Okay. Honestly? I didn't like it. And I don't feel guilty about it one tiny bit.
I probably wouldn't even have finished it, despite the fact that it's short enough to be a novella, except I had to for a class. It served mainly as a reminder that I do not like science fiction.
I didn't like the time traveler--self-serving, self-righteous, superior, overly restless, condescending, violent, and know-it-all. I'm not sure that's really the impression Wells wanted his readers to have of the time traveler, but I couldn't see much good in him. The Eloi were basically good because they were sort of like him and he thought they were beautiful (even though they were pitiful and stupid, according to him). The Morlocks were obviously evil, because...uhhhh...because they were ugly. And because they raised other species for food. (Oh, wait. Where have I heard of that before?)
Showing posts with label H.G. Wells. Show all posts
Showing posts with label H.G. Wells. Show all posts
Friday, November 9, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
The Importance of Being Earnest, and Taking a Sick Day
I recently re-read The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. As usual, I laughed my head off. If you haven't read this marvelous play, you should...even if you've seen the movie. It's different from the movie (as books usually are).
I was going to write a review on it, but I read in an introduction to the play that Wilde himself said it was meant to show people that they should treat trivial things seriously, and serious things trivially. I suspect that Wilde's play, though it may seem rather trivial, is actually a serious thing, and to treat it seriously would be against the author's intent.
You might be shaking your head in disbelief at me, but seriously. Wilde wanted the play to be laughed at, and although there's certainly plenty for English majors to debate over all day, I'm not sure that's what he really would have wanted. And I've already done more debating over the social issues raised in the play in my English classes, so I certainly don't want to beat the poor thing over the head with it in my blog.
Besides, I have lots of other books to think and write about today! I am taking a sick day. And let's be real--a stuffed-up head and a sore throat are a small price to pay for the chance to sit in bed all day and read.
I was going to write a review on it, but I read in an introduction to the play that Wilde himself said it was meant to show people that they should treat trivial things seriously, and serious things trivially. I suspect that Wilde's play, though it may seem rather trivial, is actually a serious thing, and to treat it seriously would be against the author's intent.
You might be shaking your head in disbelief at me, but seriously. Wilde wanted the play to be laughed at, and although there's certainly plenty for English majors to debate over all day, I'm not sure that's what he really would have wanted. And I've already done more debating over the social issues raised in the play in my English classes, so I certainly don't want to beat the poor thing over the head with it in my blog.
Besides, I have lots of other books to think and write about today! I am taking a sick day. And let's be real--a stuffed-up head and a sore throat are a small price to pay for the chance to sit in bed all day and read.
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