Deerskin

So this book has a lot going on!! there were times in the begining after the rape that time was confusing to me but other than that I really enjoy the story. There is a part that is bothering me...where is the baby she gave birth to? Did I miss something? One moment Lissar is bleeding and screaming and thinking she is going to die and to make matters worse she runs outside in the middle of winter. What the hell! Anyway why and when did she wake up? Questions, yes,  I have many because I hated this part of the book. The time orientation was confusing and seriously who wakes up from that ordeal just fine except having a messy cabin. I understand that it is a fairy tale and she may have had a visit from her fairy god mother but this part of the book, to me, really fumbles. The other thing I thought was maybe she was just getting her period but then again she needs to get a grip getting your period should not cause that type of turmoil. Other than that I am really enjoying Deerskin

Graceling: Male vs Female Always Continuing

As I think about Graceling and continue to read and go back to areas I have marked in the novel there is one area that has been on my mind and would like to discuss.I find it interesting when Katsa and Po fight each other and it is clear that Katsa has beatin the crap out of Po (89) because he physically looks horrific, Katsa still tells him it was a draw. There are a few reasons why I think this happens. First I really think she is being so humble because Po is this very great fighter and Katsa doesn't want him to feel less or worse because he is a man that just got dominated by a women. Po really doesn't care that he lost to her but is very appologetic when Giddon notices the cut on her precious beautiful face. I think another reason Katsa states that it was a draw is because this way maybe she will be able to fight with Po in the future. It kinda keeps that door open.

I have a real problem with Giddon on these couple of pages. This is really the area of the book that I started to dislike his character. When Giddon takes one look at Katsa and sees that Po has damaged her face he automatically thinks it was from Po being too rough and trying to hurt Katsa. Even though Giddon is a wimp compared to Katsa he is going to try to kick Po's ass and stand up for his precious Katsa. This is bullshit and it makes Giddon totally look like a dork. Katsa sees right through him and is extremely angry that she has to sit and watch Giddon try to defend her when he knows there is no need to deffend her. I think this hurts Giddons pride deep down and because he wants to marry Katsa he more or less peacocks when Po comes into the scene. It is really a good example of character difference, Po is very mellow, patient, humble and has nothing to proove all this makes him a very positive exciting character. Giddon is insecure of his strength because he really doesn't like that Katsa is stronger than he. Giddon is quick to puff up and defend Katsa because that is how he shows he cares...the man protects innocent, naieve helpless women...yuck! This really makes me loose respect for Giddon. I also see his behavior as very stiffiling to Katsa and controlling.

Graceling

I love this book!! I am getting so much out of this story. In class we discussed how there was some gender and identity issues happening with Kasta. We also touched on the fact that she is so young and never really experienced anything other than being a killer. Now that she met Po I really believe we will see this book take a turn and Kasta's emotions will really start to blossom. I do see this happening already when Kasta and Po are eating lunch and the King comes to summon Kasta. She is automatically furious. Po sees this instantly and tries to calm her. Kasta in the end ends up hitting him so hard he falls off of his chair. This stike happens after Po says he will not fight her in anger. Po states you do not fight your friend in anger ever. Kasta has no idea what the hell he is talking about so she hits him anyway and when he does not defend himself Kasta automatically feels horrible for hurting him. Kasta now understands what he meant and swears she will never hit him in anger again. This to me is where their relationship is starting to form more than just combat and skills partners. I really think they are both attracted to one another but Kasta is experiencing all these emotions for the very first time in heer life so she has no idea what to do with all this new warm feeling stuff.

Mrs. Brown

I really learned alot in class Tuesday! I can honestly say that I had no idea there was high Lit and low Lit. It now makes sense to me why I don't enjoy reading Moby Dick!! It is totally character based. I really had an awakening as to why I had a hard time getting into Left Hand of Darkness until the end of the novel when it became more plot driven.

I thought it was really interesting how Le Guin explains about character and how in a way she was ripping on her own methods of writing in Science fiction. Using Mrs. Brown as an example of the fact that every story needs a rich character like her was really an interesting analogy.

I overall really had an enlightening experience in class Tuesday! It was pure pleasure to start Graceling! I enjoyed looking at the begining of the novel with the gender roles and questions it gave the novel more depth and a larger message looking at with more than one perspective.

Left Hand of Darkness

I typically am not a Science fiction reader. I enjoy a good Science Fiction movie every now and then and I was raised watching the original Star Trek. I would say that my understanding for this genre is very minimal. I really have been blown away by The Left Hand of Darkness. I will admit there are times when I am reading and thinking what the hell is going on. It has helped so much to discuss in class so as to verify that I am following the storyline appropriately!! Thanks for letting me get that off my chest, now back to the begining of my first blogging post ever!!

I would like to discuss a sentence on page 115 when Genly Ai is discribing Commensal structure in Orgoreyn. The statement: No child over a year old lives with its parent or parents; all are brought up in the Commensal Hearths. There is no rank by descent. Private wills are not legal a man leaves his fortune to the state. All start equal. But obviously they don't go on so.

This part really bothered me. Not in the fact that parents are not raising their own children. It doesn't bother me at all that the children are raised in hearths. That actually makes sense because of the kemmer thing going on. What was disturbing to me is that everyone leaves their estates to the government! The people of Orgoreyn really are totally controlled by the government. In the begining you get the feeling that this place is so much more grand than Karhide. To me there is post structuralism going on big time. They make Oregoreyn seem like a great progressive place to live when the reality is even though it doesn't come right out and say it it the text in implies that the people are very controlled and the only people who live well are the people in charge or the government officials. I for some reason underlined this part of the novel as I was reading it. Later when I went back and read that page over it dawned on me that there was more happening on this page than what I initially comprehended. The statement about everyone starting out equally sounds great at first. What's not mentioned is what happens to the individuals who do not do well. It makes you think of the old saying" all that glitters is not always gold"