Frankenstein Again

In my educational pursuits, I have been required to read certain selections multiple times. These titles are Shakespeare's Hamlet, Conrad's Heart of Darkness, and Shelley's Frankenstein. However, I recognize that with the amount of literature piled before me each semester, I rarely was able to enjoy any of my readings.
I have selected Frankenstein as an option for next month's reading in the Great Work's Book Club. In this, I am trying to read ahead so I can spend time that month working on finding the background information to supply to club members to make the readings more enjoyable and understandable. Thus, for a third time, I have read this title. I must admit, this is the first time I feel like I have actually delved into the reading. I feel more accountable as he "leader" than I did as the "student." Therefore, I am more studiously applying myself to the reading and understanding of each text.
Through this reading, I noted the frequency that I picked up a dictionary to ensure my contextual reading of certain terms was correct. I think using a dictionary is a great tool to truly understand what an author is conveying. Aside from that, it is also a better way to solidify new words into my own vocabulary: not that I will typically use these words, but I can comprehend them better the next time I hear or read them.
I think my favorite aspect of this novel is stated by the monster himself. He is contemplating fire when he states, "How strange, I thought, that the same cause should produce such opposite effects!" To me, this is the drive of the tale. Frankenstein sought to create life for the joy of man, yet it brought sorrow and destruction, even death. The daemon also sought to procure similar travesty upon his creator and yet, when death finally assaults his master, he is despondent and retracts his previous determinations. His decision to punish his master created a punishment for himself. In this, there is caution to our true purposes and the consequences that we then no longer control.

Eric's Selection

Eric has helped me a lot with piling through book titles for my book club. As we have done this, we have shared titles of books we remember or enjoyed. It's been fun. I love that I have a husband who likes to read (although, he says he just likes the kid-type books. ie: Lemony Snicket series).
We went to the library yesterday (amazingly enough, we have actually worked a weekly visit for about a month now!) and brought home 15 new titles. Yes, most of them are for Emily and Gianna, but we also have a few for ourselves. Eric is continuing the Lemony Snicket series while I brought home a couple of gothic tales (Frankenstein and Dracula) in hopes that we will read them for book club next month. Eric also chose a title for me.
Apparently when he was in school, there was some kind of competition with literature. He knows several books because of this. Thus, his choice in having me read Lloyd Alexander's The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen. I'm over half-way finished already, but it has been an enjoyable (though predictable) read. It's funny and reminds me a little of my Japanese literature course at BYU. I said, "a little".

Reading of Today in Past Writings

I am still plugging away at Atlas Shrugged. I have to say that I do get joy out of this reading! Ayn Rand is a great writer and has some great talent. I find myself chuckling as I read her book. I laugh because there is such similar talk happening in my world right now. Oh, if people only actually knew history and read literature!

Persuasion at It's Best

Reading a book is very much like meeting a new friend. At first, things are a little awkward and I get confused with the relationships between people. After a little persuasion I become familiar with those characters. Then, as I continue reading, I discover great joy at being involved with those in the narration. They come alive and their lives are so interesting to observe.
Truly, it is a good thing that they are not literal friends, as I devour the book too quickly and am often left wanting more. I want to know what will happen next, but, alas, the characters in the book are prohibited from moving forward from those last pages: forever frozen in a particular circumstance and pose.
The first selection for the book club is Jane Austen's Persuasion. I must admit, I am devouring it at an alarming rate. I will be able to read it four times over before we discuss it if I read it this quickly each time! Actually, I will be using the available time to do some research into critical essay and thought on this particular title as well as on the author.
I find Austen interesting in her depictions of life in England in the early 1800's. The life of the gentry, as she portrays, seems completely filled with spending their hours in socializing and not much more than that. I cannot imagine having two hours together without a thing to do but associate with friends in this town or another. I know I am being a bit liberal with my interpretation, but in the same moment, not too liberal.
It remains that I do enjoy the romance and writings of Jane Austen. She is an excellent writer who is able to create complete and believable characters without overdeveloping or leading the reader to believe ill and evil exists where it is not.

Waiting

I am waiting on the official first meeting of the book club I have started to get things going with that. In the meantime, I am continuing to read my choice text of Atlas Shrugged. I'm already very interested in it. You cannot read this one without asking questions. I have a list of curiosities to see if they are answered by the author or if they are just interest markers to make you wonder throughout.
I have found interesting aspects within the first 100 pages that relate directly to what is going on currently in our nation. I will be interested to discover if they really do sacrifice the accomplishments of one man "for the good of the many" and other such "equalizers".

Beginnings of Atlas Shrugged

After seeing this title a few times over the past few weeks, I thought I should read it. I've never read anything from Ayn Rand. All I even know about her is from a film I watched one time at the International Cinema at Brigham Young University. I honestly can't remember much about that, either. I do remember the feelings I had while watching the film. At times I become captivated by a thought and get these butterfly feelings in my stomach. I have noticed that these feelings are typically due to me feeling some underlying need to become educated about that particular subject. However long it has taken me to follow up on that curiosity, at least it is finally being done.