Contemporary Literature

[kellylasko-blog]

I would like to say to all of my classmates that I have really enjoyed this class this semester. If it were not for all of you and Professor Clark I think that this class would not have been as much fun. Although I do enjoy reading, I truly believe this class made it so much more. I have really...

[caitlinjateff-blog]

I really enjoyed our class discussions as well. They did tend to get a little heated at times, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I agree that The Things They Carried was touching, but there were just too many characters to keep up with. The Road was heart breaking. I felt bad for the man and the boy because they were alone in a destroyed world. A Visit From The Goon Squad was very confusing! I was still confused even after finishing the book and discussing it in class. I was also attached to Oskar and his journey to find what the key went to in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. This novel was one of my favorites along with The Road.

[caitlinjateff-blog]

Final Tumblr Post!

I have enjoyed this class this semester, but I am so ready for summer vacation to begin! This semester I have learned that I am not really into post modern literature. Most of the stories were too confusing to understand what was going on. There were only two books and one short story from PAF that I enjoyed reading. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was one of my favorites because it was about a real life event I could relate to. I also enjoyedThe Roadbecuase it made me think of what if something were to actually happen like this? The short story that I enjoyed was "Shiloh" because it was such an easy read. It has been nice getting know everyone through our group discussions in class and tumblr. Good luck to everyone on the final!

[juliabeckman-blog]

As I’ve read this book it does make me wonder if something like this could actually happen. With the technology available today it would only take one extreme personality to cause a worldwide catastrophe. Scary thought. Maybe this is why writers pen these types of novels, as a type of wake-up...

[caitlinjateff-blog]

I was wondering the same exact question while reading this novel. It's scary to think that one day everyone is going about their normal routines, and then the next day the world is destroyed. I believe something like this could actually happen, expecially with the events we have seen lately such as 9/11, the Boston Marathon Bombing, and threats against North Korea. There have been many movies/shows and books about the world ending like "Independence Day," "2012," "The Book of Eli," "The Walking Dead," and many more. Many people believe the world will end someday, but for now they are unsure of how it will happen.

[caitlinjateff-blog]

The Road: Book vs. Movie

I enjoyed the book more than the movie just because it was more descriptive and I could create my own images for each scene. There were quite a few differences between the book and the movie. One difference was that there were more flashbacks with the man in the movie than in the book. I think the director added more flashbacks to show the viewer how quickly the man was dying. The man had told the boy that when a person begins to dream about happy things, then they are slipping away from the world. Another difference that was in the movie but not in the book was when the boy found the beetle in the can. The director probably added the scene with the beetle as a sign of hope and a relief from the rest of the scenes in the movie which were full of destruction and danger. I wish the director would have included the trout from the book. It would have also been a sign of hope. To me, seeing trout would be more of a beautiful scene in the movie than a nasty little beetle bug.

[kurtbarger-deactivated20130701]

POST 12

Since everybody was probably hit by the terrible thunderstorm we had tonight I figured I would try to incorporate this thunderstorm into the book we are reading now called The Road. While the storm was going on my dog seemed to be really scarred and was completely cuddled up against me making it seem as if I was its protection. While this was happening it made me think about the boy and the father. This made me think of how young the boy was and how scarred he must have been during this terrible part of his life. The boy only has his father and sees his father as protection, kind of like my dog saw me as protection during the storm. Overall I felt as if my dog was acted like the boy portrayed in the story because they were both scared and seeked protection.

[caitlinjateff-blog]

Your dog is so cute! I like how you compared the situation with your dog to the boy and his father in McCarthy's novel, The Road. The only person the boy has to rely on is his father. He looks up to the man for protection and guidance. The boy realizes that his father won't always be around, so he has to learn how to protect himself, find food and clothing, and how to find shelter. The reader sees the boy becoming stronger and more independent when he leaves his father and finds the train. Towards the end of the novel, the boy also begins to take the gun more compared to the beginning of the novel when he was scared to carry it.

[caitlinjateff-blog]

Struggle For Survival

In Cormac McCarthy's novel, The Road, a man and his son struggle for survival after an apocalyptic event which left their world burned and full of ash. As they make their way south in hopes of finding a blue sea, they struggle to provide themselves with everyday basic needs such as food, water, dry clothes, and shelter. They find themselves in a few predicaments throughout their journey where they're not sure if they'll live to see the next day. Most of the homes and stores have already been rummaged through by the time the man and his son reach them. They also struggle to avoid the "bad guys." The man teaches his son to be precocious and how to take care of himself for when the father can no longer carry on with him.

[jmbeezley-blog]

Blog 4/5/13

This was a very interesting read especially these last couple of chapters. I thought it was sort of ironic that Sasha married Drew. In the beginning when Sasha went out with Alex I wasn’t sure that we would hear anything more from them. The author did such a good job the...

[caitlinjateff-blog]

I agree that there were many characters to keep up with throughout this novel. It was difficult to keep track of their stories and how each character was related to another one previously mentioned. It was kind of weird how Sasha ended up with Drew, but at the same time, many of the characters dated many people and married/divorced multiple times. I didn't particularly like the way Egan setup the novel with 13 short stories that could stand on their own. I like a book where the plot flows nicely form the first page to the last page. It makes the story less confusing.

[caitlinjateff-blog]

"Pure Language"

In Jennifer Egan's last chapter, "Pure Language," she tells the story from Alex's point of view of how he helps Bennie promote a concert for Scotty Hausmann in Lower Manhattan. This chapter takes place in the future in the year of 2026 where people prefer communicating through technology. "Pure Language" is about the changing of things. It is Scotty's new beginning and starting over from when he used to be a divorced, lowlife janitor to a rockstar. It is also where the new generation, which is the main characters' children, are taking over the older generation, which would be like Bennie, Dolly, and Sasha.

[juliabeckman-blog]

Jennifer Egan’s book, A Visit From The Goon Squad is a slice of life most people don’t like to think about. Remembering how things were in high school or even in college and how everything changes once you graduate can lead many to wonder what happened to the good ole days, where your biggest...

[caitlinjateff-blog]

I agree that the author is trying to explain how the characters change from point A, which is high school, to point B, which would be adulthood. She shows how the characters and their relationships change throughout the years. When Bennie was in high school, he was in a band with his friends. After high school, him and his band parted ways and did their own things. Bennie owned his own record label company, got married and then divorced. His high school friend Scotty disappeared for 20 years and then made a come-back with the concert Bennie put together for him. Through these characters, Egan explains that there is always a beginning and an end, and all the events that happen in the middle can’t be changed.

[caitlinjateff-blog]

A Visit From the Goon Squad

Jennifer Egan, in her novel A Visit From the Goon Squad, explains how each of the characters change from when they were all young adults in high school and college up until present day when they are in their 40’s plus. She introduces a new character in each chapter and relates it to a character that has previously been talked about. The two main characters in this novel are Bennie and Sasha. Bennie met many people through being in a band with his friends, owning his own record label company, and by organizing a concert for Scotty. Sasha met many of the other characters through college and while working for Bennie.

[juliabeckman-blog]

After reading Couplands Generation X a second time I had some kind of inspiration. I want to share what I think this confusing little piece means to me. Texalohoma is a stifling place where no one goes anywhere, they are content to live their lives in stagnation. The mother in this piece seems to...

[caitlinjateff-blog]

I never thought of the mom as inviting opportunity into her daughters’ lives until you pointed it out. I do agree that everyone in Texlahoma is content with their social statuses and are stuck in the year 1974. It seems like all the characters have going for them is gaining a new job, getting fired, and then finding another job. I think Arleen and Darleen deny Buck’s opportunity because they are afraid of what will happen if they do leave with him. They are jealous of their sister Serena for leaving, so obviously they aren't happy with the way their lives are in Texlahoma. Serena seems to be the more adventurous and optimistic sister.

[caitlinjateff-blog]

Generation X: Shopping Is Not Creating

I found this short story from Generation X to be a little confusing. It might have made a little more sense if I had read the whole book instead of just part of it. Anyway, this is what I got out of the story...A girl named Claire is telling her friends a mythical story about a place called Texlahoma, which is an asteroid orbiting the earth that is stuck in the year of 1974. An astronaut named Buck crashes his spaceship in Texlahoma and ends up getting space sickness. The oldest daughter, Arleen stays home to watch over Buck and they end up falling in love. Buck asks her if she will leave with him in his spaceship so that he can get home. He says that she will die due to lack of oxygen, but he will eventually bring her back to life. Arleen denies his offer. Then, the other daughter, Darleen stays home to take care of Buck and the process then repeats itself. Finally, the middle daughter Serena stays home to take care of Buck and she actually agrees to leave with him. The other two sisters are then jealous of Serena even though they knew Buck was lying about bringing them back to life after they die. All three of these sisters wanted to escape their boring life and experience something new. I think Claire tells this story because she wants to do the same. Claire wants to escape the life she is in right now, but just like the two sisters, she is afraid of what will happen to her if she does.

[eaglefan4life]

So far this class has been relatively easy and i have enjoyed the books we have read. Ill have to admit when I read our first couple of readings I was rather intimidated especially after reading in “The Heart of the Heart of the Country”. However the in class discussions of the reading are...

[caitlinjateff-blog]

I agree that the first two readings were very intimidating. I was thinking, "Oh goodness, what have I gotten myself into?" I thought Contemporary Literature would be one of the easiest classes out of all the options for Humanities. The readings have gotten better, though. I have also enjoyed the in class discussions. By hearing other peoples' opinions, it has helped me understand the readings more. At first, I wasn't looking forward to the tumblr posts because I wasn't sure of what to write for them or how to even work a tumblr. After a couple of posts, I eventually got a hang of it. I just have a problem reminding myself to do the reblogs before Monday morning!

[caitlinjateff-blog]

Halfway Done!

So far, this class has not been what I expected. I thought the readings would be a little less confusing and more straight forward. Instead, the plots jump around from past to present like in The Things They Carried,and in others the reader can’t even tell what the author is trying to say like in See the Moon. My favorite short story so far has been Shiloh because it was such an easy read. My favorite novel was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close because 9/11 is something most of us can relate to and remember. I really look forward to reading The Road again! It was such a wonderful book the first time I read it, I’m hoping I’ll have the same reaction the second time.

[cloud-walker-deactivated2013051]

I haven’t quite gotten to the end of the novel yet but I just came to this little revelation and thought that I should share it. 

Whether or not Oskar does find the lock that the key opens is no longer important to me to be satisfied with the novel. Thanks to this key that he has found Oskar has been able to open so many different things. He opens up many new friendships, like the one he shares with Mr. Black and he seems to open things in the people that he meets that they have tried to close up inside of themselves. Not to mention that this little key of his opens countless doors of the people that he seeks out throughout the novel. 

I feel that even if he can’t open the lock that the key really goes to it is thanks to this key that so many other locks are open. 

[caitlinjateff-blog]

I never really thought about the keys in this way either. Oskar's journey to find what they key goes to does unlock many friendships. It also helps Oskar keep the memory of his father alive while he is searching. He worries that once the search is over that he will forget about this father. The key also opens the relationship between Oskar and his grandfather, even though he thinks he's just the renter. The grandfather had been watching Oskar and Mr. Black while they traveled around town. Without the key, Oskar probably would not have had the chance to meet his grandfather.

[caitlinjateff-blog]

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

“There were things I wanted to tell him. But I knew they would hurt him. So I buried them, and let them hurt me.” (My Feelings)

This quote really stood out to me while reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The grandmother wrote this quote in her letter titled “My Feelings.” Even though it is the grandmother who says this about her husband, the quote also pertains to the other characters in the novel. It reminds me of when Oskar hid the messages on the answering machine from his mother. He wanted to tell someone about the messages, but he kept them to himself to protect her. This quote also reminds me of when Mr. Black told Oskar that he could not continue to join him with the key search. Mr. Black knew about Oskar’s grandfather, but refrained from mentioning anything about it to Oskar. He knew Oskar wasn’t supposed to know anything about his grandfather, so he didn’t tell him about their encounter. The quote also reminds me of when the grandfather went with Oskar to Thomas’ grave to bury the letters in the coffin. In this chapter, the grandfather physically buried his hurt. He tried to write to his son for years, but all he had was blank, un-mailed letters.

[taylorrhastings-deactivated2013]

Throughout reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, I have been curious to figure out whom the mysterious renter is that is living in Grandma’s apartment. At first I thought, he might not be real. Could it have been something that Grandma made up to keep her company? But another guess was...

[caitlinjateff-blog]

Throughout the book, I was also curious about who the renter could be. At first, I thought it could have been a boyfriend that the grandmother didn’t want Oskar to meet. It didn’t even cross my mind until later in the novel that the renter could have been the grandfather. I was relieved to find out that the renter was him. I just thought it was cute that he came back for her once he realized that his son had passed away. It was sad that he was gone for almost 40 years, but at least he made an effort to mend the relationship with the grandmother again when she really needed him. I also didn’t like that fact that the grandfather couldn’t tell Oskar who he really was, but his actions did show his love towards him anyway.