Its all a matter of perspective

"No crusading blue figure came roaring down in heavenly anger."

I studied this short story, by Sylvia Plath, two years ago for my English Literature GCSE and felt it was very appropriate for today's snow related post. This wonderfully descriptive, semi auto-biographical text is symbollic of different things on many levels. It depicts the exacting danger and encroachment of war upon America, describes how precious and fragile innocence is and examines the cruelty of children, amongst many other things; I decided today that this story perfectly mirrored my feelings regarding snow.

The story is set in the depths of early year winter during a period of heavy snow, much like the that which we are experiencing here in England. The narrator describes how the snow changes from being a beautiful equipper of fun to slush, ugly brown slush. This change occurs as the child journeys from innocence to experience; this process is one I am undergoing as an eighteen year old ready for University. More importantly it allows me to view snow in an adverse way, I hate it now. Being stuck in Illingworth as opposed to my home in Wyke (40 minutes by car) gives me every reason to loath the white barrier being snow. I wish I was young again, with and older brother at school, a sledge in my garage and a pocket full of dreams. On the brighter side, my dreams are now coming true.

Lyndsey x

05/01/2011 - Ted Hughes, Poems Selected by Simon Armitage

'I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed.
Inaction, no falsifying dream
Between my hooked head and hooked feet:
Or in sleep rehearse perfect kills and eat.'

This month I will begin with poetry, for no paricular reason other than the four exams that will proceed to dominate my life over the next three weeks. Ted Hughes, a man of gossip and turmoil, I cannot wait to see what his mind was hiding.

Till the next,
Lyndsey x

A literary giant

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”

My passion for reading has always been inconsistent; although nothing has ever brought me greater pleasure than to spend a day reading and re-reading chapters of the same book, I cannot seem to make a habit of it. For example, it seems an impossibility or a great achievement to study a book one week and finish another in the next. This is a flaw of mine, especially when I consider the magnitude of literature I will have to undertake next year whilst studying English Literature at University.

This blog will serve as my saving grace, it will force me to read as the rules that follow must be kept religiously:
. I will use this blog as a reading record
. The mission is to read one book or peice of literature every 1-3 weeks
. The evidence will be my review and response to the book on this blog upon mission completion.
. Inbetween time I must not fail to post about anything else I may have read in the past or smaller samples such as articles. Or anything really, anything with words. Simple ones preferrably(us northeners aren't so literate).

So I will become a literary giant, a giant of literature is what I shall be. Hopefully this blog will compell you all to read, atleast if I fail, I won't be the only one!

Lyndsey
x

P.S. Do promise not to be so formal in the future, no clue what came over me!