literature

QOTD – February 13th – Finifugal

fini

 

I am a person who thrives on prolonging everything. I tempt the fates of bad relationships, caustic friendships, and seemingly endless amounts of drama and anxiety that really doesn’t have any true worth. When something ends, I tend to act like Eeyore, and mope my way into a dark corner until something better comes along. Even if that “something” isn’t really the healthiest decision.

In theory, I am a realist. In practice, I’m typically an idiot when it comes to moving on and letting go. I know that things end, and need to come to an end, but I take way too long to get there. I don’t like conflict. I don’t like feeling guilty. I don’t like clicking the “unfriend” button on Facebook, because I wonder how the other person will react. I don’t like telling people that something is over, and frankly, if I can get someone else to say it, I’m more than happy to respond in kind. Luckily, I’m actually in a really great place these days, with a great relationship, a solid base of friends, and no real “endings” in sight. Phew.

All that said, bad endings, or endings in general, make for creativity.

I find that when it comes to literature, some of the best endings leave me angry, and wanting more from the character. It’s when I know the author has done their job. They’ve understood that not everything has to have a happy ending; because, after all, we are real, and not everything is full of butterflies and rainbows. I think the angriest I’ve ever been at the ending of a book was JM Coetzee’s Disgrace. I was so upset at how the character was left, that I actually threw the book against a wall, and threw a mini temper tantrum. I didn’t feel it was fair, and I wasn’t prepared for it to go in that direction. I felt unfulfilled, even though everything about the end made sense. I don’t want to give anything away, so please go read the book, and let me know if I’m crazy.

Endings are difficult. If they weren’t, we’d miss out on great lyrics, literature, and film.

What are some of your favorite endings? How did you handle them? Think life, literature, film, and whatever else you can think of for this topic.

 

 

 

QOTD – What Should You Read?

I am attempting to boil the world of theatre down to 8 plays.

80 would be impossible.

I am currently googling for ideas.

“Plays every one should read”

”Plays every high school student should read”

“Top ten plays of all time”

etc. etc.

Boil it down.

What is the one thing everyone should read?

 

QOTD – January 17 – When Do The Classics Just Become Old?

My students don’t farm, so Of Mice and Men seems like a terrible choice for most of them. There are some students who will understand, and maybe even appreciate, the bond between George and Lenny, but for the most part, they don’t farm, so they don’t care. The book feels old to them, and slow to them, so they check out. Frankly, I don’t farm either, so it seems old to me as well.

Don’t get me wrong, the fact that a book is old does not automatically make it slow, or boring, or bad. But, it does sometimes make it too out-of-place for a teenager in today’s world.

I’m in my 10th year of teaching, and I’ve found that my students are needing more and more modern texts. I’ve spent so much time focused on reading the classics, or a few more modern authors that appeal to me, that I have had to challenge myself to expand my palate in order to reach my students. It’s actually made teaching a bit more exciting to me lately, and nothing beats hearing a student tell you that their favorite unit was one that involved an Allie Brosh short story that was just released a few months ago. New material feels new, and is therefore exciting.

There are so many classics out there, but the students need something to grab their attention before we can push Steinbeck in their faces.

Question of the Day:

When Do The Classics Just Become Old?

 

Required Reading Redux

I received a text from my wife this morning that said a presenter at her conference had just informed them that the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops made more first day profit than any book, movie, or music album had ever made.

Disregarding the facts that a video game costs between one and five million dollars of overhead and a book costs, at most, a few hundred dollars at Starbucks, and that Black Ops sold 5.6 million copies in its first day whereas Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sold 8.3 million copies, and that those numbers (overhead costs minus copies sold times total cost per item) do not seem to suggest a truthful statement, there is a pretty sad reality that makes this statement believable:

Most of the people I know between the ages of 15-30 love video games, know how to download music for free, and don’t read.

It is amazing how many seemingly intelligent people simply don’t read.

Amazing? Disturbing.

I have often heard “The last thing I read was (insert name of required high school or college reading here)”. Often echoed by “and I hated it.”

What is it about required reading that turns so many people off of reading? Is it the reading? Or the required?

If you want to read me pontificate about the necessity of making classic literature relevant to a modern society, read Bastardization or Modernization. If you want me to get to the point of today’s writing, look below (bet you didn’t know this was a Choose Your Own Adventure).

Students often disregard classics because they feel the literature is too esoteric without being able to define esoteric.

It is time for a call to arms. Time for a Required Reading Redux.

Every so often (I would say week, but that would make me a liar) I (or we) will post some form of Remix of some of that “dreadful” Required Reading you had to or have to do. If you loved your requireds, hopefully you can join in on the fun. If you hated them, hopefully you can find some appreciation. If you are in the midst of your required reading, hopefully this can supplement your understanding or appreciation.

For today I will simply leave you with this advice, whether you love Catcher in the Rye or are currently reading it: FOLLOW @caulfield17H on Twitter.

phony

QOTD- No Phobo.

Mars-And-Its-Moons-Phobos-And-Deimos

 

The two moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, are named for its namesake god’s battlefield companions. Their names are usually translated as fear and panic, which I expect was the immediate overriding sensation of standing on a sun-baked field in bronze armor waiting your turn to be killed by a spear.

To the ancients, emotions and impulses existed in the world around them and acted upon the human mind from the outside as gods. Achilles doesn’t decide not to attack Agamemnon for taking his spear bride from him; Athena stays his hand. Powerful feelings that were too big to ignore were the will of the gods. Few feelings are more powerful than fear and the hysterical panic that comes with it. It just makes sense that the Greeks would personify them as gods.

And if you end up with a planet named for a war god who had two little buddies that rode into battle with him on his chariot, and that planet ends up having two moons? That’s almost too perfect. Even astronomers saw the poetry in that.

Why am I bringing any of this up, you ask? Because I’m afraid that if I don’t spout off like an egghead every once in a while people might not think I’m smart. Then I panic a little and ramble on about mythology or philosophy or movies I like until I calm down. I don’t need a battlefield or imminent grievous injury to encounter those pesky demigods.

Which brings me around to my actual question for today. I think we might have asked this before, but it is late October and I have Halloween on the brain. I want to know what scares you. What is your biggest phobos?

 

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QOTD – How Do You Feel About Poetry?

poetry-sm

In its inception, the poetry question was simple: is poetry relevant in the 21st century.

Through our meandering exploration of the written word it has become more… or less, depending on your perception.

Recently, Chris started a segment called “How does so-and-so feel about poetry?” in which he asks celebrities the question via twitter and posts their 140. The responses have been beautiful, fun, funny, creative, insightful and wonderful- especially the words from Jon Favreau (the speechwriter, not the Swinger).

I feel that poetry is everywhere; everything is poetry. Life is poetic if you allow it to be. The world is poetic if you look for it. Seek and ye shall find.

The way you speak, the words you say, the way you move is your poetry.

I not only feel poetry is the most important thing we do, I contend it is all we do.

QOTD – How Do You Feel About Poetry?

QOTD – Could You Do a Better Job?

Anyone who’s listened to anyone speak about anyone who’s in the public eye has undoubtedly heard what a moron so-and-so is and what a horrible job those clowns are doing.

In fact, it is amazing what a great job all of us would do at the job we don’t do.

For example, I have met very few people who would not do a better job than the idiots in Washington, even though these self-proclaimed Senators have never even read the Cliff’s Notes Constitution let alone the living document.

Very few sports fans would not make better decisions than their favorite team’s coach or GM.

I am a teacher and every single one of you knows how to do my job better than I do. I mean, you went to school so you know exactly what I do.

But let’s be honest for a minute. Could you do a better job?

I couldn’t. Not at politics. So much of the political game is not about content knowledge but about gamesmanship, I couldn’t do it. Not because I am too honest or anything noble like that, but because I’m just not great at the art of the handshake deal. When I worked at Blockbuster video I was a horrible up-seller. I, instead, would help you get what you wanted instead of what I wanted. I didn’t want to be rude. Or pushy.

I, most definitely, could not coach any professional or collegiate sports. I can watch the hell out of them, and would be a pretty good play-by-play guy, but coaching… no.

There are some bad actors on TV, but I am not convinced I would perform that much better on camera.

I would, however, be an awesome guest on Whose Line is it Anyway?

So, let’s be honest- other than your job, what could you do better than the idiot who is currently failing?(
~or, if you didn’t do what you did, what would you do?~

The Daily Prompt- Sept. 30th

Rules:

1. Use the prompt in the way it’s intended (starting a sentence, the title of the piece, theme, etc)

2. You may write in any format you see fit (fiction, non-fiction, poem, song, script, etc.)

3. Post your piece of writing in the comments section of the website to be considered for the ‘Best Of’ section.

The Prompt:

“Ask me about anything else. Just don’t make me talk about that.”

The Daily Prompt- Sept 20th

Rules:

1. Use the prompt in the way it’s intended (starting a sentence, the title of the piece, theme, etc)

2. You may write in any format you see fit (fiction, non-fiction, poem, song, script, etc.)

3. Post your piece of writing in the comments section of the website to be considered for the ‘Best Of’ section.

 

The Prompt: Access Denied

You believe that the machines in your life are conspiring to ruin you. Convince us you are not crazy.

 

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The Daily Prompt- Sept 17th

Rules:

1. Use the prompt in the way it’s intended (starting a sentence, the title of the piece, theme, etc)

2. You may write in any format you see fit (fiction, non-fiction, poem, song, script, etc.)

3. Post your piece of writing in the comments section of the website to be considered for the ‘Best Of’ section.

 

The Prompt: Visual Prompts

hill-magnet-people

Write something inspired by this photo, or use a random image generator and find your own. If you use another picture, include it in the response.