AP Post 2

Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike social media? It's not that I'm anti-social, I just prefer face-to-face talking. Anyway, this is the second entry in my procrastinated AP agenda. Enjoy.

Referring back to my last post, I have not done too much reading lately. I know, try to contain your sadness. Anyway, another story I have read in creative and critical class is "Hills like White Elephants," by Ernest Hemingway (what a man). I had read this story a while back in sophomore year, but I was too busy scrambling frantically to keep my grades up to pay much attention to it. However, in this closer reading, I learned a lot more on the small nuances that Hemingway built into this story. In a way, this is the opposite of my last subject ("Neighbors"), but in a way, they are very similar. Hemingway utilizes a very minimalist technique in this story. Almost all of this story is dialogue, a rarity in contemporary literature. Hemingway effectively communicates the gravity of the issue at hand in the story without ever telling the reader exactly what the issue is. No, I'm not going to tell you what it is. Read the story. It will take less than fifteen minutes. Anyway, for the amazing reward of extra credit, I volunteered to read the story script-style. That was up there in the most awkward moments of my life. However, since you probably will not have to perform this story after you read it, I would recommend it. There are not may authors out there who can convey a topic without ever even naming it.

AP Post 1

Well, let this post be an inspiration to us all on the results of procrastination. I have put this post off for far too long. I have not been reading too much recently. My attention has been more diverted to schoolwork and band. However, one story that has stuck with me is "Neighbors," by Raymond Carver. I read this in creative and critical class a few weeks back. This story is about as minimalist as you can get for its effect and subject material. There is very little to read into in this story apart from the sheer lack of depth (if that makes any sense). There is nothing there but an extremely awkward situation stripped to its bare bones. No emphasis is given to any one part of the story. Everything is in a monotone that is not often found in modern literature. I'm not going to give away exactly what happens in the story, that would take all the fun out of reading it. All I can say is that you won't be able to find words for what happens in the story, it's just that random. Carver leaves a lot to the imagination in "Neighbors" and it makes for good food for thought and an extremely light read in the middle of the weight of AP books.