Thursday, August 25, 2011

the grandma saga continued

Well for the past week I have had a hard time getting things done or going to bed early. I know I need to be posting about Evelina or some sort of book but depression and heart ache seem to get in the way. I should be productive it is just hard to be, and I would cook but I worry that would depress me more and I love to cook. I do now know who I am dedicating my thesis too , given that my grandma and I used to gossip all the time. I need to be more productive and will try to be know to stop blogging and distract myself with much reading and studying and wishing this empty feeling in my stomach would go away and the feeling that something is missing and I can't put my finger on it.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

A serious of unfortunate events aka my life as of lately

I know I usually spend my posts discussing books and some integration about my private life in relation to books. Well this blog post will be mostly concentrated on my private life with minimal references to literature if any at all. There has been this temporary change of topic because I have just found out that my grandma has died. Her and I were really close. We spent our time talking about baking, cooking, crossword puzzles and working on really big puzzles. Also one of my favorite past times with her was exchanging family gossip because her and I were both really noisy and it always intrigued me what other family members were up to since most of them lived in other states. She was always active and busy and never acted her age. I still haven't cried over this as much as I have hoped to, probably because I lost one of my other favorite grandparents as of a decade ago. So I am pretty sure that is the only reason I am somewhat keeping it together and when I am socializing with people, I just tend to hold back the tears. Its just my life as of late has seemed like one bad event after another and this was just the icing on the cake.
Also on top of this I have found out that my brother might be moving back into the house because of family financial difficulties. It just feels like too much in a short period of time. I just want time to breath and relax, forget and repress. Even though, I dislike those who repress and always keep things in, the hypocrite that I am this seems like my safest bet for now as long as it does not have a negative effect on my health. I know I shouldn't repress and need to stop distracting myself at some point, but it just seems easier than grieving, crying and getting no sleep. If anyone has any coping tips or suggestions to deal with this kind of loss, and to get it all out, I will gladly listen to them.


Monday, August 15, 2011

The Witlings review part two

Alright, I am sure you all have read enough about the Witlings but I still have more to share. The many liet motifs in this play seem to be nothingness and constant interruptions. I say that nothing is a theme because there does not seem to be a lot of serious discussions among the Espirit group or whenever Jack enters a room. I admit things become serious when Cecilia has lost all her money and is wanting to be comforted by Beaufort but these serious moments are few and far between.
Additionally, it is hard to find seriousness in a play where characters seem to be constantly interrupting one another in every scene. Mrs. Voluble is always interrupting the discussion in the milliners shop, Jack makes constant interruptions some needed some not, or Lady Smatter constantly cutting people off in a so called "discussion" about literature. I think this ability to not let someone finish their own thought is significant because sometimes this person could be something really important or trivial. This is seen by Codger who never seems to be able to finish a thought in the first place. Oddly enough as I am typing this and trying to finish my thoughts I am getting interrupted by the laughter of others. Also, this inability to finish one's thoughts makes the reader wonder what they would have said if they could have finished there thought in the first place. I still am wondering if Codger will ever finish what he means to say or if Jack will ever slow down to say anything significant in the first place. The ability to voice one's opinions is important with mass printing available in England, because a slanderous account or poem about someone could ruin their reputation. (spoiler alert)
Censor proves this when he blackmails Lady Smatter into letting Beaufort marry Cecilia because if she won't approve that many a slanderous ballads will be spread about her throughout the coffee houses. This shows that one's name in print can make or brake one's reputations depending on what is being said in the first place. Lady Smatter is facing similar problems of movie stars or socialites of LA or NY , but without the worry of paparazzi. I think this also shows that when one faces a name being in print or having private knowledge turned public then no good can come of it. I think there are similar problems today through fb, and while I do love their game apps, nothing good happens when their are status changes from single to a relationship for exes, or it shows public friend fights and then people block friends or delete them. However, it is also to keep family members in touch with one another when others or sick. I just think it is plays like Burney's The Witlings and Sheridan's The School of Scandal that makes me wonder what knowledge should be accessible for private or public space? Why is some information deemed that it should be in private space? What is its importance? These are questions I am sure I will be thinking about as I try to work on my thesis.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Witlings review part one

Well I just finished reading most of the play The Witlings by Frances Burney. I have six pages left so I will finish my commentary tomorrow. A play that she did not become known for until the 1990's even though it was published in 1779 shortly after her first novel Evelina. She defied stereotypes in writing a comedic play that was full of satire. She was the Tina Fey of the 1770's. She showed this further through biting the hand that feeds her thorough out this play. It has been theorized that Burney is mocking Elizabeth Montague and the Bluestockings throughout all the scenes. Additionally, she is showing the hard economic times of London from 1778 to 1781 when they were having stock market difficulties. This is displayed through the milliners trying to get paid by their clients and Cecilia losing all her money because it was all invested in one stock.
But, even with this social commentary that Burney is displaying their seems to be a continuous themes of self sufficiency and scandal. I think self sufficiency is a theme because Cecilia and Beaufort throughout the play continual wish that they were not dependent on others. I can relate to this theme because as I am trying to make it through grad school and work on my thesis with my main goal in mind is to be self sufficient and support my self. The American Dream I suppose but one that has become further impeded by high unemployment rates and a recession. Also I get this continual reminder that I have not achieved said steps necessary to support myself. These reminders while helpful just continue to stress me out more in the process. I know this has nothing to do with The Witlings but I am sure that their are plenty of my peers in their 20's who are facing similar difficulties within their own lives.
Now to go the tangent of scandal this to me shows how through the ability to mass produce print that scandal can tear someone's reputation to shreds. This can be seen today in Gossip Girl, The Hills, and Pretty Little Liars or facebook. Also, I find it funny that Burney spends half the play satirizing Montague and the Bluestockings when Montague has supported her and her father in their writing projects. She could ironically destroy her own reputation through the producing of this play. However many shows have satirized big corporations such as 30 Rock, and Studio 60 on the Sunset strip and have gotten away with it with their reputations in place. Burney might be taking a risk but she is just trying to make light of her observations around. A point I hope to further prove with her use of satirizing in letters when I have started and finished reading Evelina. There also are many liet motifs in this play worth discussing along with an in-depth character analysis but I think that they will have to wait for the next post. Additionally, I hope to leave you readers with this quote that seems apt to this play by David Shannon "Life is not simple, and therefore history, which is past life, is not simple.".