"Come here, come here, me mother dear, and read to me my dream!"

[jiasachan]

Mama and Papa visited. We went to dinner and then saw Little Miss Sunshine with Ruthie. Applebees = a bad, bad place to be a vegetarian. Fail. Little Miss Sunshine, however, is awesome. I finished all my absentee ballot stuff, so now I can call myself a responsible citizen and such. And I randomly ran into Blair and Mark -- that happens a lot.

Comments

[punkybrister69]

I've been meaning to read Tess (and Far From the Madding Crowd), but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Not digging it, eh? I had really mixed feelings about his Jude the Obscure. And it sounds like for a lot of the same reasons: Jude isn't really guilty, but he is good because he makes himself feel so guilty for the things that have happened to him. He does have some happiness in his life, but it's only when he doesn't allow himself to be burdened by societal convention. Could Hardy be saying that we are our own judges and guilt is a waste of time and life? Or does he really think we need to suffer to be ultimately "good"? Never studied him in a classroom setting, but I'd be interested to know the "accepted interpretation."

[jiasachan]

It's hard to tell. My Brit Lit professor gives completely incomprehensible, disorganized lectures full of filler and "ums," though, so it's always difficult to make out what he thinks -- his ideas are usually pretty close to the standard classroom interpretation when they can be sorted out, though. It's possibly hardy is trying to tell people to break free from convention, but I find it really odd that his idea of a "pure woman," which is what he calls Tess, is one who honestly believes her misfortunes are her own fault and is willing to kill herself to win her husband's approval. He also seems to say that Angel, who is mostly unconventional and not too tied up in societal norms, has the right ideas -- but then he freaks out over finding out Tess isn't as virginal as he thought. His father, on the other hand, who is very conservative and severe in his views, is in practice a lot gentler and apparently less judgmental.

I think some of the trouble I'm having with Tess is that I can't seem to convince myself to take it in historical

[abitofhappiness]

O_O Someone is awfully rambly today.

XD Yay for mom and pappy! WhoO~

[jiasachan]

I know. I think it's the four cups of different flavours of tea I've had. XD

I ♥ my parents.

[abitofhappiness]

XD Uh-huh, sure . . .

[jiasachan]

Well, it's the only explanation I can think of other than a really random mood. XD