For me there are two types of writing: the literature writing and the simple essay writing. The easy writing is a job that can be done at any time with no inspiration, as a line of facts grabbed together by words. But in the case of literature writing, there are a lot of complications.
I am not a child that is unknown to words. In my case, most of the walls in my house are filled with books and all the members of my family are known for knowing a lot. Also literature and art, hasn’t been an unknown filed in my house and education. Every vacation we learn about the customs, art, and literature from the place, and since our last summers have been around Greece, Italy, England, Spain and France, our time was filled with information rather than shopping.
However, I am intimidated by literature, and this ends up being my struggle for writing.
Unlike my family, grabbing a book wasn’t my idea of fun. However, I have been influenced my customs, and slowly introduced literature in my life. When it comes to reading, it is amazing when I understand otherwise; I hate it, but that doesn’t tend to happen. I love the way authors are able to not only gather those ideas, but also write them in a “Page is it flat and undensified” (The Sentence is a Lonely Place” Gary Lutz). However, I must admit that this amazement has grown into a huge intimidation.
When you are forced or expected to write something good of your own, I get stuck. I haven’t bee able to write with a constant style, making my writing inconsistent. Also, there are a lot of thoughts in my head that contradict and connect in a way that is very hard to explain. Therefore, I end up having the “temptation for the writer to get out of one sentence as soon as possible” (Lutz) and rushing through thoughts. This is what has made my writing a very lonely place.
However, once in my life I was really inspired. This Wednesday night I was so tired, that I can’t even remember writing what I wrote. I believe the Sara that is not scared of writing, wrote that night, but I have certainly haven’t had the chance to take her out again.
I don’t know what is wrong with me, and I really don’t want to talk about it. I just hope to find my own style and get things straight. But most of all, I want that excellent writer to come back.
lunes, 30 de noviembre de 2009
lunes, 16 de noviembre de 2009
Not Again
What do books, stories, songs, films, music, and everything the human being does, have in common? The four lettered word, LOVE. To be honest, I can’t believe the amount of issues and things we have to say because of love. Also, how is possible that people don’t get tired of it? Songs can loose popularity and new ideas can come, but its guaranteed that no matter the time period, love will always invade our mind. And when I talk about love, I’m also including the absences of love, all the kinds of love, and just everything related to it.
I was relieved with The Crying of Lot 49 because it had laughed and used disgusting love in the first chapters. It was horrible the intercourse between Metzger and Oedipa, and very bitter and funny the way Nefastis had proposed her sexual intercourse to her while watching a Chinese program.
I know that the book is not an exception when talking about love, but at least it is not romantic and it doesn’t cry for any love repair.
Nevertheless, I was destroyed in page 91 when Thomas Psychon had to ruin the anti-romance environment by saying one single deep phrase of love. As a reader, I noticed that Thomas lost track of the rhythm he had used throughout the book, but at least he gave the line to a random tourist instead of a principal character.
Here it goes, a bomb, a flub, a great slice of cheese: “The pin I’m wearing means I’m a member of the IA. That’s Inamorati Anonymous. An inamorato is somebody in love. That’s the worst addiction of all.” (The Crying of Lot 49. Pg.91)
Reader, throwing that phrase after 90 pages of a great book is bad idea #1. Don’t do it, and contact me if you find anything that frees me for a moment about love.
I was relieved with The Crying of Lot 49 because it had laughed and used disgusting love in the first chapters. It was horrible the intercourse between Metzger and Oedipa, and very bitter and funny the way Nefastis had proposed her sexual intercourse to her while watching a Chinese program.
I know that the book is not an exception when talking about love, but at least it is not romantic and it doesn’t cry for any love repair.
Nevertheless, I was destroyed in page 91 when Thomas Psychon had to ruin the anti-romance environment by saying one single deep phrase of love. As a reader, I noticed that Thomas lost track of the rhythm he had used throughout the book, but at least he gave the line to a random tourist instead of a principal character.
Here it goes, a bomb, a flub, a great slice of cheese: “The pin I’m wearing means I’m a member of the IA. That’s Inamorati Anonymous. An inamorato is somebody in love. That’s the worst addiction of all.” (The Crying of Lot 49. Pg.91)
Reader, throwing that phrase after 90 pages of a great book is bad idea #1. Don’t do it, and contact me if you find anything that frees me for a moment about love.
miércoles, 11 de noviembre de 2009
Getting the Hang
After class discussion, I was reading being aware of the paranoid moments. I didn’t expect to understand more the satire in the book, and be able to enjoy more Thomas’s dark humor. Having clear what is a joke and what is not, as a reader you can enjoy more the unbelievable scenes there are, and how the characters worry about everything. In the moment the reader gets the hang of it, it’s a complete joke, and you can relax and enjoy the most hilarious story.
It was when I read, “ ‘Yes,” lied Oedipa, to see where it would take them.” (The Crying of Lot 49. Pg.67) That I noticed how the author uses an enormous amount of details that have nothing to do with the plot. “ Nobody paid any attention to them: the air conditioning hummed on, IBM typewriters chiggered away, swivel chairs squeaked, fat reference manuals were slammed shut, rattling blueprints folded and refolded, while high overhead the long silent fluorescent bulbs glared merrily; all with Yoyodyne was normal.” (69) Demonstrates how the scared characters look at everything in a suspicious way even though everything is normal.
This writing technique can be transferred to film by taking shots of a great deal of normal thoughts, followed with a suspicious facial expression or silence from the characters. In the movie, Burn After Reading, a lot of the plot is similar to the book, since the movie is based on a small problem, and every character assumes is a governmental topic secret issue. Again, in the movie normal movements are taken as a persecution by the characters, so the film focuses a lot in normal scenarios.
Having the hang of The Crying of Lot 49 I can tell future readers to take this book as a joke. Enjoy it instead of looking a meaning for everything. In my case, I’m understanding it more by imagining everything as a movie that focuses in normal things.
It was when I read, “ ‘Yes,” lied Oedipa, to see where it would take them.” (The Crying of Lot 49. Pg.67) That I noticed how the author uses an enormous amount of details that have nothing to do with the plot. “ Nobody paid any attention to them: the air conditioning hummed on, IBM typewriters chiggered away, swivel chairs squeaked, fat reference manuals were slammed shut, rattling blueprints folded and refolded, while high overhead the long silent fluorescent bulbs glared merrily; all with Yoyodyne was normal.” (69) Demonstrates how the scared characters look at everything in a suspicious way even though everything is normal.
This writing technique can be transferred to film by taking shots of a great deal of normal thoughts, followed with a suspicious facial expression or silence from the characters. In the movie, Burn After Reading, a lot of the plot is similar to the book, since the movie is based on a small problem, and every character assumes is a governmental topic secret issue. Again, in the movie normal movements are taken as a persecution by the characters, so the film focuses a lot in normal scenarios.
Having the hang of The Crying of Lot 49 I can tell future readers to take this book as a joke. Enjoy it instead of looking a meaning for everything. In my case, I’m understanding it more by imagining everything as a movie that focuses in normal things.
Falling into Place
Talking about paranoia in class, we said that we get something into our heads and we try to fit everything into place according to what we think. But what happens if we can modify what we think, and then everything will fall into place?
There is a book about contemporary philosophy called The Secret, that has grown so much that they have several documentaries. Part of what the book suggests is to desire what you want so bad, that eventually everything will fall into place. Nevertheless, is this technique functional because we are paranoiac and make everything fall into place, or does the World really modify to please us?
I have the same feeling when people talk about fortunetellers and horoscopes, and say that they really work. However, in the movie of Queen Elizabeth, is shown how she consulted Dr.Dee, an astrologist that could predict the path of the future. Even though, she was insecure of the future because of the present, I believe she gathered a lot of strength from what Dr.Dee told her, and with her strength she was able to make everything fall into place.
Finally, no matter if it is a silly paranoia or accuracy of what he hear, listening to something that gets into our heads, will happen our will find our strength to make it happen. Now start thinking of what you want.
There is a book about contemporary philosophy called The Secret, that has grown so much that they have several documentaries. Part of what the book suggests is to desire what you want so bad, that eventually everything will fall into place. Nevertheless, is this technique functional because we are paranoiac and make everything fall into place, or does the World really modify to please us?
I have the same feeling when people talk about fortunetellers and horoscopes, and say that they really work. However, in the movie of Queen Elizabeth, is shown how she consulted Dr.Dee, an astrologist that could predict the path of the future. Even though, she was insecure of the future because of the present, I believe she gathered a lot of strength from what Dr.Dee told her, and with her strength she was able to make everything fall into place.
Finally, no matter if it is a silly paranoia or accuracy of what he hear, listening to something that gets into our heads, will happen our will find our strength to make it happen. Now start thinking of what you want.
lunes, 9 de noviembre de 2009
The Princess Secret
When I was reading Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, I thought it was very interesting how he used Cinderella in his book, to represent Billy. However, in The Crying of Lot 49, I was impressed to see that Thomas Pychon uses Rapunzel.
Oedipa thinks of herself as “Rapunzel-like role of a pensive girl somehow, magically, prisoner among to say hey, let down your hair.” (The Crying of Lot 49.pg10) In the case of Pychon, I think he just uses Rapunzel to laugh about the shallow Californians, and the characters in Hollywood. Later on, in chapter 3, Oedipa thinks she is going to “Bring to an end her encapsulation in her tower, then that night’s infidelity with Metzger would logically be the starting point for it; logically.” (31) It is very interesting to see how the author is able to join the chapters with Rapunzel, but my guess is that Oedipa will grow and change, and so will Rapunzel. However, I keep on thinking that Rapunzel is Oedipa’s paranoid feeling towards the mystery of Pierce. In that case, I don’t expect Rapunzel to change, and probably the princess will be the one to gather the book together.
I had some curiosity and went on and read the Brother Grimm’s story about Rapunzel (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/rapunzel.html). I thought it was very similar to the Bible, where Abraham and his wife are struggling to have a baby, and when they do, they must scarify him. I can’t think of a reason why Thomas Pychon would use this part of the story as food for a satire, but I’m guessing that he is using the fairy tale as a joke.
jueves, 5 de noviembre de 2009
Harder than Counting the Sand Grains in a Beach
One of us, Tomas Pynchon or me, is mentally ill. If it’s me, I’m going crazy and have lost my ability to understand text, but if he is the crazy one, and what he wrote is completely incomprehensible. And I’m pretty sure that my understandment is not an issue.
Reading the first chapter of The Crying of Lot 49, I understood some strange comments that I imagine they are supposed to be jokes, like the fondue or the KCUF, but rather than that, I’m blank. However, I have some information floating around in my head, like a blurry dream, but I can’t put the pieces together. I have no idea how to organize them or make up a sentence with them, so I prefer to list them, and you decide how to paste them together. Here they go:
- Oedipa is getting a promotion.
- She is trying to get drunk.
- A very rich man was murdered a long time ago, and they found his will that gave everything to Oedipa.
- Oedipa doesn’t know if she is mentally well.
- This happens in California.
- There is a radio station called the KCUF.
-The doctor, Dr.Hilarious, calls very early.
-A lawyer, wants to runaway anywhere with Oedipa.
I guess I could make up a weird story that can attach all of the clues together, but I’m not in the mood for starting up the creative part of my brain or trying to fool my teacher. Then you figure it out, and incase you are thinking, “Well, that is easy to figure out”, it’s not. When you read the chapter there is a lot of things going on with unfinished ideas, I made all the dirty work for you, so don’t take all the credit.
However, before I give up on the text I have something to tell Mr.Psychon, what were you thinking? And, if you get your ideas and jokes clearer you will make my life so much easier. Consider an easier second chapter. Thank you.
Oh! And for Dr.Hilarious and Roseman, help the situation, but Roseman, don't try to run away with Oedipa. What kind of lawyer and friend are you?
Reading the first chapter of The Crying of Lot 49, I understood some strange comments that I imagine they are supposed to be jokes, like the fondue or the KCUF, but rather than that, I’m blank. However, I have some information floating around in my head, like a blurry dream, but I can’t put the pieces together. I have no idea how to organize them or make up a sentence with them, so I prefer to list them, and you decide how to paste them together. Here they go:
- Oedipa is getting a promotion.
- She is trying to get drunk.
- A very rich man was murdered a long time ago, and they found his will that gave everything to Oedipa.
- Oedipa doesn’t know if she is mentally well.
- This happens in California.
- There is a radio station called the KCUF.
-The doctor, Dr.Hilarious, calls very early.
-A lawyer, wants to runaway anywhere with Oedipa.
I guess I could make up a weird story that can attach all of the clues together, but I’m not in the mood for starting up the creative part of my brain or trying to fool my teacher. Then you figure it out, and incase you are thinking, “Well, that is easy to figure out”, it’s not. When you read the chapter there is a lot of things going on with unfinished ideas, I made all the dirty work for you, so don’t take all the credit.
However, before I give up on the text I have something to tell Mr.Psychon, what were you thinking? And, if you get your ideas and jokes clearer you will make my life so much easier. Consider an easier second chapter. Thank you.
Oh! And for Dr.Hilarious and Roseman, help the situation, but Roseman, don't try to run away with Oedipa. What kind of lawyer and friend are you?
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