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A Study of Reading Habits
"A Study of Reading Habits," is Philip Larkin’s poetic warning that escapism and ignoring reality only makes real life less fulfilling. Larkin develops this idea via a narrator who prefers to escape from life rather than deal with it, as well as through changing use of language and subtle irony. Larkin’s most direct expression of his warning comes through the narrator’s experience with escapism through books. The narrator reveals his changing attitudes toward books in three stanzas, representing three stages in his life: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. As a child, reading as an escape enabled the narrator to feel better about "most things short of school" (line 2). As an adolescent, books continued to be a form of escape for him, this time for his unfulfilled sexual desires. However, as an adult "now," the narrator embodies Larkin's warning. He is bitter and resentful that life is less glamorous than books, now only able to relate to the secondary, less important characters. The method he once used to escape now makes reality painfully obvious.
The idealized reality that the narrator dreams of at each point in his life is reflected in the author’s language use. The description of childhood escape contains clichés found in children’s adventure books, such as "keep cool," "the old right hook," and "dirty dogs." As an adolescent, the descriptions are more mysterious and sexual, including references to Dracula and to rape. The descriptions as an adult are the most casual and slangy, suggesting a decline in the narrator’s intellect, the result of complete indifference. At this point he sees reality for all that it is, and finds this unfulfilling compared to his earlier idealizations.
The author drives this point home with a number of ironies throughout the poem. The title suggests a formal paper; quite the opposite of the colloquial language Larkin uses. This symbolizes the motif that what appears to be good (formal), may in fact be bad (casual). Also, the narrator’s values decline as he gains knowledge, going from good to evil to indifference.
Being said so, parts in the book where violence such as wolf attacks, gunshots, and potential homicide is clearly depicted through simple yet powerful vocabulary. The book also contains parts about kissing and a sexual act which was depicted through a fade-to-black style. Although the book contains such scenes, the depth of the words that were used to elaborate a particular scene was not too strong and was in fact in a moderate level. The book can therefore still be suitable for young readers. At the same time, the characters within the book are also of the same age range which made it easy to understand and relate to the story as it progresses and
perceive the novel in the rational of an eleven-year-old girl. One short, simple sentence is followed by another , relating each in an easy flow of thoughts. Gibbons allows this stream of thoughts to again emphasize the childish perception of life’s greatest tragedies. For example, Gibbons uses the simple diction and stream of consciousness as Ellen searches herself for the true person she is. Gibbons uses this to show the reader how Ellen is an average girl who enjoys all of the things normal children relish and to contrast the naive lucidity of the sentences to the depth of the conceptions which Ellen has such a simplistic way of explaining.
The author uses short, simple sentences that manage to say a lot in a few words. The author also uses imagery. He also puts in his book references to historical events. These references increase the understanding and appreciation of Billy's story by suggesting historical and literary parallels to the personal events in his life. The novel does not have smooth transitions from one event to the next.
High school students in many American schools first read this book in an English class, which has been a staple for many schools. A required reading assignment exposes many more people to the book. Even though the book is considered to be a children’s book by many, it is still enjoyed by people of all ages.
Growing up and becoming mature can be an intimidating experience; it is difficult to let go of one’s childhood and embrace the adult world. For some people, this transition from youthfulness to maturity can be much more difficult than for others. These people often try to hold on to their childhood as long as they can. Unfortunately, life is not so simple. One cannot spend their entire life running from the responsibilities and hardships of adulthood because they will eventually have to accept the fact that they have a role in society that they must fulfill as a responsible, mature individual. The novel “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger follows the endeavours of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old teenage boy who faces a point in his life where he must make the transition from childhood to adulthood. In an attempt to retain his own childhood, he begins hoping to stop other young children from growing up and losing their innocence as well. As indicated by the title, “The Catcher in the Rye” is a book that explores a theme involving the preservation of innocence, especially of children. It is a story about a boy who is far too hesitant to grow up, and feels the need to ensure that no one else around him has to grow up either. His own fear of maturity and growing up is what leads to Holden’s desire to become a “catcher in the rye” so he can save innocent children from becoming part of the “phoniness” of the adult world.
The phobia of growing old is prominent in society today. There are many reasons citizens fear leaving childhood, such as embracing the responsibilities of adulthood, giving up fantasy to accept reality, feeling one’s aloneness, and living life anxiously awaiting death. These terrors not only occur in society, but also appear in J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye. These ideas are thought by Holden Caulfield, the main character, who believes as one grows older they lose innocence and become “phony.” An initial reading of the book The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, suggests that the text focuses on the theme of vanishing and transitioning to maturity, and that he is concerned with its effect on the loss of innocence. The author
Growing up is a natural part of life. Everyone grows up. The loss of childish innocence and blind faith in what is said is one chief mark of growing up. Loss of innocence, however, presents itself in many forms, even to adults, and with it brings a greater understanding of the world at large. In literature, authors use the process to explore society and humanity. Through the characters’ loss of innocence, the authors of both To Kill A Mockingbird and Of Mice & Men discuss ideas of prejudice, family, and courage.
In the opening line of the novel, the narrator provides a vivid description of the his decaying surroundings:
Several literary devices are implemented in the novel to convey the author’s experiences and feelings, thus contributing to the overall appeal of the writing. In his younger years
Aiming at elder teenagers who are facing or have experienced the process of entering adulthood, the cartoonist Daniel Clowes illustrates the twisting feeling between resistances and attempts during the transition toward adulthood in his successful graphic novel Ghost World. In the story, the author characterizes the two protagonists Enid Coleslaw and Rebecca Doppelmeyer as rebellious and cynical; they aimlessly wander around the town and "their main activity, though, is mocking -- with a callow conviction worthy of Holden Caulfield -- the phoniness and hypocrisy that surrounds them. (Scott). By portraying the entering adulthood melodrama based on his own experience, the rhetorician illustrates contemporary teenagers' angst and confusion triggered by both the changes they have to face and the pressure of mainstream culture. Moreover, the graphic medium and comic genre sufficiently reaches targeted teenager readers: the adoption of dark green which represents the somber atmosphere and mass media's penetration, the intentionally portrayed ostensible figures which implies teenagers' constant judgment toward external world, and the direct language(sometimes impolite) language which specifically aims to teenagers in real world who use the same kind language; all of them serve as effective components of the melancholy but realistic atmosphere through the whole story. Thus, by illustrating the protagonist's twisting inner feeling between the attempt to suit in and the resistance toward the constantly changing external world and unknown adulthood, author Daniel Clowes constructs an entering adulthood melodrama with the help of graphic novel components, which provokes readers to consider teenage angst and the fear during coming of age time,...
In all poems the theme of Disappointment in love is seen throughout. Duffy focuses on the pain, despair and acrimony that love can bring, whereas Larkin focuses on the dissatisfaction before, during, and after a romantic relationship. Both Duffy and Larkin differ in tone. Duffy takes a more aggressive and dark stance to portray what love can do to a person after a disappointing love life. Duffy also uses this sinister and aggressive stance to try and convey sympathy for the persona from the audience in ‘Never Go Back’ and ‘Havisham’ Whereas Larkin conveys his discontent in love through his nonchalant and dismissive tone, but still concealing the pain that has been brought by love in ‘Wild Oats’ and ‘Talking in bed’.
...hen you reach the end the boy has taken a turn and instantly matures in the last sentence. Something like that doesn’t just happen in a matter of seconds. Therefore the readers gets the sense that the narrator is the boy all grown up. He is recollecting his epiphany within the story allowing the readers to realize themselves that the aspiration to live and dream continues throughout the rest of ones life. The narrator remembers this story as a transformation from innocence to knowledge. Imagination and reality clearly become two different things to the narrator; an awareness that everyone goes though at some point in their life. It may not be as dramatic as this story but it gradually happens and the innocence is no longer present.
...n illogical world with nonsensical ideas and his imaginative mind expressed throughout the whole novel, it may seem as though the novel is quite childish and pay just pertain to children and young adult, but contrary to that anyone who decides to grab the book and take time out to read will discover the enjoyment in the book no matter what ag; one can be neither too young or too old.
The second child-friendly plot element that “Cinderella” stories possess is a lack of violence and blood. It is imperative that young readers learn lessons through non-violence, in order to ensure that young readers are not scared or negatively affected psychologically. Young readers are impressionable, and therefore need to be kept away from negatively affecting material as much as possible. This is done in order to keep young readers engaged in the reading without any worries of the young reader being afraid of the text they are
Imagine a magnificent sunset in the gorgeous scenery of Scotland. The trees are a luscious green, the sky morphing from a soft pink-orange to a deep blue-purple. Suddenly, and without warning, a dragon appears, opens its large mouth with piercingly sharp teeth, and…it is time to turn the page. Reading is considered a learning necessity and it is right that people are concerned about the rapidly decreasing child reading habits. As children grow older, their imaginations grow weaker, as does their love of reading. Young minds become preoccupied with other hobbies, interests, or responsibilities. As a result, concern from parents and teachers increase. However, nineteen years ago, a story was born that might have held the key to getting children