The Autobiography of a Face

June 22, 2008 at 12:13 pm · Filed under English

Image is Everything-Is Image Everything

Looks don’t matter; it’s who you are on the inside that counts. Do we really believe that?

Which of these faces are beautiful? Which face would you like to resemble? How many of them do you recognize?

What is your definition of BEAUTY? What makes a beautiful person?

How about this face?

This is Lucy Grealy. In the photograph on the cover of her book, Autobiography of a Face, she’s a child; her blond hair is blowing in the wind, and she is holding a translucent piece of material across her face. Her eyes are round, her nose is neatly shaped and her mouth tugs downward just a bit. The image is at once charming and disturbing. What is she hiding from, or hiding from us? 

What will we see when she drops the veil?

As you read this book, and then Truth and Beauty  by Ann Patchett, consider the authors’ basic ideas about identity. How is who you are formed, and how closely is it linked to how you look, or speak, or laugh? How is your identity connected to who your friends are, and what you’re good at, or wish you were good at? Think about how Grealy is taking us through her own process of gaining an identity after she’s been disfigured. Do you find her believable? Remember that this is a memoir, not journalism, so it’s not bound by the same rules of factuality. It’s how she remembers things rather than what happened exactly.

In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (last year’s summer read) Ken Kesey wrote, ”Everything in this is true even if it never happened.” This’ll be more important later but keep it in mind as you read.

Invite your friends, your own age and otherwise, to read Grealy’s autobiography, or parts of it. Ask them what they think and invite them to post their ideas on the blog. I’ll post about Truth and Beauty soon.

If you’re interested here’s a link to an interview with Grealy. It Starts at 38:25.

I look forward to reading your thoughts-before the first week in August.

Peace

RK

hallegoodallkierabhuttoalbright

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June’s Summer AP Read: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

June 3, 2008 at 8:22 am · Filed under English

Before you start reading The Road check out Michael Chabon’s review for The New York Times Review of Books it’ll set you up for the kinds of themes and writing you’ll be looking for. Be sure to notice the way that Chabon writes about the novel. He’s not summarizing or giving broad overviews of the plot. He’s taking his reader in to the way that McCarthy delivers his themes. Don’t worry if you can’t write as well as Chabon-you’re not supposed to…yet. (As a sidelight, Michael Chabon is seriously good writer himself. Check him out if you find yourself craving more to read.)

While you’re reading you can use this link to take a look at the route that the boy and his father take:

The Road Lit Trip.

You’ll also want to write about what you’re reading-who wouldn’t-so please leave 2-3 comments about the book. It’s nice to have a conversation so please respond to each other’s ideas.

Your comments are due by July 10th.

Here are some additional spots to check out-feel free to post your own findings.

McCarthy on Oprah

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