So I kind of feel like a loser for always making these movie connections, but i have to, cause i really am a loser for movies. So this weekend, I went and saw "I Am Legend" with Will Smith, and yah it was so EPIC. The whole premise is that Will Smith is the last known man on earth, the rest were either wiped out by a mutated measles vaccine meant to cure cancer, or mutated into killer night crawlers. Needless to say, these zombie, yet alive people were SO scary, for me at least. i suppose it was mostly because of the way they were still technically human. Smith, being a scientist, knows that if he can only find the cure then he will be able to turn the monsters back into regular beings. But until then, they are our neighbors, and family members gone crazy, eating humans. So that's what's so scary.
But during this movie, we don't know what we can believe at the same time. It's really a matter of perspective. Are they monsters? they were turned into this because of our society's need to conquer nature. Similarly, the only reason they are eating people is to survive, is that a crime. While we look down on cannibalism and say "Oh, i could never do that" we've never been in a position to make that decision. The monsters live in packs and have a leader. The leader is willing to sacrifice himself to help his members and he is smart enough to lay traps for his prey. So it's really a matter of how you imagine a monster.
Same thing in my book (alas! there was a reason for this post) it's all a matter of perspective. is the governess telling the truth in how she is hearing things around the house. Are the children really involved in it or is she simply looking for a common explanation to an uncommon occurrence. the answer to this question will also help to show some cultural values. Such as, do they value the observation of the supernatural or do they frown upon exaggeration and mystery. Like in the movie, can we believe that all is true wen it only comes from the perspective of one wronged person who happens to be the narrator.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Saturday, December 1, 2007
New Beginnigns
Okay, so I just started reading my second book (the one that I gave a summary on before) and it's pretty hard. The vocabulary is nothing I can't handle, the only thing that makes it really hard to read is its syntax, some of the sentences are really flipped around.
At the start of the story, the setting is at a small get together between a group of intimate friends, even though at times the narrator seems in disdain of the females at the party. They are going around the fire telling stories of ghosts. The nameless narrator's friend, Douglas decides it is his turn to tell a story. It is clear that he has a personal tie with this story, the governess of the story seems to be a friend of his, she was the actual writer of the tale and has mailed it to Douglas for safe keeping, in fact he even keeps it locked in a drawer. This is the first time he has chosen to share the tale.
The actual story of the governess begins with the introduction to how she got the job. We also get introduced to the employer, who is described as very gentle and chivalrous. And while, its clear that Douglas loves the governess, i think that the governess is infatuated with the employer. She goes to the summer house where the children stay and the house keeper, Mrs. Grouse. ( think that is the spelling, i have to check) Then it switches to the governess's' POV. She begins the description of the story were she is on the road to her new home, when she gets there the first thing she sees is the little girl Flora, and the house keeper.
The little girl completely enraptures the Governess from the first moment. Upon the first glance it is as if the little girl has made a mental connection with the Governess, wrapping her around her finger. The description of the girl is almost angelic like, and Mrs.Grouse states that if the little girl has had such an effect on her, than the little boy will cause her to fall in love.
However (knowing that this is one of the most notable scary stories) I have been waiting for the moment where the scary happens. Even in her first night at the house the Governess writes that she hears small sounds, and she sees what looks like legs passing by her door, still she chooses to ignore them, and states that it was just an effect of her being so excited about getting the job and meeting the little girl.
At this point in the book I've learned little about the characters or about the their tendencies, so I can't yet make any inferences about where the book is going. However, right now I just think that its going to come down to a mental battle, the children seem to easily control the adults around them, and i definitely think they are going to use this.
At the start of the story, the setting is at a small get together between a group of intimate friends, even though at times the narrator seems in disdain of the females at the party. They are going around the fire telling stories of ghosts. The nameless narrator's friend, Douglas decides it is his turn to tell a story. It is clear that he has a personal tie with this story, the governess of the story seems to be a friend of his, she was the actual writer of the tale and has mailed it to Douglas for safe keeping, in fact he even keeps it locked in a drawer. This is the first time he has chosen to share the tale.
The actual story of the governess begins with the introduction to how she got the job. We also get introduced to the employer, who is described as very gentle and chivalrous. And while, its clear that Douglas loves the governess, i think that the governess is infatuated with the employer. She goes to the summer house where the children stay and the house keeper, Mrs. Grouse. ( think that is the spelling, i have to check) Then it switches to the governess's' POV. She begins the description of the story were she is on the road to her new home, when she gets there the first thing she sees is the little girl Flora, and the house keeper.
The little girl completely enraptures the Governess from the first moment. Upon the first glance it is as if the little girl has made a mental connection with the Governess, wrapping her around her finger. The description of the girl is almost angelic like, and Mrs.Grouse states that if the little girl has had such an effect on her, than the little boy will cause her to fall in love.
However (knowing that this is one of the most notable scary stories) I have been waiting for the moment where the scary happens. Even in her first night at the house the Governess writes that she hears small sounds, and she sees what looks like legs passing by her door, still she chooses to ignore them, and states that it was just an effect of her being so excited about getting the job and meeting the little girl.
At this point in the book I've learned little about the characters or about the their tendencies, so I can't yet make any inferences about where the book is going. However, right now I just think that its going to come down to a mental battle, the children seem to easily control the adults around them, and i definitely think they are going to use this.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
New Book!
This isn't really a blog, just an update.
I got my new book, it's called "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James.
Here's a quicke:
An unnamed narrator listens to a male friend reading a manuscript written by a former governess whom the latter claims to have known and who is now dead. The manuscript tells the story of how the young governess is hired by a man who has found himself responsible for his niece and nephew after the death of their parents. He lives in London and has no interest whatsoever in the children. The boy is at a boarding school whilst his sister, Flora, is living at the country home where she is cared for by the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose. He gives the governess full charge of the children and makes it clear he never wants to hear from her again regarding them. The governess travels to her new employer's house and begins her duties. Shortly thereafter, the boy, Miles, turns up after being expelled from his school. The governess infers that the headmaster feels that Miles is a threat to the other boys.
The governess begins to see and hear strange things. She learns that her predecessor, a Miss Jessel, and her lover Peter Quint (another former servant of the household), a clever but abusive man, died under curious circumstances. Gradually, she becomes convinced that the pair are somehow using the children to continue their relationship from beyond the grave. The governess takes action against the perceived threat, eventually culminating in the death of Miles.
(taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turn_of_the_Screw)
Should be good! Origianlly published in 1898. dang.
I'll be back soon, with a true blog about it.
I got my new book, it's called "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James.
Here's a quicke:
An unnamed narrator listens to a male friend reading a manuscript written by a former governess whom the latter claims to have known and who is now dead. The manuscript tells the story of how the young governess is hired by a man who has found himself responsible for his niece and nephew after the death of their parents. He lives in London and has no interest whatsoever in the children. The boy is at a boarding school whilst his sister, Flora, is living at the country home where she is cared for by the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose. He gives the governess full charge of the children and makes it clear he never wants to hear from her again regarding them. The governess travels to her new employer's house and begins her duties. Shortly thereafter, the boy, Miles, turns up after being expelled from his school. The governess infers that the headmaster feels that Miles is a threat to the other boys.
The governess begins to see and hear strange things. She learns that her predecessor, a Miss Jessel, and her lover Peter Quint (another former servant of the household), a clever but abusive man, died under curious circumstances. Gradually, she becomes convinced that the pair are somehow using the children to continue their relationship from beyond the grave. The governess takes action against the perceived threat, eventually culminating in the death of Miles.
(taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turn_of_the_Screw)
Should be good! Origianlly published in 1898. dang.
I'll be back soon, with a true blog about it.
Finished!
Okay, so admittedly I finished the book, the "Shining" a while ago, but I've finally caught my breath and decided to pay attention to my blog again.... The end of this book was awesome. Scariness level was raised so much. And although, I did know the gist of what was going to happen at the end, the way King developed it was nice. Halloran, the old cook, who also possesses the shine came back just in time and he managed to save Danny and Wendy. On his way up there, those creepy hedge-animals came and attacked him though. I the end he lit them up with the gasoline from his snow Mobile and went on to save the day. What was the best, was that it was actually Danny who managed to save the day. In the final moments, where the book could go either way-Jack could succeed and kill Danny, or Danny cold manage to find a way out. It turns out, Danny gets trapped in a corner and there is no escape, he prepares himself for his death. Yet in the end, he manages to talk Jack out of it. He helps to wake Jack up, screaming "You're not my daddy!" Which King managed to make super emotional, though i made it sound...corny. Anyway, Jack, for the briefest moment, is woken up and gives Danny the chance to run away, before the evil desires of the hotel overtake his weakened and vulnerable mind. Danny runs, finds Wendy and Halloran and runs our of the hotel just before the damned boiler explodes in an ironic twist of fate-that is, one of Jack's most important jobs was to watch the boiler, if it went past a certain heat, it may blow. In its desire to kill Danny, the hotel neglected Jack's responsibilities, and allowed for it's own demise. Clever.
What's interesting is this idea-Jack is a normal guy, susceptible to the weakness of alcohol and literature, yet he is a good father and loving husband. In the end, he is the only family member taken over by the hotel. Because of his weakness towards alcohol the hotel was able to take advantage of him. jack's own addiction led to his eventual death. Still, Jack is the average-Joe, so my question is- was King trying to portray that this hysteria, paranoia, and sick twist of fate happen to anyone. The turn about in Jack was so fast. He lost all control and almost killed the two most important people in the world to him. It seems that King is commenting on our society's proneness to addiction, how easily traded over to the "evil" or "dark" side. it seemed that in the end Jack was all for his own survival and happiness because of the weaknesses. Yet the innocence of Danny is what saves them all, even Jack, for in the last few moments of his life, he is returned to his sound mind and let's Danny get away. Also Wendy, because of her love for Danny, was willing to sacrifice her lover and life to save him. It seems, that even though his harsh criticism of jack's character, King redeems us by imploring that we listen to our humane side, our loving and motherly tendencies, rather than our jealous and greedy sides.
P.S
I watched the movie...so unimpressed, granted i did watch it the same night that I finished the book. But still, it was scary in it's own way-yet hardly followed the plot. but jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, okay that was amazing. I know about the whole, well Movies have to be in a certain time limit, and how the book is always better. But the only similarities between these two, were the title and character names.
Also, kind of funny. During the movie (my sister and I were watching it.) my mom decided she was going to go to bed, and so she turned on the alarm. Later, when the movie ended, I went and took the movie our of the player, it was like 11:30 at night, and I was telling my sister that the movie was so NOT scary. And right after i did that and shut off the DVD player, the alarm suddenly started going off,like screaming and flashing loudly. My sister and i both screamed like little girls and my mom had to come out of the room running. I was so scared.
What's interesting is this idea-Jack is a normal guy, susceptible to the weakness of alcohol and literature, yet he is a good father and loving husband. In the end, he is the only family member taken over by the hotel. Because of his weakness towards alcohol the hotel was able to take advantage of him. jack's own addiction led to his eventual death. Still, Jack is the average-Joe, so my question is- was King trying to portray that this hysteria, paranoia, and sick twist of fate happen to anyone. The turn about in Jack was so fast. He lost all control and almost killed the two most important people in the world to him. It seems that King is commenting on our society's proneness to addiction, how easily traded over to the "evil" or "dark" side. it seemed that in the end Jack was all for his own survival and happiness because of the weaknesses. Yet the innocence of Danny is what saves them all, even Jack, for in the last few moments of his life, he is returned to his sound mind and let's Danny get away. Also Wendy, because of her love for Danny, was willing to sacrifice her lover and life to save him. It seems, that even though his harsh criticism of jack's character, King redeems us by imploring that we listen to our humane side, our loving and motherly tendencies, rather than our jealous and greedy sides.
P.S
I watched the movie...so unimpressed, granted i did watch it the same night that I finished the book. But still, it was scary in it's own way-yet hardly followed the plot. but jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, okay that was amazing. I know about the whole, well Movies have to be in a certain time limit, and how the book is always better. But the only similarities between these two, were the title and character names.
Also, kind of funny. During the movie (my sister and I were watching it.) my mom decided she was going to go to bed, and so she turned on the alarm. Later, when the movie ended, I went and took the movie our of the player, it was like 11:30 at night, and I was telling my sister that the movie was so NOT scary. And right after i did that and shut off the DVD player, the alarm suddenly started going off,like screaming and flashing loudly. My sister and i both screamed like little girls and my mom had to come out of the room running. I was so scared.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Almost There
So, I'm almost at the end of the first book, The Shining, for those of you who forgot. I want to talk about style for a second. So as Mrs. Clapp said, King isn't exactly famous for his stylistic techinque, yet I feel that there is one important aspect that i should adress as far as his style goes-that of his ability to foreshadow. Now granted, some of his foreshadowing is rather obvious, but some of it is also to a point, subtle.
In the beginning of the novel Danny has his vision about the chase/murder that will occur at the end of the book. At first, we don't know who it is that is going to commit this crime
we just now it will be BAD. In this way the reader is hooked. We are constantly looking for its actaul occurance, and unitl it happens, as a reader i can't let it go. It stays in my mind and keeps me on my toes. Because I know it'll be coming I'm going mad waiting for it! it'll probally be the pinnacle of the story, ultimate climatic moment, and i can't wait. [later on] okay i saved that post, and now I've come back to it. I finished the book, and in retrospect, that scene was everything i wanted it to be. Jack went mad and almost killed Danny and it was definilty the ultimate climax of the story. Because i'd been waiting for it for so long and it was finally delivered the intensity was even greater. And i wasn't dissapointed, it was an awesome scene :)
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Movie Night
So here's the deal, as we all know, or not, depending on your level of loserness we are have been submerged in the ABC's 13 nights of Halloween for about...11 days? Anyway, I am totally not ashmaed to say that I have watched it a couple times. I've watched two movies, while kind of. I've watched "It" by Stephen King, "Poltergiest" (Speilberg) and parts of the semi-new "Boogy-Man" and they managed to intertwine with my independent reading blog very nicely. We all know the basic story outlines of each, so I'm gunna jump right into it.
So, "It" first, scary movie? hell yea. This is actaully the second time I've watched it in full, and I'm a good deal older now. In fact, while I watched the movie, I was hardly scared. I understood the basic plot outlines and what would happen to the children/adults in the movie. So I thought I was fine. The next morning, I go to take a shower- can't stop staring at the drain waiting. IT moves through the sewers in the town of Derry, in fact there is an actual scene where IT comes out of a shower drain and starts talking to the little kid- so yah, needless to say I took a really fast shower.
With Poltergeist, I was more intruigued than scared. This was the first time I'd seen the movie and was generally just "Eh.." overall the movie was great, plot, characters and what nots. But I just wasn't scared.
Finally, Boogey Man, I only watched parts of this movie so I'm not exactly postitive of what happpened, but the parts I did see really shook me. I caught it at the end, where his girlfriend gets kidnapped and what nots. And there is a closet-in my bathroom. So I'm taking a shower, and I'm afraid IT is gunna come out of the drain and tag team with the B.M that has come out of my closet and together they are going to eat me alive. It was very scary.
Now, I KNEW they were just movies, at parts I even laughed, when they were over, I crawled in my bed and fell asleep-yet i was still scared, unconsiously. So here is my main question again, what scares us, and why do we want/allow ourselves to get scared.
So as I stated before, and JWong agreed, its when the everyday, the safe are questioned- a Shower, nice, relaxing part of the day. Yet here I was scared out of my mind and couldn't wait to get out. As far as the Why? goes, hmmm. Based on what I've seen so far, it's as if I crave the feeling of watching my back, of being surprised, because really the movie is scarier the more it makes you jump and go "AH" it was also like some kind of act for me. It was like I was facing my fears and coming out the other end better, which in a lame sense is true. I had seen the movie, lived through the night-after, and come out unscathed. So now, whenever I watch that movie again I won't be scared, so I had really faced myself, in a weird kind of pathetic way. I wouldn't be scared the same way twice, it's like when a rower trains all hard core for a race two months away, so that when that race comes up he is ready for anything. So too, would I be ready for any scary movie, unless it's "Jeepers Creepers" cause that one gets me everytime.
So, "It" first, scary movie? hell yea. This is actaully the second time I've watched it in full, and I'm a good deal older now. In fact, while I watched the movie, I was hardly scared. I understood the basic plot outlines and what would happen to the children/adults in the movie. So I thought I was fine. The next morning, I go to take a shower- can't stop staring at the drain waiting. IT moves through the sewers in the town of Derry, in fact there is an actual scene where IT comes out of a shower drain and starts talking to the little kid- so yah, needless to say I took a really fast shower.
With Poltergeist, I was more intruigued than scared. This was the first time I'd seen the movie and was generally just "Eh.." overall the movie was great, plot, characters and what nots. But I just wasn't scared.
Finally, Boogey Man, I only watched parts of this movie so I'm not exactly postitive of what happpened, but the parts I did see really shook me. I caught it at the end, where his girlfriend gets kidnapped and what nots. And there is a closet-in my bathroom. So I'm taking a shower, and I'm afraid IT is gunna come out of the drain and tag team with the B.M that has come out of my closet and together they are going to eat me alive. It was very scary.
Now, I KNEW they were just movies, at parts I even laughed, when they were over, I crawled in my bed and fell asleep-yet i was still scared, unconsiously. So here is my main question again, what scares us, and why do we want/allow ourselves to get scared.
So as I stated before, and JWong agreed, its when the everyday, the safe are questioned- a Shower, nice, relaxing part of the day. Yet here I was scared out of my mind and couldn't wait to get out. As far as the Why? goes, hmmm. Based on what I've seen so far, it's as if I crave the feeling of watching my back, of being surprised, because really the movie is scarier the more it makes you jump and go "AH" it was also like some kind of act for me. It was like I was facing my fears and coming out the other end better, which in a lame sense is true. I had seen the movie, lived through the night-after, and come out unscathed. So now, whenever I watch that movie again I won't be scared, so I had really faced myself, in a weird kind of pathetic way. I wouldn't be scared the same way twice, it's like when a rower trains all hard core for a race two months away, so that when that race comes up he is ready for anything. So too, would I be ready for any scary movie, unless it's "Jeepers Creepers" cause that one gets me everytime.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Here, here, Here we go again
So, I'm a good chunk into the book, less scary than I thought it would be. But I guess, it's not really about finding that scare, it's more about watching, watching what happens to theses characters and how they respond to it. So,looking at that, a particular part in the book occurred just recently that scared the pants off me. Here it goes.
Jack(the father of Danny, who is a recovering alcoholic) is out in the backward about to trim some of those topiary things that look like animals, there is a dog, bunny, and a couple of lions. He goes to work on the Bunny but quickly tires of it. After this he decides to go into the little kids' park a few feet away. The next thing, he turns around and swears that the animals have moved. From being in a cute happy position they are now in a position to pounce on a pray. Every time he looks at one animal another moves, however he can only look at one at time and therefore can't catch them all moving. Soon the animals are crowded in front of the path that will take Jack back to the Overlook, and he seems trapped. Freaking out, Jack (and myself) closes his eyes and waits a few moments. He then opens them and the animals are back in their old positions looking friendly.
The whole problem with this is that the reader knows that the hotel is haunted and therefore this could easily happen, yet when he closed his eyes it all went away, so the reader is left to wonder if it was just his imagination , hallucinating and wanting a drink-or did this really occur.The hotel seems to slowly be chipping away at the psychological stability of each family member. Danny has stopped eating and is afraid to go to sleep, his curiosity is continuously pushing him to go into room 217. This room he was warned no to go into by the cook before he left on vacation, the cook also has the ability to "shine" and warned Danny that this was a bad room, yet Danny is ever drawn to it. Everything in the hotel scares him and he becomes more and more distant, telling his parents little of his fears or worries. Jack, is feeling that he needs a drink badly. In fact, he is starting up on all his old drinking habits again-such as wiping his hand against his lips, and chewing Excedrin tablets (giving him a kind of high) the only one left is Wendy. At this point nothing has really happened that might lead Wendy to think the Overlook is evil- the only reason she doesn't like it is because of Danny's deteriorating health and change in behavior, she can also see that Jack is falling back into his old habits, getting mad at her over nothing and losing his temper. jack's temper is notorious, in fact it is the reason he lost his good teaching job at Stovington, Vermont- he "lost his temper" and ended up knocking one of his students unconscious. This job at the Overlook as caretaker is his "last chance". This hotel which was supposed to bring them all together is only bringing them apart.Really as much as the book is scary, it is really only a scary because we are viewing it through the eyes of this family that is falling apart and doesn't know what to make of it.
We, as readers, feel vulnerable because of the way they feel vulnerable. What they are afraid of we are afraid of. And it scares us becasue essentilly it is the everyday gone wrong. Trimming plants, waking past a fire extinguisher, this normal unthreating stuff has turned into constant nightmares.
Jack(the father of Danny, who is a recovering alcoholic) is out in the backward about to trim some of those topiary things that look like animals, there is a dog, bunny, and a couple of lions. He goes to work on the Bunny but quickly tires of it. After this he decides to go into the little kids' park a few feet away. The next thing, he turns around and swears that the animals have moved. From being in a cute happy position they are now in a position to pounce on a pray. Every time he looks at one animal another moves, however he can only look at one at time and therefore can't catch them all moving. Soon the animals are crowded in front of the path that will take Jack back to the Overlook, and he seems trapped. Freaking out, Jack (and myself) closes his eyes and waits a few moments. He then opens them and the animals are back in their old positions looking friendly.
The whole problem with this is that the reader knows that the hotel is haunted and therefore this could easily happen, yet when he closed his eyes it all went away, so the reader is left to wonder if it was just his imagination , hallucinating and wanting a drink-or did this really occur.The hotel seems to slowly be chipping away at the psychological stability of each family member. Danny has stopped eating and is afraid to go to sleep, his curiosity is continuously pushing him to go into room 217. This room he was warned no to go into by the cook before he left on vacation, the cook also has the ability to "shine" and warned Danny that this was a bad room, yet Danny is ever drawn to it. Everything in the hotel scares him and he becomes more and more distant, telling his parents little of his fears or worries. Jack, is feeling that he needs a drink badly. In fact, he is starting up on all his old drinking habits again-such as wiping his hand against his lips, and chewing Excedrin tablets (giving him a kind of high) the only one left is Wendy. At this point nothing has really happened that might lead Wendy to think the Overlook is evil- the only reason she doesn't like it is because of Danny's deteriorating health and change in behavior, she can also see that Jack is falling back into his old habits, getting mad at her over nothing and losing his temper. jack's temper is notorious, in fact it is the reason he lost his good teaching job at Stovington, Vermont- he "lost his temper" and ended up knocking one of his students unconscious. This job at the Overlook as caretaker is his "last chance". This hotel which was supposed to bring them all together is only bringing them apart.Really as much as the book is scary, it is really only a scary because we are viewing it through the eyes of this family that is falling apart and doesn't know what to make of it.
We, as readers, feel vulnerable because of the way they feel vulnerable. What they are afraid of we are afraid of. And it scares us becasue essentilly it is the everyday gone wrong. Trimming plants, waking past a fire extinguisher, this normal unthreating stuff has turned into constant nightmares.
Monday, October 22, 2007
First Real Blog about My First Real Book in My First Actual Independent Reading for my SECOND Time Having Mrs. Clapp as an English Teacher.
I know, I know. After that amzing title, I bet you can't wait to read what comes next, right? Okay so this is my first one, I'm a good deal through the book.
Some background, I'm reading, King's "The Shining" It's about a family who goes out to stay in this deserted hotel called the overlook. Now, it's histroy is pretty dirty, consiting of suicide and mafia murders and what not....
So the little boy, Danny, who is 5 has this shining, he can read minds, sense feelings, see messages from the dead, and lot's of other paranormal ongoing's. The hotel is full of them. Danny has the shining real bad, his senses are through the roof, and there is little that he doesn't pick up on. Which brings us to my post. Something was talked about in English class today that really got my mind rolling, it's an idea we bring up often in our class analysis, and I think is important in this novel, innocence, that is the innocence of Danny and how he loses it. Well I haven't gotten to that part yet.
Anyway, Danny, only being five, has a lot more stuff being thrown at him than he understands, already he has had to worry about wheter or not his parents would get divorced, if his father would go back to drinking, and how they'd make it through alive to the next winter. Yet through al of this he has managed to keep that child-like innocence of most five year olds though he has been subjected to things most his age would never understand, yet he has an imaginary friend, Tony. He likes to spend time with his parents and especailly idealizes his father. This innocence, however is slowly being broken down by thier stay at the overlook. The fact that King makes this major character, not but a little boy is meant to bring a certain impact to the stroy. Being that he is so young, few people believe in the things he is saying or seeing and is simply putting it off as daydreams. And so too, is the reader having to doubt, how much can we believe. To what point can we believe that Danny is telling the truth, or that we are supposed to take everything he is seeing at face value. He is unexperienced in the ways of the world so at first we don't have any reason to doubt him, but at this point, I think there may even be stuff happening, that Danny is hiding. His innocence brings to the stroy an auroa of foreshadowing. often the theme of booko scontain the innocene of somethign being broken down, and that air of innocence is lost forever.
Some background, I'm reading, King's "The Shining" It's about a family who goes out to stay in this deserted hotel called the overlook. Now, it's histroy is pretty dirty, consiting of suicide and mafia murders and what not....
So the little boy, Danny, who is 5 has this shining, he can read minds, sense feelings, see messages from the dead, and lot's of other paranormal ongoing's. The hotel is full of them. Danny has the shining real bad, his senses are through the roof, and there is little that he doesn't pick up on. Which brings us to my post. Something was talked about in English class today that really got my mind rolling, it's an idea we bring up often in our class analysis, and I think is important in this novel, innocence, that is the innocence of Danny and how he loses it. Well I haven't gotten to that part yet.
Anyway, Danny, only being five, has a lot more stuff being thrown at him than he understands, already he has had to worry about wheter or not his parents would get divorced, if his father would go back to drinking, and how they'd make it through alive to the next winter. Yet through al of this he has managed to keep that child-like innocence of most five year olds though he has been subjected to things most his age would never understand, yet he has an imaginary friend, Tony. He likes to spend time with his parents and especailly idealizes his father. This innocence, however is slowly being broken down by thier stay at the overlook. The fact that King makes this major character, not but a little boy is meant to bring a certain impact to the stroy. Being that he is so young, few people believe in the things he is saying or seeing and is simply putting it off as daydreams. And so too, is the reader having to doubt, how much can we believe. To what point can we believe that Danny is telling the truth, or that we are supposed to take everything he is seeing at face value. He is unexperienced in the ways of the world so at first we don't have any reason to doubt him, but at this point, I think there may even be stuff happening, that Danny is hiding. His innocence brings to the stroy an auroa of foreshadowing. often the theme of booko scontain the innocene of somethign being broken down, and that air of innocence is lost forever.
Friday, September 28, 2007
To all AP peeps
Please, send me an invite to join your blog, I wanna be able to comment on any and all, as my heart desires. Thanks muchoooooo
Monday, September 24, 2007
Flushing Out
I'm just flushing out ideas for my books now. I'm going to read Stephen King first. I probally shouldn't do an old book first, I'm not exactly a horror genre expert. So to make my life easier, which i'm totally for-i decided to start off with a current book.
After talking to Mrs. Clapp, I decided to go with King because of his brillance in writeing about horror. He is famous, not becasue of the number or subject of his books-but becasue of his skill at tapping into the fear of his readers. He is the ultilmate master of horror and knows better than anyone else how to make his reader's skin crawl.
So according to a list from Amazon, these are King's top books.
Top 10 Stephen King Books
1. The Stand: Expanded Edition: For the First Time Complete and Uncut (Signet) by Stephen King
an end-of-the-world scenario: a rapidly mutating flu virus is accidentally released from a U.S. military facility and wipes out 99 and 44/100 percent of the world's population, thus setting the stage for an apocalyptic confrontation between Good and Evil.
Read it.
2. The Shining by Stephen King
The Overlook Hotel is more than just a home-away-from-home for the Torrance family. For Jack, Wendy, and their young son, Danny, it is a place where past horrors come to life. And where those gifted with the shining do battle with the darkest evils. Stephen King's classic thriller is one of the most powerfully imagined novels of our time.
3. Misery by Stephen King
a writer is trapped in an evil house during a Colorado winter. Each novel bristles with claustrophobia, stinging insects, and the threat of a lethal explosion. Each is about a writer faced with the dominating monster of his unpredictable muse.
Seen the movie, don't think I'm interesetd in the book
4. Bag of Bones by Stephen King
The hero, a thriller novelist, stirs up hell's plenty of angry shades while investigating his wife's death. It turns out she either had a dark secret herself or was onto some dread scandal lurking in Dark Score Lake.
5. It (Signet Books) by Stephen King
They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they were grown-up men and women who had gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them could withstand the force that drew them back to Derry, Maine to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name
OOO. this movie scared me so bad, i couldn't look down at the drain in the shower!
6. The Dark Half (Signet) by Stephen King
Thad Beaumont, whose greatest success has come with three gory thrillers written under the pseudonym George Stark. Beaumont is threatened by a blackmailer who may reveal Stark's identity; Beaumont kills off Stark instead; and Stark goes on a murderous rampage
7. Pet Sematary by Stephen King
Dr. Louis Creed moves his ideal family from congested, urban Chicago to the rural simplicity of Ludlow, ME. His property sits near a long-established pet burial ground and a mysterious Indian burial ground from which the dead can be raised
8. The Long Walk by Stephen King
On the first day of May, one hundred teenage boys meet for an event known throughout the country as "The Long Walk." If you break the rules, you get three warnings. If you exceed your limit, what happens is absolutely terrifying.
9. 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King
the slow takeover of an insular hamlet called Jerusalem's Lot by a vampire patterned after Bram Stoker's Dracula
Vampires? not what I'm looking for.
10. Insomnia by Stephen King
Celestial forces of good and evil wage an apocalyptic war in a small Maine town
Favorites??
Insomnia
Bag of Bones
A Long Walk
The Shining
After talking to Mrs. Clapp, I decided to go with King because of his brillance in writeing about horror. He is famous, not becasue of the number or subject of his books-but becasue of his skill at tapping into the fear of his readers. He is the ultilmate master of horror and knows better than anyone else how to make his reader's skin crawl.
So according to a list from Amazon, these are King's top books.
Top 10 Stephen King Books
1. The Stand: Expanded Edition: For the First Time Complete and Uncut (Signet) by Stephen King
an end-of-the-world scenario: a rapidly mutating flu virus is accidentally released from a U.S. military facility and wipes out 99 and 44/100 percent of the world's population, thus setting the stage for an apocalyptic confrontation between Good and Evil.
Read it.
2. The Shining by Stephen King
The Overlook Hotel is more than just a home-away-from-home for the Torrance family. For Jack, Wendy, and their young son, Danny, it is a place where past horrors come to life. And where those gifted with the shining do battle with the darkest evils. Stephen King's classic thriller is one of the most powerfully imagined novels of our time.
3. Misery by Stephen King
a writer is trapped in an evil house during a Colorado winter. Each novel bristles with claustrophobia, stinging insects, and the threat of a lethal explosion. Each is about a writer faced with the dominating monster of his unpredictable muse.
Seen the movie, don't think I'm interesetd in the book
4. Bag of Bones by Stephen King
The hero, a thriller novelist, stirs up hell's plenty of angry shades while investigating his wife's death. It turns out she either had a dark secret herself or was onto some dread scandal lurking in Dark Score Lake.
5. It (Signet Books) by Stephen King
They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they were grown-up men and women who had gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them could withstand the force that drew them back to Derry, Maine to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name
OOO. this movie scared me so bad, i couldn't look down at the drain in the shower!
6. The Dark Half (Signet) by Stephen King
Thad Beaumont, whose greatest success has come with three gory thrillers written under the pseudonym George Stark. Beaumont is threatened by a blackmailer who may reveal Stark's identity; Beaumont kills off Stark instead; and Stark goes on a murderous rampage
7. Pet Sematary by Stephen King
Dr. Louis Creed moves his ideal family from congested, urban Chicago to the rural simplicity of Ludlow, ME. His property sits near a long-established pet burial ground and a mysterious Indian burial ground from which the dead can be raised
8. The Long Walk by Stephen King
On the first day of May, one hundred teenage boys meet for an event known throughout the country as "The Long Walk." If you break the rules, you get three warnings. If you exceed your limit, what happens is absolutely terrifying.
9. 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King
the slow takeover of an insular hamlet called Jerusalem's Lot by a vampire patterned after Bram Stoker's Dracula
Vampires? not what I'm looking for.
10. Insomnia by Stephen King
Celestial forces of good and evil wage an apocalyptic war in a small Maine town
Favorites??
Insomnia
Bag of Bones
A Long Walk
The Shining
I'm also looking into
Dream Catcher
Carrie
Night Shift
The Gun Slinger
We'll see.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
First things First
This isn't a blog about my book, it's just a blog. My subject is going to be Psychological Thrillers/Horrors. The point of this is-Why?
Why do we get scared, why do allow words to infiltrate our minds and warp our everyday surroundings into the unknown, into what we can't comprehend. At night, after a scary movie, you sleep with the lights on, and the door cracked open. After watching "Signs" i had to keep a glass of water next to my bed every night. The big question is, what do these author's do that keeps us to scared. What part of our brain, culture, beings, do they register in order to capture that creep effect.
All Horror stories leave their mark on the reader, wheter its by keeping us up all night, or haunting us in our dreams. How do these writers know what it takes to open up that level of fear in every reader. What is that makes us so scared-and even better, why do we love the feeling so very very much.
Why do we get scared, why do allow words to infiltrate our minds and warp our everyday surroundings into the unknown, into what we can't comprehend. At night, after a scary movie, you sleep with the lights on, and the door cracked open. After watching "Signs" i had to keep a glass of water next to my bed every night. The big question is, what do these author's do that keeps us to scared. What part of our brain, culture, beings, do they register in order to capture that creep effect.
All Horror stories leave their mark on the reader, wheter its by keeping us up all night, or haunting us in our dreams. How do these writers know what it takes to open up that level of fear in every reader. What is that makes us so scared-and even better, why do we love the feeling so very very much.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
