I was particularly inspired to put my opinions out there this year because, as seniors, my class read two phenomenal books, very different yet classic in their own ways.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Well here is your Survivor and Man vs. Wild gone horribly, horribly wrong. When their plane crashes on a deserted island, roundabout sixteen school boys are left with no adults, no food, and very little hope. At the outset, a seemingly normal boy named Ralph becomes the leader of the "clan". However, a pushy and controlling boy named Jack also wants power, and he's not ready to share. The story is essentially a power struggle between the good and moral (Ralph) and the cruel and self centered (Jack).
JUST TO CLARIFY
Yes, people get killed. No, they don't actually eat each other.
The story is revolutionary and the writing is fantastic, courtesy of Nobel Prize winning William Golding. However, the downside to this selection is the slow pace. The buildup seems to last forever. However, the last ten or fifteen pages make the slow climb worth it.
Favorite Character-Piggy
Favorite Scene-Ralph hiding from Jack's tribe
Favorite Line-"Sucks to your assmar!"
1984-George Orwell
Silence. I was stunned absolutely silent when I started this book. After merely reading the first line it's blatantly apparent that this book is a masterpiece. The sheer creativity and mind power required to not only create a haunting, completely different world, but to create characters as rebellious and dynamic as Winston and Julia. I've heard a variety of things from my peers, but this was an incredibly fast read for me. Of course buildup is required if Golding wanted readers to understand his new world.
In a world where people can be incarcerated because of their thoughts (Thoughtcrime), where everything is ruled by a small, bigoted group of nobodies (The Inner Party), where every normal person is required to install a camera in their own home (telescreen) so that the Party can watch their every move, who wouldn't want to kill themselves? This is precisely the view of protagonist Winston Smith. Although he works for the Party erasing all discrepancies from the publications, making the Party always right and the people always wrong, he dreams of a normal life. According to the novel, this totalitarian way of life began in the mid to late sixties. Though they are faint, Winston has memories of the past and he wants it back.
The chilling story of what Orwell calls "negative utopia" has been scaring readers since he published it in 1945. Winston's fearless rigor propels him into the life of an anarchist. Of course, he isn't safe for long. No one can be trusted in 1984..
Favorite Character-Winston
Favorite Scene-Winston and Julia being arrested by the Thought Police
Favorite Line-"The clocks were striking 13.."
Hopefully I didn't bore you too much! To the BL kids, I'll see you at school tomorrow *gag*. And to the rest of you who are going back on a reasonable day, suck it. Especially you Ursuline.
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