210 to 249
Summary I have finally read the part about how Santiago was killed by the Vicario brothers. There was a lot of imagery, which helped me imagine Santiago´s wounds. He was mortally stabbed 7 times and his intestines actually exploded out of his stomach. The worst part is that Santiago was practically killed again after he died. He received an autopsy from a priest that had studied to be a surgeon, but had not graduated. There were barely any surgical instruments, so the priest actually had to use any other knives he found. However the priest did find out how Santiago got stabbed.
The narrator starts to get more of his personal opinion on what happened in this part of the book. He even starts using the world WE . The narrator indicates that he was with Santiago earlier in the day in a whorehouse owned by Maria Cervantes. I also learned that Santiago had some sort of affair with Maria and that he was engaged to a women. Maria was obviously affected by Santiago´s death and so was the narrator. Everyone that knew the Vicario brothers´plan felt guilty for not telling Santiago. In the end the narrator visits Angela Vicario who moved to another town with her family. Angela kept her secret through the whole 23 years. No one believed that Santiago was her lover, but she claimed he was.
Quote ´´I don´t understand a God damned thing,´´Santiago Nasar said.´´ (Marquez 245)
Reactions I chose the quote above, because it shows how unaware Santiago was about his ´´foretold death´´. Santiago found out the Vicario brothers were going to kill him just a couple of minutes before it happened, but he did not know why. He was confused and did not know what to do. Everything after this seemed to move pretty quickly for him. There was a lot of imagery in the last chapters that showed Santiago´s tragic death.
After reading the entire novel I have noticed that this novel focuses a lot on decorum. The Vicario brothers kill Santiago, because he supposedly slept with Angela. As a result Angela was rejected by her husband since she was not virgin. This demonstrates that in Santiago´s town people though it was immoral to lose your virginity before marriage. In a way Angela got back her honor by letting her brothers kill Santiago. I also found it interesting how no one actually believed that Santiago was Angela´s lover. In my opinion Santiago was killed for no reason, because not even the narrator thinks Santiago was Angela´s lover.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
The Chronicle of a Death Foretold
Pages 169-209
Summary So far this novel is very mysterious and interesting. I still have not reached the part where I find out why no one tells Santiago Nasar that he is going to be killed. I do know that Santiago Nasar was handsome men and that he had odd dreams. Santiago always dream about trees and the week before his death he dreamt that he was in an airplane and flying through almond trees without bumping into anything. He did not think much about his dream, but it may have meant something. Santiago died on a Monday and he dressed in white, because he was hoping to see the bishop. Santiago lived his last day as if it were any other Monday. Everyone knew he was going to die even the daughter of his cook. Santiago seems to be the type of guy that always gets the girls he wants because he had a thing for the cook’s daughter.
Then the story starts to focus more on the wedding that occurred a few days before Santiago’s death. The men who got married is called Bayardo San Roman and he seems pretty mysterious. Most people think Bayardo is handsome, but initially they don’t know really where he came from. Bayardo planned on getting married with Angela Vicario the moment he saw her. Bayardo sent Angela back home after the wedding when he found out that she wasn’t a virgin. The narrator of this story makes it seem like Angela’s wedding is related to Santiago’s death. I also learned that Bayardo’s father was a General and he ordered for Gerineldo Marquez to be shot. The way Bayardo is described by Angela makes it seem like he is dominant and
powerful.
As I read more I found that the narrator was one of Santiago Nasar´s closest friends, which means he knows a lot about what happened. I also found out that the reason why Santiago was killed is that Angela Vicario said he took her virginity. The Vicario brothers announced they were going to kill Santiago many times but the only person that believed them was Clotilde Armente. When the Colonel found out all he did was take away their knives, but this did not stop them from killed Santiago.
powerful.
As I read more I found that the narrator was one of Santiago Nasar´s closest friends, which means he knows a lot about what happened. I also found out that the reason why Santiago was killed is that Angela Vicario said he took her virginity. The Vicario brothers announced they were going to kill Santiago many times but the only person that believed them was Clotilde Armente. When the Colonel found out all he did was take away their knives, but this did not stop them from killed Santiago.
Quote “No one even warned whether Santiago Nasar had been warned, because it seemed impossible to all that he hadn’t.” (Marquez 180)
Reactions The quote on page 180 gives a weak reason for why no one warned warned Santiago that he was going to be killed. It is unrealistic that not one person would warn Santiago about his planned death. I also think that Angela’s wedding has something to do with Santiago’s death, because the narrator goes from talking about Santiago’s day to Bayardo.
One thing I find interesting is how Gabriel Marquez tells this story. The story is being narrated from the first point of view of the brother of Marget, whom was friend of Santiago. I do not find this convenient all the time because the narrator doesn’t know exactly what happened, because he bases his information on stories he has heard from other people. However the narrator does say Santiago shared his secrets with him so he knows a lot about who Santiago was. Santiago´s death was really foretold, but no one was smart enough to warn him.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
pages 101-176
Summary
This part of the book is about the problems of the book of Revelation. The person who translated the Revelation into Latin during the 4th century is known as Jerome. Jerome faced a great challenge when he translated the Revelation, because it is hard to actually understand the significance of John´s words and symbolism. Jerome also had to face contradictions, since John shows a vengeful Jesus but Jesus "says to love your enemies first". Kirsch also says that John thinks that 144,000 men will be saved ; Only those who have done merits and "have not defiled themselves with women" (Kirsch 102). Then saints and martyrs will be raised from dead during the first resurrection. After that Jesus is king of Earth for a millennium and then Satan is released from the bottomless pit and he is defeated. The rest of the dead are judged based on what they have done and those that have been bad go to hell for eternity.
Some Christian authorities regard the Revelation as a dangerous book that can stir up emotions of its readers and can even make one go crazy. Including the Revelation in the Bible was a controversy, because John was basically implying that Christians emperors were sitting in "Satan's throne". Another huge problem is that John's prophecy did not occur and it has been centuries after he wrote his book. According to some people Jesus also said in the Gospels that some of his contemporaries would witness the end, but the did not know the day or hour. The world still exists today. Another problem is that some people tend to read it literally. A group called me Montanus read the Revelation as "absolute and literal truth.", even though John say the Revelation's text must be read "spiritually". Another reason why including the Revelation in the bible was such a big debate is that some argue only an author who was an apostle/disciple of Jesus could have their writing in the Bible. For Christians it made no sense include the Revelation book in the New Testament after Constantine became emperor. Constantine supported Christianity, so Christians were not forced to abandon their faith.
The Revelation book did not make the first cut in early version of the Bible, but it began to appear in the 10th century. The Revelation was eventually added to the New Testament many European countries and even America. Initially it was tolerated but put off by most preachers and religious teachers. They argued that it did not offer any moral instruction on how to live a decent life in the "here and now". For example, reformer Martin Luther argued that the book of Revelation be excluded from the Bible. The book is also bloody and contains a lot of "violent persecutions and sexual excess". In the 4th century a rule stating that the Revelation must be read spiritually was passed by Christian authorities that stated the book had to be read spiritually. For instance, John wrote that there will a seven headed beast. The seven headed beast represents 7 kings. People are also obsessed over trying to find out who 666 (the Antichrist). John also predicts that Jesus will be king of Earth in Jerusalem for 1000 years and then earth will be replaced by a heaven for saints and martyrs.
In chapter 5 Kirsch discusses how many people thought the world would end in the year of 1000, because they thought it was the anniversary of Jesus's death that year. However the book does not regard the birth-death of Jesus as a significant time. Then people started believing clerical marriage was a crime because a bishop with kids would probably give his property and money to his family. As time passed some people started claiming they had visions. Hildegard, a female visionary, claimed she had a vision of a beautiful women giving worth to a beast. The women represented the church and beast represented the Antichrist. Women became big fans of the Revelation book. Protestants also used the Revelation to fight for their cause. They made it seem like the Roman Catholic Church was the Antichrist.
Quote "Indeed, an obsessive concern with when and how and why the world will come to an end can be seen as a dominant habit of the Western mind, no less in the third millennium than in the first, and no less in popular culture of the twenty-first century than in the religious art and letter of medieval Europe. And the obsession begins here and now."
Reactions The quote above depicts how the book of Revelation has impacted the mentalities of so many people in the West. People obsess over the end of the world coming and there is groups of people that actually move in mountains to stay safe. It is funny how the Revelation has made people over analyze things for so many years. It is true that the Revelation has influenced pop-culture. The Revelation has led to the creation of certain movies and it is also a big factor of some religions. There is even a movie called The Seventh Seal, which relates to the end as shown in the Revelation. There is also a book called Carmina Burana, which is a collection of songs, religious poetry, and satires that make reference to the Revelation.
This book made me think about who really John is and more about his life. I can also understand why Christian authorities had a hard time accepting the Revelation. Just by reading quotes from the Revelation I can see the disturbing images used by John. It is also true that there are times where people truly believe the world is going to end. For example, there are groups of people who are waiting for 2012 in fear. I agree with Jesus's statement about how people should not try to find the exact date of the end of the world. Sometimes it is just better not to know stuff that may one go crazy. I also agree with Kirsch´s statement about how the Revelation allowed people to come up with their own visions, since people came up with their own interpretations.
Summary
This part of the book is about the problems of the book of Revelation. The person who translated the Revelation into Latin during the 4th century is known as Jerome. Jerome faced a great challenge when he translated the Revelation, because it is hard to actually understand the significance of John´s words and symbolism. Jerome also had to face contradictions, since John shows a vengeful Jesus but Jesus "says to love your enemies first". Kirsch also says that John thinks that 144,000 men will be saved ; Only those who have done merits and "have not defiled themselves with women" (Kirsch 102). Then saints and martyrs will be raised from dead during the first resurrection. After that Jesus is king of Earth for a millennium and then Satan is released from the bottomless pit and he is defeated. The rest of the dead are judged based on what they have done and those that have been bad go to hell for eternity.
Some Christian authorities regard the Revelation as a dangerous book that can stir up emotions of its readers and can even make one go crazy. Including the Revelation in the Bible was a controversy, because John was basically implying that Christians emperors were sitting in "Satan's throne". Another huge problem is that John's prophecy did not occur and it has been centuries after he wrote his book. According to some people Jesus also said in the Gospels that some of his contemporaries would witness the end, but the did not know the day or hour. The world still exists today. Another problem is that some people tend to read it literally. A group called me Montanus read the Revelation as "absolute and literal truth.", even though John say the Revelation's text must be read "spiritually". Another reason why including the Revelation in the bible was such a big debate is that some argue only an author who was an apostle/disciple of Jesus could have their writing in the Bible. For Christians it made no sense include the Revelation book in the New Testament after Constantine became emperor. Constantine supported Christianity, so Christians were not forced to abandon their faith.
The Revelation book did not make the first cut in early version of the Bible, but it began to appear in the 10th century. The Revelation was eventually added to the New Testament many European countries and even America. Initially it was tolerated but put off by most preachers and religious teachers. They argued that it did not offer any moral instruction on how to live a decent life in the "here and now". For example, reformer Martin Luther argued that the book of Revelation be excluded from the Bible. The book is also bloody and contains a lot of "violent persecutions and sexual excess". In the 4th century a rule stating that the Revelation must be read spiritually was passed by Christian authorities that stated the book had to be read spiritually. For instance, John wrote that there will a seven headed beast. The seven headed beast represents 7 kings. People are also obsessed over trying to find out who 666 (the Antichrist). John also predicts that Jesus will be king of Earth in Jerusalem for 1000 years and then earth will be replaced by a heaven for saints and martyrs.
In chapter 5 Kirsch discusses how many people thought the world would end in the year of 1000, because they thought it was the anniversary of Jesus's death that year. However the book does not regard the birth-death of Jesus as a significant time. Then people started believing clerical marriage was a crime because a bishop with kids would probably give his property and money to his family. As time passed some people started claiming they had visions. Hildegard, a female visionary, claimed she had a vision of a beautiful women giving worth to a beast. The women represented the church and beast represented the Antichrist. Women became big fans of the Revelation book. Protestants also used the Revelation to fight for their cause. They made it seem like the Roman Catholic Church was the Antichrist.
Quote "Indeed, an obsessive concern with when and how and why the world will come to an end can be seen as a dominant habit of the Western mind, no less in the third millennium than in the first, and no less in popular culture of the twenty-first century than in the religious art and letter of medieval Europe. And the obsession begins here and now."
Reactions The quote above depicts how the book of Revelation has impacted the mentalities of so many people in the West. People obsess over the end of the world coming and there is groups of people that actually move in mountains to stay safe. It is funny how the Revelation has made people over analyze things for so many years. It is true that the Revelation has influenced pop-culture. The Revelation has led to the creation of certain movies and it is also a big factor of some religions. There is even a movie called The Seventh Seal, which relates to the end as shown in the Revelation. There is also a book called Carmina Burana, which is a collection of songs, religious poetry, and satires that make reference to the Revelation.
This book made me think about who really John is and more about his life. I can also understand why Christian authorities had a hard time accepting the Revelation. Just by reading quotes from the Revelation I can see the disturbing images used by John. It is also true that there are times where people truly believe the world is going to end. For example, there are groups of people who are waiting for 2012 in fear. I agree with Jesus's statement about how people should not try to find the exact date of the end of the world. Sometimes it is just better not to know stuff that may one go crazy. I also agree with Kirsch´s statement about how the Revelation allowed people to come up with their own visions, since people came up with their own interpretations.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
page 66-100
Summary This section focuses a lot on what the author of the Revelation probably thought and about his beliefs. John himself says in the Revelation that he got his visions on a isle called Patmos. There is speculation that John had been sentenced to hard labor on Patmos or that he was exiled for his preaching missions. Evangelical scholars have also added in the modern translation of the New Testament ,a phrase where John supposedly says "I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God...", which was not in the Greek Test of the New Testament (Kirsch 66). Kirsch discusses that John traveled around 7 cities of the Asian Minor to preach people about the end. One thing John did not like was that the 7 cities offered many opportunities for Christians to embrace the Roman lifestyle. He also says Rome was the "agent of Satan", so anyone who worshiped Satan (Roman emperor?) would be marked with a symbol and punished in the end of time. John also stated that "the beast" caused people from every social class to be marked, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark...". John is referring to how the image of the Roman emperor was on the coins and people who wanted wealth had to use the main coin of th empire. He thought of this as a violation of what the God of Israel declared the Ten Commandments (Kirsch 70). Kirsch then stated that John used the number 666 to refer to the Roman Emperor.
John was a pure prophet,he no official title, and he didn't have a home in Asia Minor. Some scholars believe John was rich and that he gave up his wealth to be a prophet. John hated those who aspired to be wealthy and did not like when people mixed religious beliefs-rituals. He also makes it clear in the Revelation that he all sorts of sexual conduct is wrong and dirty. Kirsch says this, because only virgins and martyrs play the good guys in the Revelation and the enemies are usually "whores and whoremongers". The idea of sex if also shown as a defilement in the Hebrew Bible, the book of Watchers, and other Jewish writings. Kirsch concludes that John is obsessed with the idea of everything being poor ; For instance, John did not like when people ate food that was sacrificed to an idol. Another thing John seems to be obsessed with is using the number 666 as a symbol for the beast. The beast is a Roman emperor, but no one knows who it is for sure. Some scholars assume that it is Caesar Nero (51 C.E-96 C.E). The reason why John hates ALL Roman emperors so much is that during John's time Christians were tortured and punished by Romans for their beliefs.
The Kirsch discusses that John insists that Christians will have to go through "Tribulation" before being entered into a new heaven/earth. John says Christians will have to go through horrible things. For instance, Kirsch says that John only knew one martyr called Antipas. Antipas suffered and was executed for sticking to his beliefs. John mention in the Revelation Christians who testified that they were Christians faced the death penalty. Some scholars find it hard to believe that this true. One reason for why some some scholars think that it was easy to run away from executions, because it easy for Christians to compromise with Roman authorities. John was mainly trying to teach his readers to keep their faith and not to compromise with the evil (Romans). He wanted his readers to be patient and passive even if it meant dying. Another thing that Kirsch stated is that John wrote that he was more Jewish than any one else and that "the Son of Men" told him to record his writings.
Quote "Only in John's visions of the end-times, and not in the historical record, do we find the worst excesses of Roman persecution. ...The book of Revelation `expresses the author's expectation of persecution.`" (Kirsch 87)
Reactions Reading that scholars had added a phrase in the New Testament mad me start thinking about what Kirsch said about misinterpretations. As the years pass by some things are translated and added, which can change the real meaning of the text. It is possible that what one person thinks is John's message is completely different from John's real message. Now I understand why there are people who go crazy over this. Another thing I found interesting was that John wanted everything to be pure. Kirsch makes it seem like one can learn about John's personality through his writing which is true for some authors.
The quote above lets the reader know what the author of this book thinks of John. Kirsch is saying that John may be exaggerating some of the things he says in the Book of Revelation. The way John describes how Romans treated Christian may be worse than the actual history. I also agree with the scholars that think it was easy for Christians to escape their fate. After all John is telling how Christians were persecuted from his point of view.
Summary This section focuses a lot on what the author of the Revelation probably thought and about his beliefs. John himself says in the Revelation that he got his visions on a isle called Patmos. There is speculation that John had been sentenced to hard labor on Patmos or that he was exiled for his preaching missions. Evangelical scholars have also added in the modern translation of the New Testament ,a phrase where John supposedly says "I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God...", which was not in the Greek Test of the New Testament (Kirsch 66). Kirsch discusses that John traveled around 7 cities of the Asian Minor to preach people about the end. One thing John did not like was that the 7 cities offered many opportunities for Christians to embrace the Roman lifestyle. He also says Rome was the "agent of Satan", so anyone who worshiped Satan (Roman emperor?) would be marked with a symbol and punished in the end of time. John also stated that "the beast" caused people from every social class to be marked, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark...". John is referring to how the image of the Roman emperor was on the coins and people who wanted wealth had to use the main coin of th empire. He thought of this as a violation of what the God of Israel declared the Ten Commandments (Kirsch 70). Kirsch then stated that John used the number 666 to refer to the Roman Emperor.
John was a pure prophet,he no official title, and he didn't have a home in Asia Minor. Some scholars believe John was rich and that he gave up his wealth to be a prophet. John hated those who aspired to be wealthy and did not like when people mixed religious beliefs-rituals. He also makes it clear in the Revelation that he all sorts of sexual conduct is wrong and dirty. Kirsch says this, because only virgins and martyrs play the good guys in the Revelation and the enemies are usually "whores and whoremongers". The idea of sex if also shown as a defilement in the Hebrew Bible, the book of Watchers, and other Jewish writings. Kirsch concludes that John is obsessed with the idea of everything being poor ; For instance, John did not like when people ate food that was sacrificed to an idol. Another thing John seems to be obsessed with is using the number 666 as a symbol for the beast. The beast is a Roman emperor, but no one knows who it is for sure. Some scholars assume that it is Caesar Nero (51 C.E-96 C.E). The reason why John hates ALL Roman emperors so much is that during John's time Christians were tortured and punished by Romans for their beliefs.
The Kirsch discusses that John insists that Christians will have to go through "Tribulation" before being entered into a new heaven/earth. John says Christians will have to go through horrible things. For instance, Kirsch says that John only knew one martyr called Antipas. Antipas suffered and was executed for sticking to his beliefs. John mention in the Revelation Christians who testified that they were Christians faced the death penalty. Some scholars find it hard to believe that this true. One reason for why some some scholars think that it was easy to run away from executions, because it easy for Christians to compromise with Roman authorities. John was mainly trying to teach his readers to keep their faith and not to compromise with the evil (Romans). He wanted his readers to be patient and passive even if it meant dying. Another thing that Kirsch stated is that John wrote that he was more Jewish than any one else and that "the Son of Men" told him to record his writings.
Quote "Only in John's visions of the end-times, and not in the historical record, do we find the worst excesses of Roman persecution. ...The book of Revelation `expresses the author's expectation of persecution.`" (Kirsch 87)
Reactions Reading that scholars had added a phrase in the New Testament mad me start thinking about what Kirsch said about misinterpretations. As the years pass by some things are translated and added, which can change the real meaning of the text. It is possible that what one person thinks is John's message is completely different from John's real message. Now I understand why there are people who go crazy over this. Another thing I found interesting was that John wanted everything to be pure. Kirsch makes it seem like one can learn about John's personality through his writing which is true for some authors.
The quote above lets the reader know what the author of this book thinks of John. Kirsch is saying that John may be exaggerating some of the things he says in the Book of Revelation. The way John describes how Romans treated Christian may be worse than the actual history. I also agree with the scholars that think it was easy for Christians to escape their fate. After all John is telling how Christians were persecuted from his point of view.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
page 41-65
Summary This part of the book is about. Kirsch states that the "messiah" is used differently in Judaism and Christianity. In the Hebrew bible messiah is just another word for someone who holds some high office or who has been assigned "a special duty" (Skirch 43). In the book of Daniel the messiah is seen as the "son of man" and "savior". Another main character in apocalyptic writings is Satan, who is the demonic figure that the Messiah would fight and defeat in the end. Kirsch also argues that the authors of apocalyptic writings meant for the audience to be inspired. For example, Jews were suppose to resist their Roman persecutors. A group of people mentioned by jew, Josephus, are the essenes who are Jews that moved into the wilderness to wait for the end of the world. Overall apocalyptic writings were addressed to individuals who saw themselves as outsiders and victims suffering from oppression or persecution in any setting.
During the Maccabean Revolt, Jerusalem was under the rule of Rome. People during this time longed for a Messiah that would liberate them from "evil forces".Simon Bar Kochba was hailed as the Messiah, because he was the leader of a war against Rome. He died in 135C.E. which showed that Bar Kochba wasn't the real messiah. Another "messiah" is Yeshua bar Yosef, who is also known as Jesus. Modern bible scholars regard Jesus as a moral teahcer who tries to teach his followers how to live a decent live, but some believe that Jesus was trying to people about the apocalypse. Hoewever Kirsch argues that the Gospels prove that Jesus believed and taught thought the world was going to end around the time he was on Earth. There is debate over whether Jesus was an apocalyptic phrophet since what he thought would happen did not happen.
Another controversy that was discussed by Kirsch is about who is the author of the book of Revelation. Many people think that the author is "John the Evangelist" or "Saint John". He also thought of himself as one God's favorites and that he was probably born in Judea. John probably was a Jew by birth. The author of the Revelation repeatedly uses the number 666, which he used as a symbol of a Roman emperor.
Quote- "As we move forward in history, we will see that Revelation has been reread and reinterpreted in startling and even shocking ways over centuries, and never more so than in our times. If the author of Revelation had been granted an accurate vision of the distant future, surely he would have been appalled not only by the plain fact that the end of the world was not near but also by what would become of is "little book"." (Kirsch 55)
Reactions- I chose the quote above, because it shows how controversial the book of Revelation is. Kirsch states that the Revelation has been interpreted in various ways over the centuries, especially now. This is true, because there are documentaries shown on T.V of different apocalyptic prophecies. The quote also says that the author of Revelation probably did not know that his book was going to be so popular and that it would be read by future popes and Kings. The Revelation is very old, but its message is still followed by certain people.It is funny how the Revelation is still read today and probably will be read in the next century.
Summary This part of the book is about. Kirsch states that the "messiah" is used differently in Judaism and Christianity. In the Hebrew bible messiah is just another word for someone who holds some high office or who has been assigned "a special duty" (Skirch 43). In the book of Daniel the messiah is seen as the "son of man" and "savior". Another main character in apocalyptic writings is Satan, who is the demonic figure that the Messiah would fight and defeat in the end. Kirsch also argues that the authors of apocalyptic writings meant for the audience to be inspired. For example, Jews were suppose to resist their Roman persecutors. A group of people mentioned by jew, Josephus, are the essenes who are Jews that moved into the wilderness to wait for the end of the world. Overall apocalyptic writings were addressed to individuals who saw themselves as outsiders and victims suffering from oppression or persecution in any setting.
During the Maccabean Revolt, Jerusalem was under the rule of Rome. People during this time longed for a Messiah that would liberate them from "evil forces".Simon Bar Kochba was hailed as the Messiah, because he was the leader of a war against Rome. He died in 135C.E. which showed that Bar Kochba wasn't the real messiah. Another "messiah" is Yeshua bar Yosef, who is also known as Jesus. Modern bible scholars regard Jesus as a moral teahcer who tries to teach his followers how to live a decent live, but some believe that Jesus was trying to people about the apocalypse. Hoewever Kirsch argues that the Gospels prove that Jesus believed and taught thought the world was going to end around the time he was on Earth. There is debate over whether Jesus was an apocalyptic phrophet since what he thought would happen did not happen.
Another controversy that was discussed by Kirsch is about who is the author of the book of Revelation. Many people think that the author is "John the Evangelist" or "Saint John". He also thought of himself as one God's favorites and that he was probably born in Judea. John probably was a Jew by birth. The author of the Revelation repeatedly uses the number 666, which he used as a symbol of a Roman emperor.
Quote- "As we move forward in history, we will see that Revelation has been reread and reinterpreted in startling and even shocking ways over centuries, and never more so than in our times. If the author of Revelation had been granted an accurate vision of the distant future, surely he would have been appalled not only by the plain fact that the end of the world was not near but also by what would become of is "little book"." (Kirsch 55)
Reactions- I chose the quote above, because it shows how controversial the book of Revelation is. Kirsch states that the Revelation has been interpreted in various ways over the centuries, especially now. This is true, because there are documentaries shown on T.V of different apocalyptic prophecies. The quote also says that the author of Revelation probably did not know that his book was going to be so popular and that it would be read by future popes and Kings. The Revelation is very old, but its message is still followed by certain people.It is funny how the Revelation is still read today and probably will be read in the next century.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Term 4- A History of the End of The World by : Jonathan Kirsch
Pages 1-40
Summary This book is about how the book of Revelation has affected history and what people think will happen in the end of the world. According to this book no one knows who wrote the Revelation but the Kirsch believes that the author is Jewish. The Revelation tells the story of how the world is suppose to end based on the visions that the author of the Revelation claims he has seen. This book has had so many influences on Western culture and it always makes people question whether it is true or not. People either completely ignore the Revelation as part of the bible or they get obsessed with the Revelation. The Revelation is also very hard to understand, because most of the phrase,words,images, and numbers mentioned symbolize something.
According to the Revelation in the end of time there will be a a black, a bloody red moon, and stars falling to the earth. There will also be false prophets,famine and pestilence (epidemic diseases). Then Satan also known as the Antichrist is suppose to come to Earth and rule for 7 years. After living under oppression and persecution, Jesus Christ descends from heaven in the form of warrior king accompanied by an army of saints. The battles between the ''king's army'' and Satan is called the Battle of Armageddon, which is when Satan is draped with chains and confined in a pit, so Jesus rules earth for one thousand years. Then Satan breaks out of his chains and Jesus Christ fights with Satan a second time. Christ wins and he decides that the dead will be resurructed. The living and dead are judged on Judgement day and then the earth is destroyed once and for all. Kirsch believes that the author of Revelation was trying to tell people that God would avenge himself on their enemies and prosecutors by ending the world. (Kirsch 15) Then a new earth and a new heaven is created. The saints and martyrs go to heaven and the rest burn in hell with Satan for eternity.
Kirsch argues that the author of the Revelation was probably influenced by earlier writings, prophecies, and so called apocalypses. The Revelation is one of the exceptions that have survived in time and that have not been excluded from the Bible. For example, the book of Daniel is included in the Hebrew Bible and the book of Revelation is part of the New Testament. Some scenes in the Revelation can alsobe found in the Hebrew bible so th author of revelation did borrow ideas from other sources not just from his visions (Kirsch 24).
Quote " 'Apocalypse' is one of the various titles that appear on ancient manuscripts of the last book of the New Testament, but the same word is also used b scholars to identify any text in which the author describes the secret knowledge that has been revealed to a human being by a supernatural figure of some kind." (Kirsch 21)
Reactions I found it amusing that every people of every worry about the world ending, but in the end it doesn't really end up happening during their time or their's grandchildren's time. People find themselves obsessing over finding the precise date of the end of the world, but no one really knows when it will happen or if it will happen.So far I have learned so many things about the Revelation book and it is influences by the book of David. In the book of David, God is placed in heaven, the angles serve him, and there is monsters that attack the earth which is also seen in the Revelation. Another thing I learned was that "..all apocalyptic writings, including the book of Revelation -- is found in the simple fact that its night visions are not to be taken literally." This means that most apocalyptic writings are symbolic and the readers has to pay careful attention to the crazy images used.
The quote above define the meaning of the world apocalypse and explains why the book of Revelation is considered an apocalypse. I also found it confusing that some people still try to "break the code and reveal the hidden message" in the book of David when the date of the end of the world mentioned by David was wrong. Finding the real message would probably take years of research.
Summary This book is about how the book of Revelation has affected history and what people think will happen in the end of the world. According to this book no one knows who wrote the Revelation but the Kirsch believes that the author is Jewish. The Revelation tells the story of how the world is suppose to end based on the visions that the author of the Revelation claims he has seen. This book has had so many influences on Western culture and it always makes people question whether it is true or not. People either completely ignore the Revelation as part of the bible or they get obsessed with the Revelation. The Revelation is also very hard to understand, because most of the phrase,words,images, and numbers mentioned symbolize something.
According to the Revelation in the end of time there will be a a black, a bloody red moon, and stars falling to the earth. There will also be false prophets,famine and pestilence (epidemic diseases). Then Satan also known as the Antichrist is suppose to come to Earth and rule for 7 years. After living under oppression and persecution, Jesus Christ descends from heaven in the form of warrior king accompanied by an army of saints. The battles between the ''king's army'' and Satan is called the Battle of Armageddon, which is when Satan is draped with chains and confined in a pit, so Jesus rules earth for one thousand years. Then Satan breaks out of his chains and Jesus Christ fights with Satan a second time. Christ wins and he decides that the dead will be resurructed. The living and dead are judged on Judgement day and then the earth is destroyed once and for all. Kirsch believes that the author of Revelation was trying to tell people that God would avenge himself on their enemies and prosecutors by ending the world. (Kirsch 15) Then a new earth and a new heaven is created. The saints and martyrs go to heaven and the rest burn in hell with Satan for eternity.
Kirsch argues that the author of the Revelation was probably influenced by earlier writings, prophecies, and so called apocalypses. The Revelation is one of the exceptions that have survived in time and that have not been excluded from the Bible. For example, the book of Daniel is included in the Hebrew Bible and the book of Revelation is part of the New Testament. Some scenes in the Revelation can alsobe found in the Hebrew bible so th author of revelation did borrow ideas from other sources not just from his visions (Kirsch 24).
Quote " 'Apocalypse' is one of the various titles that appear on ancient manuscripts of the last book of the New Testament, but the same word is also used b scholars to identify any text in which the author describes the secret knowledge that has been revealed to a human being by a supernatural figure of some kind." (Kirsch 21)
Reactions I found it amusing that every people of every worry about the world ending, but in the end it doesn't really end up happening during their time or their's grandchildren's time. People find themselves obsessing over finding the precise date of the end of the world, but no one really knows when it will happen or if it will happen.So far I have learned so many things about the Revelation book and it is influences by the book of David. In the book of David, God is placed in heaven, the angles serve him, and there is monsters that attack the earth which is also seen in the Revelation. Another thing I learned was that "..all apocalyptic writings, including the book of Revelation -- is found in the simple fact that its night visions are not to be taken literally." This means that most apocalyptic writings are symbolic and the readers has to pay careful attention to the crazy images used.
The quote above define the meaning of the world apocalypse and explains why the book of Revelation is considered an apocalypse. I also found it confusing that some people still try to "break the code and reveal the hidden message" in the book of David when the date of the end of the world mentioned by David was wrong. Finding the real message would probably take years of research.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Reaction to a Review
So, now I am going to write about a review by Manohla Dargis based on the The Time Traveler's Wife. I have to say that I really disagree with the author's review on The Time Traveler's Wife. Dargis thinks that the movie is about a time-traveler who takes advantage of a normal girl. Dargis argues that "you could think of it as a crazy story about a stalker who sweet-talks a little girl whom he later seduces when she's a teenager only then to knock her up and emotionally,psychologically, and spiritually knock her down again and again, as he hopscotches naked across the time space continuum." (Dargis) Dargis makes it seem like Harry took advantage of Clare, but he really did not because it was fate. Henry could not change what happened, because it had already happened to Clare. Henry is justa guy who suffers from disorder that makes him time travel uncontrollaby and he had no way of controlling his feeling for Clare. The author mainly thinks that the best part of the movie was " watching Mr. Bana frequently strut his seminude stuff, nimbly avoiding the full-frontal reveal even as he flashes some discreet cheek, is one of the few pleasures afforded by this often ridiculous, awkward, unsatisfying and dour melodramatic adaptation", but she is not right. (Dargis) The author of this review mainly focuses on how Henry time travels and appears with no clothes on. She is not really paying attention to the big picture since she is only thinking about the akwardness of watching a naked guy in front of a six year old (young Clare).
One thing I do agree on with Dargis is that the novel can make you feel really close to the character, because it is told from the first point of view of Clare and Henry. On the other hand "the camera hovers vaguely between her point of view and Henry’s ". (Dargis) I also realized while watching the movie that one does not feel as close to the characters when it is told from a vague pointof view. Overall I do not really share the same opinions with Dargis's review on the TheTime Traveler's Wife.
Work Cited
One thing I do agree on with Dargis is that the novel can make you feel really close to the character, because it is told from the first point of view of Clare and Henry. On the other hand "the camera hovers vaguely between her point of view and Henry’s ". (Dargis) I also realized while watching the movie that one does not feel as close to the characters when it is told from a vague pointof view. Overall I do not really share the same opinions with Dargis's review on the TheTime Traveler's Wife.
Work Cited
Dargis, Manohla. "Movie Review - The Time Traveler's Wife - So Sorry, I Lost My Clothes Years Ago - NYTimes.com." Movie Reviews, Showtimes and Trailers - Movies - New York Times - The New York Times. Web. 25 Feb. 2011. <http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/movies/14time.html>.
The Time Traveler's Wife (The Movie)
Reaction to the Film: In my opinion this movie has been a very good interpretation of the novel even though a lot of parts from the book were cut out from the movie. The movie starts with the death of Henry's mother and Henry trying to stop the car accident from occuring.. It starts with classical music and Henry as a little kid riding in a car with his mother. This is significant because it shows that he travels back to events that are important. I liked how the music playe din the beginning shows Henry's mother passion for music. Then everything seems to move fast, especially in Henry and Clare's relationship.
One thing I really did like about the movie was the way the scenes were "put" together. I also thought it was kind of humorous when Clare and Henry go house shopping and Henry alreaFor example, when Clare gives birth to her daughter the camera manily focuses on Clare and Henry, but only up to their waist. This medium shot demostrated the emotions that Clare and Henry were going through as Clare was giving birth to their first child. They had tried to have a child so many times, but the fetuses time traveled and eventually died. After Alba (their daughter) was born everything happened quickly. The transition of scenes were very fast. There was a a part where Alba was shown growing up into a five year old. The scenes entered in and out through the doors of their home. It can be said that the scenes faded in very quickly, but it was a problably a mix of fade in and dissolve.
Something I wish that the director had kept in the movie was the last time Clare and Henry met. The last scene of the movie showed Henry and Clare in the meadow. It took place 4 years after Henry's death and it was Alba who saw him first and then sent Gomez's kids to call her mother. Henry and Clare embraced and were only able to talk for about a minute. Henry told Clare to stop waiting for him, because he knew that Clare was still waiting for him to come back. In the book the last time Henry and Clare meet is when Clare is an old lady and he traveled from the past into her future. The movie does not show that Clare always waited for him, but the book describes the last time they met.
The book and movie are very different, but their both entertaining in different ways. I think that the book was better than the movie since the book is more detailed and it is told from Clare and Henry's point of view. The movie is told from a third point of view, so the audience is not really able to get in the characters' heads.
One thing I really did like about the movie was the way the scenes were "put" together. I also thought it was kind of humorous when Clare and Henry go house shopping and Henry alreaFor example, when Clare gives birth to her daughter the camera manily focuses on Clare and Henry, but only up to their waist. This medium shot demostrated the emotions that Clare and Henry were going through as Clare was giving birth to their first child. They had tried to have a child so many times, but the fetuses time traveled and eventually died. After Alba (their daughter) was born everything happened quickly. The transition of scenes were very fast. There was a a part where Alba was shown growing up into a five year old. The scenes entered in and out through the doors of their home. It can be said that the scenes faded in very quickly, but it was a problably a mix of fade in and dissolve.
Something I wish that the director had kept in the movie was the last time Clare and Henry met. The last scene of the movie showed Henry and Clare in the meadow. It took place 4 years after Henry's death and it was Alba who saw him first and then sent Gomez's kids to call her mother. Henry and Clare embraced and were only able to talk for about a minute. Henry told Clare to stop waiting for him, because he knew that Clare was still waiting for him to come back. In the book the last time Henry and Clare meet is when Clare is an old lady and he traveled from the past into her future. The movie does not show that Clare always waited for him, but the book describes the last time they met.
The book and movie are very different, but their both entertaining in different ways. I think that the book was better than the movie since the book is more detailed and it is told from Clare and Henry's point of view. The movie is told from a third point of view, so the audience is not really able to get in the characters' heads.
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Waiting Continues
page 321-pg 546
This part of the book is basically about Henry trying to have a normal life. While working in the library he time travels and finds himself locked in a cage in the library. There is no way out and no way in the cage. The security guards found him and eventually his boss found out about what was going on. All of Henry's coworkers thought he was a freak for being naked in the library's cage but another Henry from the past came just in time to reveal his secret. He had to tell his co-workers why he was always disappearing and appearring with no clothes on or else he would be fired. Henry was not fired so that part of his life was secure. One big problem between Henry and Clare was that they had a hard time conceiving a child. Clare had about 5 or six miscarriages. She insisted on trying to have a baby even though she knew it was nearly impossible for her to go through a pregnancy without a miscarriage.
Henry decides to get a vasectomy, but a Henry from the past time travels into Clare's present and they have a baby. Their daughter is also born with Chrono-displacement disorder, but she has more control over where she time travels to. Henry only gets to live with her for five years, because he dies when she is five. On one of his journeys he gets frost bite in a very cold day in Chicago. When Henry comes back to the present he still has frostbite and he gets his feet amputated. Henry feels sad and useless without his feet, because it is harder for him to move around and he isn't as independent. Then Henry dies while he is time traveling to Clare's childhood. Clare's father and brother were going hunting and they thought Henry was an animal, which is why they shot him. He died in Clare's past and did not come back, but he had already warned Clare that he was going to die.
Henry left Clare a letter telling her to stop waiting for him to come back even though he is ocming back. He tells Clare that he will visit her when she is very old and Clare never stops waiting. Alba, Henry's daughter, does get to see Henry while she time travels. Sometimes they bump into each other while time travelling, but for a short amount of time. Alba has artistic skills just like Clare and she finds time travelling interesting. Clare does not remarry and she stays waiting for Henry until they meet again.
Quote- "Sometimes I am glad when Henry's gone, but I'm always glad when he comes back." (Niffeneger 410)
Reactions- The quote above shows how Clare feels about Henry's disorder. She enjoys being alone at times, but she is always glad that he comes back. This also shows that she has been waiting for him her life and that she is accostumed to always being the one who waits.
This section of the book was pretty interesting and I like how in a way the novel has happy ending. Even though Henry dies, Clare still has her daughter. Alba also gets to see her father, even though he is dead. Something I found interesting was that there is a day when Henry time travels into Alba's school and Alba knows who he is. Everyone in Alba's classroom is also aware of her disease, which caught my attention. It is possible that in the future (in the book) more people start time travelling. People who time travel are called CDDs. I also liked how Clare describes the last time she met with Henry, since the last pages are mainly tolf from Clare's point of view. She knew that it was the day she was going to meet him again.
This part of the book is basically about Henry trying to have a normal life. While working in the library he time travels and finds himself locked in a cage in the library. There is no way out and no way in the cage. The security guards found him and eventually his boss found out about what was going on. All of Henry's coworkers thought he was a freak for being naked in the library's cage but another Henry from the past came just in time to reveal his secret. He had to tell his co-workers why he was always disappearing and appearring with no clothes on or else he would be fired. Henry was not fired so that part of his life was secure. One big problem between Henry and Clare was that they had a hard time conceiving a child. Clare had about 5 or six miscarriages. She insisted on trying to have a baby even though she knew it was nearly impossible for her to go through a pregnancy without a miscarriage.
Henry decides to get a vasectomy, but a Henry from the past time travels into Clare's present and they have a baby. Their daughter is also born with Chrono-displacement disorder, but she has more control over where she time travels to. Henry only gets to live with her for five years, because he dies when she is five. On one of his journeys he gets frost bite in a very cold day in Chicago. When Henry comes back to the present he still has frostbite and he gets his feet amputated. Henry feels sad and useless without his feet, because it is harder for him to move around and he isn't as independent. Then Henry dies while he is time traveling to Clare's childhood. Clare's father and brother were going hunting and they thought Henry was an animal, which is why they shot him. He died in Clare's past and did not come back, but he had already warned Clare that he was going to die.
Henry left Clare a letter telling her to stop waiting for him to come back even though he is ocming back. He tells Clare that he will visit her when she is very old and Clare never stops waiting. Alba, Henry's daughter, does get to see Henry while she time travels. Sometimes they bump into each other while time travelling, but for a short amount of time. Alba has artistic skills just like Clare and she finds time travelling interesting. Clare does not remarry and she stays waiting for Henry until they meet again.
Quote- "Sometimes I am glad when Henry's gone, but I'm always glad when he comes back." (Niffeneger 410)
Reactions- The quote above shows how Clare feels about Henry's disorder. She enjoys being alone at times, but she is always glad that he comes back. This also shows that she has been waiting for him her life and that she is accostumed to always being the one who waits.
This section of the book was pretty interesting and I like how in a way the novel has happy ending. Even though Henry dies, Clare still has her daughter. Alba also gets to see her father, even though he is dead. Something I found interesting was that there is a day when Henry time travels into Alba's school and Alba knows who he is. Everyone in Alba's classroom is also aware of her disease, which caught my attention. It is possible that in the future (in the book) more people start time travelling. People who time travel are called CDDs. I also liked how Clare describes the last time she met with Henry, since the last pages are mainly tolf from Clare's point of view. She knew that it was the day she was going to meet him again.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Living in the past,present, and future
Pages 151-320
Summary- So many different things have happened so far in the novel. Henry and Clare are still together and they will probably still be together since the future Henry told Clare that they would get married. The were practically destined to be together. Lately Henry hasn't been time travelling much, but when he does he goes to his past. He has not traveled to Clare's childhood yet. Henry also got to meet Clare's parents and to his surprise they liked him. He spent Christmas with them, but he time traveled once during his stay in their house. He was watching T.V with Clare's sister, Alicia, because he was trying to be normal. There are things that make Henry times travel like stress, watching T.V, and flashes of light. He thinks that running and having sex helps keep him in the present.
Then Henry and Clare got engaged. Henry gave Clare a ring that was once his mother's. He had to visit his father in order to get the ring and he found out that his father was depressed and had turned to alcohol. His father doesn't show much emotion, but he did approve of Clare. During the wedding Henry time traveled four days forward but a future Henry time traveled just in time. Now they want children since they are already settled down. Henry doesn't want to take the risk of hurting Clare or having a problem with the pregnancy. Henry decides to go visit Dr.Kendrick, but in order to get the doctor to believe him he had to tell Dr.Kendrick that his son was going to be born w th down syndrome. Now they are going to try to find a solution to their problem.
Quote- "Running is many things to me: survival,calmness, euphoria, solitude. it is proof of my corporal existence, my ability to control my movement through space if not time, and the obedience, however temporary of my body to my will." (Niffienegger 154)
Reactions- The quote above shows how running makes Henry feel like he is in control of his life. He can control the speed he is running in, which is different for him. He has absolutely no control when he is time travelling. Henry also says running is survival, because sometimes he may find himself being chased by dogs or police officers. He wouldn't be able to do anything without his feet. He even said once to Clare that cutting his feet would be like killing him. Running is a form of meditating to Henry and he usually runs when is stressed.
So far I really like this novel. I like how it is romance, but Henry and Clare have a big problem. At times it seems that time travelling doesn't really affect him, but I have a feeling that Henry is going to get hurt one day. One day Henry told Clare that he knew everything was going to be okay until he is 43 years old, so I think he may die. He also time traveled when he was 43 to Clare's childhood. I can infer that Henry may die or get badly injured. I also wonder if Henry is going to be able to have a healthy child with Clare.
Summary- So many different things have happened so far in the novel. Henry and Clare are still together and they will probably still be together since the future Henry told Clare that they would get married. The were practically destined to be together. Lately Henry hasn't been time travelling much, but when he does he goes to his past. He has not traveled to Clare's childhood yet. Henry also got to meet Clare's parents and to his surprise they liked him. He spent Christmas with them, but he time traveled once during his stay in their house. He was watching T.V with Clare's sister, Alicia, because he was trying to be normal. There are things that make Henry times travel like stress, watching T.V, and flashes of light. He thinks that running and having sex helps keep him in the present.
Then Henry and Clare got engaged. Henry gave Clare a ring that was once his mother's. He had to visit his father in order to get the ring and he found out that his father was depressed and had turned to alcohol. His father doesn't show much emotion, but he did approve of Clare. During the wedding Henry time traveled four days forward but a future Henry time traveled just in time. Now they want children since they are already settled down. Henry doesn't want to take the risk of hurting Clare or having a problem with the pregnancy. Henry decides to go visit Dr.Kendrick, but in order to get the doctor to believe him he had to tell Dr.Kendrick that his son was going to be born w th down syndrome. Now they are going to try to find a solution to their problem.
Quote- "Running is many things to me: survival,calmness, euphoria, solitude. it is proof of my corporal existence, my ability to control my movement through space if not time, and the obedience, however temporary of my body to my will." (Niffienegger 154)
Reactions- The quote above shows how running makes Henry feel like he is in control of his life. He can control the speed he is running in, which is different for him. He has absolutely no control when he is time travelling. Henry also says running is survival, because sometimes he may find himself being chased by dogs or police officers. He wouldn't be able to do anything without his feet. He even said once to Clare that cutting his feet would be like killing him. Running is a form of meditating to Henry and he usually runs when is stressed.
So far I really like this novel. I like how it is romance, but Henry and Clare have a big problem. At times it seems that time travelling doesn't really affect him, but I have a feeling that Henry is going to get hurt one day. One day Henry told Clare that he knew everything was going to be okay until he is 43 years old, so I think he may die. He also time traveled when he was 43 to Clare's childhood. I can infer that Henry may die or get badly injured. I also wonder if Henry is going to be able to have a healthy child with Clare.
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Time Traveler´s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger (First Blog)
Pages 1 to 150
Summary- This novel is about the struggles of a relationship of a men named Henry with a women named Clare. Henry started suffering from a genetic disorder called Chrono-Displacement at the age of five. He time travels into the past and present, but he has no control over where and when he travels which can be dangerous. He cant travel with any items and he always ends up naked at his destination. Clare meets him when she is six years old and Henry is 36. She meets him while he is time travelling so Henry doesn't really meet her in real time. In real time Henry is just 8 years older than Clare. Henry meets Clare at the meadow near her house at many different times. When Clare is a little girl she doesn't really care much about Henry, but she starts having feelings for him as she grows older.
The older Henry that time travels into her childhood knows that they are going to get married, but he chooses not to tell her until she is a teenager. He says that it's better for people not to know what is going to happen in the future or else they will feel like they have no free-will. He also learned that he can't really change the past and that it is best not to. Henry and Clare meet in the present when he is 28 and Clare is 20 years old in 1991. The last time Henry (from the future) had met Clare at the meadow was two years ago and he was 43 years old. On day Clare runs into him in the library where he works, but Henry does not recognize her, because Henry goes to her past when she is older. Clare shows Henry the book she has with all the dates that they have met and they end up being lovers. Clare's life was always intertwined with Henry's. She always waited for him and only dated a few times, while he was living in the present not knowing that she existed.
Then one day Clare introduces Henry to her friends for the first time. He meets Gomez and Charisse. Gomez warns Clare about Henry, because he has seen in bars with women. Gomez also notices that Clare had a picture of Henry before they even met and that he looks older in the picture compared to the day that Gomez and Henry met. It also seem that Gomez may have feelings for Clare. Henry also reveals to Gomez that he times travels.
Quote- " I hate to be where she is not, when she is not. And yet, I am always going." (X Niffeneger)
Reaction- At first reading this was kind of confusing, because Henry is always time traveling but now I understand the reading better. I like how time traveling acts like a metaphor in this book, because it can be represent absence and fate. It is like Clare and Henry were meant to be together, because Clare practically knows Henry for her whole life and she knows a lot about him. Another I like is how the novel isn't just told from one point of view. Some parts are told by Clare's point of view and others by Henry. This allows me to get a better view of what is happening and not just from one point of view. There is also a lot of foreshadowing and other literary devices used. For example Clare is an artist and she work has to do with birds and longing. When I read this I immediately thought that the birds were a symbol of Clare's relationship with Henry. Henry "flies" away in time out of the blue and birds always fly and migrate. While Henry is gone she is always longing for him and trying to distract herself with work.
The quote above sums up what Henry goes through. He is always time travelling and he usually goes to important events. He usually finds himself in Clare's childhood and adolescence since meeting her was a big event in his life. Henry would rather be in the present with Clare, but he is always leaving and she stays. He faces many problems when he time travels. This quote also shows how much Henry loves Clare. There is times where Henry has to steal food and beat up people for clothes, because he can;t carry anything when he is time travelling. I also think that Gomez acts like a FOIL, because his character is completely different from Henry. Gomez is normal and for some reason I think he also has feelings for Clare. He is probably a character in the novel to show what Clare could have if Henry did not exist.
Summary- This novel is about the struggles of a relationship of a men named Henry with a women named Clare. Henry started suffering from a genetic disorder called Chrono-Displacement at the age of five. He time travels into the past and present, but he has no control over where and when he travels which can be dangerous. He cant travel with any items and he always ends up naked at his destination. Clare meets him when she is six years old and Henry is 36. She meets him while he is time travelling so Henry doesn't really meet her in real time. In real time Henry is just 8 years older than Clare. Henry meets Clare at the meadow near her house at many different times. When Clare is a little girl she doesn't really care much about Henry, but she starts having feelings for him as she grows older.
The older Henry that time travels into her childhood knows that they are going to get married, but he chooses not to tell her until she is a teenager. He says that it's better for people not to know what is going to happen in the future or else they will feel like they have no free-will. He also learned that he can't really change the past and that it is best not to. Henry and Clare meet in the present when he is 28 and Clare is 20 years old in 1991. The last time Henry (from the future) had met Clare at the meadow was two years ago and he was 43 years old. On day Clare runs into him in the library where he works, but Henry does not recognize her, because Henry goes to her past when she is older. Clare shows Henry the book she has with all the dates that they have met and they end up being lovers. Clare's life was always intertwined with Henry's. She always waited for him and only dated a few times, while he was living in the present not knowing that she existed.
Then one day Clare introduces Henry to her friends for the first time. He meets Gomez and Charisse. Gomez warns Clare about Henry, because he has seen in bars with women. Gomez also notices that Clare had a picture of Henry before they even met and that he looks older in the picture compared to the day that Gomez and Henry met. It also seem that Gomez may have feelings for Clare. Henry also reveals to Gomez that he times travels.
Quote- " I hate to be where she is not, when she is not. And yet, I am always going." (X Niffeneger)
Reaction- At first reading this was kind of confusing, because Henry is always time traveling but now I understand the reading better. I like how time traveling acts like a metaphor in this book, because it can be represent absence and fate. It is like Clare and Henry were meant to be together, because Clare practically knows Henry for her whole life and she knows a lot about him. Another I like is how the novel isn't just told from one point of view. Some parts are told by Clare's point of view and others by Henry. This allows me to get a better view of what is happening and not just from one point of view. There is also a lot of foreshadowing and other literary devices used. For example Clare is an artist and she work has to do with birds and longing. When I read this I immediately thought that the birds were a symbol of Clare's relationship with Henry. Henry "flies" away in time out of the blue and birds always fly and migrate. While Henry is gone she is always longing for him and trying to distract herself with work.
The quote above sums up what Henry goes through. He is always time travelling and he usually goes to important events. He usually finds himself in Clare's childhood and adolescence since meeting her was a big event in his life. Henry would rather be in the present with Clare, but he is always leaving and she stays. He faces many problems when he time travels. This quote also shows how much Henry loves Clare. There is times where Henry has to steal food and beat up people for clothes, because he can;t carry anything when he is time travelling. I also think that Gomez acts like a FOIL, because his character is completely different from Henry. Gomez is normal and for some reason I think he also has feelings for Clare. He is probably a character in the novel to show what Clare could have if Henry did not exist.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)