Sunday, October 26, 2008

Atonement?

In my opinion, none of the characters in the book Atonement actually achieve atonement. Briony never achieved atonement for what she did, which is obvious at the end of the book. She was not able to get in touch with her sister or with Robbie, although apologizing would probably not have been enough consolation for her to feel less guilty about what she did. Marshall never achieved atonement, because he didn't seem to think he did anything wrong in the first place. His life continued to flourish, while several other lives were completely ruined due to his actions. Lola, who was also responsible for Robbie's conviction, probably thought she was atoning for falsely accusing Robbie by marrying the man who raped her. However, this did not affect Robbie's fate, and making herself unhappy probably did nothing for her guilt.
In the end of the novel, I did feel a little bit bad for Briony. She spent her entire life carrying around the guilt that she ruined a man's life and a romance because of her immaturity. I believe that Briony knew for a while that Marshall was guily of raping Lola, but for selfish reasons, she accused Robbie, and I feel that what she did to him was unforgivable. However, Briony did not commit the real crime in the novel- Marshall did- and it makes me feel sorry for her that she is suffering so much while he is not.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Free Blog...Post #6

So far in English 215, we have read a variety of different types of short stories and plays. We have discussed many different types of characters, plots, and themes. From what we have recently read, I have really enjoyed the book Sula. The style of writing used is unique, and the book is full of interesting, crazy scenes. The author, Toni Morrison, uses powerful language and imagery, which kept me entertained throughout the book.
I think that it is usually hard to read, or at least enjoy a book if there isn't a likeable character or one that I am able to identify with, and in Sula there was not a character that fit either of those descriptions. However, Morrison developed the characters enough so that I was curious to learn more about them, even if I did not really like or identify with any of them.
I recently read The Bluest Eye because I had enjoyed Sula so much and was interested in reading more of Morrison's work. I thought The Bluest Eye was an easier read than Sula, probably because I liked it more. It may have been because in The Bluest Eye, I felt sorry for one of the characters and developed pity for her. Although things kept getting worse for her, I kept hoping they would get better. The more I read, the more I wanted her life to turn around, even though in the back of my mind I think I knew things would not turn out well.
So, I really enjoyed reading Sula in class, because I found that the writing style and story were both very different than anything I have ever read before. Reading Sula has already led me to discover another book that I really enjoy...I am mailing it to my mom to read next!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

blog 5

I fell like Bartheleme did a great job of getting inside the character's head, although it was difficult to understand what was going on before we discussed the story in detail. A plot I would like to see through the eyes of someone would be about a girl that is reccomended to a doctor because she was suspected of having an eating disorder or a problem with drugs. I think this would be an interesting point of view, because I feel like the character would feel let down and betrayed, although the friend would have had their best interest in mind. The person will feel like the whole world is against her and that she cannot trust anyone, and will see everybody as an enemy.