Island of the Blue Dolphins

Carrie's book club this month was assigned the children's classic, Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell.  I've read many "survival" books of a similar theme, so I'm not sure if this book seemed familiar because of the genre or because I had read it previously as a child myself, but I enjoyed revisiting it.

I personally think it's wonderful for children to read books about survival because they highlight and reward great character traits like perseverance, hard work, resourcefulness, and independence.  I honestly don't think I could survive alone for years and years (EIGHTEEN YEARS!  She lived there alone for eighteen years!).  I don't know that I would have the will to survive, and I'm pretty sure I don't have the survival skills needed to provide food, shelter, and weapons for myself, so I especially admire people who can survive such situations.  I think Alan would be more than capable of survival. . .so if I'm ever stranded on an island or some other wilderness, I insist that he come with me.

Overall, I think I enjoyed another children's survival classic Call It Courage more, but what is most fascinating to me about this story of a young woman surviving alone for several years on a Pacific Island is that it's based on a true story.  They even think they might have found her cave!

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/29/local/la-me-lone-woman-cave-20121027

Since both Briana and Destry had previously read this book, we really had fun learning about the original woman (who was older than the girl depicted in the book) and the archeological discoveries they have made regarding her tribe.

Fahrenheit 451--Part Two

Yesterday I posted Destry's essay prompted by reading the great Bradbury novel, Fahrenheit 451, so today I'm posting Briana's.  She chose to focus on his effective use of the literary device, allusion.

Allusion Applied in Fahrenheit 451

By Briana

Fahrenheit 451 was one of the most engaging novels ever written. The New York Times found this story “frightening in its implications.” Bradbury used literary devices, including allusion, to impress the hearts and minds of his readers and spur them to action. One of Bradbury’s most powerful allusions came into the story in part two when Montag read a portion of Matthew Arnold’s poem “Dover Beach” to his wife and her two friends. This mournful poem expressed the emptiness, corruption, and hopelessness Arnold saw in Victorian England during his lifetime. Bradbury’s allusion to the poem “Dover Beach” contributed an understanding of the inward emptiness, disconnection, and impending doom of the book’s society.                                                                                                                                                        
Bradbury used excerpts from “Dover Beach” to reveal the barrenness lurking beneath the façade created by Montag’s society. One portion of the referenced poem said “ the world, which seems to lie before us like a land of dreams, so various, so beautiful, so new, Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain” (100). This passage expressed that the outwardly happy appearance of Montag’s society was a masquerade with pain and emptiness beneath. Montag’s friendship with Clarisse helped him realize that “he was not happy…He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run off across the lawn with the mask and there was no way of going to knock on her door and ask for it back” (12). Montag’s society prided itself on its pleasure and prosperity, but below the surface of their minds they were hollow. Bradbury used “Dover Beach” to give readers a peek behind the society’s happy mask to see the true emptiness and loneliness it concealed.

 “Dover Beach’s” mention of loyal lovers created a stark contrast with the disconnection found in Montag’s society. “Ah, love let us be true to one another” was the plea of the poem, and the poet rendered this statement as the only escape from the horrific world. No one in Montag’s society was helping his neighbor. Even husbands and wives were estranged from each other. Montag and his wife Mildred hardly ever talked together, and they had trouble connecting. Sometimes Montag felt as though he didn’t know her at all, and he could not say he loved her. Mildred’s friend Mrs. Phelps summed up her marriage by saying: “Anyway, Pete and I always said, no tears, nothing like that. It’s our third marriage each and we’re independent. Be independent, we always said. He said, ‘if I get killed off, you just go right ahead and don’t cry, but get married again, and don’t think of me’” (95). The family and marriage relationships in Montag’s society were completely devoid of love or caring, making the society full of isolated and helplessly lonely people. “Dover Beach” helps readers understand that Montag’s society was lacking the human connections it required in order to survive. 
                                                   

“Dover Beach’s” despairing ending foreshadowed the destruction of Montag’s society. The poem ended with this statement: “And here we are as on a darkling plain, Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, Where ignorant armies clash by night.” The society of Fahrenheit 451 was indeed a darkling plain, full of ignorant and lost people. The medical personnel assigned to clean Mildred’s system after she attempted suicide spoke nonchalantly about the tens of people who attempted suicide every night, and Mildred’s friends conversed carelessly about a woman’s husband who had jumped off a building. The violent content of TV shows desensitized Montag’s culture to the horrors of pain and death. Further evidence of the decay of the society’s moral standards is exemplified by the fact that presidents were chosen based on their good looks and suave speeches rather than their character. The inevitable conclusion for this mindless society was destruction. The nation was invaded by enemies who bombed every major city and thereby destroyed the nation. The ignorant armies clashed by night, just as the poem said, and the world as they knew it came to an end. Bradbury used “Dover Beach” to predict the impending doom the city would soon experience.                                                                                                

 The inclusion of “Dover Beach” in Bradbury’s novel makes a great contribution to the story. The poem helps readers dig below the surface of Montag’s world, and without “Dover Beach”, the inward emptiness and disconnection of Montag’s doomed society might not have been so readily understood. Bradbury’s allusions aided him in depicting the wretched society of Fahrenheit 451 in a way that impressed readers and gave them the desire to change their own declining society. The use of “Dover Beach” as an allusion in Fahrenheit 451 shows that allusion is a great enhancement to a story.

Fahrenheit 451

One of my all-time-favorite books is Ray Bradbury's classic Fahrenheit 451, so imagine my delight in getting to share it with my teenagers.

(Have I ever mentioned how much I am enjoying reading and discussing great literature with them? wink)  If you've never read this one, you simply must read it as soon as you can.  A society in which books are burned, people neither think nor connect with one another, amusement is elevated over anything meaningful. . .what's not to love??  It's dystopian literature, which always makes me think, and there are many spiritual parallels throughout the storyline as well.

Briana and Destry each chose a different writing prompt for their essays about Fahrenheit 451, so today I'll post Destry's.  He chose to write about the mindless, reactionary culture predicted by Bradbury and prove that it is evidenced in our current society.  (Briana's is here)

Fahrenheit 451 Culture Realized

By Destry

On September 11, 2001 terrorists attacked America. They hijacked two airliners and collided with the Twin Towers, utterly destroying them and killing over two thousand people. The next day Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, was interviewed. He claimed that the reactionary, mindless, and dangerous world of Fahrenheit 451 was already here. 

While writing Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury predicted that society would abandon foresight and become reactionary. In the culture of Fahrenheit 451, the people never prepared for life’s circumstances, they merely reacted to the events that confronted them. They were never concerned with insuring good things for the future until something bad happened. When war broke out, people continued going about their business until it was too late to prevent destruction. Rather than being insightful and proactive, the people were short-sighted and reactive. They had no foresight; they were constantly being caught by surprise. Compare that to the recent catastrophe of 911. No one saw it coming, nor were they prepared. Everyone seemed so shocked. Today, people choose not to see past the ends of their noses. Americans are so concerned with their own immediate happiness that they can find no apparent need to look ahead. Because of this, their future will hit them like a bomb, and they will realize too late that their destruction could have been avoided if they had simply provided for the future. When you compare the culture of Fahrenheit 451 to that of today, you will see that they are almost identical in that neither one takes action, they just live by reaction. 

Bradbury could see that a reactionary culture would result in people becoming mindless. In Fahrenheit 451 people made a habit of not thinking. They numbed their minds with television and ear phones. They were not interested in expanding their intellect, and they never evaluated consequences. Their lives were centered upon entertainment and ease. The American society is similar. The people of America do not think ahead. They do not live with the goal of growing and increasing knowledge every day. They have traded their mind for fun, luxury, and immediate happiness. Just like in Fahrenheit 451, Americans devote their minds to worthless things like TV and video games. When comparing our society to that of Fahrenheit 451, we can see that Bradbury was right; we have become mindless.

When you put a reactionary and mindless people together, the result is a dangerous society. In Fahrenheit 451, death was an ever present threat. Killing was their idea of entertainment. When they saw someone crossing the street, they tried to run him over just for fun. Murder and suicide monopolized the news. Montag himself was almost run over and his wife attempted suicide. Perhaps the most dangerous part about it is that death was so lightly mentioned. No one really cared. Our society is almost identical. The news is filled with stories of school shootings, suicide, a gang fight, or a car wreck. Just like in Fahrenheit 451, our society is filled with danger.

Bradbury could sense corruption being conceived in the heart of America during the 1950’s. Ironically enough, he placed the setting for Fahrenheit 451 in the early 21^st century. How did Bradbury estimate so accurately? It was no coincidence; he studied the past. The history of man is a cycle. Humans start a nation on good foundations, but throughout the years they forsake those principles and pursue dangerous, mindless, and corrupt things. Eventually, they realize the mistake they made, and start the cycle over again. At the end of Fahrenheit 451, one of the characters brought up the legend of the Phoenix. This bird built a pyre every few hundred years and burned himself up. But every time he burned himself, he would spring out of the ashes and be born all over again. Through Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury encourages us to look at history. We must study the mistakes of the past lest we jump back into them, repeating the cycle over and over. Our reactionary, mindless and dangerous society has built the pyre, poured the oil, and laid itself down. All that’s left is the striking of the match. Bradbury has warned us. Will we jump out before it’s too late? It’s up to us.

Liberal Arts Education

It's that time of year again.  Homeschool conference season.  Time to plan the next year.

I've always wondered why they schedule conferences at this time.  Don't they know I am sick to death of homeschooling?  Don't they know we're just forcing ourselves to continue on, get these last two chemistry modules finished, this last chapter of Geometry completed, this last literature book read and discussed, one more essay written, revised, and called good enough?

Yet here I am, planning next year, reading curriculum reviews, and doing some comparison price shopping.

As I look over our past and future studies, I realize that as a graduate of a liberal arts university I have followed that model in my children's education.  And now that my firstborn will soon be a senior, I wonder if that was the best choice.

A liberal arts education is all over the place.  On the one hand, it seems a good idea to expose my children to lots of different things.  I think knowing a little about a variety of topics makes people more interesting to talk with as one can find something in common with most people.  I think it teaches people to think and evaluate new ideas and equips them to be life-long learners ready to grow with whatever the future brings.

On the other hand, a liberal arts education might produce a "jack of all trades, master of none."  It makes it much more challenging to help children discern their talents and future when they are capable in multiple disciplines but not especially proficient or passionate about a specific one. 

I am challenged by a quote from the wise CS Lewis:

“…the greatest service we can do to education today is to teach fewer subjects. No one has time to do more than a very few things well before he is twenty, and when we force a boy to be a mediocrity in a dozen subjects, we destroy his standards, perhaps for life.”

Then again, might it not be art and music and literature that provide a purpose and enjoyment of other learning endeavors?  As the music teacher in Mr. Holland's Opus summarized  "Well, I guess you can cut the arts as much as you want. Sooner or later, these kids aren't going to have anything to read or write about."

Right or wrong, we have thoroughly enjoyed learning to appreciate music and discussing great literature.  I think I'm still going to go ahead with that art appreciation curriculum for next year.

More Kevin Leman

I enjoy Kevin Leman's books.  I think he's funny.  The first book of his I read was Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours about 20 years ago.  From what I recall, I thought it was good.  (Perhaps I should read it again now that I am actually a parent!)

Then I read The Birth Order Book, which was simply fascinating (and scarily accurate).

A few years later Alan and I read Sheet Music.

It's been several years since I read any of his books, so when I saw his book Under the Sheets on sale for $2.99 I snatched it up and read through it in just a couple days.

Yes, yes, you will notice these last couple of books are about, a-hem, marital relations but I mostly appreciate his views.  He has fun with it and encourages communication between a husband and wife.  His books are actually quite entertaining and I am thankful for his biblical views regarding the sanctity of the marriage bed.  He is quite blunt about what he views as unhealthy (and flat out perverse) and always encourages a couple to honor the biblical mandate to "render due benevolence" and yield to one another.

While I wouldn't recommend this book to the unmarried (unless perhaps they were within a short time of marriage?), I think it's appropriate for a married couple to read together.  I found it especially interesting that he addresses all sorts of couples and seasons in one book, from the newlywed innocents to those working through their past through the parenting stage and those in retirement.

His underlying theme is fitting to all aspects of the marriage relationship:  communicate with your spouse about your respective needs and "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4).

Pinewood Derby Fun

The kids made their second pinewood derby cars.  This is one of the fun events we've enjoyed with our new homeschooling friends.

They asked Alan to MC again this year and they all get a kick out of him.  His past auctioneering experience has served him well in this endeavor as he rattles off the names of the contestants and announces who is ahead, who is crashing, and who is ahead by a nose.

He was pretty clever with his quick remarks about a pencil-shaped car "erasing" the track and so forth, and even interviewed some of the race car "drivers/creators".

The kids love the time making their cars with Daddy, and the actual race is a great family event.

Destry carefully placing his car on the track

Kiana cheering for her car near the time table.

These races were serious business with the kids lined up along the track to cheer for their favorites.

Spiritual Discernment

It turns out I really like to review books I've read and I've missed it.  Ironic, because these posts always have the fewest comments, but I'm writing reviews for myself because (1) it helps me process them and (2) it helps me remember what the book was about, what I liked and didn't like.  I guess I'm getting old and forgetful!  So bear with me here while I catch myself up over the next few days.

Struggling with spiritual discernment is common to us all, I'm sure. Because I desire to "rightly divide the word of truth", I was excited to read The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies.

And it was pretty good.  He started the book by defining spiritual discernment

Discernment is the skill of understanding and applying God's Word with the purpose of separating truth from error and right from wrong (61).

and making a strong case that we, as a church, are lacking in this department.

 Many churches no longer look to the Bible as being the key to evangelism.  Instead they put their trust in music, drama, outreach programs, and less imposing but more attractive church buildings. (47)

Theology bores today's Christians, which is another way of saying we are bored with God himself.  (48)

These points are very good and are a large part of the reason I wanted to read the book in the first place.  Yet I have mixed feelings about the book.  I didn't love it and it took me a long time to read it (because I kept choosing to read other books instead).  I think my primary complaint is that he was so very careful in his writing.  I know this is a good thing, and I can tell he is just covering his bases and making sure he carefully weighs each word and speaks nothing he might later see as error, but when I as the reader can feel how careful he is being. . .well, it's tedious to read.  He is the master of "tell them what you're going to tell them, then tell them, and finally tell them what you told them."

I did like the way he begins each chapter with a relevant and amusing anecdote/example/story.  I appreciated the chapter on judging as he both addressed our culture's overreaction to the term and outlined the logical outcome of discernment bringing division as we are "separating truth from error and right from wrong."   Along this same line, I was intrigued by his assessment of the levels of urgency in determining if a matter is urgent enough to bring about division or if they are matters "over which Christians may disagree even while maintaining close fellowship and remaining in the same local church" (88).

I especially liked the way he handled the idea of discerning "the will of God" from a Biblical viewpoint instead of a touchy-feely, emotion-led perspective.  He says again and again that the way to identify falsehood is by knowing the Truth.  And he cautions us that "when our discernment is driven by poor motives it will become a negative, critical discipline rather than a positive, uplifting one" (150). 

So. . .in hindsight Challies shared a lot of worthwhile information in a very careful way, which is wise of him but tedious to me.

My favorite quote:  "be people who write in book margins, talk to our televisions, and discuss movies and concerts with one another afterwards to help sharpen our discernment and to increase our ability to critique unbiblical values" (180).

Yes, indeed, I do enjoy participating in all the above.  Nice to have those habits validated!