Quote Alert!! - Dostoyevsky

"Why, the isolation that prevails everywhere, above all in our age-it has not fully developed, it has not reached its limit yet. For every one strives to keep his individuality as apart as possible, wishes to secure the greatest possible fullness of life for himself; but meantime all his efforts result not in attaining fullness of life but self-destruction, for instead of self-realization he ends by arriving at complete solitude." Dostoyevsky-The Brothers Karamazov p.336

One would be hard-pressed to find a more timeless, relevant and predicting statement. However, I welcome all who are willing to try. Leave a comment!


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Less is More and Thoughts on Bartleby the Scrivener

Previously, I wrote a whole page of pure shit about Bartleby the Scrivener.  After letting it sit for 2 weeks, I came back to edit and realized that less is more, something my mom has been telling me about writing for as long as I can remember (something a professor/friend reinforced during my time in college, as well), so I deleted it. Below is what I really think.

At first, the story finished with a depressing mood. Looking back on it now, the plot was so utterly boring, on most occasions, I found myself disinterested in reading the entire story; though, I finished it out of stubbornness, an appreciation for Melville’s writing, and the few pages it contained. As a matter of fact, the mystery of Bartleby’s origin was the most interesting piece to the puzzle—not his passive defiance or Melville’s struggle to solve the predicament. What kept me so enthralled was the writing itself. Melville, as most great writers do, wrote the story in such a fashion that the lines between reality and fiction were blurred, despite the predominantly boring storyline. There is a fine line between a good story and good writing. A good story contains a strong plot, interesting characters, character development, and a number of other literary techniques. However, good writing demonstrates one’s mastery of language and the ability to manipulate it, crafting a story that gives the impression of reality, yet, it is merely strokes on paper.

While Melville’s story is not what I would call great, his writing is. The manner in which he detailed his three scribes, prior to Bartleby’s arrival, down the very the last scene left no stone unturned. The reader is left with no option but to sympathize with the characters, which coerces one to an internal agreement with the individual’s reasoning and perspectives. This is not a story I will be going back to anytime soon, nor is it one I will soon forget. 

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A Quick Note

I am coming up on two months of inactivity, so here is a note explaining my absence:

I had a problem with my VPN which is what allows me to access this blog. Due to a busy schedule I was in no rush to fix it, nor was I in a rush to read any books. Recently, I fixed my VPN problem, as you can see, and I acquired a collection of short stories to occupy my free time amidst this busy schedule. I look forward to getting back into the groove of things and supplying you with more to read.

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Walden

“There is an incessant influx of novelty into the world, and yet we tolerate incredible dulness.”

If there was ever a man who demonstrated any truth behind these words, it was their penman, Henry David Thoreau. He substantiates a powerful development of self-awareness and independence in, Walden, and frequently argues in favor of living a life not in need of material possessions. His arguments solidify his position against the common desires of most men and women; those interested in the improvement of luxury goods rather than the improvement of their own character. One could argue Thoreau’s ability to live luxuriously came through inner self-investment. He writes on numerous occasions about the importance of one’s ability to manage on one’s own—a problem most are incapable of doing, which Thoreau describes as doing simply because one can. He questions the desire for building larger houses with more material goods and providing telegram lines from Boston to Texas, and finally asks, ”Would it not better if man lived more simply?”

As the narrative moves forward, Thoreau explains his two years at the lake through the evolution of the four seasons. He juts out on nearly unrivaled accounts of his surrounding habitat offering a flawless depictions of nature's bounty—nature writing only the likes of Aldo Leopold’s, Sand County Almanac, has matched. He gave an ant war the qualities of an entire Greek army at battle in one account, and equates the buzz of a mosquito to a trumpet blast in another.  All the while, he maintains a highly critical outlook on the human condition and man’s lack of awareness for, what he argues, are the most fundamental, satisfying experiences life has to offer.

FAVORITE QUOTES

“Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things.”

“For what are the classics but the noblest recorded thoughts of man?”

“Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed and in such desperate enterprises?”

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”

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The Way of Kings: A Lack of Interest and Racism

Before starting this review I should mention that I picked this book up right after finishing, A Dance of Dragons, by Goerge R.R. Martin. My expectations were high; I was ready for another in-depth, detailed novel full of great character development…

The Way of Kings, is a fantasy novel written by Brandon Sanderson who is best known for his Mistborn Series and as the concluding author of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series. I have read neither series, nor do I care to after reading this book. Sanderson’s novel simply failed to produce. For reasons unknown he wrote this fantasy for a teenage reading audience (perhaps his other well-known series are as well). Because of this, the novel was lacking in more ways than one: swearing was nonexistent; kissing, at most, in any romantic scene; descriptions of death were harnessed in for the younger crowd; and character development was seriously lacking. I was thoroughly disappointed at how childish the characters were portrayed, and to be quite frank, they were predictable. Topping it all off, Sanderson relied on magic to keep the momentum of the story moving forward. This problem occurs all too often in fantasy, which leads to downright predictable situations that could otherwise be avoided, and that is precisely the case with this book.

That is not to say all is bad. The story takes place in a world known as Roshar with the bulk of action occurring in the shattered plains, a war-ridden, chasm-filled plateau battered by millennia of colossal storm systems known as highstorms. Even though I found myself repeatedly disappointed while reading, I couldn’t put the book down. The plot was somewhat interesting and fluid, despite annoying interruptions at the end of each section about past events. Sanderson was obviously building up background information in order to explain a big connection later on. The massive war and mystery behind the enemy, a mysterious black race, is enough to keep my interest for another book or two, but that pretty much sums it up as far as redeeming qualities go. Considering the series is rumored to be ten books, waiting for it to end is not likely.

There was one last thing that stood out in this book. A black race named the Parshendi is represented as a dumb race that was conquered and turned into slaves during a massive rebellion in the story’s history. Of course this is a fiction novel so anything goes, but it seems Sanderson is implying something here that makes me question his underlying principles. I would love to read the author who wrote about the enslavement of whites. You know that story has been written.

B.- 

China: A History, and a Reflection on History and Education

            Many, if not all, of the Chinese will tell you China’s history and culture is long, difficult, and confusing to understand. China boasts five thousand years of heritage, which alone is enough to turn the light-of-heart away. Yet, in spite of this daunting task, Harold M. Tanner took this challenge upon himself in his two-volume set, China: A History, to explain China’s extensive past. Volume one, which this review will cover, describes China from 10,000 BCE to 1799 CE, the middle of the Qing Dynasty. The book is chock-full of events about China’s development as a good nation’s history should be, but what stood out above any one event in Tanner’s book were the thoughts that developed throughout Chinese history; particularly ideas on history and methods of education.

          

  Sima Qian (~145-~86 BCE), the first recognized Chinese model of historical writing, was also the first scholarly elite keen to write an objective history. Scholars of the Eastern Han Dynasty had a strong desire to interpret the underlying causes of instability of their time. During the estimated 20 years it took for the transition of the Western Han into the Xin, and eventually the Eastern Han Dynasty a number of natural disasters, rebellions, and a great migration to the south occurred. In an attempt to better understand this mayhem and in effect provide correct information to rulers, “Writers of history were expected to record events faithfully, without trying to please the powerful; for only if accurate could a record of events offer practical moral instruction to the rulers and ministers of present and future generations” (Tanner, 2010, p. 118). In other words a true history would offer proper moral guidance to future rulers, which in turn would allow them to prevent such mayhem from occurring again.

The desire to write an objective history was strong in the 1600’s, as well. Gu Yanwu set the pace for 17^th and 18^th century scholars with his methods. He would look to primary sources, often times stone inscriptions and bronzes, in order to verify events and correct any information that was misreported by Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasty scholars (Tanner, 2010, p. 361). Gu’s approach inspired a group of intellectuals known as practitioners of evidentiary scholarship during the 18^th century. This group felt previous scholars had misinterpreted texts, so they copied Gu’s method and jumped straight to the Han records they had available, some of which may have been Sima Qian’s.

While the scholarly elite was busy with it’s duties, the young mass was studying hard to pass the civil service exams. China’s system during the Song dynasty’s major reformation also took a very objective approach—a common theme in China, it appears. Prior to the reforms it was popular for students to introduce themselves to examiners in order to earn face prior to the test, but the establishment of a number system quickly ended that process. This new method promised a fair chance of upward mobility to all, but in reality, was only available to families who could afford the education (Tanner, 2010, p. 211). Another issue was later recognized as an underlying cause of the government’s weakness in the face of enemies: the civil service exams placed more emphasis on rote learning of philosophy and history than on practical administrative skills (Tanner, 2010, p.211). The objective number system of the song dynasty is similar to the standardized testing that takes place all over the world, which can in turn lead to the failure of teaching applied skills. The skills desired in the course of these two periods may be different but the need for those with the ability to apply what they know has not changed.

According to most of the post-modern academic world, writing an objective history is nigh impossible, though very important to attempt. And here is evidence from 2000 years ago that an unbiased report of historical events might provide a better understanding of the past. While a truly objective history may not be possible, the Chinese scholars of the time understood the importance of an unbiased record. It also seems to be the case that educators on the national level were dealing with some of the same struggles that are met today when trying to educate mass numbers. Objective systems can result in the rote education of a large group who in turn is unable to apply what they know; the attempts at objective history and the struggles in education are but two of many great moments in, China: A History. And though Tanner’s book was a fascinating read, it was yet another reminder of Jean-Baptiste AlphonseKarr’s words, plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose— the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Favorite Quotes

"The empire is not an individual's private enterprise. Whosoever possesses virtue holds it. The army and people are not an individual's private army and people. Whosoever possesses virtue commands them. We now hold it. We took revenge upon the enemy of your ruler-father in place of your dynasty. We burned our bridges behind us, and we have pledged not to return until every bandit is destroyed. In the counties, districts, and locales that we pass through, all those who shave their heads and surrender, opening their gates to welcome us, will be given rank and reward, retaining their wealth and nobility for generations. But if there are those who resist us disobediently, then when our Grand Army arrives, the stones themselves will be set ablaze and everyone will be massacred." - Dorgon of the Qing empire as they conquered Beijing p.344

"They say the momentum of history was ever thus: the empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide." - p.134

"Recognizing that the imperial government was, as the saying had it, supported by the people as a boat is supported by the water—and that the people can overturn the government just as the water can overturn a boat—Li Shimin gave great attention to the most basic of economic issues: grain, labor, and armies" - p.172

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