Category Archives: Books I Like
Why Oliver Twist works as a passive protagonist
Image Source: Wikipedia Commons I’ve heard it all the time: don’t use a passive protagonist. Make your main character decisive and engaging. Give them a purpose, a drive. But most importantly, make them active. The passive character is one that … Continue reading
Favorite Book Characters #4: Levin from Anna Karenina
Every classic story (or at least most) have that one noble character who is always seeking, always searching: for love. For life. And for meaning. In Anna Karenina, that noble, everyday character is Konstantin Levin. He starts out as the young, hopeless … Continue reading
Favorite Book Characters #3: Quasimodo
Victor Hugo has a flair for doom and gloom. Much of his writing centers around tragic characters. All Les Miserables aside, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is no exception. No, I’m not talking about the Disney film. As dark as … Continue reading
Two love stories: Anna & Vronsky vs. Levin & Kitty
After finishing Anna Karenina I have to say that Tolstoy’s timeless novel is one of the my new favorite books. It is not so much a book as it is a picture: a living, breathing depiction of life. Tolstoy knows how … Continue reading
Isengard represented the Industrial Revolution: Because Tolkien hated technology
Oftentimes, when we think of allegory associated with Lord of the Rings, we give it a biblical interpretation. Gandalf is Jesus, dying for his followers, and then resurrecting as a much more powerful force, in order to complete his task. … Continue reading
A Comparison of Monsters: Frankenstein’s vs. Dracula
Notice I used the word “Frankenstein’s” in the title rather than “Frankenstein”. That’s because the monster actually has no name besides “Frankenstein’s monster”. The name actually goes to the doctor who created him. Or it. Frankenstein and Dracula are two … Continue reading
My Favorite Book Characters #2: Jack Torrance from The Shining
Stephen King has a talent for characterization. I was one of those who misjudged him as a author, due to his penchant for horror and scares. But part of the “horror” comes from how he illustrates his protagonists. The Shining … Continue reading
