which is a lady! He doesn't believe in God, all he does is go around and kill and steal, because according to him, 'It doesn't matter.'! And still the grandmother says he's a good man! I was utterly confused by this story, and found the title to be truly apt, because throughout the entire story... I never did find a good man!

Ahhh, glad to get that off my chest. And in case you're wondering about the forks from earlier, I accidentally stabbed one of my brothers with a fork on Christmas because he was a big jerk face. But ANYWAYS.

Book- The Son of Neptune: Rick Riordan
Video Game- Portal 2
Music- Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (Yes, this is a musical, but it has fantastic music. WATCH IT.)
Classical Music- Haydn's Cello Concerto in C (Not sure of the exact number...)

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas, and see you all tomorrow!

Finished the Odyssey!

It is over. I have done it. There were times of trials, times of laughter, times of friendship, but all in all, it was a journey I do not regret taking.
Yeah, it wasn't that hard. But a little exaggeration never hurt anyone, right? Anyways, I did indeed finish the Odyssey. And I have to say, the ending was AWESOME. Not only had I mastered Active Reading, so I could read the book pretty much un-cluttered, but the climax was really sweet. I think that people need to stop freaking out over all the gore, because that made the ending that much more awesome. When Ulysses is shooting all the suitors with his super awesome bow and arrows, he didn't just kill Antinous. No, instead, he shot him and blood gushed forth from his nostrils, spilling into his golden cup of wine.
Epic.
And when he kills another suitor, the arrow doesn't just hit him. It enters through his nipple and embeds itself in his liver.
Absolutely epic.
The very ending itself, though, was kind of stupid. It was just like Homer had decided to stop writing. Like, all this tension is there, and suddenly, Ulysses just calms down, and "Minerva makes peace between the two contending parties." THE END. Seriously, apparently he ran out of time and just had to end it then and there. Sirry Homer. But all in all, this was an enjoyable read. Once I got past the clumsy Active Reading and got better at it, I found I could really fall into the story. I might just end up reading the Iliad, who knows? Or maybe I'll just read the Wikipedia article NO I'M GOING TO READ IT I SWEAR *cough cough cough
But all joking aside, I did like it. I also just discovered strikethrough and have been using it all the time, in case you couldn't tell XD
But that's about it for me, folks. I read some great Nano's! Good job to all! And this is Red Leader, signing off. (Star Wars FTW)

Book- A Shattered Trust (Yes, it's a novel, so it counts. Shut up and proofread plz)
Video Game- The Elder Scrolls III- Morrowind (Still not sure if it's better than Skyrim. So I'm playing them both.)
Music- Feast For The Vain- Kamelot (Yes this is kind of cheating, since this is a song off my album from last week, but I finally decided this is my favorite song, so I say you listen to it again. And again. And again.)
Classical Music- Elgar's Cello Concerto in E Minor, ALL 4 MOVEMENTS. THIS SONG MAKES MY LIFE WORTH LIVING.

Books XII-XVIII

Finished the reading once more. I'm really happy that we FINALLY got off Ulysses' story. As much as I love Ulysses, I'm happy to see that Telemachus and him met up. After a tearful reunion, of course. Speaking of which, I swear every single person in this book spends all day crying. Penelope's always crying. Ulysses and his crew cry at least a dozen times during the adventure. Telemachus is always crying. He cries even more when he meets up with his dad. EVERYONE CRIES!!!!!!
But anyways. I was somewhat disappointed that the confrontation with the suitors lying in ambush amounted to... well nothing really. It just kind of dissipated into thin air. That great cliffhanger, that we had to suffer READ through half the book for just went poof. Which makes me sad.
BUT I did find something that made me happy, or at least somewhat amused. You know how EVERY SINGLE DAWN it starts with "When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared"? Well I found somewhere were it didn't say that. While I can't seem to find it now (apparently it didn't hit me until AFTER I closed the book...?) I know that somewhere, it said "When dawn broke". That's right. Not even a capital on dawn. I was impressed.
Finally, my last rant of the day was with the swineherd, Eumaeus. Normally, it would just say "Eumaeus said" or whatever. But every once in a while, usually at the start of a paragraph, it says "Then you said, O swineherd Eumaeus."... Wait... what? Is the narrator talking to ME? Am I Eumaeus? I know it's no one else talking to him, since there's no quotations or anything. He's just, you know, famous and whatnot. I just hope it doesn't show up too much more. Because it bugs me more than dawn.

Book- The Skystone- Martin White
Videogame- Legend of Zelda, the Twilight Princess (Yes I am aware Skyward Sword is out. I'm just playing this to prepare myself for the awesome.)
Music- Hmmmmm... I can't choose a song so here's an entire album of awesome. Epica- Kamelot
Classical- Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Cellos in G Minor. SO. MUCH. WIN.

That's about it for today, folks. Hope you enjoyed NANO! And even more, I HOPE YOU WON! I read some pretty good stories, so I'm hopeful. And tired of reading them. BUT hopeful :"D

Books VIII-X

Since we had two weeks, I split my reading of the Odyssey into two sections. So, I just finished Book VIII-X, and I'm really starting to get wrapped up in the story. In this section, it once again focuses on Ulysses, and his efforts to return home. And once again, I am really happy that we get to see more of Ulysses. I'm surprised to find he's one of my favorite characters, always doing the right thing, and such. I also appreciate how Homer is really developing the characters more. We got to see some of Ulysses' humanity in these books, as he gets both angry and emotional at the house of Alcinous. We also get to see his great skills at many different sports, against the sons of Alcinous, among others. We see how powerful he can be when he is taunted, and yet at the same time, how weak. Later, he describes his journey before he is trapped with Calypso. It was really great to see the story I had heard a lot, the story of the Cyclops, actually written in The Odyssey. Now, we continue his back-story, as he reaches yet another island. (So many islands...) As a side note, I would also like to note a quite annoying word, that I have absolutely no idea how to pronounce. On page 68, at the top, it's the "Aeaean Island." There is literally five vowels in a row. That's more than queuing! (Or not. Scratch that.) But seriously, is it "Aaaeeeeaaaeeeeannnnnn?" Or something? Like, do you stretch out all the syllables? Because that's what I've got at this point. But anyways...

Book- Patriot Games- Tom Clancy
Video Game- SKKKKYYYYYRRRIIIIIIMMMMMMM *squeals
Music- Through the Fire and the Flames- Dragonforce
Classical Music- Danzon No. 2- Arturo Marquez (Note that this isn't exactly classical persay, but it's a symphony and whatnot so yeah)

Also, if you haven't heard the good news (which means you aren't friends with me on Facebook) then I made All-State Orchestra, which means I'm the 5th best cellist in the state :D :D :D
But that's it for me. Have a happy Thanksgiving! Just don't let it get in the way of NANO!