Some Nights

A few minutes ago, a friend of mine sent me a link to this song, which I'm sure most of you are familiar with:

(The song itself begins at about 1 minute in, so feel free to skip to then.)

Now, I'm not usually one to listen to much modern pop music. I don't have anything especially against it, I just prefer other genres and styles. I believe I first heard this song on the radio, or maybe at a GSP dance, and at that point I didn't pay any particular attention to the lyrics. Musically speaking, it was energetic and anthem-like, so I didn't mind it, but I did not give it much thought beyond that - assuming it would be about love or loss or an idea similarly often captured in pop music.

Final Reflections on A Clockwork Orange

As far as my typical reading selection goes, A Clockwork Orange falls somewhat outside of my usual interest in fantasy and science fiction. In tone, violence, and deeper meaning it is fairly heavy - not to mention the difficult language barrier discussed in an earlier post. All of this aside, it was highly enjoyable as well as thought-provoking from beginning to end. It was well paced, never leading me to feel bored or rushed. Its story was a suspenseful and profound one which I was excited to read beginning to end.

Despite being released over 50 years ago, I feel as if it could have been written yesterday. This is partly a testament to Anthony Burgess's timeless writing: by including classical allusions and using an invented dialect, he eliminated much of what traditionally dates literature. However, possibly more important is the continued relevance of the themes and the ideas he reflects upon, which I doubt will ever lose their value.

NOTE: While I'm not going to go out of my way to spoil everything, by nature of this post it is inevitable that some details of the story will be revealed - possibly even of the climax and resolution. That being said, if you intend to reading A Clockwork Orange and have not already, I recommend against reading further, to avoid losing the benefit of experiencing the story firsthand. Consider yourself warned.

On Cornell Notes

                One of the most useful tools for truly learning various subjects is the physical act of taking notes. The process of writing ideas down, as various learning studies have shown, helps individuals to gain a deeper and more consistent understanding of the topic at hand. In our Literature class, we are continually using note-taking to study various subjects within literature, including plot, theme, and characterization among others.

                I’m not arguing against the validity of notes in and of themselves – but in my opinion, a generic system such as the Cornell note-taking system is not sufficiently effective to be used in all situations. While it may be easier to comprehend on a quick look-over, I feel that it is actually limiting in helping students to comprehend their reading. Cornell notes place a large focus on identifying “main ideas” that may or may not actually cover the important details present.

                Take, for example, the most recent “theme” notes. Where the previous sections were cleanly divided into vocabulary and related details, theme is a broader subject exploring primarily ideas as opposed to specific facts. In my experience, this led to a search for factoids to fit the Cornell format, which ultimately was a detriment to my understanding of the topic. It would be much better to allow for a variety of note formats to allow for these varying situations.

Language as a Tool

There exists a highly diverse arsenal of tools that authors can and often do use to establish the tone and setting of their works. As has been recently discussed in class, this can be exhibited through the construction of the plot itself, allusions to other works or events, the use of metaphor and figurative language, along with a vast array of other techniques. One specific tool example sticks out to me from my years of reading: the use of language itself to deepen the setting and ideas behind a work of literature.