"Limitations and Definitions"--Stuart Tave

Tave starts out his criticism by touching on the fact that Austen herself was an excellent dancer, moving with significant grace in a restricted space. He then says that Austen, like her dancing, is beautiful writer as well, refusing to believe that her novels are limited because of their dimensions. Tave also states that Austen’s novels do not force the dates on the readers, but they are there and can be worked out. Tave believes that the dates are there to only serve as a basic structure for the story. One example he uses is in Pride and Prejudice, where the date of the Netherfield ball is not written out plainly, but can actually be determined from the other dates to be November 26. Furthermore, Tave claims that, unlike other books where nine years can seem to be a “trifle of time,” Austen’s events are more compact and “with measured urgency.” Pride and Prejudice takes place over about a year, from October to October, and follow Elizabeth Bennett on the year of which she becomes twenty-one. And in this year, Ms. Bennett started out as a young woman steadfast and confident in her mind, but later, through a series of misjudgments, has come to understand people better and why they have not acted as she though she thought they would.
    Even with Austen’s blunt usage of time, she makes time move “slowly but certainly, as a natural and inevitable line of life.” Her novels do not seem rushed and in fact, with time, she changes her character’s personalities and make important decisions.  He includes that Austen in a “certain amount of time [includes] what should be known, feel what should be felt, think what should be thought, do what should be done, neither too quickly nor too slowly for the occasion.”
    Tave is an admirer of Austen and says that even though the theme of which she focuses her story around is narrow-minded and rather superficial, her story is “enormously exhilarating and librating [because] it offers to those who are capable of exerting themselves to discover its meaning the control of the essential qualities of their lives; it challenges our own narrowness, our assumption of powerlessness or rebellion.” In Austen’s novels, she feels as though she need to organize or to “tidy” the mess or chaos that is a part of life. Finding the “meaning of life” is very difficult and is “obscured by inexperience, miseducation, by deception, and above all by internal blindness,” but it is there and can only be clear to the opened eye.
     I agree with Tave in the Pride and Prejudice may seem a little narrow in its approach but Austen’s novel gives us a perfect example of being able to find the meaning of life when finally our pride and prejudice no longer obscures the lens to our eyes.

Success

What is success? In today’s society, many people find themselves working or studying hard so that someday they may be very wealthy or “successful” in life. But, can success really be measured in material items? A common word such as success has endless connotations and multiple meanings that I find intriguing. To me, the word success means a favorable outcome that someone or something has done. All my life, the idea of being “successful” has driven me to work hard in everything that I pursue. Though, I am not sure how one measures their success; I, like many of my friends, measure success by working towards that A in a class, or striving for that Olympic Trial cut in swimming, or getting in to the college of our dreams. But, I know that these trivial examples only scratch the surface of the word’s true and complete meaning-- leading me to uncover the many subtle definitions hidden from the everyday user. I am eager to delve into its origin and the way the creator of the word first intended it to be used. I also want to find out how the word came to be such a compelling factor in many people’s lives and how it came to be used so casually today. 

Main Points on Criticism: The Lady and the Monster

•    Many people believe a man wrote it, defying the textbook Proper Lady, but by following her mother’s advice she focuses on Promethean and calls into question the egotism that Mary Shelley associates with the artist’s monstrous self-assertion. A Critic says “it inculcates no lesson of conduct, manners, or morality; it cannot mend, and will not even amuse its readers, unless their taste have been deplorably vitiated—it fatigues the feelings without interesting the understanding; it gratuitously harasses the heart, and only adds to the store, already too great, or painful sensations.”
•    Mary Shelley focuses on individual maturation in Frankenstein which can be seen through Victor as he goes through a loving, protecting, compassionate childhood to an accidental find of Cornelius Agrippa’s occult speculations which lead him with a raving for knowledge but has no reliable guide to direct him.
•    Shelley also explores the idea of degeneration of incipient curiosity into full-fledged egotism. In Frankenstein, Victor is consumed by his ambition to conquer death through science, which is fundamentally selfish. He wants to “ultimately defy morality to [find] a new species that would bless him as creator and source.” It is understandable that given Victor’s egotism of his driving ambition, it comes to no surprise that Frankenstein’s love for his family is his first victim.
•    Mary Shelley divides the novel into a series of first person narratives instead of employing a single perspective, whether it is first person or omniscient, has the effect of qualifying her judgment of egotism. This allows the readers to participate in Frankenstein’s desire for innate and natural benevolence but also in the agonizing repercussions of this misplaced optimism. The critic states that Shelley “both recapitulates Frankenstein’s story and, ingenuously, completes it.”
•    Lastly, Shelley mentions that denying ones true origins is the monstrous singularity of egotism. When the creature tried to recreate himself by talking to the old blind father, DeLacy’s children only recognized its ineffaceable monstrosity for what it was and had a violent reaction. The monsters attempts to deny its nature are as futile as they are desperate.

Superheroes of all time

            Superheroes always seem to fascinate people. From the many, superhero movies that have recently come out—like Iron Man, Captain America, the Green Lantern, and Batman—it is safe to say that people of 20^th century have a strange attraction to these fairy-tale like characters. Whether it is a person with uncanny physical abilities or a human with an unimaginable amount of responsibility—such as saving the world, superheroes continue to serve as role models for societies. The idea of superheroes has been around for a long time, dating back from the Middle Ages, with tales such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, to the present day, with stories of Batman. Some similarities between Sir Gawain and Batman include their codes that they staunchly stand by and their flaws that that they both fall victim to as well.

            The chivalric code of knights and Batman’s moral code are one aspect in which time has not affected these righteous values. Sir Gawain is first described as apart of King Arthur’s Round Table which only include, “[t]he most noble knights known under Christ” (Sir Gawain line 48). From Sir Gawain’s background, we are able to tell that he is a good knight who holds loyalty, honor, valor, and courage dear to his heart. His bravery is tested when he decides to take on the challenge that the Green Knight has laid before them, in the place of King Arthur.

            “I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest;

            And the loss of my life would be least of any;

            That I have you for uncle is my only praise

            My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth;

            And for that this folly befits not a king,

            And ‘tis I that have asked it, it ought to be mine,” (Sir Gawain line 354-359)

Sir Gawain’s declaration of his chivalry further exemplifies his “superhero” quality of rising to the occasion in the face of adversity. In correlation to the modern day hero, Batman sees that it is his responsibility to protect the city of Gotham from its villains. Both characters express a high sense of loyalty to their king or their city. And like Sir Gawain, Batman defeats villains according to a set of his own morals, one being that he does not believe in the killing of people, which Batman think is a dishonorable act. Batman and Sir Gawain’s bravery is made easier for both of them because they are usually armed with the best weapons. On the day of Sir Gawain’s departure for the Green Chapel, he was dressed in:

            “ [A] tight coat of Turkestan silk

            and a kingly cap-á-dos, closed at the throat,

            that was lavishly lined with a lustrous fur.” (Sir Gawain line 571-573)

Sir Gawain was also decked out in the finest materials that surrounded his body from head to toe. Like Sir Gawain, Batman’s suit is also equipped with the finest materials and is consistently updated with technological advances. Batman’s suit contains a utility belt filled with electric shocks or stun gas and his suit alone is made of bulletproof material. Because Batman and Sir Gawain do not actually have any super human powers, they make use of their intellect, physical prowess, and courage.

            However, even superheroes are not perfect people, and they too, have flaws—which make them easier for normal people to relate to. Sir Gawain falls to two temptations on his journey to meeting up with the Green Knight. One major fault to Sir Gawain’s shining reputation was his acceptance of the green girdle because of its promise of invincibility. His second flaw was his brief excuses to cede to the temptress’s kiss. Although, it is said in the chivalric code to treat a lady with respect, his multiple kisses with the lady show his betrayal in hospitality from the host. Batman, also, has a few flaws and limitations that hinder his superhero status. Batman is only able to operate at nighttime and it is said that over the years, Batman becomes more and more paranoid over the years making him incapable of joining the society in which he many times, desperately saves.

            Even though perfection is impossible to achieve, superheroes are the closest to a paragon of a perfect human being. Sir Gawain and Batman are the most relatable in character to normal humans, because of their lack of super natural powers. Yet, what they are able to achieve with what they are given makes them a superhero in itself. They are very similar in many ways and continue to show us that even with time, the fundamentals of a superhero are not tainted. 

Origin of Words

Where did these words originate? How did these words come to be?

a) craft- an art, trade, or occupation requiring special skill, especially manual skill

Origin:

From the Old English cræft  skill, strength; related to Old Norse kraptr  power, skill, Old High German kraft.

Cræft meaning "power, strength, might," from krab-/*kraf-. Sense shifted to "skill, art" (via a notion of "mental power"), which led to the n. meaning of "trade." Use for "small boat" is first recorded 1671, probably from some nautical sense of "vessels of small craft," referring either to the trade they did or the seamanship they required.

b) skill- the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to do something well

Origin:

1150–1200; Middle English skilien  < Old Norse skilja  to distinguish, divide, akin to skil  ( see skill 1 ), Old English scylian  to separate, Gothic skilja  butcher, Lithuanian skélti  to split

c.1175, "power of discernment," from O.N. skil "distinction, discernment," related to skilja (v.) "distinguish, separate," from *skaljo- "divide, separate" Sense of "ability, cleverness" first recorded c.1300.

a)wish- to want; desire; long for

Origin:

before 900;  (v.) Middle English wisshen, Old English wȳscan;  cognate with German wünschen, Old Norse æskja;  akin to Old English wynn  joy. Latin venus  charm;

O.E. wyscan "to wish," from *wunskijanan, from PIE *wun-/*wen-/*won- "to strive after, wish, desire, be satisfied" The noun is attested from c.1300. Wishful first recorded 1523. Wishful thinking is recorded from 1932; wish fulfillment (1901)

b)want- to feel a need or a desire for; wish for

Origin:

Old English wand; Old Norse vanta which means to lack

c.1200, "to be lacking," from O.N. vanta "to lack, want," earlier *wanaton, from *wanen, from base *eue- "to leave, abandon, give out" The meaning "desire, wish for" is first recorded 1706. Wanted "sought by the police" was originally slang, in use by 1812.

a)rear- to take care of and support up to maturity

Origin:

before 900; Middle English reren, Old English rǣran  to raise;  cognate with Gothic -raisjan, Old Norse reisa

O.E. ræran "to raise, build up, set on end," from *raizijanau "to raise," causative of *risanan "to rise" Meaning "bring into being, bring up" (as a child) is recorded from c.1420; that of "raise up on the hind legs" is first recorded late 14c.

b) raise- bring up a child, elevate

Origin:

c.1200, from O.N. reisa "to raise," from *raizjan (causative of base *ris- "to rise") some later evolutions include "to bring up" (a child), 1744; "to elevate" (the consciousness), 1970. The noun is first recorded 1500 in sense of "a levy;" meaning "increase in amount or value" is from 1728, specific sense in poker is from 1821. Meaning "increase in salary or wages" is from 1898, chiefly American English.

a)sick- afflicted with ill health or disease

Origin:

before 900; Middle English sik, sek, Old English sēoc;  cognate with Dutch ziek, German siech, Old Norse sjūkr, Gothic siuks

"unwell," O.E. seoc, from *seukaz, of uncertain origin. In Ger. and Du. displaced by krank "weak, slim," probably originally with a sense of "twisted, bent"  Meaning "having an inclination to vomit" is from 1614; sense of "tired or weary (of something)" is from 1597; phrase sick and tired of is attested from 1783. Meaning "mentally twisted" is from 1551 (though sense of "spiritually or morally corrupt" was in O.E.), revived 1955. Sick joke is from 1959; sicko (n.) is from 1977. Sickening "causing revulsion" is first recorded 1789. The noun meaning "those who are sick" was in O.E. Sickness is O.E. seocnesse; sickly "ailing" is recorded from c.1350.

b)ill- of unsound physical or mental health; unwell; sick

Origin:

1150–1200; Middle English ill ( e ) (noun and adj.) < Old Norse illr  (adj.) ill, bad

c.1200, "morally evil" (other 13c. senses were "malevolent, hurtful, unfortunate, difficult"), from O.N. illr "ill, bad," of unknown origin. Main modern sense of "sick, unhealthy, unwell" is first recorded c.1460, probably related to O.N. idiom "it is bad to me." Illness "disease, sickness" is from 1689. Slang sense of "very good, cool" is 1980s.

a)watch-to be alertly on the lookout, look attentively, or observe, as to see what comes, is done, or happens

Origin:

before 900; 1580–90 for Old English wæccan (noun)

O.E. wæccan "keep watch, be awake," from *wakojan; essentially the same word as O.E. wacian "be or remain awake”. Watchdog is recorded from 1610; fig. sense is attested from 1845.

b) wake- to become cognizant or aware of something; awaken

Origin:

"state of wakefulness," O.E. -wacu (as in nihtwacu "night watch"), related to watch; and partly from O.N. vaka "vigil, eve before a feast," related to vaka "be awake" Meaning "a sitting up at night with a corpse" is attested from early 15c. (the verb in this sense is recorded from mid-13c.).

a)he- the male person or animal being discussed or last mentioned

Origin:

before 900; Middle English, Old English hē (masculine nominative singular); cognate with Dutch hij, Old Saxon hē,

O.E. he from *hiz, from base *khi-, from PIE *ki-, the "this, here" and thus the source of the third person pronouns in O.E. The h- wore off O.E. neut. hit to make modern it. 

b)they- nominative plural of he, she,  and it.

Origin:

1150–1200; Middle English  < Old Norse their  they (replacing Old English hī ( e )); cognate with Old English thā,  plural of thæt that

c.1200, from O.N. þeir, originally masculine plural demonstrative pronoun, from *thai, nom. pl. pronoun, from PIE * Gradually replaced O.E. hi, hie, plurals of he, heo, hit by c.1400. Colloquial use for "anonymous people in authority"

is attested from 1886.

Jane Eyre-A captivating great storytelling book

            Jane Eyre is an excellent book filled with passion, romance, and mystery. Because of these three characteristics, and its reputation as a classic, this book caught my attention immediately from the summer reading list. The story about a young girl’s relationship with her employer, which was very unusual at the time, intrigued me and led me ultimately open and read the first couple pages of the book. Although the book was very good, well-written, and included very interesting characters, there were some weaknesses to the storytelling as well.

            There were many great aspects of Bronte’s storytelling that helped made the story more enjoyable.  First, Bronte wonderfully describes the characters and the settings of the book in such detail that you can almost hear the main character’s voice echo in you ears and paint a picture the beautiful place for which she had set. For example when Bronte depicts the Thornfield mansion, one can picture the scenic path that led up to the house or the quaint haunted feeling Jane got when she passed by a room. The book included many uncommon difficult words scattered throughout the pages of the story. But, it helped give the story a sense of class and elegance, while increasing the reader’s vocabulary level. Bronte’s overall storyline was brilliant and suspenseful—It would be hard for someone to not be tempted to thumb to the next chapter to see if the relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester had heightened. Bronte also did an excellent job of constantly involving the reader with the plot and bringing out their opinions and emotions to the story. It made the reader feel like he or she was actually standing side-by-side with Jane and feeling the same frustrated or cheerful reactions to her decisions made throughout the book. For example, the reader probably experienced frustration when Jane ran away from the Thornfield mansion and decides to start a new life or happiness when Jane finally consents to marrying blind, helpless Mr. Rochester. Another strength of this story is that Bronte made her characters very relatable. She made teenage Jane Eyre have similar emotions and instabilities to that of a teenager today. Jane Eyre, though on the outside very poised and emotionless, is actually very vulnerable and melodramatic on the inside, which is what most teenagers act like. Teenagers usually act wildly and passionately rather than rationally similarly with Jane Eyre after she finally confesses to being in love with Mr. Rochester. Her change in personality can also be seen in her actions when before meeting Mr. Rochester, Jane took very calculated and planned actions compared to the end of the book when she decides to leave on the spur of the moment. The love affection between a nineteen year old and a grown man is very unusual and the way that Bronte sets the characters in a Victorian era adds to the oddity.

            However, there are a few weaknesses of the book that tarnish its overall great storytelling abilities. The main factor that might deter any reader from finding it to be a good piece storytelling literature is the length. The book sometimes tends to be a standstill, where there is not much moving forward with the plot but more of descriptions of emotions. Secondly, the longer the book is, the harder it is for the author to keep the readers engaged for so long. Also, some of Bronte’s storytelling is hard to understand because it is not succinct and to the point. She likes to drag out the details for too long that sometimes the plot of the story is lost. The plot is what keeps the story moving forward and if there are too many details the reader sometimes loses interest. In addition, Bronte did not have an amazing attention grabber. It took a few pages before the reader could feel that truly connected and interested in the story.

            Overall, Jane Eyre was strong in storytelling and the strengths outweighed the weaknesses. It did have a few rough spots telling the story but it peculiar storyline and description engaged the reader throughout and made it a fantastic story.  

Most Memorable Books

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.k. Rowling. This was the only 759 page book that did not take me years to finish. It actually took me 2 days to read because of the continual mystery and excitement. The book just made me feel apart of the wizarding world. This was my favorite out of the series but enjoyed many others.
2. Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan. I had the strongest connection with the characters in the book, coming from an asian heritage and growing up with similar stories, and felt as though I was apart of their story.
3. To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee. I read this book in eighth grade and was blown away by the cleverness of the author. This is probably the only book that I have read over and over again.
4. Catcher and the Rye, J.D. Salinger. I enjoyed the main character's constant pessimism about life and found it to be truly entertaining.
5. Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer. Again, this is my favorite out of the series but loved the others as well. Just not as much as this one. This book was a great escape from reality with the mysterious and dangerous werewolves and vampires.
6. Homeless bird, Gloria Whelan. I read this book in sixth grade but fell in love with the story from the start. It made me very sad and I even cried during some of the chapters. Reading about how people deal with the hardships of extreme poverty is absolutely heartbreaking.
7. Snakehead, Anthony Horowitz. This thrilling action-packed spy book captured my complete attention the whole time. Many times I peeked ahead to the next chapter because I could not resist the temptation of finding out what happens next. This book is again just one of its series, but its better than the others.
8. Curious Incident of the dog in the nighttime, Mark Haddon. The way the author wrote the book to fit the exact speech of an autistic 15-year old boy made the book very funny, enjoyable, and relatable.
9. Pretty Little Liars, Sara Shepard. This is a mystery murder novel with high school girls being blackmailed through modern technology--texting, email, and ichat. I loved how I could relate to the settings, time period, and the typical high school girl drama with this book.
10. The Chosen, Chaim Potok. This is just one of those books that you never forget. Its great storyline and ending left me saying "WOW, that was really good!"