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| by comrade commissar | Thomas | @ Wednesday, April 26, 2006, 8:37:00 PM | permalink |
My youngest brother came into the room sounding doleful holding pieces of paper in his hand. I half-noted his presence from the corner of my eye, focus on the screen and hand on the mouse, click-click-click."We had Literature today at school."Well he had my attention now. We had a short chat where I gathered he seemed confused about the subject with its perculiar demands and teachings. I nod my head sagely as if we both sat through the same lesson. "Its strange, the questions they put in these exercises. 'What else can you tell about the character'? "A wry smile on my face, sympathy and schadenfreude. "What are those papers you have in your hand?" Anthony gave a short presentation where by he held specimen A in his right hand - test scoring 5/25. The tone of bewildered frustration in his voice quickly gave way when he holds up specimen B - a retest paper. "Eh. 22½ upon 25 leh. Smart anot. Teacher explained abit to me and I understood." I gave him a thumbs up. The guy happily trotted out of the room wagging his tail behind him.So nostalgic. I hope he likes the subject and appreciates its beauty. This was the main reason that made me blog, there's of course the brilliant book that I picked up at the library recently, "Her Husband: Hughes and Plath, a Marriage" by Diane Middlebrook, a biography about Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath and how their literary lives and works intertwined. It was a hasty pick - I was about to leave and already believed that I would leave the pages largely untouched before remembering to return it after it spends months hidden somewhere in my house overdue and acting as a habitat for spiders. I was delightfully surprised. The book is an illuminating exploration into the complexed lives of the two poets. Previously when my Lit teachers chose Plath or Hughes pieces for discussion or for tests its as if all the brain cells in my head groaned out loud in unison. I always felt in the past as if their words and ideas were something foreign like a language other than English, like bashing blind through a forest of vines and thick bushes. The biography offers a baby step in and guides the reader right along with its clarity of writing. And I learned Sylvia Plath was apparently quite an avid cyclist! How cool is that? Hurrahs to people everywhere who can balance on 2-wheelers! At the same time the analysis offered for some of Plath/Hughes works startles with their depth and knowledge, and the beauty of language. I not even done with the book yet and I already hold Diane Middlebrook in high regard. Its definitely a book worth buying and for keeps.. Could prove very helpful should I have to study either Plath or Hughes next in uni. Next stops on my reading odyssey: Definitely picking up either The Bell Jar or Birthday Letters some time soon. BTW: I bought myself the "For Good" CD. ;) |
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recent entries (in order) |
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<--latest post-- jason's graduation exhibition--dreamix rjc..--openstage happyaudience--tsk.--spiky--gigs to look out for in april--seeyah--this happened in real life before--incinerate--sheep groupies-- --last post--> |
