Inteligence: It Is Not Only In Our Heads

The Nineteenth Katherine

John Green's young adult novel, “An Abundance of Katherines”, narrates the story of Colin Singleton, a child prodigy that hopes to become a genius in the future and whose past girlfriends have all been called Katherines. As Colin graduates high school and is dumped by his nineteenth girlfriend named Katherine, he starts longing for having his own “Eureka” moment and hopes to become a genius one day. His best, and only friend, Hassan Harbish convinces Colin to go on a road trip together so that he can take his mind off of Katherine XIX. As Colin drives with Hassan, his love for anagrams and stories from Colin`s childhood are explained. As a child prodigy, Colin was able to read at the young age of two years old, which made his education much easier as a kid but, nonetheless, he had trouble making friends in school and was bullied and made fun of as a young student.

Figure It Out...

“But mothers lie. It`s in the job description.” (Green, 2)

As a new found child prodigy, Colin Singleton asked his mom if he was ever going to have a “Eureka” moment, to which his mom, obviously, responded yes. But, Colin grows up and realizes that people lie (even moms). I think that this is something that every child will eventually discover to be, sadly, true. I was very upset when I first found out that neither Santa, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy were real. To be honest, holidays have been increasingly easier since my parents do not have to sneak out to put presents under the tree or to hide chocolate eggs around the garden. It was not until recently that I realized that all the times my parents lied to me, they were always protecting me from how sad the truth can be. My mom especially encouraged me, with these stories, to believe in happiness and to believe in the impossible. She definitely made my childhood a little bit more magical by telling me these stories. I like to believe that she didn't want my sisters and I to know that magic does not come in the form of an old man in a red suit, who gives presents to all the children in the world in one night a year.

“Prodigies can very quickly learn what other people have already figured out; geniuses discover that which no one has ever previously discovered. Prodigies learn, geniuses do.” (Green, 8)

As the book continues, Colin`s wishes of becoming a genius when he is older are discovered. He explains that most prodigies don't become geniuses, and that relatively smart people can also become geniuses. This got me wondering about how many people have actually made it into making a big discovery and being called a genius. Additionally, this also got me thinking of how many people don't actually become geniuses but that were considered to be intellectually gifted as children. But these quote also got me thinking that Colin`s definition of a genius is not only linked to a genius`s discovery, but to his or her fame. In all honesty, there are probably thousands of people who have been able to make a big discoverment but are not wildly famous. Will Colin make a big discoverment and become a genius? Will he become a famous genius or not?

Next Up...

This book has honestly been so much better than I thought it would be when I first decided to read it. I assumed that it would be a weird love story between Colin and some girl named Katherine. But, so far, I have really enjoyed the book and I am actually really excited to continue reading it. I seriously can't guess or predict what will happen in the next few chapters since the author continues to introduce the characters of the story. I have really enjoyed the way the author incorporates stories from the characters` childhoods within the plot of the story. I hope that the story of Colin and Hassan`s friendship is further explained in since I have only read about how they met. I also hope that Colin has his “Eureka” moment somewhere later in the book.

He Will Be Loved

The Holocaust Was Complete

The superbly written novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and published in 1925, narrates the story of man's greed, magnificent parties, and an impossible love. Told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, a young World War I veteran from the midwest that moves into New York's West Egg, who hopes of getting a job and making a name for himself. He is surprised when he finds out that his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, throws incredible parties just next door. Gatsby is very respected but is a victim of gossip among those who attend his parties, Nick soon finds out that Gatsby is in fact in love with his (Nick's) second cousin, Daisy. As the novel progresses, Gatsby becomes closer to Daisy, her husband Tom,and Nick, which would sadly lead to a bloody car accident whose victim´s revenge would end in the death of the great Gatsby.

Thinking About... 

 “ -I wouldn't ask too much of her,- I ventured. -You can't repeat the past. -Can't repeat the past?- he cried incredulously. -Why of course you can!-” (Fitzgerald, 110)

I agree with Nick in this statement, I don't think that the past should repeat it self nor do I want it to. I find the fact that there will always be stuff that will stay in the past forever, awkwardly endearing and fantastic. I like to think that there are things that existed, but that do not exist nor will they exist. Nick is realistic, he says things to Gatsby as they are. Nick doesn't lie to his friend and is still honest to him, even if the truth hurts him sometimes. Gatsby, on the other hand, dreams of the time when he was in love with Daisy and Daisy was in love with him. He dreams of a time that is now irretrievable, when his love for Daisy was the same as her love for him. But, Gatsby can't move on. He does not realize that Daisy is now a wife and mother, and that he isn't as young as he once was.

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (Fitzgerald, 180)

This is how Fitzgerald ended the book. A great book ending with some great words. But apart from being extraordinarily lyrical and deep, this shows Nick´s change of beliefs from the beginning of the book, towards the end. He went from correcting Gatsby and telling him that the past cannot be repeated, to metaphorically going back to it himself. But, grief changes a person. So it is not hard for me to believe that Gatsby´s death made Nick go crazy or something like that. But, either way, his personality and beliefs change from the beginning of the novel, to the end of it. I was not expecting this to happen since I thought the only character that would develop and move on would be Gatsby but, I guess he'll just live in his own world of fake love and fake friends.

It All Comes Down To This...

So, I haven't done a blogpost in a while. It doesn't mean it is any less fun, it is just  harder for me to get started typing, that is all. So, for this book, I'm doing something different since I will only post one blogpost instead of five. But anyway, I really enjoyed the book I read for this blogpost, I thought it was amazing and different to anything I had ever read before. Gatsby's undying love for Daisy gave me a bit more hope for love in this planet, but nevertheless got me pretty upset since Daisy did not love Gatsby half as much as he loved her and, all of these conclusions and opinions came to me at the very ending of the book. After Daisy kills Tom's mistress in Gatsby's car, Gatsby is on a dangerous position that, would inevitably end with his death. But, the absolute saddest part, the worst part, is that no one came to Gatsby´s funeral. Not his “friends”, not Daisy, no one but Nick and Gatsby's dad. This made me realize that it doesn't matter how much money we have, or how big the parties we throw are, we'll never truly know what people think of us, until we are dead. This got me thinking, who will show up to my funeral?

But, anyways, the book was fantastic and I would definitely recommend it to other people. I think this book is for hopeless romantics, for the imaginative, and for the dreamers. People who enjoy history and knowledge, would definitely enjoy this book and could easily identify with the main character of the story. This book has taught me about love and unlove, about joy and misery, and about loyalty and changes. I hope that I can apply these things I learned to my life so that I can live to the fullest, loving unconditionally and loving my past.

"Why do you say goodbye goodbye, oh no?

You say goodbye and I say hello"

Since We´re Running Out Of Time

He Loved Big Brother

Winston is tortured in the Ministry of Love and is almost “cured” when he cries out about loving Julia, which causes O'Brien to threaten Winston with having rats eat his face (but Winston betrays Julia when he pleads to O'Brien that the torture should be done to her and not to him). Winston is later reintegrated into the life of a normal Oceania citizen, he believes in everything the telescreens say and is disgusted by any idea of change in his society. He also runs into Julia, who confesses to Winston that she betrayed him, too. After hearing about Oceania´s victory against Eurasia, Winston imagines himself confessing to all of his crimes, being shot dead, ultimately understanding that Big Brother's mysterious smile was one of love, supposedly winning the victory over himself, and (astonishingly), admitting to loving Big Brother.

The book contains an appendix, called The Principles of Newspeak, which talks about how Newspeak will abolish as much terms of English as possible in order to decrease the range of free thought of citizens (Newspeak is predicted to be adapted completely by 2050).

I´ve Figured It Out...

“ -Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power.- ” (Orwell, 263)

I think that this quote, said by O'Brien towards Winston, highlights the depths of human nature. I thought about this a lot and, although it makes me sad to admit it, I think that this is true. Throughout history, humanity has shown that power is usually uncontrollable and can sometimes lead to disaster. I also believe that most of the social problems in society are caused by the need of power. Either one gender wants to have power over the other or one country over the other. I guess power has also caused a lot of wars then. This quote also made me feel very helpless in humanity because it made me realize that the world is not as wonderful as it seems.

“The long-hoped-for bullet was entering his brain. He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark mustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.” (Orwell, 297-298)

I think that this was an excellent way to end the book. I think this signifies defeat. Even though Winston describes this as a “victory”, his love for Big Brother goes against everything that Winston had ever dreamed of and believed in at the beginning of the book. On one side, the Winston Smith that was introduced at the beginning of the book was free, intelligent, and self-sufficient. But on the other side, the Winston Smith that came out of the Ministry of Love is the Party´s robot, dependent on the telescreens, and simple-minded. I think that this shows Winston's negative character development since he has become everything that he feared he would become. I remember that Winston once mentioned that true freedom is to die hating them while talking about the Party, I believe that the Winston Smith introduced at the beginning of the book would be disappointed at the Winston Smith described at the end of the book.

Happily Ever After?

So, I'm done with the book (YAY!) I am extremely surprised with the ending of it since it is not similar to other dystopian novels I've read. When I was kind of in the middle of the book, I genuinely thought that Winston would be able to change his society in the future, but I now realize that is not the case. The book has taught me about the importance of memories and history and about the dangers of an excess of power. 1984 is also a vivid example of how an individual's opinion and decisions can affect a whole society, but most of all, I think that 1984 is a warning. When George Orwell died in 1950 (just a year after this book was published), he did not live to see his success, and he did not live to see what the world became after 1949 (or how it was actually in the year 1984). He wrote this book with the fear of becoming a society with no past or future but, have we become a society with no past or future? This book has also taught me about love and how it's present even in the darkest of times, but most importantly, this book has taught me that the hero, does not always win.

"Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me
Jai Guru Deva OM

Nothing's gonna change my world

 Nothing's gonna change my world"

 

But Then Again, No

Room 101

Winston gets a hold Emmanuel Goldstein's book and begins reading it aloud for Julia to hear. The book discusses most of Ingsoc´s believes and slogans (War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, Freedom is Slavery) but it does not teach Winston anything since the book says things he already knows. Then, Winston and Julia are arrested by the Thought Police, but are surprised when they find out that Mr.Charrington (the prole who owned the store whose room Winston and Julia were renting) is a member of the Thought Police. They are separated and Winston is taken to a prison with other Party members and normal outlaws and then to a cell in the Ministry of Love. He is then beaten by workers of the Ministry of Love (and is then taken to Room 101) and tortured by O'Brien (who had been arrested a long time ago), who confesses to Winston that the pain he is going through is necessary in order for him to be supposedly “sane”.

What Do You Mean?

“A peace that was truly permanent would be the same as a permanent war.” (Orwell, 199)

Emmanuel Goldstein, in his book, talks about everything that conforms Ingsoc and its members and explains it to members of the Inner Party. I think that Goldstein is a very smart and honest man, he is the hope for everyone who wants to destroy the Party and Big Brother. Through messages like the one above, he is able to abolish any doubts of the readers of his book regarding the stupidity of the Party and Big Brother.He is able to understand the Party and its ways yet he doesn't follow them, but instead uses them to terminate Big Brother. Due to this fact, he is widely wanted in Oceania and is now an outlaw. I wonder how Emmanuel Goldstein became the fugitive he is depicted as, but most importantly, why did he get there?

" - We are the dead, - he said. - We are the dead,- echoed Julia dutifully. - You are the dead,- said an iron voice behind them.” (Orwell, 221)

This shows Julia´s and Winston´s character development throughout the book. At the beginning of the book, Julia did not admit to “being the dead” when she was seeing Winston, but he did. Ironically, she did not admit to this statement until only moments before her arrest. I think Julia has learned from Winston, he has taught her about the Party´s strategies and about how cruel they can truly get. Nevertheless, Winston still believes that going against the Party will end with him dead while Julia has just began realizing it, even if it is too late.

To Be Continued...

I think that I've just reached the most interesting part of the book. I honestly did not think that Winston and Julia would be arrested, and I definitely didn't think that the Thought Policeman that would spy on them was actually a prole. I'm strangely disappointed by the fact that the book did not give me any more information about Emmanuel Goldstein even though I would've liked it. I apprehensive about what will happen next in the book since I really don't want Winston to be tortured any further. Julia disappeared so that is someone else I would like to come back, but I guess I won't find out until I keep reading the book.

"In the clearing stands a boxer,
And a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders
Of ev'ry glove that laid him down
And cut him till he cried out
In his anger and his shame,
"I am leaving, I am leaving."
But the fighter still remains"

How We Plan To Take Over The Planet

Welcome To The Inner Party

Julia (the girl who gave Winston the note) and Winston are able to contact each other and eventually start meeting in secret places in order to discuss their hatred for the Party. Then, Winston rents a room above a store owned by a prole and begins meeting Julia there. They both consider the possible existence of an Inner Party that wants to destroy Big Brother and are not surprised when O'Brien makes both of them a part of it. O'Brien clarifies that, by being a part of this conspiracy, their lives could end. Winston is later sent a copy of a book written by Emmanuel Goldstein (the Inner Party´s leader) and is ordered to read it to become an official member of the Inner Party.

Figure It Out

"She did not understand that there was no such thing as happiness, that the only victory lay in the far future, long after you were dead, that from the moment of declaring war on the Party it was better to think of yourself as a corpse. 'We are the dead,' he said. ´We're not dead yet,' said Julia prosaically." (Orwell, 135-136)

This conversation between Winston and Julia reflects the difference in their personalities. On one side, Winston considers himself to  be realistic regarding his situation with the Party while Julia wants to stay optimistic while fighting Big Brother and the Party. Winston accepts death and, in fact, welcomes it. Julia ignores it and, unlike Winston, values being alive while it lasts. On the other side, they both, essentially, think the same about the Party and are trying their best to destroy it.

“To hang on from day to day and from week to week, spinning out a present that had no future, seemed an unconquerable instinct, just as one's lungs will always draw the next breath so long as there is air available.” (Orwell, 152)

This is an excellent example of Winston´s capability to destroy the Party´s ideas and laws and instead follow his natural human instinct. Throughout the book, human emotions and necessities seem to have been vaporized from citizens´ lives, but Winston still holds on to them. I find it admirable that, even though love is almost obsolete and prohibited, Winston is still able to remember it and is capable of loving Julia. Will Winston, later in the book, be able to awaken more instincts or actions that were supposed to be abolished by the Party?

To Be Continued...

This part of the book has answered a lot of questions I had from my previous reading, and I'm glad for that. It clarified my questions about the letter sent to Winston, the room above the prole´s store, and about O'Brien´s role in the story. I still wonder about what happened to the diary Winston had been writing since it hasn't been mentioned (lately) in the book. I have developed a better understanding of Winston´s society and Winston´s need of having a past he can't change and that he can look back to, even if that means looking back at his mistakes.

"Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away.
Now it looks as though they're here to stay."

The Best People In Life Are Free

I Love You

1984 by George Orwell introduces its readers to an excellent example of a negative dystopia and a totalitarian government. In a moment of desperation,  Winston Smith decides that he will be writing his diary towards O'Brien, a man who works at the Ministry of Truth and that Winston thinks is also against the Party. Winston begins writing about his wife (who he is separated from) and about proles (the poor percentage of the population), who Winston thinks are the only hope for changing the system. Then, Winston visits the proles to ask the old ones if life was better before Big Brother or after, but finds no answers. He discovers a woman, named Julia, following around but is surprised when she gives him a letter telling Winston that she loves him.

My Thoughts On...

“I understand HOW: I do not understand WHY.” (Orwell,80)

This reflects Orwell´s opinion on the world at the time the book was published. Orwell was a British man living during the Cold War who was probably disgusted with the world's events at the time, and decided to write a book about it. He understood how the constant political, economic, and military problems made themselves present in his everyday life, but he didn't understand the reason behind it. Just like the Western Bloc was in constant disagreement with the Eastern Bloc, Oceania was in constant war with Eurasia and Eastasia. George Orwell was able to incorporate events and ideas from his time living into his book, but was still able to add fiction to his novel.

This movie is about a boy who tries to find
a reason for everything in his life.

   

“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. It that is granted, all else follows.” (Orwell, 81)

I think that this is an excellent example of how deep into a person's mind the government is trying to control. Orwell is explaining that the government in 1984 is capable of changing basic operations of math in order to control the minds of citizens and, worst of all, the citizens accept it without questioning it. Will the government say that two plus two make something other than four and make the citizens accept it? Will Winston accept it?

Next Up On 1984...

This book has brought me a lot  more surprises than I thought it would, and I'm positive that there will be many more to come throughout the book. Also, I found out that the name of the author, George Orwell, is actually a pseudonym for Eric Arthur Blair. I thought this was interesting since I originally thought that George Orwell was the author's real name. I have honestly no idea of what could happen next with the book, but I do hope that more things about Winston and Julia are revealed. I hope that Winston decides to do something to change the system and gives O´Brien his diary.

Here´s To The Past

Big Brother Is Watching You

In 1949, George Orwell imagined the year 1984 as a time where the world is divided in three superstates (Eurasia, Eastasia, and Oceania) that are in constant war with one another, a totalitarian government that spies on every citizen through telescreens, a new language (called Newspeak) being developed, and children play games of war before learning what it is. The then book introduces Winston Smith, a 39 year old man who leaves in a deteriorating building and works at the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter speeches and announcements from the government in order to fool the population into believing everything the government says. Smith then starts a diary in which he expresses his thoughts about the government and its leader, Big Brother (whose posters are present everywhere, depicting his face and his slogan “Big Brother Is Watching You”). Winston then realizes that he will probably be vaporized (the government kills people and erases them off every document and picture there is) since he committed Thoughtcrime (thinking of a crime can get you vaporized) against the government.

Figuring It Out

“WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” (Orwell,4)

This is one of the many slogans of the INGSOC, which is the English Socialist Party in Oceania. Their main goal is to have total control over the population, but most importantly of their minds (this is why Thoughtcrime exists and so does Thoughtpolice). I think that these three phrases are incredible examples of double thinking, a mind program imposed by INGSOC that wants citizens to accept two contradictory beliefs as correct. War is present in Oceania, but the Party make the citizens believe that they are still at peace. The Party also convinces the people that being free of choices would make them slaves in one way or another, and that their ignorance in everything in general (no one knows what year it is exactly) makes them stronger. All of the phrases above are paradoxes that can't be present with the other but, are these still being enforced today? 

This movie (The Noble Family in English) is about
 the lessons and problems that lying can bring

"He was alone. The past was dead, the future was unimaginable." (Orwell, 26)

When I read this quote, I felt strangely pitiful towards Winston. I realized that he is the only one, that  I know of, that wants to know of the past without being lied to about it and wants to imagine a future with free choices. I think that since Smith was so foreign to change, he became extremely curious about it even though he can't change anything about his society. I wonder if he will ever share his thoughts with anybody else or just keep writing in his diary.

Then What?

So far, I'm really enjoying this book. This is the third book that I've read about negative dystopias and so far I've liked them. I honestly hope that Winston tells someone he trusts about the thoughts and curiousity he's been having. Hopefully, in the next few chapters more characters will be introduced that think the same way as Winston and that can help him do something about their current situation. I am quite sure that the book will revolove around Winston´s ideas of revolutions and rebellions. I also hope that in the next few chapters, more information about the government will be introduced in order for me to understand the plot of the book better.