Maddie's Nook

One of the questions that came up during our student led discussion time was the inquiry as to whether Meursault is a dangerous person or not. Many people seemed to have differing opinions on this question, bringing up different attributes about Meursault and his actions to support both views. I can see both sides of the argument, so here are a couple of the main points that were brought up during the discussion time.           The first attribute of Meursault that was discussed was his personality portrayed throughout the novel. A defining factor of Meursault’s personality seems to be his lack of emotion and attachment towards the world and others. One specific example is how he does not have much care towards his mother. When she passed away, Meursault doesn’t have any strong emotions towards the occasion, as seen through the passage, “It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and t...

The closing scene involving Brett and Jake invokes a sense of deja vu, as the scene draws upon many parallels from the first moment of Brett and Jake together. The progression of the novel and the characters add to the culmination of this final scene in comparison to the beginning, exemplifying new developments and differences. One of the first scenes of Brett and Jake depict the two of them together in a car, exchanging signs of affection towards one another. A point of conversation reads,  “You mustn’t. You must know. I can’t stand it, that’s all. Oh darling, please understand!” “Don’t you love me?”      “Love you? I simply turn all to jelly when you touch me” (30). This exchange between Brett and Jake seems to be one of genuinity, as I believe that they do have real feelings for one another. However, a later point in the conversation shows that there are and have been complications with their relationship: “‘And there’s not a damn thing that we could do,’ I ...

          Mrs. Dalloway is a groundbreaking novel for many reasons, one reason being the topics that it touches upon. Virginia Woolf doesn’t shy away from stigmatized topics including PTSD, suicide, and sexuality. The raw and intimate depictions of these concepts shed a light upon undiscussed matters prevalent during the 1920s.  PTSD is present through the character Septimus, as he is severely impacted by the death of his friend Evans from the war. This is shown throughout the novel, for instance as seen on page 91, “A voice spoke from behind the screen. Evans was speaking. The dead were with him. ‘Evans, Evans!’ he cried.” Septimus consistently has vivid memories of the war and the death of his friend. This is partly due to him surviving through four years of the war, something that was an uncommon feat given the time period. While Septimus does go to receive help for his PTSD from Dr. Holmes and Sir William Bradshaw, Dr. Holmes claims that Septimu...

     The complexity and originality of The Mezzanine , depicting Howie’s life throughout the mundane, sets up opportunities for valuable lessons and personal applications. The Mezzanine delves into much more than what is simply a ride up the escalator, sharing quite personal experiences and thought processes of the character Howie. Throughout reading this novel, I was able to take into account different lessons applicable to my life.       The approach of life that is depicted through the novel allowed me to reflect on my personal perspectives of life. Howie seems to wallow in the present moment, taking life day by day and picking apart the small moments. In class discussions, phrases about the book including “expanding and diving into the complexity of life,” and “meaning of life through small and mundane things” stood out to me as highly accurate depictions of the author’s reflection of life. Considering my own life, I feel as though I have a mindset...