SRA 2018

Dear Mother,

Thank you once again for taking the time to curate such a great summerreading list. 

First, I have just a tiny critique. Perhaps some of your choices were a bit obvious this year. I had already read two of them and five of the six are widely accepted as classic literature.

Ratings are based on perceived quality and level of enjoyment. 

1. David Copperfield

7/10

This is a fine book and an epic book, in both its length and scope. While it does move along at a steady pace for the most part, it is maybe a bit directionless and unfocused at times. The core characters are very well-developed, and, surprisingly, it was far funnier than I anticipated. The beef with the butcher (now a constable) is particularly comical as was Barkis [is willin’] throwing out his catchphrase for the final time as he passes, arguing with Dora during their ‘engagement’, and Micawber’s letters and delusional self-confidence. While parts are beautifully written and express keen insights (e.g. “what she had been unable to repress when her heart lay open to me by an accident, I felt would be a rough deed, unworthy of myself, unworthy in the light of our pure childhood, which I always saw encircling her head”; “and so I am not afraid to write that I never had loved Steerforth better than when the ties that bound me to him were broken”), the majority of the text is merely functional. ‘Tearful moments’ included, Emily’s secret letter back to the boat/house appealing for word on Mr. Peggoty, Mrs. Gummidge’s plea to go with the gang to Oz, and dropping Steerforth’s corpse off at his home

With regard to plot points: Steerforth taking off with Lil Em’ly was so unsurprising as was David eventually hooking up with Agnes. I saw both coming a mile off. To prevent David from ending his marriage or minding an unwanted dog, thus retaining his ‘good guy’ persona, his poor child-wife and Gip had to die simultaneously. The book’s love for its central character is a bit too much at times. The only way it could be made more obvious upon whom this successful author is based would be if he invented Christmas at one point. Towards the end it comments that Traddles is going bald, but good old perfect David has a full head. It’s the same thing for Aunt Betsey. Instead of giving her maid Janet the sack to recruit Peggoty, Janet conveniently decides to tie the knot, leaving a timely vacancy. This was among many plot contrivances where story came before character, in what is generally a character driven book. 

Added to this are instances where one of the seven or eight focal characters just appear out of nowhere so the reader doesn’t forget about them. Examples include: Trotwood is visiting Uriah and his mother in Canterbury, Micawber just happens to be walking past the door and sees him; Davy is boozed up at the theatre in London and Agnes shows up after an extended absence; Traddles appears at Dora’s house, having been MIA since Salem House; meeting Mr. Peggoty randomly in London while he is taking a break from searching for Emily; Martha appears again after years to, unseen by Mr. Peggoty, eavesdrop on a conversation and later is found in around an hour in London city; Mr. Chillip appears out of nowhere to provide an update on the Murdstones; and Uriah Heep/Littimer being locked up in Creakle’s prison.

Ultimately, while the book was great, too much effort was devoted to wrapping up the story for all the core characters. There is honestly not a single loose end in the story (except what happened to the waiter that tricked Davy out of his beer and dinner on the way to Salem House originally?). Even Mr. Mell resurfaces as Dr. Mell (obviously was not supervised by Pat) years later in Oz, hanging out with Micawber’s gang. 

One major comedy quote is from when David is trying to save money: “I made a perfect victim of myself. I even entertained some idea of putting myself on a vegetable diet, vaguely conceiving that, in becoming a graminivorous animal, I should sacrifice to Dora”.

2. Farewell to Arms

6/10

This was my second occasion of reading this novel and I think I got a lot more from it. Each evening I knew exactly the point in the story where I was picking up from and didn’t have that re-orientation that one often has when returning to a book. The parts about the war itself are the least enjoyable, but the interactions and conversations between the characters can be profound, funny or silly, touching, and reveal a great deal about them and humanity. Stylistically, it is written in that terse prose for which Hemmingway is known and is an effective technique for telling this story. The ending is, of course, devastating, even on a repeat reading. Comedic elements of the story are, Frederic having Catherine as his secret girlfriend/unofficial wife in the hospital and the many instances of hitting the sauce, including an orderly who brought out some glasses and a doctor advocating having a few scoops while pregnant to “keep her [the baby] small”.

3. Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented

9/10

This book is incredible and even better if you want to put yourself through the wringer. 

It begins as an out and out comedy with Mr. Durbeyfield getting notions about his station in life as he returns from the pub, luring the reader into a false sense of what to expect. Indeed, the book is really funny throughout and has lots of humor peppered across its various scenes and situations. Some notable examples are the story of William Dewy playing the fiddle for the bull; Marian becoming a comedy boozehound; when Tess is described as dreading her defender more than her assailant; and when one of Angel’s favourite songs is revealed as, ‘I have parks, I have hounds’.

However, it does not take too long for things to get very dark and difficult for the protagonist who seems to move from one sequentially interdependent misery to the next. I have to note how moved I was by Tess’ plight and feelings. This is attributable to the sensational and relatable characterisation and the rich, powerful, and descriptive language. Consequently, there were parts of the story during which I was an emotional wreck relating to the, not infrequent, number of sad and tearful moments. One striking instance was following her ‘confession’ to Angel, where the substance of things remained the same, but their essence is stated as having changed. Mammy Joan was right in that she should have kept her mouth shut. Tess is great. She is so competent and hard-working. Her first letter to Angel in Brazil is among the most moving things I have ever read. 

Angel treated Tess very badly, but I understand exactly why he did so from a character perspective. I also understand his later 180 after his soul searching in Brazil. Having such an internally consistent character that undergoes such a large change in outlook is formidable writing. Another amazing aspect of the story were its descriptions of how even the landscape became more depressing with unfavourable changes in circumstance.

Hopelessness and isolation were two themes addressed really well in the text. Hardy describes a belief in the world’s concern for your unpleasant situations as ‘an illusion’. “She was not an existence, an experience, a passion, a structure of sensations, to anybody but herself. To all humankind besides, Tess was only a passing thought”. Nevertheless, there is time for hope and fortitude too. Tess thinks about the ‘relativity of sorrows’ when thinking about some birds during a difficult night and attention is given to the phenomenon of the grass being ‘greener on the other side’ in the guise of farm labourers moving around for something better.

For the most part, the plot was great and the story itself really compelling. Its one aspect that I did not like was the impact that Angel’s rejection of Izz, Retty, and Marian had on them. My jaw was on the floor though when Alec appears again as a preacher at the end of the ‘fifth phase’. There was a line that reminded me of your ‘zeal of the converted’ bit: “the greater the sinner, the greater the saint”. It didn’t take him too long to regress to his old ways. When Alec shows up later when she is nursing Mammy Joan, the reveal was done in such as way that I thought it was Angel. So compelling! Gearing up for the final phase of the book, anything could have happened. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the conclusion.

The writing and level of insight were so consistently high throughout that it was difficult to choose just one or two examples:

Near the beginning: “And as each and all of them were warmed without by the sun, so each had a private little sun for her soul to bask in; some dream, some affection, some hobby, at least some remote and distant hope which, though perhaps starving to nothing, still lived on, as hopes will”.

“Beauty to her, as to all who have felt, lay not in the thing, but in what the thing symbolised”. #TrueDat

One final thought: Sleepwalking is so creepy and unnatural. If you’re a sleepwalker, stay the heck away from me!

4. 1984

8/10

What an innovative book. It made recall a novel and original theory that I have on what makes a good book (TM):

• • One that has such a compelling story that you can’t put it down.

• • One with such beautiful writing and prose that it is a delight.

• • One that explores larger ideas and concepts than its surface-level story.

Clearly 1984 belongs to the final category.

Oceania gets a bad rap in this book, but it doesn’t sound so bad to me. Getting up early, mandated exercise, stamps to get whatever you need, and a steady job. Jokes aside, this book is the template for so many later dystopian future science fiction books and films. However, the main difference is that during the course of the story Winston does not connect with The Brotherhood, overthrow Big Brother, and usher in a new dawn. He succumbs to the mechanisms in place to identify and eliminate potentially problematic citizens such as him. The text has so many interesting ideas that were ahead of their time: Limiting the concepts people can understand through restrictions on language or their ability to express or discuss certain ideas; and the dynamic rewriting and controlling of history. Other parts of this book are perhaps more of their time. An example that is used to convey the misery of life is the lack of booze and cigarettes. If it were 2018, it would be a lack of avocados and quinoa. 

Parts of the story are very challenging to read. The story begins with poor Winston feeling isolated, not knowing if a single living creature was on his side and unable to show any dismay or resentment even through a “flicker of the eyes”. Even in his rebellious relationship with Julia, she doesn’t see the big picture or the larger significance of what they are doing. Winston’s extended torture and re-education are really harrowing. The reunion late in the book between Winston and Julia is very depressing. When he is rationalising his loyalty to Big Brother, he describes it as “swimming against a current that swept you backwards however hard you struggled, and then suddenly deciding to turn around and go with the current instead of opposing it. Nothing had changed except your own attitude”. Even the book’s final words, “He loved Big Brother” are very grim. 

Strangely, there is plenty of comedy in the book (perhaps satire is a better choice of word). For example, the entertainment that was produced for the ignorant working class, “rubbishy newspapers containing almost nothing except sport, crime, and astrology, sensational five-cent novelettes, films oozing with sex, and sentimental songs which were composed entirely by mechanical means”. Additionally, “It was probable that there were some millions of proles for whom the Lottery was the principal if not the only reason for remaining alive”. 

5. Blandings: Lord Emsworth and the Girlfriend

6/10

The curveball of the Reading Adventure line-up, this is a tight, heartwarming, comedic story with a very satisfying little arc about standing up for what’s right for you. It was a great little world in which to spend some time, full of excellent lines such as, “He drank his coffee with the air of a man who regretted it was not hemlock” and humorous observations of its characters. A notable example is comparing the obedience of Gladys’ dog to his initial capitulation to the gardeners wishes about putting gravel down in the Yew Alley.

6. Emma 

7/10

Funny, thought provoking, and perfectly entertaining. Jane Austen really shews the reader a good time.

With regard to the the story itself, it is summarised very early on when it says “the real evils, indeed, of Emma’s situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself; these were the disadvantages which threatened alloy to her many enjoyments. The danger, however, was at present so unperceived, that they did not by any means rank as misfortunes with her”. The remainder of the book is simply resolving these issues and Emma learns some hard lessons and really grows as a character. 

While Emma is written as flawed, she is also very likable. She is described as “no feeble character”, as having enough sense, energy, and spirits to get her through life’s difficulties, and is good to the poor and sick. George puts it best when he says she is “faultless in spite of all her faults“. However, she is a snob and says the “yeomanry are precisely the order of people with whom” she feels she can “have nothing to do”, (Burn on farmers) and doesn’t want to have any interactions with people that are not ‘good society’. Early on, George Knightley says she will “never submit to anything requiring industry and patience, and a subjection of the fancy to the understanding”. This rings true as she fails to maintain her resolution of practicing piano more to compete with the proficient Jane Fairfax. She is funny too, particularly with her doomed attempts at matchmaking. 

The best parts of the book, in my view, were the dramatic confrontations. George Knightley and Emma’s argument about the suitability Mr Martin’s proposal to Harriet and when Emma rejects Mr Eltons’ advances. It was interesting too, to reflect on the jealousies that different characters had of each other. Emma is jealous of the musical abilities possessed by Jane Fairfax and George Kingsley of Frank Churchill for being a perceived love interest of Emma. Frank later remarks on the similarities his and Emma’s journeys saying, “there is a likeness in our destiny; the destiny which bids fair to connect us with two characters so much superior to our own”. 

With regard to the comedy: Mr Woodhouse is such a funny character. He has no empathy and can “not believe other people to be different from himself”. He tries to dissuade Mr and Mrs Weston’s wedding guests from eating cake at their wedding; refers to anybody who had exited their daily life or house as ‘poor…’, regardless of what they had going on in their own life; and recounts the views of his friend and doctor, Mr. Perry, to anybody who will listen (not unlike somebody I know and Michael Greger). The book has so many great lines, such as “She wished him very well; but he gave her pain, and his welfare twenty miles off would administer most satisfaction”. Among the funniest gags are are, John Knightley sucking up to Daddy Woodhouse, but not quite being prepared to join him in a bowl of gruel; the Bates and the persistent harping on about Jane Fairfax, apologising at one point that she only wrote them a two page letter which they could read guests; Mrs Elton and her low class, nouveau riche obsession with that dang barouche-landau; Miss Bates as a comedic chatterbox and blabber mouth who at one point tries to keep a secret, but says unluckily she had mentioned it before she was aware; and Emma going from leading Harriet astray in romance to becoming her rival. ‘Blockhead’ must have been the number 1 insult at the time as it is used so often in the book.

FINIS