There is an old German saying that an apple generally does not fall far from its tree. A pure nature versus nurture argument, it is usually reserved for decrying unpleasant traits inherited by a wicked person’s offspring, but this philosophy has uses for dramatists too; and in King Lear, Shakespeare often paints Goneril and Regan […]
To “Fall from Bias of Nature”: A Dissenting Opinion on Good Cordelia Read More »
As I ponder Walpolian and Radcliffean female characterizations, in an Airbus bound for Los Angeles, a prospective couple in a seat behind me attempts pairing. After casual chit-chat, the y-chromosome bearer asserts to a candidate for a computer science master’s program at University of Southern California, how surprising her success is, given that women are
Falling Faster Than a Helmet From the Sky. Read More »
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. SalingerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars Another book where I make a new discovery each time I read it. As a youth, I adopted some of the character’s contempt for fitting in, and then in the 90s, when I went on a literary beatnik immersion, I understood the
Revisiting An Old But Still Relevant Gem Read More »
Ulysses by James JoyceMy rating: 3 of 5 stars This story of typical people from Dublin being ordinary is one of the oddest novels I’ve ever read. Though there are many admirers, it’s clear that the target audience for this book is James Joyce, and it celebrates his self-pleasure and creative freedom. This novel was