#literature rambles

[flammmeboyant]

I would like to mention to Lord of the flies readers (or readers of any books tbh) that there is no such thing as being 'evil' without a reason. I'm mainly talking about Jack and the kids who were on his side during the whole book's timeline. Yes, I know, their actions shouldn't be forgiven, but the book literally talks about how every human acts when they have power, no matter how 'civilised' they are. Everybody wants power, and hell, even Ralph isn't a saint either (Simon is though, since he fits in the Christ Archetype of characters, but that's not the point of this post). Everybody is morally grey, even in other stories, as there isn't such thing as a 'good' and 'bad'. Even in fairytales the 'good' characters do bad things. It depends on which point of view you're viewing. Even your worst enemy is the main character in their own story, and that's the beauty in people in general.

Anyways, back on the topic of LOTF, I hate when people just view Jack as just 'pure evil' because he wants power, since Ralph wasn't any better either (well...technically he was tbh cuz he didn't kill anybody, unlike Jack, but still), we just viewed from the point of Ralph, since he's the protagonist of the story. Jack might've been mean at the start, but he was that way since he had even a tiny bit of power as the head choir boy. Power, no mater how much, makes people stop viewing others as equals, or even humans. Just as people at power in society, since LOTF does symbolise society in general.

Idk I just woke up and had to write this on Tumblr cuz I'm tired of people always writing about Jack and Ralph from an objective POV (which isn't wrong, don't worry), rather than a subjective POV lol.

TL;DR: LOTF would be completely different if we viewed it from another character's POV

[oneclumsybat]

I can't BELIEVE that you're not that fond of Jane Eyre either. I read it during the pandemic in 2020 for the first time through and it really didn't get the hype. Way too much whining, a REALLY CREEPY age difference (all things considered) and then the deus-ex-machina ending ... Yeah, dunno.

Parts of the writing are absolutely beautiful so I do enjoy that

But the first time I read it this time last year I was just stressed because suspense simply does not suit me (and therefore I can only handle gothic lit in small doses before I have to retreat into the comforting pages of Jane Austen) - I had to ask someone if it ended in tragedy or some sort of HEA to adjust my expectations bc I had no clue where this was gonna go!

I hate Rochester and his “Jane Jane watch me flirt with someone else for hours every day are you jealous are you jealous” but at the same time got flustered when he warms her hands? But mostly I’m like Jane pls just run you are too smart for this and he is terrible

And then every so often you get really powerful lines like “I am no bird, and no net ensnares me”

It’s a book I have mixed feelings about for sure

(I respect that Mr Rochester is not supposed to be a wholesome heartthrob, and I will sit over here with my Mr. Bingley and Mr. Ferrars and especially Mr. Knightly thank you darling)

[milk-crafting]

Lolita is a really great horror novel, on the same level of visceral disgust and terror as American Psycho, but when I say that I get told that I'm wrong. I'm choosing to believe that I'm in fact correct and everyone who doubts me is wrong.

[tricoloured-cat]

FINALLY done with Sasameyuki that was SOO long (but a really interesting read nonetheless)

Now to escape with Kokoro or finally read Crime and Punishment?

[flammmeboyant]

My interpretation or Gregor Samsa from Franz Kafka's "Metamorphosis"

So um... Yeah first art piece in years on this website. I've always interpreted Metamorphosis in general to be a critique on ableism during the 20th century, as then, and even now, abled bodied People view people who are disabled in a light that they're "useless" (saying this as a disabled person myself). And Gregor's family viewed him as a burden for his "sudden" problem. All of Kafka's works have a drop of absurdism with metaphorical meanings, and that's what I find beautiful in his writing. The metamorphosis is a very sad book when you humanize Gregor.

As well as about the drawing, in the 2nd sketch I've tried implementing the "bug/cockroach"-like characteristics in some way. Gregor in my interpretation was abled bodied before the happenings of the book, and then got in a very awful accident which completely distorted his face, as well caused him to be amputated (this why he can't quite move throughout the book).

I just rlly love Gregor Samsa, ok?

[insomniaticvoids]

There's a thing with straight people and their reactions to a queer person bringing up media and mentioning that it has major gay undertones and getting upset at them.

And it's really stupid. As someone who mind you I usually don't try to analyze text my first read through but can pick up subtext easily if intrested. Looked at the orginal text of the Stange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and went damn this has some major gay undertones I can write a bloody thesis on it. You cannot tell me no no sir you cannot that's an assumption you can't call everything gay.

(There is actually a good amount of people who have written and published thesis on the thematics of being gay in this story)

Like it's irksome! Yes things are different compared to then but it doesn't take being alive then to understand when someone is gay when your gay (I also have a hyperfixation on the Era in question so the language clicks easily for me to read and interpret)

Like seriously let people who recognize gayness in media say it without a "actually this can't be gay or have queer undertones because there no blatant gay kissing or confession"

Like people's reading comprehension is piss poor thanks American education system but damn

[the-answer-is-dawn]

Reading Arcadia for the first time is really happy and funny and cute, and then you reach the end and it suddenly tears your heart out, Reading it a second time is even worse, because the amount of foreshadowing is just staggeringly painful. That’s not to say it isn’t my favourite play, but now I’m gonna go cry again over Septimus & Thomasina.