Honors Humanities Book Club Reflection
For honors humanities, we read three books in the second semester, first we read Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, then Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey and last, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. For each of these books we did a seminar and chose two of the books for a mini-project. The two books I did my mini-projects on were Cat's Cradle and Monkey Wrench Gang. For Cat's Cradle, I chose to do a collage that represented the female idol of the made up island in the book, Mona. For Monkey Wrench Gang I wrote a poem that I felt represented the teenage angst and if they were teenagers, what their mentality would be.
The book that had the most profound impact on me was Monkey Wrench Gang. This is because it is so close to my home and I can understand and see the damage that is portrayed in this book. It was very inspirational, not in the way that makes me want to go blow up damns and sabotage machinery, but to fight for what I think is right. I have decided that as a career I will be fighting for something.
This was challenging because its hard for me to persevere through a book. I can hold other projects and school work on a higher priority than reading any book. I had to remind myself how much I would get out of a book if I finished it. Finishing gave me a chance to look at other worlds and now I do appreciate what some of the books that we read taught me. For example, Cat's Cradle taught me that what I believe, science, can be a religion as well. Which I appreciate very much because it puts science in this other world.
The book that had the most profound impact on me was Monkey Wrench Gang. This is because it is so close to my home and I can understand and see the damage that is portrayed in this book. It was very inspirational, not in the way that makes me want to go blow up damns and sabotage machinery, but to fight for what I think is right. I have decided that as a career I will be fighting for something.
This was challenging because its hard for me to persevere through a book. I can hold other projects and school work on a higher priority than reading any book. I had to remind myself how much I would get out of a book if I finished it. Finishing gave me a chance to look at other worlds and now I do appreciate what some of the books that we read taught me. For example, Cat's Cradle taught me that what I believe, science, can be a religion as well. Which I appreciate very much because it puts science in this other world.
Their Eyes were Watching God- Zora Neale Hurston
Their Eyes Were Watching God Literary Analysis
In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God a young woman perseveres through destructive relationships. This book shows that teenage angst lives through a woman’s whole life. It shows that what you chase can also end in destruction.
Janie’s first experience with the world of love was with a young boy when she acted on impulse. “That was before the golden dust of pollen had beglamored his rags in her eyes.” In this part of the book, Janie becomes curious as any young woman going through puberty would. She saw this boy as an opportunity to experiment, and kisses him as he passes her house. She acted on her hormones rather than any poise. She pays for it seconds later when she finds that her grandma saw the kiss, leading to her next tragedy of love.
This girl’s actions force her grandma to marry her off for protection. “She knew now that marriage did not mean love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman.” When she is with this man she is bored with him. She finds out what the price is of replacing security with dignity when this man threatens to kill her for disobedience. When she is threatened she becomes defensive, and as a young girl rebels against her arranged marriage and leaves. She grows up in this relationship because she has to learn how to tolerate a man that she didn’t want to be with in the first place.
Her third affaire is with a man that takes her as a trophy wife when he is mayor. “The wife of the Mayor was not just another woman as she had supposed. She slept with authority and so she was part of it in the towns mind.” But Janie is neglected as the mayor’s standards for woman are too high, and she did not fit in with such an old man. His sexism gets worse when he becomes too old to function properly, and starts putting her down for being young. When he dies, she learns that with great power, comes horrible heartbreak.
Her last relationship is with a boy named Tea Cake. When she is speaking to her friend, Phoebe, she says, “’He give me every consolation in de world. He’d tell ’em so too, if he was here. If he wasn’t gone.’” Janie was more in love with this boy, and more devoted to his life, than any of the others. However, Tea Cake got rabies and became extremely violent with Janie. Fearing for her life, she killed him. Janie felt so much pain that she returned to her old home town.
In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God a young woman perseveres through destructive relationships. This book shows that teenage angst lives through a woman’s whole life. It shows that what you chase can also end in destruction.
Janie’s first experience with the world of love was with a young boy when she acted on impulse. “That was before the golden dust of pollen had beglamored his rags in her eyes.” In this part of the book, Janie becomes curious as any young woman going through puberty would. She saw this boy as an opportunity to experiment, and kisses him as he passes her house. She acted on her hormones rather than any poise. She pays for it seconds later when she finds that her grandma saw the kiss, leading to her next tragedy of love.
This girl’s actions force her grandma to marry her off for protection. “She knew now that marriage did not mean love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman.” When she is with this man she is bored with him. She finds out what the price is of replacing security with dignity when this man threatens to kill her for disobedience. When she is threatened she becomes defensive, and as a young girl rebels against her arranged marriage and leaves. She grows up in this relationship because she has to learn how to tolerate a man that she didn’t want to be with in the first place.
Her third affaire is with a man that takes her as a trophy wife when he is mayor. “The wife of the Mayor was not just another woman as she had supposed. She slept with authority and so she was part of it in the towns mind.” But Janie is neglected as the mayor’s standards for woman are too high, and she did not fit in with such an old man. His sexism gets worse when he becomes too old to function properly, and starts putting her down for being young. When he dies, she learns that with great power, comes horrible heartbreak.
Her last relationship is with a boy named Tea Cake. When she is speaking to her friend, Phoebe, she says, “’He give me every consolation in de world. He’d tell ’em so too, if he was here. If he wasn’t gone.’” Janie was more in love with this boy, and more devoted to his life, than any of the others. However, Tea Cake got rabies and became extremely violent with Janie. Fearing for her life, she killed him. Janie felt so much pain that she returned to her old home town.
Monkey Wrench Gang- Edward Abbey
Monkey Wrench Gang Seminar Reflection
In this seminar, I was very moved by Lyle comprehending reading the book while he was on an airplane. He talked about how he felt strange because he was in this object that was air-conditioned, and he was reading about the hot desert of Utah. This was interesting to me because I never think about that kind of stuff in the moment, and it was special for him to think about his surrounding compared to the text. I do occasionally think about where I am and what in god’s name am I doing here? It was an interesting comparison to my train of thought compared to his.
One question that sticks out to me was Nicholas’ question about how this relates to human nature. In the text, there is on point where Hayduke and Smith are discussing what part of the desert they want to go to. This part of the book shows the instinct of going for a resource that is dependable, but may be dangerous, and going for resources that you may never get to. It is strongly the natural “fight vs. flight” ideology that Lyle pointed out. Why go for something that you may never get to, when there is food and clean water right there? Because there are people who want to kill you? I think that if I was faced with the same conundrum, I would fight to stay alive, instead of straying into the unknown. Another part of this is that if you go for the fight, there are two things that could happen, you’re killed or you make it to your destination and survive. If you choose flight, the possibilities seem endless. You would get to your resources, which would be ideal, you get lost and die, you don’t make it before you die from exhaustion, starvation, and thirst, or you get caught anyways.
This book made me think about the movie, Guardians of the Galaxy. In this movie, there are a group of rebels who are trying to take down a large power in the universe, who is trying to steal precious jewels that would make him the ultimate ruler of the universe. These rebels all have different reasons for taking down this man, much like the Monkey Wrenchers, and all for personal gain/benefits. The companies in this world, who are also characters in the Monkey Wrench Gang, are searching for and using precious materials in order to become rich and powerful. The similarities in these books are countless. The only differences are that one is intergalactic and the other is reality.
Some more questions that I have for this book are why did Edward Abbey write this novel, is it possible that this type of destruction can be done and make an impact, and why did they do all the little stuff first? If I want to answer these questions, the first place I would look would be an interview with Edward Abbey and see if any questions asked, relate to my own. I also, would look at the reasons for big constructions that alter nature, and what the pros and cons of them are.
I think that based off of the seminar rubric, I deserve a b on the seminar. I didn’t talk a lot, nor did I initiate a new conversation. What I did do was listen which is something that I am really good at, and I definitely internalize what my peers say. I realize that constantly not speaking is something that I need to work on for seminars, and to fix that, I need to become more comfortable with the people that I am seminarian with. It is easy for me when I am the biggest driver expressive in the group. I also think that I deserve a b because when I did speak I was able to point out a specific place in the book as evidence for my argument.
In this seminar, I was very moved by Lyle comprehending reading the book while he was on an airplane. He talked about how he felt strange because he was in this object that was air-conditioned, and he was reading about the hot desert of Utah. This was interesting to me because I never think about that kind of stuff in the moment, and it was special for him to think about his surrounding compared to the text. I do occasionally think about where I am and what in god’s name am I doing here? It was an interesting comparison to my train of thought compared to his.
One question that sticks out to me was Nicholas’ question about how this relates to human nature. In the text, there is on point where Hayduke and Smith are discussing what part of the desert they want to go to. This part of the book shows the instinct of going for a resource that is dependable, but may be dangerous, and going for resources that you may never get to. It is strongly the natural “fight vs. flight” ideology that Lyle pointed out. Why go for something that you may never get to, when there is food and clean water right there? Because there are people who want to kill you? I think that if I was faced with the same conundrum, I would fight to stay alive, instead of straying into the unknown. Another part of this is that if you go for the fight, there are two things that could happen, you’re killed or you make it to your destination and survive. If you choose flight, the possibilities seem endless. You would get to your resources, which would be ideal, you get lost and die, you don’t make it before you die from exhaustion, starvation, and thirst, or you get caught anyways.
This book made me think about the movie, Guardians of the Galaxy. In this movie, there are a group of rebels who are trying to take down a large power in the universe, who is trying to steal precious jewels that would make him the ultimate ruler of the universe. These rebels all have different reasons for taking down this man, much like the Monkey Wrenchers, and all for personal gain/benefits. The companies in this world, who are also characters in the Monkey Wrench Gang, are searching for and using precious materials in order to become rich and powerful. The similarities in these books are countless. The only differences are that one is intergalactic and the other is reality.
Some more questions that I have for this book are why did Edward Abbey write this novel, is it possible that this type of destruction can be done and make an impact, and why did they do all the little stuff first? If I want to answer these questions, the first place I would look would be an interview with Edward Abbey and see if any questions asked, relate to my own. I also, would look at the reasons for big constructions that alter nature, and what the pros and cons of them are.
I think that based off of the seminar rubric, I deserve a b on the seminar. I didn’t talk a lot, nor did I initiate a new conversation. What I did do was listen which is something that I am really good at, and I definitely internalize what my peers say. I realize that constantly not speaking is something that I need to work on for seminars, and to fix that, I need to become more comfortable with the people that I am seminarian with. It is easy for me when I am the biggest driver expressive in the group. I also think that I deserve a b because when I did speak I was able to point out a specific place in the book as evidence for my argument.
Cat's Cradle- Kurt Vonnegut
The Religion: Science
“’All right,’ said Dr. Breed, ‘listen carefully. Here we go.” Cat’s cradle is a book with fake religions, made up people, and a new look at a researcher’s life. Along the way, the author meets many people, all with peculiar personalities, and all with a very important role in telling the entire story. He is trying to figure out what the creator’s life was like the day his atom bomb dropped. This task was not so easy since the creator, Felix Hoenikker, was diseased. One person that the author met was Dr. Asa Breed, who worked with Dr. Hoenikker before he died. Dr. Asa Breed was important to the story because he was a representation of the elderly pretentious population, he gave a lot of insight to Dr. Hoenikker’s life, and he was an enormous part of the metaphor portrayed throughout the book. Dr. Breed’s character had a very particular part in the representation of the human nature, especially when it came to people who have lived through many events. In the book when Dr. Breed and the Author are arriving at the research laboratory, they begin walking and talking to a secretary. She calls a certain display in the laboratory “magic.” Dr. Breed responded, “Every one of those exhibits explains itself. They’re designed so as not to be mystifying. They’re the antithesis of magic.” In this part of the book he is claiming that the word and the use of it is completely absurd. He is a man of science. Anything magical is science, every emotion is science, every object is science, and every idea is science. He is very full of himself in thinking that what he knows is the absolute, universal truth. You see this in the attitude of many people who have is many (quantity is equal to quality in this sense) experiences. He has experience enough for an age of time, he knows everything that has happened to him and sees other people’s lives consisting of the same wisdom and respect. Kurt Vonnegut uses Dr. Breed in the story as a foreshadow. He talks about the life of a scientist and how they work in the name of science, and nothing else. “I’m sick of people misunderstanding what a scientist is, what he does.” Dr. Breed defends science by using an example from Dr. Hoenikker’s research. It is called ice-nine. This invention is fabled in the scientific world, however Felix Hoenikker did create such a thing. Dr. Breed talked about how secluded Felix was, because he was always thinking about his work. In one part of the author and Dr. Breed’s Conversation he mentions that Dr. Hoenikker never ate with anyone, because no one was allowed to eat with him. He was a “science man.” In this book, Dr. Breed is a symbol that is shared between the world of science and the world of religion. If he were a religious man he would be a priest. In the book he preaches about Dr. Hoenikker as a man held on a platter, just like someone would preach about Jesus or God. He becomes offended easily when someone questions his faith, however I am not implying that every priest does. Dr. Breed is one of the more obvious symbols in this book in terms of the similarities between the two worlds. Dr. Breed was a man who was extremely, strongly opinionated, gave information that led the author to other discoveries, and was a symbol of similarities between religion and science. This book is a huge symbol of the religion of science, and in contrast to more widely followed religions. “’I only told you all this in order to give you some insight into the extraordinary novelty of the ways in which Felix was likely to approach an old problem.”’ -Dr. Breed |