Book Shelf is a page devoted to book reviews, which are entirely written by Graysen Montel, a first year English major at Drexel University.
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Review of War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning
Chris Hedges’ War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning embraces a unique perspective on a topic previously discussed solely in terms of its violent consequences and negative impacts.
His first-hand account documenting his personal experiences on the battle field in this revolutionary memoir opens up a whole new perspective into the psychological components of war. Hedges attempts to navigate the mental influences as well as the emotional and humanitarian impacts reflecting the fundamental values expressed by the military and combat scenarios. He exploits the complexity of ethics when in a situation requiring moral compromise as a law. Hedges discusses his theory that due to the lack of morally based law during combat, when one returns home they miss the blood lust, crave the freedom of these laws and desire the power they had been given over others. He depicts a realistic version of combat in the sense of what it does to the human psyche.
Throughout the novel, in each of his seven chapters, he depicts his experiences and the effects they had, both long and short term. He feels that there is a sense of staleness, a lack of power and social expectations needed to be met upon returning from combat. This is a struggle that several soldiers experience, but do not discuss due to its unconventional nature rooting back to human desire. With the lack of adrenaline, power over others, and restricted rules, many find that they miss the battlefield in the sense that it gives a purpose. He captures this theory both in personal ventures, scientific evidence and outside sources. In each chapter, Hedges exposes a piece of how war is necessary to escape the grounded rules of society.
Chris Hedges makes an impact in his work, in addition to being insightful with the material, original with the ideas and subject matter, he also creates a distinctive environment for the reader by using theatrical word choice and structural, stylistic components. His shift of tone occurs in perfect rhythm when he alters his topic throughout the piece. Additionally, his stylistic decision to structure the work in seven chapters and jump around chronologically mirrors the frantic nature of the subject. Each of the seven chapters begin with a quote, an imaginative strategy to submerge the reader in a sense of scholarship as well as give them a small peek into the future of that chapter. This strategy is effective in clearly stating the theme of that section as well as encompassing his creative influence originating from other significant people throughout history. By using these quotes he uses their words to support his theory.
Hedges critiques societal pressure surrounding the military based on his personal experiences after serving, his and his colleagues’ struggles lead the storyline as a prime component reflecting the flaws of the system for veteran. As he highlights how war drives society, he tells personal stories from his own life making this novel classified as a memoir. This formatting and theme is completely new to the genre of non-fiction and is a rare structure for a memoir. Constructing a memoir in such a manner allows for more creative liberty and represents his desire to challenge the social normality. Regarding his choice to stylize a memoir in this manner, the tactic succeeded in adding a personal component to an otherwise academic and theoretical piece.
Overall, War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, is a strong piece of literature in an academic as well as humanitarian sense. He explored new issues regarding the modern world and expressed ideas not understood as clearly as previous topics among conflict. In addition to creating a piece of art, exposing flaws in human tendency during war, he also created innovative techniques in a literary sense. By choosing to write a memoir exhibiting more thoughts than his own, he reached a conclusion that satisfied more voices than just his own. He also gave an unusual twist to formatting and outside influence with his ingenious use of recognizable quotes at the beginning of each chapter. This experimenting with structure, genre, stylistic choices and theme allowed a unique view to receive recognition it deserves.
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A Review of the Prominence of Discrimination and Mistreatment in Huckleberry Finn
In Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn there is a consistent exposure of the time periods inequality and discrimination in many different scenarios as well as on several levels, varying in reasons for this inequality. Twain openly displays several variations of discrimination including judgement for reasons such as race, gender, and status. He prominently and intentionally displays a level of segregation and injustice to challenge the society he is found in. Twain insults society by using these inadequacies against them, assigning the racism, segregation and sexism to characters that either too young and immature to know better or are the story’s antagonists. This is evident by passages from the plot, the diction, and the situations found within the storyline. The aspects of racism, are concluded and called out by word choice, situations, treatment, and status. The sexism is explored, being displayed by the level of status, independence, and intelligence by female characters in question within the novel. These are all views expressed by society, protagonists, and context in Twain’s work showing the inequality of his society and the variations of ways to discriminate and groups to oppress in the 1800’s.
The first topic that shows a clear gap in equality is the abundance of different forms and severity of racism. For example, the word choice used by Huck to oppress Jim, an African American on the run from slavery. Huck’s racism shows the dysfunctional society Twain finds himself in, and is exploiting racisms ridiculousness by having an uneducated child be the one executing the racism. Huck mistreats and abuses Jim throughout the plot and in several scenarios tricks him, or considers turning him in to be sold like property. In some specific instances Huck suppresses Jim by humiliating him, for example by having him be painted blue and dressed up, or the frequent abandonment of Jim. Lastly, Huck uses the N word on a regular basis, implying Jim is inferior to him. All of these demonstrate how racist society is during this era, and how Twain mocks it with having a child who is uneducated be the one being racist.
Twain also calls his society out for being shallow when it comes to status and economic values. He mocks society by having the charming protagonist Huck, be judged before people know him based on the quality of his clothing, living space, and his lifestyle. He is considered uncivilized and ruled necessary of change because he doesn’t conform to fancy clothes, the same cooking and cleaning rituals, polite behavior and religious practices deemed acceptable. Huck is forced to alter his appearance and living to be deemed acceptable in society, having to attend church, eat different foods, and instead of sleeping outside, sleep in a bed in nice clothing. As well as attending school and having lessons of what being civilized is, despite the uncivilized nature of forcing someone to change their ways.
Also exposed in this novel is the discrimination of women. How shocking it was for Huck to meet a woman who was intelligent enough to put two and two together when she saw smoke from an island right after there was a runaway. She also was clever enough to figure out Huck wasn’t who he said he was, and Huck later states how he was surprised at how bright a woman was. We also see this theme reappear when women are treated lesser than men. Twain sheds light on this inadequate representation of women by having likable characters be women or the protagonist admit to being fond and impressed by the intelligence of a woman.
Twain exposes the inequality of his time period with the mockery of racism, sexism and the shallowness of judging based on economic status. He mocks these by having characters execute them in ignorant ways, having young children who haven’t learned yet execute the discrimination, oppression and mistreatment. As well as having the readers grow fond of characters that contradict these societal problems, like an intelligent woman, or a person who isn’t racist emerge in the novel.
The Sinners are the Saints- An Analysis and Review of the Gods of The Odyssey
Struggling with making mistakes and doing wrong is something all people fight with internally on a daily basis, everyone in existence has their own demons and in attempt to learn, cleanse, and heal our wrongdoings we look up to heroic figures as well as seek guidance from the powerful and divine religious beings that are classified to being superior to ourselves. The Greek higher powers were known in historical legends for tales of wisely leading mortals in the cosmos, being depicted through legend to demonstrate their greater power and status, simply better creations then ourselves. Though still makings mistakes and having flaws, the Gods and Goddesses were considered purer and just in unleashing their inner demons. But we are mortals, inferior to those heroic, mighty beings whom we respect, but often, more so then we expect or admit too, our leaders make the most mistakes, and commit the most sins. In ancient Greece the gods of Olympus and other impressive legendary heroes were worshiped and respected, admired, to be obeyed, feared, and to model after. Pure beings, such as leaders, royals and heroes were considered examples and looked up to them. But how can we use people as examples when they commit the most sin and do the most spiritual and moral harm. Despite being supernatural ,great presences in Homers The Odyssey the gods and heroes sins are exposed to be the most regular, and serious offenders of sin. Existing with unconditional purity is impossible to achieve even in an immortal lifetime, however Gods and Heroes committing the Christian seven deadly sins consciously, and frequently is distinctly corrupt and sinister.
Boastful, Conceited, and Arrogant, are words that depict the meaning of Pride "Excessive belief in one’s own ability” (Seven DeadlySinsBible.com). Gods mostly commit the sin of Pride, symbols and representations hint at the relation of the sin of Pride being related to the Greek Gods. For example, the official color of the Greek gods is purple, and the color representing Pride is also purple. Their Pride and desire for dignity and respect is clear, the Gods often exert their power over mortals for the pleasure of watching them be inferior and weaker, in turn boosting themselves and maintain a hierarchy. Also, Odysseus also exposed his traits of Pride, by feeling the need to overbear and overprotect his good name by killing all suitors, he felt his ego and image were damaged, but he didn’t stop after those at fault were dead. After murdering the 108 suitors, he continued to savagely take unnecessary actions to stroke his ego and repair his fragile pride, beyond the damage that was done.
The first and most commonly known sin is also the most severe sin to execute. Described as “Forceful, often vindictive anger, or Punishment or vengeance as a manifestation of anger” (Webster Dictionary.com) but in religious contexts, the incarnation of pure evil. Wrath, the embodiment of rage, it expresses a lack of self-control and a release of unjustified violence. First displaying the sin of wrath and Anger is Odysseus, our valiant hero. Odysseus expressed the sin of Wrath; he deceives, blinds, abuses, and unnecessarily taunts Polyphemus. As well as viciously slaughtering the suitors, murdering even those few innocent, showing no mercy or empathy. He displayed violence, a taste for carnage, and exposed his rage. Additionally showering his wrath upon the female servants of his home, forcing them to clean up the butchered men and then continued the bloodshed by first demanding them to be cut into pieces and fed to the dogs “The prince will chop you up into pieces here and now!” (Odyssey pg.386) Then being overall satisfied, and not remorseful about taking him bloody revenge. Also, Telemachus alongside his father participated in the wrathful slaying of the suitors. Demonstrating his own intense wrathful demon, in addition to assisting in the bloodbath of the suitors deaths, he was responsible for the killing of the servant women, demanding they be killed and hung. Next is a God, Poseidon, exhibiting his Wrath, stretches down to earth to send a formidable storm to destroy Odysseus’ ship, and succeeds in doing so, killing many out of anger and vengeance. However, all of the Greek gods also express their Wrath and punish mortals, playing with the mortal lives like wooden building blocks.
The sin of infidelity, indulging in bodily pleasure and satisfaction is next to be explored. Lust, “the intense desire or craving for something, usually in a sexual nature” (Webster Dictionary.com). Odysseus, our protagonist who is generally well respected and admired, commits in the sin of Lust, being sexually unfaithful to his wife, Penelope and having multiple affairs in the interest of pleasure. He had confirmed intimate encounters with Circe, Calypso, and possibly others. Additionally, the Gods committed lust frequently, most having multiple partners to pleasure them physically, some even being specially selected mortals. For example, Helen of Troy was supposedly a product of Zeus and a human. Or the goddess Calypso and Odysseus having a romantic attachment, and Aphrodite being literally the Goddess of love and sex. Sloth, commonly referred to as laziness or lethargy, is exposed next in Homer’s works. Telemachus, partaking in the sins of Sloth, he was severely lazy and idle in becoming a man, having to be quite literally handed everything from the goddess, Athena. He also was slothful by being too lethargic to protect and defend his own self, father’s honor, his own mother, and home, and resources from the gluttonous suitors. Telemachus was completely physically capable of shielding his home from the desecration caused by the suitors but was simply waiting for his father to take care of it.
Greed, desiring more than needed, wanting all that is available. The Greek Gods display their greedy hunger for power fighting over being a patron god of cities, demanding the unconditional respect, love, loyalty, fear and obedience of all the humans. These examples show their Greed. But, in The Odyssey these particular things are only eluded too, not explicitly laid out on the table. But addressing those sins that were directly and clearly committed, with evidence to support them.
The battle with evil and the tempting power associated with it is difficult to maintain control over, we fail in this struggle on occasion, but we expect our valiant heroes and divine spiritual guides to have a greater resistance to these demons and to be flawless, or close to it. But despite looking up to our respected ideals, they don’t make the same amount of mistakes and commit sin as much as inferior mortals do, but more often than ourselves as a species. Our idea of a perfect being shouldn’t be these supposed heroic beings and Gods of Olympus because they sin on a daily basis, showing how truly evil these creations of the cosmos are, their existence is more sinful then our own.
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Review of Exit West- A Breakout Novel about Love, Loss, and Escape
Exit West is written by Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid, an award winning novel and was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2017. The book has rave reviews and is critically acclaimed, even recently given the green light to be made into a movie. Pleasure readers as well as literary scholars agree that this book took the nation by storm and thrived not only financially on the store shelf but also thrilled in the hands and imagination of readers.
Exit West is an inspiring story of life challenges, international awareness, love and war. It centers around the realistic depiction and close to home adaptation of the topic of a war torn Middle Eastern nation. But, then plot also centers around a young and dynamic couple in love desperately trying to survive and escape the dangerous battleground of their former society they find themselves trapped in. Exit West encompasses the terrifying experiences many people face when fleeing a war torn nation. Hamid is able to take his own past and personal knowledge and ink it beautifully onto the page in an honorable and dignified manor, while maintaining the reality of the situation. Hamid crafts a respectful but also very eye opening story that follows a young couple in love and their families trying to survive. I have never encountered a story as well crafted and well balanced as this novel. It has a beautiful range of tragedy, love, suspense, and satire. As well as respectfully but still accurately depicts a war torn nation on the brink of destruction.
The novel also opens up discussion about challenging topics as well as educates the population about international issues of both war and immigration. It also skillfully educates as well as invokes sympathy for those in the Middle East experiencing this struggle in modern times. As immigration and Civil war particularly in the Middle East is a difficult topic and hot button issue in the current political climate it is no question that this novel is a brave and educating breath of fresh air. This very internationally aware novel opens discussion, educates about culture and modern obstacles of the region to the audience, and is a fantastic read for travelers and those with global interests.
Hamid’s incredible account of the harsh reality of Civil War focuses on a ravaging conflict in the Middle East and demonstrates the everyday destruction and dangerous challenges people face in a war-torn country that people outside of the situation couldn’t understand and normally wouldn’t consider. But, notably the novel encompasses and attacks the false stereotypes about that region and culture that many people are not aware of, acting as a catalyst of change in perspective and educating readers on the reality of the culture as well as the reality of war. As people, including our main characters Saeed and Nadia, are trapped by the brutal combat the author himself is familiar with. He beautifully crafts a depiction of events without censoring gruesome details and also manages to expose the best and worst elements of the regions culture in an accurate and positive light, something that is rarely seen regarding the nations in the Middle East in modern media.
In addition to an international education and display of cultural awareness this anti-war novel also acts as a love story. Exit West has these creative and fictional elements to entertain the reader as well as invoke humanity and emotional investment from the reader. It is heartening and suspenseful to care deeply about two characters as the attempt to weather the violent events unraveling in their nation, and makes the reader genuinely consider the consequences and care about the outcome despite being removed from such conflicts in their real life. As battles rage in the streets and life itself is complicated, the love story of Saeed and Nadia adds another layer of dimensions and complexity to an already bleak and dangerous situation by showing this other more personal element. It also is intriguing and unique to see a violent and destructive story have a positive, light element such as love emerge in the plot despite the hostile and volatile environment.
The love of Nadia and Saeed is full of quirks and unique elements that shows their personalities, such as the fierce tenacity and intelligence of Nadia, and the familial drive of Saeed. Traditionally, women have the loving, gentle, family related drive and the men have the bravery and strength when categorizing characters, however Hamid switches these gender roles in Exit West. This change challenges not only our gender stereotypes, but also the assumption about gender roles in the cultures of the Middle East as well. Their love is realistic, as they face typical obstacles such as their families and living situations in addition to the more serious, life threatening challenges of survival they face in their war torn society. Despite the ominous world surrounding them, they find happiness in the small things and rely on hope and the goodness of strangers to find a way out. Their relationship is deep and complex, dimensional and adds a layer of intimacy to the dire situation. Despite all the hopelessness surrounding them, they continue to fight, and continue to love one another, and that strength is what leaves us rooting for them.
Critics and book lovers alike all agree that Exit West is a phenomenal novel, as both a well structured and executed story as well as a great and inspiring story. Exit West is an informative, interesting, and engaging read especially for young adult readers, internationally interested individuals, adult readers and travelers. This is a perfect read for a summer beach read, a winter break read, or an airplane read as you can’t put it down and are so invested in the characters time melts away. I highly recommend this read to anyone looking for a relatively quick read full of love, inspiration, and awareness with a lot of heart and soul.