The Dead

I really liked the depth of the following lines from James Joyce's The Dead, "Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age." Even though this pertains to a love relationship, I believe it can also apply to any goal in life. Risks should be taken because outcomes that we set in motion are the the chapters of our life. We should do all with passion and actively form our lives.

Great Expectations...not really

Pip's benefactor has great expectations for him as does Pip himself. Pip imagines that he will be a well to do gentleman and that he will win over Estella. However, on his journey to his expectations, he discovers that they are not so grand. He alienates those that were truly loyal and cared for him. His expectations were not as he had envisioned, yet through this experience, he learned about who he wanted to be and who he wanted to keep in his life.

lives of Victorian authors

I enjoyed the works of the Victorian authors, yet, I enjoyed their biographical information even more. I think that knowing the life of the author prior to reading their works adds appreciation and understanding to the work. I enjoyed Elizabeth Barrett Browning's collection of poems more knowing that they were actually letters sent to her lover. Elizabeth did seem clingy in the poem that was on the discussion forum, however, knowing of her illness and her age in comparison to her lover made the pleading seem more logical (but still, somewhat desperate).

The Romantics

The Romantics....self.....psychology.....I love it! I enjoy this literary period because it engages us to take a personal journey in the self. Everything else is irrelavant in this exploration but the self, the writer. Sometimes in this journey, more truths can be uncovered than through a voyage through space. I love to know what is on other person's minds and this literary period is the best in that pursuit.

The real monster

I am excited to cover Frankenstein this coming week, it is one of my favorite books. Even though cinema has converted it into a "monster" film, its essence is its deepth. The question in this story is..."Who is the real monster?