My Favorite!

The Alchemist was my favorite book in this class. I believe it is a bildungsroman for sure. Santiago goes on a life-changing journey and definitely experiences growth. He learns what it means to fulfill one's Personal Legend, and he lets nothing hold him back. He is resourceful when he finds himself with no money in a country where he does not even speak the language. Instead of giving up hope, he chooses to be an adventurer in a strange land. This is a pivotal moment of growth in the story. He helps and learns from others along his way. He shows courage, wit and strength. He falls in love, and it is a love so true that it contributes to, rather than hinders, his journey. The Alchemist seems to be the ultimate bildungsroman because it is about a boy who reaches self-actualization despite many obstacles, which is the ultimate goal for all humans.

WOW! I don't even know where to begin with this novel--I loved it! The Alchemist is now one of my new favorite books. There is so much I like about it, but I especially love the idea of the Personal Legend. The boy learns to follow his Personal Legend, and he learns that if he does this, everything in the universe will help him reach the goal. I think this is so true. I believe when you are following your true dream you will be truly happy, and everything will fall into place. Anything you desire must be desired with your whole heart. I also love how the boy learns to trust his heart and listen to it. The Alchemist is beautiful, poetic and inspiring.

I think The House on Mango Street could be categorized as a bildungsroman, however, I do not believe that it is a strong example of one. Esperanza is still on Mango Street at the novel's end, and although she has plans to leave, she is still a young girl who is simply dreaming. She does change as she hits puberty and has to tackle things like having hips and what it means to be a woman. Esperanza has rejected the role of women she sees in her community; she refuses to be controlled by a man and she refuses to sit inside watching the world go on around her. This novel is a different bildungsroman because all of the change really goes on within Esperanza. We only see the dreams she has planned for her life. We really see no action from her character, only experiences that lead her to a decision to have a life different from her mother's and those of the other women on Mango Street. The reader is left to only hope that Esperanza does get out of her house on Mango Street and moves on to bigger and better things.

I liked Dr. Larson's comparison of Esperanza and Lucy. It is not as obvious as a comparison between Esperanza and Janie, but it makes sense to me. Lucy and Esperanza are both trapped in a male-dominated world and are being forced to grow up with difficult expectations. They are both strong and they both reject the societal norms that pressure them. Lucy chooses to marry the man she loves despite urgings from her family and friends to do otherwise, and Esperanza vows to leave Mango street. She refuses to accept the traditional woman's role that she sees in the community of women around her in the same way that Lucy chooses to reject the traditional roles of upper-class English society. It is interesting to note that two women from completely different times and classes can have the same oppressive experiences.

The House on Mango Street is powerful because it is vivid. The author is able to paint a true picture of a girl growing up and the people, places, things and experiences that surround her. I was moved and slightly disturbed by the theme of sexuality. Esperanza and her friends discover high heels and hips together, but they quickly realize that wearing the high heels around Mango Street gets them unwanted attention from men. This is different from my own experiences playing with my mother's high heels. I never had to worry about walking around my neighborhood and being harassed by older men. When Esperanza gets her first job, a grown man grabs her and kisses her on the mouth. I was disturbed by this episode and began to think about just how lucky I am to have grown up in a nice neighborhood. The neighborhood a young girl grows up in truly does make a difference.

I would say that Life of Pi is a bildungsroman. However, it is not obviously so like other novels we have read, such as Huck Finn. I say this because Pi seems strong and mature at a very young age. He finds a faith in God without his parents, which is a very big step for a young person. He is not afraid to embrace Christianity, Islam and Hinduism despite what society says is right. Even in school he has the guts to get up in front of the class and change his name. He seems to have always been a take-charge kind of person, so it is not surprising when he decides to take charge in the lifeboat and go exploring for water, build a raft, train Richard Parker and learn to fish and catch turtles. However, surviving on a life boat for 227 days will inevitably cause a young man to change and grow. Pi functions in society well, but the true test is how he functions alone in the middle of the Pacific. He passes this test. Pi learns to be resourceful and brave. Rather than losing faith in God, his faith in God grows along with him.

I love this passage, and I love the idea of "the deathbed leap of faith" (64). Ultimately, we are all forced to take a leap of faith in this life. It is the agnostics, however, who refuse to take this leap of faith. They do not have faith in God, and they do not have faith that there is no God. They merely exist, which is a horrible, ignorant way to live life. Everyone needs to believe in something, or a lack of something. It is human nature to question the existence of God, but I believe it is also human nature to eventually make a decision one way or the other. Agnostics go through all the years of their life lost. They sit, balancing on a fence and refuse to jump to the right or to the left. They are not completely human. They somehow and for some reason refuse to accept their humanity, and instead live in doubt. My 6th grade teacher always drilled into our heads that you have to stand for something or you'll fall for anything. Agnostics remind me of this quote. They stand for nothing, so they have no basis of belief upon which to base decisions. They live a life of confusion and inconsistency.

I love this book!!!

Although I am not quite finished, I can already tell that the Life of Pi is going to be my favorite book thus far. It is hilarious and serious at the same time. I love the theme of tolerance—I love that Pi is a practicing Hindu, Christian and Muslim. He is very different from the rest of his modern family. Even the three bickering religious leaders can do nothing but smile when Pi quotes Gandhi on the truth of all religions and then simply says, “I just want to love God” (69). Tolerance is so important, especially in the world today. In Waco, Texas and in the Baylor Bubble I think we could use a little more tolerance. Why can’t we just all focus on loving God, rather than hating each other? I am grateful for being in the BIC because I think we have learned to be tolerant people even in this sometimes intolerant place. After all, we have attended Jewish, Hindu and Muslim worship services and read literature from each religion. If Pi were a Baylor student, he would definitely be a BICer!

Going After Cacciato is not a bildungsroman. Paul Berlin, the main character, struggles with his fear throughout the novel. He never grows out of it, he never changes and he never matures. He is a static character. His fear consumes him whether he is in battle or relatively safe at the observation post. He goes back and forth from reality to fantasy in order to deal with this fear. He repeatedly talks about not wanting to die and wanting to go home to his father. He explains that he almost died once, but he was not brave enough to go into the tunnel to retrieve his fellow soldier. His imagination is what keeps him able to survive. He even rationalizes the trip to Paris by going through the objections people back home will have to his story, if he lives to tell it. He says, “Sure, there were always the skeptics. But he would explain. Carefully, point by point, he would show how these were petty details. Trivial, beside the point” (125). Paul Berlin ends the novel the same as he began when it started; a very frightened young man stuck in a war he constantly escapes through chasing Cacciato.

The Provost made some very interesting points. I remember him stating that "War is hell" several times. The most important thing I got out of his lecture, however, is a realization about myself and my home town. The Provost said that people looked down on him, and others like him, as just worthless enlisted guys who were either dumb or just unambitious. I am from Lawton, Oklahoma. It is the home of a very large army base, Ft. Sill. All my life I have heard people talk about the difference between GIs and officers. GIs are the gross guys who show up in the bus at the mall and hit on 16-year-old girls. Officers, on the other hand, are educated and to be respected. People in the community talked to them and thanked them for their service. I was at a bar back home over Easter Break and I met a few guys who were in officer training school at Ft. Sill for 6 weeks. They kept talking about how they did not want to come with my friends and I to a different bear because all the "joes" would be there. They were talking about the GIs. I just laughed and agreed. Now, however, I feel really bad for having that opinion for so long. Any person in the military deserves respect, whether they just enlisted or went to college first. The Provost could once have been termed a "joe" by those officers at one time, but he ended up making a huge success out of his life. I am glad the Provost came to speak because it really made me reevaluate a view I have held for a long time.

Thus far, I have seen a theme of hope in Going After Cacciato. I have only read about 50 pages, but Paul Berlin has repeatedly told himself that maybe Cacciato trying to walk to Paris is not so crazy after all. He maintains hope that perhaps it truly is possible. Berlin's hope got me to thinking about how people survive war. The way I see it, the only way to get through a horrible situation like a war is to have hope. Even if you hope for the most outrageous occurrence, the hoping is still a coping method. Though Berlin's reason tells him that walking to Paris is insane, in the back of his mind he wants to believe that it could happen. After all, the war does not seem reasonable, so why could walking to Paris not be reasonable? We only hear the thoughts of Berlin, but I would be willing to bet that the other men also have hope in the back of their minds.

There is no way that The Violent Bear It Away can be classified as a Bildungsroman. Tarwater experiences no growth or maturity. In fact, I would argue that he deteriorates throughout the story. Though he has a chance to start a new life after Old Tarwater passes, he chooses to become a murderer. I am not blaming Tarwater for this because it is obviously Old Tarwater's fault, but nevertheless, he does commit a very violent murder. This novel seems to be the opposite of a Bildungsroman; the main character falls deeper and deeper into insanity as the story progresses. It is frustrating because I personally expereienced hope that Rayber would be able to rehabilitate Tarwater and become his father figure. As we find out, however, Rayber is also insane and is in no position to be a proper role model for a young man. I also experienced hope when Tarwater stopped to tie Bishop's shoes on the stair steps at the hotel. He showed a bit of humanity at this point, and it seemed as if O'Connor was tricking me into believing there may still be hope for Tarwater. This scene makes the murder scene all the more shocking and disturbing. This novel is NOT a Bildungsroman. By the end of the novel, Tarwater is completely insane. He will never be a functioning member of society.

I must admit that reading The Violent Bear It Away late last night caused me to have nightmares! The story is disturbing because it deals with a person who takes religion too far. The question is, how far is too far? It is hard to define, but I can definitely say Tarwater’s uncle has taken his Christianity too far. Tarwater is trapped in the woods and essentially brainwashed by his insane uncle. His uncle claims to be a prophet, and attempts to make Tarwater a prophet as well. Ironically, the very religious uncle seems to disregard the fact that only God can choose His prophets. Then, his uncle dies sitting at the breakfast table, and Tarwater must dig his grave. This has to be extremely scary for such a young teenager. People who try to force their religion on others make me angry, especially those who try to force it on young children. The uncle does not have the characteristics of a Christian that I value. I feel very sorry for Tarwater, and I am afraid to see how he handles the real world. I surely will not be reading this novel at night anymore!

The Bear is probably the most powerful bildungsroman that we have read. Isaac grows and matures in the wilderness, with little instruction from other humans. It seems natural that a man can only truly be in touch with himself while he is alone with his thoughts working against nature. He “loses himself” in the woods, and through being lost, learns to find his way. He learns to find his way both in the woods and in life. His judgment improves as he learns to navigate the woods, and as a result, he also learns to navigate his life as accurately as he can navigate the woods. As we learn the disturbing story of Isaac’s grandfather’s sins and the horrible history of slavery in his family, we wonder whether or not Isaac will accept his inheritance. From a boy of ten learning to hunt, he becomes a man who must face the terrible realities of his past and must make an important decision that will change his life. He refuses to accept the inheritance because he rejects the legacy of his grandfather’s sinful relationships and of the history of slavery. Isaac separates himself from something that he knows is evil, despite the fact that he could be very rich. He grows into a man who is admirable, courageous and moral when he chooses morality over money.

The wilderness is definitely something that we create as humans. If we did not exist, wilderness would not exist. I believe nature is what existed before humans, and now we call it wilderness. I think it was interesting to talk about the possibility that the wilderness could exist in a city if a person is unfamiliar with city life, but I do not agree. I believe that a person is truly in the wilderness only when they are completely alone with their thoughts. This can never happen in a city. Wilderness is being lost in a place that you cannot navigate with your car, compass or cell phone; it is a place where you are not in control and can never truly be in control. I believe people are drawn to the wilderness because they want adventure and discovery. It is daunting to be surrounded with people, televisions, radios, cell phones, etc. every day. The wilderness is a place where people can be alone with their thoughts in order to truly discover themselves and what they are made of, and as scary as that may be, it is a basic human desire.

I see one similar theme between The Bear and Their Eyes were Watching God in the reading I have done so far. The theme of Man vs. Nature, or perhaps even Man vs. God, is evident in The Bear, but this novel seems to take a different view on the subject. Rather than doubt the power of nature as Janie and Tea Cake did with the hurricane, Sam seems to know and accept this power. Sam teaches the giant dog to obey, but makes it a point to say, “We don’t want him tame” (212). Ironically, he names the dog Lion, which is an animal that humans often try to tame. The interesting thing is that Sam seems to believe that only one specific dog, Lion, will be able to take down Old Ben. He recognizes that a man cannot do it on his own, and he seems to believe that man can never truly tame wild animals. Only an untamed dog will be able to take down the untamed Old Ben. As we have seen time and again in the news, animals that humans believe they have tamed often carry out deadly attacks. It is going to be interesting to see how the idea of man taming nature plays out in this novel.

Their Eyes were Watching God is definitely a bildungsroman. Janie changes and matures in amazing ways. The first instance I see of real change is when she decides to leave Logan. At this point, she decides to live for herself rather than for what others want. The next significant sign of change occurs in the scene we discussed extensively in class yesterday. After Jody slaps her for ruining dinner, Janie decides to put a part of her soul away for someone who she truly loves. This is both brave and sad. After Jody’s death, she lets her beautiful braid down and is transformed. She does not care about putting on a false face for the community and she does not care that Jody is dead. Perhaps the most important sign of growth is when Janie reveals that she actually hates nanny. She rejects nanny’s way of thinking and her materialism. Janie would rather work with Jody in the muck than have material things, despite the fact that she has a lot of money. Janie comes to know herself and she is true to that self. She finds someone to love truly and deeply, which is one of the best things we can hope for in this life.

After wrestling with the title, I know that the word “Their” is significant. This novel does chronicle the journey of Janie, but in an important way it also chronicles the journey of a community. Building the community as the white people would have done it becomes a task for the group. Once the store is done, the porch becomes a meeting place. Janie’s marriage strife is out in the open for everyone to see and judge, especially while she is working in the store. We see the input from others from the beginning when the ladies are watching Janie walk down the road. The novel also ends with community input when Janie is on trial. The word “Their” signifies the importance of community for the newly freed slaves. They were on a journey to lift themselves out of poverty and ignorance, and that journey could not have been made without the help of others.

What is love? I am only about 40 pages into Their Eyes were Watching God, and I can already tell that this will be the central question in the novel. Janie’s first marriage to Logan was not true love. It was forced and arranged by her grandmother. Janie accepted this arranged marriage at first by assuming that husbands and wives automatically love each other, but she soon finds that this is not the case. When Janie runs off with Joe, I feel uneasy about it. Joe seems to be concerned with appearances and control, and may not treat Janie as an equal in the end. When Hicks shows interest in Janie and tries to make her notice him, it seems to foreshadow that perhaps Joe isn’t Janie’s last love affair in the novel. She is on a quest to have and understand true love, and I don’t think Joe is it.

I don’t believe that A Room with a View is a true bildungsroman because I don’t see that Lucy truly experiences change or growth. I believe she is free spirited and willing to ignore propriety from the beginning of the novel. Though Charlotte tries to corral Lucy, Lucy still ends up going off on her own and developing her own opinions about the Emerson’s in Florence. She tries to appear upset when George kisses her, but afterwards she is very willing to have a direct conversation with him about it. Charlotte thinks the idea of Lucy confronting George is strange, because, as we discussed, people rarely address each other directly throughout the novel. This is one instance where we see that Lucy is different. Lucy does seem to experience an inner struggle because she doesn’t want to let those around her down, but I think she is different and that she knows what she wants from the beginning. Deep down inside Lucy is a different person from her relatives, and the Emerson’s are able to bring her true self to the surface. Thus, Lucy does not mature or grow, she simply finds a lover who will allow her to be who she has always been.

It is very appropriate that we are reading A Room with a View so close to Valentine’s Day! Was this planned? I am not quite done with the book yet, but I really hope Lucy picks George, and I have a feeling that she will. This story addresses a common problem that many people have in love; should one pick convention or passion when choosing a life partner? I often have this conversation with my mother. A few years ago she told me that she had been engaged before she met my dad and was deeply in love with the man, but that she broke off the engagement and married my dad instead because it was the more practical choice. Then, she told me that she loves my dad but has regretted her decision every day since then. I was shocked! It is so hard for people to ignore others and go with their true gut feelings, and this is Lucy’s problem as well. I am hopeful that Freddy and Mr. Beebe help influence Lucy to ditch Cecil and go with George in the end; otherwise I will be thoroughly disappointed.

Huck Finn is definitely a bildungsroman. Huck’s journey has to do with being civilized and the relationship between religion and morality. Huck notes several times that he is going to hell. He does not understand Miss Watson’s religious ways or reasons why people attend church, and he would rather just figure things out on his own. Huck’s triumph is that he does, in fact, find a way to exhibit the most morality in the novel. His morality does not come from religion, but rather from his own conscience. There are two important moments when I see Huck as reaching maturity. First, when he decides that he will be loyal to Jim instead of writing Miss Watson to turn him in, and second, when he comes to the simple realization that humans can be very cruel to one another. We see humans being cruel to one another throughout the novel, starting with pap being cruel to Huck. We also see cruelty in the dueling families, with the duke and the king to the sisters and with slavery in general. Huck matures because he recognizes cruelty and chooses to reject it, despite what the current times teach him.

Huck and Jim are unlikely friends, but in a way they complete each other. Jim is very superstitious, which is in contrast to the Christian morals that Miss Watson and the widow Douglass were trying to instill in Huck. Huck attempts to talk Jim out of his superstitions, but they turn out to be right most of the time. Jim seems to be the most wise adult in the novel, and Huck learns to appreciate him for it. Huck learns to judge situations and people for himself, rather than letting the words of Miss Watson take over his judgement. He grows because he learns to tell right from wrong on his own. He makes very brave and unusual decisions for the time period. The most moving part of the novel is when Huck decides that he must not write Miss Watson to turn in Jim. He claims that he'll just go to hell for it, but in reality, he made the most moral decision of any character in the novel. Jim challenges Huck to see the world through his own eyes and to trust his own gut feelings. We see true humanity in both Jim and Huck. Jim is a loving and wise man who longs for his family, while Huck is a young boy struggling to discern right from wrong in a world where hypocrisy runs rampant.

It is amazing to be reading this book now that I am 22-years-old. In the first few chapters, a huge theme jumped right out at me; the contrast between slavery and pap’s abuse and the “Christian” actions of the widow Douglass, Miss Watson and the rest of the adults. Miss Watson demands that Huck prays and desires heaven. In the beginning of the first chapter she is teaching him about Moses. At the same time, we hear Huck describe the slaves as if they are ignorant animals instead of humans. Jim uses magic to make the hairball tell Huck’s future, which is in complete contrast to having any Christian faith. In addition, we know that Huck’s father comes back and beats him even while he is suppose to be under Miss Watson’s care. Although Miss Watson is a Christian woman, we as readers are slammed in the face with her hypocrisy. She does nothing to stop Huck’s father from beating him and she is a slave-owner. Judge Thatcher and the unnamed judge also do very little to help. Obviously, Huck needs protection from his abuser. No one has the courage to do what is right; they all want to mind their own business.

Yes, Harry Potter is definitely a bildungsroman. Harry experiences a true coming of age in this last book when he turns 18. Once he turns 18, he faces a whole new set of adult problems whether he is ready for them or not. He is no longer protected and is forced to flee for his life. He must kill Lord Voldemort, or else be killed himself. In the beginning of this book, I don’t think Harry was ready to turn 18. He was still unsure of himself and unsure of what was expected of him. The moment that Harry accepted that he had to die was the moment that he completed his maturity. Ron and Hermoine also experienced the culmination of their maturity. Ron had to leave the group and do some thinking on his own, but when he returned and saved Harry, he experienced a growth in his maturity. I would argue that Hermoine showed a great amount of maturity during her torture. All three main characters experienced a coming of age that was illustrated by these three events.

(I know this is late but it completely slipped my mind until about right now!)
I think Hermoine is my favorite character. I couldn’t figure out what Rowling was trying to say with Hermoine’s character in the beginning. At one point, I thought that Hermoine represented a typical woman’s role because she often acted as the motherly figure. She was responsible for preparing the meals, and Ron and Harry simply waited to be fed. However, I started to change my mind when I considered how much respect Ron and Harry had for Hermoine. Also, she was often the one to organize the plans and get the team out of sticky situations. She was very intelligent, and Ron and Harry knew it. My mind was completely changed when Hermoine was tortured for information while Ron and Harry were locked helplessly in the basement. Hermoine seems to be a strong, brave, intelligent and caring woman. I ended the book really liking Hermoine’s character because I think she represents a true woman, and I think she is a good role model for young women. (Unlike Britney!)

This was my first time to read any of the books in the Harry Potter series. I was completely unfamiliar with the story. One important theme that stuck out for me was the hatred that prejudices bring out in people. I think Harry Potter has a lot to say about the danger of prejudice in a society, and the importance of overcoming it. Throughout the book, the conflict was often centered on the differences between muggles, wizards, witches and mudbloods. In particular, one scene concerning the power of prejudice stuck out in my mind. After Snape was killed, Harry was able to go back and see his memories. Harry saw the interactions between his mother, Lily, and her sister, Petunia, when they were little girls. Lily was a witch, but Petunia was not. This caused a huge conflict between the two sisters. Petunia was jealous because she could not attend Hogwarts and she “spat at her sister…and flounced off to where her parents stood” (Rowling 670). Petunia called Lily and Snape freaks and refused to give her sister a proper good-bye. This episode illustrates that prejudice is often so powerful that it can tear families apart.