Comments for English 221

Comment on So about this whole 200 page reading…… by alyssa708

alyssa708 — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:53:40 +0000

Okay, let me tell you, I figured that out to! Why would they ever tell us his name if he is invisible! I mean it is called Invisible Man and that had to be for a reason! If they told us the name, it would have ruined it completely. We don’t know his name because he is nothing, wants to be nothing, and hids from the world. I think that this was an awesome twist on the book on the authors part and really good thinking because I know i could never think of something like that!
I also agree that the book is annoying at times and you just want to stop reading it because it frustrates you so much! But going back to being invisible, if he wants to be like that and acts like he is, then why is he doing public speaking? That part always gets me! I guess since they really don’t care about him, and he is nothing to them that it fits in well but he is still making himself known by speaking in public!

Comment on Last Blog!!!! by kellbell

kellbell — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:07:57 +0000

I’d also have to go with the majority with the fact this book was confusing because of the jumps and the fact the author assumed we knew what he was talking about. I would also have to agree that most of the stuff in these books seem to be just fillings. It more to delay getting to the point then actually telling the story. I think maybe thats why I really don’t like these types of books.

Comment on Native Speaker by kellbell

kellbell — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 03:40:16 +0000

I really do agree with you like do these authors sit there and think about depressing messed up stuff like this. It really is obvious that these authors need a friend or a pet or something. They are all way too depressed. You really did hit the nail on the head when you wrote it seems they sit and are like ok let me think whats some of the most depressing and messed up situations I can come up with. A young child dying ok, love triangles fine, hit and runs even better. No character ever seeming to be happy…….genius!!!!

Comment on The End of Sula…. by kellbell

kellbell — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 02:36:25 +0000

I would also have to agree with you on this and challenging the author’s to change it up…….maybe that is why i’m not too intrested in this genre of literature because it is so predictable. For most of the books we’ve read this semester you can pretty much tell there is going to be a messed up relationship in there somewhere, at least one death, some family turmoil, and so on. I would ask why not have a happy ending and let a least one of these characters live happily ever after, but, then it wouldn’t be in the canon it would probably be in the fairy tale genre or something.

Comment on Last Blog!!!! by mich119

mich119 — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 01:34:58 +0000

I think numerous people in the class enjoyed reading Native Speaker. It may have started off pretty confusing and jumped back and forth between the past and the present, but the book really became interesting half way through the novel. It was nice to finally read a book where there was a happy ending with the characters. Henry and Lelia seem to work out their differences and go on with life. Good points, Amanda Lea! I have to say that this is probably one of my favorite books that we have read in this class too.

Comment on Last Blog!!!! by Lauren

Lauren — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 20:18:09 +0000

Yay, you finally have a book you can relate to! I must agree with you when you said this book was confusing because of how it jumped around so much. The flashbacks were what really confused me. And yes, an author assuming that we know stuff is never an easy thing because well, we don’t know it! I have realized a lot about reading throughout this course as well, and I have found it all very interesting. With these books that we have read, I must agree with you in saying that longer books do not necessarily mean that it is more in depth. I’d much rather it be shorter and more straight to the point!

Comment on Native Speaker by mich119

mich119 — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 19:38:11 +0000

Amanda Lee, one particular part of your post that really stood out to me was the line, “the pansy prissy image just isn’t working for me here. We need a character that chases his wife when she leaves and does everything to stop her. Cries next to his wife when the child dies, but wipes her tears before his own” You could not have said it better. I would want my husband to be the stronger one if my child had died. Men are supposed to be portrayed as strong and masculine; however, it was the other way around in this case. Lelia was like the man in the relationship and Henrey was the one who was falling apart. I found that a little weird, but it also opens readers eyes that men and women do not always have to follow the typical roles they are expected to follow.

Comment on Last Blog!!!! by Devyn

Devyn — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 20:58:12 +0000

haha well i never really thought of comparing this book to the sound and the fury until i read your blog post..b/c your right the author does make times jumps and then thinks about one thing that brings him to the next and its just so frustrating!!! especially because the author does assume you know what the heck he is talking about. and i too did enjoy how different this book has been from the others that we have read

Comment on Last Blog!!!! by Tammy LaBello

Tammy LaBello — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 01:02:43 +0000

I agree with you about the time jumps in the book especially in the beginning but I think that as the book goes on that the narrator tells us more information and that is how the author constructs his structure of the book. I was glad that we get a happy ending for Henry and Lelia.

Comment on Native Speaker by literaturer

literaturer — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:07:03 +0000

I totally agree with you as well. About the child’s death, that was a total “Stranger than Fiction” moment. (If you haven’t seen the movie, don’t. basically, it’s about a woman who is trying to decide how to kill her character off. I can totally see Chang-Rae Lee going out an watching the car crashes though, looking off the edge of a building, etc., trying to figure out a way to kill off poor Mitt.) I think that you’re points about the relationship between men and women is a good one too. I agree with you-the guy should have a backbone and be the strong one. The girl should be strong too, but not stronger than her husband. My only question to you is, What is more realistsic? I agree with you 100%, but maybe that’s just too much of a fairy-tale to be a realistic story. I guess you can’t expect “Serendipity” in every ‘real’ story. But, hey, there’s still hope for us-chivalry’s not dead yet, right?