Faulkner and other similar authors

Hey guys, if any of you are looking for works are parallel to Faulkner's Light In August, try Richard Wright's Native Son. It's a very good book, and I recommend that everyone reads it. James Baldwin is also a good author to compare with Faulkner.

Lord of the Flies

Since we won't be reviewing Lord of the Flies in class, we might as well do it here. Characters, plot, themes, connections, etc. Let's go!

Exam Nerves

Does anyone else find themselves getting more stressed as the AP exams get closer and closer, or is it just me?

Brave New World Presentations

Given that we've been working on our presentations on Brave New World this week and analyzing the context more in dept, have you guys come across any new ideas on Brave New World? New perception of the story or the character's? Have you guys found interesting facts etc?

Poor John

The ending of Brave New World is disheartening. I was cheering for John to become the savior for the civilized world, but I knew that it would not be possible, nor realistic. However, I never thought that the ending would lead to John's suicide. Maybe it is just me but I expected more from him. I never expected him to lower himself to believe the only decision he would make is killing himself. It is because of the savage's extreme measures that led me to think about the other two characters and question whether or not Helmholtz and Bernard may have also done the same as John? What do you guys think?

Lenina

In chapters 11-13, the author reveals that Lenina likes John a lot more than she did with anyone else. However, due to her governments system, she has grown up without being capable of loving someone. Will John change how she feels or will she continue to behave like everyone else in her society?

Brave New World chapter 8

I do not know about everyone else but I felt as if today when reading Brave New World there were plenty of interesting things going on especially the part when John feels alone and diverse to the point he fantasizes himself going through the crucifying of Christ  

New Characters, New Problems?? Linda and John

Having read the recent chapter and learning about Linda and John, do you guys think that they will have an effect on how the story is going to be directed from now on? Any thoughts?

Reading Response

How did you guys tackle the prompt? I found I had trouble when writing the essay and so I'm not feeling 100% with this one.

How do you guys feel about Bernard in Brave New World? His character is obviously different from the others. But why if everyone is conditioned and alpha-plus even more so then why is he so different? Why does he have emotions and feelings? Why does he see farther into things and realize that his whole world is conformity thus making him uncomfortable when he takes soma? What is it that happened that made him different?

Brave New World Motifs

I was wondering what motifs did you guys write about in the essay? I'm curious to what other motifs you guys thought of. I wrote about sex and what it means to their society. It was centered around how Brave New World has the opposite moral standpoint to us when it comes to relationships, families, and sex itself; the book shows how attachment, polygamy, and parents are something looked down upon.

Trouble In Paradise?

In Chapter 6 we follow Bernard and Lenina as they go on their first date. However, it is evident that Lenina does not share the same values as Bernard and causes an argument that ends with her emotional breakdown. However, that flood of emotion shows that she is beginning to find holes in her previously imposed outlook on life. Do you feel that with time, Bernard will be able to fully open her eyes to the reality of their situation? Will they ever be able to really be a couple? Or do you feel that Lenina will cower back to the lifestyle she already knows despite having found faults in it.

Love vs pleasurable hobbies

In Brave New World, it appears that sex and relationships have completely lost its meaning in society.  What the the books describes as good and normal, are what we would call deceitful, erotic, and downright disgusting. Look at Lilena for example. She has slept with almost every Alpha, and yet she would be seen as a goody-two shoes in our perspective, compared to other individuals in her society. In her society, sex is no longer for the sake of love and union, but for pleasure; and relationships are just a hobby. There is no desire of holy matrimony. Thoughts????