Reflection on a year of reading British Literature
A room of one's own by Virginia Woolf
To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Based off of the scenery used in "To The Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf Britain can be described in simple terms; a Urban metrolise yet beauty of the rural landscapes in the coastal. But to give a clearer picture I'd say that Britain in the 20th century weather is diverse in a way that they get all 4 seasons thanks to its low latitude & pressure it allows moist from the ocean to filter( and since Britain is an island) it creates rainy days most of the year in England but nonetheless they still get to experience all 4 seasons where in my opinion represents Britain rich geography & diverse where in one hand we have the main cities where they are Towering buildings, people talking & shouting, and the streets crowded with citizens walking but in the other hand we have the Rural & Coastal places where the timeless beauty of British seaside with its massive/high altitude cliffs, beaches, and its easy going waves.
The book 'To The Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf speaks the most depth of the countries geography & culture( with a bit of tradition and history). Coastline is what represent Britain's sense of adventure & unknown events waiting to be unfold, The Ramsay family's annual pilgrimage takes place in Coastal region of Scotland where the characters interact & admire the cries of seagulls and the gently lapping of waves against the shore to the vibrant landscape that makes the guests of the Ramsay family reflect their identity,love, and feelings for example Mrs. Ramsay's contemplation of the sea and the distant lighthouse serves as a meditation on the transience of human life and the powerful toll of nature. I can related to this feeling cause every time I seem stress out I go out for a walk breathing the fresh air from the trees and being a watcher just seeing the birds fly in the sky, Planes, Cars, people playing sports, and the blue skies making me feel more alive and at ease.
Based on the scenes in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley we can see characters eating "synthetic meat", "synthetic milk", and "solidified alcohol" this shows the absence of any British dish or culture due to the advances of technology where instead of celebrating British culinary traditions and regional flavors where in the late 20th century society prioritizes efficiency, uniformity, and convenience in its approach to food production and consumption. Which this still holds true today where our food is no longer 'natural' but rather genetic modified & addition of hormones that accelerate production & makes it tasty. We can also ties to to Fast Food Restaurants where the consumer is very aware of the unhealthy substances that are added to the bread, meat, fries to make it last longer and addicted to eat but since its cheap & fast we just ignored it.
From To the lighthouse I learned that life goes on so fast that sometimes we ignored the little things in life while we are searching in finding our 'purpose' which ultimate leads us not satisfy with the results. It's just best to enjoy the ride with your love ones and to cherish and trust in them. From Brave new World I learned that technology as social media, news, games distracts us from questioning the status quo or challenge authority. And that its okay to feel fear when trying to be unique. and Finally from the Ramsay's family learned that there is no place in earth to rest but home.
One thing I learned about myself during this time and the making of this project was learning about a complete new culture,history, and traditions and as a human from earth I treasure and find interesting all that has to do with human history! Most of the characters had the same beliefs & ideas as me which were to question the status quo and that sometimes in life you just gotta do you own thing, or in another words take a leap of faith. The books point that the elites/gov't is dividing us and making us fight so it makes it easier for them to control us which even in America holds true. Where we are being divide by race, religion, ethnicity, gender,etc. Our world seem completely divided and differing and its important to capture that essence of existence but most importantly live life to the fullest.I enjoy this year's reading.
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