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Everybody's Faking It (And That's Okay)

I'm really enjoying Sag Harbor. I think Whitehead is an incredibly witty, thoughtful writer who masterfully captures coming-of-age in all its forms. I know this because I don't have a whole lot in common with Benji on the surface. Yet, there are multiple scenes throughout this novel that have resonated deeply with my experiences growing up. One notable example is the scene where Benji sees two of his friends (I forget which ones) totally botch an impromptu handshake. This is a significant moment for Benji, as he sees The Handshake as a kind of secret code, a way of demonstrating your exclusive updatedness on black pop culture. Up until this point, Benji is under the impression that everyone in his friend group knows about the newest handshakes but him. He describes paying close attention to his friends at the beginning of the summer so he can quickly master the trendiest techniques, feigning coolness until he actually achieves it by the end of the summer (only to "lose...
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Your Biggest Fan

Hi all! Here is my creative project! I based it on the characters and plot of The Bell Jar. For the purpose of my project, I’m assuming that The Bell Jar is Esther’s autobiography, and she sent a copy of the manuscript to Dr. Nolan before she published it. This is Dr. Nolan’s letter to Esther after receiving (and reading) the manuscript. The year is 1963. Esther would be 23, and Dr. Nolan would be in her mid-40s.  Feel free to leave comments on this post. I'd love to hear yalls thoughts :) 
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Harry Potter and the Black Swan Green

As I read Black Swan Green , I keep getting reminded of scenes in Harry Potter (my bible). However, I have now come to the realization that  Black Swan Green  and  Harry Potter are both a series of coming-of-age tropes that show up in countless novels throughout the history of literature. It just so happens that my introduction to the concept of coming-of-age was through the Harry Potter series, so that's what my brain jumps to when I read Black Swan Green. That being said, here are some connections I've made between the two novels, which are examples of much broader coming-of-age literary motifs. Madame Crommelynck reminds me so much of Dumbledore. An older mentor who has a somewhat inexplicable investment in a significantly younger boy who is struggling to navigate an unforgiving world? Seems like a decent comparison. There's also a mysterious air around Madame Crommelynck and Dumbledore. Both of them keep their cards close to their chests, only revealing details abou...
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An Attachment to Detachment

I'm struggling with Sylvie and Ruth's philosophy about what it means to have a meaningful relationship with someone.  I keep thinking about that part where Ruth describes watching a woman in a train travel by and questioning how that interaction was different than knowing a person. The conclusion Ruth seemed to come to (much through Sylvie's influence I presume) was that she didn't know that woman any less or more than anyone else in her life. This reminded me of the way Sylvie talks about people she meets once in a boxcar and never sees again. Sylvie doesn't say "I met a person," she says "I knew a person," implying that "meeting" and "knowing" are indistinguishable in her world. Sylvie does not maintain long-term relationships with anyone except Ruth, who also adopts this transient lifestyle. Both Sylvie and Ruth revel in a solitude I imagine most readers struggle to comprehend, as it seems too rebellious, too isolated fr...
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In Honor of International Women's Day...

This is a Dr. Nolan appreciation post because I don't think Esther could've survived her depressive episode without support from someone like Dr. Nolan. Firstly, Dr. Nolan tells it like it is. When Esther explains to Dr. Nolan why she hates shock therapy, Dr. Nolan quickly announces that Dr. Gordon "did it wrong." It is clear that Dr. Nolan knows the importance of her work and therefore doesn't have time (or respect) for people who do it wrong. Dr. Nolan is also extremely frank when talking to Esther. She doesn't sugar coat anything, making it clear that her road to recovery will be unpredictable. That being said. Dr. Nolan also does her best to address Esther's concerns head-on. For example, when Esther expresses her fear of having a baby (and therefore her hesitancy to be sexually active), Dr. Nolan sends her to a clinic to be prescribed birth control. Dr. Nolan doesn't make Esther feel bad for wanting to be sexually active before marriage or derai...
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The Vomiter in the Rye

I've always found writing to be therapeutic. Often, when I'm feeling overwhelmed or anxious, I'll open a document on my computer and word vomit. For those of you unfamiliar with the term "word vomit," it's when you transcribe your stream of consciousness without judging yourself or your thoughts. Word vomiting allows you to take a step back and analyze your thought processes and behavior. The ultimate goal is to help you figure out what you're thinking and why you're thinking it. This can help you adjust negative thought patterns and decide what to do next. I said all that to make the following observation:  The Catcher in the Rye seems like the product of many Holden Word Vomits. Throughout the novel, Holden expresses his uncensored opinions on a variety of issues while describing his raw emotions. I could easily imagine Holden (perhaps inspired by Antolini) scribbling down his thoughts on the Radio City Christmas Show, realizing that his thoughts h...
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Calling All Potterheads

Something about Stephen's character was bothering me. Not because his views on women are questionable, or that his poetry is okay at best. Stephen was bothering me because he seemed familiar. He reminded me of someone I couldn't place. That is, until ten minutes ago. Enter Tom Riddle. Let me preface this analogy by clarifying my goal here. I'm not trying to aggressively roast Stephen-lovers. I don't think Stephen Dedalus will become the next Lord Voldemort (although he does have a thing for the Dark Arts, no?). This is an honest-to-god parallel that I believe has some merit. If you keep reading, I hope you'll understand, if not agree with, my observations regarding the similarities between Stephen Dedalus and Tom Riddle. I'll start with the obvious. Both boys are major loners in school. Neither Stephen nor Tom has any interest in being part of a group. They aren't part of cliques, they don't hang out with friends after classes, they reject the fr...
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