I never really knew much about Edgar Allen Poe and the life he lived. Hence why I really enjoyed reading his biography; it gave a lot more insight into the man he was and what his life was like. Everyone has heard of his famous works like The Raven and Annabel Lee. But many people don't fully understand the man behind the work. I don't think I fully understand him either, but my understanding now is a little bit better than it was before.
I have read both The Raven and Annabel Lee before, but I haven't ever read The Purloined Letter before. Annabel Lee is a beautiful poem, in my opinion. Poe did an excellent job with the diction he used in this poem, and the words flow beautifully together. Especially when hearing this poem read aloud, one is drawn in by the grace and fluidity of the words, and it feels like you are really there, by the sea, with both the man and Annabel Lee. The Raven is a darker poem, in my opinion. It is very interesting that Poe chose to use a raven as the bird in this poem-he could have used any type of creature. Ravens, however, are dark, black birds. They are scavengers. They are not pretty. I think this symbolism is quite useful in this poem. I think the raven may symbolize death and despair, and having an actual raven be the creature to portray this is quite perfect. This poem is also beautifully written and very fluid. I really enjoyed re-reading both of these poems.
I have never read The Purloined Letter before, and I thought it was very interesting. I've never really thought about what goes into investigations to recover lost items, so it was intriguing to read a short story about all the thought and logic that has to go into these investigations to be able to find what you are looking for. It was also interesting to see the point made that many police forces are too meticulous in their investigations; sometimes the answer is rather simple. You just have to know your opponent. I think this can be helpful in many different aspects of life, because many times in order to succeed, one must know his opponent and be able to think like him. Poe made a good point with this story, and I enjoyed reading it.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Scarlet Letter
So...it's been a while since I last blogged...and instead of doing multiple posts according to the reading weeks for the Scarlet Letter, I'll just do one post now. So here goes.
I really enjoyed reading the Scarlet Letter. I had the opportunity to read it in highschool, so this was my second time through the book. It was very interesting to be able to read it already knowing the end, because I was able to pick up on the more subtle clues into the mystery of who the father of Hester's child was. I think this book has a very interesting way to describe and portray guilt. Hester was guilty of adultery, and had Pearl and the scarlet letter on her chest to show for it. She was secluded from the pious Puritan society, and lived in constant torment and reminder of her sin. However, after many years, she was able to hold her head high and extend her services to her fellow townspeople. Many people came to her for help with matters which they didn't feel they could talk to anyone else about. She made a niche in the society for herself, and apparently lived at least a semi-fulfilling life. Dimmesdale, on the other hand, suffered his sin in silence. He had committed the same sin as Hester, but none of the public knew. He tried to tell the people, but because the people had not actually seen any sign of the sin, they did not believe that he was guilty of anything. He lived this way, dying, for many years, and it was only when he finally showed the people his sin that he was able to let go of his guilt and die. Why is it that Hester was able to cope with her sin and eventually find her way back into the hearts of the people? If Dimmesdale had done the same, would he have been able to live out his life with Hester, the woman he loved? Chillingworth was also a very guilty man, but his sin was that of tormenting Dimmesdale. He became so overcome with this that when Dimmesdale died, he had nothing left to live for, and he died within the year. Was it possible for him to be able to overcome this sin and guilt, and live out his life? I don't know. If one is so taken over by the devil, can he ever come back? Was Hester's forced repentance of her sin worthy of the forgiveness she got?
This book is rather wordy, and the descriptions of minute details very lengthy, but I really enjoy that aspect of Hawthorne's writing. He is so good at painting pictures in your head while you read that it's really like watching a movie. He raised many, many questions about society and sin and community and guilt and forgiveness throughout this story. I've only mentioned a few above. A book that is this thought-provoking truly has a lot of value, because it forces its readers to step back and really wrestle with the questions brought up. You can't just sit back and be entertained by a story like this, you have to engage it. You have to love it or hate it. You have to decide your own answers to the questions raised. That's what I loved about this book, even reading it for the second time.
I really enjoyed reading the Scarlet Letter. I had the opportunity to read it in highschool, so this was my second time through the book. It was very interesting to be able to read it already knowing the end, because I was able to pick up on the more subtle clues into the mystery of who the father of Hester's child was. I think this book has a very interesting way to describe and portray guilt. Hester was guilty of adultery, and had Pearl and the scarlet letter on her chest to show for it. She was secluded from the pious Puritan society, and lived in constant torment and reminder of her sin. However, after many years, she was able to hold her head high and extend her services to her fellow townspeople. Many people came to her for help with matters which they didn't feel they could talk to anyone else about. She made a niche in the society for herself, and apparently lived at least a semi-fulfilling life. Dimmesdale, on the other hand, suffered his sin in silence. He had committed the same sin as Hester, but none of the public knew. He tried to tell the people, but because the people had not actually seen any sign of the sin, they did not believe that he was guilty of anything. He lived this way, dying, for many years, and it was only when he finally showed the people his sin that he was able to let go of his guilt and die. Why is it that Hester was able to cope with her sin and eventually find her way back into the hearts of the people? If Dimmesdale had done the same, would he have been able to live out his life with Hester, the woman he loved? Chillingworth was also a very guilty man, but his sin was that of tormenting Dimmesdale. He became so overcome with this that when Dimmesdale died, he had nothing left to live for, and he died within the year. Was it possible for him to be able to overcome this sin and guilt, and live out his life? I don't know. If one is so taken over by the devil, can he ever come back? Was Hester's forced repentance of her sin worthy of the forgiveness she got?
This book is rather wordy, and the descriptions of minute details very lengthy, but I really enjoy that aspect of Hawthorne's writing. He is so good at painting pictures in your head while you read that it's really like watching a movie. He raised many, many questions about society and sin and community and guilt and forgiveness throughout this story. I've only mentioned a few above. A book that is this thought-provoking truly has a lot of value, because it forces its readers to step back and really wrestle with the questions brought up. You can't just sit back and be entertained by a story like this, you have to engage it. You have to love it or hate it. You have to decide your own answers to the questions raised. That's what I loved about this book, even reading it for the second time.
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