'She burned too bright for this world' - Emily's wonderfully lyrical style and how to 'get' it!2/18/2019 How are you getting on with Wuthering Heights? When I read the novel as a teenager I loved the angst and the depth of emotion but I must admit that today I am getting a bit fed up with some of the characters being so melodramatic, particularly Linton Heathcliff, the feeble son of Heathcliff and Isabella. He's so whiney at times I feel like giving him a good slap around the chops!
'I can't speak to you,' he murmured; 'you've hurt me so that I shall lie awake all night choking with this cough. If you had it you'd know what it was; but YOU'LL be comfortably asleep while I'm in agony, and nobody near me. I wonder how you would like to pass those fearful nights!' And he began to wail aloud, for very pity of himself.' On the other hand, all of the characters talk verbosely as if narrator Nelly Dean were trying to impress Lockwood with her vocabulary, not wanting to show herself up as a servant. 'I uttered an ejaculation of discontent' = 'I sighed' We must not forget that that Emily wrote over 200 poems. She was a poet more than a prose writer and it shows in her writing style. I am listening to an audiobook version and I think this style definitely benefits from hearing it read aloud. It's the sound that is beautiful as the words are chosen very carefully. Then Joseph, the servant's speech is virtually incomprehensible just by reading, even for native speakers! There are also words that we don't use today or that are considered formal today. I am a real word nerd so I enjoy looking up the difficult words and especially looking up their etymology but I recognise it's not for everybody. Are you finding the style a bit heavy? It's ok to admit it and a good way to get over your fears is to stare your enemy in the face! Comparing the original book with graded readers can sometimes help but as those are simplified versions they often leave out entire passages. So I thought it could be fun to try transforming some phrases from Chapter 34 into their more modern equivalent! Match the words from the novel 1 - 5 with their equivalents a - e. 1. … an every-day spectacle a. … if it was a good time to tell him off 2. …. framed an excuse b. … see if what she said was true 3. … ascertain the truth of her statement c. … something you see every day 4. … divine the occasion of his good humour d. … made an excuse 5. ...whether it were a proper opportunity to e. … guess why he was in such a good mood offer a bit of admonition What differences can you notice between the original quote and my modern interpretation? To speak 18th/19th century Gothic style - use lots of nouns and noun phrases (particularly nouns of Latin origin) - use more formal language - use specific words To sound more modern - use short, common verbs (max. 4 or 5 letters) and verb phrases (subject + verb), including phrasal verbs - use short and imprecise words and phrases - eliminate all unnecessary words - basically be informal Now you try! Write these phrases, also from Chapter 34, in modern English. …was going to commence eating when the inclination appeared to become suddenly extinct. … I deemed it proper, though unsummoned … Dawn restored me to common sense … I vainly reminded him of his protracted absense from food … he solicited the society of no one more Have a go and write your answers in the comments! Fancy having a little fun? Why not try to write some comments in Wuthering Heights style? Would'st thou permit me to partake in thy observations?
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Italo Calvino said 'A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.' Reading a classic more than once, perhaps at different times of your life, you will get something different from it each time. Thinking of the last time I read Wuthering Heights a few years ago, I chose Wuthering Heights for Februaury as a great romance to coincide with Valentine's day. Instead this time round I have found a gothic curse and cannot see the story in any other way. In fact what has hit me this time has been the violence. I have been shocked by the language of Heathcliff and some of the other characters, for example ('Your land, insolent slut!'). I live in the twenty-first century so I can't imagine how shocking it was for the Victorians!
It's always difficult to understand how rude a bad word is in a foreign language, like the difference between 'poo' and 'shit'. So I thought it could be interesting to look at some of the other bad names and insults in the book, their origins and exactly how strong they might be. 1. Go to the deuce - Chapter 1 - 'The 'walk in' was uttered with closed teeth, and expressed the sentiment, 'Go to the Deuce'.' Here 'deuce' replaces 'devil' so is a substitution, a way of avoiding saying the word 'devil' and therefore less strong. In the fifteenth century 'dews' ( coming from the Latin 'duo' ) meant the nunber two in dice or cards. It came to be a mild swear word in the eighteenth century as two was the lowest score. 2. Heathen - 'Chapter 9 - You’re worse than a heathen — treating your own flesh and blood in that manner!’ A 'heathen' is a derogatory term for someone who lives in the country (think of heath - an area of uncultivated land). It's meaning extended to indicate a person lacking culture, and a person not belonging to a mainstream religion (not Christian or Jewish), a pagan. Is this the reason behind Heathcliff's name? Oh I think I have just discovered something - I love that! 3. Blackguard - Chapter 1 1 - 'what notion of propriety must you have to remain here, after the language which has been held to you by that blackguard?' Apparently, this one was really offensive. It originally referred to the lowest kitechen servants in charge of coal, pots and kettles. 'Black' could refer to the black of the coal and dirty pots or mockingly to the contrast with the elaborate uniforms of the armed guards. The term became synonymous with menial jobs, guard of attendants, dark in person, clothes or character and then a following of 'black' villains. 4. 'Scoundrel - Chapter 10 - 'Scoundrel! He is not altogether guiltless in this illness of mine; and that I had a great mind to tell him.' Speakers of Latin based languages can do some investigating with this word! How do you say 'hide' in Italian? 'Nascondere. If you are hiding you must have something to hide, right? There may also be an association with a Scottish word 'skunner', coming from Middle English, meaning 'to shrink back', 'cause to feel disgust at'. 'Scunner' still exists as a derogatory term in North Yorkshire for a young criminal. Not nice but just derogatory. 5. Cipher - Chapter 20 - 'I guess you’ll report what you hear and see to the cipher at the Grange; and this thing won’t be settled while you linger about it.’ If you want to insult someone, you don't have to imply they are a criminal, just put them down, make feel worthless - call them a 'cipher'. 'Sifra' is Arabic for zero. Latin based language spaekers, sound familiar? 'Chiffre' in French meansd number of figure as does 'cifra' in Italian. All our numbers come from Arabic, right? So the meaning spread from 'zero' to mean any number. I have enjoyed exploring these bad names so much that I have decided to do an infographic on other insults? Let m wknow if you find nay other examples that you would like to explore further. Would you like to receive my infographic? Send me your email address and I will be happy to send it to you. Are you sure you don’t have time for reading? Think again! I’m talking about audiobooks - the advantages of using them to improve your English vocabulary, grammar, understanding and pronunciation. 1.Pronunciation and authenticity Trying to just read a book without audio can be difficult when there are words or terms that you don’t know and just hearing the words being read can help you to erase the doubt that you may be pronouncing the word incorrectly and increase your confidence in using the language properly. Listening to audiobooks while reading along can increase your vocabulary and comprehension and what is more it gives you great examples of and exposure to patterns, intonation, expressions, different accents & dialects; you understand the “music” of English . It provides examples of fluent reading to copy, perhaps using the technique of shadowing where you try to read the text together with the recorded reader. 2. Flexibility With audiobooks you can listen to as much of the story as you want to, whenever you feel like it. Audiobooks are an ideal solution for people who like literature but are too busy to find time for reading. They are great for multitasking. You can listen while you’re cleaning the house or anything else that doesn’t require much focus or during down times, for example when commuting. You can learn a lot of things while stuck in traffic. Audiobooks are really convenient. You can have them on your phone, computer and in the car. This makes the content accessible and you can easily continue where you left off from last time. Whenever I’m reading an actual physical book, I need to find myself a quiet place and almost force myself to be fully present. With audiobooks I find it much easier to pick it up and start consuming – regardless of location, noise level or time of day. It’s just so convenient. You can practice your English on the go. 3. Grammar and vocabulary When learning a language of course it is useful to study the grammar and the vocabulary then you need to experience how it all fits together in natural contexts. Reading and listening to novels is an excellent way to internalize grammar. 4. Reading and listening together Text and audio together provide a multisensory approach to reading. A person reading can transmit meaning with the very tone of their voice. If you have read a book before and then listen to the audiobook version, you’ll retain and reinforce much more information. It makes it easier to read. You will be able to read the same text better when you look at it again. On the other hand, you might want to try listening first before reading. It offers the opportunity to practise and develop listening skills.Your understanding will increase by degrees: you will gradually discover different layers of understanding from more general, overall understanding to deeper knowledge starting first with listening and then passing to reading. Where can you find audiobooks? I am currently listening to a dramatised version of Wuthering Heights on Youtube and I like the fact that each character is represented by a different reader. There are some wonderfully enthusiastic people who really put their heart and soul into reading . I am thinking of the wonderful reading of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland on Youtube. Then there are those that volunteer to read a book in the public domain, for example for Libravox. I admire their commitment and recognize from personal experience that reading a long text without making mistakes is very difficult but some read without feeling and you wonder why they are doing it at all. I would love to take part in this project and try recording a book or at least a chapter, from my experience of reading out loud I know it isn’t easy but I think it would be a lovely thing to do, so watch this space! If any of you are interested we could do a group project! That would be really cool! However to be honest the best versions are read obviously by professional actors as on audible for example. I listened to Wuthering Heights on audible last year and the reading was very inspiring in terms of understanding the importance of listening to aid understanding. Well I am subscribed to audible as well as scribd but honestly I am considering if it is really worth spending the money: there is so much on youtube anyway. When I am looking for different versions of books for the book section of this site, I usually use vk, twirpx or Project Gutenberg. The latter is a wonderful site full of material in the public domain different formats, the oldest site of its kind. For graded readers I find the Russian file sharing site vk very useful but you do have to search through a bit to find what you want. Twirpx is a member site that allows you to download a certain number of texts and audios for free after which you can purchase credit for a very small fee, well worth it. But why give yourself the trouble of searching? You can find a number of titles in the BOOKS! section of this website. Click on the picture and see! No excuses! Get listening today! Make the most of every moment of your day! Welcome to the first of my monthly book reviews. I am doing this as part of my Classics Club Reading Programme ( see the designated page on this site ) where I will be reading one book a month for the next 5 years but also because I think it's a great way to give my take on the story, summarize my thoughts and explain what I have learnt reading each book. I chose this story because it was reccommended by a friend and I thought a futuristic tale could be a great way to start the year and so it has been! This book is just the sort I like - it's very original and has some meaty ideas to get your teeth into. So, what's it all about? I'm sorry if they are any mistakes in my account but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Brave New World is set in a futuristic world state where humans are farmed in laboratories and conditioned throughout their lives to fulfill set roles in society and maximise consumption. This human 'production line' world unsurprisingly sees Henry Ford, captain of American industry, as God. People belong to different castes or levels of society and busy themselves with their work, organized sports and parties. They are kept 'happy' by taking large amounts of the drug 'soma' which has no immediate negative side effects and that is provided by the state. Basically everything is different from our society - there are no families or long term relationships and promiscuity is encouraged. Anyone who differs from the standard is considered defective, for example Bernard Marx who comes from the highest caste but who is unusually short, causing him to feel inadequate and therefore doubt the system and his friend Helmholtz Watson, also an 'Alpha' who feels he would like to do something more useful with his life. However, it seems that not all the world is under the world state as there are 'Savage Reservations' where some people live in families, have children and basically live our less perfect life. Perhaps naturally in a world where Ford is God, travel is quick and efficient and so people can easily go on holiday, even to visit a reservation. Bernard goes there with Lenina, a girl who is beautiful but unlike Bernard, shallow and strongly attached to conforming. Lenina is shocked by the way people live in the reservation. It is very rough, dirty and violent, in stark contrast to the world state. The couple meet Linda, a woman who once lived in the world state but was stranded in the reservation there after an accident while she was on holiday. Linda had to stay in the reservation because she was pregnant and it would have been shameful for her to be pregnant in the world state where there are only test tube babies. She raised her son John there with stories about the better world on the other side but they both remained outsiders, she because of her prosmiscuous ways and he because he didn't completely belong to either world. John sought refuge in his only reading material , The Complete Works of Shakespeare, and was inspired by the beautiful language and sentiment. When Bertrand discovers that John's father is in fact the Director administrates the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre he wants to take John and Linda back to the world state to reveal the scandal and discredit the Director who had previously threatened to exile him for his controversial ideas. Once back in the world state, the Director resigns in shame and Linda is put on a 'soma' holiday and eventually dies. This is really sad because it shows how strong her conditioning had been that after tasting freedom she preferred to go back to her 'cage'. John 'The Savage' instead becomes like a celebrity. There is a love interest between John and Lenina but it doesn't go anywhere because she is too superficial. John's grief at his mother's death causes uproar and Bertrand and Helmholtz are exiled by the "Resident World Controller for Western Europe" for antisocial activity. John decides to isolate and punish himself but soon attracts prying eyes. He finds this extremely irritating and lashes out, hitting a women (probably Lenina although this is not clear). In his remorse he commits suicide and is found hanging. I have found the book very inspiring, particularly some of the words of John 'The Savage', who wants to live life, in all its shades, to the full. The quote "But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin." sums up what I want to do with my book club. I want to feel strong emotions and 'live a thousand lives' through reading'. I believe that emotional connection makes memorization easier and longer lasting so put simply, reading can help you to improve your English by doing something you love. This quote is my motto for this year as it really motivates me. As regards the language of the book some of the most interesting examples can be found contrasting the language of two of the main characters John and Lenina. Lenina spouts drilled, bland set phrases that she has learnt through hypnopedia (sleep learning) while John quotes Shakespeare. Okay so the words aren't his own but he adapts them to his own personal circumstances adding meaning. I have already written an article on idiomatic expressions. Idiomatic expressions are key when learning a language as copying phrases that natives use quickly allows you to sound more natural in a particular context and create empathy and the idea of shared experience and belonging to a community. It allows helps you avoid translating from your own language into English. However, paradoxically, now that English has become an international language, overuse of idioms may be exclusive. Remember that many of the expressions we use today were first coined in literature, most importantly Shakespeare. Why not shape things up a little and create your own or resussistate expressions you read in literature? This novel raises some interesting questions. How close to our world is Huxley's? Is our decision-making being controlled with social media, pornography, the commercialisation of sex, advertising and reality TV? Mond the Resident World Controller for Western Europe says "The world's stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can't get." Is that so bad? Do we really want to be happy all the time? I think Huxley contrasts the world state and the reservation to underline the fact that yes, life may be messy and hard but it is real, and in the midst of it we can find beauty as John found Shakespeare. I spent this afternoon finishing reading Brave New World. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon! A time for myself, sitting in the sun on the terrace, at the same time catapulted into a strange future world and just like a visitor in another country, reflecting on the advantages or disadvantages of my own reality.
On Friday I found out that there were many quotes from Shakespeare in the book and that intrigued me to continue with my reading. I really identify with John's attitude. He is uplifted by the beautiful expression of human emotions and experience, be they positive or negative. In contrast we have Lenina who despite being exposed to beauty and art, is so conditioned that she cannot understand or appreciate it, preferring to stay in her comfort zone. Lost in Classics is for the Johns in life. My daughter is in the last year of middle school so we are visiting some high schools in order to choose one for her for next year. At the moment she seems oriented towards language high school, but I was impressed by the Head Teacher of the Classics high school who said 'What is the point of studying Latin and Greek? The truth it is not useful, we study for the pure pleasure of learning.' All this has inspired me to write my manifesto today, to explain where I am coming from and why Lost in Classics is so important to me. I want to experience life to the full, be open to opportunities and possibilities. I am nosey but with good intentions. The best moments of my life are when other people open up to me, let me see their truth and allow me to share with them without judgement or prejudice. Everyone has a story to share, every experience has something to learn from. Difficult experiences bring out the best in people. Reading is another way of relating to others through the ages. Society encourages us to stay in certain boxes, but in the end our life is our own and we have only one. My own life is specific to me but there are countless experiences and possibilities that I can access through reading. Imagination is more vivid and more wonderful than any film. Life today is so busy we are encouraged to live up to certain standards, to be the perfect wife, mother and friend, be respectable and achieve a good status, get on the property ladder, have a car, buy, buy, buy. For me being is more important than appearing. I want to make the most of every day, not just survive now to live better in a future that may never come. I appreciate beauty and art for art's sake, but like to see beauty everywhere, even in the most unexpected places. The best way to learn is through something you are passionate about, this makes things easier to remember, more personal and less like work. The best way to sound more natural when learning a language is to identify and copy phrases that mother tongue people use. Classics writers' work has lasted in time because they are people that are most able in using language. They present beautifully expressed ideas on timeless themes. The internet should be used for making virtual and real connections and indulging our passions with people that we could not normally meet. Doing something that you love is never a waste on time. In our busy world, it is important to dedicate some space to ourselves, for reflection and even for pure relaxation. Be lost in classics whenever you have the opportunity: you will not only gain in terms of vocabulary but it will also lift your spirits and allow you to feel part of the history of mankind. Have you started reading Brave New World yet? I have been listening to the audiobook and I have also started reading the book online. I have got to chapter 4. If you haven't started yet I really recommend it, it really gives you loads of food for thought. It's set in a topsy-turvy future world state with the motto COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY. In this world babies are selectively grown in great quantities in laboratories and conditioned to have certain charactersitics, preferences and abilities and perform specific roles in adult life. 'Suggestions' aimed at instilling traits and increasing consumption like 'I do love flying', 'I love having new clothes', 'Ending is better than mending', 'The more stitches, the less riches' are repeated to the people by hypnopaedia or learning through sleep. (Have you ever tried that as a way of learning a language? What were the results?) "Till at last the child's mind is these suggestions, and the sum of the suggestions is the child's mind. And not the child's mind only. The adult's mind too–all his life long. The mind that judges and desires and decides–made up of these suggestions. But all these suggestions are our suggestions!" The Director almost shouted in his triumph. "Suggestions from the State." This might sound scandalous at first, but if you think about it also in our world we are constantly bombarded not only by messages, slogans and propaganda (Just Do It - Nike, Because you're Worth it - L'Oreal) but even by idioms and other fixed sayings in our everyday conversations which can be considered as a shorter way of expressing more complicated ideas in a catchy, memorable way (Don't judge a book by it's cover). When I read I try to notice some interesting language that I can share with you and as I read the first four chapters I noticed that there were idiomatic phrases, some repeated more than once, and I had the impression that this was done to underline the fact that the people in the story do not have their own individual ideas, their words are not their own but rather repeat phrases they have heard. Here are some of the idiomatic expressions from the book that we commonly use today, if you learn them you will sound like a member of the English speaking community! 1. Straight from the horse's mouth Many idiomatic expressions come from sports as it is a subject that many people have in common and can relate to. This one obviously comes from horse riding, which also involves betting on the winner of the race. Before placing a bet, the gambler can try to get some insider information on the best horses from those in closest touch with the horse, that is, stable lads, trainers etc. The only thing closer to the horse is the horse himself. Here is a quote from the Syracuse Herald, May 1913: "I got a tip yesterday, and if it wasn't straight from the horse's mouth it was jolly well the next thing to it." If you hear something (straight) from the horse's mouth, you hear it from the person who has direct personal knowledge of it or is an authority on the subject. In Brave New World the students use this expression when they write down the Director's words exactly as he says them as he gives them a tour of the laboratories. 2. below par "Nothing like oxygen-shortage for keeping an embryo below par." Chapter 1 Something below par is below average, or below the acceptable standard. This could also be associated with sport, this time golf. Par is the number of strokes an expert player should normally require for a particular hole or course. In golf, below or under par is positive because it means that the golfer uses fewer strokes than expected or standard. In other situations if a number is below par, it is not up to standard. But par can also be a financial term that refers to the face value of a share or other security, so below par could also mean under this value. Par comes from Latin, ‘equal’, also ‘equality of value or standing'. Associated phrases are above par - better than is usual or expected, on a par with - equal in importance or quality to and par for the course - what is normal or expected in any given circumstances. 3. be only too happy to do something 'Mr. Foster was only too happy to give them a few figures.' Chapter 1 This phrase means to be very willing to do something. You can use only too to emphasize to that something is true or exists to a much greater extent than you would expect or like. 'Know only too well that plans can easily go wrong.' 'When the new baby comes along, it is only too easy to shut out the others.' Her family knows only too tragically that running from the cameras does not end well. Times, Sunday Times (2016) It's only too easy to get stuck in routine. The Sun (2016) He knows only too well what this means for farmers. Times, Sunday Times (2008) The emperors were only too eager to help clarify that issue. Christianity Today (2000) He knows only too well that his foot and mouth connect all too easily. Times, Sunday Times (2015) 4. a very great deal "But in the interval," Mr. Foster concluded, "we've managed to do a lot to them. Oh, a very great deal." His laugh was knowing and triumphant. Chapter 1 A great deal means a large quantity, to a considerable degree or extent, by a considerable amount, often, frequently or highly. We can compare deal to lot, as lot means a portion. Deal as a verb comes from Old English daelan meaning divide or participate (in fact before starting a game of cards you have to deal the cards) which in turn comes from Ol Dutch 'deel' or German 'Teil' meaning part. 5. make a point of doing something "I shall make a point of going," said Henry Foster. Chapter 3 When you make a point of doing something you consciously and deliberately make an effort to do it, consider or treat (an action or activity) as indispensable. The point meaning "the matter being discussed" dates from the late 14c but the meaning "sense, purpose, advantage" is first recorded in 1903. "The point" of something is the reason for doing it. 6. it / that won't do 'It's such horribly bad form to go on and on like this with one man. At forty, or thirty-five, it wouldn't be so bad. But at your age, Lenina! No, it really won't do.' Chapter 3 This is used for saying that a particular situation or way of behaving is not sensible or suitable. The verb do can also mean be suitable, acceptable, enough or sufficient. "if you can't get espresso, regular coffee will do" Everything in Brave New World is opposite to how it is in our world. Here promiscuity is encouraged and monogamy frowned upon. 7. be a a stickler for something Trust Henry Foster to be the perfect gentleman–always correct. And then there's the Director to think of. You know what a stickler …" Chapter 3 A stickler is a person who insists on a certain quality or type of behaviour. The noun originates from Old English stihtian to set in order and English stightle control. 8. hullabaloo "This last week or two," he went on, "I've been cutting all my committees and all my girls. You can't imagine what a hullabaloo they've been making about it at the College. Chapter 4 Everyone agrees that a hullabaloo is a a commotion, a fuss but the origins are not so clear. Perhaps it comes from hunting, a rhyming cry halloo-baloo! (halloo meaning hello). The old Scots term baloo, means a lullaby, a soothing song to calm a baby to sleep, but the connection with our hullabaloo seems contradictory. Other suggestions are that it comes from French, hurluberlu meaning scatter-brained, or from the English hurly-burly, a contracted form of hurling and burling, where a hurling is an even older term for a commotion, disturbance or tumult. Burling may be just a rhyme of the the first word, as has happened also in namby-pamby, itsy-bitsy and others. I prefer the theory that it comes from India. When I read The Great Gatsby I discovered that the phrase 'The Big Cheese' meaning the most important person originated in India from chiz meaning thing or the real genuine thing. The term 'Hullabol' is still used in Indian English to describe a type of public demonstration, involving making a great noise. 'Hulla' is either derived from 'Hamla' meaning 'attack' or from 'halhala' meaning 'ululation' (both words from Persian and then Urdu). 'Bol' is from the Hindi verb 'bolna', 'to utter or say'. I found all these expressions in the first four chapters of Brave New World. Even a little reading can offer many opportunities to learn, so don't get discouraged, let's move on through this Brave New World together in 2019! Which other idiomatic phrases can you find? Tell me in the comments. Happy New Year! I hope you had a good rest and that the new year has started well for you. Do you make new year's resolutions? Many people say, for example, 'I'm going to lose weight', or 'I'm going to save money'. These are great ideas, but as we know, things may start off well but more often than not they are short-lived. What are your intentions or projects for this year? If you plan to improve your English this year, and you love reading classic novels, then you can use my Lost in Classics Reading Diary to keep you focused and stick to your resolution throughout 2019.
I have been working on this diary over the holidays and I must say I am proud of it because it not only looks gorgeous but it can also be very useful in helping you follow the novels that we will read each month in my Facebook Group and will discuss in our monthly book club meetings. If you already follow me on Facebook you will have noticed that in November I posted many questions asking about your favourite novels and authors. Well, I used your answers to choose the twelve books that we will read together this year and here they are. Twelve months, twelve books, twelve genres. 1. January - Futuristic - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. 2. February - Romantic - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 3. March - Women - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 4. April - Jane Austen - Persuasion by Jane Austen 5. May - Bildungsroman - Martin Eden by Jack London 6. June - Children - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 7. July - American - The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne 8. August - Travel - A Room with a View by E. M. Forster 9. September - Crime - The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins 10. October - Horror - Dracula by Bram Stoker 11. November - Short Story - Desirées Baby by Kate Chopin 12. December - Festive - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Yes, I know Jane Austen is not a genre but her books are so popular and she has such a following that it could be argued it is! Last year, my choice of books was influenced by word count, I wanted to start low and gradually work up, in fact we started with The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe, a short story of only three thousand words and we finished with The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde with seventy-eight thousand! That's quite an achievement so well done if you read all or even some of the books! This year I decided to choose books in twelve different genres, regardless of their length because the feedback I have received so far has taught me that time is a problem for many people so it doesn't matter how long the book is. If you want to and can read all the book that is great, if not you can read a short version or even an extract or one chapter. I just want to inspire you to read so if you read as much as you can, that's great! Another possibility is that if you know in advance that we will read your favourite book in say March, you can start reading now and give yourself more time to prepare. This month I will be uploading all books to the BOOKS! page of this site so you can plan ahead if that works for you. The diary includes a message from me and the confirmation of your membership of our book club followed by a page where you can note your favourite books. Then there is one page for each month complete with questions and space to record interesting language or quotes from the novel as well as your book review. If you submit your review, I will give you a free gift each month! Each page also includes important births, deaths and other events. If you look on my Facebook Page for that day, you will find more information about that author or book with links to read the book, or a video, picture or quote or any other interesting things I find. Finally on each page of the diary you will find a motivational quote from an important author which I hope will inspire you to keep going! So how can you follow Lost in Classics this year? There are many ways to get involved. First check out my Facebook Page every day for inspiration to learn and read and this blog every Monday for lessons to be learnt from the language and themes in the novel we are reading that month. I also have a Facebook group where we discuss the novel of the month in more detail looking at the history of the author, the language, themes, characters, setting etc. Ask me if you would like to join. Members will receive the Lost in Classics Reading Diary, and bi-monthly newsletters with monthly infograhics focusing on language points covered that month. At the end of each month there is the option to take part in an online or live book club meeting. For more details of how the book club meeting works look at the dedicated page on this site. If you would like to dig deeper or work on a particular area of your English with more personalized help from me, you might like to consider taking part in a group or individual programme (see the PROGRAMMES page of this site). My resolution for this year is to get as many people as possible involved with Lost in Classics so please tell your friends and let me know if there is anything else I can do to inspire you to read and help you to learn and improve your English. Happy Reading in 2019! "When falsehood can look so like the truth, who can assure themselves of certain happiness?” Frankenstein ‘Though so profound a double-dealer, I was in no sense a hypocrite; both sides of me were in dead earnest; I was no more myself when I had laid aside restraint and plunged in shame, than when I laboured, in the eye of day, at the furtherance of knowledge or the relief of sorrow and suffering.’ Stange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde “I love acting. It is so much more real than life.” The Potrait of Dorian Gray Read the following article on how we wear masks today in our everyday lives and ask yourself the highlighted questions. ‘Imagine, for just a moment, a world where no one cared what car you drove, what designer handbag you carried, or what job you worked at. Can you sense the freedom? But this isn’t reality, because we do care. And because we care we’ve developed habitual masks to please and impress others. We all wear masks. There’s a good chance, too, you change your masks so habitually you don’t even notice doing it. Maybe you’ve done it your entire life. What mask do you wear? How do you feel about the face you’re portraying for the world to see? Are you truly yourself? Do you feel that you can be you, no matter what social situation you’re in? In your mind, gather up everyone you know and put them in a room, friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances. Everyone is surely cautiously mingling with their masks perfectly placed. But then, imagine a strong wind gust sweeps through the party, blowing all masks off. It’s mayhem, faces are exposed, for maybe the first time, wrinkles and all. Now imagine that instead of using this vulnerability against one another you patted each other on the back, encouraged uniqueness and supported one another. Why are we so afraid to be authentic? Even when our masks irritate our skin, and we can’t relax or be ourselves, we still resist change. This epic performance is a huge drain on our minds, bodies and souls. It’s a hard act to constantly pretend to be, or feel like you need to be, someone else. Similarly, it’s very draining to regularly act like you feel one way when you really feel another. Becoming authentic is a process to begin knowing ourselves. To understand our own personality traits, behaviors, values, beliefs, needs, goals and motives. It’s having the courage to acknowledge our limitations, and embrace our own vulnerability. Make a list of words that describe the person you want to be. Look deep inside and concentrate on who you are, not what you do. Are you passionate, nerdy, curious, loving? You’ll know when you’ve discovered authenticity because your thoughts, beliefs and actions will originate deep from within and they’ll be resistant to external pressures. The result of this authenticity is a genuine, quiet, vitalizing fulfilment and confidence that resists anxiety, self-doubt and stress. Wearing a mask protects us from vulnerability. I fear that if I stand tall and exposed, I’ll be “weak” in some way. But when you wear a mask you stand in resistance to your true life and end up attracting realities that conflict with who you really are.' Adapted from huffingtonpost.com THE BLOG 5 Masks We Wear and Why We Should Take Them Off By Tina Williamson We all wear masks, disguising parts of ourselves from other people. How we act depends on our clothes, envirnonment and the people around us. Why do you believe it’s easier for people to people to wear masks than to be themselves? Let me know in the comments. We wear the mas Italo Calvino said that a classic is a book that has never finished what it has to say and this well defines Frankenstein which over the years has really caught the public imagination inspiring countless film and television versions and even video games thanks to strong themes that are still relevant to us today. At Lost in Classics we can meet and reflect on these themes. This makes us feel part of a wider society and teaches us lessons about life and people. In fact this week in the Facebook Group I will be posting on some of these and it it would be great to have your comments. Sharing our opinions is vital because our interpretation of themes is very personal. It is not stated in plain words. The theme is a message that you take away from the book. We may not agree, we may open each others' eyes with our own unique viewpoint and experience. Reading and listening, the skills we use when reading a novel are mainly passive activities, to complete the experience it is effective to then produce in some way through speaking or writing, or writing and then speaking and put your thoughts out there, to contribute to the universal debate. What will your contribution be? Let me get the ball rolling by putting in my own tuppence worth on three themes of Frankenstein: bio-ethics, prejudice and revenge. 1. Bio-ethics Perhaps the most important theme of Frankenstein is in the science around it. At the time when the novel was written Luigi Galvani and his nephew Aldini had stimulated muscle contraction using electric currents and attempted to revive the dead through electricity and Jacques de Vaucanson had dabbled in replicating life through machines. This obviously raised ethical questions related to the desire to 'play God'. In our times of genetic engineering these questions are just as important today. Can you think of any scientific discoveries that have very serious ethical implications? How is Frankenstein a cautionary tale for modern day scientific study? How should we, as a society, weigh ethical concerns with scientific advancement? And on a larger scale the ethics of it who is ultimately responsible for the monster's violent actions – Dr. Frankenstein or the monster? Does Dr. Frankenstein bear any responsibility for the violent actions of his creation? Do parents bear any ethical responsibility for the actions of their children? Today our version of playing God is in the subject of genetic engineering and cloning. In terms of animals and plants there may be benefits for more effective production but my concern is that any possible side effects or negative consequences may take a long time to uncover themselves and by the time any problems come up it may be too late. What is really concerning for me is the manipulation of human genes and this raises ethical questions. Who can say that some genetic traits are wrong? How can we decide that someone's life is worth less than that of others? What makes a good life? Frankenstein is partly responsible for his monster's actions because he immeditaely abandoned him without helping or guiding him in any way as a parent should, but we can't indefinitely continue blaming our parents for our problems in life. What do you think? 2. Prejudice “Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust?” Mary Shelley chose to comment on the theme of prejudice not only towards the monster, but also towards foreigners, the lower classes, and women and coming from adults and children alike. By making the question so widespread we can question the destructive and isolating nature of prejudice and how we treat those who appear monstrous when we may be monsters ourselves. The monster seen as an object undeserving of a name and is judged through his appearance, Justine represents the lower classes and how they were suppressed by the upper classes, and she also represents women who suffered prejudice during that time period as they were voiceless and couldn’t defend themselves. Thanks to the advances in our society we are now in many ways more tolerant of different physical and mental abilities, races, sexes and sexual orientations. But things are far from perfect. In general, which forms of prejudice seem to be declining over time, and which forms seem to be persisting or increasing? Which forms of prejudice most socially acceptable, and which are least acceptable? Why are some forms more acceptable than others? At a psychological level, what are the common denominators that link all forms of prejudice? Does the categorization of people always result in prejudice? What about categorizing people in a positive way -- does that result in prejudice? Does the very categorization of people -- for example, as female, a college student, African-American, or Texan -- necessarily rob them of individuality? Today prejudice against people of different sexual orientations seems to be decreasing in many countries. Also, in terms of law and legislation prejudice against women and older people is decreasing, at least on paper. Women still encounter prejudice when applying for work and unfortunately cases of violence against women are increasing. Prejudice towards immigrants from other countries has been increasing in the last few years due to terrorism, mass immigration to Europe from Africa and the consequent rise in popularity of right wing political parties. Perhaps this prejudice is based on religion today rather than colour. Prejudice is aways about fear of the unknown. Positive discrimnation aims to gaurantee equal opportunities and is good in principal but does not always work in practice. When I watch TV I notice that today many people have mixed backgrounds and there are all types of families so it is important to speak and meet each other to break down barriers. Unfortunately, technology is encouraging us to isolate ourselves rather than share with others. 3. Revenge
Revenge is a key theme in Frankenstein because it motivates both the creator and his monster. The monster seeks Revenge as he feels abandoned by his maker and this is further fuelled by Frankenstein's refusal to give him a mate. Frankenstein himself seeks Revenge on the monster for the deaths of William, Justine, Clerval and Elizabeth and this is all the more distressing for him because as the creator of the monster, he is shares the responsibility. Mary Shelley uses this theme because the desire for revenge is both timeless and powerful. It’s also a response to being hurt or slighted. It’s a reaction to feeling intimidated or victimized. It’s a way to gain power—real or imagined—over others. It’s rooted in primal emotions like passion and anger. And it’s a fundamental human feeling, one we’ve all felt perhaps more often than we’d like to admit. Mary Shelley experienced a lot of grief and loss in her life and it is probable she felt somehow responsible and certainly deeply hurt. Why are we drawn to stories of vengeance? Why do you like them? Have you experienced holding a grudge against someone for a long time? What was the situation? How did you feel? Relate a time when you were younger that you gave or received payback/revenge for a wrong done. If you are not able to forgive others, you carry the burden on you and hurt yourself. Do you agree? Which is more pleasant, forgiving or taking revenge? I think we like stories of vengeance because it gives us the possibility to do something with our imagination that we cannot do in our real lives. I don't like to hold grudges because I think when you do, It's you that feels bad whereas the other person involved is walking around without a care, so the bad feeling goes on you and not the other person that it is directed to. I usually keep calm up to a certain point and then I explode. Once when I was at secondary school I had lent something to a classmate that had been bullying myself and other girls for months and after several requests she still refused to give it back. In my rage I actually threw a chair at her! I don't want to advocate violent behaviout but it worked and I also gained the respect of the other girls beacuse I stood up to her but others wouldn't. It's always better to try to forgive but it's not easy whe you feel hurt. I would love to hear your thoughts, let me know in the comments and please ask if you would like to join the Group and explore other themes this week. No hard feelings if you don't! English is a mixture of different languages and as much as 70% of its vocabulary has Latin origins. Latin prefixes and sufixes were used to create new terms to describe new words and concepts, particularly so around the time Frankenstein was written when new scientific theories were being born and in Industrial Revolution was in full swing. Latin remained the language of the educated as was Mary Shelley, in fact her book is shrewn with references to literature and Roman and Greek myths and legends, typical of the Romantic Age. Like today, in that atmosphere, it might have been 'chic' to pop in some foreign words but I don't think she would have included them if she thought her readers might not understand. It is also true that Mary was well travelled and maybe picked up some foreign words. Don't forget that Mary Shelley was only twenty years old when she wrote the story.
The situation today is quite different. I am no expert but it seems to me that over time English has won the supremacy over Latin and in fact the most commonly used and familiar words in everyday conversation today are from Old English because they are generally shorter, while Latin based words remain in the realm of more formal writing. I noticed when reading Frankenstein that I met many words of Latin or French origin that we no longer use today or that are extremely formal today but that I was able to understand thanks to the fact that I speak Italian and French. Other native speakers may not be able to make these associations and have to rely on the notes at the back of the book! So, if you are a speaker of a Latin based language you may understand better than the average native! Let's look at some examples 1. viand 'They possessed a delightful house (for such it was in my eyes) and every luxury; they had a fire to warm them when chill and delicious viands when hungry;' Chapter 12 A viand is in English 'an item of food' but French speakers will recognise the word as coming from 'viande' ( meat ). 'Viande' itself comes from the Latin 'vivenda', a form of the verb 'vivere' - to live. So meat is life! (But I am vegetarian!) 2. traverse 'Shall I meet you again, after having traversed immense seas, and returned by the most southern cape of Africa or America?' Letter 2 Traverse means 'cross, travel across or through'. As you can see, today it is more common to use a short verb or phrasal verb. Again from French to Latin, from Old French 'traverser', from late Latin 'traversare' which Italian speakers will recognise also in the form 'attraversare'. 3. beneficience 'Yet he might not have been so perfectly humane, so thoughtful in his generosity, so full of kindness and tenderness amidst his passion for adventurous exploit, had she not unfolded to him the real loveliness of beneficence and made the doing good the end and aim of his soaring ambition.' Chapter 2 Although you may find this word in a newspaper like the Wall Street Journal or The New York Times, it is certainly more formal today and more common synonyms are 'benevolence, good-heartedness, kindheartedness, kindliness, kindness or charity'. Originally from Latin 'beneficus' 'generous, kind, benevolent' from 'bene' (good) and 'ficus' from 'ficere', a form of 'facere' (to do, make) 4. ameliorate 'I felt the greatest eagerness to hear the promised narrative, partly from curiosity and partly from a strong desire to ameliorate his fate if it were in my power.' Letter 4 Definitely formal, meaning 'to improve or make better', this verb comes from the French 'améliorer', from 'meilleur' (better). 5. caprice 'We felt that they were not the tyrants to rule our lot according to their caprice, but the agents and creators of all the many delights which we enjoyed.' Chapter 2 This word meaning 'whim, fancy, notion, fad, impulse, quirk, foible, urge', may be slightly more familiar but not as much as its original Italian 'capriccio' and French 'caprice'. There is also the Italian expression 'fare i capricci' which is the equivalent to 'play up', 'fuss' or 'throw a tantrum' in English. 6. conjure 'For some time I was lost in conjecture as to the cause of this, but yesterday an idea struck me, and if it is well founded, I conjure you to avow it.' Chapter 18 Today conjure means 'cause to appear', 'make (something) appear unexpectedly or seemingly from nowhere', 'recall' but its archaic meaning is 'to appeal vehemently to' like in Italian 'scongiurare' (beg, implore) orginally from Latin 'conjurare' ( con - together, jurare - swear ). The begging meaning derives from 'swear' in the sense make a solemn appeal to deity. So don't feel discouraged, you understand more than you think! I hope you have enjoyed this taster. On Tuesday I will also have an infographic available with other words from Frankenstein so if you would like to receive it, just leave me your email address in the comments or via the contact page and I will be pleased to add you on my newsletter list and you will also receive future infographics that I make every month! whim, whimsy, vagary, fancy, notion, fad, freak, humour, impulse, quirk, eccentricity, foible, crotchet, urge |
What is this?When I started lostinclassics I looked for language lessons in the books I was reading, such as for example the use of phrasal verbs or inversion in conditionals and I explained them through examples found in the text. I also did reviews of the books I read and tried to give some advice on how to read classics using the various resources I know of. Then I switched to just reviews and lately I have been doing a bit of creative writing inspired by my reading. Who knows what I will come up with next! Archives
September 2020
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