Ashley’s Comments (group member since Jun 05, 2020)

Ashley’s comments from the #ClassicsCommunity 2021 Reading Challenge group.

Just Mercy and How to Be Antiracist were awesome. I’m also half way through Warrior Dont Cry and it’s brilliant so far. Pretty sure I’ll be requiring my kids to read this in high school.

I’m not sure where Melissa is, so let’s all chime in for now and see when we’d like to start. My copy should be here tomorrow, so I can start next week. Or I can wait. What about each of you?

As far as pace- Book 1 has 28 chapter, Book 2 has 21, Book 3 has 19, Book 4 has 16, Book 5 has 22, Book 6 has 26, Book 7 has 14, Book 8 has 22, Book 9 has 23, Book 10 has 39, Book 11 has 34, Book 12 has 16, Book 13 has 19, Book 14 has 19, Book 15 has 20. That’s 338 chapters in 1175 pages (my version as the example). The books are all varying lengths- Book 1 is 111 pages, Book 2 is 94, Book 3 is 97, Book 4 is 54, Book 5 is 74, Book 6 is 75, Book 7 is 51, Book 8 is 71, Book 9 is 83, Book 10 is 146, Book 11 is 116, Book 12 is 54, Book 13 is 46, Book 14 is 48, Book 15 is 55.

How slow do we want to go? 10 pages a day 5 days a week would be 50 pages a week, which is around half an average book or a full short book. That’s 6 months about. Double that for 100 pages a week and do around a book a week and it takes about 12 weeks or 3 months. Or we could do a happy medium and take just over 4 months to finish is we do 75 pages a week. What do you think?

I read it recently, so I would discuss. But I don’t remember what happens chapter but chapter, so I’d have to see how it went if I’d be able to contribute as you go along.

Oh fun! I’ll see if I can squeeze it in. I support the mid month check in. Great idea!

Would you guys want to start in July? Can you get the book by then? Or start with a free ebook version if you have to wait? How fast would you want to read it?

Who is finished?? Can we talk now?

I was wondering if there would be a big reveal at the end of the book. I read some reviews that talked about how the ending was WOW! There were some different elements, like the strike and Margaret offering a loan and such. But the ending was exactly what I thought it would be. It was set up to end that way, in part because the narrator constantly said it couldn’t happen. I should probably stop there in case people aren’t done yet.

Have you seen the hashtag going around about “black out” the best seller lists from book stores? I bought a bunch of books by POC that I’ve been wanting to read this week to support the cause. I try to seek out other perspectives, but I could do a lot better.

I also read that Dantes is based on Dumas himself to an extent. And he had a ghost writer (not sure why they called it that...) who he collaborated with. It sounded like the ghost writer would come up with vague ideas or outlines and Dumas would write them. I really need to read a good biography. Maybe we can do one together after. I also want to read The Black Count by Tom Reiss about Dumas’ father.

So I read something about how we often forget that Dumas was black (it part of we’re being particular). He experienced racism and discrimination in France and used that to write his books. So while I wasn’t comparing Edmonds experiences directly to racial discrimination, it seems that Dumas was writing from that place. He was teaching similar lessons through this story. And it makes me wonder why he didn’t just come out and write about slavery or racism. Do you think he had a different story to write that was more literary or whatever? Do you think he was writing it to be more accepted by people of the day? I wonder his reasoning.

Also, his dad was a military man. He invaded Egypt. At least what I read said he did. I should fact check this story some more. Apparently when he got there, he was so large in stature, the people thought he was Napoleon and respected him....which seems weird because he was taking over....but that’s the story. So when Napoleon actually gets there, he’s like small guy, right? And the people prefer Dumas’ father. So Napoleon hates him and makes his life difficult. So Dumas writes these situations in his books where fathers are vindicated and people in power are brought down. I thought that was kind of funny. We already see that in Edmond’s father a bit. He doesn’t get absolution. In fact his story is sad. But there is great respect there. He sees his dad before his fiancé. We see the great relationship they have. So I thought that was cool background!

How’s everyone doing this week? What thoughts have you had? I’m just finishing up and I’ll come back with some more thoughts.

The same thing happens later when Mrs Hale has a secret and she asks Margaret to keep it from Mr Hale. It’s such a different relationship!

Any idea of a schedule? How quickly will you read?

I am enjoying it much more now. Yay! The strike is very interesting! So many things to think about and discuss. And interesting to see in the light of not only BLM protests, but also people who did protest masks and stay at home orders and are still upset about both.

One big question is are strikes or protests or similar the way to bring about change and get fair treatment? The people want a fair wage, not for their pay to be lowered. Is their approach the best one? Is it justified? Then there is Boucher who is being violent. Is the violence justified? Is it taking away from the message? Is it ok for him to be violent when those “in charge” are asking him not to? It’s so interesting to see similarities in different ages. The more I read classics, the more I realize human nature doesn’t change much. People are the same no matter the era.

To answer my own questions, a friend recently asked “is revolution necessary for change? And does it lead to peace?” Those questions are similar to the ones I asked above and thought of as I read last night. I do think some sort of revolution is necessary for big and lasting change. So the strike, IMO, is justified. No one was listening. Nothing was going to change. It’s not human nature to make a big change without a big reason. We need motivation and a reason. Violence is something I go back and forth with. In the book, Boucher is being asked not to be violent, and he probably shouldn’t be. But today, we have people of color who have been hurting for hundreds of years reacting in violent ways. It’s hard to “blame” them or say they shouldn’t be reacting that way. Many feel it’s a last resort and many are tired of the way they’ve been treated and just want change. But also, the violence in some cases has been coming from outsiders coming in to make protests look bad and/or people continuing to be violent when asked by organizers to stop. Respect needs to be a part of the equation, but those with privilege are not always being respectful of those who don’t, so yeah. Hard situation. And I don’t want to make this a big political discussion. I don’t think human rights are political, but I know it goes that way. It’s just so interesting to consider these questions, not only in context of the book, but also in relation to current events.

I’m reading Count of Monte Cristo (very slow) and North and South (I’ll be done in a week or so) with this group. Also reading some church books with friends and some non fiction books on racism. Im also slowly plugging along on a biography on Washington. I want to read one from every US President. That will be a very long term goal.

I love Russian lit, though! I started War and Peace while I was in college and gave up about half way through because I was so busy. I want to read it again! I’ve read Anna Karenina and Brothers Kramazov in the last few years. I read a few others in earlier years, but don’t remember many details.

What are you reading currently?

There’s a new thread about War and Peace. Who wants to join??

Yes! I’m in if we can get a few people. I’ve got a lot of reads going on, but if there it a good discussion it would be worth squeezing in!

There is a comment in chapter 18 or 19 about the wedding being a year ago. I’m not sure how soon after the wedding they moved, but there is one mention of time passing. I agree that it’s not super well documented. It felt like not long, but I guess it had been a year!

There was a comment about a male character being female in qualities, so that’s what got me thinking about the idea. Interesting. And very interesting about northern England today. I am in the states, so it’s fun to see a different perspective.

I’m not getting into this book like I usually do classics like this. I’m not quite half way through. I really need to buckle down and read!

Yes! So perfect. There are so many different ways to be guilty and some could argue that maybe some characters (like Cauderosse) aren’t actually to blame. I think it’s an age old question. Is saying nothing being complicit? Can you be neutral or must you pick to be either and solution or the problem? So, in other words, if you’re not actively solving the problem are you adding to it? It’s really interesting to look at each of these 4 characters and see how their guilt is so different. As we keep reading I think we will have to ask ourselves what guild Edmond carries too. Can we blame him for his revenge?

Last year I read Les Mis and a few other books with similar ideas. Who is to blame for certain actions? Like Les Mis- can we blame Valjean for stealing bread? Was it societies fault he was forced into this desperate place? Is it society’s responsibility to take care of each individual person? I think these ideas will apply to Edmond too.

Villefort is so well connected! He sees this letter implicating his dad, and thus him (sort of). He’s able to work the system to keep himself “safe” and out of jail. I think that’s another benefit of him being older. Edmond doesn’t have the life experience or connections that come from the extra years.

Also, it’s interesting that I’m reading it as if Danglars is the evil mastermind. Is anyone else feeling that way? Or is it the way I’m reading it? Rally Fernand is the one who sends in the letter. But he seems like he’s innocently benefiting from Dantes being gone instead of the reason it happened. Danglars is the one who had the idea. And he’s a coward for convincing other people to do his dirty work. But he seems more evil. And then Villefort takes it to the next level. To protect himself he condemns Dantes to life imprisonment. Yet he doesn’t seem as evil either. Maybe because he’s dealing with something someone else started? He didn’t seek to ruin Dantes the way Danglars did. His actions are arguably worse in their consequences, but he didn’t simply want to ruin another man. He was being selfish. And Fenand was taking advantage of a situation presented to him. Just some random musings....

Oh man. Sense and Sensibility is hard for me to get through unless I’m in the mood. I’m not sure why it bugs me! Love Austen though!

I’m reading North and South. A slow read of Count if Monte Cristo. Listening to Anne of Ingleside (first time!). I’ll probably start another once I finish N&S, but I’m not sure what yet. The rest of my reads are nonfiction.