Reflections on the class, and the canon

It all seems apparent now that the reason that we would build on our canons, for the sake of just knowing what it is. However, when coming into the class, it seemed odd to disect it, termed ‘breaking’ the canon. Now I know why we did that.

 There are a bunch of respectible writers out there that are not put onto this prestigious honorable list, but now I got to ask myself- who cares? I mean, a few of the books on there because they were meant to be there… they’re good! However, some books just seem like hackneyed repeats on the same themes and established writing that we had went over several times within the class.

 For example, I was reading through Sula and I had several people tell me, “I hope you’re reading that for a class!” I think a book should be honored for it’s popularity amongst people who like to read, instead of the professors and ‘distincted’ professionals who want to see ‘if they have relevance to our present day American lives.’ Phooey.

 I want to read things that will catch my attention, hold onto me until I’ve turned through every page. I’ve noticed that the book that I read which was non-canonical- H.P. Lovecrafts At the Mountains of Madness- was the most interesting book that I have been read in my entire first year of college! What does that have to say about the other books which are ‘canonical?’

 So, I have this class to thank for my new interpretation of the ‘classics’ list, and a respect for some of the books that I have familiarized myself with. Other books I will only reflect on with this- it’s a good thing that they got onto this canon list. Just think about it.

Native Speaker- Going to be quite honest with this one.

Maybe the canon means ‘repetition’, because reading through Native Speaker by Chang-Rae Lee was like reading through any of the other books that we have encountered throughout the semester. I wouldn’t be so hard on this book, but even with Toni Morrison’s Sula, it seems like these books were only inducted into the American canon because they are different ethnic people in similar circumstances. Yea, I went there.

 I can take Henry and put him into any other situation in any other book, just change his skin tone and he’d be in almost the same boat as lets say, Nick from The Great Gatsby. I’m not trying to knock Chang-Rae Lee, he worked hard to write the book and his work has already been shown the recognition that it deserves. Canonical though? I guess, because it has similar themes to those in other stories. One thing that irks me, and I guess I can see clearly now, is that these themes are so similar that it just sometimes doesn’t seem original.

My teacher Wandia Njoya told me though that nothing is original, that imitation is inevitable. If it is, than the canon will be filled with books that are basically knock offs of eachother? Damn, The Mountains of Madness should be on that list, just because it’s the most interesting book I’ve read in this class all semester. It’s much more entertaining, anyways.

Sula

Reading Sula was actually like reading the other stories that we have encountered this semester that would be considered ‘canon.’ Maybe then that is why whenever I have the book on my person, people are like ‘are you reading that for a class, or just on your own?’ and then make a grimace. It makes me laugh.

 Anyways, it happened to be a little bit more interesting along the lines that the focus is more geared towards a female role (even though the title character Sula is not as cultured and a bit more…promiscuous?) and it seems to be a bit more action paced, with violence and sex and all that.

 What really struck me was how Sula and Nel dealt with the death of Chicken Little, in their later years they were more grief stricken but it wasn’t like it was a huge deal to them. Also, I liked Shadrack because he was just an entertaining, deep character.

 One thing that offset me about the book was that nearly everybody dies all at once. That is a wrath of God situation, and was just weird.

 That’s all folks