Reflection #10

Why We Remember Villains

For me it’s always been easier to remember the villain in a story or a movie. I don’t know if it’s because what they do is so horrendous, but I can never seem to forget them. Their actions seem to overpower the goodness of the hero.

Another reason why villains are so interesting to me is probably because they’re so different than the life I live. I don’t go out killing anyone, so when I read a book or see a movie about a serial killer, I’m always so shocked by their actions. They’re going to be what I remember because those ideas are just too foreign for me.

And finally, in some crazy twisted way, maybe we can relate to the villains. In the movies, whenever the antagonist begins to tell the story of why he turned evil, I always end up feeling sympathetic. It’s not because I agree with what they are doing, but I think that we’ve all felt underappreciated or judged. A lot of the times, it’s because of these feelings that someone becomes a villain. Deep down, we can understand why they choose the path of a villain.

Reflection #7

Can Non-fiction be a lie?

I think that in order for a book to be considered non-fiction or a memoir, they need to be 100% true. I don’t want to hear an exaggerated story or the twisted truth, when all along I thought it was real. If it wants that title, it should stick to the facts.

I think half-truths can make great stories. I think that’s where a lot of books come from- something happened to the author but they changed it to make it more exciting and worth the read. Books shouldn’t be considered non-fiction, if this is the case because the author is lying to the audience.

There should be a break between fiction and non-fiction. It’s like in the movies when they say, “based on a true story.” You can tell when that’s said, not everything is going to be true. In the book world, they could create a subsection under non-fiction, informing the reader what they’re about to get in to.  It lets you know that while some things did in fact happen- others did not.

 It can still be a great story despite the added scenes or lies - it’s just a matter of clarifying where the information came from.

Reflection #5

Judging Books by Their Cover

I know I shouldn’t do this, but I judge book by the covers. I most likely won’t read something if the cover doesn’t interest me. Certain book covers that look futuristic or look like a fantasy novel, I stay far away from. Anything that has a vampire or werewolf, I tend to move right past as well. The things I do like the read are books with realistic people on them. Not a scene from the movie, I don’t like those covers, but maybe a cover with people flying a kite or running away. I like things that look like they could actually happen. The book cover for Two Way Street is a good example because it extends over both sides. On the front, is the main character and on the back is her boyfriend. I like it because it gives you an idea of what the book is going to be a about – a couple on a road trip, going through some trouble. Another cover I like is the cover of Along for the Ride because while it does show the cropped feet that Karen Heller talks about, it has bright colors and just looks like a fun read. I feel like the cover of a book can say a lot about it and that’s why I have specific things I look for on the cover, to guarantee that I’ll like the book.

Reflection 3

To me, a book is an escape. It’s a chance to leave your world behind and jump into a new one. The characters become your friends. You begin to feel a part of their story. I think that’s why whenever you finish a really good book; you’re left with that empty feeling inside. When you read those final words, you’re reminded that you have to go back to your own reality and you were never really a part of theirs. Books, in a way, are like people. In the same ways you hear rumors through the hallway, you hear about the good books and the bad. It’s what urges you to go over and introduce yourself. Get to know the person. That person becomes a part of your life, and you become a part of theirs. Just like a book. And just like people, books come in different shapes and styles too. You might get along with a certain type of person and you might hate another. That’s why I don’t think it matters whether a book is on your phone or in hard copy. It all depends on what feels comfortable to you. In the end, the story is the same. What it looks like on the outside, shouldn’t matter as long as you like the story inside.

Reflection 12/04

We should continue to teach literary fiction but not so exclusively. I think this because while it’s good to have some experience with the “classics”, it doesn’t have to be everything that we read in school. For someone who doesn’t like to read, their dislike is only heightened because of the books the school chooses. Books in school should inspire us to read, yet in a way they are almost discouraging. It becomes a chore, especially with the amount of work tied into reading it. I think that more genre fiction should be added to the list. I also think that there should be more student choice in the books we read or maybe even a vote to decide. If we have a say in what we read, it’ll only make the experience better. I’m not saying that we should switch out Of Mice and Men for Twilight, I’m just saying that we could switch it out for a book that was popular in the more recent times so that the students can either relate to what they’re reading or actually enjoy what the school requires. I know, for me at least, it’s rare for me to say, “I can’t wait to get home and read my English book!” Yet with the changing of a couple classics and swapping them out for something more relatable, might change my whole outlook completely. Who knows? Maybe I’ll look forward to my next English book.

Reflection 11/29/12

I think that all works have the chance to prize winning. The popularity or unpopularity of a work doesn’t make a book less artistic, it just means that it was finally recognized by winning a prize for its success. That doesn’t mean that all best sellers are works of art. They can simply be a fun read, one that everyone seems to enjoy. And maybe that’s the reason best sellers don’t win these literary prizes. They’re not meant to be the next Pulitzer Prize winner. Some are just meant to be a quick read or something to take your mind off of your day-to-day life. Take the Twilight series for example. They’re not extremely well written or award winners, but people really seem to love them.  So does a book have to be well written to be popular? No. But is it going to win any awards that way? Probably not. But that doesn’t automatically mean that all popular books aren’t well written. There are some out there, like  The Bible, that are extremely well written and very popular. I don’t think that popularity has anything to do with how well the book is written, it’s just all based on opinion of the reader.