Deliverance

Contributed by Thomas, gr. 12, Jan. 2019




This thriller by poet James Dickey tells the tale of four white collar city slickers who spend their weekend canoeing through the woods in the hopes of experiencing an invigorating nature retreat before the area is renovated. What they find instead is grisly horror at the hands of mentally unstable forest dwellers whose intentions are so grim that the thought of describing their actions in detail makes me sick.

While I did enjoy the book, I felt that it took significant time to get interesting. Dickey’s career as poet is on clear display in terms of the prose, but the actual conversations that the characters have -- specifically, Ed and Lewis --   I found to be somewhat irritating. The macho, weekend-warrior attitude of Lewis in particular, felt grating, since I’ve never been fond of survivalist nuts; especially egotistical, phaux-philosophical ones.

Nevertheless, once the novel truly becomes a thriller, it does a fine job of raising tension and inspiring uneasiness in the reader. This is accomplished mostly by Dickey’s aforementioned prose, which manages to make a dark, gritty, down-and-dirty novel feel like poetry at times. This grimy romanticism is incredibly engaging and helped me get through the novel. It also has some strong ethical dilemmas for the protagonists as more intense measures must be taken as events unfold.

While I had problems with some attitudes that the characters held, I nevertheless enjoyed Deliverance and would recommend it to readers looking for some tense and at times hard-hitting adventure.

1984

Contributed by Becca, gr. 12, Jan. 2019 

This novel is among the best books I’ve read. It takes place in a dystopian society called Oceania which is  run by a dictator called Big Brother. 

In this totalitarian society, freedom does not exist; telescreens and secret police are everywhere to watch and control the thoughts and actions of citizens. Citizens are told that “Big Brother is always watching you.” However, only a minority of citizens are aware of this reality, including Winston Smith - the central character of the novel. The plot follows his journey to find freedom from Big Brother. 

Although the mood and atmosphere of this novel are gloomy and tragic, the story and the dystopian society built by George Orwell are exceptionally interesting. Indeed, it washard for me to stop reading once I got lost in the life of Winston Smith. Therefore, I would recommend this novel to any reader who is interested in dystopian novels.    

A Clockwork Orange

Contributed by Yasmine, grade 12 -- June 2018

A Clockwork Orange became one of my favorite books immediately after the first chapter. This dystopian novel is cleverly written utilizing a slang dialect completely of the author’s creation, which helps build the dark, edgy world in which it is set.

The plot moves along quickly. Through the eyes of its cruel protagonist, Alex, you will experiences a night of crime and debauchery where teenagers give into base instincts, and then face the consequences of their behavior. The book thus becomes an exploration of human nature, and its more brutal side.

Furthermore, as the futuristic society attempts to address crime with various methods of punishment and rehabilitation, the book provokes discussion about the importance of free will.

I think that this novel is a very interesting read, enhanced by the complexity of its protagonist and the uniqueness of its language. Readers will find it thought-provoking and unsettling to empathize with such a wicked boy as Alex, but the story of how his perspectives change, as well as the political satire, make it an incredible book.

A Confederacy of Dunces

Contributed by Chris, grade 12 -- June 2018

A Confederacy of Dunces is an absurd romp through the lives of a handful of ridiculous characters, that made me laugh out loud at times, although I found it dragged in the middle.

Dunces initially revolves around the story of Ignatius Reilly, an obese resident of 1960s-era New Orleans who writes an elegantly worded masters degree thesis in red crayon. Soon, however, the story expands to a true confederacy, jumping between a dozen different, equally absurd protagonists all with interconnected stories.

This book is a slow burn, that, while often very funny, struggles with the amount of characters to track. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a humorous and different read, who does not mind a longer book.

On the Road

Contributed by Kate, grade 12 -- April 2018

 The novel On the Road was immensely enjoyable for me. As I read it, I felt truly immersed in the locations, cultures, and characters that the protagonist Sal Paradise experienced on his journeys.

Jack Kerouac’s unique vocabulary and rhythmic sentences were a delight to read.  I did, however, find it difficult to keep track of all the characters and events as I moved through the book; the plot spans three years and thousands of miles of open road, and new characters are introduced every chapter. 

However, once I stopped anxiously trying to summarize the whole plot in my head, I realized that the experiential value of the novel made people and places of a different century attainable for the mind of a 21st century youth, and I think that is a rewardable feat.

Contributed by  Yasmine, gr. 12 -- June 2018

On the Road by Jack Kerouac is an amazing and powerful tale. As its title suggests, this

book is essentially the travel diary of Jack Kerouac, but his reflections on the nature of life and love make it excitingly profound.

As Kerouac travels across America and Mexico with various friends, he is constantly searching for something he cannot quite express. Recording his spontaneous, daring experiences, Kerouac fully explores what is meaningful to him, discarding what is not. In this way, the description of a magical night at a jazz club might stretch four pages, yet the journey through 10 cities might take up only a paragraph.

Kerouac captures the human experience by showing that some fleeting moments are precious and essentially shape one’s life. The rhythmic, flowing prose compelled me to be swept along by Kerouac’s journey, feeling the pull of experiencing as much as possible while appreciating each small aspect of human life. In addition, the wide array of eccentric, complex characters -- such as Jack’s friend, Neil -- is a driving element in the story. I would highly recommend this novel to peer and adult readers.

The Catcher in the Rye

Contributed by Kate, grade 12 -- May 2018

I think that this was the best book I’ve read all year. The way J. D. Salinger writes in the voice of Holden Caulfield is so convincingly real that it felt as though I was reading a legitimate private memoir. I can also appreciate how this novel brings to light the topic of mental illness without making it the topic of the whole book, or discrediting Holden. Holden’s cynical perspectives on his peers and his surroundings made me laugh and made me think; there was no part of the novel I didn’t find enthralling. I highly recommend this modern classic to anyone who hasn’t read it yet.

Contributed by Jennifer, grade 12 -- Spring 2018

This novel is bold, but not in a bad way. The language is angry and colloquial compared to other novels I've read. I would recommend it to peers because it explores the struggles of transitioning from a teenager to an adult -- basically every high school student's problem.

The main character is a 16-year-old boy named Holden who is figuring out his future plans. His road to adulthood is filled with all the negative things, although he hopes to cherish the beautiful moments of childhood.

Contributed by Sophie, grade 12 -- June 2018

Catcher in the Rye is a classic novel that every one should read. I found the writing style and point of view to be very relateable, allowing me to understand the character's thinking and conflicts.

I really enjoyed reading this book because Holden Caulfield is an interesting character with a unique philosophy towards life. I believe that you should read this book because every one goes through some sort of struggle in growing up -- which is what this book is all about.

Contributed by Yasmine, grade 12 -- June 2018

I found The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger to be a thoroughly enjoyable book. The voice developed by its eccentric protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is famously distinct, and the consistency of voice made the novel believable.

Salinger addresses the topic of mental illness from an objective point of view without getting into too many details. A reader can broaden his or her view on mental health while being simultaneously engrossed in Holden’s story of quitting school to wander New York City.

Although I found that this book provokes thinking about issues, it also shows the emotional side of life. Although Holden speaks of his belief that most people are “phonies", Holden’s tender relationship with his sister and desire to find some joy in life creates an ultimately hopeful premise. I highly recommend The Catcher in the Rye to anyone who wishes to explore life from a wounded, cynical, yet innocent perspective.

The Great Gatsby

Contributed by Samantha, gr. 12 -- April 2018

I found The Great Gatsby to be a short yet compelling story. The book is at times difficult to read due to the language of the time, therefore making it hard to understand occasionally  and even requiring the use of a dictionary.

The brevity of the novel makes it a relatively quick read, and this book may appeal to those readers who can handle some challenging vocabulary and a thrilling romance adventure.

Contributed by Yasmine, gr. 12 -- June 2018

I found this book to be an interesting novel. While some of the story’s central themes are not unique, Fitzgerald’s writing is beautiful, with words fitting together better than jigsaw pieces. Readers will follow an investor named Nick, and his interaction with Jay Gatsby, a mysterious and wealthy man whose main desire is the hand of a former lover. Gatsby plans a life that begins with lavish, excessive parties which eventually lead to his undoing.


In my opinion, what makes The Great Gatsby a classic is the universality of its message. While the 1920s setting serves as an elegant backdrop, Gatsby’s meaningless wealth and misplaced desire to “get” a woman as one "gets" objects touches upon themes of the nature of happiness, love, and the meaning of life.

Nineteen Eighty-Four

Contributed by Tyger, grade 12, March 2017

 “The choice of mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.”
- Nineteen Eighty-Four

Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopian novel written in 1949 by George Orwell, author of the classic, Animal Farm. The story surrounds a man named Winston and follows him on his journey of rebellion. The world is divided into three major political powers; Oceania, Eastasia, and Eurasia. All three superstates  are ruled by similar totalitarian systems, a single figure which controls every individual. I use the term individual very loosely, as people are prohibited all acts of personal expression.

Indicators which people in civilized societies use to distinguish themselves from one another are banned, and what citizens perceive as the truth is controlled by the government, specifically the god-like leader of Oceania, Big Brother. From food, to clothing, to newspaper articles, to dictionaries, the state controls not only all which inhabitants consume, but also every aspect of social and economic life. Those who dare to make even the slightest indication of discontent towards the system -- whether these signs are verbal or a mere facial expression of change in mannerisms -- are vaporized, taken away and erased from world history as if they never existed.

  

I will never forget this book. Although the level of control and surveillance which the government has over its inhabitants is an exaggeration, I do notice some parallels between the novel and our society. The part which created the most profound realization of these parallels is when Winston was reading Goldstein's forbidden book, particularly when it speaks about the traditional cycle of power;

“The aim of the high is to remain where they are. The aim of the middle is to change places with the high. The aim of the low, when they have an aim -- for it is an abiding characteristic of the low that they are too much crushed by drudgery to be more than intermittently conscious of anything outside their daily lives -- is to abolish all distinctions and create a society where all men shall be equal. thus, throughout history a struggle which is the same in its main outlines recurs over and over again.” (p. 210).

I will say, however, that Orwell’s  character depiction is incredibly weak. I did not feel empathy for the individuals themselves, but rather for the negative situations in which they were placed. I strongly feel that if Orwell had focused more on Winston’s emotions and mental processes  instead of the hellish societal conditions that he was in, the conclusion of the story might have created an empathetic response. That being said however, the novel’s timeless and impeccably unique subject matter makes up for this lack of character depth.

With the absurd viewpoints and disturbing dystopian take on daily life, Nineteen-Eighty-Four can provoke thoughts about our own society.  I will never forget this book.  It is a timeless classic that will remain relevant to society for centuries to come.

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written by Allora, grade 12, March 2017