POSTING WHILST BORED...

After some unbeknown turn of events, I am staying in London till Sunday; which means I miss two days of work, so it is basically a holiday for me. Well, in all honesty, this uni year has been a bit of a holiday. Yes I have been stressed, but overall I have enjoyed it a hell of a lot, but the thought of University in second year is DAUNTING. I honestly cannot believe I have nearly completed my first year; and by god I hope I pass. It has been a whirlwind of nasty people, lovely people, money struggles, and love. That sums it up really. I could honestly write a book about what has happened from September till now, its that complicated and long. But yes, leaving London on Sunday. I have mixed feelings towards it. Positively, I am going to be able to study more, focus more, and spend a bit of time away from responsibility (like food shops and electric) but it means I miss my Sam! And my god do I miss him so very much. It's only been a week since I haven't seen him but after spending 24/7 with someone for months on end, you kinda get attached. So its only human for me to be missing him. Be weird if I didn't, right?

Anyway, since starting this post I have come up with the idea of writing a novel! I  have tried in the past...hmmm maybe I'll continue the one I have started? I started writing a sort of sci-fi 'harry potter' esque novel, but I feel like my ideas come way to close to that of previous readings, and it lacks originality. So no, scrap that. Mind block is something I struggle with. Maybe thats a suggestion that I'm a good writer? People say that don't they. The best writers suffer from the worst mind block - and some books takes years to complete! So I should give myself some credit. But no, I'd love to write a book. I may start easy, something of a children's book. I enjoyed writing the rendition of Red Riding Hood a lot, so maybe I'll start something like that? But, that'll take a lot of imagination and thought. Maybe not then. Oh, I don't know. Might just try and write a romance novel or something! I never use to feel like I was the appropriate person to write romance novels, since I had never been in love, but circumstances have changed and I think I am more than ready to delve into a novel of emotion. Ooooh decisions decisions! 

I'll keep you updated on any ideas I have - maybe I'll write the first page today! Who knows. 

Love 

Aimee 

WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT?

I feel as though I really need to start putting a huge more amount of effort into developing this blog into something I am actually proud to post online - rather than it being a rather dismal portfolio of my literary works! I know they're not great... but I'm learning so give me some time.

I've been contemplating my current life situation recently. Socially I'm a happy bunny, but with regards to my education/ what I want to do, I'm finding it quite daunting and difficult. I feel no real urgency to get out there and do something with my life, which is fine in the moment, but after a month or so of it I start to contemplate - SHOULD I be doing something? I'm not sure what the 'something' is quite yet, maybe even as simple as reading more might satisfying my contemplations, but I just can't pin point it. I'm currently on a three week break from university, which gives me a lot of time to get one step ahead of my uni work and to delve in to find a hobby. A HOBBY! That's what I need. Ahh the missing word I've been looking for has finally made an appearance. But what would I do? Decisions, descions. I think I need to write more. Well not more, write full stop. I am pretty ok at writing, once I start I can ramble on for hours and my imagination runs wild; but I'm like a hard to start engine, and sometimes it just gets a bit tiring to keep trying to ignite it ('it' being my brain box).

So I've come to a conclusion, which I believe I subconsciously had when I began this post but Ho hum, I shall start to write and read more. Starting with my first adventure - read 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn and write something, anything. Oh and of course the uni thing, but that's implied.

Well I'll keep you updated on my daily adventures every so often. Today I met up with an old friend and we laughed about old times and ate pizza - it was all very nostalgic. Tomorrow I believe consists of eating and relaxing; bliss. I WISHED the weather was nicer, but of course Earth does not seem to be so kind as to allow me sunshine outside of being at work or uni. Oh well, I guess I'll have to put the shades and sandals away for a little while and keep dreaming.....


Love
Aimee

PARALYSIS IN 'DUBLINERS'

Paralysis in James Joyce’s short story collection is not a subliminal feature. Joyce presents his main characters in each story as real and ambitious, but who appear to be paralytic protagonists. It is apparent  that Joyce’s presentation of the idea of ‘paralysis’ relates to his home country, Ireland. As the Cambridge Literature edition of ‘Dubliners’ states, “To Joyce, Dublin was also trapped by its place in history...it suffered from a kind of paralysis..”.  In Joyce’s novella ‘The Dead’, this idea is presented through a protagonist named Gabriel. Gabriel expresses his contempt for Ireland throughout the text. Joyce particularly presents this during Gabriel’s speech on Irish hospitality, where he suggests the attendee’s of the party are living in a paralytic routine. For example, Gabriel states, ‘...a new generation is growing up in our midst, a generation actuated by new ideas and new principles.’. It seems as though, during this lengthy speech, Gabriel is trying to get across that Ireland is stuck in its time, with only the act of hospitality still alive within the people. Furthermore suggesting that both himself and the attendants to the party should follow this ‘new generation’. 

Why did Joyce feel the need to present Ireland so paralytically? In the Dover Thrift Edition of the Dubliners, it is perceived that “Joyce used the term (‘paralysis’) to denote a condition of spiritual torpor caused by what he perceived to be the oppressive religiosity of Catholic culture in Ireland”. Contextually, Joyce’s period in Dublin was clouded by Catholicism. It is known that the issue on Joyce’s relationship with religion is somewhat controversial - so is it possible Joyce was craving a revolution? In this way, Joyce uses Dublin as an almost paralytic backdrop for his protagonists in each of his novella’s in ‘Dubliners’; his characters may almost be mentally revolutionised, by the paralysis of their country means they cannot move forward with their lives.

A MODERN PERSPECTIVE OF ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND

The main question I bear, when I think about the modern perspective of Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland is WHY was Lewis Carroll’s imaginative children’s book so full of different perspectives, and why were they all realised post Carroll’s time? The answer is based within the fact that the story has SO many subliminal messages that have harnessed these alternating perspectives, by alternating people. The introduction of many new theoretical ideals helped the imaginative minds of reader’s to expand. One of these important ideals was surrealism, for which Peter Ackroyd states that “...Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is the true origin...”. 

This idea is further enhanced by surrealist painter Salvador Dali. The progression of different illustrative designs for ‘The Mad Tea Party’, for which everyone is familiar, is an interesting one. Originally, illustrative artists portrayed it as being simply what it is; a tea party with a strange ‘mad’ host. This image is one that seems to be officially planted within the publics imagination - but why did surrealist painter Dali choose to illustrate this scene with a melting pocket watch and a tree growing through the middle of the table? This very surreal artistry almost displays the presentation of the unconscious expressing itself. 

Furthermore, Dali’s theoretical artistic approach - a more appropriate term, I believe, to illustration -  brings forward the suggestion of the influence of narcotics as a theme in Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland. The dream like atmosphere that is presented continually throughout the story provides more mature minds to peer upon the idea that this is a drug experience that Alice is feeling. Kate Connell suggests that “The idea of eating a mushroom or drinking from a bottle that causes one to feel altered in some way parallels a drug experience as well.” - this theory can be linked to Dali’s illustration of ‘The Mad Tea Party’ in which he depicts time as ‘melting away’, which could definitely relate to the idea of the loss of awareness of time through the introduction of drugs into the system. 

DEAR KATHERINE

The day was dazzling; a beautiful sun loomed over the bright blue. A beautiful young lady glanced at the morning sky, her eyes gleaming. Tears rolled down her face; delicately, almost in slow motion. Her blonde hair was tucked behind her in a bow and was moving slightly in the gentle breeze. Lightly in her hand, she held a letter. She rose it to her view, grasping it with her pale fingers. It read: 

My Dear Daughter, 

I am so sorry you had to be brought into the world you way you were. But please forgive me. I am a troubled lady, and not fit to be a mother; but I love you entirely, and I think of you every day. You were such a beautiful baby, and I will never forget those charming blue eyes. Try and forgive me, I hope you understand one day. 

Love, Ana. 

Her eyebrows were wrinkled, her mouth slightly parted. She got up off the step outside of her new home, and walked inside. For her, everything felt in slow motion, she couldn’t comprehend anything. She was now a governess, a charming, mindful young soul who had always been so positive. Her new darling caught her eye. This was a beautiful day for her, but it was clouded. She was so beautiful, similar looking to herself. 

“Katherine!” cried the young girl, with pretty hair that glistened when the sun embraced it. She said no more, but grabbed Katherine’s hand and guided her up the stairwell. Katherine glanced at Mrs Grose, and smiled softly as she tucked her letter into her dress and tried to wipe away the tears that stained her cheeks. 

Young Flora ran ahead of Katherine, excitedly. Katherine did not want to rush, for fear it would look unprofessional; so she walked speedily and skipped every now and again with laughter at the young lady running ahead of her. It was a beautiful estate. Handsomely lit, and she could not help but admire the morning sun - she almost felt like being inside was sinful on a day like today, and longed to take the young lady out onto the lake to read a novella. 

“Now close your eyes, you mustn’t look!” said Flora, covering Katherine’s eyes with a bright smile. They were now both outside a small door at the end of the corridor, it was less well lit, but still beautiful in its decor. 

“Is this to be my room Flora?” asked Katherine, sparkling down at the young child. 

“Shhh! Just close your eyes and you’ll find out” smiled Flora, as she took the silk scarf from around her neck and tied it around Katherine's eyes. Once Katherine was  free of light, Flora opened the door and rushed into the room. Katherine felt for the door frame, guiding herself in. Through the silk scarf, she could see the room was filled with light; she could hear Flora speaking to someone, laughing and gossiping. 

“Is someone with you Flora?” Katherine said, smiling happily, thinking it was one of the servants to greet her. She felt Flora, behind her, releasing her from the silk scarf. The room was beautiful; a bay window lit up the whole room, the bed look superbly opulent; but Katherine was confused. She span in a circle quickly observing every corner - but she could see no one. She was confused, frazzled. 

“Flora, was there someone with you? I heard voices” she looked at the young girl with a slight frown. Flora smiled sweetly and her eyes drifted from Katherine to her background. 

“Look at these flowers I made you. Myself and the servants got up early and picked them from the garden ourselves”. Behind Flora was a vase filled with beautiful, vibrant flowers. Katherine could not help but beam with wonder and happiness that someone took the effort to do this for her.
“And don’t worry about the voices Katherine.” said Flora with a smile, “Ana is happy to see you”. 

Introduction

This is going to be a rather short post. This blog is just a place I can bring and display all my literature (and language!) works that I have done either in my spare time or for part of my degree modules. I am currently a year 1 student studying English Language and Literature. 

I hope I don't bore you too quickly....

Aimee