Author Archives: susan

LITERATURE: The Life of Geronimo Sandoval – Philosophy, Science, Story

Posted on September 25, 2007 by susan

With an opening that speaks of photons and neurons and borders and lives, I’m lost in the ideas, feeling inadequate and uninformed and completely in over my head.  But there are words here and there, a phrase, something that drives … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Next Up – The Life of Geronimo Sandoval

Posted on September 23, 2007 by susan

This hypertext novel by Steve Ersinghaus won the Best of the Reading Room at the Hypertext ’07 convention in Manchester, England a few weeks ago.  I’ve had access to The Life of Geronimo Sandoval for a month now and have … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: A Clockwork Orange – Medium

Posted on September 23, 2007 by susan

Brian at Storytellers Unplugged recently watched the movie and his post gives his thoughts on the superiority in many ways of Burgess’ novel on which it is based.  This reminded me of my reading the book late last year and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Finale

Posted on September 23, 2007 by susan

This is a story that can be read on several levels, the simplest of which is The Devil Comes to Georgia (sic) and therefore a revelation of human nature and what it will do to achieve a desire or maintain … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Some Pre-Finale Thoughts

Posted on September 23, 2007 by susan

1.  I do not quite "get" what happened to the end, with the Master and Margarita and will go back and read that short chapter again. 2.  In the epilogue which relates the aftermath, there is a hunt on for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – The Soul of a Country

Posted on September 22, 2007 by susan

Without a complete understanding Bulgakov’s Russia, I still get the feeling that as Margarita and the Master ride away from Moscow with the devil, each represents a part of the Russian people.  The rebellion of Margarita–who tired of putting on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Effect of Time on Context

Posted on September 22, 2007 by susan

Without a more complete understanding of Russian history and sociological background, I realize that I am missing much of the more subtle metaphors in this fantasy, and there is as well the different slant that more contemporary (as well as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Plots Unraveled

Posted on September 20, 2007 by susan

These last two chapters relate back to the story of Pontius Pilate and the execution of Yeshua, supposedly the story rewritten by the Master, the novel that was partially destroyed by fire and salvaged by the devil at Margarita’s bequest. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Symbolism

Posted on September 15, 2007 by susan

Back in history with Chapter XXV to Pontius Pilate, and the scenario of Pilate waiting for word of the deed being done, while a thunderstorm rages overhead. Were it not for the roar of the water, the claps of thunder … Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Honesty and Honor

Posted on September 9, 2007 by susan

These last few chapters, the beginning of Part 2 of the novel, had been quite a ride.  The story line at this point focuses on Margarita and her goal to find her lover, the Master, and she makes a deal … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Fantasy Bias

Posted on September 9, 2007 by susan

If you read only one chapter of this novel, Chapter XXII, Satan’s Grand Ball, would be the one to do. One after the other, three coffins tumbled out of the fireplace, splitting open and breaking apart on impact, then someone … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Confessions – Creation and a Favorite Saying

Posted on September 8, 2007 by susan

Even while Augustine’s purpose in this next section is likely primarily political, that is, to prove his recanting of his former belief in the teachings of Mani (Manichee), I find I must dig deeper into Augustine’s writings, and have been … Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Flight & The Fourth Wall

Posted on September 8, 2007 by susan

The naked Margarita is happily flying on her broom above the apartment house where she’s wreaked havoc on Latunsky’s apartment and is smashing windows in every other when through a window she spots a small boy in bed, evidently frightened. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Call for Suspension of Disbelief

Posted on September 4, 2007 by susan

No, really.  If you haven’t come to accept and love the bizarre by now, you may as well just close the book. Margarita jumped off her broom, and the stone landing felt pleasantly cool against the soles of her inflamed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Confessions – Religion and Science

Posted on September 3, 2007 by susan

Augustine has an interesting comment on this: With the mind and intellect which you have given them, they investigate these matters.  They have found out much. (…) People who have no understanding of these things are amazed and stupefied.  Those … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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