Wuthering Heights Rewind

You are driving, it is cold and pouring rain. Bam, your car breaks down. You see a mansion uphill and you decide to go inside to ask to borrow a phone. You are greeted by an odd and grumpy group of people. Despite the odd first impression, you come to find out that there is a dramatic history with as to why the family ended up the way it did. This is a scene that occurs in many novels and movies. Where did it all originate from? Well I have an answer for it and to put it simple terms let’s just say Wuthering Heights. This epic gothic novel served as a catalyst for other gothic novels and/or films to come. If you would like a little more insight on the novel, watch the video on 10 things you need to know about Wuthering Heights below:

This work of literary merit was written by Emily Bronte, who published it under the pseudonym Ellis Bell. Bronte was one of six children, which also included famous author Charlotte Bronte. Emily was mostly home schooled and found the inspiration to write through reading other great works. Not much time passed before Emily and Charlotte Bronte began publishing poems under pen names. Unfortunately this amazing author only wrote this one novel as she tragically died shortly after its release.

Why did I just give you a history lesson on this author’s life? Well, the life portrayed in Wuthering Heights mirrors her own. The Yorkshire moors of northern England reflects the country and secluded lifestyle the Bronte sisters were accustomed to growing up. Bronte was huge on two distinctly opposite things mirroring each other almost identically. For instance, the weather occurring on the two properties (Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange) represented the attitudes of its inhabitants. Wuthering Heights, which is located on a hill, was prone to getting terrible weather which included rain, and terrible storms. This horrible weather reflected on the attitude of Heathcliff in particular, who was always on edge seeking revenge because he could not live his life with his love, Catherine. In contrast, Thrushcross Grange is located in a valley where it is always calm, and sunny. This beautiful weather reflected the attitudes of the Lintons and how they were civilized people.

This novel contains a plethora of elements that I wish I could talk about, but this blog post would become a novel within itself, so I will simply talk about why this novel is a work of literary merit in my eyes. Bronte excellent portrayed the complexities of life and how generations serves as catalyst for those in the future. Birth, life, death, love, hatred, and death are some of the few topics touched upon in a few hundred pages. I really did not know what to expect when I first heard that my class was reading the book, but I am glad that I have this novel under my belt because I learned so much from reading Bronte’s marvelous words. So next time you see a movie where there is a creepy house and someone is led to it because of stormy weather, just know that it came from Wuthering Heights.

Base Details- Reading Between the Lines

Base Details

If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath,

I’d live with scarlet Majors at the Base,

And speed glum heroes up the line to death.

You’d see me with my puffy petulant face,

Guzzling and gulping in the best hotel,

Reading the Roll of Honour. ‘Poor young chap,’

I’d say—‘I used to know his father well.

Yes, we’ve lost heavily in this last scrap.’

And when the war is done and youth stone dead,

I’d toddle safely home and die — in bed.

In my AP Literature and Composition Class, we have been heavily studying poetry.  More often than not, after reading a poem I am left scratching my head wondering what I just read-- which is exactly what happened after I read Siegfried Sassoon’s Base Details. But as human beings do, I decided to climb that huge mountain of poetry and in the end I think I conquered it. It’s not as though I am some type of expert or something but, I took this challenge whole-heartedly.

First and foremost it is important to point out that this poem is a war poem, which means that the Sassoon will either criticise war in a positive or negative way. One literary element that is heavily used throughout the poem is excellent use of imagery. The very first line of the poem reads: “If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breathe…(1). This first line really made me think, the speaker obviously put himself in the shoes of someone who had these qualities, but then I asked myself, “Why these specific qualities?” As I continued to go through the rest of the poem, the reasons why the speaker would want to possess these qualities. The next line was one that did confuse me when the speaker said that they would live with “scarlet Majors at the Base” (2). I tried to research the word scarlet but all I got was: of the color scarlet and grossly and glaringly offensive. The conclusion I came to about line 2 is that the speaker would literally “live with scarlet Majors at the Base” (2). Meaning that the Majors are safe and sound at the base camp all whilst the soldiers are out fighting with their lives on the line. Maybe being fierce, bald, and short of breathe came with the fact that he/she would have some sort of control or authority over the soldiers at their base. Maybe that is the reason why the speaker would have any desire to possess such qualities. In line 5 the speaker says that he/she would “[guzzle] and [gulp] in the best hotel”-- an image of a bar, a fancy bar, immediately entered my head. Which again pointed out the fact that the Majors of the Base are having plenty of time to relax and let loose, while the rest of the soldiers are again, risking their lives for their country. With all of this the Majors of the Base are also sending “glum heroes up the line of death” (3)-- this haunting image sent chills up my spine. The mere fact that the Majors of the Base are having a great time at a fancy bar while soldiers are literally lining up to face their deaths on the battlefield. Not a very pretty image is it?

Noticing this use of visual imagery I could not help but get a feeling that there was something bigger going on here-- that there was a bigger message hiding behind all of this. In my opinion, I think that Sassoon is criticizing those of higher power in the military and how they sort of hide behind the soldiers who actually fight in combat. I mean at the end of the day the Majors of the Base are “[toddling] safely home and die-- in bed” (10). Unlike those who sacrifice their lives for their country and sometimes die in the cold, in a sea full of hatred.

Let's Set Some Guidelines...

HELLO FRIENDS! 

julenejenson903 again, OKAY so... I was looking through my page views a little interested on how many times this blog has been viewed (ignoring the fact that most of the page views are mine). Then, I stumbled upon something very interesting... I saw that my blog has been viewed EIGHT TIMES by someone in Ireland and ONCE by someone in Indonesia this week alone!! This is so amazing, and I am so happy that Silently Loud has gone international.

I know that this blog is still basically in the beginning stages but I want to set some guidelines in order for this blog to improve exponentially.
1. I will start posting something that is not assigned every week. I am not sure on which day yet but I will try to get something up for you guys at least once a week in order to keep the creative juices flowing. If you did not know I did start this blog for my AP Literature and Composition class but I want to talk about a number of other things that interest me.
2. PLEASE leave comments if you read my posts! If you have anything to say positive or constructive criticism please say it! I would love to hear what you have to say.
3. I want this blog to be a place for people who are voiceless to have a voice. This is a place where we can be passive aggressive, where we can be spies on secret missions, where we can be SILENTLY LOUD.

All in all, I started this blog just for an assignment, but seeing that I have a vast audience that has at least looked at this page gives me hope that this blog will be bigger than I imagined.
Have a wonderful day wherever you are and do not forget to leave your footprint on the world.

Culture and Its Influence

I remember when I was little, my mother told me that being different should be praised. This is a mindset that I hold very close to my heart. Although I was brought up knowing that I should not let myself be tied down from outside influences, often times it is very difficult to not let these influences shape me in even the slightest way. There are too many people, including myself who are often left asking themselves: How do I manage to stay true to myself whilst staying true to the culture I was born and raised with? In my opinion, there is not necessarily a set in stone answer to this question. It all depends on the specific culture and whether the environment the particular person grew up around was set for their best interests or not.
While I was browsing an amazing website called YouTube, I came across a show called Taboo. One can easily infer what the show is about by just looking at the name. Taboo is defined as a practice or subject that is not acceptable to talk about or do, meaning that the show observes many practices or actions others do that certain cultures could consider unacceptable, or--taboo. The particular episode I was watching tackled the subject of body modifications, and one particular body modification stood out to me like a light bulb in a sea of darkness. A tribe located in a small town called Nai Soi in Thailand, consists of a unique group of women. At a very young age, most of the women in this tribe decide to put brass-looking rings around their necks in order for them to appear elongated. This particular body modification initially freaked me out, and I questioned why they would do such a thing to their bodies. As the episode went on, I realized that most of these women decide to put the rings around their necks because their mothers most likely had them on as well-- it is part of their culture. These women are raised, constantly exposed to other women appearing this way, therefore making women with these long necks beautiful to others in the community. In this particular case, I think that one’s culture can enable him/her to the creation of his/her’s identity. When a person’s religion, or common practices play a huge role in his/her’s life, it is very likely for their culture to play a huge influence on their identity.

In my AP Literature and Composition class, my classmates and I were assigned to read a coming-of-age novel called Native Son by Richard Wright. I know what you must be thinking: julenejenson903, this book must have been the struggle to go through, why are you talking about this assigned book?!! Well, this is one book that I would read on my free time for a second time. This book followed the story of a man named Bigger Thomas, and his struggles as a result of the harsh world he lived in. Bigger’s culture (which essentially set Bigger up to believe that whites were above him) hindered the creation of his identity. For the majority of the novel, Bigger could not focus on who he was because of his constant fear and anxiety due to his surroundings. Bigger was surviving, not living; because Bigger was on survival mode, he could not focus on himself and the steps he needed to take in order to create his own identity. So, in this case I think that someone’s culture can also hinder the creation of his/her identity.

All in all, the essential questions we ask ourselves does not have to have one answer. The answer to my essential question does not necessarily have to be the answer to your essential question. It all depends on the individual, and the situation. Life is just too complicated to view it through one set of eyes.

Does it Have What it Takes?

“A work of literary merit.” A literary work must go through a long and thought out process in order to be place in this exclusive category. In order to be selected, a group of experts in the field of English Literature has to recognize it as authentic and one of a kind. Classics like, Hamlet, The Great Gatsby, and Frankenstein are all works the have been put in this category. Sometimes I ask myself “Why Black Boy and not Divergent?” I never understood why I was not seeing any books that I liked not make the cut. So I spent a long time thinking and I came realize that books do in fact  have to fit a certain criteria.

In my opinion, it is imperative that a work of literary merit not only has to contain a vast and unique usage of literary elements, but it should also contain a very important underlying message. After reading works like Invisible Man and discussing the nature of the work as a whole, I understood that not every book is at the same level of authenticity as Invisible Man.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is considered a work of literary merit by experts, and after reading the work, I agree! This novel has a vast array of literary elements that are excellently used throughout the book such as, foreshadowing, imagery, and symbolism. This novel is set in the 1930’s and discusses a topic that many works tackle: racism. The novel surrounds two siblings, Scout and Jem Finch who live with their father, Atticus. Atticus is a lawyer who takes on a case involving a man named Tom Robinson; a black man who is accused of raping a white woman. Robinson himself is a symbolizes a mockingbird which symbolizes innocence. Despite the fact that Robinson was innocent, he was found guilty of the accused crime. Atticus explains that it is a sin to kill something that is innocent, like if someone was to kill a mockingbird.

All in all, the novel contains a collage of hidden messages splattered throughout the whole text, but the biggest lesson I pulled from it is to never judge a person like you understand them when you have not been in their shoes. In my opinion, this book was definitely a great read; I grasped the lessons that I needed to and I actually enjoyed this work of literary merit. Was this a step into enjoying to read again? I think yes!

The 500-Page Drag

Hello! I am julenejenson903 I am 17 years old  and my life is consumed with school work, and my least favorite assignment for a while was reading. When I was younger, I loved reading and everything that came with it; escaping into another world and leaving behind the harsh world we live in. Some of my favorites book series were the Junie B. Jones and the Magic Treehouse series. I liked to think of myself as Junie B. Jones, to the point my mother even called me “Junie B.” I was someone who even read whole books in a day. I took pride in my reading, my parents praised me, and others loathed me. When I reached middle school, the work did become more intense but I still enjoyed what I read. I was starting to read a little less, but my appreciation for literature remained high. 

When I entered high school, the work became a lot more difficult and there was a lot more on my plate. For that reason, I  started to become the person that read because they had to. With the school work, clubs, and volunteer work that I had to juggle, it was really hard for me to read for pleasure anymore. And school drove my burning passion to slowly extinguish. I was no longer reading because I thought the books were good, I was reading because I had assignments that needed to be completed.

In the past year, I began to realize my wrong ways. I began to think about how hard some of these authors work to put their works together. The person that I became is not who I want to be, I want to learn to love books again. I hope that we can work together to make teenagers love reading again. I know that I am not perfect and I still have a long way to go, so let’s take this first step together.