Book #15: The Shining by Stephen King

I know I said that the next book would be War and Peace, but it has taken me awhile to get through it. This is partially because I’ve been reading other books while reading it (I know! I should just suck it up and power through!). I read a chapter of War and Peace, I read a chapter of something else, and so on. So I decided to continue the challenge as I read this huge monster of a book, especially because the next book on the list was Stephen King’s The Shining (a fun The Shining. I have seen countless of other classic horror films, but never got around to seeing this one. You know, based on this blog, you probably think I haven’t read or seen much of anything…I promise you that I have!

read!). Anybody who claims to be one of my friends knows that I love a good scary story. Horror movies, in particular, are my favorite. It may come to a shock to you, then, that I have never seen the movie version of

            I first read The Shining about ten years ago when I was a sophomore year in high school. Geez, I am old. Wow. Because it had been so long, I decided to reread it. I remember reading it the first time and not being blown away. I wasn’t sure if this was because I was too young to appreciate, didn’t quite understand it, or just wasn’t a fan. Before reading it this time, I finally sat down and watched the movie. I enjoyed the movie, but it is one that I only need to watch every ten years or so. I can understand why it is a classic and why it is a Gilmore favorite. It is actually the movie of The Shining that Lorelai mentions when she is on the phone with her mother talking about installing a DSL line (oh, the days before wifi). However, because it was a book first, of course, it is on the list. This brings me to my first topic:

Book vs. Movie

            Whenever it comes down to the book vs. movie debate, I usually side with the book. 99.9% of the time, the book is better than the movie or television adaptation. There is a very short list of movies that are better than their source of adaptation. That list, in my eyes, is Bridget Jones’s Diary, Twilight (because you can visually see the abs), and Harry Potter. I’m sure there are a few more, but I’ll let you know as I think of them.

            In this situation, I do think that the novel The Shining is better than the movie The Shining. Watching the movie and reading the novel in such quick succession made me more certain in

my opinion. Both are enjoyable, but there are major differences which helped me make my decision. For one, the main character Jack is presented in very different lights. In the movie, it is made clear from very early on that something is wrong with Jack. The movie presents this as something that is inherently within Jack before the story starts and that the evil that manifests in the character was present there all along. In the novel, King presents Jack as a flawed human character. He is not evil when the story begins, but is a man struggling with alcoholism, losing his job, and the tension in his marriage. He is not perfect by any means, but he is NOT an inherently evil man. King makes it abundantly clear that Jack loves his wife, Wendy, and his son, Danny. The movie makes Jack extremely unlikeable from very early on making it hard to sympathize with him and, therefore, not making us feel any sympathy for Jack as he loses himself. The novel makes Jack's inner turmoil evident to the reader. We learn about how his father abused him and why he succumbed to alcohol. We see how the voices of the ghosts of the hotel slowly take over Jack’s mind so that he eventually gives his soul up to the hotel. The movie makes it clear that Jack is the bad guy while the novel presents the hotel as the bad guy.

            This difference is one of the reasons why Stephen King dislikes the critically acclaimed

movie adaptation of his work. King is not shy about voicing his ideas and opinions to the world. This is something we see to this day as he was recently blocked by Donald Trump on Twitter. I can only imagine how difficult it is for an author to give up authority of their work. If I ever write a book (and mark my words, I will write a book!) and it is turned into either a movie or TV series, I’d want to be intimately involved in the process.

The Uncanny

Freud coined the term the “uncanny” which refers to something that is familiar, but slightly off. It is unsettling because it is so close to something we know yet there is part of it that does not fit our normal schema for the world. This is my paraphrase of what the uncanny means and it explains why scary stories are so popular, specifically Stephen King’s stories. If you look at most of King’s works, what makes them the most unsettling is that the horror comes from something that connects to our human world. Sure, he includes ghosts, vampires, aliens, etc. but these are all rooted in something that connects to human nature. What is scary about The Shining isn’t just that it is about a haunted hotel, but it is that it takes a normal man and takes him to the edge of madness. We know that ghosts are not real (debatable), but losing your mind is. What scares us is not the supernatural, but what the supernatural represents. Although, the cheap scares in slasher movies can be a bit scary for some of us.

Random Thoughts

- I once tried to trick a guy into watching a scary movie with me. This did not end well as he opened the door, saw the television scream, and yelled “HELL NO” as he slammed the door. I had to earn my forgiveness by giving him all the Kit-Kats in my Halloween candy mix.

- The most haunted room in the Overlook Hotel is room 217. My classroom is 217. Coincidence? I think not. I always joked that my classroom was haunted because the TV would randomly turn on and things would fall off the walls. Now it makes a lot more sense.

- King takes inspiration for The Shining from his own struggle with alcoholism and parenting. It is often said that you write what you know. This makes sense, but writing what you know tends to get you in trouble sometimes. I’ve been there.

- One of my favorite author feuds is between Stephen King and James Patterson. Personally, I like both authors for different reasons. However, it is extremely interesting to read about. I think it should be the next season of that FX show about Feuds.

- Colorado is the setting of this novel so I have to ask: Why is Colorado so popular? At least two of my good friends have moved out there and several other people I know have done so as well. Of all the places I would move to, Colorado would not be first on the list.

- Since this book is about a psychic boy, I would like to share that my mother believes that certain members of our family are slightly psychic. But, she likes to point out that I did not inherit this gift.

- The Shining has a sequel: Dr. Sleep. It is about a grown up Danny. I wonder how it compares to The Shining. I’ll let you know.

Pictures

Movie Poster:http://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/movie/movie_poster/the-shining-1980/large_zc5y5OwKSV9MDXpfWxwrOjyRHsq.jpg

Book Cover:http://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1309974274i/231786._UY200_.jpg

Movie Still:http://www.heyuguys.com/images/2014/08/The-Shining.jpg

Meme:https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/86/ee/a0/86eea0092015a877a024271bed9a3ced.jpg

Book #14 A Tale of Two Cities

           For someone who was not well versed in Charles Dickens, I have quickly caught up during the past three months. Normally, I wouldn’t think Dickens is the best author to binge read (actually, I’m not sure it's a good idea to binge read any author because then you will get tired of them), but I am glad I am catching up on reading these classics. Especially A Tale of Two Cities!

Out of the four Dickens novels mentioned in Rory’s class during the second episode, this was the novel I was most looking forward to reading for several reasons. One, I remember that I really enjoyed the episode of Wishbone that was based off of the novel. My love of literature started really early. Two, I had heard the famous opening line “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” many different times (pun intended). I had to see the source material. And, three, this book came recommended by a good friend. I was told to prepare to have my heart broken so, of course, that just made me want to read it more.

            A Tale of Two Cities was different from the two previous Dickens novels I’ve read in that it had a clear plot trajectory rather than just a character study. David Copperfield and Great Expectations both focused on a coming of age story of a young boy and the different people that helped him grow up. However, A Tale of Two Cities is criticized because the characters were flat and lacked the depth seen in Dickens’ other works. I could see that as I read, especially with Lucie. Honestly, she was kind of boring and it seemed like the only reason so many men wanted to marry her was for her golden hair and her purity. Pffffffff. Golden hair doesn’t get you anywhere. Lemme tell you. But, Lucie is at the heart of the novel and a lot of the action is centered around her so I can’t bash her too much.

            The two male leads, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, are also criticized for their lack of depth. However, I must argue that they are written this way because it is their actions that speak the loudest. This novel is not meant to be like David Copperfield or Great Expectations. It is meant to capture a specific period in history and these two men epitomize the terror during this time. Of course, there is also a conspiracy theory that Darnay and Carton are Charles Dickens combined; that he put some of himself into both of these characters. I’m not so sure of that, but I do know that authors insert themselves into their characters whether consciously or not. The characters in this novel are not as dynamic as some of Dickens’ others, but they control the plot which is the heart of the story.

            Every good love story has a love triangle. That’s why Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Bridget Joneses’ Diary are such popular books and movies (I know that last one doesn’t really connect with the first two, but, trust me, it has the perfect love triangle). But, is it really a love triangle when one man does not make his intentions known? It seems that from very early on that Lucie and Charles Darnay were meant to be and the central couple of the text. However, Sydney Carton is slowly revealed to harbor a secret love for Lucie. He never takes the chance to tell Lucie how he feels because (1) he doesn’t feel like he is good enough, (2) he hasn’t found his own purpose in life, and (3) Lucie and Charles Darnay are already madly in love. But did Lucie ever have the chance to love Sydney? He never put himself out there or revealed his feelings to her. Maybe he thought he was doing her a favor because he didn’t think he was good enough. But he never gave himself the chance to see if she could return those feelings.

            It is pretty clear that I fall on the Sydney Carton team for the love triangle. I tend to side with the underdog in these situations. I really did like Charles Darnay and would easily claim him as my literature crush for this novel, but Sydney was just more interesting. Sydney had flaws that made him more real to me and unrequited love always makes me feel some sort of way. What really made love him was his action at the end of the novel. SPOILER ALERT. Sydney made the ultimate sacrifice him and gave up his life so Lucie could be happy with someone that wasn’t him. Ultimately, her happiness and safety was more important to him than his own life. And, with that, my heart was broken just like my friend said. Lucie would never know how much Sydney loved him, but his sacrifice saved many lives. I am just going to sob for a minute over this.

Other Thoughts:

- One of my favorite lines was about Sydney Carton: “When he cared to talk, he talked well.” Such a simple line, but with a lot said. I always listen carefully to those who are quiet because when they talk, it is usually very insightful. I wish I was one of those people. Sometimes I am. Other times, I just have a tendency to babble.

- I find it funny that Charles Darnay tells Lucie’s father that he loves her and intends to marry her before he even mentions to Lucie that he loves her. I would find it very strange if a guy told my dad that he was in love with me and intended to marry me before I even had any inkling myself.

- So far, my ranking of Dickens’ works are 1. A Tale of Two Cities, 2. Great Expectations, 3. David Copperfield

Next Time:

            Rory’s teacher mentioned Dickens and these novels because their topic of discussion is the impact English culture had on Russian culture and thenceforth English literature on Russian literature. This will lead into our next book, War and Peace (that one is going to be a long ride), because Charles Dickens was Leo Tolstoy’s favorite author. Wish me luck as I make my way through this 1215 beast of a Russian novel! And now because everyone deserves to look at a puppy...

Images

- Book cover: http://conversationsabouther.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/A_Tale_of_Two_Cities__91605_zoom.jpg

- Comic cover: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/CC_No_06_A_Tale_of_Two_Cities.jpg/220px-CC_No_06_A_Tale_of_Two_Cities.jpg

-Wishbone: http://images.paperbackswap.com/l/59/3059/9780836823059.jpg

Book #13: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

We are going to take a detour from the Dickens we have been reading during Rory’s first day at Chilton and read something a bit more recent. At the time of Gilmore Girls first season, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was the most recent Harry Potter book released. I can remember this time because I was shocked that a children's book was this big. Miss Patty, Stars Hollow’s very own dance instructor, is the one to mention this book. She tells her dancers, “Now, walk smooth. That’s the new Harry Potter book on your heads. If they should drop, Harry will die, and there won’t be anymore books.” For some reason, this line has always stuck with me from the first time I watched the series. I’m not even a huge Harry Potter fan, but I found this incredibly hilarious. Just imagine trying to walk, let alone dance, with this huge book on your head. It is absurd.

Secret Time

            Now, I am going to tell you all a little secret…When I first read the Harry Potter series, I read the first three books, half of the fourth, and then the sixth and seventh. I know. I have Harry Potter fans of the word. I skipped the middle part of the series and leapt to the end. It is not that I dislike Harry Potter, I really did enjoy the series, I’m just not as obsessed with it as others are. There are books and series that I like more. I never went to a midnight showing or release party. I bought the books within the first few weeks and I saw the movies in theaters, but I couldn’t get into it the same way as everyone else. I got bored halfway through the fourth and just waited until the fourth and fifth movies to jump back in with book six. I didn't feel like I missed much (many people will argue with me here). However, you should be happy to know that I picked up my old copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire from ten plus years ago and picked up where I left off (To be honest, I have know idea if it was actually my bookmark left in that book, but oh well).

committed a mortal sin amongst the loyal

Nerdy Girls are Cool

            One thing I do love about the Harry Potter series is that it made being the nerdy, smart

girl cool. Hermione may have had poufy hair and could be a bit of a know-it-all, but she was always confident, smart, and herself. This is exactly the kind of role model young girls need. I could always

relate to Hermione. From my early grade school years (when the books were first popular), the other kids would call me Hermione. I had the same kind of hair (I did not know how to tame the poufiness at that age) and I always had a book in my hand. I had a reputation of being smart and getting good grades. I was quiet and found solace in the library. I never found being compared to Hermione an insult. Hermione was a favorite Halloween costume of my peers. She was the character who always had a plan; who Harry and Ron trusted. I knew that I wasn’t exactly “cool” in the way many people associate with the word. I still would not classify myself as “cool.” But that is okay with me. I would rather be me, the nerdy, smart, self-assured, curly-haired woman I am. Maybe being “cool” is just being who you are and not being ashamed of it.

The Power of Friendship

            One of my favorite friendships in Harry Potter was the friendship between Harry and Hermione. Of course, I love Ron, but it will become clear why I did not include him in this. Harry and Hermione show a male-female friendship that is not clouded by romance. They can have a platonic relationship without ever questioning it. This is a topic that has been explored in rom-coms throughout the years. These rom-coms always seem to show that no male-female relationship is ever platonic. I’m not sure if this is true. Harry and Hermione are close confidents, but never wander towards the path of romance. I know J.K. Rowling has claimed that she now wishes she paired Hermione with Harry instead of Ron. I suppose I would be talking about Hermione and Ron here if that were the case. As someone who has many male friends, it is nice that the platonic side of male-female relationships is shown. Sometimes, friends are friends and nothing more.

Other Tid-bits

- In my 10^th grade English class, we recently discussed Aristotle’s concept of the tragic hero. We discussed this idea in terms of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart, but we also discussed Snape as a modern example of a tragic hero. A tragic hero has a fatal flaw called hamartia which leads to their downfall. In Snape’s case, his hamartia is his love for Harry’s mother. If you look at all the components of a tragic hero (just for funsies), you will see that Snape is a perfect example of a tragic hero.

- My personal favorite of the Harry Potter books (and movies) is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This was the last book released before they became super big. The plot wasn’t convoluted and was pretty easy to follow. Also, it introduced one of my favorite characters, Sirius Black. It’s probably because I have a thing for hairy grumpy men ever since I saw Beauty and the Beast and Sirius Black fits that mold pretty well (the book version, not the movie version).

Nest time: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickins!!

Images

Book Cover 1 https://milambc.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/goblet.jpg

Book Cover 2 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c7/Harry_Potter_and_the_Goblet_of_Fire.jpg

Hermione https://s.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/GLOB/crop/1024x543+0+16/resize/660x350!/format/jpg/quality/85/https://s.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/f5fb4e246b8cf928569bc99032b70d3f/203163656/hermione-granger-played-emma-watson.jpg

Book #12: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

If you read my post about David Copperfield, you are well aware that my expectations for Charles Dickens were not very high after reading it. I thought David Copperfield was boring and had no cohesive plot. I was disappointed in Dickens and dreading the many Dickens novels that were to come on this list. I had a pleasant surprise, though, when I began reading Great Expectations. I could immediately tell that I would enjoy it better than David Copperfield. Don’t ask me how I knew so quickly, I just did. I have a sixth sense when it comes to these things.

On the surface, Great Expectations appears very similar to David Copperfield. Both stories are centered around a young orphan and follows his trials and tribulations as he reaches adulthood. However, Pip is a hell of a lot more likeable than David and the characters surrounding Pip are more vibrant than those in David’s world. Humor plays a major role in Great Expectations while David Copperfield focuses on the harshness of reality. I’m not saying that Great Expectations is all sunshine and rainbows; it is absolutely not. The cruelties in Great Expectations, such as Pip’s sister’s brutal attack and Estella’s backstory, are particularly harsh and gruesome. But rather than dwelling on the gruesome parts of life, Dickens gives us humor to distract us from the harrowing parts of the novel.

Tough Love

One of my favorite motifs (I know I am sounding extra English teachery by using this word) in this novel is the way the female characters express their feelings. Each of the prominent female characters (Mrs. Joe Gargary, Miss Havisham, Estella) are just plain mean to the men in their lives. We first see this with Pip’s sister Mrs. Joe Gargary. Her husband, Joe, is perhaps one of the sweetest men I have come across in literature. Maybe he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but that is no excuse for his wife to be so short tempered to him. Mrs. Joe Gargary is also cruel to Pip, her own brother! I found her to be one of my favorite characters. Her character traits, especially her mood swings, were exaggerated to heighten the humor. My favorite part, though, was that no matter how mean she was, Joe still loved her with all his heart.

Miss Havisham is the epitome of a crazy old cat lady, but without all the cats. She sits in her room wearing her wedding dress from twenty years ago with all the clocks stuck at nine twenty because that is the exact moment her fiance left her. Miss Havisham isn’t exactly mean to Pip, but she shows no emotions except sadness and is never direct with him. She’s cold and lonely and feels spurned by all men simply because one hurt her.

This brings me to her adoptive daughter, Estella. Miss Havisham raised her as a weapon against men. She raised her so she could not love or have any feelings. Therefore, using her beauty as a tool to break men’s hearts. Pip, of course, falls for Estella the moment he lays eyes on her and pines for her for most of the novel. Estella goes out of her way to make hurtful comments and to play with Pip’s mind. She makes him cry, lets him kiss her, flirts with other men in front of him. I first thought, why on earth would he like this girl? Yeah, she is pretty, but she has no soul. Then, I thought back to something a guy once said to me “sometimes guys are attracted to girls who are mean to them.” Makes sense. I am always a tad bit mean to the guys I like the most and they always seem to like this. Maybe they like a girl that can stand her ground and be a bit of a challenge. This isn’t only true with guys. As a girl (I don’t know why I feel like I need to clarify this), I do tend to be attracted to guys who aren’t afraid to tease me. However, if someone pushes too far, I tend to pull away. I could not put up with a male version of Estella; someone who purposely makes you want to feel bad about yourself.

It all comes back to plot

The main reason Great Expectations is better than David Copperfield is not the humor, but rather the plot. Great Expectations has a clear plot trajectory and if something was brought up earlier in the novel, it was used in a later point to serve a purpose. David Copperfield was structured very much like a biography with “this happened, then this happened, then this.” I understand this, but it was boring to read. In Great Expectations, everything is tied up at the end, though not necessarily in a pretty little bow. I don't ask for a happy ending, just an ending that serves a purpose. This ending left us on a hopeful note with Pip and Estella reuniting as friends. Romance could be possible, but it is uncertain. Personally, I like this ending; it is more realistic. We don't always get what we want and sometimes, if not always, friendships should be celebrated more than romance. Okay, I will stop being sappy now <3

Pictures
Book 1 http://greatexpectationsnovel.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/0/1/2301863/936347_orig.jpg
Illustration http://www.charlesdickensinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Well_Pip_you_know_._._._._you_yourself_see_me_put_em_in_my_at-_ch._13-300x238.jpeg