Category Archives: The Great American Reader

A Winsome Woman’s Wisdom: Hermione Granger

15 Wednesday May 2019

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The girls in Mean Girls wear pink on Wednesdays. Though we think we leave drama and teenage angst behind when we graduate high school, the world continues to hand us lemons. We still struggle with maintaining a firm foundation of our values, discovering our identity, pursuing our purpose, developing relationships and more. The teenage angst lives on; therefore, we can still learn from women as they come of age. Let’s take a look at some ladies as they’ve forged their way into or through adulthood.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second Harry Potter installment, Harry’s best friend Ron notices Hermione’s habit to seek knowledge from a trustworthy, reliable resource when she doesn’t already possess the information she seeks. He says, “When in doubt, go to the library.” This exemplifies Hermione’s thirst for knowledge and her firm grounding in pursuing it rather than basing her decisions on guesswork or assumptions. An intelligent girl already ahead of her peers, she still ensures she uses the right information. We can all benefit from that mindset as we go about taking care of our health, pursuing our careers and connecting with one another. Rather than guess from what we know and potentially miss what we really meant to do, we can consult the proper resources to make informed decisions. While Ron and Harry find themselves in troublesome situations on a regular basis, Hermione typically succeeds at her pursuits. Smart women applying their knowledge win the day.

Winter Reading Getaways

23 Saturday Feb 2019

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February ends in less than a week, and spring comes soon. As I start to ease out of the winter blues, I have some books lined up for those days spent indoors. They range from atmospheric, character driven novels to classics.

 

Beartown by Fredrik Backman: This weekend I finally have this book beloved in book club circles on my docket. A couple chapters in I already feel immersed in the small forest town that revolves around its hockey team. Backman goes deep into the minds of his characters, and I sense a foreboding event. I anticipate reading how the characters respond to the situation and how they interact with each other. This community offers insight on relationship and organization dynamics.

Persuasion by Jane Austen: Though the novel doesn’t have a wintery setting, it transports you to Victorian England. The story explores social class and mores as well as its expectations for love. Anne has a failed love story in the background, so I look forward to seeing how encountering her lover again shapes her marriage prospects and how Austen’s trademark wit plays into it. I already find myself daydreaming about the cottages and the names as well as my Pride and Prejudice reread for my Great American Reader project.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling: The second installment in the Harry Potter series continues my Great American Reader project as well as my book club community read as we read the series this year. In England again, this time in the beloved Hogwarts castle, the school walls protect the students against the cold and darkness as Voldemort fights to gain power. Hogwarts offers respite from the winter as well as a fantasy adventure rooted in good vs evil. Harry and his friends continue to grow up and face moral dilemmas that make you root for them while wishing you attended Hogwarts too.

Great American Reader: Twilight – Twihard for Life

11 Monday Feb 2019

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This Great American Read project gives me the perfect excuse to reread the Twilight series. Reading the first installment over Valentine’s Day week as a buddy read with my best friend makes it even better. We have developed our friendship since junior year of high school, starting with book talk. Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight is one of the first books we read almost together. We have discussed the rest of the series as we’ve read them together and see almost all, if not all, the movies together in theaters. The Edward Cullen Funko Pop now reigns as the mascot of our Book Club Duo. Needless to say, the Twilight series has a special place in my heart.

Pop culture, whether a book, movie or TV show, can bring people together. The Twilight series has done that for me and Katrina, and I continue to bond with people over other entertainment pieces. Having a common story to discuss gives a starting point for numerous discussion topics. People grow over the shared laughs and the experiences the conversations allow them to have. Fictional, and nonfictional too, characters can give us a way to lead into sharing a detail about ourselves. We can learn about others through the reading and discussing as well. Stories give voice to perspectives.

Edward Pop

 

 

The Great American Reader – Harry Potter: Name the Fear

04 Monday Feb 2019

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Those familiar with the Harry Potter series know who I mean when I write, “You-Know-Who,” referencing the infamous villain. The wizarding world refers to him as that because his name evokes such deep fear. Yet Dumblebore wisely points out, “It all gets so confusing if we keep saying ‘You-Know-Who.’ I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort’s name,” in response to Professor McGonagall using the reference rather than the name. Dumbledore hits the truth about defeating foes: the first step involves naming it. Otherwise, as he notes, the process to overcome gets confusing.

Usually the first step in treating a medical ailment involves diagnosing the problem. Once a name gets determined, the doctor and patient can formulate and begin the proper healing process. The same steps occur with a mental illness or struggle or addiction. Especially with these harder to see issues, we tend to tell ourselves they don’t have the strength that physical ones possess. Sometimes the stigma prevents us from acknowledging the problem because we don’t want to seem weak. Yet without naming the issue, we can’t take the steps to improve it.

Dumbledore tells the highly intelligent and well respected Professor McGonagall, “My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name?” We can ask ourselves the same question. Though denying or downplaying our or others’ problems may seem helpful, it prevents a crucial recovery step. The sensible response is to acknowledge and validate problems. This language plays into the ultimate battle of good and evil in this series. Spoiler: The adjustment in how they refer to Voldemort leads to a greater strength ultimately to defeat him. Let’s name our foes and fears so we can face them rather than hide in denial.

Monday Motivation – The Great American Reader: “Yer a wizard”

28 Monday Jan 2019

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Harry Potter, the famous boy who lived, enters the world as a wizard. Yet he grows up not knowing about his identity or the world from which it comes. Once he finally receives his acceptance letter from Hogwarts, thanks to Hagrid’s hand delivery, he begins to learn about wizardry. This involves going to Diagon Alley to get his school supplies and finding a magical train platform that will take him to his destination.

As Harry prepares to get sorted into his house and to start classes, he worries that he lacks critical skills due to growing up in a muggle household (meaning one with no magic). He ponders how his classmates might make fun of him and how he may fail. However, he quickly realizes that his wizard counterparts possess no more know how than he does. They all have a lot to learn, and they each have a path to follow.

Lately, I’ve felt how Harry does about beginning school. He learns about a whole new world at age eleven, and he discovers that it doesn’t matter that he discovered it later than many of his classmates. Like many people, I face various insecurities. I even have them about school. Graduate school also holds a world some know and some don’t, that some appreciate and others don’t. Again, people who attend discover their path to knowledge at different ages. I have friends who went from undergrad straight to grad school and friends who began their higher degrees in their 40s or 50s. All of these people have improved their lives and careers, some even changing direction from their previous degrees, because of their pursuit. Like Harry Potter, I have learned that I have not fallen behind because I begin later than some of my peers.

In addition to accepting that Harry has not in fact discovered his identity and world too late, he learns whose voices to give credit and whose to deflect. His aunt and uncle despise the wizarding world and put Harry down, and bully Draco Malfoy acts as anyone not pure blooded has no place at Hogwarts. Yet Harry sees that everyone there has their place. He quickly finds a group of friends who keep him grounded and mentors who remind him of the truth. Fortunately, we too can deflect the negative voices who feed our doubt to keep us down and instead lean on our supportive friends and mentors to remind us our goals have value and that we can reach them.

 

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” 

George Eliot

The Great American Reader: The Count of Monte Cristo – Belief

15 Tuesday Jan 2019

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Dantes has escaped the prison at Chateau D’if! He has accomplished no small feat and during a storm no less. After joining a new crew, he eventually steers their ship to his destination. His prison mate Faria has left Dantes with the secrets to find the treasure. Now he has to find the right cave.

The island at first appears to have no more caves. Dantes considers how the landscape could have changed over time. He ponders if rocks could have sealed the entryway. Finally, he even accepts it may never have existed and he has fallen into a false belief. Yet even in his despair and acceptance of that possibility, he continues thinking of the chance that the desired treasure may exist. That leads him to the ultimate discovery. He uses a new approach to see if whoever hid the treasure created a false barrier to the entrance. This proving true, Dantes at lasts breaks through and discovers gold and jewels aplenty.

The crisis of belief Dantes experiences resembles the human struggle to maintain faith. Sometimes we know the truth and have heard the story telling us how to find our treasure or destination or purpose. Yet we doubt what we know. We wonder if a mistake has been made; maybe those treasures aren’t intended for us. Maybe they never existed at all. Dantes knows others make fun of his friend Faria’s stories of treasure; they consider him mad. Dantes eventually wonders if they have the right perspective. We do the same when others scoff at our goals or values. Yet the treasure does exist. It may seem crazy or counterintuitive, but the continued belief and persistence to keep figuring out the next step and taking it makes it possible to discover. Remember that God holds true to His promises no matter what anyone else says.

The Great American Reader: Harry Potter

12 Saturday Jan 2019

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The Harry Potter series has a top spot on PBS’s The Great American Read list, and some fellow Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club members have decided to read the entire series over the course of the year. That gives me an opportunity to keep a slow, steady pace to dive deeper into J.K. Rowling’s stories and characters, especially since this is not the first time I’ve read them. I have started Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone this weekend and already see points of interest. This series has so many angles and resources to see.

Grab a broomstick (or catch the Hogwarts Express train) and follow me to Hogwarts castle as Harry realizes the truth behind “yer a wizard” and attends the School of Magic for the first time. Harry figures out his identity, and the story keeps the wizarding world at stake through an epic battle of good versus evil. Follow along for a coming of age story for the ages.

Thoughtful Thursday: Prison Mates in The Count of Monte Cristo

10 Thursday Jan 2019

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In The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes eventually discovers he has a neighbor in a nearby cell. The dungeon has left him darkness and pulled his hope into despair. Yet not long before fulfilling his idea to starve himself, he hears a tapping sound that renews his hope. That day he eats again. Then he also starts chipping at his own wall, slowly making a passage to connect to his neighbor’s. Knowing he doesn’t suffer alone gives him hope and strength to move forward.

Once the prisoners succeed with their adjoining tunnel, they meet. Instantly, their hopes improve. Faria even literally steps into the sliver of light shining through the small window in Dantes’ cell as Dantes casts his first glance upon his new friend. As they learn they can trust each other, they begin to make plans. Faria shares his plethora of history and language knowledge. Eventually, they renew their efforts to escape their prison.

People often compare the darkness of mental illness as a pit, and people often feel stuck in what seems like a prison not unlike the one where Dantes and Faria find themselves. Yet when they join each other, their hope renews. They don’t bring the misunderstanding, accusations or judgment their guards have cast on them unhelpfully but bring company. The simple presence gives the possibility of trust. Outside the pages, we often forget to begin with this step when someone we love falls into the pit. Joining the friend shows they don’t suffer alone and serves as a starting point for giving them a safe place to share their struggles as Dantes and Faria share their backgrounds with each other as a way to form understanding. Then, sharing knowledge and support, we can work together to find a way back into the light.

 

The Great American Reader: The Count of Monte Cristo – Lies

08 Tuesday Jan 2019

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As the story continues in Chapters VIII-XII of The Count of Monte Cristo continues, the web of lies landing Dantes in prison grows. Villefort rushes to meet King Louis XVIII in Paris, where he describes the Bonapartist plot. He learns that the police hunt for his father, but keeps his family ties a secret. We already know from the first set of chapters that he has burned the evidence of his father’s identity and that he did that at the expense of putting Danters in prison.

Villefort lies to hide his own guilt, and it resembles the biblical account in Genesis 39 where Potiphar’s wife claims that Joseph attempted to seduce her rather than face the rejection of Joseph not responding to her advances. Joseph also ends up in jail due to false accusations. Unfortunately, these people care more about their comfort and status (both have high esteem in court) than how their wrongdoing might affect someone else. Both Villefort and Potiphar know their actions lead to imprisonment yet withhold the truth. This serves as a good reminder that the commandment to not lie exists for good reason. Many people convince themselves a white lie or lie of omission doesn’t hold the potential to harm or isn’t considered a lie, but that involves believing a lie. The language of lies still creates a world, in these cases one where the falsely accused get confined by the lies of others.

In Joseph’s biblical story, his imprisonment ultimately proves fruitful as he gets delivered from his cell and witnesses God’s hand in it. Perhaps Dantes ultimately find a similar twist to his fate where what others intend for bad turns out as good in the end. Maybe he will provide for those who harmed him like Joseph did for his brothers who left him and led to his enslavement in Egypt. However, a main theme in this story revolves around revenge. Perhaps Dantes doesn’t overcome his pride and hurt the way Joseph does.

 

 

The Great American Reader: Introduction to The Count of Monte Cristo

06 Sunday Jan 2019

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The classic The Count of Monte Cristo gives us an adventurous revenge tale that has stood the test of time. Entertaining since its 1844-45 release, this story holds themes and plots of intrigue that still interests readers today. It even has inspiration from a true crime, a topic that has boomed into its own nonfiction category recently. The actual book resembles a brick in its physical dimensions, but so far it reads simply enough.

First, the story begins in Marseille, France near a Notre Dame de la Garde port in 1815. Young Edmond Dantes leads the ship Pharaon to Fort Saint-Jean as its first mate, and he has the promise of becoming captain due to Captain Leclere’s death during the voyage. At somewhere between 18-20, Dantes already holds a lot of hope for a satisfying life with the prospect of becoming a captain so young and marrying a beautiful woman.

Dantes couldn’t fill a 1,000+ page book if those details unfolded so easily though. Danglars, the supercargo slightly older than Dantes and generally less well liked, greets ship owner Morrell with a story about Dantes that contradicts the one Morrell heard from Dantes. This only marks the beginning of the words Danglars spins to paint a negative portrait of Dantes. He later demonstrates how a pen and words can hold as much as and more danger than a sword or pistol.

Sweet reunions abound when Dantes visits his father and then his fiancé Mercedes to arrange their marriage. However, Mercedes accepting Dantes stings Fernand because he wants to marry his cousin Mercedes. Upon leaving, he accepts the invitation to join Danglars and Caderousse as they plot a downfall for Dantes. This leads to an interruption at the betrothal party that ends with men arresting Dantes. In a parallel scene, we see the judge Villefort leave his own betrothal party to oversee Dantes in court. The lies continue to thicken as Villefort sees the letter allegedly condemning Dantes reveals a secret about himself. So he sends Dantes to a cell at Chateau D’If.

 

These first seven chapters set up a story of secrets and deceit. The players who play a key role in Dantes’s arrest cater to their selfish ambition and jealousy despite the harm they cause. Now I wonder to what lengths Villefort will go to keep his secret and therefore maintain his position in society and how far Danglars will go to get his desired status on the ship as well as how deep his dislike for Dantes goes and why. Of course the story continues with Dantes going to jail, so I wonder how he will handle imprisonment. I know a revenge plot and treasure adventure has yet to unfold.