Author Archives: susan

LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Reality Based Fiction

Posted on August 9, 2007 by susan

As the strange professor moves through this novel, we suspect that he is the devil himself as the obviously fantastical takes over: But there were worse things to be seen in the bedroom: sprawled in a relaxed pose on the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita

Posted on August 8, 2007 by susan

I can tell now, even this early in the book, that this is one to be read a few times.  Bulgakov has admirably written a story that is intrigueing and encompassing of character, action, mystery, conflict and structure, enough to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE & REALITY?: Pleasure and Augustine’s Take on It

Posted on August 8, 2007 by susan

One of life’s intense pleasures is the taste of a fresh-picked tomato still warm from the sun, its glowing  skin threatening to explode with its swollen ripeness at the prick of a knife.  Decadent as the finest chocolate’s dark sweetness.  … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Confessions – Of Law

Posted on August 7, 2007 by susan

Augustine, while granting God the first and last say in making the rules, argues that by a simple measure of doing good by not doing wrong to others or giving in to the excesses that bring man earthly pleasures without … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Confessions – Belief

Posted on August 5, 2007 by susan

Augustine tells us of the reasoning for when he (and as he suggests, others) come to dwell on the Bible and the word of God, as opposed to avoidance even when a basis for belief is acknowledged. I therefore decided … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Humorous Irony

Posted on August 4, 2007 by susan

So far Bulgakov has killed off one of the main characters, but added two more; a weird little man and a large black cat. Mikhail Alexandrovich Berlioz has been beheaded by a train, and the poet has realized that something … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE & REALITY?: Les Miserables and Workshops

Posted on August 4, 2007 by susan

This is just too funny: You’re Les Miserables!by Victor HugoOne of the best known people in your community, you have become something of a phenomenon. People have sung about you, danced in your honor, created all manner of art in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Cheat Sheet

Posted on August 4, 2007 by susan

I’ve struggled through many a book refusing to seek out reviews and opinions of others.  Looking at this as both influence and plagiarizing of ideas, I feel that it’s always best to go it first alone and then look at … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Confessions – Again, the more things change…

Posted on August 4, 2007 by susan

Laughed aloud at this one: My studies which were deemed respectable had the objective of leading me to distinction as an advocate in the lawcourts, where one’s reputation is high in proportion to one’s success in deceiving people.  The blindness … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Master and Margarita – Chapter 2

Posted on August 3, 2007 by susan

Chapter 1 leads into Chapter 2 as the strange foreigner, a Professor who claims to be in Moscow to decipher text of black magic, starts the tale of Jesus and Pontius Pilate, which is where the Chapter begins. Names changed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Confessions – The More Things Change…

Posted on August 1, 2007 by susan

…the more they stay the same.  Barbara commented on the fact that some of what Augustine is writing about in his recollections of youth, such as peer pressure, exist as problems today.  Here, in the beginning of Book III, I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE:The Master and Margarita – Typical Russian Novel Opening

Posted on August 1, 2007 by susan

Yep, it brought me back many years to The Brothers Karamazov where everyone has at least a triple-name — Mikhail Alexandrovich Berlioz, and Ivan Nikolayevich Ponyryov (who writes under the pen name Bezdomny) are the two characters we meet by … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Confessions – Book II

Posted on July 31, 2007 by susan

Augustine acknowledges his sins of youth, his excesses and preoccupation with lustful sex.  He also admits to the stealing of fruit, pears that he neither needed or wanted but along with a group of friends, stole for the pure reason … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Confrontation No. 88/89 – Poetry

Posted on July 31, 2007 by susan

I did read through all the poetry in this issue, and perhaps because of recent discussion with a friend, this one stands out: Dichter by Peter Krok (p. 253) You who have not a claim Only the clamoring of a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Next Up: The Master and Margarita

Posted on July 30, 2007 by susan

While I still haven’t gone through the poetry (I admittedly skim) of Confrontation, I found myself really anxious to start in on this one, having held it as a treat to look forward to reading. So I may not start … Continue reading →

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