Middlesex

I really enjoyed reading Middlesex for my free-choice. I have unfortunately not been reading very much on my own this year, so it was awesome to read a book that I would have chosen for myself had I walked through Barnes and Noble. I find it interesting that literally every character has a battle to fight. Desdemona and Lefty are plagued by their incestuous relationship and must live their life in secret and also they must face whatever consequences their relationship might create. Additionally, Milton and Tessie struggle to be successful within American society. Milton struggles to support his family while Tessie struggles to accept her children and embrace their lifestyles. Additionally, they have to deal with Chapter Eleven’s bizarre phases and Calliope’s unique condition. Speaking of Chapter Eleven, the name says it all. The term “Chapter Eleven” can be associated with United States code for bankruptcy. So, Chapter Eleven must deal with the financial ruin that he digs himself into. Also, throughout the novel he tries to find himself through drug experimentation and free thinking. He battles society and himself all throughout Middlesex. And of course Calliope has his/her own battle to fight. She struggles to first be the girl that she is expected to be. She becomes frustrated with her slow physical development and her awkward body appearance. By the end of the book, Callie has become Cal and he thus now battles to be a perfect male. Although Cal has endured all types of difficulties in life, he still struggles to be completely comfortable with himself. Every other character really had an issue of some sort as well. I like that Eugenides includes every character’s personal battle because he is able to include the reader in one way or another. Some of my favorite parts of the novel were the discreet things. I love how Desdemona’s spoon predicts Calliope’s sex even though it appears to be incorrect. It was kind of a battle between old world cultures versus the new world cultures, and in this case, old world wins. I also love that his name is Calliope. In Greek Mythology, Calliope is the muse of poetry. She wrote several epics such as the Odyssey and Iliad. It makes sense that Cal, being named after her, is on an adventure of his own. Attempting to live life as a hermaphrodite is brave and dangerous, just like the men Calliope wrote about in her poems. Also, I like that hair is a symbol throughout the novel. Desdemona is forced to chop her hair when she enters America. This symbolizes the shedding of her old life. Later, Cal discusses the constant waxing that women must endure. Again, hair is used, this time to portray the beginning of womanhood. Lastly, Callie becomes Cal by chopping her long hair into a boy’s haircut. She has abandoned her life as a girl just as Desdemona abandoned her life in Greece. Eugenides’ use of so many minute details makes for a wonderful read. 

Cavalier Poems

I like the cavalier poems because I like that they are relatively straight forward. Of course, the poems can still contain deeper meaning, but for the most part, I think they are what they are. Like in class today, I disagreed with some of my peers’ interpretation of “To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars”. I understand where some of them might have seen a battle of love between one another or some sort of love triangle, but it just does not add up. To me, Lovelace is clearly declaring his love for war as greater than his love for his lover. I just do not think that there is more to really say. It is beautifully written, and the idea is interesting and captivating, but in my opinion, it is not meant to be looked at too deeply. Some poems are written to be witty and straightforward and not all poems necessarily need to be scrutinized so severely to where it changes the poet’s original meaning. Well that is how I see it anyway. I like the reoccurring theme of “Carpe Diem”. I know that the phrase can be used in destructive ways, but in life, I have found this quote to be incredibly important. When I think about it, the most spontaneous and sporadic things that I have done have been some of my best memories. Like I said, some people (such as many of the poets we have studied) tend to take this saying a little out of hand. But all in all, taking advantage of every opportunity is a great way to live. The people only thinking of the future might forget to live in the present. Every second is a gift and nobody knows what life will bring. You might as well live life to the fullest because tomorrow is not definite. The bird imagery used throughout some of the poems is a cool concept. Birds migrate with the seasons, almost as if they carry time or something. Also, they shed their feathers as if starting anew. Furthermore, birds chirp in the morning and owls hoot at night. For centuries, people depended on birds for a wake up call… it is interesting to think that birds are programmed to be our natural alarm clock and also clock. Birds are also fast and they do not live particularly long. Likewise, time is rapid and the more time has been spent, the less a person has to live. By living minute by minute, one is keeping up with time. But unfortunately, it is easy to let time’s rapid pace pass us by. So, I guess the term “time flies” is appropriately deemed. Overall, I’m enjoying this segment of poetry although I find it difficult to discuss for too long of a time. I suppose most poems can be looked at more deeply, but I feel like these are meant to personally relate to the individual reading them. So, no analysis can really capture how one is personally affected by it.

The Epic of Calliope

Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides, is so far a captivating read. The content is rather controversial and unique which makes it a book that is incredibly difficult to put down. I like how Eugenides has the main character be the narrator as well. Cal’s story telling makes the novel scientifically informative and all the while entertaining. It is interesting how he goes all the way back to his grandparents to discuss the beginnings of his mutation. Cal seems like a great guy. He has gone through the entire trauma one can surely take in a life, yet he talks almost light heartedly. I suppose with his situation one almost has to take it light heartedly. His story of his grandparents is intriguing and incredibly disturbing…  I do not get squeamish about much. I can handle the whole hermaphrodite ordeal, but incest… It is hard to swallow. Although, it is cool to see the roots of his family just because it makes the novel more intimate and it has certainly made me attached to their Greek family heritage. Although his grandparent’s situation is bizarre, the way that Cal tells the story also makes it semi understandable. It is still very difficult for me to wrap my head around it, but the entire chapter based solely on explaining the chain of events helps me slightly grasp the concept. Regardless, it is pretty weird. But anyways, I am still trying to figure out why his brother is named Chapter Eleven. Hmmm.. Also, Calliope is the muse of epic poetry in Greek Mythology. She apparently always carries around a tablet and is the wisest of the Muses. She is supposedly also the inspiration of the Odyssey and Iliad. So, it seems that the main character, Calliope or Cal, is very intelligent. This is already evident. The first couple of pages make him sound as if he is a science experiment. So, Cal is exposed to the various depths and complexities of science which thus suggests that he is educated far beyond his years. Also, the fact that the Greek Muse Calliope created the most famous epic adventures suggests that Cal will be enduring an adventure of his own. As a hermaphrodite, I would certainly think that his life would be an adventure. “Adventure” suggests over coming obstacles, achieving tasks, and discovering something new. Maybe Middlesex will do just that. Furthermore, Calliope may have been the lover of a war god. In parallel, I am certain that Cal’s condition creates a war amongst society and his friends and family. Lastly, “Calliope” means “beautiful voiced”. Just as Calliope the Greek Muse told poetry, Cal is eloquently telling his story. Perhaps his name means “beautiful-voice” because he is a voice of reason and intrigue. I am not sure what all will happen in this novel, but I am sure it will include times of trial and harshness. But, by barely even reading the novel it is apparent that he has overcome his obstacles and is living to tell his epic. 

Gatsby and such

Today in class I realized that I would be happy to read any of the lit-circle book choices. I’m looking forward to reading something enjoyable but also with literary value. It was cool to see how the opening couple pages really do reveal so much about a book. Like you said, we definitely have become better readers. Now I do not know if I can read a book or watch a movie without attempting to analyze it… This is somewhat concerning to me. It is safe to say that your teaching is rubbing off on us. I think that all of us are AP-litting things we never imagined we would. I think over the summer I will try to read all of the books that you listed because they all seem like they will be beneficial to have read for college, and they sound interesting. Also, I started to do my part of the major works chart and quickly remembered how much I like The Great Gatsby. I think I enjoy it so much because I am intrigued by the twenties. I just like the fact that the twenties were so rebellious and everything seemed so glamorous. When I picture the upper class described in The Great Gatsby, I imagine them all to be incredibly attractive. Nick definitely has swag. The guy is level headed, relatively wealthy, and in my mind, attractive. Gatsby is a bit of a mess, but hey, he throws some killer parties. Tom is a jerk but still ends up with Daisy, so props to him. Overall, these men create quite the prime cast of 1920’s men. Also, The Great Gatsby includes everything anybody could ever want in a book: infidelities, illegal actions, crazy parties, amazing fashion, murder, and mystery. It’s the whole package! It is also a short and quick read. I like the fact that it can be read for enjoyment or looked at in a much deeper meaning. Salinger really exemplifies the likely results of having too great of dreams. Americans have the sense that anything is possible, which I guess it is to a degree, but it is important to keep reality in mind. The characters of The Great Gatsby deeply experience the consequences of avoiding responsibilities and realities. Salinger throws several social criticisms into a seemingly light and entertaining read which is why the book is so brilliant. Overall, The Great Gatsby totally drew me into the story. While I read, I could picture everything so vividly and I felt like I knew all of the characters. I’m glad we had to do a chart on an old book that we have read because it now makes me want to re-read some of the earlier books I read in high school. I am sure I will notice so much more and I will undoubtedly appreciate the novel more. I guess I am going to have a lot to read this summer.

Pasta and Chrysanthemums?

After writing several weeks on Hamlet, I’ve decided that I simply can no longer do it. It was quite a journey, but that part of my literature life is temporarily on lock down. That being said, I also cannot find it in me to write about sonnets. I am not a romantic and I am not a poet, so sonnets also will not be the subject of my blog. Considering these are the top two things occurring in AP Lit, I found myself in quite the dilemma. Literature typically does not sneak its way into Figo Pasta, but lucky for me, my co-workers are extreme procrastinators when it comes to English papers. Having nothing to really blog about, I decided that tonight would be an opportune time to help out my buddy Andy with his Georgia Perimeter College English paper. Being a Monday night, the restaurant was hardly busy so Andy decided he should probably start writing his midterm paper (that is due by midnight tonight). I immediately began channeling my “inner English professor” as I reviewed his rough draft. Actually, let me rephrase that- I immediately began channeling my “inner English professor” as I reviewed the one sentence that he had. “‘The Chrysanthemums’ by John Steinbeck, is about a couple living on a ranch.” At this point, I had never read “The Chrysanthemums”, but I had inkling that it was a bit more about a couple living on a ranch. I asked if I could look at the copy of his story so that I would have a better idea of what he needed to write about. It turns out that Andy has no idea how to annotate and that “The Chrysanthemums” is a thought provoking short story. Firstly, the imagery is wonderful. Steinbeck includes vivid images of the seasons, weather, plants, and animals, all which add to the somewhat dismal mood of the overall story. Elisa, the woman in the story, perhaps portrays the tension that most women felt or feel about life. She is incredibly moody and unpredictable. She goes from being brutally short to gushing with pride in seconds. Maybe Steinbeck wants to suggest that no single interpretation can exist because people feel a mix of emotions at any single moment. Also, these conflicted emotions stem from the repressed feelings that women suffered through. Women were meant to be a certain way; these expectations probably made it difficult for them to portray their true selves thus leading to build up and unhealthy emotions. Maybe that’s why women are so confusing. Also, she is absolutely elated by the stranger’s compliment regarding her chrysanthemums. That is probably because the chrysanthemums are entirely her own. She is able to do with them what she pleases and they turn out beautifully. Her chrysanthemums represent her independence. Any ways… Andy got a decent amount of his paper done and I got an idea for my blog. Who would have thought that literature could somehow may its way into an Italian restaurant… 

The End

Well, I officially finished Hamlet. I never really thought this day would come… the play seemed abysmal. I really liked it though. This is the first time I have had an appreciation for Shakespeare and I must say, the man is a genius. Everything about the play baffled me because it has so much depth and can therefore be read in so many different ways. The whole “madness” theme was very interesting to me. It seems that the more a person was “ising”, the more mad they were to society. Hamlet struggled throughout the play on whether to be himself, or to act a certain way. That being said, he was one step closer to actually being than any other person in the play. He was the closest thing to truth and was also considered mad. Once Ophelia became mad, she became entirely herself. She allowed the deeper truths in the world to be in the open unlike most members of society. Her nonsensical words held profound reasoning within them. On a madness scale, Ophelia was at a ten. On a “being” scale, Ophelia was also at a ten. There is an evident correspondence between actually being and madness. Hamlet was not completely mad in my opinion, so he never achieved complete self-being. People act a certain way to achieve an image dictated by others in society. Acting is for others while being is for one’s self. Madness strips a person from reality and leaves a person in solitude with him or herself. It makes sense that a person alone with himself would actual be and not act. Additionally, the whole “no one can ever achieve certainty” idea is pretty cool. And it is true. It is hard to ever really know anything for certain and that’s why ceasing opportunities is so important. That also has to be why there are so many questions in the play. Nobody knows anything! Is the ghost real? Is Hamlet insane? Did Claudius confess? Did Ophelia commit suicide? Etc, etc. The point is, nobody in the play is certain about anything. Hamlet’s indecisiveness to kill Claudius in the chapel led to the killing of Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Hamlet, Laertes, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. Everything is a mess. Had Hamlet killed Claudius, those deaths probably would not have taken place. But again, who knows. In the end, it seems like Hamlet begins to understand the idea that life is full of uncertainties and you just have to go with it. Rather than stopping the duel as he thought he should, he allowed life to take its course. He realizes that things happen for a reason, and for once, Hamlet let go of being the director to his play called Life.  Although the end is tragic, things end up for the better. Hamlet learns a little more about death, Claudius is caught in his own trap, and Laertes ends up with the rest of his family. Everybody gets what is coming for them. 

Gertrude and such

I would have to simply describe Hamlet as bizarre. I don’t know if he is insane, or just really smart, or maybe so sane that he appears insane. First of all, he has just killed a man and appears to be oddly indifferent to the fact. However, the man who murdered his dad is still alive… So, as the class originally predicted, the little allusion to Pyrrhus was correct. Hamlet had the incentive, he had the weapon, and he had the chance- but his sword stuck in the air. Maybe the visit from his father will persuade him to do it. It is interesting to wonder whether Hamlet is a coward, or if he actually is just being cautious and thoughtful. If he is a coward, why was he so okay with accidentally killing Polonius? And If he is thoughtful, than how much more thinking does he really need? But the person who really puzzles me is Gertrude. I sort of suspect that she knows about the murder and is possibly even associated with it. I would at least like to think this. If Gertrude is not associated with the murder, than she is giving women a horrible name. Yes, of course murder and adultery are terrible, but it’s an embarrassment to women if she is so easily captivated by a man’s charm. To think that she is so vulnerable and dull to almost immediately move on to her brother in law… Gertrude is either a dim-witted, easy lady, or she is incredibly cunning and evil. I’m not sure. Although, Hamlet needed to inherit his smarts from somebody, so maybe it is partially Gertrude. But also, in this past scene, it seems like Hamlet actually goes in and out of madness. He is completely barbaric for a while and then he calmly explains to his mother that he is perfectly sane. But I mean, he did kill a man for no actual reason. That seems a bit spontaneous and mad. It is as if he goes from a tame and calm mind to all of a sudden a jumbled up mind of crazy thoughts. Like, why is he so calm and poised when he is about to kill Claudius? Why is he thinking when anger should be masking all rationality? It seems to me that the person he truly truly hates is his mother. When he was talking to her, the anger that should have existed when he saw Claudius repenting was instead brought up around her. She fuels his anger. Obviously he hates his uncle but he is absolutely disgusted by his mother. And if there is a bit of Oedipus complex up in here, than he probably really really hates her. His uncle drives him to be a smart-ass and incredibly thoughtful; his mother makes him completely livid. He becomes so angry that he turns absolutely mad. I think that as long as his mother is around, he is going to become more and more insane.