Apr 26, 2021

The Suffering of Humanity

Roger Bevins says that “all were in sorrow, or had been, or soon would be.” Vollman responds by saying “It was the nature of things” and that we are all “suffering, limited beings.” I think that this is an interesting point of view. As humans we are bound to suffer and will face insurmountable circumstances. As a perspective, I am in the middle of the argument. I completely agree that humankind will suffer. Such is the way of things. However, I will argue that while we suffer and will continue to do so, there is light in our perseverance. It is not the suffering which defines us, but our ability to get up once again and stand our ground.

1 min read

The Suffering of Humanity

Roger Bevins says that “all were in sorrow, or had been, or soon would be.” Vollman responds by saying “It was the nature of things” and that we are all “suffering, limited beings.”

I think that this is an interesting point of view. As humans we are bound to suffer and will face insurmountable circumstances. As a perspective, I am in the middle of the argument. I completely agree that humankind will suffer. Such is the way of things. However, I will argue that while we suffer and will continue to do so, there is light in our perseverance. It is not the suffering which defines us, but our ability to get up once again and stand our ground.

Apr 12, 2021

What is the Bardo?

The Bardo, at its core, seems to be an interesting take on the afterlife. Specifically, it seems to be a type of in-between point. The people in the Bardo do not believe themselves to be dead, but instead are vehement that they are alive. What is more interesting is that the people in the Bardo seem to be a physical representation of their attachments. Vollman, for example, is obsessed with sex and therefore has an eternal erection. Bevins is a collection of noses, eyes, and ears, which represent his attachment and appreciation of the world. I have to say, the Bardo is an interesting concept!

1 min read

What is the Bardo?

Apr 5, 2021

A Mark in History

In “The History of Love,” Leo is afraid of disappearing. He does not want to become invisible. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that he writes. Writing fiction allows him to be immortal in a sense. Those who find and read his work, much like Alma, will perceive him. At the end of the story, Leo seems to have trouble perceiving reality. When he meets another Alma, he taps and pokes her to make sure that she is real, even though he knows that it is not his Alma. Perhaps he has lost his sense of reality because he has lost himself in his writing? Either way, it is clear that he wishes to be perceived, and even though he is not perceived by his love, he kind of gets his wish.

1 min read

A Mark in History

Mar 29, 2021

Why English?

I’ve always been terrible at creating art. My father was a musician, my mother an artist. My uncle built skateboards, and my aunt liked to draw. I wasn’t able to do any of those things. At least not to the extent that they were able to. Sure, I can play…

Context

1 min read

Mar 22, 2021

Semuel’s Overreaction

In Semuel’s article, their is a remark about the author’s inability to make decisions due to anxiety and and, most importantly, her decision to read Choose Your Own Adventure books when she was younger. Personally, I feel that this is a bit of a reach; she undermines her own argument…

Videogames

1 min read

Mar 5, 2021

Hypertext in Different Media?

Haas remarks that a wampum is “a combination of the oral tradition and symbolism is woven into the material rhetoric.” I believe that this can be seen in modern times as well. Perhaps this is an obvious answer, but the internet is prime example of this hypertextuality. Haas states that…

Hypertext

1 min read

Mar 1, 2021

Gatsby and Teenagers

When I read the graphic novel, I got many different feelings. At first I thought it was mainly because of the different style, but now I think it might be a matter of perspective. When I was a teenager, I got a different emotional response; I did not enjoy it…

1 min read

Feb 21, 2021

My Reading Experience with The Great Gatsby’s Graphic Novel Adaptation (So Far)

So far, I’m enjoying the experience with the graphic novel adaptation of Fitzgerald’s work. It is definitely a jarring experience, however. For one, there seems to be less descriptive wording, with more of a focus on dialogue. This makes sense, since the reader is able to see what would normally…

Gatsby

2 min read

Feb 15, 2021

The Great Gatsby as a Comic?

“The Great Gatsby” was never one of my favorite books. By no means was it uninteresting. It simply did not resonate with me on the level that many others claim to have experienced with the novel. With that in mind, I have only read it once, during my early high…

Gatsby

1 min read

The Great Gatsby as a Comic?

Feb 7, 2021

The Reader of the Story

Oh boy. There is a lot to discuss in “If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler” (I do not know if I can do italics on this website, so I used quotation marks). To be completely honest, I am still not entirely sure if I understand everything about the novel…

Books

2 min read