Word of the Day

This is a word I found scribbled on a note-pad from goodness knows how long ago. I must have forgotten to look it up.

Today's Word:

Dudgeon

A sentiment of offence, resentment or even anger.

Sentence example: After hearing the other side of the story, she felt only dudgeon.

By Jess

And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a 1999 novel by Stephen Chbosky which encapsulates nearly every aspect of teenage life and the awkwardness of it all. Written in anonymous letters to an anonymous source, with all names supposedly changed for this purpose, we experience the life of 15-going-on-16-year-old Charlie and his freshman year of high school. Though we find out about his life before he began writing these letters to whomever they are addressed to, the novel is really an insight into his days for just that one year: we don't know how he turns out after the last page, even though the epilogue sort of gives us a hint that everything is going to carry on as steadily as it always did.

We soon find out that Charlie is not particularly popular and is terribly awkward socially. He is an observer, not a participant, as pointed out not just by himself but by the love of his life, Sam. He seems to be remarkably intelligent also, reading classic novel after classic novel and writing extra essays on them for his English teacher Bill.

Charlie's home life is not so easy, however. There are many secrets kept in his household, and it is the death of his Aunt Helen (which happened before the start of the book), which seems to have had the most profound effect on him. Aunt Helen was molested as a child; Charlie's sister has a boyfriend who hits her; Charlie's father was beaten by his father; Charlie's mother is too passive for her own good; and the list goes on. All this means that Charlie bottles up an awful lot of mixed emotions and confused feelings, affecting his life away from home. In this way, The Perks of Being a Wallflower really tackles the problem of the 'cycle of abuse'. Though he talks about how his father says he would never hit his children, Charlie deals with the differences between people, for example: of two sons with an alcoholic father, one will grow up sober after seeing the effect; the other will grow up an alcoholic too. The ending, of course, provides the reader with a terrible shock, but don't worry: I won't spoil it. I will just hint that it has to do with the 'cycle of abuse' and from an unexpected source.

Charlie's main problem is his attitude, in that he puts everyone before himself. This opens up a lot of questions for the reader: "do I participate enough?" or "am I taking care of myself too much / too little?" I found it really made me question my standing: with friends, family, schoolwork, etc; and being a teenager now I think helped me really understand what Charlie is talking about half the time. Additionally, Charlie's friends are all older than him by two years, meaning they age with his sister (though that isn't entirely important for the point I am trying to make). When they all go to prom, or all graduate, or all get ready for leaving for 'graduate school', Charlie, inevitably, feels very lonely. Which made me wonder whether it had been an unwise decision for Charlie to become so involved with a group who would all have to leave him. But then it also proves how mature he is.

Not that these friends are a particularly good influence on dear Charlie who was originally so naïve. On making friends with Sam and Patrick and company, Charlie starts to chain-smoke, as well as do drugs, get drunk frequently, and almost go all the way with someone he doesn't even like. Some people may see this as an unavoidable part of growing up; I see it as someone succumbing to peer pressure almost hyperbolically.

I really think that anyone and everyone should read this book. It is very similar to The Catcher in the Rye in its writing technique, and moreover I know that most people reading this report will be teenagers undergoing some of the stress that Charlie is going through, not that you have to be a teenager to enjoy it. Give it a go before the movie starring Logan Lerman and Emma Watson comes out, I beg of you, because more likely than not, it won't be nearly as good and your view on the story will be tainted forevermore. Yes, that is apocalyptic imagery. Go for it.

By Jess

Word of the Day

This word is thanks to my mother, who is reading The Distant Hours by Kate Morton which I will probably never read but sounds like it may be a pleasant way to spend spare time.

Today's Word:

Chagrin

Noun: A feeling of annoyance or motification
Verb: To embarrass and annoy

Sentence example: Her father's ability to chagrin her at family reunions on the dance floor was beyond anything she could bear.

By Jess

Word of the Day

I picked up this word whilst revising History and have been meaning to blog about it for a while. My mother says the root of the word is Latin so that probably explains why I had never come across it before. Latin and I never quite saw eye-to-eye.

Bellicose:

Demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight

Sentence Example:
Louis XIV was bellicose in regard to his foreign policy, and this ultimately lead to his demise and economic ruin.

By Talia

Word of the Day and Poetry Terminology

As I am obviously hard at work and not remotely distracted... I have chosen the word today from my plethora of Christina Rossetti poetry notes.

Typology:

When you fit the Old and New Testaments of the Bible together to make sense of both of them.

Sentence Example:

Typology was an idea loved by the Pre-Raphalites and is evident in Rossetti's poem Good Friday.


By Talia

Word of the Day

I know, I know, we promised to blog more regularly, but revision is destroying our lives. We have our English AS on Monday, and much as I love Rossetti and Bronte, learning fifteen poems and all of Wuthering Heights off-by-heart is not my cup of tea. But just because I am studying does not mean I am not learning new words.

Peripatetic:

Adjective: Traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods.

Noun: A person who travels from place to place

As it was my Mother who taught me the word I shall dedicate the sentence example to her.

Sentence Example:

Talia's mum had a peripatetic childhood and moved to a new country every two to three years. She settled in England for senior school.

By Talia

Frankenstein

This post is slightly overdue as I actually saw the production two weeks ago now, but due to my crazy social life (ha-ha I spend my life revising) I haven't found an opportunity to blog about it yet. I saw Frankenstein at the National Theatre; it was directed by Danny Boyle. The two leads were played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee-Miller, they alternate between playing The Creature and Frankenstein. I had Cumberbatch as our Creature and Lee-Miller as Frankenstein.

                 

Frankenstein is of course based on Mary Shelley's novel first published in 1818. It is the pioneer ghost story about a scientist who goes further than any man has ever gone in the field of galvanising and chemistry and manages to create human life. Once he has brought his creation to life, Victor Frankenstein is repulsed at what he has done and flees. Later, the Monster then kills Frankenstein's younger brother. Filled with rage and grief, Frankenstein retreats to the mountains where the Monster finds him. There he demands that a female mate be made for him, because it was not fair that he was the only one of his kind. He claims that during their time apart he has learnt what it is to be human, what it is to feel compassion, and that he has developed intellectual understanding. Frankenstein reluctantly obliges but is plagued with the notion that two of his creations could wreak havoc on the world and so destroys the female mate in front of the Monster. In revenge the Monster then murders Frankenstein's wife Elizabeth on their wedding night. The novel concludes with Frankenstein’s death and the Monster's vow that he will destroy himself so that no one else will ever know that he existed.

I have read the novel twice now and each time I fail to feel the 'necessary' levels of compassion for the Monster. I thought it impossible that he had learnt what it truly means to be human, and to have human emotions but the play changed that.  I have always admired Danny Boyle as a director, from his earlier work in films such as Trainspotting (starring Johnny Lee-Miller,) to his most recent work such as Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours. However, I sometimes felt like he couldn't bring to life on screen every emotional dimension that he intended for his characters - enter Frankenstein.  I felt more compassion for the Creature than I ever had before, I understood his confusion at the way strangers treated him when they saw what he looked like and I realised why being rejected by his creator would have such a deeply lasting effect on him. Never clearer than in the scene after the Creature has just raped and murdered Elizabeth, he stands before Frankenstein and shouts "I am a man." This scene probably had the most lasting effect on me, it made me question how we define ourselves as human, and what it means to have human experiences.

The play was staged in the Olivier Theatre at the National and I assume it had an incredibly large budget if the set was anything to go by.  It was visually spectacular, even before you consider the acting. When we took our seats before the play began, the Creature was already hung on a rack of some sort on a rotating stage. The lighting was extraordinary and perfectly coordinated to the mood of each scene. I know I am using a lot of hyperbolic adjectives but I feel that is the only way to express to you how in awe I was at the whole production. From watching Cumberbatch as the Creature writhe naked across the stage in the opening scene to the closing scene of Frankenstein desperately pulling himself across the Arctic, each scene was executed with precision and beauty and I can only hope that it is restaged at the earliest convenience as I am desperate to see it again.


By Talia

Just a note to say...

I'd just like to let all readers know that I have finished the book Never Let Me Go, as opposed to only having seen the film. Honestly, read the book. It is much better than the film. I must admit, I often like to see the film then read the book as that way round your experience of the story can only improve. Otherwise more often than not you'll be disappointed.

Anyway I just thought I would recommend that to you all. To read what I thought about the story itself, check out my old post http://the-english-review.blogspot.com/2011/02/being-complete.html which is based on the film but the concepts are, of course, the same.

By Jess

Word of the Day

This one is another pearl picked up in our last English lesson before our AS exam (AHHHHHHH) and so instead of revising Christina Rossetti and Wuthering Heights I decided to blog about it. You know me, anything to avoid actually working!

Cessation:

1. A ceasing; an end.

2. A pause or interruption

Sentence example:

The end of June represents the cessation of hellish examinations for T.E.R

By Talia

Dumblydore

As requested by dear Nikki quite some time ago, I shall tell all about the origins of Prof Dumby's name. Because here at T.E.R. we are all abut keeping our readers happy.

Alors (sorry about the odd French word but that is the langue I am thinking in right now what with all my lengthy revision):

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore


We all know that Dumbledore's most prized possession is dear Fawkes the phoenix. In fact, Albus may be the male form of "Alba" meaning sunrise, alluding to rebirth symbols: hence alluding to Fawkes. However, Albus may also be his name as it is a Latin word for 'white'. White is always associated with good, so it could either be that Dumbledore is a good character, or it may more simply refer to his white hair and beard.

Percival, the second of Dumbledore's names, refers to a legendary knight from Wales in the time of Arthur, who was involved in the Grail quest. In Le morte d'Arthur by Thomas Mallory, Percival is both the hero and the narrator of said quest, similar to parts of Harry Potter.

Not so different to Percival, Wulfric is an Anglo-Saxon name that represents England. Wulfric means "wolf-power" and is similar to the name "Beowulf". The legendary Beowulf slew the monster Grendel as a youth. Grendel is a very similar name to Gelert Grindelwald, who was a dark wizard defeated by Dumbledore himself when he was young. Coincidence? I think not. To make it all the cleverer, Beowulf was mortally wounded by a dragon in a cave by the sea. The only one who could help him was his squire: an orphaned son of some loyal followers. Rowling never ceases to baffle me.

Brian, by comparison, is a boring name compared to all of the others. This is probably the reason why Rowling chose it, in fact, though there was a King Brian Boru of Ireland who defeated his enemies: as does Dumbledore. But it's not as exciting as Wulfric, let's be honest.

Finally, the name Dumbledore itself is an 18th Century word for 'bumblebee', and Rowling has said she always imagined Dumbledore to be wandering around the castle humming to himself. And that is what we know him by. A little anticlimatic, isn't it?

Of course, if there are any other names you are interested in hearing about, just comment below.

By Jess

Word of the Day

Another input from yesterday's Ancient History lesson. In case anyone is wondering, Ancient History is where to be for learning new words. Never mind about the actual anciently historical element of it.

Today's Word:

Spurious

1. Not genuine or true
2. Born out of wedlock

Sentence example: Her claims to have seen Ed Westwick on the street in London were evidently spurious as at the time he was in New York filming Gossip Girl.

By Jess

Imagine

This momentous song by the one and only John Lennon is one that will never be forgotten. Even Glee has done a cover of it.


Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No Hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one


This song is asking for something so simple, yet something so unattainable. To have peace in the world is something we all desire, but we don't want to have to sacrifice anything we have already to gain it. A world without government, religion or possessions means that all potential opportunities for fights are ruled out, if only people could be happy with all being equally nothing. If we could only hold onto emotions and nothing material, Lennon is saying, we could all coexist harmoniously.


This will most probably never happen.


Imagine is so relevant to everyday life it is rather disturbing. The song was written during the height of the Vietnam War, as well as the Nixon Administration and the Peace Movement. Yet it still manages to relate to the horrors of today: the war against terrorism, for one, as well as the war in Gaza and the war in Afghanistan and the war that is everywhere else.


And the most troubling thing is that it is us as humans that are the ones who provoke these problems. Yes, earthquakes in Haiti and Japan and New Zealand are trembling the earth with their horrific effects, but essentially it is our human brains which cause our troubles. Heaven and Hell are only in the human mind. To be at one with everything would mean a stop of time: only when things change and our memories detect the change do we decide that time has passed. To be at one with the Universe would an eternal bliss.







Thoughts? We at the English review would love to hear anything you have to say on such a philosophical topic.


By Jess

Word of the Day

Ancient History has been an excellent source of new and exciting words for me over the past year. Much thanks to teachers Miss B and Dr. A for their fountains of knowledge on wordy stuffs. And much thanks to Harriet for her little insights (e.g. "no don't do that one for word of the day. It doesn't feel right." and "that's being blogged by you tonight.")

Today's Word:

Arrogate

To claim presumptuously; to attribute to oneself or someone else unfairly.

Sentence example: Augustus Caesar arrogated for himself all the powers of the senate. And then nobody noticed because they were all a bit dim in Ancient Rome.

And to add to that, I suggest you watch Monty Python's Life of Brian to demonstrate just how silly they were.

Just kidding I love Aug.

By Jess

Word of the Day

Whilst revising History today I came across a word which I thought I would share with you all:

Licentious

1. Lacking moral discipline or ignoring legal restraint, especially in sexual conduct.

2. Having no regard for accepted rules or standards.

Sentence Example:

The court of Charles IX was licentious and debauched

The English Review kindly requests that you do not endeavour to lead lives filled with licentiousness.

By Talia