The Transall Saga by Gary Paulsen
This is a book that I read in elementary school. I chose this because when I was younger it was my favorite book, and even though I hardly remember the story now, it is one of my most memorable because I can still see images from the book in my mind's eye.
The House of Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
This is also a book that I read in elementary school. I remember this book more clearly because it intrigued me; the main boy was a clone in a country called opium and was treated harshly by a serious of scenarios and used by others for their own gains; another reason this book is so memorable to me is because of the social injustice in the storyline; it was one of the first books that made me aware of such things.
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
One of the first vampire novels that I read. It started my on a vampire novel phase, during which I would only read vampire books; this eventually led me to the book Twilight.
Candide by Voltaire
Candide is my favorite classical novel. I remember this book as being a very pleasant read and one of the funniest satires I have ever read; it is an ingenious book till the very end and discusses some philosophy that makes a reader think more about the world.
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk
This book was more explicit then the books I was used to. Because of this book I ventured more into the perverse and the world of the insane; books that had an asylum particularly caught my eye.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
I liked this book because it was a gothic novel. I read it during a phase where I loved all things haunted and dark, it was a nice mix of romance and mystery; pleasant.
PostSecret by Frank Warren
This book connects a person to the troubles of random strangers around the world. When reading the personal secrets of others I felt connected, sympathetic, and aware; the most moving book I have ever read and the most profound.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
clockwork orange
A Clockwork Orange has many different aspects to it that sets it apart from other novels of its time. Through Anthony Burgess's use of language, irony, and imagination he was able to create a new strange world that mirrored problems in our world.
First, the language used in the novel is probably one of the most significant differences in Burgess's novel. Burgess entertains his readers by having the main character speak a futuristic slang. It is nasdat slang, a slang language only teens would use. In the beginning of the book these slang words can be a problem for the reader, for when reading the story a person becomes very uncertain of what the author is actually saying. Many of the sentences, for instance, "there was no law against prodding some of the new veshches which they used to put into the old moloko, so you could peet it with vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom or one or two other veshches which would give you a nice quiet horrorshow..." could have many different meanings and are so jampacked with nasdat slang words that it is hard to decipher each words meaning. However, as the story progresses a reader can understand the nasdat slang better because of its usage and context.
Burgess's use of language makes for a more enjoyable read because of his construction of new words. The words are spelled and pronounced in a funny way. Also, it is sort of like a game, having to figure out the meaning of each word. Finally, towards the end of the novel a reader may find themselves using the slang words unconsciously in their day-to-day life or when contemplating the book, as was my experience. When added to the style in which the other speaks in the novel, the slang words spice up the book even more.
Another aspect of A Clockwork Orange that affects the reader is the story. It starts with a fifteen-year-old boy who is part of a small gang. He and his group of friends go around wrecking having, sort of like a profession. They first go to a bar, then they always buy drinks for some old laddies so that the laddies and create alibis for them. Then after they go to different houses and people on the street, stealing money, vandalizing property, beating up people, and rapping women. One of the most surprising things in this novel is how the main character, Alex, a regular boy who goes to school during the day looks upon what he does with not a shred of guilt. Even at the end of the book where he returns to his habits, he does not retire form his midnight shenanigans because they are making him feel guilty but rather because he is bored of them and wants a family. Because of this a conflict can take place within a reader, between wanting to follow the story and support and sympathize with the protagonist, or understanding the crimes the protagonist has committed and wondering if he got what he deserved.
First, the language used in the novel is probably one of the most significant differences in Burgess's novel. Burgess entertains his readers by having the main character speak a futuristic slang. It is nasdat slang, a slang language only teens would use. In the beginning of the book these slang words can be a problem for the reader, for when reading the story a person becomes very uncertain of what the author is actually saying. Many of the sentences, for instance, "there was no law against prodding some of the new veshches which they used to put into the old moloko, so you could peet it with vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom or one or two other veshches which would give you a nice quiet horrorshow..." could have many different meanings and are so jampacked with nasdat slang words that it is hard to decipher each words meaning. However, as the story progresses a reader can understand the nasdat slang better because of its usage and context.
Burgess's use of language makes for a more enjoyable read because of his construction of new words. The words are spelled and pronounced in a funny way. Also, it is sort of like a game, having to figure out the meaning of each word. Finally, towards the end of the novel a reader may find themselves using the slang words unconsciously in their day-to-day life or when contemplating the book, as was my experience. When added to the style in which the other speaks in the novel, the slang words spice up the book even more.
Another aspect of A Clockwork Orange that affects the reader is the story. It starts with a fifteen-year-old boy who is part of a small gang. He and his group of friends go around wrecking having, sort of like a profession. They first go to a bar, then they always buy drinks for some old laddies so that the laddies and create alibis for them. Then after they go to different houses and people on the street, stealing money, vandalizing property, beating up people, and rapping women. One of the most surprising things in this novel is how the main character, Alex, a regular boy who goes to school during the day looks upon what he does with not a shred of guilt. Even at the end of the book where he returns to his habits, he does not retire form his midnight shenanigans because they are making him feel guilty but rather because he is bored of them and wants a family. Because of this a conflict can take place within a reader, between wanting to follow the story and support and sympathize with the protagonist, or understanding the crimes the protagonist has committed and wondering if he got what he deserved.
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