Jessica’s
Comments
(group member since Jan 02, 2013)
Jessica’s
comments
from the Classics Without All the Class group.
Showing 241-260 of 464
The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska are two of the best books I have read lately. While they are Young adult, they are two of the most truthful and beautiful books written about the pain of loss. It has become my, personal, mission to tell everyone about these two books. John Green brings you or takes you back to the life of a teenager. But he doesn't sugar coat things, and his stories are not filled with angry and pubescent teenagers. He made me feel emotion and it reminded me that I am human. I like a writer that can do that.
I thought of another one. I have only seen this movie so I might be wrong. War Horse seems like it would be exactly what we are talking about here though. Based, purely, on what I saw the horse is an extremely powerful character.
Me too, @Anil! It was so happy. I wanted to spin around and sing after the engagement.
Winnie the Pooh
Tulip
Michelangelo
Photo
Cheese
Oval Office
I am still reading Anna Karenina, but decided to take a small break between parts, from here on out with The Fault in Our Stars I am loving this book. John Green is such a great writer. Really enjoying both books. :)
Anil wrote: "I enjoyed changes Levin endures throughout this part. I think it is pretty normal to think over his own death especially when one realises a relative of their own is about to die. That grand topic ..."This is kind of spoiler-ish. I don't give anything major away though. Just hiding it in the event it upsets someone. :)
(view spoiler)
I understand what you are saying Anil, however I do not think her intentions go that deep. I believe when Anna meets Vronsky at Kitty's ball it's her typical flirting she does with all men. (As we see, throughout the book, this is a part of who Anna is. Her husband complains about it and it is something she continues to do.) The difference with Vronsky is he responds and not in a fun way. He is serious and specific in his actions/reactions to her. I think she does like the attention. What girl wouldn't even if they are happily married. It becomes something more when she turns into a physical attraction. As soon as we read about the first time she calls her husband ugly in reference, specifically, to his ears, it's downhill from there. This leads me to believe it is about a physical desire for Anna, which goes against a desire to more than an object. She could have proven that with anybody. Both Anna and Vronsky are captives of the ever so popular deadly sin, lust. It is purely physical. Yes, Anna believes it is love because it is not something she has ever felt around her husband. But in my honest opinion it is a far cry from love. They both just want the excitement of a physical touch. the question is what happens when the shine wears off?
LaLaLa Laura wrote: "What months are you going to tackle what books? Then we can try to coordinate. This is my tentative schedule
-Madame Bovary. TBR in May
-Cloud Atlas. TBR in June
-Breakfast at Tiffany's. TBR in..."
I might join you in June. for Cloud Atlas. :)
I am going to attempt this challenge, but it may take me a while. I just borrowed about 6 books from my cousin, lol. Hopefully I can start in July. I hate to say it but I have no interest in reading The Phantom of the Opera. So that might be an opportune time for me to read either
Madame Bovary
The Age of Innocence
The Fall of the House of Usher
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Cloud Atlas or
The Picture of Dorian Gray
We will see where the reading road takes me. :)
Completion
I think this is my favorite part of the book, by far. It had a slow start with Vronsky and Anna in Rome. One of those sections that didn't really do anything for me, but I understand Tolstoy trying to show these two characters changing separately and in terms of the relationship. Vronsky being bored...I think that is more or less a misdirection on his part. He believes it is because he is not in Petersburgh, but I think it is boredom with Anna.Levin and Kitty's section was very moving. She goes from being angry/ lonely to being not just a great wife, but an amazing support system for Levin. His brother's illness provides a dutiful/caring/loving look into the heart of Kitty and I fell in love with her character. She does everything in her power to take care of Nikolay not just because he is sick and Kostya's brother. She does it because this is what her heart is meant for. She finds joy and comfort in taking care of him. Not in a proud way but in a motherly/sisterly way. I found this so touching. I think it's because I can relate...I am a lot like her in that sense.
We then switch back to Alexey. We find out Anna and Vronsky have come back to visit. Alexey has been shamed. This was where I felt Alexey truly became human. He lets that proud guard down and becomes a heartbroken man with intense emotion. He is worried about his son, he feels lonely because he has no one to confide in with how he feels (until one has been there one cannot understand, but it is scary), and I believe a part of him misses Anna. The countess comes to his aid and helps him get things in order.
Anna and Vronsky are trying to find their place in society. Anna's name has been turned to mud. Many of her friends, including Betsy, have started to distance themselves from her. But Anna doesn't seem to grasp the severity of her negative reputation. Vronsky can't even get his own mother or sister-in-law to converse with her.
At the end of this section Anna decides to go to the theater. Vronksy, for once wise, knows this is a bad idea. Someone in a booth next to Anna's ends up saying something mean and creates a downward spiral for Anna and Vronsky. She blames him for this situation. However, he tried to stop her from going. Even if he said why she didn't need to go, I believe she would have gone just to try and prove him wrong. Anna has become (to me) a 17 year old throwing a tantrum because she cannot get her way. Which is how Kitty is viewed at the beginning of the story. My sympathy for Anna has pretty much disappeared. I have little care for her at this point, sadly.
The scene where she meets her son is touching. He is the only thing, at this point, that truly brings any joy to her life. It broke my heart with her leaving him though. The poor child's heart was ripped in two again. While he was delighted to see her, the thought of her leaving again was not something thought of. He will have to pick up the pieces and try to mend the void and emptiness, from his mother not being there, again. His wish came true for his birthday, but at what cost?
I loved this entire section. I think every characters' heart and desire was shown for what it really is. There was so much depth in emotion too. Tolstoy gets down to the cold hard truth of how everyone's decision has effected others involved. The truth can be a hard, bitter pill to swallow....I like it when a writer is that blunt and truthful with the audience though.
It might be because I am further in, but I disagree. While he does not show or communicate any of his emotions, I think society is also to blame for that. We still live with that to an extent even today. Men are expected, in most high class statues, not to show or communicate their emotions. I think he is a product of keeping to those "rules" without knowing there is a time when those rules MUST be broken. His situation is one of them. But he does not see it that way. The emotion/real side of him we see is all internal dialogue. I, honestly, feel sorry for him and have very little sympathy, at this point, for Anna...She made her own bed.
Goal
Martial arts
In Tights
