[withing]

what's the old saying? I may not know about art, but I know what I like...

This semester, I'm taking World Lit, Contemporary Lit, Shakespeare, and History of England. I am, of course, required to read for all of these classes. So far I've had to read Beloved, Empire Falls, Remains of the Day, and some (god awful) poetry for Contemporary Lit. For World Lit, it's been something by Proust (so awful I've erased it from my mind), The White Castle, Lolita, and Despair. The Shakespeare plays we're reading are his early works - the histories and some sonnets - and Romeo and Juliet, oh and Titus Andronicus... For History of England we had to read some really horrible "history" novels that no one but history buffs have every heard of - The Paston Letters, and The Voices of Morebath. We also have to read some essays of the period every week (fun).

The best I can say about any of these books is, "It didn't suck." I kinda like the book we're reading for World Lit, Pedro Paramo - that's about it. The only Shakespeare play I've liked has been Romeo and Juliet - though Richard III didn't suck. The book we're reading right now for contemporary lit is Anita and Me and it SUCKS. I want to throw it against the wall every time I pick it up. Of course, I have to read the entire thing, but gods, it's torture. So was Lolita and that Proust monstrosity.

The big problem is, I seem to be the only person in the English classes that hates these books, as a matter of fact I think they're so bad, I wonder how they ever won all of those stupid awards. - or at least the only one that speaks up about it. The only other people who speak up in class are the ones who love the books. I sound like a Philistine in every class. I also have to write essays on these things too, which means I have to research other people gushing about how great these books are (gag).

So, is something amiss with my brain?

[celestia]

You have enough wisdom to know the emperor isn't wearing any drawers. Now granted I've never studied literature, but only because I hated it enough since high school to know I would not get through it. None of it.

Your comment about Proust made me laugh. Did you see the movie "Little Miss Sunshine"? If not, it's really funny and Steve Carrell plays a suicidal academic who's thesis work is all about good ole Marcel.

I think too a certain amount of plain burn out has to be happening with you at this point.

[AirMarshall]

Even at my best there is NO WAY I could all those classes at the same time. Reading burn out, writing burn out. Can't be done.

Just because a book is being used for a textbook,doesnt' mean it is good. I've seen a few texts that were not very good. Inertia keeps them going. Prof's use them once and are too lazy to find another, which would require rewriting their lectures, assignments, quizzes, homeworks, etc......

Hang in there. a.m.\

[edit[ I didn't read a single book for two years after I graduated. I was just so sick of it. heh.

This post has been edited by AirMarshall: 23 October 2009 - 04:44 PM

[withing]

Thanks y'all. It's not that I mind reading - I read that much anyway without being assigned books, but *man* I would never finish most of these books on my own because I didn't like any of them - especially the one I'm reading now for Contemporary Lit (help me!!!).

I still have half a semester (and about... counting... eight, maybe nine novels) to go.

[celestia]

patheral, on 24 October 2009 - 03:54 PM, said:

I still have half a semester (and about... counting... eight, maybe nine novels) to go.

Are you done then? Or is Spring the last one? It must be at least a little exciting, right? To have graduation in your sights? Wow. It's still an abstract idea to me quite frankly.

[withing]

I still have one more semester left after this one... Then I will be edumecated.

I'm still up in the air about grad school.

[Stickler]

I read "the sound and the fury," expecting magic, and my response at the end of the book was "I struggled with the stream-of-consciousness through the entire book, for this?"

So I don't understand the whole concept of why some books are mysteriously canonized and others end up in the recycling bin of history. But after spring, you can actually go read what you like.

I saw "Titus Andronicus" performed as a comedy...It might help you to imagine it as such...especially the invading goths(white makeup, clove cigarrettes, emo hair)

[withing]

Stickler, on 28 October 2009 - 11:16 PM, said:

I read "the sound and the fury," expecting magic, and my response at the end of the book was "I struggled with the stream-of-consciousness through the entire book, for this?"

So I don't understand the whole concept of why some books are mysteriously canonized and others end up in the recycling bin of history. But after spring, you can actually go read what you like.

I feel your pain... I still read what I like anyway. So far this semester, I've read two books of short stories (one about werewolves, and one about vampires, three manga, two online novels (I forget their names), and some other junk. I call it "cleansing my mind palate" so I can continue to read this crap they're shoving down my throat.

Quote

I saw "Titus Andronicus" performed as a comedy...It might help you to imagine it as such...especially the invading goths(white makeup, clove cigarrettes, emo hair)

Ah, we're way past Titus... Now we're reading "Taming of the Shrew" and next week it's "Merchant of Venice."

I also got the lovely surprise of a summons to Jury Duty next week. Isn't that great??? Now I don't know if I'll be missing a week of school or not.

This post has been edited by patheral: 29 October 2009 - 09:02 AM

[Stickler]

In my state, college students don't have to serve on a jury if they have a current student i.d card.

[Inspired_Neurosis]

"One of the stupidest and most uninspired plays ever written." - T.S. Elliot on Titus Andronicus.