Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

In Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, the two main characters, Mr. Darcy and Lizzy, are the two most commonly examined. However, I personally think that Miss Bingley is more interesting; she is my favorite character.

Miss Bingley is the one most often portrayed as a villian (besides Mr. Wickham, of course) but I think that she is misunderstood. As the book is primarily from Lizzy's perspective ( though it is third person) it is Lizzy who you root for the entire time, you want Lizzy, to marry Mr. Darcy. You certainly don't want Miss Bingley. But is she really so bad? The book has the word "pride" in its name, and that is mostly about Mr. Darcy, who you love despite, and perhaps even because of his pride. But Miss Bingley is different. She never gets over her pride, which, in the first place, is false.

With her belief in marriage depending on social classes, she must have been extremely deluded to think that Mr. Darcy would sink so far down as to marry her. She is the daughter of a tradesman, her wealth  is nothing to his-- his uncle is titled. Thinking that it would be suitable for Darcy to marry her but not suitable for him to marry Lizzy is very hypocritical. After all, Lizzy is a gentleman's daughter. A poor country gentleman's daughter might, in the eyes of someone so very stuck up, be above a rich tradesman's daughter.

Going by this reasoning, the type of reasoning Miss Bingley surely used on others but not on herself, her own brother, Mr. Bingley, had married above himself. Jane, Lizzy's sister, is a gentleman's daughter too.  Miss Bingley should not have disapproved. In this way Miss Bingley's whole personality is contradictory, which makes her such a good and complex character.

Though she is prideful and arrogant, and not at all likeable, I feel that she can be sympathetic, if not so sympathetic as Darcy. She is certainly not a villian, but a young woman who wants to get further up the social ladder. This is nothing unusual; everyone is desparate for popularity-- it is human nature. And so is her longing for riches. Why do you think the lottery is so successful? Miss Bingley, in my opinion, is just a normal person surrounded by people who make her look terrible-- she looks greedy next to Darcy (who has no need to be greedy because he's already loaded), cruel next to her brother (who would make anyone appear cruel; he's just naturally kind- hearted, as is Jane), and shallow next to Lizzy (who has no marital or monetary ambition.)

Bias in broadcast: Anti-gun stories overwhelm pro-gun stories 8 to 1

     I recently read a Washington Times article entitled "Bias in broadcast: Anti-gun stories overwhelm pro-gun stories 8 to 1," by Jennifer Harper. The main idea of the text is that there is a bias in the media; only 1 out of eight stories about gun control are pro-guns. Apparantly, the media used the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary to advertise gun restricting laws." 'The networks quickly moved to exploit the tragedy to push for more gun control legislation while mostly ignoring solutions that respect gun owners' Second Amendment rights,' says analyst Geoffrey Dickens." Three news stations, ABC, NBC, and CBS, were tested for their story topics, and, according to the article, CBS is the worst in terms of including articles against gun control. CBS accordingly had a 22:1 ratio of stories. The author keeps reinforcing mainly the same idea; that the media is biased on this issue.

     The author obviously wants us to feel sympathetic with his bias-- that the media is biased. He seems to think that it is horrible how a sad event is being "exploited." He wants us to feel angry and sad, and also quite indignated-- he does mention that we have the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment. He uses quotes from professional people, but only people who agree with him, so as to ensure we will as well. He also quotes a kid on teachers having guns. "I like it, because it kind of makes me feel safer. Because, I mean, we don't have a police station here." He also uses some illiteration to spark up his piece ex. bias in broadcast. The author seems to be also cleverly choosing the websites tested-- they are noting the amount of anti- guns programming on left leaning programs-- I think his results would be much different if he replaced CBS with FOX.

     From this issue, I have not taken away much that the author wanted me to. I thought that it was poorly done to deliver an incredibly biased article berating other reporters for being biased. As a result, I am inclined not to agree with the man-- after all, what is the chance that people will be fighting for less gun control on lefty channels and after a horrible school shooting? I would in the future like to know more about the control laws passed-- and how politicions manage it without offending the Second Amendment.

Despair, by Vladimir Nabokov

Though Nabokov proclaims in his foreward (and in general) that writing for the sake of themes is pointless and that he doesn't do it, I would conclude from this only that he is a hypocrite and a liar because there were many themes in Despair. Subconsious though they may be, there are themes. I am confident that Nabokov knows of this, as his IQ is probably mine times seven, and simply does not care. He is a fibber. And so too, is his main character, Hermann.

During the course of the book, the main character, Hermann, finds a man who he thinks looks exactly as he does. The man, Felix, does not believe in this resemblance, and neither does anyone else. Toward the end of the book, you realize that despite Hermann's constant and unwavering obsession with Felix's looks, Felix looks nothing at all like Hermann. This, I think is a theme of false doubles, when you think that some things are parallel, but truly are not.  

Hermann may have seen his spirit reflected in Felix, and deluded himself into thinking he had the coarseness and honesty of a poorer man.  I think, in addition to the false doubles idea, Nabokov has wealth as a minor theme, and how the poor seem to be more honest.    

Hermann, we discover, is not honest.  He always exaggerates to reassure himself.  For instance, I think that he lies about his wife Lydia. He overly and repeatedly assures us in the first chapters of the book of Lydia’s honesty, and of how he is fond of her because she is absolutely devoted to and in love with him.  He goes on and on about how she loves him, but as the book goes on, you begin to be sure that she is having an affair with her cousin.  You can’t be too devoted if you’re cheating with your cousin!

The whole double idea with Felix-- was that a lie, too?  That is what I wonder. Nabokov obviously thinks that all the characters in the book are liars, and I think  that he’s trying to say that all adults are liars too.  That’s kind of depressing.   

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

In Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, everything happens twice. Even if you don't notice at the beginning, or ever, by the end you can see the pattern.

There are two women who Pip shows interest in (Estella and Biddy), two women who cannot walk (Mrs. Joe and Mrs. Havisham, two convicts near his house (Magwitch and Compeyson), and two secret money- givers (Magwitch and Pip--  Magwitch gives Pip his money and Pip buys Herbert's way into business.) There are also, most signifigantly, two adults who want to selfishly control and manipulate children for their own satisfaction-- Mrs. Havisham and Magwitch. Magwitch controls Pip-- he wants to have his own gentleman, while Mrs. Havisham controls Estella-- she wants her own little heartbreaker.

Funnily enough, these two figures desires for control are both spouted from one man-- Compeyson. Though Pip is the main character, I feel that Compeyson is a hidden central figure. Because without some of these other characters, the story could still go on. In the end, Estella is just a love interest, Mrs. Havisham is just her cruel mother- type person, Magwitch is just a convict with a longing for riches, and Pip is just a boy.
Compeyson leaves Mrs. Havisham at the alter, causing her to adopt and to raise Estella as she is. Compeyson's grandeur make Magwitch want some, and Pip is turned from a boy by Magwitch, and so, if you dig, Compeyson.  The two people who Compeyson really effect are another example of the doubles motif.

Also, the relationship between Mrs. Havisham and Compeyson (a rich woman, and a common man), reflects the relationship between Estella and Pip.

What Dickens does with these doubles, is create a feeling of orderly chaos. The different things going on, and slight repetitiveness of it can make it chaotic, but the definitive idea that it will happen twice really pulls the story together. This makes the plot more complicated, the coincidences better plannned out, and the characters incredibly intricate. It furthers along the idea that Dickens is creating of connection-- everything is connected-- and therefore supports a major theme.

Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen

In Sense and Sensibility, a book by Jane Austen, the character John Willoughby is a major playor. Everywhere  he scampers, he leaves broken hearts in his midst.  His charming personality and handsome nostrils would draw women in, and he would evidently have no serious feelings for any of them.

Take Colonel Brandon's ward Eliza-- she is hooked right in, impregnated, and then left alone with no help. Willoughby is too cowardly to approach his own child (or children, as there could have been many more instances before the start of this book.) He gets everyone in love with him-- even sensible Elinor is rather fond of him\at a point. Marianne, however,  becomes infatuated with him. They see each other every day and give each other hair locks and she takes take part in some unladylike behavior for him. Then comes the wealthy Miss Grey. She is very rich-- Marianne is not any longer-- and he wants money. So he leaves Marianne on "business" to town (the business, of course, being courting Miss Grey.)

When Willoughby marries Miss Grey, at least he is settling down. He won't be running around breaking so many more hearts. But this idea of learning, and being less of a player I believe did not start with Miss Grey, but with Marianne. He was most likely in love with her, and certainly was exceedingly fond of her.Just having the experience of actually caring for someone can be very changing-- especially when you cannot have them.

Mr. Willoughby exits the book the villain, but a changed man. He cares for Marianne, but is to marry Miss Grey, due to his own actions. He has to live with himself and his guilt-- to acknowledge that he is the reason for his misery. He is not happy with Miss Grey, but after a while learns to become a decent husband. As he explains to Elinor at the end of the book, he knows that he would have been happy with Marianne, but what really would have made him happier-- a loving wife or a load of money?

Russia to Let a Few U.S. Adoptions Go On

In Russia to Let a Few U.S. Adoptions Go On, by Ellen Barry, the main idea is that the Russian government ought to allow U.S. adoptions, especially when so many families already in the process were denied adoption. Apparantely, only adoptions who have court orders already will go through (and, as Barry says, the court order is difficult to get and comes at the end of the process.) The author mentions that "500 to 1,000 families have been affected." He also notes that there is a petition against it with over 130, 000  names on it, enough so that the government should look at it, but they are doing nothing. He also mentions that a protest marche "aimed at legislators" is planned for sunday. There have been many stories of Russian corruption,  and this time the citizens are taking a stand against Putin and his regime.

The author wants us to feel sorry for the almost- parents, and righteously angry at the Russian government. She wants us to want (if not ourselves, then others) to make a stand. She cleverly conceals the other side's perspective from our view by including only quotes from one guy who really isn't so involved. She also ends the piece with strong facts that are sure to ignite someone up in the United  States-- we get outraged that they don't have the same involvement of the people and , hopefully, lack of bias. The author however, has plenty of bias. She obviously is a very American woman who isn't happy with Vladimir Putin. She cleverly make her bias look correct by making it look like there's no bias- she gives a few reasons (however unreasonable they may be) for why Russia has put a haly to U.S. adoption.

I tink its absolutely disgusting and terrible to stop adoption like that. Why single out the U.S.? You cannot honnestly say that the U.S. does not have many families which would be great and suitable parents for a child. My sister is adopted, (not from Russia, though) and she is still my sister-- and she is thriving in America. I think that banning adoption like this has no excuse, and taking children away from possible families already in the adoption process is cruel and heartless.

Franny and Zooey

The book Franny and Zooey, by J.D. Salinger, is a really spiffy book consisting of two short stories. It is somewhat similiar to the author's other works in that a central theme is "phoniness" and people being fake.

This is captured really well by Salinger, and this theme starts to really occur when Franny is having a breakdown.  One of the central reasons for this is because all the kids at her her college are not the way she would have liked, and she does not  feel that she is getting a how she is not getting a very good experience. This is because, as she tells her boyfriend, Lane, she hates the phoniness and shallowness of people at school, and how they never act like themselves and often say things that aren't true. It comes to such extremes when she says she quit the school play, because acting is too similiar to being fake. 

She then has a complete spiritual crisis- involving fainting and praying- because she feels this way. Her own assumed honesty is crashing down on her, and becoming a disadvantage (though honesty, even though is a good trait, can often be a disadvantage in general.) But even so, her hatred of phoniness descends on herself, too, because how could everyone else be phony and not her? I think its also the realization that she could be fake, too which started her breakdown, and maybe invoked a little bit of an identity/personality crisis,

I realize that Salinger does not just mean fakeness in school, but deceit in character during our entire life. I think that as people get older, they lie more often. Babies are the most honest, but even teenagers have some degree of honesty sometimes. Adults often lie, even if it's only a "for your own good" lie. ("Wake up, we have donuts!") People get smarter and so more able to discern their wants and how to get them when they grow older. You want to fit in? Okay, just lie about your personality. Franny, who  has been smart all along, begins to realize this when it comes to a high point-- college, when everyone is growing up and becoming adults.

However, in spite of all this, I think that Salinger does not blame people for these flaws, but instead respects them for their humanity. Another central theme in the book is being good to all people. This is taught to Franny and Zooey primarily (as most things are) by their older brothers, who try to convince them that all people are worthy. Their parents have their respect even though their kids are much smarter than them, and so do, I think, the college students. I think that Salinger thinks the human race has many problems, but loves it anyway (how could he not; he is a human person, as he says, people are very egotistical.)