Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Reader Point
A book is like a ride at the amusement park that my Muggle parents used to take me to. You have your nostalgic merry-go-rounds, your refreshing log flume plunges, your haunted mansions, the infamous "educational" rides, and even the big Ferris wheel to give you a new perspective on the park below. But everyone knows that you go to an amusement park not for the cotton candy or the giant teddy bear, but for the roller coasters. Some roller coasters never seem to go anywhere. Others are over too fast to be worth the line. Others make you so sick that you lose the fun of riding. And still others beat you up every moment you spent strapped to the seat. But The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is the coaster where the unique balance of tension and boredom of the chain lift literally lasts longer than the whole rest of the ride, but the ride is so exciting that you forget about every moment listening to the annoying clacking of the lift. While it started out very slow, Stieg Larsson's novel turned out to be one of those gripping crime dramas that somehow magically finds itself open in your hands when you're supposed to be doing something else. While the horrendously revolting criminality and extraordinary mystery glued me to the pages, the three-dimensional characters smiled up at me. To me, one of the most important criteria of a great novel is the extent to which the reader can empathize with the characters--protagonists and antagonists alike. Lisbeth Salander, a girl utterly unique, unlike anyone I've ever encountered, had such an incredible verisimilitude that she seems totally alive to me. I was so moved when the hardened, heartless girl finally softened, ever so slightly, from falling in love for the first time. Although the book disturbed me enough to give me nightmares (and waking nightmares), I nevertheless highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery, suspense, and wonderfully wrought people.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Friday
Today, I took the Jung Typology Test, created by a Muggle psychologist to determine the personality of the individual. Personally, I find his rational, systematic approach rather more reliable than the brand of hocus-pocus labeled "Divination." Prof. Trelawney can attest that I saw right through her crackpot tricks. Anyways, my results were Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging (INTJ), with respective strengths percents as 22%, 62%, 25% and 56%. My results placed me firmly in the "Rational" catagory, which I certainly will not argue. More specifically, it pinned me as a "Mastermind." I rather like the sound of that. In the words of a certain Mr. Burns, "Excellent, excellent." Although I somewhat lack the self confidence typical of Masterminds, most of the description seems fairly accurate. For more detail on the Mastermind, look up the results for the Jung Typology Test.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Top Threes
Passages of the week:
"forced to believe them by my act of trusting people"
from "The Farewell" by Edward Field
This passage, to me, is both ironic and deep. Obviously, the speaker was not forced to trust or believe anyone, so the line satirizes those who make stupid decisions at the recommendation of others and fail to claim responsibility for their idiocy. But yet, it portrays the "act of trusting people" in an almost negative light, echoing my inherent fear of trust and of being hoodwinked by those whom I do trust.
"Silvan Tomkins once began a lecture by bellowing, 'The face is like the penis!' What he meant was that the face has, to a large extent, a mind of its own."
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Best way to introduce a complex scientific and psychological principle EVER. Very insightful passage, great opening.
Okay, yes I know the following passage is an entire paragraph rather than a sentence, but the humor requires the entire paragraph.
"'If you go and do a shameful thing, such as shoot your parents so you can inherit their estate, you should have at least one friend to whom you could confide the cheesy details. You'd say, "I couldn't believe that was me, aiming the pistol at the back of Mom's head as she stood at the Mixmaster. I am feeling, like, totally remorseful right now. And I'm wondering if, like, it might've been a sugar rush from like, the Twinkies.' And the friend would say, 'Well, you were having some big mood swings. And the job market is tight, so naturally you were anxious about money. But those bright orange coveralls look rather striking on you. And this Plexiglass partition doesn't bother me as much as I had thought it would. And I don't think would've been a good parent anyway, so it's lucky that you won't have to face that question."
"Of lies, lying and the lying liars" by Garrison Keillor
Could I have shortened that passage significantly? Yes. But why? Why mess with comedic genius? Speaking of, did you know that stand up comedians have the highest average IQ of any profession? Watch comedic genius (like Bill Cosby) to see why!
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Random Top Three of the Week:
Top Three Things to Watch on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/vlogbrothers
http://www.youtube.com/charlieissocoollike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmwM_AKeMCk
EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THEM! Even my neurotic cat did!
"forced to believe them by my act of trusting people"
from "The Farewell" by Edward Field
This passage, to me, is both ironic and deep. Obviously, the speaker was not forced to trust or believe anyone, so the line satirizes those who make stupid decisions at the recommendation of others and fail to claim responsibility for their idiocy. But yet, it portrays the "act of trusting people" in an almost negative light, echoing my inherent fear of trust and of being hoodwinked by those whom I do trust.
"Silvan Tomkins once began a lecture by bellowing, 'The face is like the penis!' What he meant was that the face has, to a large extent, a mind of its own."
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Best way to introduce a complex scientific and psychological principle EVER. Very insightful passage, great opening.
Okay, yes I know the following passage is an entire paragraph rather than a sentence, but the humor requires the entire paragraph.
"'If you go and do a shameful thing, such as shoot your parents so you can inherit their estate, you should have at least one friend to whom you could confide the cheesy details. You'd say, "I couldn't believe that was me, aiming the pistol at the back of Mom's head as she stood at the Mixmaster. I am feeling, like, totally remorseful right now. And I'm wondering if, like, it might've been a sugar rush from like, the Twinkies.' And the friend would say, 'Well, you were having some big mood swings. And the job market is tight, so naturally you were anxious about money. But those bright orange coveralls look rather striking on you. And this Plexiglass partition doesn't bother me as much as I had thought it would. And I don't think would've been a good parent anyway, so it's lucky that you won't have to face that question."
"Of lies, lying and the lying liars" by Garrison Keillor
Could I have shortened that passage significantly? Yes. But why? Why mess with comedic genius? Speaking of, did you know that stand up comedians have the highest average IQ of any profession? Watch comedic genius (like Bill Cosby) to see why!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Random Top Three of the Week:
Top Three Things to Watch on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/vlogbrothers
http://www.youtube.com/charlieissocoollike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmwM_AKeMCk
EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THEM! Even my neurotic cat did!
S. P. E. W.
Muggle literature has opened my eyes to a severe shortcoming of my favorite charitable organization, The Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare. (of which I am naturally founder and president). However, after learning more about the disadvantaged in Muggle society, I passionately believe I should push the committee for a name change to the Society for the Protection of Everyone's Welfare.
Although Muggle society does not battle prejudice based on species, and no population of Muggle society is still systematically and cruelly enslaved, society still prefers some groups to others. Despite vast progress for equal rights for all, many groups still lack equal perception. I mean that, as eloquently exposed by Malcolm Gladwell in Blink, a person who firmly believes in fair treatment for a group may have an unconcious prejudice against them. This can create discrimination that the person hardly knows he practices. You probably don't believe that you harbor any unconcious prejudices. I challenge all of you to go to https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/ and learn about yourself. I horrified myself by discovering I have a strong unconcious preference for whites over blacks. Furthermore, I urge you to broaden your experiences and your perceptions to treat the underlying cause of much of today's prejudice--your own subconcious. And please consider paying 10 sickles to become a member of S. P. E. W.!
Moreover, I am currently reading an evocative tale of abuse, corruption, murder, promiscuity, rape and hatred and the effects they have on people. I am on page 355 of Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. The sinfulness in this fictional representation of modern Swedish society is repulsive and horrific, yet the impact on the various characters is gripping. Although I have naturally grown attached to the main character, Mikael Blomkvist, the enigma that is Lisabeth Salander is more fascinating. I cannot imagine a girl less like me than the introverted, tattooed, pierced, gothic, altogether terrifying, prodigy. Although we share the same intellectual level, she never applied herself in school or in any normal job. She mistrusts rules, laws, and law enforcement, and takes the law into her own hands. I, who would almost rather be killed than expelled, cannot fathom her blatant disregard for any sort of rule or order. Nevertheless, I have the greatest empathy for her. Unloved, with a traumatic childhood and a mother suffering from mental illness, she is abused both as a child and an adult. She endures the most horrific rape. Her story makes me want to cry. At this point in the story, about halfway through, I think her story will finally converge with Blomkvist's, and I sincerely hope her future is much brighter than her past. I also can't wait to see the conclusion of the gripping murder mystery that both Blomkvist and Salander are attempting to solve.
Well, it's time for the annual S. P. E. W. membership drive, and I hope to double membership this year. Only 10 sickles of dues! Also, check out the related Muggle project, http://thehpalliance.org/, an inspiring charity created by Muggles who believe they are emulating the lives of their favorite "fictional" characters. They believe those characters would love their work, and I must attest that they do.
Although Muggle society does not battle prejudice based on species, and no population of Muggle society is still systematically and cruelly enslaved, society still prefers some groups to others. Despite vast progress for equal rights for all, many groups still lack equal perception. I mean that, as eloquently exposed by Malcolm Gladwell in Blink, a person who firmly believes in fair treatment for a group may have an unconcious prejudice against them. This can create discrimination that the person hardly knows he practices. You probably don't believe that you harbor any unconcious prejudices. I challenge all of you to go to https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/ and learn about yourself. I horrified myself by discovering I have a strong unconcious preference for whites over blacks. Furthermore, I urge you to broaden your experiences and your perceptions to treat the underlying cause of much of today's prejudice--your own subconcious. And please consider paying 10 sickles to become a member of S. P. E. W.!
Moreover, I am currently reading an evocative tale of abuse, corruption, murder, promiscuity, rape and hatred and the effects they have on people. I am on page 355 of Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. The sinfulness in this fictional representation of modern Swedish society is repulsive and horrific, yet the impact on the various characters is gripping. Although I have naturally grown attached to the main character, Mikael Blomkvist, the enigma that is Lisabeth Salander is more fascinating. I cannot imagine a girl less like me than the introverted, tattooed, pierced, gothic, altogether terrifying, prodigy. Although we share the same intellectual level, she never applied herself in school or in any normal job. She mistrusts rules, laws, and law enforcement, and takes the law into her own hands. I, who would almost rather be killed than expelled, cannot fathom her blatant disregard for any sort of rule or order. Nevertheless, I have the greatest empathy for her. Unloved, with a traumatic childhood and a mother suffering from mental illness, she is abused both as a child and an adult. She endures the most horrific rape. Her story makes me want to cry. At this point in the story, about halfway through, I think her story will finally converge with Blomkvist's, and I sincerely hope her future is much brighter than her past. I also can't wait to see the conclusion of the gripping murder mystery that both Blomkvist and Salander are attempting to solve.
Well, it's time for the annual S. P. E. W. membership drive, and I hope to double membership this year. Only 10 sickles of dues! Also, check out the related Muggle project, http://thehpalliance.org/, an inspiring charity created by Muggles who believe they are emulating the lives of their favorite "fictional" characters. They believe those characters would love their work, and I must attest that they do.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Hermione, A History
Hello.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am Hermione Granger, an eighteen-year-old student in my seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After my two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, dropped out of school to aid in the Second War against Voldemort, we re-enrolled for our seventh and final year of formal schooling. It seems only yesterday when, a nervous first-year, I was attempting to impress anyone and everyone with my knowledge in order to feel liked. If only I had known then that Hogwarts would become home to me.
But I digress. As part of my Advanced Muggle Studies course (I intend to work in the Ministry of Magic in Muggle Relations), I am required to do an independent project, fully immersing myself in one aspect of Muggle culture. Naturally, as the avid, accomplished reader I am (having exhausted 86% of the Wizarding literature in Hogwarts' library), I selected Muggle Language and Literature. My Professor and I agreed that, each week, I must read either 150 pages of Muggle popular fiction or 100 pages of literary fiction or nonfiction. I will attempt to read a mixture of genres. Furthermore, I must chronicle my reading in a popular Muggle venue for personal writing--the blog. Luckily, my dentist parents had already familiarized me with computers. I am one of two students allowed a laptop permit at Hogwarts. Therefore, this may also turn into somewhat of a personal diary because nobody I know has the ability to read my blog. In fact, to conclude my first post, I will share a sonnet (one of the most fascinating forms of Muggle poetry) that I wrote about my unrequited love, Ron Weasley.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am Hermione Granger, an eighteen-year-old student in my seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After my two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, dropped out of school to aid in the Second War against Voldemort, we re-enrolled for our seventh and final year of formal schooling. It seems only yesterday when, a nervous first-year, I was attempting to impress anyone and everyone with my knowledge in order to feel liked. If only I had known then that Hogwarts would become home to me.
But I digress. As part of my Advanced Muggle Studies course (I intend to work in the Ministry of Magic in Muggle Relations), I am required to do an independent project, fully immersing myself in one aspect of Muggle culture. Naturally, as the avid, accomplished reader I am (having exhausted 86% of the Wizarding literature in Hogwarts' library), I selected Muggle Language and Literature. My Professor and I agreed that, each week, I must read either 150 pages of Muggle popular fiction or 100 pages of literary fiction or nonfiction. I will attempt to read a mixture of genres. Furthermore, I must chronicle my reading in a popular Muggle venue for personal writing--the blog. Luckily, my dentist parents had already familiarized me with computers. I am one of two students allowed a laptop permit at Hogwarts. Therefore, this may also turn into somewhat of a personal diary because nobody I know has the ability to read my blog. In fact, to conclude my first post, I will share a sonnet (one of the most fascinating forms of Muggle poetry) that I wrote about my unrequited love, Ron Weasley.
When I first saw you on the Hogwarts train,
I hid how looking at you made me smile.
When you beat the troll soon to cause us pain,
I knew I wished to stay with you a while.
Though you can be stubborn, stupid, unkind,
Your every flaw I easily look past.
Such goodness in you I can clearly find!
When will you hold me in your arms at last?
While though with you I never feel alone,
We are just friends, do you too wish for more?
I long for when I can call you my own,
There is nothing of you I don’t adore!
What would I give for you to feel like me!
Oh Ron, in love with you I’ll ever be!
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