Persepolis is a unique book that doesn’t adhere to what is expected in literature. It combines the personality and ease of reading a graphic novel with the depth of a non-fiction book, particularly a memoir. Specifically, this book follows Satrapi’s life as she grows through the Islamic Revolution. As a child, she becomes rebellious and seeks better out of the Islamic government. Later in her life, she keeps some elements but is subdued in others.
This novel by Roy questions many parts of life and being. The story follows the life of a brother (Estha) and sister (Rahel) who grow up in Ayemenem. They witness their lives gradually fall apart after an incident in which their cousin dies and they are blamed for her death. Years of mediocrity and disappointment go by, with the book eventually ending with the reunification of the siblings after being separated and washed away of hope and life. A main point of discussion Roy has is the “love laws,” which was a theme I enjoyed hearing her thoughts about.
This anthology is a compilation of the works of poet Elizabeth Bishop. Her creations are clouded metaphorical representations of her life and resolve. The themes the works reach can be as simple as the simple observations of the environment to sobriety and alcoholism. It is clear by her writing that these messages are intended to be buried deep into the works, only discovered by those determined to find them and those who look through each work and her personal life with a magnifying lens. This is the benefit and limitation of her work.
Pride and Prejudice is a story of the Bennet family, set in England. The Bennet family’s offspring are exclusively daughters, which becomes a point of consideration as the parents look to marry off their daughters. With a local ball coming soon, they came upon a chance to find their daughter's wealthy partners who could sufficiently satisfy their needs.
This play by Shakespeare is a drama that views the destiny of Macbeth as he slowly marches into a pit of chaos. The play begins with three witches foretelling some of Macbeth’s fate. Realizing and worrying about his future, he becomes irritable, cautious, and destructive to those he perceives as threatening his bright future as a leader. He kills many to reach this goal, eventually being killed himself for such ambitions.
Check & Mate follows Mallory Greenleaf, a teenage girl who has stopped playing chess for good. But when her best friend drags her to a chess tournament where she beats the current world champion she can’t escape the world of chess.
Shatter Me follows Juliette Ferrars, a 17-year-old girl with a fatal touch. She was locked up in an asylum for accidentally touching someone, leading to their death. The Reestablishment, the government in this dystopian world that locked Juliette up, decided that she could be used for something better, a weapon.
Summary: Mansfield Park by Jane Austen follows the life of Fanny Price, a young girl from a poor family who is sent to live with her wealthy relatives at Mansfield Park. Fanny struggles to find her place in this new environment, often feeling overlooked and inferior. She develops feelings for her cousin, Edmund Bertram, who is kind to her but ultimately falls for the charming but morally questionable Henry Crawford.
The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller. This play occurs in Salem, Massachusetts, as suspicions rise of witchcraft. John Proctor, one of the main characters, created false accusations of Abigail (a teen) partaking in witchcraft. This leads to a string of accusations that causes hysteria in the entire town. These accusations find their way to court, where false “evidence” and faulty claims overpower the truth that few dare to speak out loud.
King Lear is a tragic play by William Shakespeare that explores themes of power, family, and madness. The story revolves around King Lear's decision to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia, based on their flattery of him. Cordelia's refusal to indulge in false praise leads to Lear disowning her and ultimately descending into madness as he faces betrayal from his other daughters and loses his grip on power.
