I’ve really enjoyed this
class. I think writing the semester project made me appreciate how hard it is
to work history into fiction in this post-modernist way. The most interesting
theme of the class that runs through the novels to me is the way the author can
do whatever they want in creating their own history. As long as there are gaps
in the real history, those gaps could hold these stories and tales the author
wants to create. For example, Harry Houdini getting into the car accident right
in front of the little boy’s house. I want to take the time here to create a
ranked list of each book we read this semester.
6th Place: Course Packet
Readings
I want to make this list
based on both interesting and how much it influenced the class. I don’t mean
this as disrespect to the curriculum, but I do think the readings by White and
McHale were a little boring. I think that’s only because it doesn't get
involved with characters like how novels do. But, I think our discussions at
the beginning of the year were vastly important because before this class I had
no idea what post-modernism was. So, it’s important to read. Unfortunately, these
readings still fall in last place.
5th Place: Mumbo Jumbo
Mumbo Jumbo is a
fascinating book to examine if you know what’s going on. I bet if I had read
the readings after we had talked about all of the intricacies of the story,
opposed to before we talked about what happened, I would have been able to
connect more and understand everything. I felt pretty lost, but I always liked
finding things out in class. I know lots of people in the class would rate it
as their favorite, so it seems like a hit or miss for much of the class. My
favorite moment was talking about the real Hinckle Von Vampton and the things
about the talking androids.
4th Place: Slaughterhouse 5
Slaughterhouse 5 is a
classic book. So classic that I read it in both history (World Since 1945), and
English (History as Fiction). I rate it in the middle of the pack because it’s
very interesting, but I just didn't get connected to the characters in the same
way because I knew what was going to happen. My favorite part of the book was
the story of how Billy and Kilgore Trout met and how he worked for him and
their relationship.
3rd Place: Ragtime
I really liked Ragtime
because of the different stories told. I really liked the way Tateh became
Baron Ashkenazy and how his job transformed to a street artist to a filmmaker.
I liked Coalhouse’s story a lot as well because it highlighted the Black
Panthers of the 70s in relation to the racism of the early 20th century. As a
reader, my favorite part was when I realized that the Baron was also Tateh. It
wasn't explicitly said until later and personally it made me feel really happy
for him, as it is one of the happier story lines.
2nd Place: Libra
Although I’m not finished
with Libra yet, I think it has been one of the best novels we have read.
Similar to Ragtime, it follows a lot of different characters. In comparison to
Mumbo Jumbo, it has a lot of the same intricacies, but it is a lot more reader
friendly. But maybe that’s just my reading comprehension skills. My favorite
theme of the novel is the idea of a world inside a world. There is so much
going on underneath the surface, and this novel really kind of scares me by
showing me how little we could know about how much we are being watched. The
lines about “There is a world inside the world” was during the chapter In
Dallas, and it also mentions later the role of multiple levels of our politics,
which also scares me because it makes me wonder if we really have a good
democracy.
1st Place: Kindred
Kindred was the only novel
of the semester where I found myself starting to read ahead and really getting
into the readings. I think the reason I liked it so much was because of how
much I could understand and maybe how blunt it was in presenting parallels.
Dana often noticed the same things we were supposed to see as readers like how
Kevin and Rufus make the same face, or how Kevin and Tom make the same
commanding voice. My favorite part was the symbolism of having Kevin’s friends
coming over to celebrate the 4th of July before the last time they go back.
This is symbolic because the year 1976 (when the story takes place), is the 200
year Anniversary of the creation of the United States. It’s emphasizing 200
years of liberty of freedom, but Dana had just went back in time during that
200 years and saw horrors wherever she looked. This also relates to one of the
themes of the class which is the gaps in time that are left untouched. The
things we don't tell, or leave out. What was this character doing when? It all
works out very well. I really, really enjoyed Kindred.
Thanks for reading guys!
If you guys have any concerns,
feel free to roast my rankings as one of your comments.
Have a good summer.
🗿 Paul 🗿
