Jane Says: Austen's Wit & Wisdom Starts Your Day

"...the Jane Austen Centre in Bath has produced an app providing a daily dose of Austen wisdom, which can be custom-timed to land on your phone whenever you like…"



http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/sep/29/want-a-jane-austen-quote-delivered-to-you-every-day-theres-an-app-for-that?CMP=twt_books_b-gdnbooks

Healthy Choice: Reading is Elemental

How Changing Your Reading Habits Can Transform Your Health

After being rejected from grad school and overlooked for a job promotion, an Apple employee reflects on the benefits and merits of reading.


"My favorite book is War and Peace...But it wasn’t my new favorite book just because it was so compelling. It was my new favorite because it changed something in me. It’s almost impossible to explain why, but after reading it I felt more confident in myself, less uncertain about my future. I became more assertive with my bosses. I got back on the horse, so to speak…"

Which Classic Literature Character Are You?

Another test, in only ten questions.

http://www.zimbio.com/quiz/K3iKcn_Ys0x/Classic+Literature+Character

What Literary Character Are You?

Another literary character test…

Have you ever been so involved in a story that you imagined yourself as the protagonist? Or have you ever read a book where you relate so strongly to a character that you think the author may have used you for inspiration? Or maybe you've just had one of those days where you'd love to be your favorite fictional hero.

Let AbeBooks fuel your fantasy with our fun quiz, "What Literary Character Are You?" Using your responses to the quiz questions, we'll let you know which fictional character from literature you most resemble. How's that for fun?

Think you know your friends? Make sure you do by having them complete the quiz and reveal their character too. Learn more about yourself by revealing your character now...

http://www.abebooks.com/docs/Community/Featured/LiteraryCharacterQuiz/character-quiz.shtml

The Fabric of Our Lives: Fiction in Our Everyday World

There’s no way around it, we experience storytelling in every facet of our daily lives. The minute we close the door behind us, as we leave our cocoon, the world presents a series of events to be witnessed, interpreted, and told by us. There is a compulsion to attach an explanation, a story, to what we see before us. The primary function of storytelling is to help us understand something. It sates our curiosity, and is likely why fiction succeeds, more than non-fiction, in holding our attention.

            As J.J. Rivera can attest, we read other people at work, at school, at play. And, out of all these daily routines, a story will emerge. And, it’s usually a fictional one. It’s in the gestures, faces, and voices we encounter. It’s the kid who picked up milk on the way home, stuffing a gum pack in his jeans before leaving the store. Did he steal the gum or pay for it? It’s the guy walking the family dog after dinner, who meets a woman at a park? Is that his wife or is he cheating? J.J. put in his 7/7 post, you can tell someone is lying because they’re lips are moving. But, as seen in the same post, it can be written too. There was enough ambiguity between the last two sentences about the incident to make one wonder what happened between those two moments. Is this the reason there is only one officer making the report? If more than one officer were to make a report, would there be different stories? Everything is a matter of perspective and interpretation.

            This ability to interpret starts when we were young and being read our first stories. Eventually, we begin to read them on our own. Their narratives and their tropes become familiar. So, after years of reading and witnessing stories, this art of fiction is ingrained in us. Take for instance reality television, which has become a prevalent fixture. It is purely constructed, and hardly real at all. There’s no veracity in the vérité. And, yet, the public gravitate to it. This could explain the acceptance of fictional memoirs. It’s as if we’ve become sanitized to what truth is, as long as your story makes us think, feel, or understand something.

            Or did it really matter what the truth was in the first place? Fiction may not be real, and may not be true, but it lives around us, with us, in us. It’s a part of us, and imparts those universal truths, which help us to understand something about the world and our place in it.

Which Classic Literary Character Are You?

Which Classic Literary Character Are You?
http://www.playbuzz.com/gretab10/which-classic-literary-character-are-you

Sweet Emotion: ‘Atonement’ Characters Upon Reading

            A 2013 Emory University study revealed reading improves language and motor skills for up to five days after reading. It also discovered subjects were able to remember things better, perhaps due to more blood (i.e. oxygen) being funneled to the brain, especially when a narrative arc is involved. This triggers “mirror neurons,” which enable the reader to relate to and empathize with the characters. Additionally, reading about a character’s actions requires the same neural activity in the reader as actually performing the same task. Would this be the same for the characters in story if they read? A look at several characters in “Atonement” suggests they have emotional, and sometimes, physical responses to their readings.

            Briony’s first critical read for “The Trials of Arabella” comes courtesy of her mother, Emily Tallis, who displays looks of “alarm”, and “snickers of glee” later, followed by “grateful smiles” and “affirming nods” which all indicate she enjoyed the play, even giving it a “stupendous” review. Mrs. Tallis’ reactions to the tale of misfortune turned love story follow the arc of the play accordingly. “The Trials of Arabella” also foreshadows much of the narrative for “Atonement” itself.

             

            Though she is not reading at the time, Robbie asks Cecilia how she her reading of “Clarissa” is going. When Cecilia responds “boring,” the novel's narrative inertia reflects her own ennui. But, Robbie, who is rolling a cigarette for Cecilia, prods her to keep reading, that “it gets better.” This makes Cecilia think Robbie can detect “her taste for the full-bodied and sensual,” just prior to him offering and lighting her cigarette. While Cecilia is a proxy for the lead in “Clarissa,” there is no doubt this encounter literally ignites the sexual dynamic between Robbie and Cecilia.

            The sexual motif is further amplified when Robbie begins to write the cursed note to Cecilia. At first he jokes, “I don’t think I can blame the heat.”  Even the mere thought of seeing “Grey’s Anatomy,” after years of studying it, arouses Robbie to fantasize about Cecilia. He types more versions of the note with the book opened to the inflammatory page.

            Later, Robbie hands the note to Briony for delivery to Cecilia. A compulsion to “know everything” leads Briony to read the note. Upon reading it, she feels threatened and “immediately sens[es] the danger contained in such crudity.”  The “order of their household” is in jeopardy, as well as Briony’s own longing for Robbie.

            These passages are short hand for the narrative conflict and illustrate the dynamic between the three main characters, who will each endure personal adversity when they leave the country estate.  It is fascinating to find within these few simple passages that even characters in a novel are swept by emotions and physical stirrings when they read.

The Angry Mob

            There is an old saying in Hollywood: “It doesn’t matter what they say about you as long as they’re talking about you.” In other words, criticisms and controversy end up functioning as publicity. That being the case, it is always in an actor’s interests to get arrested, behave erratically in public (especially in front of the paparazzi), and say something outlandish while being interviewed on late night TV.

            A similar phenomenon happens with authors and their books: if the work is controversial, offended someone, was banned and hard to find, it is going to fuel interest. The reasons books are banned range wildly; some contain language that some view as offensive and others are an outright threat to an organization.           

            In Falling into Theory, David H. Richter describes author Allan Bloom’s concerns about literature –particularly what he feels people should read and what he had deemed offensive:

From the right wing, the opening guns were sounded in a book called The

Closing of the American Mind (1987) by Allan Bloom, which became a

runaway best-seller by arguing that America was bringing itself into

spiritual danger by neglecting the Great Books (Plato and Aristotle,

Aquinas and Hobbes) and allowing its youth to drug their collective mind

with relativistic philosophies like those of Max Weber, Friedrich

Nietzsche, and John Dewey, which Bloom considered almost as

soul-destroying as contemporary literature and rock music. (21)

Several points strike me here: First, 1987 was around the time that the Christian right in the U.S. was waging a war against heavy metal. Second, the title, The Closing of the American Mind, is ironic considering Bloom was suggesting that writers he did not agree with should be avoided. Third, I am personally going to be attracted to literature which is referred to as “as soul-destroying as contemporary literature and rock music.” I do not advocate neglecting Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas or Hobbes, but I’ll read Nietzsche while listening to Led Zeppelin and spiritual danger sounds intriguing.

            A part of the American Library Association’s mission is to raise awareness regarding banned books and encourage freedom in our reading choices. Banned books, and the reasons they are banned, are listed on their website. In addition, we are able to report any banning –angry parents or organizations that attempt to remove literature from schools or libraries- and it is taken seriously. The ALA organizes a “Banned Book Week,” which will take place September 27-October 3 this year http://www.ala.org/bbooks/. Banning literature should be archaic –I picture an angry mob with torches and pitchforks- and it is alarming that it still happens. The good news is that every time a controversy is raised over a book for whatever reason, it just promotes it.

Love the Way You Lie: Joe Mitchell and the Matter of Fact and Truth

Publications like The Paris Review and The New Yorker have long been bastions of the literary world. As compendiums of both fiction and non-fiction, many journalists find shelter amongst their pages, which is why the Joe Mitchell story seems preposterous, yet, utterly believable at the same time. Nothing shocks more than reality, yet, nothing is really shocking.

            Currently, there is a shift towards fictional memoirs, which shows an acceptance of possible truths, with stories recalled, crafted and marred by memory and enhanced with dramatic flourishes. Altogether, it’s another way of telling a truth, with the “truth” being the understanding of some human emotion or experience, in essence reflecting ourselves back to us. Facts are cold and hard. They’re the domain of science. The truth, though, is an ideal, which can be somewhat elusive, as it rings differently to different people.

            Do modern times require this modern storytelling? Is there such a thing as modern storytelling? A simple click of a mouse and one can turn to social media to find a constant stream, a “newsfeed”, which inundates followers with the instantly self-curated information of their friends, family, and even their favorite celebrities and pundits. A person can adopt the kind of persona they wish to present, posting and liking things, which give the best impression of themselves or what they want people to know. If something no longer suits you, a post can be edited or deleted. Though, the possibility remains the post may have been cached, therefore living on indefinitely, without your consent.

            Facts are constant, concrete and unwavering. They provide the proof in the pudding. The truth can be obscured or bent, and even ignored. If the purpose of nonfiction is to inform or explain a person or place in relation to the world around them and us, it’s not vastly different from fiction. Both illuminate the same things, in different ways. It makes sense fictional memoirs and social media are slowly becoming the norm, as the lines between fact and fiction have become blurred.

            It’s curious to know if Joe Mitchell had been working in the present day, what would his fate be. Would there be fallout, followed by a firing, and recounted in a memoir? Probably. Humans require story to explain, educate and even entertain. The fact remains, all stories, both fiction and non-fiction, contain the stuff of life, a truth, or the truth, in all its permutations, which imagined or not, is a vital component to our existence.

Behold a “Pale Fire”: Nabokov’s Communion of Consciousness and Creation

When primary colors are mixed together, a new color emerges, one that is lighter, more vibrant. When a memory is mixed with the passage of time, it becomes “colored” too. Sometimes, memories are bright and clear, as if the experience just happened. At other times, they are hazy, diffused and fragmented. And, still other times they are a combination of the two, clear and fragmented, seemingly mismatched, yet soundly apparent. “Pale Fire” is a work of layered memories, fact and fiction, and a meditation on a life of creativity.

“Pale Fire” unfolds via the memories of John Shade, Charles Kinbote, and Vladimir Nabokov, by virtue of his (sometimes, subtle) presence woven throughout. Shade, an eminent writer and protagonist of the story, is revered and lauded by Kinbote, the commentator and custodian of all things “John Shade.” Charles Kinbote is a commanding, yet unreliable observer, like a sound but splintered memory, akin to the shadow self. As narrator and (self-regarded as Shade’s muse), Charles Kinbote is informative, but also irrational and misleading. Kinbote superimposes his own exploits and achievements over Shade’s life and final creation. Their respective recollections create a point counterpoint. Shade’s canto and Kinbote’s commentary are the juxtaposition of the consciousness and the unconscious, with the nexus of creation, laying somewhere in-between. Most notably, the chess motif sprinkled throughout reveals Nabokov’s love of the game, but also reflects the style of the story. In chess, players can move their pieces backwards and forwards, diagonally and sideways. This is mirrored in Kinbote’s commentary, as his recounting veers from past and present, and flits between himself, Shade and others, again and again. The commentary progresses much like ideas and memories zig zag through our minds. Scattering through the light and dark, tangential yet concrete, they unify together, the collusion of the known and the unknown, the conscious and the unconscious, with the novel as the final piece standing.    

            Based on our previous experiences, memories can inform the future as much as they catalog the past. As a storytelling device, they are a facile tool to recall what has happened before and prepare the reader for what lays ahead. Though Kinbote’s observations and Shade’s recollections are seemingly disparate, when taken as a whole, they combine to create, at times, a confounding, but complete story. The final passage reminds us of the third layer and Nabokov’s definitive part in the story. As form follows function, so too, does story follow memory. Indeed, it is born from it.

Tristram and Charles Go Boating: Narrators on the Sea of Remembrance

            Narrators are usually a trusty guide for many a novel. They often chime in to lead or remind the reader to certain facts or events. The novels “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman” and “Pale Fire” rely heavily on narrators who delight in addressing the reader with their own memories dominant in the narrative, often leaving the reader adrift.

            Tristram Shandy and Charles Kinbote each have created a story labyrinth, a seemingly never-ending, undulating maze of thoughts and memories, with no map available. Though, is a map necessary? Each novel challenges the reader to persist and follow the trail of crumbs in their tales, and cultivate the story amidst the lunacy. At times, both seem unreliable and questionable, which is usually the realm of memory. Details roll over each other, and tales unfold in fluid, and sometimes, rapid motion, leaving the reader awash in details that require deciphering. What has really transpired and what is truly important? These are not black and white tales; these are accounts of curiosity and confusion, which a reader must navigate in their own way.

            At times, both Tristram and Charles may seem like good candidates for psychological therapy, as each exhibit manic and miserable attitudes, with Charles veering on the stalkerish side. For both, an upbeat, thrilling recollection is swiftly exchanged for the dour certainty of their pitiful lot in life, with each one wondering what will become of them. One sizeable difference between the two narrators is that Tristram constantly deflects from himself, the protagonist of his tale, and focuses on his relatives. While Charles spends more time recounting his own exploits, and his immeasurable and significant influence on John Shade, the protagonist of his story.

           

            If neither narrator spends much time addressing their subject matter, why read to the end when there are so many detours? Is this the end? Is it going back to the beginning? Initially, this is a cumbersome, and at times, debilitating factor in these stories, often tempting a reader to With their memories shifting focus on time, place, and people, it can be a struggle to complete sophisticated works such as “Tristram Shandy” and “Pale Fire”, for they require the reader’s constant and vigilant companionship on the journey. With extreme patience, careful attention, and even, repeated readings, a narrative emerges from the pages. Each novel proves there is a method to the madness, for surely, many a reader feels frustrated reading them. Self-reflexive in nature and crammed with sensational and preposterous escapades, Tristram and Charles succeed as narrators by charting their own circuitous route, directing the reader, through the process of memory, to their respective stories.

Our Frenemies, Our Selves: Growing Up in ‘Northanger Abbey’

The OED defines a frenemy as "a person with whom one is friendly, despite a fundamental dislike or rivalry; a person who combines the characteristics of a friend and an enemy." Though not coined until mid-twentieth century, frenemies were much alive and in practice during the 19^th century, as evidenced in “Northanger Abbey.” Catherine Morland’s friendships with the Tilneys and Thorpes represent the differences between bona fide friends and frenemies.

The most predominant thing about a frenemy is it’s difficult to determine when someone is one, and is usually only realized after much drama and difficulties have transpired. When first introduced to Isabella Thorpe, Catherine Morland is captivated and swept away by Isabella’s intense devotion to her. And, while Catherine admires and respects Eleanor Tilney, her poise and sophistication are no match to Isabella’s guile and panache. And, all of it is a ruse, as both Thorpe siblings excel at manipulating situations to their advantage, always misdirecting events or outright lying. They appear worldly and calculating, a likely by-product of growing up under the auspices of their mother, who routinely prods and promotes them, in an effort to advance their family name and fortune by any means necessary. From John’s lie and carriage abduction, to Isabella’s pursuit of Captain Tilney, Catherine suffers handily, especially when John lies about her finances to General Tilney. The Tilneys, on the other hand, are grounded, accepting, and somehow seem to see through the Thorpes' shenanigans. Clearly these are learned behaviors; the Thorpes are the perverse converse to the Tilneys, a well-respected and reputable family.

The nature of fiction examines many facets of the lives depicted on the pages. Despite not being “real”, fictional stories ultimately reflect a reality of the experiences and the relationships in our own lives. Though considered a satire, “Northanger Abbey” also truly serves as a handbook of the tribulations of growing up. It bestows upon us the both the dark and light sides of friendship, imparting the ugly and bitter truths, with the welcome and agreeable truths, all of which ferment one’s constitution. When recognized and successfully traversed, a frenemy relationship ultimately guides us to our best selves.

Fire the Loose Canons

            Who decides what should be included in a “canon” of works? Is there one official canon? What literature should be considered worthy? It seems that the process of defining a canon of books would be as mysterious as the process of selecting members of the electoral college. Like politics, the answers to these questions -if there are any answers- are dramatically varied depending on who we ask.

            What began as a simple Google search quickly revealed that this is indeed a big, ugly can of worms. The term “canon” inevitably overlaps with “classic.” Just exploring the meanings of those words, or the arguments as to what different parties believe they should mean, is beyond the scope of reasonable discussion, at least here.

            Oscar Wilde has been quoted as saying, “It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.” What do we want to read? This is the subject of a 2009 article by Motoko Rich in The New York Times, “A New Assignment: Pick Books You Like,” that was shared with us by JJ Rivera. Teachers have been giving middle school students an opportunity to choose what they read, while the debate rolls on as to whether or not that is beneficial. Considering Oscar Wilde’s quote, the students in this situation have a unique opportunity to make a statement about themselves and allowing them to read what interests them is a refreshing approach.

            Danielle Flores shared an interesting article that introduced a very unique approach: Have a reading list prepared specifically for you based on your interests, or even issues in your life. The New Yorker article, “Can Reading Make You Happier?” was written by Ceridwen Dovey. Dovey visited a literature specialist who developed a personalized “canon” for her. This deserves much consideration; our personal interests and needs are rarely taken into consideration by anyone when reading is prescribed.

            It has been suggested that people –especially young people- can lose interest in literature if they are force fed it -it is a shame for someone to be turned off of Dickens or Hemmingway because of unpleasant (quite often academic) circumstances. Another good approach is to introduce readers to authors in small doses. I had a literature class as an undergraduate student which focused on short stories, selected sections of larger texts, and poetry –it was a positive experience.

            We will always have our canons, but perhaps the trick is all in the approach –any combination of the three discussed here could be useful to anyone of any age: Let’s take into consideration what has been hailed as classic, regardless of who has deemed it such, then let’s choose for ourselves. Let’s work out what may be a particularly good choice for us as individuals, or taste the greats in smaller, more digestible pieces. Force feeding literature may do more harm than good.

Literature and Words As Salvation

Do words really have the power to save?

Throughout "Atonement," Robbie relies on Cecelia's words, particularly her refrain of "I'll wait for you, Come back," to sustain him through hard years in prison and at war. He admits, "In love with her, willing to stay sane for her, he was naturally in love with her words" (191). So, Cee's words enable Robbie to keep his sanity, and they keep him pushing forward in his struggles to reach Dunkirk.

Their dependence on words in their relationship gets taken to a meta-level with their need to use literary couples as a shorthand for their feelings (ironically, Robbie lumps them in with some icons of tragedy -- Tristan and Isolde and Troilus and Criseyde). Unable to be frank with each other emotionally, they must substitute the romances of these great literary figures for their own feelings (and quite interestingly, it allows the reader to perhaps buy more deeply into their romance as well since this depth of feeling is, after all, predicated on only one night in a library).

Robbie and Cee's dependence on words for emotional expression and survival seems to link very naturally to the notion of bibliotherapy and certain books being conduits for readers to work through a variety of life problems. In a way, they are practicing their own form of biblotherapy, as they reference works of literature to reassure and commune with one another.

This, in turn, made me think about (and the class overall) the power we grant words as a society. Not just literature and the questions of how we value what we deem canonical, but words overall-- Briony's words that implicate Robbie's guilt, the written words of the Supreme Court in legal decisions, and in the case of most world religions, some type of written instruction manual of faith and morality.

We, perhaps because we are limited in other forms of expression, privilege words and language above all else. In a Catholic mass, "the word of God" is held up as the centerpiece of the mass and the justification for particular belief systems and behaviors. So, if we are willing to privilege and honor the words of religious texts, legal documents, etc., why can the same type of resonance and meaning not always apply to literature? Sure, it's not real, some will argue, and others will state that reading just isn't for everyone, but can literature take on this kind of deeper meaning and therapeutic bent outside the realm of literature professors and avid readers? And should it?

Most will be able to guess at my feelings on the matter, though I am not able to adequately express just how such a movement might occur. However, I think the example of Robbie and Cee--the way their words propel them forward in their own lives, and most particularly, their own reliance on literature to grant meaning to their lives and voice their feelings in a metaphorical way (and the way that their happiness and posterity as individuals is only maintained through fiction)--is a firm argument for the transformative power of bestowing a deeper meaning on literature in defiance, or perhaps, even in embrace of, its removal from reality.

How old were you when you got your first taste of Shakespeare?

An interesting argument along the Vendler line of thought.

" Definitely before children have been exposed to the misguided idea that Shakespeare is primarily there to be studied to pass exams rather than to entertain."

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2015/jun/16/why-its-best-to-experience-shakespeare-in-your-salad-days

Ex Libris

for the book lovers:

http://www.amazon.com/Ex-Libris-Confessions-Common-Reader/dp/0374527229

Defining Nonfiction

"The problem belongs to a culture that still cannot quite imagine nonfiction as a realm of art."
http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-re-defining-nonfiction-again-20150623-story.html

Jane Austen on OkCupid

Funny that this should be published today when we were just discussing this last night.

Really fascinating experiment.

http://www.bustle.com/articles/91389-if-jane-austens-leading-ladies-tried-okcupid-i-set-up-profiles-for-marianne-lizzie-catherine-and

The Decline and Fall of the English Major

Interesting article that I dug back up this am--still rather interestingly elides writing with literacy, while sort of leaving reading out of the equation a bit.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/opinion/sunday/the-decline-and-fall-of-the-english-major.html?_r=0

"Before I leave this earth, I will laugh at you."

The AMADEUS scene...Salieri: "God was laughing at me."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCB_OcJcDYY

How Slow Can You Go?

"What speed do you read? Compare your reading speed to the national average."

 This is a timed test, specifically made for e-readers, with three different story options.

 

http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/technology-research-centers/ereaders/speed-reader/

 

Emma Thompson Acceptance Speech as Jane Austen

Also, I keep meaning to share this in our whole discussion of adaptation, imitating an author, taking on the voice of an author, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5prYhXQtCk

Love Among the Books

**WARNING – THIS BLOG POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE END OF THE BOOK ***

As a long-time fan of both the film and novel of “Atonement,” one of my favorite scenes has always been the library encounter between Robbie and Cecilia. It’s undeniably sexy on the page, and the smolder of Keira Knightley and James McAvoy only makes it more so onscreen. What bibliophile hasn’t entertained the notion of a romantic encounter in a library?

            But re-reading the novel this time around, the library scene needled me – yes, it’s a sexy setting for Cee and Robbie’s coming together, but why does McEwan set their one moment of bliss in a library?

We are told many times throughout the novel that the house is full of large, empty rooms full of “stubborn silence:” “Noise from outside the house was excluded completely, and even homelier indoor sounds were muffled, and sometimes even eliminated somehow” (136). So, there is nothing to suggest that the library is the most private space in the house. From earlier in the novel, we know the ground floor has a parlor and several other rooms, and Robbie must follow Cee “across the hall” to access the library. Perhaps, it is the nearest room, but McEwan never says as much.

Instead, I would like to posit the notion that McEwan places Cee and Robbie’s only true moment of happiness in the library to foreshadow the book’s ending. By placing them in the library, McEwan foreshadows that Robbie and Cee are characters in Briony’s novel (at least in this telling of the story). Robbie and Cee come together amidst shelves of books, just as their final reunion is only possible in Briony’s novel. They are a story, a novel-- just like the books that surround them in the moment that ultimately incites their troubles.

McEwan uses language to suggest this. He describes Cee “as though about to disappear between the books” (124). Later though, Cecilia will quite literally disappear between the books – only a character with her particular “happy” ending as remembered in Briony’s novel. Her very self will be absorbed into a book as the fictional Cee comes to supersede the memory of Briony’s actual sister. She becomes one with the library in this scene and is revealed to be so at the novel’s conclusion.

McEwan takes it a step further when he describes the moment that Cee and Robbie finally surrender to each other: “They were beyond the present, outside time, with no memories and no future.” This is, of course, a romantic description of how lost in the present moment Cee and Robbie are. However, it also aptly describes characters in a novel. Only fictional characters can continue to exist beyond the present moment they’re created in, with no ability to possess memories before or extend into a future beyond the ones they’re given by the author.

By placing this iconic, reverberating moment in the library, McEwan creates a mini meta-narrative. The characters are both performing an action, but self-reflexively hinted to be contents of the books that surround them. McEwan expertly uses setting to foreshadow his overarching meta-narrative.

Writing: A Creative Process We Should Enjoy

            When we write, we are creating. That may seem to be an obvious statement, but we tend to forget it or never quite realize it in the first place. Even in the context of writing an academic research paper, there is a creative process involved and there is room for personal style. Even within the most serious thesis, there is room for fun.

            In 2013, I attended a writing workshop at USC -it was a round table discussion led by Professor Roberto Diaz and writing specialist Shilarna Stokes. They said something I will never forget: If a piece is not enjoyable to write, it will not be enjoyable to read. This is one of the most important statements, if not the single most important, that I have heard about writing and this served to set a tone for me as a graduate student.

            As an undergraduate student at California State University Los Angeles, a professor spent much of a term (probably the majority of it) forcing us to develop outlines and stressed how important this is to our writing. By the time I began writing the term paper for that class, referring to an outline for all of my structure, I felt as though it would be too late to develop any new ideas; according to this traditional model, it seemed that ideas should be explored and exhausted during an initial brainstorming phase only.

            I took the outline method to grad school with me and during my first semester, I felt extremely restricted. I was not enjoying the writing process and felt more concerned with word or page counts than I should have. For my first large term paper, I brainstormed, researched, developed a thesis, gathered books, and started developing an outline. Everything felt rigid and forced. Then I came up with an idea for a twist on the thesis very late in the game. I escaped from the outline and changed the tone of the last third or so of the work into something far more entertaining for me to write. The professor remarked that the twist was a surprise and the paper was an impressive undertaking.

            I have since abandoned the use of outlines for any of my written work. As a result, I view writing as an opportunity to create –it is an opportunity to develop my voice as a writer. I am open to gathering thoughts, ideas, and developing content up until I finish proofreading; any good idea, especially a unique one, is worth considering at any stage.

            For some, working with an outline may be useful and necessary, it just does not work well for me. Outline or no outline, I believe Diaz and Stokes are exactly right. I want to enjoy my time writing and I hope that some sense of that carries over to the reader. I would not want to eat a meal that was prepared by someone who resented the process of cooking it.

Slow Down: Enjoy Fine Food and Enjoy Reading

            Our abilities to read seem to be divided into two groups: literate and illiterate. The literate group may have levels assigned; for example, it may be said that someone reads at about a sixth grade level –but the levels seem nebulous at best. There are countless options of majors for undergraduate college students and graduate school programs in literature, languages, and writing –creative writing, professional writing, and journalism- but there seems to be very little discussion on how to read well. It seems to be assumed, that after high school and plenty of standardized tests, that any adult in the literate group is a good reader.

            It would seem that reading is reading, but when do we skim? When do we read slowly? Are there any benefits to “speed reading” and do we understand the sentences on the page?

Do we read every punctuation mark? Every apostrophe and comma? If we are proof-reading, certainly -but what if we are reading a novel? Those who develop speed reading programs could tell us that we do not need to read every word; rapidly skip –blast- across the pages and try to have some sense as to what it is about. There may be times when that may very well be a good approach, but Nabokov, Hemmingway, and Shakespeare crafted sentences out of words that we can take time to appreciate.

While discussing this with my father recently, he stated that reading can be like eating a fine meal -savoring every bite. That will likely not happen if we just fly across the pages.

On one side of us, we have speed reading programs pitched to us. On the other side, as writer Patrick Kingsley explores in his article, “The Art of Slow Reading,” on The Guardian.com, we have the argument that much is to be gained from slowing down. Kingsley and others offer a body of evidence to suggest that we are reading (skimming) too quickly and that is dramatically affecting our attention spans. The article touches on digital formats -reading online and Kindle-style editions of books- compared with traditional print.

Kingsley makes a point that we are distracted while we read our digital formats: email notifications, text messages, and pop-up advertisements among other side-trackers can tempt us away from our reading. In addition, he raises concerns that in this information age we are growing accustomed to consuming short bits and bites… our tolerance for sitting down and focusing on words may be diminishing.

How to read well is a discussion that we should be engaging in now more than ever. I believe there is much to be gained from turning off the cell phone, laptop, and tablet, turn on a soft light, open up a printed edition of a book, and enjoy the reading experience. Like my father was saying, we can treat our reading like a fine meal rather than a fast snack.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jul/15/slow-reading

The "7/7 Rule" Arrest Report, Simply Declarative

Based upon a previous class discussion in which the essay "A Simple, Declarative Sentence" was discussed, I have decided to submit for your slow reading pleasure an actual, albeit somewhat modified, arrest report. Such reports are completed by your University law enforcement officers and presented to various officers of the court for review, prosecution, sentencing, and hearings. 

 

I hope the report offers some insight as to the report writing aspects of law enforcement personnel and the need for the profession to complete these reports by way of simple declarative sentences. The use of compound-complex structured sentences within this realm would only cause confusion, possible rejection of cases, and a dis-service to those victimized by predators; as well as those accused. For as we all know, the criminal justice system was developed to serve the defendants.  

USC DR NO. 150-0000

USC SUPERVISOR APPROVING:                                                                                  

Arrestee:        Youngster, Bad

                        DOB 01/02/1900

                        (424) 911-0911

Source of Activity:

On 06/19/2015, at approximately 0820 hours I, Officer Male 1 #00000, was working for the University of Southern California (USC), Department of Public Safety (DPS). I was in full uniform and driving a marked patrol vehicle. I received a radio call of two male Blacks inside of the Seaver Science Library (910 Bloom Walk). The suspects took items from a closet on the third floor. The suspects were now heading north from the location. The suspects were in the area of 3620 McClintock Avenue. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) incident #150619001166 was generated.

Investigation:

Upon my arrival I observed Officers Male 2, Female 1, and Female 2. They were attempting to physically detain the arrestee. He was later identified as Youngster, Bad. He was being very uncooperative and resisting the officers. I assisted taking Youngster into custody. Youngster was then escorted to the rear of a patrol unit. I then asked the officers what occurred. They stated the following:

Officer Male 2 was the first to arrive. He attempted to detain Youngster and the other suspect. He was identified as Youngster 2, Bad (DOB 01/02/2000). Youngster 2 stopped and complied with the officer’s instructions. Youngster refused to stop and attempted to continue on his way. Officer’s Female 2 and Female 1 arrived shortly thereafter. They spoke to Youngster while Officer Male 2 monitored Youngster 2. Officer Female 2 then walked up to Youngster. She told him that she needed to speak with him. He began to explain his actions to the officer. He was told that the officers understood and they still needed to speak to him. He was told to stay until the investigation was completed. He attempted to walk away again. Officer Female 2 placed her hand in front of his chest to stop him. She did not make contact with his body. She then explained to him that he was being detained and was not free to leave. He stopped walking and refused to listen to the officers’ explanation. He then clenched his fists. It appeared that he was either going to fight or flee. A use of force then occurred.

Use of Force:

Officer Male 2 took control of Youngster’s right bicep. He placed a c-grip with his right hand. Officer Female 2 took control of Youngster’s left elbow. She placed a c-grip with her left hand. She also attempted to take control of his right wrist. She used her right hand in doing so. She then pressed her left shoulder into his left shoulder. The move gave her more leverage. Officer Female 2 attempted to pass his arm to Officer Female 1. Officer Female 1 placed a wrist lock onto Youngster’s left wrist. She attempted to place handcuffs on him. Youngster grabbed officer Female 2’s fingers with his left hand three times. She was attempting to move his arm. He prevented her from moving it further than the small of his back. Youngster began to raise his voice and yelled “Don’t touch me!” Officer Male 2 told Youngster to calm down. He observed Youngster start to clench his fists. Officer Male 2 then took control of Youngster’s right wrist. He used his left hand as Youngster continued to resist. I then arrived and took control of Youngster’s right wrist. I used with both hands and applied a wrist lock. Officers Female 1 and Female 3 then placed two sets of handcuffs on Youngster.

Investigation Continued:

Youngster was placed into the rear seat of a patrol unit. I then conducted a theft investigation. My investigation revealed that Youngster and Youngster 2 were seen in two separate locations. The locations are open only to USC staff and faculty. There was no evidence of any theft.

Officers ran a LAPD Code-10 (want/warrant check) on Youngster. We discovered that he was on formal probation. Officer Male 2 contacted Youngster’s probation supervisor. She stated that Youngster was failing to abide by the terms of his probation. Officer Male 2 also advised her that officers had to use force to detain Youngster. She was told of his behavior and a ten day flash hold was issued.

Arrest:

Youngster was placed under arrest for outstanding warrant #X01942191.

Booking:

Youngster was transported to LAPD Southwest station for booking. He was then transported to LAPD 77^Th Station for housing. Lieutenant Big Bars #00000 approved.

Medical Treatment/Injury:

Youngster was taken to processing. He stated that he was bi-polar, diabetic, and was HIV positive. He had not taken his medication for several days. He was treated and cleared for booking by 77^Th Station medical staff (Dr. White Coat).

Photos, Recordings, Videos, Digital-In Car Video (DICV) and Digital Imaging:

None

Evidence:

None

Court Information:

Officers can testify to the contents of this report.