Blog Post 22 - Blog Party

Stephenie Meyer has become the newest hottest best-selling author since the debut of her vampire storyline in the Twilight Saga. Personally I would have never picked up the books if it was not for the hype that it was given by my friends at work. After the first book, the entire office staff was hooked! But how do authors like Stephenie Meyer, J.K. Rowling and Charles Dickens get so popular? Why do kids and adults get so obsessed with these particular sequels? Is there any comparison at all? What do you think?

According to the New York Times, “Ms. Meyer’s contribution to the vampire chronicles, the trick that transformed her into a best-selling brand, has been to stanch this sanguineous emission, turning a hot human flow into something less threatening and morally sticky”(Dargis). Basically, Meyers has been able to provide some new blood to an old topic, sorry for the pun. I have included some reviews written on the movie adaptation. I would have to agree with the last person’s statement. I enjoyed the books, but the filming is terrible, but that’s not going to keep me from watching the second movie, which opened in theatres November 20th!

• the director makes the movie but not this one – ny4pep , Virginia Beach, VA

• The Worst Movie I've Seen This Year – Charles J , San Fransicso

• Ah young love with a twist that goes sour – M. Jan , Ottawa

• Good book, Awful movie – CAgurl33 , Carmel

Then you have headlines such as this, “Preteen girls -- and their grown-up moms -- are sinking their teeth into Stephenie Meyer's gothic "Twilight" books by the millions. Move over, J.K. Rowling”(Miller). The report at salon.com by publisher Laura Miller states, “No wonder the media has heralded Twilight as the next Harry Potter and Meyer as the second coming of J.K. The similarities, however, are largely commercial. It's hard to see how Twilight could ever approach Harry Potter as a cultural phenomenon for one simple reason: the series' fan base is almost exclusively female”(Miller). I would have to agree with her statement that yes the majority of Meyer’s readers are female but I do know of some male highschoolers who have read the books and watched the movie. As far as I could tell they were just as excited for the new book and the new movie to come out as I was.  They each had their favorite character and are passionate about who should be the female character's love interest. It has been a great experience being able to converse with them on this particular literary writer.

As for J.K. Rowling, she has proved her success in every aspect of the literary world and in Hollywood. I would have to say that my kids would probably agree!  They have been Harry Potter fanatics since the beginning but they are also great fans of the Twilight series.  Perhaps this is due to their age.  Harry Potter was starting to hit big when they were about 8 and now that they are teenagers Stephenie Meyer has been at the top of their list.

Everywhere you look there is Harry Potter and Twilight merchandise; games, clothing, posters, etc.  Their websites are incredible, I have to say that the Harry Potter website is the funnest and most interactive.  With young people being so technically inclined and computer savy this is also a great marketing tool for these authors.  Movies, music and merchandise have definitely brought in the bucks and has helped these two authors grow as a business as well as their popularity.

Dicken’s is someone I can honestly say that I know very little about, sad as that may be, he is a well-known literary figure. You can ask anyone if they know the name Charles Dickens and they will know who you are referring to. I think that this is mainly due to the commercialization of his stories. Cartoons have been made based on his writings which is probably the best way to introduce a historic writer to youngsters. That is most likely where I first learned of Charles Dickens. The other way is obviously in school. English and reading classes have always taught us the history of literary giants such as Dickens and Shakespeare.

"Dickens's genius, his obsession with work, his life-long love affair with his public, and his deep humanity all helped to make him a literary phenomenon. Because his works appealed to people of all conditions, and because he could take advantage of new technological developments, he reached, from the publication of the Pickwick Papers on, an audience of unprecedented size —an audience which he was able to influence emotionally to an extent never equalled" (Cody).

Will writers such as Stephenie Meyer and J.K. Rowling become as infamous as Charles Dickens? Only time will tell. Personally, I don’t foresee Meyer’s current fame to last, unless she can continue to write bestselling novels. J.K. Rowling on the other hand I think will be remembered for years to come.  She may still not reach the greatness of Charles Dickens but really, how can you even compare?

                                     Works Cited
Cody, David. Associate Professor of English, Hartwick College http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/dickensbio4.html

Dargis, Manhohla. November 2008. New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/movies/21twil.html?xml:namespace

Meyer, Stephenie. Official Website. November 2009. http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/

Miller, Laura. Salon. July 2008. http://www.salon.com/books/review/2008/07/30/Twilight/index.html#story_full_a861345952e065612a90d2f

Rowling, J.K.  Official Website.  November 2009.  http://www.jkrowling.com/

Blog Post 21 Freestyle

Well, we are nearing the end of our journey!  Made it through my first Literature course and I have to say that I have enjoyed it very much.  Not bad for dropping out of highschool and if I remember correctly the farthest I ever got in English was reading Romeo and Juliet.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading Shakespeare's Othello.  I hope everyone enjoyed the pictures I posted from the Globe Theatre in London.  Someday I will go back and actually watch a play, perhaps it will be Othello that would be WAY COOL!

I have to say kuddos to everyone in this class.  I have really enjoyed reading and participating in the discussion questions. 

I had a bump in the road in my personal life, I am now in California.  Thank you Professor Knowles for being so kind and understanding, you definitely relieved some stress for me.

Blog Post 20 - Quote-Response

I have to say, after viewing the different versions of Othello on  U-tube, I believe that the 1950's version was much more realistic to me.  I didn't like the other versions, they seemed to fake.  The older version was much more realistic in perhaps how I interpreted the play.  My favorite quote from scene III is, "But jealous for they're jealous.  It is a monster begot upon itself, born on itself (Shakespeare 156, 157).  It was cruel for Iago to plant such a seed of jealousy onto Othello.  Emilia, who was quoted above, is the only person able to see exactly what had taken place. She was the only person able to clearly make decisions without the emotional attachment that was involved in this Shakespearean play.

Blog Entry 19- Freestyle

I have to share with everyone the pictures I took at the Globe Theatre in London.  It was awesome.  The stage, the columns made of marble, the thatch roof; all of which take you back in time.  Standing there I could imagine a play being brought to life.  Peasants standing in the rain in order to get the best view.  Aristocrats viewing from the balconies.  Such a memory that I will always have! 

Globe Theatre, London England

This is the ceiling which is covered in a mural with angels.

Marble columns!  The balcony in the background is where the rich and famous sit.  I believe it was the Clinton's who have been there.

Yes, this is me actually touching the stage!

Blog Post 18 - Quote-Response

Othello by William Shakespeare, edited by David Bevington

I have never read Othello, so this is a new experience for me.  Once I got past the initial act, I was able to read it with less difficulty.  Written in 1604, the English language was much different then it is today.  Basically, what I surmised in the first act was that there was a counsel meeting in order for Desdemona to marry Othello, a black man of poor background.  Desdemona was born to a wealthy family, in order for her to be with a man from a different social class she was to give up all rights to her families wealth.  The fact that he is black has also got to be of great concern considering this was in the 1600's.  Brabantio, Desdemona's father and senator, needed to know if Othello had manipulated his daughter into being in love. 

            That thou hast practiced on her with foul charms, abused her
            delicate youth with drugs and minerals  that weaken motion. 
            I'll have't disputed on; tis probable and palpable to thinking.
            (Shakespeare 947).

Blessings were given by the Duke to Brabantio so Othello and Desdemona could be together, "Your son-in-law is far more fair than black" (Shakespeare 957). 

Blog Entry 17 - Quote Response on Trifles

This short play is about a woman who presumably lived in an abusive relationship, was stripped of her identity and self-esteem and killed her husband in his sleep.  Trifles by Susan Glaspell begins by the authorities looking into the death of John Wright.  John was a man that kept to himself and was rarely seen in town or at social gatherings.  The townspeople had thought of him as a good man, but also as a strange man.  Mrs. Hale describes him to Mrs. Peters, "Like a raw wind that gets to the bone" (Glaspell 845).  There was something about John that made Mrs. Hale uncomfortable whenever he was around.  At the time she probably never thought that he was cruel to his wife. 
When a visitor, Hale, had stopped by the Wright's farm house one morning Mrs. Wright was found in the kitchen.  Hale, describes seeing that "she was rockin' back and forth.  She had her apron in her hand and was kind of -pleating it." (Glaspell 839).  Hale thought that something was terribly wrong the way that Mrs. Wright was behaving and she refused to let him speak with John.  She told Hale, "'Cause he's dead" (Glaspell 839), and in saying those words she showed no emotion. 
Having been in an abusive relationship, it was easy for me to see that Mrs. Wright could have been the one to kill her husband.  Mrs. Hale had described Mrs. Wright as, "She didn't even belong to the Ladies Aid.  I suppose she felt she couldn't do her part, and then you don't enjoy things when you feel shabby" (Glaspell 842).  This is an example of a woman that had been stripped of her self-esteem and identity and closed herself off to any outside relationships. 
The scene at the farmhouse also portrays a depressed woman.  The kitchen is described at the beginning of the play as "a gloomy kitchen" with "unwashed pans under the sink"(Glaspell 837).  Such disarray shows signs of her despair.

Blog Entry 15 - Freestyle

I hate how the story ended, I wanted it to continue.  Did Marjane ever see her parents again?  The story was never exact in saying why her parents had finally decided to have Marjane leave the country.  Yes, they stated it was because of her safety.  Marjane was very outspoken in her beliefs.  Did they think that she would have been sought out and killed for her openness?  Definitely a possibility considering the turmoil within the country.

Blog Entry 14 - Quote-Response

It's amazing to me the government views that are portrayed in schools.  "God did not choose the King.  He did so! It's written on the first page of our schoolbook" (Satrapi 19).  Here, Marjane is telling her father what she has learned through school.  Her father insists that she finally know the truth, as he sees it.  If he had not been concerned with his daughter he would not have told her.  I think that it is important to know what our children are learning in school.  If we do not concern ourselves with our children education we will never know what they are being taught and if it is something that we believe in personally.  This was a good chance for Marjane to know her families history.