Alana’s Comments (group member since Apr 19, 2013)

Alana’s comments from the Classics Without All the Class group.

I wish there were a "like" button, Jessica. Good thoughts, you paid better attention than I did :)

Jessica wrote: "Has that really stopped though. Based on personal experiences it seems the new targets are teens. Is your child mellow dramatic, pubescent, and angsty? Throw em in a facility and then hound them un..."

I hadn't thought about it that way, but that's a good point. But, there are obviously times when it's appropriate, too. Again, just goes back to the fact that we know so little about the workings of the mind. Have we made any improvements in the mental health field since this time period? Or just confused ourselves more?

I didn't see it as allegorical or see a Christ figure, more a critique of society's manner of dealing with the mentally ill at the time, which certainly bears exploring even in today's world, since we still don't know all that much about the inner workings of the mind.

I read this a few months ago, so I'm hazy on some of the details, but I found some of the "treatments" and thought processes very interesting, more in how much we've learned since then, how much do we still do the same way, and whether we have any better understanding of the human mind and psyche than we did back then.

The growth speaks to me, as well. It's so easy to be judgmental of youth, as we forget that we were once young and struggling with "self" too. Age often brings understanding and certainly more humility. Growth and experience in the world is certainly something we can all relate to. It's encouraging when I'm struggling with something now to look back and see how far I've come. I've grown, whether I recognize it in my immediate struggle or not.

The section while he is with the merchant made me think strongly of Ecclesiastes, and the Teacher talking about how he has everything, but it is all meaningless. The two come to difference conclusions, of course, but that struggle with finding meaning is certainly timeless.

I'm only at part one, but it's hard to see him as a contrast at this point, since they are so similar. But maybe when they meet again (as I assume they will?) near the end, the differences will seem more apparent?

I'm curious about Hesse's interest: wasn't he Swiss? Interesting to combine his critique, if you will, of Buddhism, with his Western development.

I struggled a bit through part one since I had a hard time distinguishing what part of the philosophy was Hesse, what was his character, and what was actually Buddhism. I'm not sure what the overall idea of it is: to completely lose sense of self? Or more to find a sense of contentment? I come from a very western background on faith, so some of the subtleties of Buddhism escape me.

It's definitely relevant no matter which group or religion or idea you ascribe to. Everyone, often at this young age, but often older, goes through a thought process of "who am I really?" and "what's this world all about?" He doesn't just follow the words of another man, but seeks his own way, which is admirable.

However, Siddartha does point out that Govinda chooses this path on his own, without speaking to him, a show of doing something for himself, not just because his friend does it. Granted, he thought Siddartha would be doing this also, but he is not afraid to move forward even when he finds that his friend is not coming along.

Melanti wrote: "Bookshelf out of loyalty to Bradbury. but on its own merits, somewhere between Library Bag and Donation Box.

It has a good message, but I think Bradbury's style is better for short fiction rather ..."

This is more or less how I feel. I like what he does, and he manages to do so in a shortened novel, not taking 700+ pages to tell something fairly obvious like so many other authors feel the need to do. I think it's very prevalent today, though a big shallow in some sense. Good starter book for a lot of issues, but with a lot of more hidden metaphor, which I appreciate.

Does this classify as sci-fi? Or maybe it did in it's day but just doesn't really feel that way now, because a huge portion of the technology either already exists or is very nearly attainable?

I listened to the audiobook and it follows along with my paper copy of the book, containing an afterward and a coda. In the afterward, he talks about reviving Clarisse in the play and expounding on the characters a bit. In the coda, he talks about various "edits" his book and some of his short stories have gone through, often without his permission, where certain words or phrases were cut out to abridge the book or make it more suitable for teaching, which is the height of irony. He says "There is more than one way to burn a book," which is eerie prophetic, both for his own books and those of others. Very, very interesting.

All of the monologue about the danger of books was interesting. I like that it's pointed out that it's not just that it's the government controlling books... but people WANT to be diverted and not have to think. And considering this book was written 60 years ago, it's even more disturbing: we have more hours of TV on than we could ever watch, our cars keep going faster and we are more computerized than ever, not taking the time to "sit a spell" on that front porch and just talk to each other. Eerily predictive, this book. Maybe even more so than Brave New World.

I flew through this first section much faster than I expected. I like his slowly growing curiosity, despite his fear of being caught with a book. I'm not sure what I think of him opening up to his wife, though. I mean, he SHOULD be able to, obviously, but she's definitely not the kind of woman who WANTS to think, and he's forcing her into something before she's ready to face it.... if she ever will be.

I don't remember the Red Death very much, but the Pit and the Pendulum is shiveringly creepy :)

This was one of the first Poe stories I ever read, and it was back in high school and about the only thing I remember was that it was impressed upon us that they had an incestuous relationship. Just weird. Reading it this time around, I was more impressed with the descriptions of the house and was more curious about the narrator. After all, he's writing about how creepy it is while looking back in retrospect; how creepy was it REALLY when he first approached, and how much was because of his imagination later? And did the sister really crawl out of her tomb? I still don't quite understand what's supposed to have happened in the end.

But, being that it was a particularly stormy afternoon when I sat down to read it this time, it was rather deliciously creepy :)

I have been afraid to attempt this one again, after trying last year to do so. I found it so awful that I abandoned it after 30 pages, which is highly unusual for me. Enough people really like it that I want to give it a try again someday, but it just doesn't make me excited to read. Then again, many people liked A Confederacy of Dunces and I thoroughly hated it, so maybe I should abandon it altogether after all... :/

Dickens is hard for me, but they are usually good. LOTR does have some more tedious sections but I love it overall and thoroughly enjoy the Hobbit. I find the idea of attempting Moby Dick you be incredibly daunting tho.

Judy wrote: "My name it's Judy. I live in Colorado Springs, Co. My favorite genres are gothic, sci fi, historical romance, forensic crime and psychological thrillers. Favorite authors are Diane Gabaldon, Patri..."

Yay, someone in my neck of the woods! Nice to have you here!