I was angry at Chris McCandless almost the entire time I was reading the book. He seemed like an out-of-control narcissist with impossibly grand notions about his personal destiny. Only as his sad, pathetic end became imminent did my ire begin to subside.
Although McCandless had a generous heart, he treated his parents very badly. I wonder why did he scare them to death ? It was as if cutting off all contact with them gave him the power to fulfill his odyssey.
I feel sorry for his parents. I could not cut off contact with my parents as I know they would worry. I think it would be too painful for parents not to speak to their children or not know where they were or what they were doing.
I really feel for the McCandless family and how hard this must have all been for them. Firstly Chris going off without saying anything for years and then later being found in the bus and secondly having to go through the public humiliation of their private lives in the media.
Thursday, 9 September 2010
My View About The Giesha
talbot_sam said...
Lovely work! You write very well about the Geisha in terms of description - could you expand upon this Ghadah, by telling us what you think about the Geisha? Task: Do you think the Geisha were exploited as women (by men) or do you think it is the Geisha who actually exploited the men (who paid them for their company)? Let us know your view? It's great to have something oriental on the blog!! Maybe we'll both get to Japan one day soon!!!:)
Well, In my opinion, I think that Geisha were exploited by men. Years ago, men in Japan were not constrained to be faithful to their wives. The ideal wife was a modest mother and manager of the home, so men used Geisha as tools for their sexual enjoyment and romantic attachment and they paid them for their company which make Geisha absolutely worthless as humans because these girls sold their bodies for sexual services!
On the other hand, Geisha themselves see it as a traditional Japanese art, and they actually very proud of themselves because they believe that they are skilled entertainers who perform various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance!!
Lovely work! You write very well about the Geisha in terms of description - could you expand upon this Ghadah, by telling us what you think about the Geisha? Task: Do you think the Geisha were exploited as women (by men) or do you think it is the Geisha who actually exploited the men (who paid them for their company)? Let us know your view? It's great to have something oriental on the blog!! Maybe we'll both get to Japan one day soon!!!:)
Well, In my opinion, I think that Geisha were exploited by men. Years ago, men in Japan were not constrained to be faithful to their wives. The ideal wife was a modest mother and manager of the home, so men used Geisha as tools for their sexual enjoyment and romantic attachment and they paid them for their company which make Geisha absolutely worthless as humans because these girls sold their bodies for sexual services!
On the other hand, Geisha themselves see it as a traditional Japanese art, and they actually very proud of themselves because they believe that they are skilled entertainers who perform various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance!!
The Use of the Third Person Narrative
Christopher McCandless changes his name to Alexander Supertramp when he hits the road after graduating college.
Being a person who frequently used metaphor and saw symbolism in many things and a smart kid who well read and frequently quoted authors such as Jack London, Henry David Thoreau, Ernest Hemmingway, and Leo Tolstoy in his writings, it is no doubt that this alias of sorts had some sort of meaning for McCandless beyond just the fact that it was a way to disguise his true name and this is why he used the third person narrative in his writing as well.
In my opinion, I believe that McCandless used this writing style for three reasons:
First: He was experimenting with a new genre in life, the open road. He wanted to avoid any possibility of being traces by his former identity. He wanted to be free from the entrapping that came with being Christopher McCandless.
Second: He wanted to protect himself as he did not want to be recognized by anyone that may have heard he was missing or perhaps knew his family somehow.
Third: maybe he was ashamed of himself because of what he had done. On the other hand, he wanted to express his feelings but he was too embarrassed to admit that he was talking about himself so he preferred to use the third person narrative and maybe that is what made him change his name at the first place too!
Being a person who frequently used metaphor and saw symbolism in many things and a smart kid who well read and frequently quoted authors such as Jack London, Henry David Thoreau, Ernest Hemmingway, and Leo Tolstoy in his writings, it is no doubt that this alias of sorts had some sort of meaning for McCandless beyond just the fact that it was a way to disguise his true name and this is why he used the third person narrative in his writing as well.
In my opinion, I believe that McCandless used this writing style for three reasons:
First: He was experimenting with a new genre in life, the open road. He wanted to avoid any possibility of being traces by his former identity. He wanted to be free from the entrapping that came with being Christopher McCandless.
Second: He wanted to protect himself as he did not want to be recognized by anyone that may have heard he was missing or perhaps knew his family somehow.
Third: maybe he was ashamed of himself because of what he had done. On the other hand, he wanted to express his feelings but he was too embarrassed to admit that he was talking about himself so he preferred to use the third person narrative and maybe that is what made him change his name at the first place too!
Diplomatic Incidents
At the beginning of the course, Sam asked us to visit the library and to choose
some titles of travel literature writing books to discuss them together. I found many interesting books but there was one book which I really liked and could not stop myself from buying it. That book is called Diplomatic Incidents by Cherry Denman.
I just finished reading the book and I am going to give a brief review about it.
This book represents the many real-life stories about life on the move that made Cherry think her life experiences had what it takes to be published. It talkes about the grit of living abroad as a Diplomat's wife, and Cherry delivers with one crazy funny story after the next.
Basically, the book describes the hilarious memoirs of an diplomatic wife Illustrated by brilliantly funny cartoons of diplomatic life and a collection of clever and very funny tales of global misunderstanding.
I think the book turned out to be a perfect holiday book as well as it featured exotic locations and a little mini-tour around Europe. It also was very light-hearted and entertaining. The journalist and one of the other diplomatic wives were characters that made me laugh out loud.
I strongly recommend this book for people who simply want to laugh :D
The Pursuit of Happyness (Theme)
Chris’s idea of happyness was to scarify all his possessions to complete an interesting unity with man and the wild. This is a quote that supports my theme came out of the journal of Chris McCandless stating, “I am reborn. This is my dawn. Real life has just begun”. A statement like that proves that Chris is very dedicated to achieve happyness.
I estimate that McCandless would have taken back these words if he considered his final outcome, which was death. This quote is based on the whole idea of Chris sacrificing plenty just to be pleased and it resembles the determination Chris had all to experience moments of happyness.
Everyone hates remorse and all strive to be pleased. Unfortunately, Chris struggled for moments of happyness to the point in which it cost him his life.
McCandless met a range of different people along his journey and sadly realized that true happyness can only be shared with others.
This life style that Chris was living is what made him happy.
This is Chris’ idea of living an independent, happy life.
Do you think it was worth it for McCandless to drive himself to death to achieve independent happyness?
I estimate that McCandless would have taken back these words if he considered his final outcome, which was death. This quote is based on the whole idea of Chris sacrificing plenty just to be pleased and it resembles the determination Chris had all to experience moments of happyness.
Everyone hates remorse and all strive to be pleased. Unfortunately, Chris struggled for moments of happyness to the point in which it cost him his life.
McCandless met a range of different people along his journey and sadly realized that true happyness can only be shared with others.
This life style that Chris was living is what made him happy.
This is Chris’ idea of living an independent, happy life.
Do you think it was worth it for McCandless to drive himself to death to achieve independent happyness?
Was It Tolstoy's Fault ?
Chris McCandless was a smart kid..So why did he trade a bright future ,a college education, material comfort, uncommon ability and charm--for death by starvation in an abandoned bus in the woods of Alaska?
This is the question that I tried to answer. However, I could not answer the question with certainty.
I felt like there was something forcing him to drop out of society and test himself in other ways. yet, I am still not sure what was the reason why he did that .
There are many possible reasons might made him want to go on that ODYSSEY. I think the strongest one is his influenced by Tolstoy.
He wanted to have the same life that his beloved spiritual writer had as Tolstoy wanted to give his wealth away and go to pilgrimages too.
I think Mcandless liked that and wanted to do the same so he foolishly imitated Tolstoy’s Death!
This is the question that I tried to answer. However, I could not answer the question with certainty.
I felt like there was something forcing him to drop out of society and test himself in other ways. yet, I am still not sure what was the reason why he did that .
There are many possible reasons might made him want to go on that ODYSSEY. I think the strongest one is his influenced by Tolstoy.
He wanted to have the same life that his beloved spiritual writer had as Tolstoy wanted to give his wealth away and go to pilgrimages too.
I think Mcandless liked that and wanted to do the same so he foolishly imitated Tolstoy’s Death!
Courage of Christopher McCandless
One of the few things I like about Chris’s personality is that he was very BRAVE.
Chris had a dream and he went out and fulfilled it (regardless of his detriment in the end). How many of us have something in the back of our minds but never go and do it? How easy is it to go and chase after that dream?
In many cases this may be difficult or even impossible. Was it impossible for Chris to go out into the wilderness for the too long years that he did without formal training? No it was not, because he put his mind to it and did it.
I could not do what Chris did nor do I have an interest in that type of adventure, but I respect it.
I need to be around people because this gives me satisfaction.
I believe that Chris felt the opposite which indicates his courage even more as he was satisfied living all by himself, he did not need anyone or anything to make him feel happy. Although he had No money,No family, and No shelter he was satisfied living all by himself!
Chris had a dream and he went out and fulfilled it (regardless of his detriment in the end). How many of us have something in the back of our minds but never go and do it? How easy is it to go and chase after that dream?
In many cases this may be difficult or even impossible. Was it impossible for Chris to go out into the wilderness for the too long years that he did without formal training? No it was not, because he put his mind to it and did it.
I could not do what Chris did nor do I have an interest in that type of adventure, but I respect it.
I need to be around people because this gives me satisfaction.
I believe that Chris felt the opposite which indicates his courage even more as he was satisfied living all by himself, he did not need anyone or anything to make him feel happy. Although he had No money,No family, and No shelter he was satisfied living all by himself!
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Plane Rides
Although I like the concept of flying,I HATE long plane rides. I mean, wouldn’t be nice to fly on a flat bed :D
One of the most annoying things about plane rides is unruly kids! I really adore children and they love me most of the time but absolutely Not in a long plane trip !
They start screaming and crying which drives me crazy to the point where I want to pull my hair out :(
I really hate Chatty passengers as well ! I think Saying hi to the person next to you is polite but no-one wants to be embroiled in a conversation that lasts the duration of the flight! prefer to Put on my eye mask, plug in my headphones and go to sleep.
Bad hygiene is another disaster on planes! I prefer to die than to sit next to a smelly person or a person with bad breath in a plane. Sometimes you really can’t believe how those people think! Seriously,there's no excuse for poor hygiene especially with all the perfumes and aftershave in duty free!
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