Marco's Virtual Bookshelf

The Books that shaped me

1) Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

I read Heart of Darkness the summer going into my senior year of highschool and was puzzled by what it meant at first. Marlow goes on this journey into the center of Africa and is bewildered by the behavior of the natives. Kurtz becomes somewhat of a mystical figure in that he has complete control of the natives and has become immersed in their lifestyle. Yet, Kurtz dies on the way back to civilization with the final words, "The horror, the horror". Upon reflection, it is clear that this novel was about colonialism and dealing with people that have different cultures. Going into college this semester, I feel like I can relate to traveling into unknown territory with people from all over that have lived very different lives than I have up to this point. It is easy for people to take their own ways of life and force those things on to other people. I chose to interpret the "horror" that Kurtz described as the manipulation of others beliefs for your own gain. This novel helped me understand that it is important to act responsibly with my culture and to not take advantage of other people by manipulate them to my beliefs.

2) Grendel by John Gardner

Grendel is unique in that it takes place with an antihero as the main character. Grendel is one of the villeins from Beowulf which I had read immediately proceeding my reading of Grendel. In Beowulf he isn't very fleshed out; he was just a monster that was waging war on a town that Beowulf had come to slay. In Grendel, the title character deals with existential crisis that leaves him isolated and confused. Grendel's ego was huge, and he felt like he was too smart for everyone around him. Anytime he tried to be accepted, he was hunted for being a monster. He often yells at the sky and questions his very existence. These are things that are very natural for humans to experience and few books I have ever read deal so bluntly with this topic. Why are we here? What is our purpose? What is real? This novel encourages reflection of the world around you. After reading this novel, I began to ask myself these questions and came to the conclusion that life is all about how you live it. You give yourself purpose by setting your own goals and striving to accomplish them. It doesn't matter why or how we're here, all that matters is that we are here.

3) The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

I read The Great Gatsby my junior year of highschool and it is probably my favorite book I have read. The enigmatic figure of Gatsby captured my attention and I wanted to learn more about him. After learning his story, and that he did it all for Daisy, I began to think they would surely run off together. But things didn't work out. Gatsby was a dreamer and he idealized Daisy to such an extent the he was in love with the thought of her, not the actual person. Gatsby never got the chance to come to this realization. This is something that I myself get very caught up in. Becoming so infatuated with someone that I build them up to be something that they're not. Being ambitious is a good thing, but it needs to be motivated by internal motivation. No matter how much you want someone to be like you imagine them to be, they are who they are.

4) "The Dead" by James Joyce 

After reading "The Dead" this semester, I had to go back and reflect on my own life. Seeing Gabriel try and do everything the right way and please everyone, but have passion allude him, really hit me. I get very caught up in thinking about what the logical choice to make is, and I don't spend enough time actually "feeling". This story showed me that it's not always about what people think about you, but rather the feelings you share. Doing things for the sake of being successful will lead you to an empty life without being truly remembered. Doing things because you are passionate about it is how you can live on even when you are dead.

5) Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter books were my childhood. The excitement of becoming immersed in a fantasy world with magic and fantastic creatures isn't what makes this books special to me though. The characters deal with loss, curiosity, and adventure. These things may occur in a fantasy world in the novels, but they are very real themes in the real world. J.K. Rowling tells a story with characters that display qualities that are truly heroic. Harry's bravery, Hermione's smarts, Ron's loyalty are all admirable. The countless quirky characters that all have something to say. They fight evil forces that are all about superiority and corrupted power, which unfortunately mirrors some situations in the real world. These novels instilled values in me that are truly good, and for that I will always cherish these novels. Inclusiveness and standing up for what is right are always what I strive for after reading Harry Potter.