Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Love Story by Erich Segal


It was interesting to me how in the beginning of the story the author tells the most important event -death of Jennifer-but this does not lose readers’ attention, instead it motivates them to continue reading and find the reason of her death. Furthermore, author achieves to keep readers’ attention by describing thoroughly the entire “process” of falling in love including here: the first time of their encounter, first date and those amusing conversations where both Jenny and Oliver tried to show thyself as superior to one another, alike they were competing. However, the flow of the events tells that they feel deeply passionate for each other. Hence, complex way in which this relationship is built, adding here the invitation that Jenny received from France makes this story very attractive; and I can’t wait to read what will happen to their relationship but is heartbreaking to know that she will die.    

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Unde One Small Star

“Under One Small Star” is a touching poem where the poet comprehends deepest apologize to everything that we as individuals habitually do not take time to recognize. Furthermore, I see in this poem, authors complaining voice about the egocentrism with which people are living their lives and how we think that only our issue are important. Thus many times we forget to show our human heart and that altruist person who lives inside ourselves. In one of the lines Szymborska says, “Forgive me, distant wars, for bringing flowers home” expressing how we tempt to continue our lives undisturbed, while in the other side of world people are dying- we do not care unless it touches us.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

"The Filling Station" by Elizabeth Bishop

In Elizabeth Bishop’s poetry “The Filling Station” the feminine tone is easily distinct. The poetry begins with that feminine tone of a woman, who has her own ways recognizing things about the surrounding, such as the filthiness of a filling station. However, she (the poet) does not recognize only the filthiness, but through further observation she notices a delicate touch of elegance and loveliness. “Beside a big hirsute begonia/somebody waters the plant,” the author deliberately leaves unknown the person who is behind these elegant touch, in order to make readers question the author of these touches. We don’t know who planted the begot is a nia, who crocheted the doily? Is it a mother, girlfriend, some feminine touch? But at least, it is important that no matter how dirty, or clean you are there is always someone that loves you.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

My Lover the Sea


In the poetry “My Lover the Sea,” the author Reinaldo Arenas intentionally has repeated some phrases such as “I am that child with the dirty face” “no doubt unwanted,” in order that he could give emphasis to the issue that had bothered him in his life. I see this poetry as reflection of suffers and rejection that author endured in his life. Given that, Reinaldo Arenas firstly was abandoned and neglect as a child, later he was persecuted for sexual and political reasons, and finally he committed suicide. “My Lover the Sea” reveals how society has portrayed the author as “unwanted” judging him for immorality and I believe the only place that he could find peace and acceptance was the sea.

Here is the link where you can read more about Reinaldo Arenas painful life:
< http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/12/06/specials/arenas-night.html>

Thursday, January 6, 2011

The end of " The Stranger"



The last chapters of “The Stranger” disappointed me because all my hopes faded out, since I expected Meursault to talk and thus make people that were going to decide for his life to understand him. Hence, Meursault was sentenced to be decapitated “in the name of the French people.” Indeed, throughout the trial, not even once did I think that Meursault would be decapitated, the worst that I thought was lifetime imprisonment. As a result, I tried hard to find the true reasons that were lying underneath this bizarre decision. Questions constantly popped into my head and the once that seemed to have more sense to me where questions such as, was the execution a neutralizer of society’s conflicts at that time? Or was the execution a rejection of an individual that did not have the same morals as his society? Think of such questions maybe they will bring a new perspective of “The stranger” and they will make this story look less strange.