Comments for Fortress of Solitude

Comment on When to Read by Meghan

Meghan — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:03:51 +0000

While I loved most of the English classes I took, I actually agree with you. For many classics, a level of maturity and life experience is necessary that most high school kids simply don’t possess. I’ve revisited a few of the books I loved and a few I hated and found the experiences to be altogether richer regardless.

I’ve also found books that were once “hard” to be surprisingly easy to read. Whether that’s the result of an English major or maturity, it’s a bit hard to say – probably a mixture of both.

I do sort of disagree on analysis – I think some books just call out for a deeper look, but I don’t think the simplistic level we’re taught to look at things in high school can ever dig deeply or meaningfully enough. I became an English major to read more books; I loved the books I read in those classes many more than others, which were perhaps equally qualified, because I knew them inside out.

Comment on Hand-writing by JP

JP — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:17:36 +0000

I know that most, if not all history courses here give out bluebook exams, though some upper level courses give a taken-home exam to be typed up instead.

Comment on Hand-writing by Chad

Chad — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:07:37 +0000

As a follow-up, I wonder how many instructors still give essays on their exams, and pass out blue-books to be filled by hand. I wonder how many instructors have given it up because the computer age has obliterated legible handwriting and they can no longer read those essays.

Comment on Hand-writing by Chad

Chad — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:05:52 +0000

I always took my notes by hand. I always wrote my papers on the computer. I always turned off the grammar features, and made sure that when the markers for misspellings came up it was because I’d made a typo, and not because I didn’t know the spelling of the word I wanted.

Nothing wrong with a crutch. A crutch is there to support you when you yourself are having issues supporting yourself. Hopefully, as with a crutch, this is a temporary condition and will fade away over time.

Otherwise what you have isn’t a crutch, it’s a motorized wheelchair. With a chauffeur.

Comment on Story Solving by JP

JP — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:17:05 +0000

I think my point still stands. While some books slam the ending into your face, the only time that really be a concern are the instances in which the ending is meant to be a surprise. In a formulaic story, though, I would hope the author could provide enough variation that you are not bored, but the execution, not the end, is what matters.

Comment on Story Solving by Meghan

Meghan — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:01:43 +0000

In some cases I do think it harms the book / movie if you can predict the ending. If they’re relying on suspense or the build-up of a mystery for the entire premise, for example, it can totally shake me of any interest I previously had. But then I don’t normally like books or films which do that, so I don’t read or watch them. I usually do what you do and focus on how to get there, rather than the ending.

And I completely agree – choosing not to predict and not being able to figure out the ending are two different things. I very rarely try to figure out the ending, usually I just choose not to predict it. Sometimes, though, the book slams me over the head with it. Then I have no choice!

Comment on In precise terms by Katie

Katie — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:37:40 +0000

The next post can be about misspellings in your blog responses, haha.

Comment on In precise terms by Katie

Katie — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:35:37 +0000

I always say “I am doing good” because indeed, I am doing good, just like Mothere Theresa or any number of saints.

Comment on In precise terms by Elazar

Elazar — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:11:22 +0000

Having only been an observer in restaurants, I agree wholeheartedly (and then some.) What do you think of situations in which these restaurant “requests” transfer themselves to the dinner table? A phrase that grates on my nerves is, in a family dinner setting, when one says “I’ll have the…” instead of “Please pass the…” I always feel the need to stop myself from snarkily asking, “Would you like some help with that or can you get it yourself?”

Comment on Right Energized by admin

admin — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:46:49 +0000

I have mixed feelings on this issue, largely because it is almost unavoidable. For one thing, one of the best ways to assure that history is taught is the tacit understanding that the history classes will teach history as the government wants it to be taught.

Yet I feel there is a limit, especially when facts are purposely distorted and the bare minimum is twisted or bypassed in favor of more favorable, but less important events or people. It makes me uneasy either way, I just think it is an eventuality that cannot be avoided in public, or even private, schools.