Tea Stains and Daisy Chains: classic literature

Unique Christmas Gifts for Book Lovers

12:34

To read or not to read- Emma

16:10

Happy Sunday! Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. But, as I said in my last post, I don't want this to feel like a chore, so I'm back now because I felt like it!

You may remember the 'BBC Top 100 Books Challenge' I've been doing in preparation for my English Lit degree (which I have now officially applied for, woo!) Well, I've decided that I don't want to restrict what I read to just one list, so I'm pushing the boat out and am just going to read whatever I fancy! I thought it was a bit silly to confine myself, seeing as there are so many books I've always wanted to read. I'm still going to be documenting my really brief thoughts on each book, but it's not going to be under the 'BBC Top 100 Books List' title anymore (see new and exciting graphic above!).

So I've just finished Jane Austen's Emma, which was a really fun read. I'm still not really sure whether or not I liked Emma as a character, something that was evidently foreseen by Austen when she wrote to a friend saying that Emma is "a heroine whom no one but myself will much like". But the truth is, I couldn't really help but like her. While she's a fairly spoilt and self-righteous young woman, she's also just a 21 year-old girl who makes mistakes, falls in love and meddles in other people's business. As well as this, Austen cleverly uses free indirect speech, which means that the narrative is told from Emma's perspective in the third person, while Austen still hold the reigns as the narrator. This is incredibly effective, as we can sympathise and identify with Emma, at the same time as benefiting from Austen's hilarious wit and way with words.

All in all, Emma is one of those classics you just have to read. If you've read Pride and Prejudice, then you'll fine that this is really similar, only funnier, and that Emma is a little more complex and developed than Elizabeth Bennet. (Not to put a downer on P&P though- yet another of Austen's masterpieces!).

I've got a stack of books to choose from next, so not sure what it will be yet. Any suggestions from English Lit students would be very much appreciated!

Harriet x

bbc top 100 books

The BBC Top 100 Books- Heart of Darkness

09:54

Despite being a classic, I admit that before I read Heart of Darkness (and in fact after I'd read it, before I'd researched it!), I wasn't really sure what it was about. The title undoubtedly suggests a dark story, but I didn't know whether the heart was a metaphor, or that of a person or place. It turns out that it's all three. Actually, it could be something else entirely; the title is left open to interpretation, as is Conrad's ambiguous central character, Kurtz.

The novella tells the story of Marlow, a sailor who takes a job as a captain with the Company, a Belgian organisation that trades in ivory in the Congo. He journeys up the river on a steamboat in a quest to meet with Kurtz, the chief of the Inner Station who has been described to him, somewhat obscurely, as a most remarkable man. Yet as Marlow and his crew near their destination, they enter into a darker world away from civilisation, where imperialism has led to slavery and savagery. The oppressive and smothering mist adds to the tension and the ambiguity of the situation. They hear that Kurtz is ill, the implication being that he has gone mad, and they fear that he might be dead by the time they arrive.

In case you want to read it for yourself, I won't go on and give away the ending. Personally, I enjoyed reading this book, thanks to Conrad's beautiful way with words, as well as the appealing character of Marlow. I also found myself wanting to 'meet' the curious Kurtz just as much as he did, which kept me reading on.

Had I not read up on it, however, I'm sure I would have missed out on many of the underlying messages and themes, which would have undoubtedly caused me to be less appreciative of Conrad's creation. So, seeing as the book itself is only around 110 pages long, I don't think reading a quick analysis before or afterwards would do anyone any harm!

Next up is something a little lighter- Jane Austin's Emma.

Have you read Heart of Darkness? What did you think?

Harriet x

bbc top 100 books

The BBC Top 100 Books- Memoirs of a Geisha

14:08

It came as somewhat of a surprise to me, as I was reading this book, to suddenly notice that it was written by a man. If anyone had asked me, I'd have been absolutely adamant that the voice of Nitta Sayuri (the first person narrator) was the work of a woman, simply because her character was so stunningly tangible. The ability to write from the perspective of someone of the opposite sex with such insight and immediacy, is a rarity that should be commended as a triumph in itself.

Memoirs of a Geisha tells the compelling story of Sayuri's transformation from girl to geisha, a journey that begins in a poor Japanese fishing village in 1929. Writing in retrospect, Sayuri recounts her experiences with intense clarity and emotion, as well as with the certain kind of wisdom only gained with age.

Nine year-old Chiyo (for that was her name at the time) is plunged into an unfamiliar world in which she must learn a whole new way of life. The narrative is so enthralling, that the reader feels as though they are floundering alongside the girl with the remarkable blue-grey eyes, desperately trying to succeed, while also clinging on to a childhood fantasy.

While much of the story tells of parties, enchanting social events and beautiful clothes, the less spoken about part of a geisha's life is explored in equal depth and honesty. Throughout the novel, the reader is painfully aware of the exploitation taking place, as well as the fact that the central character seems to have no choice nor control.

By the end of the novel, the reader feels as though they've been through so much with this woman, that they wish they could meet her, ask her questions and, more importantly, tell her that she's the most incredible person they've ever met.

Before reading Arthur Golden's novel, I only had a vague idea of what a geisha actually was. I was mostly wrong. While much of what I discovered about the life of a geisha shocked me, I also found myself developing a great amount of respect for these women.

Overall, I think I'd have to say that this was the most beautiful book I've ever read. If that's not a recommendation, then I'm not sure what is.

Harriet x

bbc top 100 books

The BBC Top 100 Books- Moby-Dick

16:01

I cannot express how happy I was to read the last word of this book. I was in Cornwall on holiday and everyone was waiting for me so we could go out for the day. But I had about 5 pages left, so I announced, "I need silence!" and hurried off to sit at the bottom of the stairs and read in peace. When I was finally done, I took a celebratory selfie (look how happy I am!).

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville tells the story of a whaling ship captained by one monomaniac Captain Ahab, who is on a desperate quest to chase and kill the infamous white whale who was responsible for the loss of his leg. The tale is recounted by Ishmael, a seaman on board the Pequod (the ship), during the lengthy quest. Captain Ahab is blinded by his need for revenge, meaning that he will do anything it takes to hunt down the whale, which has been named Moby-Dick by those who have encountered him.

It's not that it's a bad book, (I can see why it's a classic) it's just that it was such a struggle. When I first started reading (it feels like years ago now), there were parts that I found really funny and clever. Throughout the book this did continue, as Ishmael often tells his story with a brilliantly dry humour and insight. However, I'm ashamed to say that I think a lot of the references flew straight over my head. If I wanted to, I could spend time researching and studying the deeper meanings of events and descriptions in the book, which I hope to do someday so that I can fully appreciate this 'masterpiece'.

It is described as "one of the most expansive feats of imagination in the whole of literature".

While the descriptions often created vivid and detailed images in my head, I found them overly extensive and sometimes quite hard to follow. There were many occasions when I had to re-read whole chunks, because by the time I'd got to the end, I'd forgotten what happened at the beginning of the sentence! As I was reading, I was reminded of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which I studied for A Level English. This is an epic poem, which gives you some idea of the style of Moby-Dick.

I'm finding it really hard to say that I didn't enjoy reading a classic novel, as I feel as though this makes me ignorant. But I guess everyone has their own tastes, and maybe a massively long tale about a man chasing a whale is not really my thing. Of course, I'm not so ignorant that I think Moby-Dick is as simple as this- Melville's exploration of obsession and monomania is thorough and intricate and raises many questions about human nature.

When I finally reached the closing pages, it almost felt as though the previous 660 had been a painfully long introduction to this final scene. However, without the build-up, the outcome would undoubtedly have meant absolutely nothing. So if you want to know what happens, don't just read the last few pages because, a) that's cheating and b) you won't care.

Am I glad that I've read it? Yes, definitely. It's the kind of book that just has to be persevered with and finished. Don't let those whales defeat you!

Harriet x

Unique Christmas Gifts for Book Lovers

To read or not to read- Emma

The BBC Top 100 Books- Heart of Darkness

The BBC Top 100 Books- Memoirs of a Geisha

The BBC Top 100 Books- Moby-Dick

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