The Great Gatsby: Commonplace Book

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” 
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby


I love the imagery in this quote. Usually, we think of birth and the start of life as new and fresh, just as the world is after winter. Spring is a time of renewal, and new beginnings. This deviates from a commonly accepted idea, and suggests a new time line, one which which I as a student can identify. Summer is the end of the school year, but marks the start of a separate chapter, one that was, for me at least, marked by new adventures to have, new places to go, new people to meet, new books to read... new everything. It's a time when we finally have the leisure to stay outdoors all day, enjoying the sunshine and foliage that were also described in the quote. It almost perfectly depicts the wonderful feeling of knowing you have an entire summer ahead of you. 

The Tyger: Commonplace Book

       I love this poem by William Blake for a few reasons, the most interesting of which is that fact that I don't understand any of it, and love it anyways. It could be a very creative metaphor for love, or government, or justice, or something, or it could literally just be a poem about a tiger. And even though I'm not really sure, I don't care. The words themselves are lovely enough that they can stand alone without whatever weight their meaning imparts, which is an impressive feat. 

Rhetorical Analysis : George Saunders

George Saunders, an acknowledged American writer of essays, short stories, and children’s books, delivered a lengthy speech to Syracuse University’s graduating class of 2013. It was an interesting take on graduation speeches, as it began with an ode to the many others that came before him. “Down through the ages, a traditional form has evolved for this type of speech, which is: Some old fart, his best years behind him, who, over the course of his life, has made a series of dreadful mistakes (that would be me), gives heartfelt advice to a group of shining, energetic young people, with all of their best years ahead of them (that would be you).” His opening remarks set the tone for what was to come – a delightfully agreeable speech that spoke to students at their level while both entertaining and educating, a feat not easily mastered.

Last Lines: Commonplace Book

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

The Great Gatsby, F.Scott Fitzgerald

"After all, tomorrow is another day."

Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell

"'From the Land of Oz,' said Dorothy gravely. 'And here is Toto, too. And oh, Aunt Em! I'm so glad to be at home again!'"

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum

"I wish you all a long and happy life."

The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold

"It's funny. Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."

The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger

"But wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the Forest a little boy and his Bear will always be playing."

The House At Pooh Corner, A.A. Milne

"For Siddalee Walker, the need to understand has passed, at least for the moment. All that was left was love and wonder."

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Rebecca Wells

"Again and again I called out for Midori from the dead centre of this place that was no place."

Norwegian Wood, Haruki Murakami

"And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever."

Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer

"'When the day shall come, that we do part,' he said softly, and turned to look at me, 'if my last words are not ‘I love you’ – ye’ll ken it was because I didna have time.'"

The Fiery Cross, Diana Gabaldon

       Last lines are not usually viewed as the most important lines of a book. Instead, they are often the last to be planned, the last to be written, and the last to be edited. But the last lines of a book are often as important as the first, as the provide the reader with a final, lasting impression, and as the last thing read, may be what is most remembered. This is a collection of ten good final lines, lines that make an impression both on their own and within the context of the story. They come from a wide range of books, some of which are more respected than others. What they have in common is their creativity, their effect on the reader, and their ability to serve as inspiration in my own writing. 

Lecture Recap : Dr. Mesle of the Los Angeles Review of Books

       Last Wednesday, I attended a lecture given by Dr. Mesle, the Senior Humanities Editor for Los Angeles Review of Books, and Co-Editor of avidly.org. The topic was "Why We Write and Where," and although I did not expect it to be the most beneficial, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of information, and the manner in which it was presented. 

       Perhaps most relevant to my own struggle with writing was her advice on how to become a writer for the internet. Her overall theme was "just start writing" - don't allow personal fears or insecurities prevent you from making progress. Start a blog, and start writing. That way, when you eventually apply for a job, you'll have material to show them, material that demonstrates your voice and abilities.
       When writing for an internet audience, it's important to keep a few factors in mind: 

• Grammar matters! Even in writing for the internet, grammar is important because good grammar sets your work apart from the many, many others out there. Why would anyone read bad writing when there's perfectly good writing on the same topic that is easily accessed? 
• Consider your audience. Why should they care enough to read your writing? 
• Consider the effect your writing has on the audience. What will they learn, or take away?
• What makes your article different from, or better than, others of similar topics? It's important to consider timeliness and relevance - a recap of a show that aired Sunday night should be posted by Monday morning. 

Perhaps her most important tip was to write with as much interest, voice, and even passion as you can. You have to care for your audience to care, but you also have to recognize the difference between things you can get an audience to care about, and things you can't. Minute details will probably not appeal to the masses, and it's important to weed those out so that they don't lose your readers. 

Rearview Mirror: Commonplace Book

"Then one day you look in the rearview mirror of your existence and realize that you can see clear down the hill-less and curveless and bridgeless road of your life, straight to the maternity ward where you were born. And then you go to college. Where your bland past meekly follows, sluggishly scraping its feet on the floor."

I Was Told There’d Be Cake, by Sloane Crosley

This quote is a great one - it has metaphors, a ritual of three, and generally just a really descriptive way of looking at life. I'm not so good with informal writing - I tend to be plain and to the point, which is good for educating, but not so good for entertaining. I'm working on that, and quotes like this serve as my inspiration. 

Proverbs : Commonplace Book

"If, at the time of choosing, Claire hadn't precisely reckoned the cost, she had, nevertheless, no right to expect others to help make up the reckoning.The trouble with Clair was, not only that she wanted to have her cake and eat it too, but that she wanted to nibble at the cakes of other folk as well." 
p 87, Passing, by Nella Larsen

       This is an interesting play on the well-known proverb, "She wanted to haver her cake and eat it too." It gives us very interesting imagery while also providing a commentary on Claire's character. We may not know exactly what the proverb means, but we do know that it's something that's generally looked down upon. It's selfish or greedy, and the idea that she is eating everyone else's cake in addition to her own goes so far as to sound absurd. We haven't met this woman, but we almost instantly dislike her. This use of a proverb is unique because it builds on it, instead of changing or altering it.