A Good Man Is Hard To Find

Today I read 'A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O'Conner. I don't (usually) cry at stories, especially ones that are only about eleven pages long. And don't get me wrong, I didn't cry, I just sat there for a really long time thinking about it. I cry over stupid things, like 'I don't get this' and 'I can't believe I did something so stupid' and some not-so-stupid things. I cried at my grandma's funeral, and over a documentary about blood diamonds. But I just didn't cry. It was weird, because when I started, I picked up my pencil and wrote down things like 'These kids are really acting badly' and that the grandmother was a little crazy. As I got to the end I completely stopped taking notes, thinking about writing down my thoughts. I wasn't writing that much before, but I completely stopped after they met him. I don't even like calling him 'The Misfit'. I don't know. I sometimes, in the Odyssey, underline whole paragraphs and then feel stupid and erase some of the underlined stuff, but I just sort of underlined everything at the very end. It was all sort of sweet, the way the grandmother wanted to earn the love and respect of her grandchildren, and she misses the way it was, and an evil part of you says that her son, Bailey, really was being a jerk. I looked back at what I wrote at the beginning and it didn't even matter to me anymore after that. I don't care where they are, why they're going, why her son was so mean. I still sort of wonder how it might have been better if she hadn't recognized him, if she hadn't smuggled the cat in, if she hadn't tried to impress her grandchildren, if she had stayed at home, or gone to 'east Tennessee'. I normally hate stories where things are so dependent on what happened before them. There were thousands of ways they could have avoided the ending, it's just upsetting that it had to be this way. It's disappointing the mother/wife never really got a part. It's sad he couldn't have even spared the baby. It's just upsetting to think there is someone who would do that to their mother, or brother. Anyone. I don't get how it can say Bailey is her only son who she lives with when it's true that there was another. Maybe she just lost him somewhere, maybe he never came back to her by choice. I don't know, but she would be the only person to know his story. Just to know that the kids might have grown up, the baby might have grown up, it's a story, but the fact that it can make you wonder about all this stuff. Over and over I've been saying to myself I don't know, I don't know. I've written it many times, and deleted a few because it's probably frustrating to read.
I could go through and highlight all the things I thought were really great ways of description, but I can't do it. I don't want to go past the first page anymore. I loved the grandma's fight, her character that tried to get away with things (like some elderly people do sometimes). I loved to hear him talk, to hesitate to think about himself. I loved the whole last half. I loved the whole story. Each time I look at what I wrote (and am writing now), I feel stupid, over and over. But I don't really want to think about it. I made it easy to forget about, I made it easy to think of something else, but I can't not think about it when I look at it. It's scary someone could write this, in a way. It's so simple. They go on a car trip and there's an accident, and a murderer on the loose who happens to be her son and kills them. The author was so careful to explain the characters that with every thing they say it makes it harder for me to think of them suddenly torn to bits by this author. I guess that's why I don't miss the mom so much. She had no name, she had nothing to say, she sat a lot, but then why do I miss the baby so much more? I keep feeling stupid I feel this way about a little made-up story, feeling stupid that I couldn't ever write like that, stupid that I don't even know what to say about this story. It's such a creepy story! How would it feel to look back and see that you created this?

Odyssey Reading, Books 5-8

It's time to talk about The Odyssey! This week I was pretty excited to get to Odysseus instead of Telemachus, Telemachus, Telemachus, (It's like Duck Duck Goose...). In the end of this reading, I feel like he's not that special. Yup, and there's still a lot of crying. Just let the guy go home!!

Calypso is just strange. She seems to be plotting something, and then she seems to want to help him. I don't know, she's obviously upset to have to send him away, and she wants to get him there safely, but is it just so he'll like her better? That's the one thing about this book, you never really know when someone is acting or not. (I think I've said this before, so no more!) She definitely makes it easier for him to get somewhere, and he probably would have gotten home if Neptune would just let him go! He is stubborn! Really, you kept him on the island, he has suffered for a long time, and now you make this huge storm just because he poked an eye out! (Really, you'd think he might just poke his eye out, too and call it an eye for an eye) Then you try and bash him against the rocks, it's not even his fault he's free! His fellow gods decided, so shouldn't he be mad at them, not Odysseus?

I'm a little confused how he got on the island, he was just brought to a river suddenly, why didn't he see it before? If Neptune was angry enough to smash him against the rocks, he sure seems to forget about it quickly when he asked for help. He just calmed everything down and let him float to safety. It seems like if he came to such a big sailing town, he might have seen someone sailing or fishing somewhere nearby, but I guess not! I'm not sure what to think of Nausicaa, she seems smart and brave for standing up to the crazy person who popped out of the bushes, but then again Athena was there to help her. She, of course, helps him, which I suppose most people would do in that situation, and offers to take him home, which seems nice, but how much is just what she was taught to do? (Besides 'Never talk to strangers') It's sort of frustrating he always stays with the rich people, I think he should stay with a friendly family or something. Which reminds me, there are no small children in this book so far! I guess it's not really important, but they just aren't. Telemachus is supposed to be kind of young (which confuses me, because he acts older and his dad is supposed to seem young, too). It's funny how Athena pops up to lead him to their home, and you'd think he might at least think she was strange or something, because she tells him a lot about the king and queen that not everyone might know, and really helps him on how to act. I think she sometimes helps him too much.

Anyway, I like how the queen is well respected, but she gets left out a lot after he meets her. The king is friendly, hospitable, rich, and a lot like the other kings he meets. It's sort of weird and nice of him to give him a feast for suddenly appearing at his door, and it's also weird how he doesn't ask who he is or why he is there until after he feeds him multiple times. It's also strange how he has the blind musical guy, Demodocus, come back after he sees that it makes him cry the first time. I think it's weird he wants him to sing about it when it makes him cry so much. So basically I thought most of the feast was abnormal. The first time Odysseus hides his crying, but the second time, as it is so carefully described, he doesn't bother. He sure gets mad about the guy who said he probably couldn't play any sports, which was really mean to say to the guy, but I was afraid he would hurt someone! (It was on and on and on about all the stuff he could do) Then the king got into it and started talking about what all the people in his town were good at and what they liked and somehow calmed Odysseus down with that. Then they went back and watched more people dance, which made him happy, and then he got really upset, so it doesn't sound like a good day. Finally, the king asks who he is (Using a whole page to say 'Who are you?') and now we have to wait for him to answer.

I liked books five, six, and seven. Eight was all over, now he's mad, now he's crying, now he's laughing, He was spoiled with the fifty-two sailors and brand new boat, and with the whole feast, but I guess he had a long journey. I sort of wish instead of spending so much time there, he would just leave and get home, because that's all he seems to care about. I have a bad feeling about him telling the king about his story, it will probably be really long, but I hope he starts sailing home soon!!

The Odyssey, Books 2-4

I hope I did this right, I read books 2,3, and 4. I'm not sure if I was supposed to read to four, or through for, but I guess it doesn't matter now, because the damage has been done. I am actually really liking this book so far! This 'active reading' thing sometimes seems annoying, but it helps me to pay attention, especially when I realize that I've been writing the strangest things on the paper. Sometimes I would look back and have no idea why I underlined what I did, but I would remember what I read really well. I also wrote notes to myself that, although I felt stupid writing, made sense, kind of. I wrote connections that I made like 'Wait, if the man-servant tells Penelope that the suitors are planning to kill her son who's in another city far away, then that means that she will know her son is/was at sea!' and then less than a paragraph later it says the same thing and I feel stupid that I took time to point that out to myself. Another weird thing I do is when I write things to myself, after a while of reading, I start to write them like the people talk, so 'old English' I guess. I guess it feels sort of harsh to say 'The guy is sad'. I don't know why I like the story so much, but I'm feeling pretty confident that the beginning is the worst of it. The one thing I noticed that I don't like is that it seems like he is only liked because of his father. Even Athena (or Minerva) although she seems to like him, seems to only be helping him because it means getting Odysseus back. I also don't like, now that I think about it, how I can't always tell why the people do or say something, or if they know something. For example, when Athena disguises herself as 'Mentor' does Telemachus know it's her? It seems like he doesn't, but he also hinted that he could tell it was her before, and then when she turns into an eagle and flies away, is he paying attention? It seems obvious that he would see, since it seems like he should still be there (how far could he have gotten in a few lines? But how do I know? I also can't always tell (and it might be my stupidity) when Telemachus is acting and when he sincerely is thinking something. To a degree, he is always acting, and so in Athena (yes, I know I'm referring to one in a Roman name and one Greek, but that's how I think), but how do I know when he seriously is thinking that he will never find Odysseus and when he is acting for someone. I guess sometimes it doesn't matter, but I want to know. I don't know whether or not I like not knowing what he looks like, other than once being referred to as 'tall and strong'.

People I don't like: the suitors, of course! They are hogs, and I can see what can sparks their greed of money, because Penelope obviously has a lot of riches in her house, but they are definitely a little crazy. I love how they can't be pushed in their greed and they can seem so stupid, because then I can picture them better. I somehow felt that they would come to be a stronger problem, although I didn't think they would try to sail after him. It seems too easy, I guess. I just thought they would stay and be more trouble to his mom, which they would have been, and still are, except now I don't know why she would marry any of them after they plot to kill her son. Which brings me to my other point, I don't like Penelope, for many reasons. She seems to not think much of her son. There are many times when she says something like 'he's not strong enough' or things like that. This especially bothers me when she seems to prize her husband so much. I realize that she loves him to bits, but she regards him as stupid in his decisions and weak and small, like he's still an infant. He doesn't even score as heroic in her mind when he goes off to find his father, which makes me even angrier. Of course, we could give her the excuse of being overcome by grief and suitors who are jerks, and her son can be a little pushy and mean to his mom, but you'd think she might think something of him. Penelope's character also seems to change a lot. At first she seems to be the poor women who lost her husband, and they we're told stories about how she tricked the suitors, so maybe she's smart. Then she seems to be helpless again and cry a lot. She's almost like a baby, in a way. Of course, I'm probably being hard on her, but I can't help thinking badly of her.
One of the people I do like, even though she has a tiny part, is the nurse, whose name I can't think of, who helps get Telemachus supplies and has to tell Penelope about him leaving. Although at first I though she would tell of him leaving, she seemed to really care about and know Telemachus. She was obedient, and loved him, then she also proved to be intelligent. She covered his story and when the word got out he sailed away, she even took responsibility for his departure. "Then the dear old nurse Euryclea said, "You may kill me, Madam, or let me live on in your house, whichever you please, but I will tell you the real truth." This woman is so loyal, and she tells the truth even when it could, as she knows, get her killed. Not only this, but then she has either thought out, or comes up with a perfect way to do three things: relax, even slightly, Penelope, get her to stop crying, and keep her busy and not crying. Although she still cries later, Penelope seems to really listen to what she advises, and what she says has good reason to it.
The people Telemachus visits and stays with Nestor (who is preparing dinner at sunrise) and Menelaus are just okay. They seem similar, and are both long-winded about their past. They both seem to only like him because of his dad, and both seem kind and generous, and although they tell interesting stories of their past, they seem a little dull. I liked the story about Proteus, but it seems like it only told us what we already knew for the seventh time.
Even though I talked a lot and said a lot of things I didn't like, I think it just means that it was written well, because I think people should feel like that about the characters in the story. I can't wait to keep reading, (but I have to admit I spent a long time reading)!

What I am Reading

I just finished an Enola Holmes mystery, which is just a book about Sherlock's little sister. It's a series and the books have slowly been coming out, so I just wait. It was sort of a 'just because' thing, because a long time ago I read a book by the same author, Nancy Springer, caller Rowan Hood which was, unless I am mistaken, a book about Robin Hood's daughter, named after a tree. I loved it and read the other books in the series. Then, some time later, I found out she also wrote the 'Enola Holmes' mysteries. Enola's mother left her when she was little, and no one knows where to. Over the whole series, she does three things: snoop around to solve mysteries, avoid her brothers, who she ran away from, and try to find her mom. Of course, that's not it, but I can't tell you the whole story now, can I?
I started (after finishing the book I just mentioned) a book called 'The Glass Castle' my mom basically forced me to start it. Although I don't regret it, it was weird because I don't think my mom has ever made me read any book, ever. I'm not very far, but I love the way the author writes and I think it will be both depressing and beautiful. It is about a girl growing up in an extremely poor family that travels escaping debt collectors. It is a true story, which makes it all the more amazing. Her first memory is when, at three, her dress went up in flames when cooking hot dogs. Her mother was painting in the nest room, and she wouldn't have even got to the hospital if the neighbor hadn't lent them her car. After a number of weeks there, her father is sick of the people and just carries her away. At home, she becomes even more amazed by fire, and plays with matches and wonders about fire constantly. Needless to say, this girl is toughened by experiences that only get worse. I love how the author writes it like a three year old might think, and how normal for her was a complete shock to others. I'm a little scared to find out what will happen to her, but I'm also really excited. I think the 'reading post' was supposed to be about The Odyssey, but it's too late, so maybe I'll post another one about it.

Odyssey Reading

Hopefully I will be able to say what I think of the Odyssey so far, but I'm not sure how well I will be able to do that, because I am somewhat unsure of what to think of it! I think it's very interesting how it's just a long poem, and I also am interested in the way the author writes. I can't say I really like it or don't like it so far. I enjoyed reading it, I felt like it was hard to soak up all the first time, so I reread the first part, which helped. I think the whole idea of the story is kind of interesting, especially since there are all sorts of gods and creatures to make it different.

I like how everything has to do with something else. You aren't ever told anything unless it's at least somewhat important, of course, this isn't so good if you sometimes forget facts, because then you get lost and confused, which has definitely happened to me before. Hopefully I won't forget anything. I haven't read a lot of Greek myths, but I remember some things, so hopefully it will help. It does sort of make me wonder what it would be like to actually be in a myth, or go on an adventure with everything considered so differently. If you had someone powerful against you, or on your side, or even what it would be like to meet some of the creatures. I always sort of ignore picturing specific monsters in my head, but it would be terrifying to meet one of them.

Right now I have a good feeling I'll like it, but I guess I won't know for sure for a while. I think I will enjoy the plot the most, but again, I can't tell. Sometimes the names get me confused, but that happens to me in a lot of books, so I'm not too worried! I can't wait to keep reading!

Summer Reading

Summer always seems to be spent in little pieces. I guess that there was a fair amount of time spent reading, in my case, so here's some of what I read. All the books are a little different, some were some I chose, and some were ones that were suggested, so here it is! One of the first books I read was The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. Although it was a pain to get from the library, it was an interesting Sherlock Holmes mystery, and worth the time I waited for it.
I also read two books that were not in print when I got them. One is called Flora Segunda which is a fantasy book about a girl who lives in a broken down world, full of magic and other weird stuff. She lives in a broken house, and in a pretty broken family, and her life is changed when the elevator in her magical house takes her somewhere where she's never been. It was a little strange, but not too bad. The other book was called Runemarks, which was about a girl who lives possesses a magic power to cast runes, which allow her to do things that would be more difficult with just her hands. This was a little like the other book in that everything was so weird and different that sometimes it was too much. I did choose to read 'The Hunger Games' and its sequel, 'Catching Fire' because I had read the 'Underland Chronicles' by the same author. I will always enjoy Suzanne Collins, and her newer books aren't an exception, but I somehow didn't enjoy them as much as her previous series. I think I'll still read her last book.
I had a list of books I should read, so I also made my way through The Comedy Of Errors, (William Shakespeare) A Journey to the Center of the Earth, (Jules Verne) Kim (Rudyard Kipling) and Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens). All of them were interesting, but each were challenging in their own way. Oliver Twist felt very wordy, The Comedy of Errors was, well a Shakespeare play, Kim was sometimes confusing and A Journey to the Center of the Earth was just a little too much science fiction sometimes. Once I got over these small issues, I really liked these books. I also read a few books for fun (and old habits) like The Sable Quean, This Book is Not Good For You and Crispin:The End of Time which were all by authors who I started reading books by a while ago, and wanted to read some newer books from.
I don't remember all the books I read, and I don't have any special favorites, but these were some of the ones I wanted to write about. I hope this was at least sort of interesting to read!