GCSC Contemporary Literature

[lucas-carters-amazing-lit-blog-]

What struck me about The Road was how persistent Man is about taking care of Boy. Just from watching the movie you can see all the shit he has to go through. Everything from an arrow in the knee, to starvation, shooting people, giving away the last coke in existence, walking down a gravel road with no shoes, threatening a dude to the point that he’s left naked, and more. He does it all expecting nothing in return for himself and only for Boy to live on and carry the fire. Best dad ever.

Edit: Mrs. Clark, I’m confused what number post should we be on by now?

[hopejerkins]

I agree with you one hundred percent; the man definitely deserves the best dad award! Since the beginning he continuously pushes himself and his son. Even in the movie we could see how much he was begging for his wife to continue to live and stay with them. He could have easily taken the easy way out in the very beginning and not have to face all of the hardships that they have had to endure. The man setting boundaries about how they go about living also tells what good of a person he is. Not eating other humans and not stealing from other people is something that not many of the people left on the earth followed. While he does everything he can to keep his boy and himself alive, having those certain types of beliefs and rules is amazing and rare in times like the ones they are experiencing.

#reblog14            #12/5/14

[hopejerkins]

Post 14

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. However, I did recognize some differences between the movie and book. A lot of the major scenes were more emotional than when I read them in the book. For example, the black man that stole the father and son’s cart was extremely sad. In the movie I could not help but feel sorry for him when they left him standing there with nothing. However when I read that part in the book I could see why the father done it and did not feel as sorry for the man. To me the setting in the movie did not fully match what I read in the book. I honestly imagined the atmosphere to be much darker and drearier than what they portrayed in the movie. Also in the movie I feel as if the boy’s fears was not portrayed like was said in the book. He seemed more willing and not as scared when his dad left him or when they encountered other people. It was definitely interesting to see how similar and different the book and movie were.

#12/5/14

[jgriffi16]

The Road has been such a great book! I’m a little surprised at how much I like it because honestly I was preparing for it to not be good. I’m not sure if I would go so far as to say its my favorite out of the ones we read but it ranks pretty highly! It took a while for me to get into it because it...

[hopejerkins]

I agree that The Road has been such a great book. I would even go as far to say as it was my favorite one that we have read in class.  Like you said, it took a while for it to get interesting but as soon as the first interaction with the army of people was mentioned, that is when I was hooked. From the beginning of the book to the end the boy has grown so much. It is interesting to see how much a person can mature given the circumstances they are in. I believe the son and father balanced each other out when it came to strength. When the boy was frightened and weak, the father was the strong and supportive one. When the dad became too sick to function, the boy became the father like figure. I honestly believe they both gave each other the strength to continue.

#Reblog13           #11/26/14

[hopejerkins]

Post 13

The Road was such a good book! However, I am upset about the dad passing away and all of the obstacles that they have had to endure. I am happy that the other family just so happened to follow them so that they could take the little boy in. The dad has taught the boy so many things that the boy will put to use in the times ahead (whatever they may be). I wish there was another book that continued the journey the boy has with his new family. It would be interesting to see how different of a personality and how much the little boy would have grown with them. I do not question the family at all. I honestly believe the family are the good guys because if they were really wanting to eat the father and son they would have done it earlier. I am excited to watch this movie!

#11/26/14

[nickmartin53]

Post 12

The book “the road” is a very exciting novel to read. I love post-apocalypse stories and this book is a great interpretation of that. The way the man and son have to fight for their lives day in and day out, makes me want to just finish the book. There so much suspense in this book that you can’t stop. Now I’m just waiting to find out how the book ends.

[hopejerkins]

The Road is definitely an exciting book! I love post-apocalyptic books and shows as well; The Walking Dead being my favorite. I have caught myself many times wanting to read ahead to see what would happen next in the book but would stop myself just so I would not get confused when it came to discussing it in class. It is such a powerful book that allows us to see that even when things are going tough there are still some good things in the world. I am glad the man and boy have each other. I am also ready to finish the book and find out what happens to the both of them.

#Reblog12           #11/21/14

[hopejerkins]

Post 12

I am happy that the boy is venturing out more from his dad. However, it is a happy and sad turning point for both the man and his son. It is sad because the boy realizes that he will not always have his father to depend on, so he would need to learn to do certain things on his own. It is also happy because he is becoming more of his own person and developing his own opinions about things when before he depended on his father’s perspective for everything. I also have total respect for the man. He continuously pushes himself to help do anything for not only himself but for his son; that takes real courage.

#11/20/14

[courtneyymcfarland]

As I started reading The Road, I was expecting to read to a certain chapter like every other book I’ve ever read. I was surprised to see that the book didn’t contain chapters. It’s the first novel I’ve ever seen that didn’t have any. So far though, it really is a decent book. I was kind of...

[hopejerkins]

It definitely surprised me as well when I realized that there was no chapters. However, I would not have mind if the book had zombies in it. I love The Walking Dead television series, so I think it would have been interesting. Like you said, they do have a close and also a not so close relationship. I also think that it is crazy that the man never really made the boy defend his self or even help him learn to defend himself. I think that since the man knows he is sick and probably will not make it much longer, he is starting to make the boy confront his fear of being alone. That is why he is starting to give him the gun when he is going off to get fire wood and doing other things.

#Reblog11           #11/13/14

[hopejerkins]

Post 11

When I started reading The Road,  I honestly thought it was going to be one of those boring books. For almost half of the seventy-five pages that we read it only talked about them walking, sleeping, and eating. Other than that there was really no other action. However, when the boy and man ran into the other man from the truck that is when things began to get interesting for me. I do not understand how the man has gone on for years wondering aimlessly, protecting himself and his son with barely anything at all. I give the man major props for having the courage to do what he is doing. Most people, like myself, would break underneath all of that pressure in trying to survive.  The main point that I think best fits this book is that in the end, all we really have is ourselves and only sometimes family.

#11/13/14

[courtneyymcfarland]

It seems like as the book goes on, it just confuses me even more. I didn’t even realize that Rob drowned when he jumped in after Drew just for fun until the power point chapter. Also I didn’t even know Sasha was married because at the beginning of the book she was on a date with Alex but yet now...

[hopejerkins]

I do agree that the more I read the book, the more it confused me. I figured in the last two or three chapters, Egan would soon begin to introduce some sort of conclusion for the book. Honestly, the book seems unfinished and that the author could just keep adding on chapters if she wanted too. There also seems to be no main point in writing this book. Yes, music and the characters own personal problems play a major part of the book but what is the purpose of learning about numerous people that are connected in some way. I guess the book seeming unfinished is what contributes to making it postmodern.

#Reblog10           #11/6/14

[hopejerkins]

Post 10

It is so interesting to me how Jennifer Egan wrote the book the way she did. There are so many ideas that she used to make it a postmodern work. For example, towards the end of the book she incorporated a 70 page power point. In each chapter she also used different points of views, jumping from character to character. Newspaper headings were used multiple times throughout chapter 8 when it talked about the general. Chapter 4 was also divided into different sections (I, II, III, IV, and V). Throughout the whole book it jumps from different time frames, not something that we see in narratives. To me, the different point of views and the jumping around to different time frames made it difficult to follow along sometimes. However, it was interesting to see the different views from each character. It helped me understand and really get to know the character more.

#11/6/14

[kinpando]

8

A Visit from the Goon Squad: what can you say about it? At first, I didn’t think I would like it because of some the raunchy scenes and language, but as I kept reading, I wanted to know more about the characters, their back story, and how their lives intertwine with each other. I like how the characters have that IDGAF attitude on the outside, but internally, have some many problems going on, it makes them more human to the reader.  

[hopejerkins]

The title of the book itself did not interest me at all. The first chapter interested me but when I began to read the next chapter with a different character’s point of view that’s when I did not know what to think. However, I must say it is interesting to read about all of the different characters and how they are connected together. It reminds me of my small town in that everyone knows everybody. Even moving to Panama City from Blountstown I always come across someone that knows someone I know back at home. I’m ready to read more about the characters and how they all function together.

#Reblog9             #11/2/14

[hopejerkins]

Post 9

So many emotions are being dealt with in "A Visit from the Goon Squad". It is interesting to see how all of the characters have their own way of dealing with them. However, I still do not understand the main point that Jennifer Egan is trying to make. Pretty much all of the characters are connected in one way but what is the point of describing those connections? There is some reality behind the characters actions, such as everyone having their own personal problems and different ways of dealing with them. Some are trying to help solve them and others do not even try to fix them. This book is interesting but still very confusing. Hopefully things will start to clear up soon.

[abragiel-deactivated20141219]

I actually liked reading Generation X, i got into what was going to happen next. I found it humorous because he was so determined to get back to where he was from and he would stop at nothing to do so, which included lying to all three of the sisters and asking them to pretty much commit suicide...

[hopejerkins]

I liked reading “Generation X” as well. However, I did not like the fact that Buck would do everything that he could in order to get off Texlahoma. Especially since it included killing one of the sisters to power his rocket back to where he needed to go. This goes back to Coupland incorporating his own twist with a combination of different fairy tales. Even though Buck was “the prince”, Buck only cared about himself. Something that is the complete opposite in most fairy tales. Usually the prince will do everything in his power to help out the girl. I believe this just goes to show his true personality and the reality of some people. There will be some people that are only selfish and do anything in their power to do what’s best for themselves. But there will also be some that will put other people before themselves. The people that put others before themselves is what real true love.

#Reblog8             #10/25/14

[hopejerkins]

Post 8

“Imago” and “Generation X” were interesting to say the least. These stories were also much easier to comprehend than the other ones we have read. However, I think I would like “Imago” more if I actually read the entire book, not just the excerpt. It blows my mind as to how the authors from both of the stories can talk about bigger topics while not necessarily coming out and telling you the main point. When I first read them both, I did not fully understand the big picture that was hidden in the story. I certainly like how Coupland incorporated numerous fairytales throughout the book. The end of the story was definitely a twist compared to how the normal fairytales end. Coupland gives it a more realistic end, in that sometimes the ending is not always going to be perfect or come out the way we want it to. That is life and you just got to get used to it.

#10/24/14

[brittneykenney]

Post 7 (I think)

I really love the way Professor Clark is setting up our midterm! This way, a lot of the students got to meet other students in the class, and it helped me think back on all of the things we read and get answers to anything I didn’t understand that we read.

[hopejerkins]

I like the way Professor Clark has set up the midterm as well! Getting in groups has allowed me to get to know more about the people in the class and actually talk to them. Some things that I could not remember about a certain part in some of the books, another person remembered, which helped me answer my study guides a lot easier. It also helps when everyone voices their opinion about certain questions. Completing the study guide outside of class was much easier than I expected because of the simple fact that my group and I discussed the stories in class.

#Reblog7    #10/18/14

[hopejerkins]

Post 7

I honestly did not expect the midterm review this past week in class to be like this at all. I have never had a review set up like this but I actually like it. I really like that we were able to help come up with questions for our midterm. I believe that being in a group also helped extremely well. It allowed everyone to voice their own opinions about certain questions or concerns they had. It even helped me come up with answers to a lot of questions I had about the novels and short stories themselves. I wish everyone the best of luck on the midterm!

[courtneyymcfarland]

After finishing Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, I was a little surprised. Most of the times books and movies are pretty predictable and I can guess what will happen, but not in this case. I was so disappointed that after all of his searching, Oskar found out that his dad hadn’t even left him...

[hopejerkins]

This book was definitely surprising and extremely sad. The author would give you a small hint as to how to go about something and then would take you in a completely different direction. I also wish the key could have brought Oskar some sort of closure about his dad. However, I believe that the author intended for this to happen. It went back to the beginning of the book when Oskar’s dad was telling him that it was okay to not know reasoning behind everything. I agree that not everything is intended to be understood or known. No matter how much we may want something to make sense, the best thing to do is accept it and move on.

#Reblog6      #10/9/14