Yep, I Really Am Posting At This Time

Let's see, it's approaching 11:00 p.m. and I need to describe my reaction to all five novels/plays we have read this semester. Well, here I go...

Inherit the Wind- As it was the first literary work we were going to read for this class, I did not quite know what to expect. As I read, I discovered that I really liked the play and the themes that were told throughout it. I am very much in favor of people having the right to think and the right to be wrong, so I loved in when Drummond used that as part of his defense for Cates. The play moved at a reasonable pace so no one part of it was exceptionally boring, which made it easier for me to read. All in all, this play places in my top three for the books we read first semester simply because I am a strong believer in the values it is trying to convey.

My Antonia- This book was definitely not my favorite of the ones we have read so far. I am not a big fan of episodic novels because I am so used to a story with a definite beginning, middle, and end. Miss Berdick warned us that this might happen and she was right! It was a bit dull for me to read about life on the prairie because nothing ever really seemed to happen to Jim. I did like seeing the relationship between Jim and Antonia grow because I too hope to have one friend that will have a profound impact on my life, as Antonia affected Jim's life. I am with Kinga in that I too was rooting for Jim and Antonia to become a couple so I was disappointed when that did not happen.

The Catcher in the Rye- I kind of have mixed feelings toward this book. I like Holden's views about protecting the innocent and nonconformity, but absolutely could not stand his whining throughout the entire book! I do not consider myself to be an "angst-y" (for lack of a better word) teenager so it just got on my nerves as Holden complained about every little action someone took. One of my favorite things about the book was Phoebe because she showed great maturity and depth of character at such a young age, which I found very impressive.

A Midsummer Night's Dream- Well, it was nice to get a taste of another side of Shakespeare! I actually really enjoyed reading this book. I was proud that I could understand the plot through the figurative language and I also thought it was funny when the four lovers all fell in love with the wrong person. To top it all off, hearing the voice recording for the "Pyramus and Thisbe" part of the play absolutely brought the house down for me because it was easy to pick out ther obvious blunders in the play. Overall, I found it to be an entertaining read and I now do not think so badly about Shakespeare.

First They Killed My Father- I absolutely loved this book! Sure, it was very, very sad to read about such horrors but it was so fascinating to learn about the psychological impacts these atrocities have on a child's mind. I am not a big fan of non-fiction, but this book read just like fiction for me. Some of the things that happened to Loung Ung were so far-fetched to me that they seemed fictitious. This story also gave me a better perspective on my own life. It made me realize that any trials or drama I experience in my life pale in comparison to what this five-year-old girl had to go through. This book was definitely my favorite so far!