One Flesh : Poetry Analysis

One Flesh by Elizabeth Jennings

Lying apart now, each in a separate bed,
He with a book, keeping the light on late,
She like a girl dreaming of childhood,
All men elsewhere - it is as if they wait
Some new event: the book he holds unread,
Her eyes fixed on the shadows overhead.

Tossed up like flotsam from a former passion,
How cool they lie. They hardly ever touch,
Or if they do, it is like a confession
Of having little feeling - or too much.
Chastity faces them, a destination
For which their whole lives were a preparation.

Strangely apart, yet strangely close together,
Silence between them like a thread to hold
And not wind in. And time itself's a feather
Touching them gently. Do they know they're old,
These two who are my father and my mother
Whose fire from which I came, has now grown cold?

 

 

My GCSE groups looked at this poem last week. Most of them liked this poem. I think it's great, there is so much within it. To help anyone who might be studying GCSE English, and to thrill the rest of you with some poetry reading, I thought I would write a quick analysis of the poem. You lucky things!

 

Let's start with the first stanza.

In this stanza we have a picture of a couple in their bedroom. They are 'each in a seperate bed'. This signifys a seperation between the couple- they are physically not as close as they could be. We can read into this (as is the point in poetry), and infer that emotionally the couple are also distant.

The male in the relationship is 'with a book', a usual bedtime activity. Yet in the fifth line we are told 'the book he holds unread'. He clearly isn't interested in the book. This paints for us a picture - the husband feels so awkward about the silence between them, and the lack of contact, that he is holding a book in an effort to look busy rather than to connect with his wife.

She is dreaming of childhood. Perhaps she has some regret, or missed opportunities.

The second stanza looks into the past and future of their relationship. The are tossed up like 'flotsam'- like wreckage from a ship. They are the leftovers of a former passion, floating aimlessly.

There is a sense that there is some feeling between them with the words 'or too much'. Perhaps there is something left between them, but because of the lack of communication they don't know how to express it anymore. It would be so out-of-the blue now that they don't dare show it.

The line 'chastity faces them, a destination for which their whole lives were a preperation' is the most negative in the poem. It basically tells us they will never be intimate again, never have sex, and this is the way they were always doomed to end up. We can infer that Jennings thinks this is the way we will all end up.

In the last stanza we see a similie, 'Silence between them like a thread to hold and not wind in'. Both the man and woman are aware of the silence. They are holding onto it- standing seperately. The act of winding in that thread would be having a conversation, and they are both too scared to do that, as that may result in them having to admit that their relationship has gone wrong and there isn't anything left to salvage.

In the last two lines we learn that the poem has been written from the point of view of a daughter. This tells us although she may have a good idea of the relationship between her parents, she is not an omnipotent narrator, but her view may be affected by her relationship to the parents. I would imagine that she would be writing this poem in her late teens or early twenties. She also suggests the couple has a passionate relationship, 'whose fire from which I came has now grown cold'. This looks at her as a product of fire, or passion and love, which has now dissapeared and only the loveless shells of her parents remain.

The poem is a negative view of couples who have been together for a number of years. It looks at relationships as doomed to fade and love to be an entity that disappears.

Do you think this is an accurate view of marriages? Can you relate to Jenning's view of her parents?

Velentine by Carol Ann Duffy: GCSE English

This week I have been doing poetry with my GCSE groups. Most of them have really liked it, which I'm surprised about. There was only one group who weren't really interested and didn't write many notes. I'm hoping even they can get into it at some point.

We looked at Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy.

Valentine   by Carol Ann Duffy

 

Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.

Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.

I am trying to be truthful.

Not a cute card or a kissogram.

I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.

Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,
if you like.

Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.

 

This poem is clever because instead of using the usual poetic techniques, she uses the symbol of an onion to represent relationships. It sounds like a strange gift, but once you start unpacking the ideas, it begins to make more sense. Think of an onion- it has layers. She uses this to represent the different layers of a relationship, with the centre layer being the size of a wedding ring. You have to go through the layers to get to marriage. She then proves this to be an unncessary, or even deadly thing to do, by using the word 'Lethal'.

She also says the onion will leave a 'fierce kiss' on your lips and the 'scent will cling to your fingers'. Not only does this suggest the feelings will last, there is also an interpretation of the poem that the onion represents a vagina, which gives a whole new idea to these lines, and makes them a little graphic. I've been selective about which classes I teach this interpretation to, as many would roll about laughing for a good hour.

Also, the poem goes through stages of relationships. The beginning is about promise- when you first meet someone. Then it becomes about tears- where you begin to have arguments and dissagreements. Then comse possessive- perhaps they are becoming over-bearing, and the end speaks about a knife letting the reader assume the relationship is broken or fragmented.

My favourite line in the poem is "It is a moon wrapped in brown paper." The paper is the skin of the onion, and the moon is the whiteness once it is peeled. I will think of this when peeling onions and appreciated the luminescence of the peeled onion, before I chop it to make soup.

Do you like poetry? What is your favourite poem?

Most useful quotes

I'm not one for 'uplifting quotes'. My last manger used to email them around to their staff to give them a boost. I would have preferred some actual practical support and the odd conversation now and then, but each to their own. I do like rhymes though, and there are a few little rhymes that I say to myself now and then to help me make decisions and I thought I'd share these with you.


If in doubt, don't buy owt.

When I'm shopping and I don't know whether to buy something or not, I say this rhyme to myself and walk away. It must have saved me well over £100.

No fools no fun

When I've done something a bit silly, and feel like I should be walking around with my tail between my legs, I remember this little treasure. If everyone was completely sensible all the time, what a boring world we'd live in. It's inevitable the foolishness will be poorly received now and then, but it's overall a good character trait. Everyone else can deal with it.

You're good at your job, so everyone else can just fuck off

Not the most catchy of quotes, but I do find myself repeating this sometimes when the management are getting me down and I'm feeling unmotivated. It can sometimes feel a very depressing environment to be in, and sometimes you just need to remind yourself that given all the time and perfect classrooms in the world you would be AMAZING at your job, but due to limited resources, poor organisation and lack of time (mostly because of the amount of admin required as part of the job) you become a mediocre one. Well it doesn't make me bad at my job, I'm damn amazing, I'm just restricted.

Give yourself a pat on the back for being awesome.

My favourite poem

I like poetry. I don't sit around reading it for long periods of time, but I do like to dip into it if I'm in the right mood. It's easier to give yourself a literary snack rather than having to commit to reading pages of a book when you're not in the mood or don't have a lot of time.

Here is my favourite poem. It is also where my blog alias name comes from... Lady Lazarus. I love the imagery, the way her mood is captured and the intense sadness of the poem. It really evokes an emotion. It is by Sylvia Plath and about her various attempts at suicide. Read it aloud; it is gorgeous.

Lady Lazarus
by Sylvia Plath
I have done it again. One year in every ten I manage it-- A sort of walking miracle, my skin Bright as a Nazi lampshade, My right foot A paperweight, My face a featureless, fine Jew linen. Peel off the napkin O my enemy. Do I terrify?-- The nose, the eye pits, the full set of teeth? The sour breath Will vanish in a day. Soon, soon the flesh The grave cave ate will be At home on me And I a smiling woman. I am only thirty. And like the cat I have nine times to die. This is Number Three. What a trash To annihilate each decade. What a million filaments. The peanut-crunching crowd Shoves in to see Them unwrap me hand and foot-- The big strip tease. Gentlemen, ladies These are my hands My knees. I may be skin and bone, Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman. The first time it happened I was ten. It was an accident. The second time I meant To last it out and not come back at all. I rocked shut As a seashell. They had to call and call And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls. Dying Is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I've a call. It's easy enough to do it in a cell. It's easy enough to do it and stay put. It's the theatrical Comeback in broad day To the same place, the same face, the same brute Amused shout: 'A miracle!' That knocks me out. There is a charge For the eyeing of my scars, there is a charge For the hearing of my heart-- It really goes. And there is a charge, a very large charge For a word or a touch Or a bit of blood Or a piece of my hair or my clothes. So, so, Herr Doktor. So, Herr Enemy. I am your opus, I am your valuable, The pure gold baby That melts to a shriek. I turn and burn. Do not think I underestimate your great concern. Ash, ash-- You poke and stir. Flesh, bone, there is nothing there-- A cake of soap, A wedding ring, A gold filling. Herr God, Herr Lucifer Beware Beware. Out of the ash I rise with my red hair And I eat men like air.

Review: The Help

Over my holiday to Barcelona (which I'll blog about soon- with photos!) I read the book The Help by Kathyrn Stockett. It is another book that I couldn't put down, and was a lovely read.

When I was reading this novel, it brought back memories of the book Small Island by Andrea Levy. I really liked this novel, which looked at the perspective and failed expectations of people visiting 'The Motherland', Britain and the racism they are subjected to. 

The Help looks at a similar concept. It focuses on the relationship between white women and the black women they employ in their homes. These women are employed as nannies and the children they look after start to see them as a mother figure, rather than their biological mothers.

The book is written from a range of perspectives, so the main speaker changes every couple of chapters. This was a techniques also used in Small Island. It is an excellent way of maintaining the reader's interest as I really felt I got to know each character intimately and could understand their motivations. It also allows you to see different characters through the eyes of each other, and this helps to really understand the fear and prejudice linked to the different races.

There is also a lot of writing about the fashions the women wear, and this is something I am sure is captured in the film. The white females are portrayed as very stylish, while the black females wear a simple white uniform, emphasising the differences between the women.

The novel is both interesting in terms of capturing the views of a time period, the changing opinions in the 60s, and the effect of the media on this, as well as being a gripping story about the characters involved. The men are unimportant to the story and there are strong female leads struggling with issues like domestic violence, employment vs being a housewife, and illness of close family members.

I can't stress how much I loved this book, and I love it even more looking back on it. It has intrigue, family situations, a strong female voice, civil rights, motherhood and good and bad relationships. It's not often I truly love, and respect, a book so much. I enjoyed the Hunger Games, but compared to this, it felt like a light read. Not that this novel is heavy-going, it is beautifully written and completely accessible.

I can't wait to see the film, but I'm not sure I can imagine it doing justice to the book. Have you seen the film or read the book? What did you think?

Review: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games)

So, I finished the trilogy and thought I would conclude by reviewing the final book. This is the last book in the trilogy and so up to this point you should have followed Katniss through two experience of the arena. She is now in the midst of a rebellion and living underground in District 13. Unfortunately, Peeta isn't there with her.

This novel was probably the most difficult to write. Suzanne Collins had the task of making it exciting enough to engage readers, different enough from the other books, and continuing the same themes and story-lines.

During this book, I started to realise how much I liked the main character. The beauty of the character is that she isn't superficial, but has depth to her. I can even relate to her in lots of ways: she lost her father and is struggling to cope with that loss, she's stubborn to a point where it is actually a disadvantage and she is a fighter and isn't afraid to work hard. These layers to her character just about stop the book from becoming self-indulgent and irritating, although at some points I did want to shake Katniss Everdeen and tell her to stop whinging.

Without giving too much away, this book concludes the attempts to attack the Capitol and for the rebels to conquer. It deviates from becoming good vs evil, and hints that the rebel group are as corrupt as the Capitol. 

The big question is will Katniss end up with Peeta or Gale? I couldn't envisage an ending to this that wouldn't leave me feeling a bit unfulfilled, and unfortunately it wasn't possible. I'm glad we are given a proper ending though, rather than leaving it up to us to decide. 

Peeta                                                Gale

Elements of this book are rushed, and some parts do get tiresome. I found myself losing interest towards the end, but I was far enough through it to warrant continuing to read. It will, again, make an amazing film though, and I am eagerly anticipating the second and third film.

Have you read The Hunger Games trilogy? Did you enjoy it?

Review : Catching Fire

I recently read the second book of the Hunger Games called Catching Fire. I thought I would share my views on the book to any of you thinking of either continuing with the trilogy after reading the first book, or giving the books a go.

We finished the last novel with Katniss having won the Hunger Games with Peeta after almost sacrificing herself in order not to let The Capitol force one of them to kill the other. Even typing that sentence seems a bit ridiculous to me, unless you have read the books it means nothing. I like the way the books have created their own little world though, and they are incredibly easy to follow.

Katniss is now living in the victor's houses of District 12. She shares out her supplies as best she can, and the book focuses on her experience back home in some detail. She is then visited by the leader of The Capitol and he reveals there has been unrest due to her behaviour in the Hunger Games, and she should do nothing to increase that. On her tour of the districts, she accidently does just the opposite and it soon emerges that the districts are turning against their treatment by The Capitol and beginning to rebel.

This takes up a large part of the book, and then suddenly it is revealed that Katniss is returning to The Hunger Games due to change in the rules for the 75 year anniversary of the games, where past victors are being sent back in. The book soon becomes very rushed and before we know it, she is back in the arena and fighting for her life.

The book is still gripping, and offers a realistic reaction to an unrealistic situation, but the pace seems to be out of proportion to the events in the book. Some parts are dragged out for too long, and some are barely even touched on before we skip on to the next concept. The book in itself isn't a masterpiece, but does offer enough interest to keep readers going. It is suitably different to the previous book so that it doesn't seem to be treading old group, which is a relief as it could have become monotonous.

 Katniss Everdeen played by Jennifer Lawrence

The book sets up the final in the trilogy well and I would be surprised if people didn't keep reading after finishing this text. It does also make me hopeful that the film is going to be something really special. I imagine they will skip a lot of the beginning of the plot as it is more about the character relationships, and will cut to the action. Be prepared for something really exciting. I hope they use many of the same actors as appeared in the first film as they really seemed to fit the descriptions in the books, and I found them distinctly not annoying which is important. The only thing that would stop me wanting to see the films is if they change the lead actress to Keira Knightley. That's a sure-fire way to ruin a good plot.

50 shades of shit?

Anyone who is anyone has, unfortunately, heard of 50 shades of gray. It is the fastest selling book of all time and has been read by almost every woman I know.

Having only read the first few pages, I am not fully qualified to write this blog entry, but there are too many good books in the world for me to waste my time reading any more than I have. I have however quizzed my educated and amazing friends about the book.

The few pages I read were pretty appalling. They could have been written by a teenager, to be frank. I know in a sex book, being well written isn't the top priority, but can't we have both? I wouldn't know about the way the book creates tension and suspense, but my friends have mentioned that it uses the same phrases over and over and over. Such as "she murmured," and "he murmured", can't anyway just speak at a normal volume dammit?

Now I don't find anything wrong with a dirty story, but I do find it poor taste to hear that people are reading them. I get annoyed if men post photos of half naked women on facebook and comment on them. I don't want to know if anyone, male or female, is off to watch a quick bit of porn. And to me, it's the same hearing people state they're off to read this book.

At a public event I went to recently (which involved children performing, might I add), the person hosting asked the audience if anyone had read 50 Shades of Gray. Plenty of older women shouted "yes!". It made me feel a little queasy. I don't want to know. I don't want people shouting out "has anyone watched porn in the last 24 hours?" and I don't want to know if people have been reading dirty magazines. I just don't want to know.

In some ways I am something of a hypocrite. I did show 2 Girls 1 Cup to some friends at Uni. If you haven't heard of it, it is pornography. It's not hot though. It's two women kissing, throwing up and pooping on each other. I didn't show the videos to people in order to turn them on though, it was to see if they could survive it. Plus they were all consenting... unlike this poor grandma. 

To sum up, I think it's a shame that the country has gone mad reading , when the book they're getting stuck into is so poorly written. I am sure there are sexy books out there written by hardworking writers, and if there aren't I guess there will be a whole host of them soon. I guess I'm also a little jealous that a book that is so crap it could have been written by anyone, wasn't written by me!

As a nation we should be celebrating and reading great literature. Literature that makes you question the way things are. Literature that changes your life. Literature that is unforgettable. Pointless and fad fiction is fine, but it shouldn't be the best selling book! I'm slightly dissapointed with us. A popular book promotes discussion and debate. The only debate this book is giving us is "is this shit or not?" or "do you like bondage?". We could be reading a book that invites us to question our society, or has ethical or moral implications, or means we have to discuss the way we treat our criminals. That would be more worthwhile.

Anyway, read 50 Shades of Gray, or don't read 50 Shades of Gray, it's up to you. Just please don't write facebook statuses about Waterstones needing a wet floor or anything like that. That's just grim.

If you want to hear more from someone with a similar view point to me: read here

The Hunger Games: A Review

Everytime I finish a book, I am going to post a review. It's a good way for you guys to get some ideas about what you want to read, and a good way for me to keep a record of what I though of a book. So it's win win for both of us, high five!

The last novel I read was The Hunger Games. Not exactly obscure, I'm sure lots of you have seen the film where Katniss is played by the beautful Jennifer Lawrence

I saw the film first, so when reading the book I was heavily influenced by the actors and production of the film. This isn't always a bad thing. I also read Memoirs of a Geisha after I saw the film and totally loved it. I also am about to read The Green Mile and I've seen that film a thousand times, so lets see if it has an impact.

When I started reading the book, I was thinking the writing was a bit simplistic for my taste. I had just been reading Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (which I gave up on... naughty) and I wanted something a bit more exciting to read. The Hunger Games isn't full of heavy metaphors and does seem like a teenager has written it at times, but I'm starting to realise not every book I read has to be a literaty masterpiece, as long as the concept is good.

The writing took some adjusting but it does have moments when it is beautifully written, be it far and few between. The book is more about the exciting plot. It is a fairly extreme concept - in a post apocolyptic world the upper classes force the workers to supply children to fight to the death once every year. However, within the concept, it was believable. The way the fighters were treated, the organisation of the games and the sponsorship that goes with it all made sense for the world we had been created. It was reminiscent of Big Brother (which no one watched anymore), only with death served up instead of humiliation.

Although I knew what was coming because of seeing the film, I was still gripped and read the book in a couple of days. It is a relief to have an easy-read now and then so it's a perfect book for a time when you want to just escape into something you can easily pick up and put down. The problem I had with Mansfield Park is that I couldn't keep up with the characters, sometimes referred to by first names, sometimes last names, it had me all confused. The Hunger Games doesn't have this problem despite having a number of characters within the game arena. Each one is memorable and distinguishable.

The book reminded me of a novel I read when I was a teenager called Z is for Zachariah. This novel takes place in an apocolyptic world and is from the point of view of a teenager. Buy it here

Overall I would recommend the Hunger Games, and I'm pretty tempted to carry on with the trilogy before the films come out. I can't believe it, I'm a convert!

Review: A play without words

Last night was date night, and the fella took me for a meal and to the theatre. We went to see A Play Without Words by Matthew Bourne at The Curve in Leicester (Curve website). It was his choice, and I was a bit dubious because last time we saw a student play and it was horrendous. I mean... really horrendous.

We are at Five Thai next door to the theatre. They do a pre-theatre dinner. It was a bit quiet, but nicely decorated. Unfortunately the food was a little hot for us: we both ordered the thai green curry. The food was reasonably priced at £12 for two courses, and they were quick to serve us. That might have been because we were the only ones there. I'm not sure I would go for a pre-theatre meal here again, but I would probably go with a group of friends if the restaurant was a but busier.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the play, because it wasn't really publicised as contemporary dance, but once it started I started to get a good feel for it. I studied Drama at Kent University and we watched a piece of contemporary dance as part of that, so I'd seen this kind of thing before. The play was made up of four main characters and was set in the 60s. The outfits were brilliant and the dancers were very natural.

The play was staged in an interesting way that I hadn't seen before. Each character was played by more than one person at one time. Basically you would have a scene with a couple, but instead of having one couple dancing together, there were three sets of couples. Each male was dressed the same, and each female, but each person was doing something slightly different. If one male smoked a cigarette, so did the others, but they weren't completely choreographed in sync. This made the play more interesting to watch and added another dimension to the characters. 

One couple being played by different people at the same time.

The play didn't really have a huge amount of plot. It was basically about an uptight couple being tempted by outsiders who were more sexual and interesting. Despite the plot not being terribly exciting, it was the dancing and the little elements of humour and clever staging that made the play interesting to watch. It also had some quite sexual parts, but I don't think it went far enough to make the audience feel uncomfortable; it was more about subtlety than in-your-face sex. 

I would definitely recommend going to see this play if you are visiting Leicester at any time during the rest of this week. I'm not saying the play would suit everyone, but it's a good example of seeing something that's fairly different and unusual but that is done well and doesn't become too pretentious. There was a VERY smelly man sitting right next to us during the play, and even this didn't ruin the evening. Please leave a comment if you do go and see this and tell me what you thought.

Kindle or books?

I have been thinking of asking Mum to lend me the Kindle she's not using, but I don't know whether I agree with the ethos of the Kindle, or can compare it to a lovely smelling old book. Here are the pros of each:

Books  

1. The smell. There's nothing lovelier than the smell of an old book. I can't pin down why it's nice, but it just smells... authentic.

2. Having something physical. It's an easy way to see how far through the book you've read, and the physicality of turning the pages is rewarding and almost automatic.

3. Books aren't expensive. Although it may be cheaper to buy the books on a Kindle, it is far less catastrophic if you lose a book or get it stolen than if you lose your Kindle. 

4. The front cover. It is good to be able to see the front cover now and then, as this is all part of the reading experience and helps you to remember the plot of the book. I think you almost link the cover to the story through association.

5. Being able to keep books. This also helps you remember reading the books, as you may seem the book again on your bookshelf and this will remind you of the story. Plus, it's always nice to have books on a bookshelf and be able to look at them and feel proud of having read them all.

6. They always work. You don't need to charge a book, and it won't run out of power.

Kindle  

 1. Some books are heavy. Kindles are fairly light at it is much easier to carry a Kindle than a heavy book, particularly a textbook. I will be starting to study Psychology soon, and trust me, the textbooks for that are massive.

2. The search option. On a Kindle it is possible to search for words, or a quote in a book. This could help GCSE students to remember where a line of text came from, or people who have quoted a book in an essay and have forgotten to write down the references for this. It also helps you to find information you are looking for in textbooks.

3. The novelty. Kindles are new and gadgety (just invented that word), so they are obviously a bit more exciting. This could make you want to read more often.

4. Internet. Books can't go on the internet. This could however be a big distraction for readers!

5. Instant books. You can download a book in seconds without having to wait till you're near a bookstore to read one. I hear they're often cheaper too.

 

In conclusion, I think there has to be some compromise with a mixture of the two. There's no need to replace all your books with electronic versions, and I would always make sure I buy a book in the flesh if I am really enjoying it, but a Kindle may be a good way to read textbooks on the go, or to take on holiday. I think in general, books are more carefree, and not having to think about charging them is a big plus. I can't imagine anything worse than heading off on holiday with a Kindle and having it break on the first day and having to spend the rest of the time with nothing to read. I think I'll probably stick with books.

Seven books you should have already read

I'm a keen reader. Like a lot of people, I tend to read mostly in summer on my time off, because during the year I'm just too busy, particularly as I tend to be studying most of the time. I love to lie in the garden in the hot weather with a good book.

I have read a lot of books. Going into charity shops, there's usually a few I can pick out that I've read. However, there are some that, for some reason or another, have left a last impression on me. I'd like to share them with you. I've narrowed it down to seven.

1. The Bear Nobody Wanted - Janet and Allan Alhberg

I know what you're thinking. A kid's book? This was my favourite book growing up, and still remains one of my favourites now. It's a proper story, and has elements of real sadness. I still remember precise details from the story and it had a lasting impression on me. If you have a child over the age of 7, or even if you want an easy read, this is definitely a good choice. Find it.

2. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

You may have seen the film, but the book for this is wonderful. It is the story of a young girl who leaves home to become a Geisha. It is informative and interesting and each word seems to count. You will find a theme to this list is that each novel has elements of sadness, but this story shows a female inner strength too. Find it.

3. After You'd Gone - Maggie O'Farrell

Continuing the theme of sad novels, this one is exhaustingly sad. It's about a woman whose husband dies suddenly, and is written in a fragmented way. I remember reading it while we had workmen in to extend the kitchen, and every time they saw me I had tears down my face. If you do read it, have tissues at the ready. Find it.

4. The Beach - Alex Garland

This may be my favourite book of all time. Don't judge it on the film, because it's completely different. The thing I like about this book is the insight into his mind and all the funny little things the narrator divulges. At one point it goes into detail about a game he is playing to keep himself occupied whilst walking a long way, which is the kind of thing I do. I've never known a book to capture that internal dialogue before. It also makes me want to travel as the scenery described is wonderful. Heads up, I tried reading his other books, not so great. Find it.

5. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

I read this at A level, and I liked it. I read it again after A level, and I loved it! Every word is thought through and the characters are unusual but intriguing. The narrator is both repelled and fascinated by the world he finds himself in and this is captured by Fitzgerald and makes this more than just a descriptive novel. It's also takes a look at American society, prohibition, substance abuse, relationships and the way we are all being watched. I strongly recommend it. Find it.

6. Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen

Really I could put any Jane Austen novel in here, but Pride and Prejudice seems to sum up all her ideas but also provides some debate. She has a strong female lead who turns down an offer of marriage from her cousin because she doesn't love him, but then seems to warm to Darcy mostly because of his amazing house and his ability to look after her. It is the classic rom-com plot, girl and boy meet, hate each other, boy falls in love and then wins girl over through a grand romantic statement. Maybe that's why we've loved it for so long. Find it.

7. A Clockwork Orange - Stanley Kubrick

This novel stands out as a true original. It's all written in the first person, and in an unusual style. The narrator uses a language of his own and the book almost requires some translation at first, until you become used to the way he speaks. The narrator is eloquent and educated, and yet performs horrific acts of torture. The book looks at conditioning and its effect on people, and whether behaviour can be changed. The film is also very good and true to the novel. Find it.

There are a tonne of other books I could recommend, particularly modern classics, but I think these should be enough to get you going. Leave a comment if you have any recommendations for me. I'd love to hear your views or about your favourite book. Ok, now get reading people. There will be a test.

First Post!

So this is my first post! How exciting. I have been blogging on Tumblr for a few months but thought I would step it up.

When writing a document, I always tell my students to start with an introduction, so I thought I would begin by telling you a little of what to expect from this blog.  I love lists, so this is the first of many:

1. Teaching

I am about to complete my first year of teaching in a Further Education College, and have also completed my PGCE this year, so expect lots of interesting stories. My students tend to make me laugh on a daily basis, but they're trailing off at the moment, so the stories should pick up in September. However, I am using my free time at work wisely. I turned my friend's shoe into a face today....

2. Music

I will try to include some links to great songs I would like to share with you. Here's a taster. 
 

 

3. Grief

I don't want this blog to be a downer, but I think it's important to talk about what matters to you. My father passed away two and a half months ago, and I think talking about it is probably therapeutic, and may be useful to others out there. Expect some reflection on the grieving process.

4. Fashion

I love fashion and like to put thought into what I wear. That's not to say I wear the most memorable outfits every day (I'm pretty useless at getting up at a reasonable time, and almost always find myself in a huge rush in the morning) so this won't be primarily a fashion blog, but I will talk about fashion ideas, and new purchases I think you may be interested in. 

5. House sharing

I am currently sharing a house with 3 boys, so they may get a mention from time to time.

6. Love

I am dating a man I met in September last year, and all is going well. We may even move in together in September this year. Stand by for reflections on cohabiting with a partner, and whether it's easy! I've never lived with a boyfriend before so it's pretty exciting.

7. The finer things in life

I'm not one of those generic girls who knits and talks about cupcakes all the time, I feel like they're a dime a dozen these days, but I will mention if I come across any delicious wine or gorgeous cushions. Share the knowledge people!

8. Literature and Psychology

I have a degree in English Literature and Drama, and I will begin studying Psychology in September, so these topics will get a mention. I love to read, but I don't always get a lot of time. I will share about favourite books or anything I'm currently reading. I may share some exciting Psychology finds too, but I promise not to bore you silly!

That's basically the kinds of things this blog will cover, and potentially gives you a little insight into the kind of person I am. I like to think of myself as pretty hard working, and having a good sense of humour. I do find the concept of blogging does scream 'look at me, give me attention' a little, but I also like the way it can be a great way of writing, sharing ideas and reflecting on life events.