I've started thinking about our monster project and I was actually surprised because I had trouble figuring out what a monster was to me. Does a monster have fur? A tail? Talons? Scales? Would that even be scary at all? To me, monsters don't really scare me. Murderers, on the other hand, scary the bajeezles out of me. A masked murderer hiding in my closet does not mix well with me. But what about a monster. Could a murderer be considered a monster? They're both scary and both torture people. I decided to look up the definition for monster and here's what came up:
Monster: (n.) a legendary animal combining features of animal and human form or having the forms of various animals in combination, as a centaur, griffin, or sphinx; any creature so ugly or monstrous as to frighten people; any animal or human grotesquely deviating from the normal shape, behavior, or character; a person who excites horror by wickedness, cruelty, etc.
So a monster can be a human. This should help me with my project. But honestly, I think what scares people the most is the unknown. For example, the dark. We, as humans, cannot see in the dark and that is scary. That's why in horror films, the lights always go out and something pops out. I think it will be really interesting to see what everyone comes up with for their monster. I'm actually looking forward to it and it should be fun especially on Halloween! :)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Frankenstein Part Two
The book is really starting to escalate and it’s getting really intense! I love that we’re getting the point of view from the monster. Shelley did it in a really creative way and she made it easy to read. I’m starting to feel bad for the monster because he longs so much to have a companion or someone to talk to. He’s an outcast and he even knows it: “I am full of fears; for if I fail there, I am an outcast in the world forever” (Shelley 140).
His relationship with the De Lacey family was really interesting to read about as well. It’s amazing how just by watching the family he learned so much and he actually fell in love with them like they were his own family. He says that he, “tenderly love[s] these friends” (Shelley 141) even when he has not even met them before. I think he loves them because the family actually gives the monster a purpose and something to live for. After the family leaves, the monster becomes really depressed saying that he, “could no longer be alleviated by the bright sun or gentle breezes of spring; all joy was but a mockery, which insulted [his] desolate state, and made [him] feel more painfully that [he] was not made for the enjoyment of pleasure” (Shelley 149). It’s clear that the monster longs for a purpose or a companion.
I was shocked at how smart the monster was as well; however, his knowledge makes him even more of an outcast: “Increase of knowledge only discovered to me more clearly what a wretched outcast I was” (Shelley 137). It seems like everything the monster learns only saddens him because he knows he will never enjoy the simple things in life that humans get to experience. Because of this knowledge, he takes it out on his creator saying that he “declare[s] everlasting war against the species, and, more than all, against him who formed [him], and sent [him] forth to this insupportable misery” (Shelley 143). Soon the monster feels rage and wants revenge. I was shocked to find out that he actually killed young William; however he does it solely for the purpose of hurting his creator: “I, too, can create desolation; my enemy is not invulnerable; this death will carry despair to him, and a thousand other miseries shall torment and destroy him” (Shelley 151). I wasn’t surprised when he went to seek his creator. I would be mad too. He comes to Victor and offers him an ultimatum. He explains to Victor that “[he] must create a female for [him], with whom [he] can live in the interchange of these sympathies necessary for [his] being” (Shelley 153). He soon convinces Victor and he goes back to Germany to start working on the new monster, but he is procrastinating. I’m not sure if Victor is going to go through with his promise. I think something bad is going to happen soon that will make either the monster mad, or will make Victor go insane again. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!
His relationship with the De Lacey family was really interesting to read about as well. It’s amazing how just by watching the family he learned so much and he actually fell in love with them like they were his own family. He says that he, “tenderly love[s] these friends” (Shelley 141) even when he has not even met them before. I think he loves them because the family actually gives the monster a purpose and something to live for. After the family leaves, the monster becomes really depressed saying that he, “could no longer be alleviated by the bright sun or gentle breezes of spring; all joy was but a mockery, which insulted [his] desolate state, and made [him] feel more painfully that [he] was not made for the enjoyment of pleasure” (Shelley 149). It’s clear that the monster longs for a purpose or a companion.
I was shocked at how smart the monster was as well; however, his knowledge makes him even more of an outcast: “Increase of knowledge only discovered to me more clearly what a wretched outcast I was” (Shelley 137). It seems like everything the monster learns only saddens him because he knows he will never enjoy the simple things in life that humans get to experience. Because of this knowledge, he takes it out on his creator saying that he “declare[s] everlasting war against the species, and, more than all, against him who formed [him], and sent [him] forth to this insupportable misery” (Shelley 143). Soon the monster feels rage and wants revenge. I was shocked to find out that he actually killed young William; however he does it solely for the purpose of hurting his creator: “I, too, can create desolation; my enemy is not invulnerable; this death will carry despair to him, and a thousand other miseries shall torment and destroy him” (Shelley 151). I wasn’t surprised when he went to seek his creator. I would be mad too. He comes to Victor and offers him an ultimatum. He explains to Victor that “[he] must create a female for [him], with whom [he] can live in the interchange of these sympathies necessary for [his] being” (Shelley 153). He soon convinces Victor and he goes back to Germany to start working on the new monster, but he is procrastinating. I’m not sure if Victor is going to go through with his promise. I think something bad is going to happen soon that will make either the monster mad, or will make Victor go insane again. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Our Discussion on Grendel
I think our discussion today might have made some of us even more confused than we thought we were. However, our discussion did open my eyes to a new light on Grendel.
The hardest question that I was faced with during the discussion was whether Grendel's final words "Poor Grendel's had an accident, so may you all," (Gardner 152) were positive words. It sounds so negative at first and when I finished reading the book the first time, I read these words like he was taking sympathy on himself. I took it as if Grendel couldn't live with him being defeated so he tried to blame it all on an 'accident'. Now that we have talked about it, I think I have come to a different understanding of these words. The fact that Grendel said may and not will has had a major affect on me. To me, if Grendel were still influenced by the dragon, I think Grendel would have said and so will you all; however, I think this is the point in the book when Grendel dismisses the dragon's existentialist views and decides on something for himself. If he said will it would have meant that Grendel would have already known that we would make mistakes and it will happen to us. Since he says may, it totally changes the meaning. He is instead inviting us, and it seems like he is not very sure about whether or not we will make the same mistake or accident. I kind of view it like Grendel has finally become a human because he doesn't know the future and things did not turn out the way he thought they were going to (hence an 'accident').
So... is this a positive thing? I think in the light of Grendel, it is because he has showed growth. To me, I think Grendel finally let go of the dragon's theories and instead, he accepted that this was something way bigger than him and that he had no control over it.
The hardest question that I was faced with during the discussion was whether Grendel's final words "Poor Grendel's had an accident, so may you all," (Gardner 152) were positive words. It sounds so negative at first and when I finished reading the book the first time, I read these words like he was taking sympathy on himself. I took it as if Grendel couldn't live with him being defeated so he tried to blame it all on an 'accident'. Now that we have talked about it, I think I have come to a different understanding of these words. The fact that Grendel said may and not will has had a major affect on me. To me, if Grendel were still influenced by the dragon, I think Grendel would have said and so will you all; however, I think this is the point in the book when Grendel dismisses the dragon's existentialist views and decides on something for himself. If he said will it would have meant that Grendel would have already known that we would make mistakes and it will happen to us. Since he says may, it totally changes the meaning. He is instead inviting us, and it seems like he is not very sure about whether or not we will make the same mistake or accident. I kind of view it like Grendel has finally become a human because he doesn't know the future and things did not turn out the way he thought they were going to (hence an 'accident').
So... is this a positive thing? I think in the light of Grendel, it is because he has showed growth. To me, I think Grendel finally let go of the dragon's theories and instead, he accepted that this was something way bigger than him and that he had no control over it.
Monday, October 20, 2008
John Gardner's Letter
I'm really not surprised by this guys cockiness. I knew it was coming. Even if I look past his rudeness and sarcasm, I still cannot find out what this guy is talking about! He's constantly contradicting himself and it gets really confusing! Like when he is talking about theories. We all know from his interview that he does not like books that are constantly talking about theories; however, he is doing exactly this in his book! There's theories of existentialism and nihilism in Grendel. I don't know if he thinks these don't count or what? In his essay, he says, "It's also true that man can only learn control of nature and himself by making up theories, and the worst thing one can do is adopt Grendel's position, that all theories are nonsense" (Gardner, par 7). I'm still confused on whether or not this guy supports theorizing and philosophising.
Overall, I honestly think John Gardner's point with Grendel and his letters/interviews is to confuse us and make us think, which I actually totally respect. I like that we had really deep discussions about Grendel and it brought up a lot of really good theories on life. This book really made me think about what the point of life was (hence my blog a couple of weeks ago). Are we all here for a purpose or is life a total void, and nothing really matters? Yeah, Gardner was cocky and arrogant but that's what makes his book so interesting and fun to read. I must say that I liked Grendel a lot more than Beowulf simply because it made me think more.
Overall, I honestly think John Gardner's point with Grendel and his letters/interviews is to confuse us and make us think, which I actually totally respect. I like that we had really deep discussions about Grendel and it brought up a lot of really good theories on life. This book really made me think about what the point of life was (hence my blog a couple of weeks ago). Are we all here for a purpose or is life a total void, and nothing really matters? Yeah, Gardner was cocky and arrogant but that's what makes his book so interesting and fun to read. I must say that I liked Grendel a lot more than Beowulf simply because it made me think more.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Frankenstein
I must say that I am really enjoying this book. The way Mary Shelley describes the events are really interesting and it makes for a fun read. It’s hard to believe that this was her first book because it’s so well-made!
There are a couple of things that I am confused about. The letters in the beginning of the novel threw me off a bit. Who is the man writing these letters? And why is he telling this to his sister? What was he in search of? The man that he met on the frozen lake, was that Victor Frankenstein? And the large man that they saw in the distance, was that the monster that Victor created? I wonder if the man that wrote the letters has anything to do with the story later on. I also get confused with the members of the Frankenstein family. I know that Victor was their first child, then they had Elizabeth; however, she was adopted, I think. Then they also adopted William? Or did they have William? This is the part that I get confused about. Then they found Justine, who they made their servant, but not in a bad way. They described Justine’s duty as, “not [including] the idea of ignorance, and a sacrifice of the dignity of a human being” (Shelley 61). It seems like the Frankenstein family is really close and they all help each other in some way. When Victor becomes ill, his family writes to him often, and they seem really worried about him. Then Clerval, Victor’s friend, comes to visit him and he helps Victor regain his sanity. This friendship and closeness of their family reminds me of my family. My family is also really close, and even though we live far apart, we always find a way to keep in touch.
I must say that the way this book is going is a lot different from the way I pictured Frankenstein to be. I always imagined a crazed scientist flicking a switch and screaming, “It’s alive, it’s alive!” It’s actually a lot different from that and a lot more realistic. I think the evolution of Victor into his crazed manner was really well thought out. I was so convinced of his madness and the way he became obsessed with science and learning every single aspect of it.
So far, I think that Frankenstein (or the monster because he is not officially named Frankenstein yet) is responsible for the murder of William. There’s no doubt about it because Justine is so obviously innocent. She was basically a mother to William and I do not think she would do something like that. I think that Frankenstein ran away and he didn’t know any better and maybe he killed young William on accident. I kind of picture it like being Lennie in Of Mice and Men. I think Frankenstein might not realize his strength so I come to the conclusion that the murder was an accident. I think that Frankenstein might be greatly misunderstood like Grendel.
I really like the novel so far. It’s surprisingly realistic and it’s very suspenseful. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
There are a couple of things that I am confused about. The letters in the beginning of the novel threw me off a bit. Who is the man writing these letters? And why is he telling this to his sister? What was he in search of? The man that he met on the frozen lake, was that Victor Frankenstein? And the large man that they saw in the distance, was that the monster that Victor created? I wonder if the man that wrote the letters has anything to do with the story later on. I also get confused with the members of the Frankenstein family. I know that Victor was their first child, then they had Elizabeth; however, she was adopted, I think. Then they also adopted William? Or did they have William? This is the part that I get confused about. Then they found Justine, who they made their servant, but not in a bad way. They described Justine’s duty as, “not [including] the idea of ignorance, and a sacrifice of the dignity of a human being” (Shelley 61). It seems like the Frankenstein family is really close and they all help each other in some way. When Victor becomes ill, his family writes to him often, and they seem really worried about him. Then Clerval, Victor’s friend, comes to visit him and he helps Victor regain his sanity. This friendship and closeness of their family reminds me of my family. My family is also really close, and even though we live far apart, we always find a way to keep in touch.
I must say that the way this book is going is a lot different from the way I pictured Frankenstein to be. I always imagined a crazed scientist flicking a switch and screaming, “It’s alive, it’s alive!” It’s actually a lot different from that and a lot more realistic. I think the evolution of Victor into his crazed manner was really well thought out. I was so convinced of his madness and the way he became obsessed with science and learning every single aspect of it.
So far, I think that Frankenstein (or the monster because he is not officially named Frankenstein yet) is responsible for the murder of William. There’s no doubt about it because Justine is so obviously innocent. She was basically a mother to William and I do not think she would do something like that. I think that Frankenstein ran away and he didn’t know any better and maybe he killed young William on accident. I kind of picture it like being Lennie in Of Mice and Men. I think Frankenstein might not realize his strength so I come to the conclusion that the murder was an accident. I think that Frankenstein might be greatly misunderstood like Grendel.
I really like the novel so far. It’s surprisingly realistic and it’s very suspenseful. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
What are we doing here?
These questions are consantly on my mind.
What are we all doing here on earth? What is our purpose? What does God want us to do with our lives? What is life all about?
I know these are some really difficult questions that no one will probably be able to answer until we're dead. But I sometimes find that I cannot stop thinking about them. The problems that we face every day seem so small considered to the world as a whole. Like the drama we face in school or what outfit I am debating about wearing tomorrow. What's the point? There's so much more to life than that.
This is why I think the books of our world are so important because they give different explainations of why we are all here. Each book or novel or short story or poem or whatever it is gives us insight to different opinions on what our purpose is. Some people live for the money, some people live for love. Some are just as lost as I am. I know it makes me feel sane when I read books because I know that I am not alone in this bustling world. Books help me keep motivated and never let me lose my way
What are we all doing here on earth? What is our purpose? What does God want us to do with our lives? What is life all about?
I know these are some really difficult questions that no one will probably be able to answer until we're dead. But I sometimes find that I cannot stop thinking about them. The problems that we face every day seem so small considered to the world as a whole. Like the drama we face in school or what outfit I am debating about wearing tomorrow. What's the point? There's so much more to life than that.
This is why I think the books of our world are so important because they give different explainations of why we are all here. Each book or novel or short story or poem or whatever it is gives us insight to different opinions on what our purpose is. Some people live for the money, some people live for love. Some are just as lost as I am. I know it makes me feel sane when I read books because I know that I am not alone in this bustling world. Books help me keep motivated and never let me lose my way
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Heroes
Since we are on the theme of heroes, I thought that it would be appropriate talk about what a hero to me is.
A hero to me is not someone with superhuman powers or someone who can fly or jump over 20 story-high buildings. A hero is someone who goes out of their way to do something in consideration of another. The biggest hero in my life is my mom because she has saved me from what could have been several problems in my life. My mom is by no means perfect and she's no nun, but that is what I love about her. She takes the mistakes that she has made in her life and has learned from them. When my mom got a divorce, I saw all the pain and drama she went through and it made me realize that when I get married I want to be absolutely positive about it because I would never want to go through what my mother did and I wouldn't want my children to go through the things I did. I feel as if the mistakes my mother made has made not only her stronger, but has made me stronger as well.
I also feel that every mistake I have made in my life so far and every unfortunate thing that has happened to me has made me into a better person. I was brought up in a strict home and I learned the hard way that money does not grow on trees. Everything that I have recieved I have worked for in some way and I am glad for that. I know that if everything was handed to me, I would honestly not be the same person I am today. I think the mistakes we make in our lives makes us into the heroes of the future.
"My heroes are the ones who survived doing it wrong, who made mistakes, but recovered from them." -Bono
A hero to me is not someone with superhuman powers or someone who can fly or jump over 20 story-high buildings. A hero is someone who goes out of their way to do something in consideration of another. The biggest hero in my life is my mom because she has saved me from what could have been several problems in my life. My mom is by no means perfect and she's no nun, but that is what I love about her. She takes the mistakes that she has made in her life and has learned from them. When my mom got a divorce, I saw all the pain and drama she went through and it made me realize that when I get married I want to be absolutely positive about it because I would never want to go through what my mother did and I wouldn't want my children to go through the things I did. I feel as if the mistakes my mother made has made not only her stronger, but has made me stronger as well.
I also feel that every mistake I have made in my life so far and every unfortunate thing that has happened to me has made me into a better person. I was brought up in a strict home and I learned the hard way that money does not grow on trees. Everything that I have recieved I have worked for in some way and I am glad for that. I know that if everything was handed to me, I would honestly not be the same person I am today. I think the mistakes we make in our lives makes us into the heroes of the future.
"My heroes are the ones who survived doing it wrong, who made mistakes, but recovered from them." -Bono
Sunday, October 5, 2008
What I Think of Grendel Thus Far
I really like the new way we are doing our discussions. I seems so much more relaxed and people aren't interjecting as much like before. I don't feel as stressed to find something in the book and try to make something irrelevent fit into the conversation.
Our discussion about Grendel was awesome and it really helped me. Even though it was only on the first chapter, I thought we found out a lot about Grendel's personality. To me, I think Grendel is greatly misunderstood. All he knows is to kill people and he was brought up as the 'monster'. I think he feels like it's almost his duty to be bad and to kill. I'm also starting to feel really bad for him because he's such an outsider. He doesn't have anyone to talk to and his only companion is his shadow. I think that would be the worst feeling because I know my friends get me through everything and if I didn't have them, I would be completely lost. I also think Grendel's relationship with his mom is enduring. The way she would hold him under her fat and when she came to rescue him when he got stuck (even though it took her a couple of days) was really powerful. It seems like she really cares for him, most mothers would, but it's just wierd to picture because we don't really know what Grendel is supposed to look like. I think that's an important point because even though we don't know what he looks like, we still get that feeling of love and kinship when they describe Grendel and his mother's relationship. It's almost like I can relate to it and it kind of makes me feel like Gardner is giving human traits to this 'monster'.
I'm really liking Grendel so far; a lot more than Beowulf. I like that you know more about the characters and how they think. I can't wait to see what happens next!
Our discussion about Grendel was awesome and it really helped me. Even though it was only on the first chapter, I thought we found out a lot about Grendel's personality. To me, I think Grendel is greatly misunderstood. All he knows is to kill people and he was brought up as the 'monster'. I think he feels like it's almost his duty to be bad and to kill. I'm also starting to feel really bad for him because he's such an outsider. He doesn't have anyone to talk to and his only companion is his shadow. I think that would be the worst feeling because I know my friends get me through everything and if I didn't have them, I would be completely lost. I also think Grendel's relationship with his mom is enduring. The way she would hold him under her fat and when she came to rescue him when he got stuck (even though it took her a couple of days) was really powerful. It seems like she really cares for him, most mothers would, but it's just wierd to picture because we don't really know what Grendel is supposed to look like. I think that's an important point because even though we don't know what he looks like, we still get that feeling of love and kinship when they describe Grendel and his mother's relationship. It's almost like I can relate to it and it kind of makes me feel like Gardner is giving human traits to this 'monster'.
I'm really liking Grendel so far; a lot more than Beowulf. I like that you know more about the characters and how they think. I can't wait to see what happens next!
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