Ahh, it feels so lovely to be sitting here typing up a blog post after almost a month! After I finished up the semester, I just let myself do absolutely nothing (sort of, pretty much), and I’m not mad about it hehe. Anyhow, I thought I’d get back into it with some *spoiler-free* mini-reviews of three recent reads: In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, Northanger Abbey, and The Glass Menagerie. I add a personal note at the end, so if this post looks long, that’s why :’) (Thanks for bearing with me if you choose to read all of that!)
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord
This was such a favourite of mine when I was a kid!! I reread it v often, & as we were cleaning out the loft w/the family library, I just knew I had to read it again. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson is largely based off of Bao Lord’s personal experience, & it is replete with refreshing family dynamics, comical but sweet moments, & an overcoming, all-American spirit.
Shirley Temple Wong moves from China to the United States and begins a whole new life—she must learn English, go to school, and adjust to the change of culture. She is a wonderful little heroine who immediately cultivates the sympathy and friendship of her readers, and we cheer her on at every new step of her journey.
Though she starts off on the wrong foot in some places—she feels left out at school & misses her home in China—she swiftly regains her balance, makes friends, falls in love with baseball (seeing herself in Jackie Robinson), and finds that America is a great new beginning—all while remaining true to her Chinese heritage.
Bao Lord brilliantly sections off this book’s chapters as the months to this most unforgettable year. From January: Chinese New Year, to June: I pledge a Lesson to the Frog, all the way to December: A Star-Spangled Christmas, we watch Shirley struggle to make friends in school, find them right before summer break, agonise over the Brooklyn Dodgers performance in the playoffs, and see her meet a very special someone in December. As the back of the book says: “Jackie Robinson proves that in America, the grandson of a slave can make a difference. And for Shirley as well, on the ball field and off, America becomes the land of opportunity.”
Favourite Quotes
In the life of our nation, each man is a citizen of the United States, but he has the right to pursue his own happiness. For no matter what his race, religion, or creed, be he pauper or president, he has the right to speak his mind… To make a difference. To change what has been. To make a better America. And so can you! And so must you!
Mrs. Rappaport
She wanted to tell [her parents] all that was in her heart, but how do you express such feelings?… Without her saying a word, her parents knew how she felt and this she understood. It was the essence of being Chinese.
Shirley
Screeching and leaping, the fans at Mr. P’s gave a good imitation of monkeys stung by a swarm of bees… Forgetting thirty-nine generations of Confucian breeding, Shirley hugged anyone in reach.
Shirley & her friends after a Dodgers win in the World Series
What a star-spangled Christmas this is! she thought. This year of 1947. The Year of the Boar. The year when dreams came true. The year of double happiness.
Shirley
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
It was so nice to pick up some Austen again!! Northanger Abbey proved to be a refreshing, short, and hilarious—but very touching—read. Austen immediately and overtly identifies Catherine as the heroine, and she recalls this to the memory of the reader throughout the novel. It’s an excellent choice that fits so well in this satirical Gothic romance.
The satiric elements of this novel parallel to what Catherine is so fond of reading herself, and the irony can’t be missed—it’s too good. A meme I saw recently mentioned how reading Austen’s novels creates “a hatred for the names Wickham and Collins”, & one certainly grows to add the name “Thorpe” to that list after reading this :’)
Although Henry Tilney is no Mr. Darcy or Mr. Knightley, he is still a character that I am immensely drawn to, and I enjoyed his clever, witty, and honourable manner. It cannot be doubted that Austen created a fantastic climax in this novel, and I was positively on the edge of my seat in the last few chapters. The story was wrapped up in such a sweet way—this is a must read.
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
Last month, I mentioned that The Glass Menagerie was on my classic lit TBR, so I’m glad I got to read it so soon! While I did enjoy the play quite a lot, it was Robert Bray’s introduction and Williams’ essay, “The Catastrophe of Success”, that I found really compelling. I’ll touch on that later.
The Glass Menagerie is composed of seven, page-turning scenes. It is a memory play of strong autobiographical elements that reflect the recollections of Williams’ mother & sister, who are conveyed in the characters Amanda, and Laura, respectively. Each of these characters—though not, perhaps, Jim—drew my sympathy. And though each of their desires were often at odds with those of each other, it was easy to feel for this broken family.
I don’t think the ending was easy to see from a far off, and I was really rooting for Laura (and subsequently Amanda, and therefore Tom). Despite the fact that The Glass Menagerie is such a short play, Williams expertly created a story that was compelling, realistic, and even as it was fraught with a tone of fragility, there was a tone of hope.
Bray’s introduction provided quite a lot of insight on The Glass Menagerie as well as some background on Williams himself. I would highly recommend reading this as it’s a fantastic commentary on The Glass Menagerie as a whole. Williams’ essay was another great read; in it, Williams effectively and eloquently details the nebulous nature of success, and its illusions and duperies, while juxtaposing all of that to the appeal of living life with sincerity, compassion, and “purity of heart [which] is the one success worth having.”
Favourite Quotes
Menagerie reveals the story of family members whose lives form a triangle of quiet desperation, each struggling with an individual version of hell, while simultaneously seeking escape from the gravity of each other’s pathologies.
Robert Bray, “Introduction”
Williams once described Menagerie as ‘my first quiet play, and perhaps my last.’ From this quietness, however, his characters’ cries of desperation will continue to reach out for understanding as long as we are there to listen.
Robert Bray, “Introduction”
A fragile, unearthly prettiness has come out in Laura: she is like a piece of translucent glass touched by light, given a momentary radiance, not actual, not lasting.
Scene Six stage/play notes
Our great technology is a God-given chance for adventure and for progress which we are afraid to attempt.
Tennessee Williams, “The Catastrophe of Success”
But once you fully apprehend the vacuity of a life without struggle you are equipped with the basic means of salvation.
Tennessee Williams, “The Catastrophe of Success”
That’s a wrap on these mini-reviews!!! Rereading In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, getting back into Austen with Northanger Abbey, and properly liking The Glass Menagerie has provided such an enjoyable reading experience these last couple of weeks! I would love to know if you’ve read any of these, or if you haven’t, which of these titles are most intriguing to you (:
A personal & unrelated aside
I wanted to talk about what happened to George Floyd a few weeks ago & my perceived silence on the issue. I am first and foremost a Christian, and my identity lies in who I am in Christ and those values which I hold so dear. Because of that, I was appalled and deeply saddened by his murder. It truly grieved my heart to hear him cry out as his life was inhumanely and evilly taken from him. As it says in the book of Colossians, “Here [in Christ] there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then… compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”
Racism, police brutality, and murder are inexcusable evils in the eyes of God. I stand firm in the knowledge that I serve a God Who loves truth, justice, and the equal, innate value in every single human being. George Floyd was an image-bearer of God (Genesis 1:26-27) who was fearfully, wonderfully, and intricately made in his mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-15). God held all of George’s tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8), and He knew every hair on his head (Luke 12:7). Romans 15:13, which asks for the hope, peace, and joy of God, is a prayer that I lift up to Jesus for George Floyd’s mourning family.
Truth & justice are always at the forefront of my mind
The Lord requires that I, as a follower of Christ, value justice & truth (Isaiah 1:17; Micah 6:8). He tells me to not show partiality to any man (Job 32:21-22) but to act in love and service towards all of mankind because it is His desire that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9). All of this leads me to live a life of love, compassion, integrity, & honour—not only towards God, but towards others, & in all that I do. Down to my eating & drinking, I seek to glorify Christ & advance this cause (1 Corinthians 10:31).
So, in truth, the topic and issue of police brutality is one that I have been researching and learning about for years prior to this event. Because God calls for me to honour Him in every aspect of my life, I have been sure to thoroughly pursue and value truth and justice in all the ways that I can—whether that has been in politics, cultural issues, friendships, etcetera, even down to what I observe in human nature or in a book, a movie, a play, and so on and so forth.
What my blog primarily means to me
I would hope that my “silence” would not lead friends or acquaintances to quietly misjudge or mischaracterize who I am or what my intentions are, but of course, I can understand why that might be the case because, heck, I’m human too, and many a time have I been at fault by misjudging someone and/or assuming their motives and the intentions of their heart.
My blog (& social media accounts) are purely & primarily creative outlets that bring me joy, & of course I still seek to glorify God in all of this. (I’ve even mentioned this in my About page :’)) This is why I was “silent” on these content streams. Journalling, photography, reading, blogging—all of these are some of my happy escapes that are “just for fun.” I don’t think that belittles my genuine compassion for this issue, nor does it invalidate my years-long efforts to research this.
However, I’m sure there are some who would disagree with me, & I can understand that as well. Unfortunately, I can’t please everyone, but I am doing my best to please the One who has called me to live for His higher purpose: that Christ’s love & gospel be furthered in this world because this real, true, immeasurable, & unbounded love & grace is extended to all of mankind, & it is the answer and cure for all sin, wickedness, & evil in this world.
I have not been “silent” about this issue “in real life”, and I will continue to research this and all of the other matters that I have a fervent and ardent passion and concern for. Hopefully, even if you disagree with my “silence”, you understand where I am coming from, and you can realise that I have the best intentions at heart.
No matter what we believe or how “different” we all are, I believe that we are all image-bearers of a Creator Who desires that we walk in harmony with one another and with Him. Regardless of location, creed, race, or worldview, a love for the truth will always further the cause of unadulterated justice, and I trust that the world can rally behind that common cause in the push for a better, freer, and more moral world <3