Corruption of Ideals

Mockingbird Motif Week:?

What is a motif? According to dictionary.com it is a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., esp. in a literary, artistic, or musical work. To Kill a Mockingbird exemplifies motif through its namesake "mockingbird motif", or the idea of the sin of killing and/or harming something, that only does good, for no reason. This example of motif is easily visible, it is referenced both directly and indirectly throughout the book, and has helped considerably in my understanding this concept. Because of this overarching theme, one is able to much more easily understand the book and what Harper Lee is trying to convey.

Not only is the motif itself a theme, but it helps expand many other underlying ideas. Among these are racism, walking in other's shoes, justice vs injustice, and many many more. It is through the use of the motif in many instances and with multiple characters who are in completely different situations that give it its deep, symbolism.

Week 6

For as long as I can remember, my father has always stressed the importance of wearing a helmet when biking. Even though my dad stressed this point quite strongly, I never quite thought that it was overly important. Although some people go through life without a single bike wreck, I've found myself among the group that has. The only thing that kept me in one piece was my helmet, concreting in my mind my father's words.

Over the years I had heard that saying so many times that it never set in. But after my wreck it really sent home a message that you should never take safety for granted. This has been really beneficial throughout my life and can be applied to almost anything, whether bike riding, driving or spelunking, you should never put life or limb in danger for laziness.

Mein Bester Freund

Although I've had quite a few friends over the years, I would have to say that only one has been my friend the longest. He's been there since I first moved here (twelve years December 26) and has changed little in that span of time. He's a fairly short but burly, somewhat akin to a Dwarf. Along with his shortness of height he also sometimes has a shortness of temper, but outbursts are usually short and leave relatively little damage. He's also a great friend and is always there for consultation and such things. He's a skilled musician, both piano and voice, and is somewhat of a juggernaut in sports.

This friend is a true embodiment of ambivert, tending to be both solitary and social depending on his mood. Whether its a party, soccer game or even just a youth-group activity, he's not afraid of being heard. But occasionally he likes the peace and quiet to read a book or play some video games. Whether just hanging out or passing each other in the halls throwing insults back in fourth in German (the best way to learn a language), he's always a great person to be around.

Seattle Trip (week four)

When I was little, there were few things that I enjoyed more than our family trips to Seattle. Our first trip as a family happened when I was four, not yet a year since we moved up here from Utah. Nothing is quite as fun as a hour and a half drive crammed in our car with a a year old sister that needed frequent rest-stops, another sister that got violently carsick and two other sister that would incessantly ask "are we there yet". I remember my dad's attempt to drown out their droning by turning up the radio, but all that did was wake up Cassidy (the one year old at the time).

To make a very long story short we finally made it to Seattle and we found a parking spot, then walked to the City Center, had lunch (probably some pizza, my favorite food) and took the monorail to the Settle Center. There we went on some rides (mini roller-coasters and the likes) and went to get some more food. We ended up getting some cotton candy and fudge (the second best I've ever had). after finishing up our fudge we sent over to the fountain and got thoroughly soaked. Our parents weren't very happy, but us kids were having a great time. After a long day in Seattle we finally went home, except this time us kids slept almost the entire way home, much to the relief of my dad.

Robinson Crusoe: Imagery i.e. week three blog

"Robinson Crusoe" is a book full of vivid examples of imagery that Daniel Defoe uses a few ways. The first way (and the most obvious) is to really make the reader feel like he/she is on the island with Robinson so that they can more fully visualize what he's going through. This is the most common usage of imagery and can be found in almost any work of literature. Although not a very unique way of using this common literary element, Defoe is still able to draw in the reader and make the book somewhat captivating.

The second way is his way of using very vivid imagery that pop to show a significant plot change. An example of such a use of imagery is when Robinson's ship is attacked and he is enslaved by Moors. Going from a fairly wealthy trader to a slave is a fairly large life style change, so Defoe really slams the imagery in your face as if to scream out that there's something big going down.

Thoughts on Robison Crusoe (aka week two blog)

So far I've found that Robinson Crusoe is not a book for those who needs books with non stop action, luckily I'm not one of them. Although Robinson Crusoe cannot in any way be considered a action novel, it does have its share of adventure and danger. In the first 50 pages Crusoe finds himself almost drowned in giant storms not once but twice, enslaved by Moors for two years, and lion hunting, all before he's even shipwrecked. Even with these somewhat thrilling events, Robinson Crusoe is still a dull book, so one should only undertake the reading of this book if they are truly dedicated to finishing it, otherwise you'll find yourself doubting your book choice throughout the reading.

To say Robinson Crusoe is abounding in literary elements is a huge overstatement, for those within are far between (although they are rather significant when used). Although these elements are few, the overwhelming majority seem to be imagery. DeFoe uses imagery to really emphasize on the turning points so that they pop out at you. One such occasion is when Crusoe is enslaved by Moors. By really making the reader really visualize the sea battle between Crusoe's crew and the Moor pirates, DeFoe seems to really shove the fact that something big is going to happen.

Tone in Robinson Crusoe so far hasn't been a huge part of the story for one reason, it changes quiet drastically very quickly. Crusoe goes through some major life style changes, from a well to do middle classman to ship captain to slave to plantation owner. With such drastic changes in surroundings one should expect very severe tone changes. I'll see if the tone settles down once Crusoe stops his voyages, i.e. is shipwrecked.

Writing About Reading

Reading for me can be a welcome respite from the often hectic day. Sometimes though, you find yourself reading a book that is just not interesting. In these times I do one of two things, either I chuck the book, or I grin and bear it. I usually find myself not liking the books beginning, but I know that this novel I'm reading will get better, so I might as well keep reading. So I just barrel through the beginning, actually reading more than when I'm at the good parts, and try to end my torment of a boring book as quickly as possible.
I've found that I'm a resilient reader, I can read while listening to music, while on the bus, even while have watching a movie, but still nothing beats a nice comfy, quiet nook to sit down and immerse yourself in a good book.