I've got a feeling this is going to be more difficult to write than my apologia.
Where do I start? Not sure, actually, seeing as I don't have my information sheet with me. Oh well, I can always just read some of my classmates personal reflections to get an idea.
...
I read them and my self esteem is lowered as a result. There's no way I can be that insightful.
I'm not doing this post correctly, am I?
Upon discovering that I was allowed to read The Hobbit as an English project, my heart (brain?) metaphorically jumped for joy. I had always wanted to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the prequel, so this was a great opportunity to read Tolkien's masterpieces. After all, it's a school project, so there will be deadlines to keep me going (at the last minute) and reading responses to get me... thinking and... in-depth analysis and... essays on the text...
Maybe I shouldn't have chosen a novel I was genuinely interested in. For me, there's something about critical thinking that just seems to suck out the fun in reading books. I'm not an anti-literary person (why would I be in Enriched Grade 11 English if I hated books?), there's just something inside of me that associates critically analyzing a text for the types of sentence an authour used in order to develop a specific tone and prove his deductive claim with dissatisfaction. Thus, upon writing 4 long posts analyzing pieces of a novel I was hoping to enjoy, I began to care less and less for the novel and thought of it more as homework. I don't like homework. Home is for naps and cooking pancakes and other pastries of similar quality. Not working hard. I understand why homework is importan-
Alright, time to grasp a hold of my sanity again. I'm rambling and that's not cohesive (coherent?). Maybe I'm not rambling, but I'm certainly not generating a good reputation with what I've said so far. Okay, back to the project.
I'm going to be honest, I didn't really enjoy the blog project (please contain your shock). I guess I enjoyed aspects of it, like writing puns and being morbidly sarcastic to the point that I myself was no longer able to distinguish between truth and lies. It was the only thing I could do to keep myself entertained, and hey, I like being entertained. This is probably why I have posts like this and this. I'm going to pause for a second and just laugh at that "Gramur" post. It's too funny for my own good. Definitely doesn't create the proper tone for this project, but it's entertaining... right?
There I go again, losing track of what I'm supposed to be writing about. Have I already accomplished the purpose of the personal reflection? I should rethink writing this post without my info sheet. By the way, this post is pretty much a stream of consciousness, though the written stream is much slower than my actual thinking stream. Umm...
I'm going to write some more about The Hobbit now. Just a heads up. It really was a good novel, despite my grotesque analysis of it in my previous posts. Like I said before, the setting and environment Tolkien created was really quite magical, and as I recap some of my favourite novels in my brain mind thing, this is a common theme. I don't think I could ever enjoy a novel about some drama crap set in the mid 1900s. That's way too boring. Novels that include fantasy elements and conceptualized worlds are just so... like, neat! The Hobbit is a great example of this, it's got neat things like elves and dwarves and dragons and little people with feet that are hairy enough that I could likely harvest the feet hair and knit a sweater suitable for Canadian winters. I enjoy novels that I can really get lost in and spend a weekend lying in bed just reading about fictional settings and characters. Not The Landing. *shudders*
What an unprecedentedly long blog post! I could probably make it a lot shorter by dumping sentences and thought fragments such as this, but that wouldn't be as interesting for the reader. Or maybe it would. I don't really care. I'm happy with it. It's probably my best written work this year (yes that's a hyperbole (unless you (the reader) think that it really is my best written work this year, in which case that was not a hyperbole)), cause it's just so honestly cool and great, even though I've used vaguely descriptive phrases that are poorly composed by Grade 11 standards, such as "honestly cool and great".
Oh boy, this is almost as long as my apologia! Yes, that includes the preface at the beginning and all my ramblings that have been placed in between the insightful paragraphs describing my thoughts on my-there.
It's longer than my apologia. "There" was the 817th word, which supersedes the mediocre 816 words that are in my apologia.
Cool.
-Dylan and Samuel, BFFs
PS. I take back what I said about this being harder to write than the apologia. I enjoyed it. That's also cool.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Apologia
APOLOGIA
Dylan Woodley
October 2nd, 2011
Mrs. McConkey
ENG3UE
The Hobbit is a classic novel, but what does that mean? A classic novel is universally enjoyed and is relatable by all. That's not to say that it is a generic piece of text that everyone says, "Yeah, I feel ya, man," to, not unlike an American Top 40 pop song who's foundations are rooted in a metaphor concocted by a mediocre lyricist. It must also stand the test of time, and be enjoyed by multiple generations. Furthermore, the most powerful classic novels make an impact on society in some way. In Tolkien's case, he redefined an entire genre and inspired countless authours.
The Hobbit practically rewrote the fantasy/adventure genre, which is profoundly evident in modern literature. One of the most common themes among today's stories is the "there and back again" motif, a theme that was publicized by The Hobbit. Bilbo's journey from a small underground hut to soaring mountains filled with trolls and elves and dwarves and dragons, back to the humble abode has inspired many an authour, and simply by glancing at fantasy novels written after The Hobbit, it's clear that Tolkien's writing has been world changing. The inspiration might not be direct in every case, but the motif has become so overwhelming that those wishing to write a fantasy adventure novel can't help but draw some themes from The Hobbit.
Another important element of a novel in order for it to be considered classic is for it to revolve around a universal theme that everyone can at the very least relate to. Because of this necessity, novels that are written for a niche audience cannot become classics, as only a select portion of society can adequately connect to what the authour is trying to say. Tolkien did not write for a niche audience, however. Although his stories originated from tales he told to his children before bed, they include themes that are universally appealing. The most pronounced theme in The Hobbit is the underlying greed that motivates the characters on their adventure. Living in a capitalistic world, it was easy for me to personally connect to the theme of this novel, as I'm sure it is for many other readers. This personal connection was fundamental for my enjoyment of the novel, as it creates characters that are believable and realistic.
This leads me into my third point. The characters that Tolkien created for his novel are lifelike; so lifelike, in fact, that one could believe they exist if it weren't for the fact that they are fictional creatures. The obvious greed that motivates the dwarves is symbolic of how society functions, and because of this, we as an audience can develop connections between the real world and the fictional one that was invented by the authour. This bond is what creates the sense of reality within the written piece. The Hobbit can almost come across as Tolkien's viewpoint on the world he lived in at the time, mixed with fantasy elements to tell a story. Thus, the personalities and lessons that are evident within the characters have an effect on the audience, as it subtly teaches us of the dangers of personal sovereignty and the repercussions of the injustice we impose upon others.
Finally, in order for a novel to be considered classic, it must leave an impression on the reader. A classic novel does not go unnoticed after being completed, instead, the reader ponders the meaning behind the story and the lessons that can be learned from the novel. "Now a novel is not a sermon, and one of the worst sins of a novelist is to become a preacher" (Authour of an essay that the class received some time ago, 9). The Hobbit isn't a textbook of morals and human dignity, but it does contain features and passages that symbolize teachings we can receive by reading the novel. Bilbo's entire journey can teach us the value in taking the first step in a journey, as it can seem like the most difficult one. He was comfortable with the world he was living in, as many of us probably are, but by going on the adventure with the strange wizard at his doorstep he was able to reach far greater heights than he ever could have dreamed of. One probably does not expect to help slay a dragon because Bilbo did, but the concept of taking that first step can be inspiring.
In conclusion, The Hobbit is a classic novel, not only because it has been read by so many people over the course of nearly a century, but also because it has made a significant impact on individual readers, as well as the literary world. Tolkien paved the way for his The Lord of the Rings saga with this classic masterpiece, and set a standard for the fantasy and adventure genres.
I apologiaze if I did not do this assignment properly.
Dylan Woodley
October 2nd, 2011
Mrs. McConkey
ENG3UE
The Hobbit is a classic novel, but what does that mean? A classic novel is universally enjoyed and is relatable by all. That's not to say that it is a generic piece of text that everyone says, "Yeah, I feel ya, man," to, not unlike an American Top 40 pop song who's foundations are rooted in a metaphor concocted by a mediocre lyricist. It must also stand the test of time, and be enjoyed by multiple generations. Furthermore, the most powerful classic novels make an impact on society in some way. In Tolkien's case, he redefined an entire genre and inspired countless authours.
The Hobbit practically rewrote the fantasy/adventure genre, which is profoundly evident in modern literature. One of the most common themes among today's stories is the "there and back again" motif, a theme that was publicized by The Hobbit. Bilbo's journey from a small underground hut to soaring mountains filled with trolls and elves and dwarves and dragons, back to the humble abode has inspired many an authour, and simply by glancing at fantasy novels written after The Hobbit, it's clear that Tolkien's writing has been world changing. The inspiration might not be direct in every case, but the motif has become so overwhelming that those wishing to write a fantasy adventure novel can't help but draw some themes from The Hobbit.
Another important element of a novel in order for it to be considered classic is for it to revolve around a universal theme that everyone can at the very least relate to. Because of this necessity, novels that are written for a niche audience cannot become classics, as only a select portion of society can adequately connect to what the authour is trying to say. Tolkien did not write for a niche audience, however. Although his stories originated from tales he told to his children before bed, they include themes that are universally appealing. The most pronounced theme in The Hobbit is the underlying greed that motivates the characters on their adventure. Living in a capitalistic world, it was easy for me to personally connect to the theme of this novel, as I'm sure it is for many other readers. This personal connection was fundamental for my enjoyment of the novel, as it creates characters that are believable and realistic.
This leads me into my third point. The characters that Tolkien created for his novel are lifelike; so lifelike, in fact, that one could believe they exist if it weren't for the fact that they are fictional creatures. The obvious greed that motivates the dwarves is symbolic of how society functions, and because of this, we as an audience can develop connections between the real world and the fictional one that was invented by the authour. This bond is what creates the sense of reality within the written piece. The Hobbit can almost come across as Tolkien's viewpoint on the world he lived in at the time, mixed with fantasy elements to tell a story. Thus, the personalities and lessons that are evident within the characters have an effect on the audience, as it subtly teaches us of the dangers of personal sovereignty and the repercussions of the injustice we impose upon others.
Finally, in order for a novel to be considered classic, it must leave an impression on the reader. A classic novel does not go unnoticed after being completed, instead, the reader ponders the meaning behind the story and the lessons that can be learned from the novel. "Now a novel is not a sermon, and one of the worst sins of a novelist is to become a preacher" (Authour of an essay that the class received some time ago, 9). The Hobbit isn't a textbook of morals and human dignity, but it does contain features and passages that symbolize teachings we can receive by reading the novel. Bilbo's entire journey can teach us the value in taking the first step in a journey, as it can seem like the most difficult one. He was comfortable with the world he was living in, as many of us probably are, but by going on the adventure with the strange wizard at his doorstep he was able to reach far greater heights than he ever could have dreamed of. One probably does not expect to help slay a dragon because Bilbo did, but the concept of taking that first step can be inspiring.
In conclusion, The Hobbit is a classic novel, not only because it has been read by so many people over the course of nearly a century, but also because it has made a significant impact on individual readers, as well as the literary world. Tolkien paved the way for his The Lord of the Rings saga with this classic masterpiece, and set a standard for the fantasy and adventure genres.
I apologiaze if I did not do this assignment properly.
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