i have to confess that I've discovered that i have more difficulty reading this book than i have with most in the past. sometimes i have to read things twice or even three times before i understand them. sometimes i still don't understand them. but i think that's ok. after all, we'll never understand anything. and the assignment wasn't to understand the book. only to read it.
maybe i'm insane, but i've always had an affinity for deep theological discussions between fictional characters. perhaps it's the thin level of separation from "reality" that appeals to me. when i'm reading such discussions, i can think about what the characters are saying without having to come to any concrete conclusions myself. because i've always hated having to make decisions. anyways, i ramble. i actually enjoyed the chapters covering Ivan and Aloysha's discussion of God. and i think that Ivan makes a very convincing argument when he asks what kind of God would allow little children to suffer. i'm of the opinion that anyone who abuses a child, especially in the manner Ivan describes of the little girl, deserves to burn in a special layer of hell. and yet...and yet.
there's just something about the argument that doesn't quite make sense to me. perhaps it's that i'm not sure that children are born purely innocent. after all, no one has to teach a child to misbehave. yet, i digress, and i fear i stray into realms into which i should not venture. i wished to point out the detail of the Captain and his insane pride, which is not only Russian, but an infection spread to all of mankind. we refuse help when we most need it and cry of our misfortune, we remain so blind that we cannot see what would be best for is. perhaps the Karamazov curse is not lust at all, but rather blindness. no, i must correct myself. blindness is the curse placed upon mankind as a whole.
the difference between a tragedy and a shame as Professor Sexson described it was very intriguing to me. it is a shame that your great-grandfather's heart finally gave out; it is a tragedy that your small cousin was hit by a car. tragedy has to do with unclaimed experiences, being cut down before your time. forgive me. i'm merely unraveling my very jumbled brain tonight.
however. i did want to speak about a book that had changed my life. a book? can i possibly pick the one piece of brilliance that had the most effect on my life? very well. i'll choose the one that first comes to mind. Quest for Celestia, by an author known as Steven James. i've read a great deal of James' work and am quite fond of it. however, Quest for Celestia stands out for...quite honestly, i'm really not sure why. it's a parody of the classic Pilgrim's Progress, which i have read, but i loved the fresh picture that James painted. i can't think of the reason right now. do i need a reason?
No comments:
Post a Comment