Last Post for English 223/ Phantom of the Opera edition

I have definitely not been a good sport when it comes to writing for this class. Well, at least when it comes to writing these blog posts. When blogging is compared to doing homework, I have to pick homework over blogging. Which is kind of sad, because I like to blog and share my thoughts with the world.

But, that is not at all on topic.

The topic today is, the bad guys.

The bad guys tend to be my favorite characters. I like the good guys, but I usually have empathy for the bad guys. For example, one of my favorite movies (because I have not had the privilege to watch the play) is Phantom of the Opera.

This being said, who would be my favorite character but the Phantom? Poor Erik had suffered so much in his life time because of the way that he looked. However, he found solace in the opera house, watching and listening to the entertainers. Since he more or less grew up there, he started calling it his theater. It is not hard to see why. When he wanted something changed, his sent a letter, remaining mysterious and faceless, like a phantom.

Then he heard Christine sing. He heard her beautiful voice and everything was different. To him, she was a person who could love him, she was a person that he could love. There was finally a bright spot in his life. Sure, kidnapping people and forcing them to stay in your amazing yet creepy cathedral like dungeon is usually looked down upon. But you kind of have to give him a break. Where would he have really ever learned good social skills?

The only way that he really hurt Christine was by hurting Raoul, but to the Phantom, Raoul was a danger to his happiness.

The poor guy just needed a hug and to be sang to. Maybe he just needed a smile.

After spending his whole life like he did, anyone would be mental.

But, in the end, Raoul and Christine did get away because the Phantom let them.

So, maybe, he isn't so bad?

But,my whole point is, in most cases there are circumstances to show why a bad guy is the bad guy. I'm not saying that that saves them from being free of their crimes, but maybe one should stop and think about their rotten life before judging them.

Remember, Erik was seen in a cart being openly mocked for money when he was a young boy. How would that make you feel towards the general populace of people?

~Montana

Creative titling is sometimes hard...

I always wonder if I am blogging about the right things. I have thought this even before taking this class where there were guidelines. However, I then usually turn around and remember that it is kind of hard to write about the wrong things when you are the supreme over-seer of your blog... I have odd musings like this often.

The degree that I wish to pursue is a literary one, I do believe. After I graduate from Ivy tech, hopefully next year, I would like to go to IUK and get my Bachelor's in English. More specifically, I would like to get it in editing.

I know that pretty much everything made up of words has an editor, newspapers, books, journals, etc, both online and printed. I suppose that I assume that editors can work for publishing agencies, because I think that it would be fantastic to work for somewhere like Random House Publishing. Imagine if you were able to read a book before it hit it really big. I know, I know, reading through something like that for your job is not for fun. But still. In later years you COULD have the chance to say, “Yeah.. I talked directly to that author a while back.” I don't know.. I just think that it would be pretty cool to do that.

I kind of choose editing because I love words, and I am a writer. The only problem with being a writer is that I do not write on a steady enough basis. So, while I will more than likely always keep writing as a hobby, I need something else to send me places in life. And thus, I chose editing.

Interesting little bits of useless information.

~Montana

Freezing Muses

Cold weather... Again. I understand that this is supposed to happen in the spring, but the snow that we are supposed to be getting later tonight is simply ridiculous.

Even though there are four more weeks of school left and not a lot of time to be reading right now, I have been thinking about things that I would like to read. I would like to read some of the older things like Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, which I own in the original, almost impossible to read old English. I would also like to read some more of Edgar Allen Poe's works.

I know that both are more on the macabre side of the printed text, but I think that things like that are interesting. I enjoy the way that scenes and people and objects and places are described to the reader. While it may be a little bit on the darker side of describing things, I kind of think that a lot of these kinds of texts have better descriptions and are worded better than their more cheerful counterparts. (I blame my mother and step-father for my oddness in thinking like this. They are the ones who introduced me to this world. I can say this because my mother LOVES Vincent Price movies, which are typically old, creepy, macabre, etc.)

I am not sure if I will actually be able to get around to reading these things on my list, but it would be nice if I could!

To the battlefield!

This blogging thing keeps escaping me. I honestly love to do it, but it is being pushed behind all of my other homework... Poor blog,

What to write for this time... What to write for this time... Hmmm... Maybe I will write this time about The River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergern.

I do not think that this series has had enough press. I seriously think that when it comes to fiction, this series is the best that I have read. It is based in medieval Italy a few years before the plague sets in. The whole series, which for right now is three books and two novellas, is full of drama and emotion, but it always has a satisfying ending.

For the majority of the novels, the focus is on Gabi and her sister Lia. They start off in the present but find an interesting way in which to travel back into time. Once there, they meet the tall, dark, and mysterious knights from castello Forelli. This is where most of the books takes place. However, places like Sienna and Firenze are also present.

Like any good story, there is some war, some betrayal, some sadness, but like I said, it always seems to come out alright in the end. If you like novels that are written extremely well, by a wonderful author, and that contain a wondrous adventure, I would definitely say that you need to read this series!

~Montana

Long time no post

So..... I have not blogged in a very long time. I have terrible problems with sticking with a project, I hate to say. Anyway, I shall do my best to be timely with these replies now that they are needed for school. I shall jut edge around the fact that I am, more or less, waiting until the last moment with making my first post...



I would like to say that my mom also took this English Lit. class a couple of years ago, and when she told me that she had to start a blog, I thought that the idea was fantastic. And so, my first blog was started that semester. I love to write, and I like to share what I write with other people. My first blog was just to chat, I think, since I never posted anything of real significance. However, this blog, Writing in Wonderland, was posted for the main purpose of sharing my writings. I realize that there are only two posts, well, three now, but I HAD been planning on posting more...



So, I got the impression that we were allowed to more or less talk about what we wanted, as long as it was literature related. I hope that my topic for this post is appropriate and that everyone else has not decided to talk about it. Haha...



As many of you, there was a new movie released two days ago called Divergent. It started, as many movies do, as a book. While I could talk forever about the relationship between book and movie, I shall keep it strictly on the book.



First of all, the book was written by Veronica Roth. Divergent is the first book in a trilogy. It is about a girl of the age of 16 named Beatrice. The whole book is centered around the idea that there had been a war and that now this city is living such as it is in a dystopian society. (Is it just me or does there seem to be trends in movies/books, and that the most common ones right now are a war destoryed place or zombies?) This city, which the author says in an interview is based on Chicago, is split into five different factions. These factions live there lives based on what they feel caused the war to begin with.



There is the Dauntless, which blamed cowardice, and because of this they seem to live an almost reckless life. In this light, there jump from trains and are trained to fight and be strong. This means that they are the law enforcers.



There is the Amity faction that do not play a big part in Divergent. They strive to be friendly and seek peace at all times. They are the farmers.



There is the Candor who blamed lies. The Candor faction are known to always tell the truth, no matter what.



There is the Erudite faction which blamed a lack of knowledge. This has led the Erudite to become the scientists and the teachers. They spend their lives becoming more knowledgeable.

Lastly, there is the Abnegation who blamed the war on selfishness. These people live there lives in such a way that all of their actions are to better someone else. They are supposed to be 100% selfless. This is why they are the city's leaders.

(Spoiler alert) Instead of the Hunger Games, where children are forced into killing games, Divergent has children of the same age, 16, put into tests to see in which faction they belong in. No matter what their tests say, there are still free to choose which faction they wish to live in. However, even this is rather terrible, considering you are, more or less, leaving your family forever. If the person does not pass the initiation test, they are kicked from that faction and are forced to live on the streets. In this story, the homeless are cleverly named the factionless.



The story follows, as I said, Beatrice who changes her name to Tris after changing a different faction from which she had grown up in. It is a very interesting story, although I personally think that the author's writing style leaves a little something to be desired. It seems to me to be choppy and that it does not flow very well.



So, that is what I think about this particular book. Hope it was somewhat enjoyable!



~Montana

A taste of poetry.

As promised, here is some of my writing. To start with, I'm putting some of my poems up. I may have put them up already on my main blog (The Non-Twilight Zone) but here is where they belong. I hope that you like these. ^-^

Doctor Who

 Traveling through time and space,
Always moving, never at a constant pace.
Hoping around without so much as a thought,
Sometimes landing in the wrong spot.
Armed only with a sonic screwdriver,
Always the one to be the survivor.
Always to be strong,
Even if he is wrong.
Forever alone,
Although he is well-known.
Never having peace at mind,
Always on the look out for something greater to find.
He is as like a ghost,
Not knowing whether to stay or go.
Someday he may find peace,
But we do know that he will not cease.

Unrequited Love

    I went looking for you,

How did I know you were looking too?

Looking to find something to appease the brain,

To put your mind at ease or lessen the pain.

I can not believe that I found you,

But even now I'm wondering if you can see me too.

I call and call out your name,

But how do I know this is not just a game?

How come I want you so bad?

You always seem so glad.

I wonder how I can make you see,

That I can be the bird and you the bee.

This is life,

It can cut like a knife.

I want to be by your side,

But in your heart, can I reside?

A Door

I lay my head on this pillow,
And wait for the sun to rise.
I do not know what I'm waiting for,
I just hope to see his eyes.

Longing and waiting,
Yes these are my friends.
Constant companions
To a pain that never ends.

The days are long,
the nights drag on,
And yet will I ever know
What you are thinking,
And if I shall be forever alone?

Words are all they are,
yet they mean so much more,
to a girl whose heart throbs
 

and waits for door.

A door that will lead to my hearts desires,
that will take me far away.
Or perhaps just a door,
So that I may see you from far away?

Introductory Post! ^-^

This, my dear friends and readers, is my second blog. As the title would suggest, this is dedicated to some of my writing. Poems, short stories, and story chapters. I wanted to share some of my stuff with more of the world, so, I hope that you like it. I promise to have some stuff up here as soon as possible. And, to make that happen, I must sign off and go find something suitable to start off with. So! Without further ado, Writing in Wonderland!