Reading Log - 6

Title: All The Light We Cannot See
Text Type: Extended Written Text - Novel
Author: Anthony Doerr

'All The Light We Cannot See' is what I believe to be an emotional novel, cleverly written by Anthony Doerr. In this book, we see two stories; one from a young girl named Marie-Laure who lives her life blind, and a German boy named Werner Pfenning. We witness as their two lives cross paths.

Reading Log - 5

Title: Hills Like White Elephants
Text Type: Short Written Text - Short Story
Author: Ernest Hemingway

'Hills Like White Elephants' is a short story written by the talented author, Ernest Hemingway. In this text, we meet 'the American' and a girl who when we read further, she can be recognised as his girlfriend or 'Jig'. The two sharing a conversation of many things. Starting at how the hills look like white elephants, to a conversation of an operation for Jig to restore the couple's 'happiness'.

'The American' is a man who cares so much for this girl - Jig - who he is sitting, sipping on drinks alongside the train station, talking about the appearance of the hills in the distance, with him. This makes me realise that there is a time and place to just chill out. Except, a normal conversation turns into an intense talk about the girl being operated on - operation was never specified - and how the two would be happier if she went ahead with it. However, Jig isn't so sure; things may stay the same as they are at this point in time - dull. But, this man, he wants the best for his the girl sitting directly across from him, and he speaks the words I wish I could say to many people.
"'Then I'll do it. Because I don't care about me'
'What do you mean?'
'I don't care about me'
'Well, I care about you'" and I wish I could explain my care for other people, the way he does further into the text. He wants Jig to know that whatever she does, he will always be there for her and love her. I feel that the American is a clear representative of how men should properly take care of their woman. When reading this, it made me feel as though there are people in this world with kind hearts, they want the best for the ones they love, and they want to make sure they know that. I want to be one of those people. A person who wants the best for the people around me and for them to be happy.

Although 'the American' is trying his best to reassure the girl that whether she chooses to go ahead with a simple operation or not, he will still care for her, however, she is very questionable about the whole situation. She feels as though he needs her to have this procedure and immediately feels obliged to go ahead with it, only because he mentioned it. I feel that this text shares with it's audience how small things can trigger the instant thoughts. Jig only took one part of the conversation, which was negative, and jumped to conclusions, not letting 'the American' explain what he really was implying. '“And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?” “I love you now. You know I love you.” “I know. But if I do it, then it will be nice again if I say things are like white elephants, and you’ll like it?”' a short example of how he tried to change her mind. I feel like a lot of people jump to conclusions, including myself. I personally find that I never give people the chance to explain a situation which has effected me emotionally. It's as though I believe one thing and choose not to listen or learn to understand the full story. However, I have become more aware of this lately. I'm glad to have become more understanding of other's stories and opinions. Patience is a key thing in this part of the short story. 'The American' can be seen as a patient figure, putting up with his girlfriend's reactions, and still doing his very best to prove that he cares  about her and her thoughts.

I genuinely feel that this short story shows different personalities for caring about one another - in particular, 'the American'. 'The American' shares his way of loving, and being so understanding towards his frustrated girlfriend. Some people need more of that trait. A trait of great care towards others. But, what goes hand in hand with kindness such as that, comes patience. Listening to others and acknowledging their opinions. The are times when I feel as though my opinions matter, however, I don't know whether I don't speak them loud enough, or they're just plain not good enough to be heard.

Reading Log - 4

Reading Log - 4

Title: The World Before Us
Text Type: Novel
Author: Aislinn Hunter

The World Before Us by Aislinn Hunter, is a story told in the past and the present day, through third person - or people. This novel sees multiple scenes; an asylum for the mentally damaged, Jane as a 34 year old woman working as an archivist in London, and young Jane, when she was only 15 years old. Reading this felt more like seeing it. Seeing myself in the same position as Jane.

Young Jane, was asked by William Elliot to join him for a walk around the gardens to mind his daughter, Lily, for a few hours while he focused on his research on the plants. The second day of doing this for William, him along with Jane and Lily had lunch together; Jane hoping that this is a way of getting to know her better. During this sitting, William and Jane, held what Jane felt was a very intellectual conversation. "'Did your father put you up to the cello?' He'd asked. 'No. Well, sort of.' 'It must be difficult - the expectations people have'" which I have to agree with William about. Expectations which people in our society have on others can be hard to come to terms with. Society nowadays makes us feel obliged to follow a particular system of how we act, look or what things we should or should not do. It feels as though that some of these standards are too high to reach. Being in Jane's position, I feel as though there would be a lot more pressure weighing down on her to be who her parents want her to be and live up to their expectations. I'm very thankful that my parents have never forced me into a hobby I wasn't interested in, however, society is a whole other thing.

Something in this novel which I feel is something I could relate to. Scared of what the past can bring into the present. In Jane's situation, when she was minding Lily - the same day as the previous paragraph. While playing a game to keep Lily entertained, Jane let Lily escape from her vision for a split second, and the 5 year old daughter of William Elliot was never to be seen again. Now, as a 34 year old woman, Jane is meeting up with William for the first time since the traumatic incident and she is ever so nervous and anxious as to how this situation goes down. I feel that I could relate to Jane's feelings in this case, except not quite to that extent. I feel as though sometimes I need to be more aware of things I do or say, because you never when these things may or may not come up at some point in the future. At times, when I know I have done something small which I regret saying or doing, it makes me cautious of what to do if that was to have any impact on my future self, even it may be a little thing,

I feel that I can relate to Jane, although, her situation definitely seems more in depth. Losing Lily would've been a horrible experience, and reading this novel made me feel the way Jane would when she was waiting to meet with William after so long. I also feel as though the whole 'expectations' thing is something I could relate to. Not in the sense that my parents force me to do something which I would prefer not to, but society nowadays makes a lot of people, including myself, feel obliged to do their absolute best to reach standards which are completely made up. Jane is seen as just a normal person, living in our normal world. 

Connections Paragraph - Shutter Island

Connections ParagraphShutter Island

Question: How does the film Shutter Island demonstrate the theme ‘causes and consequences of madness’? Use specific, detailed evidence from the text to support your answer.

The film Shutter Island directed by Martin Scorcese demonstrates the theme ‘the causes and consequences of madness’ in several ways. Madness can be caused by guilt or traumatic events. Specifically, in this visual text, we see how ‘Teddy’ and his uncontrollable mind go wild all together. The film leads us to believe that he is heading down the path of disturbed mentality, when really, he is already there. What caused him to head toward that route, was guilt. The guilt of never getting his wife the help that she needed needed. The guilt of leaving her to kill all three of their children. The guilt of killing her. The whole traumatic experience drove him insane. Consequences of madness see 'normal' people turning to mental bodied of destruction and anger. As a consequence, Teddy's wife and her madness lead him to go mad; forcing himself to erase the guilt eating him from the inside, out. His head drifted into a parallel world where he is the hero, Teddy Daniels, when in reality, he was the destroyed soul of Andrew Laeddis. Laeddis deluded in that he was at Ashecliffe with a task which needed to be completed by a US Marshal like himself, when in reality they were trying to help him go back to the man he once was and allowed him to be destructive as a way of progressing. His hallucinations of his wife also drove him crazy, becoming destructive toward everything and everyone else, as a way of never letting her go.