Ford recommended this one, and, while I'm not a fan of post-apocalyptic novels, I'm very glad he did. This novel is simplistic in a variety of ways - straightforward dialogue, simple words, basic sentences, etc. -,yet it has an emotional depth that, as a father of two boys, hit me pretty hard. I see the Hemingway comparison through the lack of dialogue guides, the language, and the masculine themes, but there's a lot of "Papa" that McCarthy doesn't borrow from (e.g., Papa was not one for using similes, nor for telling the story, whereas McCarthy does both, quiet often). Still, that's a good thing! Who'd want to read a total Hemingway rip-off? The book was easy to read, and hard to put down. However, I found myself compelled to put the book down on several occasions to check on my sons or just give them a little of my time. If you read the novel, you'll quickly understand why the story had this strange effect on my paternal nature. As far as the major themes go, I found them easy to uncover, which, after reading such dense literature lately, I was grateful for. There was also a "child of God" religious thing going on that I enjoyed thinking about. I would definitely recommend this novel to several of my friends, and would probably give old Cormac another chance. The only "flaw" in the novel - if you can call it a flaw -, is that the audience seems to be somewhat limited. I don't see this as a novel for women. Maybe it's just me ...
On a side note, I had the strangest experience with this novel: I lost it! Last night the novel mysteriously disappeared from my home. I had 40 pages left to read, and it just up and left on me. I looked everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE! Freezer, bookshelves, downstairs shower, garage, cars, under the sofa, wood-burning stove, medicine cabinet, dog's stomach, etc. I have NO idea what happened to it. Mark was kind enough to lend me his copy - which I didn't molest in anyway -, so I could finish the novel. I get a headache just thinking about the 3 hours I spent looking for my copy. Where the hell is it?
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Readings: 2007
The "official" 2007 list! I'm going to include a book (East of Eden) I started in December of 2006 and finished in Jauary of 2007. I guess I get 1/2 credit for that one.
East of Eden , by John Steinbeck
Crime and Punishment, by Fydor Dostevsky
Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe
As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
Beowulf, by R. Ford
For Love of Evil*, by Piers Anthony
A Farewell to Arms*, by Ernest Hemingway
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
The Remains of the Day, by M Fabrizi
Wielding a Red Sword*, by Piers Anthony
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe
*These are re-reads.
Currently Reading: Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
Next up: Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig
East of Eden , by John Steinbeck
Crime and Punishment, by Fydor Dostevsky
Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe
As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
Beowulf, by R. Ford
For Love of Evil*, by Piers Anthony
A Farewell to Arms*, by Ernest Hemingway
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
The Remains of the Day, by M Fabrizi
Wielding a Red Sword*, by Piers Anthony
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe
*These are re-reads.
Currently Reading: Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
Next up: Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
What's the buzz, B?
So there we sat,discussing and diffusing, situated amongst a hoard of boors, calling words like "Visigoth" and "blackguard" to come forth and testify before a cup of coffee.
The upstairs version of the downstairs smoking section in an all too familiar bistro, swirled and shook under the mixture of uncommon thoughts and bizarre dreams: Wilted dicks and all-night exterminators gathered under a mighty mosquito roof of a Volkswagen minibus and head off to confuse a bunch of Jamaicans with a bag of rock candy and a bottle of Dewars Scotch Whiskey.
I learned A minor on the harp while dosing Dr. Seuss with hits of Charles Manson and avocado hamburgers. Indeed, the vegetable kingdom threw forth many sacrifices for our total consumption, and I personally counted six different greens on a table of red and white. Who knows what a zucchini thinks just before hitting the fryer, marked $4.95 and served with horseradish sauce?
We questioned the Simians, laughed at virginity, wondered about bubblegum and the future of the Knicks.
So the couple at the far table might have to re-evaluate for a few days, and the waitress has a hottub and a thong bikini. Must we all speak with embarrassment when assessing the value of an Oreo cookie, on a Tibetan mountain, while looking to get into the Guinness Book of World Records? Or have women truly mastered the blues amongst the tombstones in the pouring night?
The upstairs version of the downstairs smoking section in an all too familiar bistro, swirled and shook under the mixture of uncommon thoughts and bizarre dreams: Wilted dicks and all-night exterminators gathered under a mighty mosquito roof of a Volkswagen minibus and head off to confuse a bunch of Jamaicans with a bag of rock candy and a bottle of Dewars Scotch Whiskey.
I learned A minor on the harp while dosing Dr. Seuss with hits of Charles Manson and avocado hamburgers. Indeed, the vegetable kingdom threw forth many sacrifices for our total consumption, and I personally counted six different greens on a table of red and white. Who knows what a zucchini thinks just before hitting the fryer, marked $4.95 and served with horseradish sauce?
We questioned the Simians, laughed at virginity, wondered about bubblegum and the future of the Knicks.
So the couple at the far table might have to re-evaluate for a few days, and the waitress has a hottub and a thong bikini. Must we all speak with embarrassment when assessing the value of an Oreo cookie, on a Tibetan mountain, while looking to get into the Guinness Book of World Records? Or have women truly mastered the blues amongst the tombstones in the pouring night?
For Larry: On the night his heart broke
What's left?
Shadows...
Leaks of dust, dead skin to silhouette a frame,
when no windows cracked suggest protection.
Drops of rain to moisten the flesh,
when flaked skin begs cold cream,
unbottled.
And when the bottle pours an offensive amount,
bearing blatant stench to churn acidic walls,
and weakens the lever that lifts heavy, heavy glass,
I know I must, MUST drink what has been drawn without ink,
from the hastiness of the tip.
Then comes howling.
From the deserts and dunes, swamps and stagnant pools,
baked grass and rolled up leaf...
From offices, resorts, bikini shops, motel rooms, church bells,
and old reunion notices...
One hundred intangible creatures;
a vicious, snarling bite greedy and grinding;
a demand for a final gift to my grave, my blood.
They come tongue in sword,
melding from subtle wisps,
to overworked putty,
towards social glass, paper tin, abandoned rock,
and finally...
I do not (you should not, Larry) find pleasure in the bruises.
Wrestled from their precious skin, by the itch of my uncut toes,
when the cubs - that now a wolf - once naively mewed over my nipple's milk.
Thier breasts are strong, and their dust has sting, and the shadows are power.
Because?
Because they have marched.
Indeed, I lead their forces.
This may sound incredible,
but I believe these shadows to be my friends,
as long as the nudity is intact.
Who represents my failures,
surrendered pawns,
like the naked, the vulnerable, the warmth of raw trust, the chill of sincere shame, shy fear, bold exhibitionism, padded illusions?
Their gift to clench the spine so tight to widen eyes to evil spread to fingers burn to iron revelations: Fire. Fury. Freedom!
Their gift to welcome sudden frost, not flinch, to posture like a Celtic giant on a throne of outrageous oasis, chilling grin of past glory.
Their owners, these shadows, the WOMEN who suffered, surrendered, attacked, admonished, fought to linger and flourish for future sisters to protect for me, from me, me from,
like our brothers once protected them, needed protection from.
In this game - a simple choice of word - there are no villains.
Just late bloomers.
The only rule is to see them NAKED,
and then ...
Close your shades to a bearable modicum of pressures ...
Shadows...
Leaks of dust, dead skin to silhouette a frame,
when no windows cracked suggest protection.
Drops of rain to moisten the flesh,
when flaked skin begs cold cream,
unbottled.
And when the bottle pours an offensive amount,
bearing blatant stench to churn acidic walls,
and weakens the lever that lifts heavy, heavy glass,
I know I must, MUST drink what has been drawn without ink,
from the hastiness of the tip.
Then comes howling.
From the deserts and dunes, swamps and stagnant pools,
baked grass and rolled up leaf...
From offices, resorts, bikini shops, motel rooms, church bells,
and old reunion notices...
One hundred intangible creatures;
a vicious, snarling bite greedy and grinding;
a demand for a final gift to my grave, my blood.
They come tongue in sword,
melding from subtle wisps,
to overworked putty,
towards social glass, paper tin, abandoned rock,
and finally...
I do not (you should not, Larry) find pleasure in the bruises.
Wrestled from their precious skin, by the itch of my uncut toes,
when the cubs - that now a wolf - once naively mewed over my nipple's milk.
Thier breasts are strong, and their dust has sting, and the shadows are power.
Because?
Because they have marched.
Indeed, I lead their forces.
This may sound incredible,
but I believe these shadows to be my friends,
as long as the nudity is intact.
Who represents my failures,
surrendered pawns,
like the naked, the vulnerable, the warmth of raw trust, the chill of sincere shame, shy fear, bold exhibitionism, padded illusions?
Their gift to clench the spine so tight to widen eyes to evil spread to fingers burn to iron revelations: Fire. Fury. Freedom!
Their gift to welcome sudden frost, not flinch, to posture like a Celtic giant on a throne of outrageous oasis, chilling grin of past glory.
Their owners, these shadows, the WOMEN who suffered, surrendered, attacked, admonished, fought to linger and flourish for future sisters to protect for me, from me, me from,
like our brothers once protected them, needed protection from.
In this game - a simple choice of word - there are no villains.
Just late bloomers.
The only rule is to see them NAKED,
and then ...
Close your shades to a bearable modicum of pressures ...
From the Madness ...
It's an all new script;
a grain of soul plucked from the brows of mellow hipsters,
children of Pan, soilders of the sacred wood.
Stained and smarting, the blood of Loki blackened my soul.
To be new baptized in the bush,
roadside relief, moon mountain harvest.
I arrive.
This is where I belong,
up near the mountian's frosty breath,
clothed as an iron-horse warrior,
alone and thinking: consume it all baby; you're free.
"Baccus, I'll be with you tommorow.
Tonight it's time for healing."
a grain of soul plucked from the brows of mellow hipsters,
children of Pan, soilders of the sacred wood.
Stained and smarting, the blood of Loki blackened my soul.
To be new baptized in the bush,
roadside relief, moon mountain harvest.
I arrive.
This is where I belong,
up near the mountian's frosty breath,
clothed as an iron-horse warrior,
alone and thinking: consume it all baby; you're free.
"Baccus, I'll be with you tommorow.
Tonight it's time for healing."
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Crime and Punishment: Final Thoughts
I had originally started work on a few thoughts about Part 4, but then I pulled them for revision. By the time I got back to the computer I was well beyond Part 4, so I dumped the blog. Before I get to my final thoughts on the novel, here are a few highlights of the Part 4 Blog:
Part 4:
For me, Part 4 was a bit of a let-down. While I whole-heartedly enjoyed chapters 1-3, I found myself uncomfortable with almost everything that happened after Rodya left his mother, sister, and Raz. with gaping mouths. In chapters 4, 5 and 6 we see moments of cruelty (torturing Sofya) and weakness (cracking under the annoying laughter of Porfriy - I did not like this scene with Porfriy half as much as the earlier scene at the apartment) from our protagonist. These were disappointing moments for me, and I didn't expect that type of regression from Roskolnikov. I especially didn't like him waffling back and forth in regards to surrendering to the authorities (Note: Now that I've finished the novel, I've changed my mind about his constant indecisiveness (aka: most of the internal tension in the novel). This element of his personality stays consistent all the way through to the magnificent end when he goes down the stairs of the police station only to be encountered by Sofya, and realizes that there is no turning back. This back and forth mentality is effective and believable.).
Still, there were interesting moments in the final 3 chapters (when he talks about Sonya leaping into the water I recalled the woman in Part 2, Svidrigaylov's diabolical presence at the end of Chapter 4, the suspensefull moment with the man behind the door, come to mind), and I happily found myself pondering the strange paradox of rooting for a killer. Ultimately, it was the first 3 chapters that made this Part fun for me.
Svidrigaylov is an excellent addition to the novel (He remains one of my favorites throughout the tale). I know, I know this is very redundant to say, but he belongs in a Dickens' novel! I loved how quickly Rodya and he revealed their minds in Chapter 1. Svid. does a great job of waiting out Rodya's original disdain, and successfully wins over the reader (at least this one) by the end of their conversation. Svid is sneaky, smart, cunning, and, as we later discover, dangerous and sad. His rationale for pursuing Dunya is more than acceptable; who can be blamed for seeking love? Sure, he's a bit of a screw-up and a golddigger, but I don't believe he purposely fell in love with Dunya. He might, however, have fallen for any other woman besides his wife, had Dunya not been around. Interestingly enough, after reading more about Svid. in Parts 5 and 6, he reminded me Florentino Ariza in Love in the Time of Cholera, although only loosely. I think it's the thirst for sex versus love thing.
Chapter 2 was outstanding (Luzhin Revealed!)! Oftentimes, I look for characters to come out and deal with their problems immediately and courageously, and they fail to comply. All that I had hoped for with this Luzhin "problem" came to fruition. Dunya and mom rose to the occasion, and proved they are women capable of taking care of themselves, with the exception of financially, of course. Dunya's intelligence is only matched by her strength of character. Her assertion that Rodya would apologize if ordered was impressive. Never once did you see Rodya challenge her authority. Watching Luzhin squirm was a delight (This scene is matched by the one later on in Part 5, when Luzhin's attempt to slander Sofya is thwarted). The snobbish upper-class is always a delicious mark in literature. Although I was surprised and angered by Rodya's sudden attempt to estrange himself from his family (after they just experienced such a great triumph), his silent exchange with Raz. at the end of the chapter might be THE moment in the book.
Note: After I read Fab's remarks on Part 4, I remembered the moment when the narrator decided to use the 1st person pronoun. While reading that scene, it struck me as odd. I was glad to see Fab bring it up. I think an FD scholar probably has had a field day discussing the narrative point of view in this novel, and I wouldn't mind reading more about it. One of the things I noticed is that the tone and pace of the narration oftentimes shifted to meet the personality and the moment, several times in the last 3 Parts (Profriy's scenes and the scenes with Katerina Ivanova come to mind). Now I know this is not uncommon in great literature, so I might just be saying something obvious here.
Final Thoughts:
I also really enjoyed reading this novel (I peeked at Fab and Ford's blogs). It was an excellent choice for this blogging project, but a difficult one as well. There are a lot of different ways to examine the book, and it would take a lot more work than I have time to put in to do an authoritative/scholarly examination with each part (at this point in my life). Still, I liked doing the work I did (a solid record of my reading to refer to later on is very attractive to me), and I liked reading the other blogs as well. I guess I could say I now posses a much better than average understanding of the novel, so that's nice. I'm going to throw out a few final thoughts here:
Luzhin (Part 5, Chapter 1): "Am I to get married for the sake of the furniture?" One of my favorite lines!
I enjoyed the Luzhin character tremendously. I really liked the scene with his roommate, Lebeziatnikov, which was unexpected, since I could care less about Leb's commune idea. Luzhin's counting of his money in front of the bohemian (and clearly jealous) phony was a delight! (On a side note, Leb. really redeemed himself in the slander scene). Luzhin's offer to "help" Sofya perked me up, and I couldn't wait to see how his revenge on Rodya would take form through this poor girl. Once Luzhin exited the novel (way too early for this reader, but at an appropriate time in general), his absence was missed. One of the things I noticed (or thought about) during the scene when Luzhin begins his accusation (his re-telling of the facts) of Sofya, is just how patient of a writer FD truly is. There are many moments in the story (Porfriy's speeches and Katrina's death scenes come to mind) where the writer allows his characters to talk at their own pace, through what I consider great discipline on Dostoevky's part. I would imagine that having a sound understanding of where you're going, and what you want to accomplish, would make a lot of writers rush to get there, but not FD. Still, as I'll mention shortly, this can be a fault if used too much.
Svidrigaylov (Part Two): Like Luzhin, Svid was a favorite character of mine. I always enjoy the villains and the asses (that's why I like Richard III and Twelfth Night so much), so it's no surprise to me that I liked this creep. However, I felt that every moment after Dunya shot him and he walked out of the room dragged the story down. He is an interesting character, yes, but he's not the main character. His "goodbyes" and his dreams (I did like the helpless little girl dream a lot) were totally unnecessary. Here FD is doing too much!
On a side note: Actually, I found that quite a few moments in the novel could have been whittled down, although not the death of Katerina (it was very powerful and worth the read). The novel definitely has a lot of "flavor", which can be both rewarding and tedious, depending on your personal taste. I read that one of you loved the dinner scene tremendously. While I enjoyed the scene for what it was, I didn't need all of it. Had it been a play we were watching, I think FD made the scene come alive and it would definitely play well before an audience. In the dinner scene the focus is off Rodya too much for my taste, even though you could argue many reasons for this being so: he's trying to stay in the background; he's out of his class; Rodya isn't one to get involved early on; he likes to wait and pick his spots, etc.
When Rodya reveals himself to Sofya: I found this scene to be very powerful because of the tension she demonstrates between her passion for God, her disgust, and her "love" for Rodya. It was - as Mark mentioned - time for Dostoevsky to inject God into his novel, and she was the right character to bring it out. Still, that's not what moved me. Her back and forth (flings herself on the bed and then gets right up in his eyes, turns away and then places her hand on his chest), was the ultimate in inner conflict. I loved it. I kept thinking that if she truly was a "bad girl" she would have been free to acknowledge any carnality she might have, and throw her fellow sinner on the bed for a consummation of evil. Her mortification solidified her purity, and in many ways designated her prostitution into the category of "didn't really happen". That having been said, I found her character nosediving at the end. She was wonderful in her sadness and in her refusal to let him seek his fate on his own (and as his conscience at the bottom of the police stairs), but she died out for me in the epilogue, and I found no reason for her to be as exalted by the prisoners as she was. I get why she stayed with Rodya, after all he was her earthy"savior"- to go with her heavenly one -, but she didn't come across as divine.
Boy this is long!
The Ending and the Epilogue: I'm glad the novel ended with Rodya's admission of guilt. Having Rodya leave the police room and meet up with Sofya on the stairs and then go back was a brilliant move. It shouldn't have ended any other way. I was also pleased with Rodya when he went to see his mother, a act that raised my estimation of him tremendously. The kneeling down scene was also a wonderful touch, and, I agree, much more important because he doesn't do it for show. I'm not sure I liked him choosing to avoid Porfriy; I thought the man had done Rodya quite a favor by letting him make the choice on his own, and deserved the collar. As far as the Epilogue goes, I'm back and forth on that. There's always a danger of spoiling the story with an epilogue (Tolkien has moments where he hurts Lord of the Rings with his extended epilogues, in my mind), and there's not a lot of real value in them if a writer does too much. Do I really need to know all that much about Razmuhin and Donya? His character disappears (as does many of the better characters) after Part 5, and most of what happens with him is expected. I get that Rodya's embracing of God is an important thematic element, but I don't know if it moved me at all. Of course, as one of you (Rob or Mark) nicely pointed out, his theory failed because he killed for no reason, and selected poorly. It could also be argued that he failed because he wasn't truly great (he was just a big fish in a very sordid pond. The people he hobnobbed with were of considerably low class, so of course he would shine under these circumstances. Sort of like an adult kicking ass on the Jepoardy teen tournament). Still, I would have enjoyed a more evil end, with him sitting there critiquing his first go around, and making adjustments to the theory for his eventual parole! HAAHAAHAAHAA!
Thanks for the experience Fydor, Mark, and Rob. At some point I'd like to discuss the role of Charity in the novel (but not on-line). There's a lot of people helping the unfortunates, in this novel.
What's next?
Part 4:
For me, Part 4 was a bit of a let-down. While I whole-heartedly enjoyed chapters 1-3, I found myself uncomfortable with almost everything that happened after Rodya left his mother, sister, and Raz. with gaping mouths. In chapters 4, 5 and 6 we see moments of cruelty (torturing Sofya) and weakness (cracking under the annoying laughter of Porfriy - I did not like this scene with Porfriy half as much as the earlier scene at the apartment) from our protagonist. These were disappointing moments for me, and I didn't expect that type of regression from Roskolnikov. I especially didn't like him waffling back and forth in regards to surrendering to the authorities (Note: Now that I've finished the novel, I've changed my mind about his constant indecisiveness (aka: most of the internal tension in the novel). This element of his personality stays consistent all the way through to the magnificent end when he goes down the stairs of the police station only to be encountered by Sofya, and realizes that there is no turning back. This back and forth mentality is effective and believable.).
Still, there were interesting moments in the final 3 chapters (when he talks about Sonya leaping into the water I recalled the woman in Part 2, Svidrigaylov's diabolical presence at the end of Chapter 4, the suspensefull moment with the man behind the door, come to mind), and I happily found myself pondering the strange paradox of rooting for a killer. Ultimately, it was the first 3 chapters that made this Part fun for me.
Svidrigaylov is an excellent addition to the novel (He remains one of my favorites throughout the tale). I know, I know this is very redundant to say, but he belongs in a Dickens' novel! I loved how quickly Rodya and he revealed their minds in Chapter 1. Svid. does a great job of waiting out Rodya's original disdain, and successfully wins over the reader (at least this one) by the end of their conversation. Svid is sneaky, smart, cunning, and, as we later discover, dangerous and sad. His rationale for pursuing Dunya is more than acceptable; who can be blamed for seeking love? Sure, he's a bit of a screw-up and a golddigger, but I don't believe he purposely fell in love with Dunya. He might, however, have fallen for any other woman besides his wife, had Dunya not been around. Interestingly enough, after reading more about Svid. in Parts 5 and 6, he reminded me Florentino Ariza in Love in the Time of Cholera, although only loosely. I think it's the thirst for sex versus love thing.
Chapter 2 was outstanding (Luzhin Revealed!)! Oftentimes, I look for characters to come out and deal with their problems immediately and courageously, and they fail to comply. All that I had hoped for with this Luzhin "problem" came to fruition. Dunya and mom rose to the occasion, and proved they are women capable of taking care of themselves, with the exception of financially, of course. Dunya's intelligence is only matched by her strength of character. Her assertion that Rodya would apologize if ordered was impressive. Never once did you see Rodya challenge her authority. Watching Luzhin squirm was a delight (This scene is matched by the one later on in Part 5, when Luzhin's attempt to slander Sofya is thwarted). The snobbish upper-class is always a delicious mark in literature. Although I was surprised and angered by Rodya's sudden attempt to estrange himself from his family (after they just experienced such a great triumph), his silent exchange with Raz. at the end of the chapter might be THE moment in the book.
Note: After I read Fab's remarks on Part 4, I remembered the moment when the narrator decided to use the 1st person pronoun. While reading that scene, it struck me as odd. I was glad to see Fab bring it up. I think an FD scholar probably has had a field day discussing the narrative point of view in this novel, and I wouldn't mind reading more about it. One of the things I noticed is that the tone and pace of the narration oftentimes shifted to meet the personality and the moment, several times in the last 3 Parts (Profriy's scenes and the scenes with Katerina Ivanova come to mind). Now I know this is not uncommon in great literature, so I might just be saying something obvious here.
Final Thoughts:
I also really enjoyed reading this novel (I peeked at Fab and Ford's blogs). It was an excellent choice for this blogging project, but a difficult one as well. There are a lot of different ways to examine the book, and it would take a lot more work than I have time to put in to do an authoritative/scholarly examination with each part (at this point in my life). Still, I liked doing the work I did (a solid record of my reading to refer to later on is very attractive to me), and I liked reading the other blogs as well. I guess I could say I now posses a much better than average understanding of the novel, so that's nice. I'm going to throw out a few final thoughts here:
Luzhin (Part 5, Chapter 1): "Am I to get married for the sake of the furniture?" One of my favorite lines!
I enjoyed the Luzhin character tremendously. I really liked the scene with his roommate, Lebeziatnikov, which was unexpected, since I could care less about Leb's commune idea. Luzhin's counting of his money in front of the bohemian (and clearly jealous) phony was a delight! (On a side note, Leb. really redeemed himself in the slander scene). Luzhin's offer to "help" Sofya perked me up, and I couldn't wait to see how his revenge on Rodya would take form through this poor girl. Once Luzhin exited the novel (way too early for this reader, but at an appropriate time in general), his absence was missed. One of the things I noticed (or thought about) during the scene when Luzhin begins his accusation (his re-telling of the facts) of Sofya, is just how patient of a writer FD truly is. There are many moments in the story (Porfriy's speeches and Katrina's death scenes come to mind) where the writer allows his characters to talk at their own pace, through what I consider great discipline on Dostoevky's part. I would imagine that having a sound understanding of where you're going, and what you want to accomplish, would make a lot of writers rush to get there, but not FD. Still, as I'll mention shortly, this can be a fault if used too much.
Svidrigaylov (Part Two): Like Luzhin, Svid was a favorite character of mine. I always enjoy the villains and the asses (that's why I like Richard III and Twelfth Night so much), so it's no surprise to me that I liked this creep. However, I felt that every moment after Dunya shot him and he walked out of the room dragged the story down. He is an interesting character, yes, but he's not the main character. His "goodbyes" and his dreams (I did like the helpless little girl dream a lot) were totally unnecessary. Here FD is doing too much!
On a side note: Actually, I found that quite a few moments in the novel could have been whittled down, although not the death of Katerina (it was very powerful and worth the read). The novel definitely has a lot of "flavor", which can be both rewarding and tedious, depending on your personal taste. I read that one of you loved the dinner scene tremendously. While I enjoyed the scene for what it was, I didn't need all of it. Had it been a play we were watching, I think FD made the scene come alive and it would definitely play well before an audience. In the dinner scene the focus is off Rodya too much for my taste, even though you could argue many reasons for this being so: he's trying to stay in the background; he's out of his class; Rodya isn't one to get involved early on; he likes to wait and pick his spots, etc.
When Rodya reveals himself to Sofya: I found this scene to be very powerful because of the tension she demonstrates between her passion for God, her disgust, and her "love" for Rodya. It was - as Mark mentioned - time for Dostoevsky to inject God into his novel, and she was the right character to bring it out. Still, that's not what moved me. Her back and forth (flings herself on the bed and then gets right up in his eyes, turns away and then places her hand on his chest), was the ultimate in inner conflict. I loved it. I kept thinking that if she truly was a "bad girl" she would have been free to acknowledge any carnality she might have, and throw her fellow sinner on the bed for a consummation of evil. Her mortification solidified her purity, and in many ways designated her prostitution into the category of "didn't really happen". That having been said, I found her character nosediving at the end. She was wonderful in her sadness and in her refusal to let him seek his fate on his own (and as his conscience at the bottom of the police stairs), but she died out for me in the epilogue, and I found no reason for her to be as exalted by the prisoners as she was. I get why she stayed with Rodya, after all he was her earthy"savior"- to go with her heavenly one -, but she didn't come across as divine.
Boy this is long!
The Ending and the Epilogue: I'm glad the novel ended with Rodya's admission of guilt. Having Rodya leave the police room and meet up with Sofya on the stairs and then go back was a brilliant move. It shouldn't have ended any other way. I was also pleased with Rodya when he went to see his mother, a act that raised my estimation of him tremendously. The kneeling down scene was also a wonderful touch, and, I agree, much more important because he doesn't do it for show. I'm not sure I liked him choosing to avoid Porfriy; I thought the man had done Rodya quite a favor by letting him make the choice on his own, and deserved the collar. As far as the Epilogue goes, I'm back and forth on that. There's always a danger of spoiling the story with an epilogue (Tolkien has moments where he hurts Lord of the Rings with his extended epilogues, in my mind), and there's not a lot of real value in them if a writer does too much. Do I really need to know all that much about Razmuhin and Donya? His character disappears (as does many of the better characters) after Part 5, and most of what happens with him is expected. I get that Rodya's embracing of God is an important thematic element, but I don't know if it moved me at all. Of course, as one of you (Rob or Mark) nicely pointed out, his theory failed because he killed for no reason, and selected poorly. It could also be argued that he failed because he wasn't truly great (he was just a big fish in a very sordid pond. The people he hobnobbed with were of considerably low class, so of course he would shine under these circumstances. Sort of like an adult kicking ass on the Jepoardy teen tournament). Still, I would have enjoyed a more evil end, with him sitting there critiquing his first go around, and making adjustments to the theory for his eventual parole! HAAHAAHAAHAA!
Thanks for the experience Fydor, Mark, and Rob. At some point I'd like to discuss the role of Charity in the novel (but not on-line). There's a lot of people helping the unfortunates, in this novel.
What's next?
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Crime and Punishment: Part 3
Well that was much easier than the last two parts!
After trying to get past the 1st chapter of Part 3 for three days (I can't concentrate on Russian people at 10 0'clock at night), I decided to read all of Part 3 in one shot last night, and it wasn't too bad. In truth, the hardest part of reading the dang book is looking for smart stuff to say to the genius brothers! Here are this week's observations:
The Humor in the Novel - I have to say, C&P is shaping up to be a pretty funny novel (purposely or not). I've always found Rodya's nasty temper and pomposity to be a gas, but my lord that Razumikhin is a crack-up! His drunken, desperate, love-struck rant - mixed with his anger over the near fist-fight he laments not starting at his political party - is a joy to read! I love characters like Raz.: unpredictable, rightgeously emotional, willing to die for a cause (or love), compassionate, and loopy! Not to mention, his honesty during the discussion (chapter 2) of Rodya's true character scene (when he flambes his good friend with a scathing portrait) is so audacious he instantly became my hero!
Casual Violence in the Novel - Is it me, or do a lot of people in this book take a beating now and then? Heck, Raz. offers up himself ("You may beat me, if you like") to the doctor - another funny character - after making the doc sleep in the landlady's apartment for the night.
Mom & Baby Sis - I have to say, both characters are coming out much better than I expected. The mother - who brings up Marfa's death in chapter 2, but never bothers to explain who she is to Raz - is quite comical. She and Dunya seem to have a plan - or at least an understanding - as to how they're going to deal with Luzhin, that's a lot more autonomous than I expected. I don't think they're the helpless fools I originally guessed (kudos to FD). I was shocked, SHOCKED that they didn't bat an eye over Luzhin's request to omit Rodya from any future contact, AND that they immediately took action to disobey the request. That's what I mean by "they seem to both be on the same page". When Dunya announced her request for Rodya to join them for the meeting, old mom never said boo! By the way, isn't Dunya great? She really knows how to handle her brother in chapter 3. Her response to his reasoning as to why she would marry Luzhin really shows just how strong she is.
Inner thoughts - Is it me, or did we have a lot of inner thoughts in this part of the novel (especially chapter 3)? Rodya's inner thoughts are most definitely the key to discerning his true nature (duh!). In chapter 3 he asks himself "Why, are you all afraid of me?", which is a question he already knows, I'm sure. He also talks about hating women, don't we all. But, of course, the best moments of his inner dialogue come during Porfory's "interrogation". Was that not one of the 3 best moments in the novel (this is starting to become a redundant question)?
Chapter 5 - What the heck could any of us say about this scene that wouldn't be obvious? From Rodya's laughing (clever) entrance, to his murder-justification theory, to outwitting "the trap", this chapter is quite possibly the best one so far (I'd really have to go back to take this statement "off the fence".). I also enjoyed just how mad Rodya got during Raz.'s "helping"
moments, and how cocky Rodya got during his "On Crime" explanation. We all heard Howard Roark again, didn't we? Finally, I liked Rodya's attitude about catching the crook, and the crook getting what he deserved (for being so stupid as to have gotten caught). He has a very practical approach to the whole theory; he really wins you over to his way of thinking (scary).
I guess the only part of Part 3 I didn't enjoy was Rodya's detour back home, before he went to his sister's meeting. I get that he needed to decompress - and that FD needed to bring in Svidrigaylov so he could end the Part on a suspenseful note -, but I wanted to see the meeting between Rodya and Luzhin (which also shows how good a job FD's doing with the novel).
That's it! Unless I went into a true, philosophical discussion and dialogue (which is what Ford wanted us to do, so sorry buddy) on Rodya's "On Crime" (which I, strangely, see the rationale behind), there's nothing more to do. And that, dear friends, would be a LOT to do; and I have things to do...
After trying to get past the 1st chapter of Part 3 for three days (I can't concentrate on Russian people at 10 0'clock at night), I decided to read all of Part 3 in one shot last night, and it wasn't too bad. In truth, the hardest part of reading the dang book is looking for smart stuff to say to the genius brothers! Here are this week's observations:
The Humor in the Novel - I have to say, C&P is shaping up to be a pretty funny novel (purposely or not). I've always found Rodya's nasty temper and pomposity to be a gas, but my lord that Razumikhin is a crack-up! His drunken, desperate, love-struck rant - mixed with his anger over the near fist-fight he laments not starting at his political party - is a joy to read! I love characters like Raz.: unpredictable, rightgeously emotional, willing to die for a cause (or love), compassionate, and loopy! Not to mention, his honesty during the discussion (chapter 2) of Rodya's true character scene (when he flambes his good friend with a scathing portrait) is so audacious he instantly became my hero!
Casual Violence in the Novel - Is it me, or do a lot of people in this book take a beating now and then? Heck, Raz. offers up himself ("You may beat me, if you like") to the doctor - another funny character - after making the doc sleep in the landlady's apartment for the night.
Mom & Baby Sis - I have to say, both characters are coming out much better than I expected. The mother - who brings up Marfa's death in chapter 2, but never bothers to explain who she is to Raz - is quite comical. She and Dunya seem to have a plan - or at least an understanding - as to how they're going to deal with Luzhin, that's a lot more autonomous than I expected. I don't think they're the helpless fools I originally guessed (kudos to FD). I was shocked, SHOCKED that they didn't bat an eye over Luzhin's request to omit Rodya from any future contact, AND that they immediately took action to disobey the request. That's what I mean by "they seem to both be on the same page". When Dunya announced her request for Rodya to join them for the meeting, old mom never said boo! By the way, isn't Dunya great? She really knows how to handle her brother in chapter 3. Her response to his reasoning as to why she would marry Luzhin really shows just how strong she is.
Inner thoughts - Is it me, or did we have a lot of inner thoughts in this part of the novel (especially chapter 3)? Rodya's inner thoughts are most definitely the key to discerning his true nature (duh!). In chapter 3 he asks himself "Why, are you all afraid of me?", which is a question he already knows, I'm sure. He also talks about hating women, don't we all. But, of course, the best moments of his inner dialogue come during Porfory's "interrogation". Was that not one of the 3 best moments in the novel (this is starting to become a redundant question)?
Chapter 5 - What the heck could any of us say about this scene that wouldn't be obvious? From Rodya's laughing (clever) entrance, to his murder-justification theory, to outwitting "the trap", this chapter is quite possibly the best one so far (I'd really have to go back to take this statement "off the fence".). I also enjoyed just how mad Rodya got during Raz.'s "helping"
moments, and how cocky Rodya got during his "On Crime" explanation. We all heard Howard Roark again, didn't we? Finally, I liked Rodya's attitude about catching the crook, and the crook getting what he deserved (for being so stupid as to have gotten caught). He has a very practical approach to the whole theory; he really wins you over to his way of thinking (scary).
I guess the only part of Part 3 I didn't enjoy was Rodya's detour back home, before he went to his sister's meeting. I get that he needed to decompress - and that FD needed to bring in Svidrigaylov so he could end the Part on a suspenseful note -, but I wanted to see the meeting between Rodya and Luzhin (which also shows how good a job FD's doing with the novel).
That's it! Unless I went into a true, philosophical discussion and dialogue (which is what Ford wanted us to do, so sorry buddy) on Rodya's "On Crime" (which I, strangely, see the rationale behind), there's nothing more to do. And that, dear friends, would be a LOT to do; and I have things to do...
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Crime and Punishment: Part 2
What a pain in the arse this book is! First of all, there are new characters to recognize, understand, and draw conclusions about. Not only that, but they don't come across they way I had originally expected them to.
Luzhin, as much as he lived up to being the ass he is, still turned out a lot different than I imagined. He was more interested in impressing a group of strangers with his powers of deduction, than he was establishing his social superiority (which, I suppose, is because he was extremely comfortable with the latter). He was also a bit of a dandy (did I read him wrong?), and more of a loser than I expected (living with a friend while he waits for his new home to be ready?). I expected someone a lot stronger, more distant, and Heathcliff-like. Boy was I off! By the way, fellas and ladies, did anyone else hear the voice of our dear friend Ayn Rand when Luzkin and Razumikhin discussed societal progress (or "The Progressive Cause") in Chapter 5?
As far as Razumikhin goes, what an impossible character to get a solid grip on. On one hand, he's this brilliant student that - according to Raskolnikov - the whole school reveres -, and on the other hand, he's a bit of a smoothie, and a dunderhead. He's obviously much smarter than Luzkin, but he allows himself to be strangely emotional over Raskolnikov, to the point of being abused! If he wasn't so "interested" in the landlady, I'd think he was hot for our "hero". In any case, he's too blind to see the many clues our boy has given him, yet he is respected enough to host a party that boasts quite a few of the local big shots!
A final character that seems to be more Shakespearean - and less "Angela's Ashes" - than I originally expected is Nastasya. Am I the only one who thinks that she's figured out the crime (maybe she went through the room when he was out, or washed some of the blood off his clothes while he slept), based on how forcefully she was repeating - right to Raskolnikov's face - how Lizaveta was killed too? Nastasya was NOT pleased with the 2nd killing, at all. There's a real interesting character at work here, and, as I mentioned, she reminds me of MANY of the great Shakespeare women (see: Portia: The Merchant of Venice, Mistresses Ford and Page: The Merry Wives of Windsor, Hippolyta: A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Maria: Twelfth Night). Interesting that they're all from the comedies...
Now that I'm done with this look back at a few key characters, here's a few more thoughts:
The scene at the Police Station was one of the best in the novel; I'm happy to read it again in the near future.
I'm really annoyed with the way Raskolnikov has handled the ill-gotten booty. Sure, he's a lot better off sitting on it for awhile - which was discuss during the rewarding bar conversation he has with Zametov in Chapter 6 (one of my favorites) -, but it's annoying to me that he'd be so careless with something he paid dearly for. Heck, it's not like he can take it back, so he might as well figure out something to do with it (the money). My motto is: If you've done the crime, you might as well enjoy the spoils!
The in and out of fever thing is a valuable addition to the plot. His illness allows him so much freedom! He can, and does, turn from people (mostly towards his wall) whenever he feels the urge. He can say fantastic - albeit it humorously and dangerously true - things, and totally get away with it. He can insult, predict, faint, ramble, and sweat with the best of them. In fact, his illness gives him a bit of an alibi. Even though he passed out after the crime, he must have been building up the illness long enough to cast doubt (just not in Nastaya's eyes).
I am whole-heartedly enjoying listening to Raskolnikov "solve" the crime for people. I love every moment that the murder is mentioned. What kind of idiot goes back to the crime scene? I never would have gotten away with HALF the stuff I pulled in college (I was quite the prankster) if I adopted ONE-THIRD of this guy's doltish behaviors.
The doctor is an interesting character. I smell "Hack".
I have a footnote in Chapter 5! On page 145 of my book, Luzhin and Razumikhin are discussing "progress" and Razumikhin says "We've grown used to having everything ready-made, to walking on crutches, to having our food chewed for us. Then the great hour struck,* and every man showed himself in his true colors." The "great hour" he's referring to is the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. It's funny, but this sounds a lot like America, 2007 to me. We are told we cannot take responsibility for ourselves any more. Our students cannot be trusted to select healthy foods for themselves. I must wear my seatbelt or I shall suffer a fine. It's Big Tobacco's fault that a person who smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day for 30 years suffers from cancer. And on, and on, and on... Is our "Great Hour" coming?
The street music girl (act of charity # 2 or 3 for our boy?). Name a character in a novel SHE reminds you of! I'll bet it's written by: a. Dickens b. Dickens, or c. Dickens
How much is FIVE COPECKS in the late 1800's?
Here's a great line from Chapter 6: "She was young and not repulsive. The only one of the group." Isn't this what we're all hoping for, when out picking up chicks?
OH! So there's this great moment (Chapter 6) when he talks about standing in one spot forever, if you had to pick one spot. Do you guys remember this part? I thought this was a really cool question, and I plan on figuring it out soon. What is the one spot, the one view, that I'd like to enjoy, for all eternity (if I had to pick just one)? It'd have to be a place I'd been before, and not some fantasy nonsense. You ever have that conversation when you were younger? You know, the one that asks: "If you could date anyone, in the history of the world, who would you date?" Someone always picked Helen of Troy! I never got that. I'd never met her. What is she had really horrible body odor? I pick a girl I already knew (Kim Henderson, maybe).
What's up with the suicide girl? Brown, nasty water.
I'm not a fan of Raskolnikov's flippancy (sp?) with his mother's heavily mortgaged rubles. What is this, a Holden Caulfield connection?
Marmeladov's death was both unexpected and brilliant (another episode with horses!). Is our Robin Hood on his way? How much more blood will find it's way on our hero's clothes? Will the little girl - ala Nancy in Sin City - grow up to be a romantic interest for our boy? What will happen to the gaudy Sofya, now that the family has a few rubles to spend? Will she make her way to the Salinas Valley, in search of Kate and a new house of ill repute (that one was for you Lydia - read East of Eden you guys!)?
Stay tuned for next week's blog...
Luzhin, as much as he lived up to being the ass he is, still turned out a lot different than I imagined. He was more interested in impressing a group of strangers with his powers of deduction, than he was establishing his social superiority (which, I suppose, is because he was extremely comfortable with the latter). He was also a bit of a dandy (did I read him wrong?), and more of a loser than I expected (living with a friend while he waits for his new home to be ready?). I expected someone a lot stronger, more distant, and Heathcliff-like. Boy was I off! By the way, fellas and ladies, did anyone else hear the voice of our dear friend Ayn Rand when Luzkin and Razumikhin discussed societal progress (or "The Progressive Cause") in Chapter 5?
As far as Razumikhin goes, what an impossible character to get a solid grip on. On one hand, he's this brilliant student that - according to Raskolnikov - the whole school reveres -, and on the other hand, he's a bit of a smoothie, and a dunderhead. He's obviously much smarter than Luzkin, but he allows himself to be strangely emotional over Raskolnikov, to the point of being abused! If he wasn't so "interested" in the landlady, I'd think he was hot for our "hero". In any case, he's too blind to see the many clues our boy has given him, yet he is respected enough to host a party that boasts quite a few of the local big shots!
A final character that seems to be more Shakespearean - and less "Angela's Ashes" - than I originally expected is Nastasya. Am I the only one who thinks that she's figured out the crime (maybe she went through the room when he was out, or washed some of the blood off his clothes while he slept), based on how forcefully she was repeating - right to Raskolnikov's face - how Lizaveta was killed too? Nastasya was NOT pleased with the 2nd killing, at all. There's a real interesting character at work here, and, as I mentioned, she reminds me of MANY of the great Shakespeare women (see: Portia: The Merchant of Venice, Mistresses Ford and Page: The Merry Wives of Windsor, Hippolyta: A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Maria: Twelfth Night). Interesting that they're all from the comedies...
Now that I'm done with this look back at a few key characters, here's a few more thoughts:
The scene at the Police Station was one of the best in the novel; I'm happy to read it again in the near future.
I'm really annoyed with the way Raskolnikov has handled the ill-gotten booty. Sure, he's a lot better off sitting on it for awhile - which was discuss during the rewarding bar conversation he has with Zametov in Chapter 6 (one of my favorites) -, but it's annoying to me that he'd be so careless with something he paid dearly for. Heck, it's not like he can take it back, so he might as well figure out something to do with it (the money). My motto is: If you've done the crime, you might as well enjoy the spoils!
The in and out of fever thing is a valuable addition to the plot. His illness allows him so much freedom! He can, and does, turn from people (mostly towards his wall) whenever he feels the urge. He can say fantastic - albeit it humorously and dangerously true - things, and totally get away with it. He can insult, predict, faint, ramble, and sweat with the best of them. In fact, his illness gives him a bit of an alibi. Even though he passed out after the crime, he must have been building up the illness long enough to cast doubt (just not in Nastaya's eyes).
I am whole-heartedly enjoying listening to Raskolnikov "solve" the crime for people. I love every moment that the murder is mentioned. What kind of idiot goes back to the crime scene? I never would have gotten away with HALF the stuff I pulled in college (I was quite the prankster) if I adopted ONE-THIRD of this guy's doltish behaviors.
The doctor is an interesting character. I smell "Hack".
I have a footnote in Chapter 5! On page 145 of my book, Luzhin and Razumikhin are discussing "progress" and Razumikhin says "We've grown used to having everything ready-made, to walking on crutches, to having our food chewed for us. Then the great hour struck,* and every man showed himself in his true colors." The "great hour" he's referring to is the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. It's funny, but this sounds a lot like America, 2007 to me. We are told we cannot take responsibility for ourselves any more. Our students cannot be trusted to select healthy foods for themselves. I must wear my seatbelt or I shall suffer a fine. It's Big Tobacco's fault that a person who smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day for 30 years suffers from cancer. And on, and on, and on... Is our "Great Hour" coming?
The street music girl (act of charity # 2 or 3 for our boy?). Name a character in a novel SHE reminds you of! I'll bet it's written by: a. Dickens b. Dickens, or c. Dickens
How much is FIVE COPECKS in the late 1800's?
Here's a great line from Chapter 6: "She was young and not repulsive. The only one of the group." Isn't this what we're all hoping for, when out picking up chicks?
OH! So there's this great moment (Chapter 6) when he talks about standing in one spot forever, if you had to pick one spot. Do you guys remember this part? I thought this was a really cool question, and I plan on figuring it out soon. What is the one spot, the one view, that I'd like to enjoy, for all eternity (if I had to pick just one)? It'd have to be a place I'd been before, and not some fantasy nonsense. You ever have that conversation when you were younger? You know, the one that asks: "If you could date anyone, in the history of the world, who would you date?" Someone always picked Helen of Troy! I never got that. I'd never met her. What is she had really horrible body odor? I pick a girl I already knew (Kim Henderson, maybe).
What's up with the suicide girl? Brown, nasty water.
I'm not a fan of Raskolnikov's flippancy (sp?) with his mother's heavily mortgaged rubles. What is this, a Holden Caulfield connection?
Marmeladov's death was both unexpected and brilliant (another episode with horses!). Is our Robin Hood on his way? How much more blood will find it's way on our hero's clothes? Will the little girl - ala Nancy in Sin City - grow up to be a romantic interest for our boy? What will happen to the gaudy Sofya, now that the family has a few rubles to spend? Will she make her way to the Salinas Valley, in search of Kate and a new house of ill repute (that one was for you Lydia - read East of Eden you guys!)?
Stay tuned for next week's blog...
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Crime and Punishment: Part 1
Ok, so the 1st part of the novel has officially been read! The 1st two chapters were a little difficult to get into, and I didn't get going with the story until after Raskolnikov's mother's letter. Still, that had a lot more to do with my busy schedule, and less with Dostoevsky! Before I get into any specifics, let me state a few things for the record: 1. While attempting to read this novel one night, I was interrupted by an old friend with news of his recent arrest, and subsequent sentencing of 10 months of house arrest, and some new "jewelry" for his ankle. As always, art and life go hand in hand. I didn't get to read that night, but I do think I reflected on the novel's themes in a more CAPT question 3, Response to Literature way. My God, I miss my old life... 2. I have not yet decided how I plan to format these blogs, so this may be the way I do it for each part (with an overall commentary, and then a few specifics), or it may not. What the heck, this is a blog, not a Thesis. 3. Like everyone else, the Russian names are frustrating me, but I'll survive. No matter how many Checkov plays you read, or smart you are, Russian names are much harder to keep track of (especially with the first, middle, and last name thrown at you all at once - my god, who'd want to keep typing those names all the time?) than Joe Blow, and Rob Fabrizi. Finally, 4. I'm really glad to be reading this novel, and, so far, I like it very much. I could easily read another Part tonight, but we all have to wait for our buddy MF to catch up!
Specifics:
1. I think it's really interesting that FD starts the novel off with Raskolnikov's plan already in the works. This struck me as terribly efficient, and a great way to hook the reader from the get go. R's nasty attitude and superiority complex - coupled with his dilapidated outer-garments - instantly gets you wondering whether or not you're going to find yourself rooting for this character, or against him.
2. I found myself thinking a lot about Dickens while reading the first part of the novel, and Victorian Literature in general. Much like any good Dickens novel, you really need to keep track of all of the characters, since there's a better than average chance you'll run into them again. The Alyona Ivanova's and Marmeladov's of the novel - as well as the drunk girl (on her way to The Little Red Schoolhouse, I imagine) and her drooling suitor in chapter 4 - would easily fit into any one of the larger Dickens' novels I've read. So would Mr. Svidrigailov, Luzhin, and you get the point.
3. At this stage of my reading life, the drunkard character has been done too many times for me to underline all of his words of inebriated wisdom. Yes, Marmeladov has a few philosophic things to say, but I've heard most of them before (largely by my roommates in college).
4. I liked the mother's letter a lot, but I liked even more how Raskolnikov broke it down and read between the lines in Chapter 4. When he starts using some of the more reprehensible characters as metaphors for future behaviors he observed (such as when he referred to the fat dandy in Chapter 4 as Svidrigailov, and resigned the drunk Lydia character to the Darya Frantsovnas of the world), I was both pleased with myself for knowing who the hell is who in this darn novel, and with FD For adding that extra layer. Remember: Sonia's life is no worse than a life with Mr. Luzhin.
5. Connecting Marmeladov's daughter with Raskolnikov's sister was pretty clever.
6. "Anyway, he must decide on something, or else... "Or throw up life altogether!"" (44, in my book). I think about this sentiment quite a bit. I think we all do.
7. Who hasn't drank a little too much vodka and fell a sleep in a bush for a while? I hope this isn't the reason why FD is considered great! If this is the criteria for greatness, I know a few self-proclaimed poets - myself included - from college that should be Literary Gods by now.
8. The dream REALLY upset me. I had my hand over my heart half the time, and I even covered my eyes and peaked at the page once or twice. There's a few things in this world that REALLY bug me, and animal cruelty is one of them. I won't ever lose this scene from my mind. Thanks a lot Dostoevsky! I'm sure the helpless horse is symbolic in it's inability to meet the impossible demands of it's owner, to the Russian poor, or some other such nonsense that we'll figure out in a few weeks.
9. I liked how he "looked back" at the choice to walk through the Hay Market at just the wrong (or right) moment. This practice of identifying turning points in a person's life (which I first considered after reading an excellent essay by Mark Twain, called "The Turning Point of My Life"), is one that I really enjoy, in any form.
10. Mark and Rob" Why do writers sometimes just give the first letter of a word, and then an underline follows it? E.G., He's from the Province of N _ (62, in my book). In "The Devil and Tom Walker", Tom says "The D_ take me, if I have made a farthing!" Hemingway also does this to aviod using the F word in A Farewell to Arms. I've always wanted to know this.
11. Great moments of suspense in the last chapter of Part 1. FD does an excellent job with the whole murder/robbery. Is anyone else guilty of wondering if by walking on a newly painted floor, Raskolnikov has left a trail right to his house? It may be a stretch, but I did go to the same school that boasts the teachings of Henry Lee.
Well, that's all for now. I hope this wasn't too much for you all to read. I'm going to go read Ford's Blog now, and wait for the rest!
Specifics:
1. I think it's really interesting that FD starts the novel off with Raskolnikov's plan already in the works. This struck me as terribly efficient, and a great way to hook the reader from the get go. R's nasty attitude and superiority complex - coupled with his dilapidated outer-garments - instantly gets you wondering whether or not you're going to find yourself rooting for this character, or against him.
2. I found myself thinking a lot about Dickens while reading the first part of the novel, and Victorian Literature in general. Much like any good Dickens novel, you really need to keep track of all of the characters, since there's a better than average chance you'll run into them again. The Alyona Ivanova's and Marmeladov's of the novel - as well as the drunk girl (on her way to The Little Red Schoolhouse, I imagine) and her drooling suitor in chapter 4 - would easily fit into any one of the larger Dickens' novels I've read. So would Mr. Svidrigailov, Luzhin, and you get the point.
3. At this stage of my reading life, the drunkard character has been done too many times for me to underline all of his words of inebriated wisdom. Yes, Marmeladov has a few philosophic things to say, but I've heard most of them before (largely by my roommates in college).
4. I liked the mother's letter a lot, but I liked even more how Raskolnikov broke it down and read between the lines in Chapter 4. When he starts using some of the more reprehensible characters as metaphors for future behaviors he observed (such as when he referred to the fat dandy in Chapter 4 as Svidrigailov, and resigned the drunk Lydia character to the Darya Frantsovnas of the world), I was both pleased with myself for knowing who the hell is who in this darn novel, and with FD For adding that extra layer. Remember: Sonia's life is no worse than a life with Mr. Luzhin.
5. Connecting Marmeladov's daughter with Raskolnikov's sister was pretty clever.
6. "Anyway, he must decide on something, or else... "Or throw up life altogether!"" (44, in my book). I think about this sentiment quite a bit. I think we all do.
7. Who hasn't drank a little too much vodka and fell a sleep in a bush for a while? I hope this isn't the reason why FD is considered great! If this is the criteria for greatness, I know a few self-proclaimed poets - myself included - from college that should be Literary Gods by now.
8. The dream REALLY upset me. I had my hand over my heart half the time, and I even covered my eyes and peaked at the page once or twice. There's a few things in this world that REALLY bug me, and animal cruelty is one of them. I won't ever lose this scene from my mind. Thanks a lot Dostoevsky! I'm sure the helpless horse is symbolic in it's inability to meet the impossible demands of it's owner, to the Russian poor, or some other such nonsense that we'll figure out in a few weeks.
9. I liked how he "looked back" at the choice to walk through the Hay Market at just the wrong (or right) moment. This practice of identifying turning points in a person's life (which I first considered after reading an excellent essay by Mark Twain, called "The Turning Point of My Life"), is one that I really enjoy, in any form.
10. Mark and Rob" Why do writers sometimes just give the first letter of a word, and then an underline follows it? E.G., He's from the Province of N _ (62, in my book). In "The Devil and Tom Walker", Tom says "The D_ take me, if I have made a farthing!" Hemingway also does this to aviod using the F word in A Farewell to Arms. I've always wanted to know this.
11. Great moments of suspense in the last chapter of Part 1. FD does an excellent job with the whole murder/robbery. Is anyone else guilty of wondering if by walking on a newly painted floor, Raskolnikov has left a trail right to his house? It may be a stretch, but I did go to the same school that boasts the teachings of Henry Lee.
Well, that's all for now. I hope this wasn't too much for you all to read. I'm going to go read Ford's Blog now, and wait for the rest!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Readings: 2006
So My Pal Rob Ford Has Decided To Blog His Readings For The 2006 Year! Not to be outdone by my esteemed colleague, I figured I'd follow suit and post mine too! I hope this information is accurate; it was a long year!
In no particular order:
In no particular order:
East of Eden, by JS (OK, I really read 1/2 of it in December of 2006, and 1/2 in January of 2007)
- I think I'll be writing up East in a day or ten (when I get the time). This was one of my most pleasant reading experiences in a long time (and I really liked Fountainhead, Don Q., and P&P, so that says a lot)
Don Quixote, by MC (A summer to re(ad)member - terrible joke! A lot has been written already about this novel, so I'll just say that I'm very glad to have read it, and I definitely enjoyed Part 2 more than Part 1.)
The Fountainhead and Anthem, by AR (I still like Atlas the most! The character of Howard Rourke is one of the best I've read, in any novel. I also liked Gail Wynand, and Toohey. While I enjoyed Dominique's character very much, I didn't like a lot of her choices - the marriage to Peter Keating above all else-, and I liked Dagny Taggart in Atlas much more. I also didn't care for the breakup of Rourke's friendship with Gail, but I "get it". There were a BUNCH of great moments in the novel: most of them involving scenes where we see Rourke's genius in action. I would read Fountainhead again in 10 years, but Anthem was nothing special to me.).
Portnoy's Complaint, by PR (I get why the book is so famous. The sheer audacity of the writer -to say taboo things that everyone knows to be the truth, and share experiences that many people have had - is impressive! Especially the scene with the mother standing at the sink, and the blooddrop on the floor! Still, I laughed aloud a lot, but I couldn't wait for the novel to end. There was nothing about the main character that I liked, and the narration got old, fast. )
The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, by DB (Fun stuff! Easy to read (both books took a total of four days). Great art/history lesson. Why does the guy always ruin his stories in the end? These books were a great way to share a reading experience with my wife - who would rather not read heavy novels like Don Q.-, and for that I'm grateful. They also reminded me of my days in Europe. Again, that was nice. Still, I got very mad when the real bad guy was revealed in both novels. I though Brown's need to be clever - and unpredictable - hurt the stories. In Angels, I think everything after they take off in the helicopter was awful. I almost threw the novel away. DaVinci is a much better novel, in my humble opinion.)
Oliver Twist, and A Christmas Carol, by CD (Not happy with OT, but I loved Carol. I have to say that I was surprised that I didn't like Twist more. I know Fagin is a recommend character - and he was great-, but I didn't think The Artful Dodger lived up to his billing at all. Oliver was ok, but he didn't suffer nearly as much as I expected. The old man who liked to read - and who saved Oliver - was a great, kindly character, as was the girl/prostitute who also helped. All in all, I much prefer Great Expectations. A Christmas Carol was outstanding, and I'm very glad to have read it. I wonder which Dickens novel I should read next?)
Heart of Darkness, by JC (I wasn't a fan of this novel. Ford loves it, but it didn't do it for me)
Slaughterhouse Five, by KV (I liked this more than I expected. Glad to have read a novel of his)
Pride and Prejudice and Emma, by JA (Loved P&P! Emma was only ok. The characters in P&P were much better)
The Jungle, by US (Great start, dull end. I got the message UP.)
Frankenstien, by MS (Too many complaints to mention. Is it a great novel? Yes. Did I like it? Not really)
- Suck it Ford!
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