Shannon's Virtual Bookshelf

BOOKS THAT SHAPED WHO I AM TODAY

1. 1984

I chose 1984 by George Orwell because it influenced the way that I view my past, present, and future. This text was published in 1949, and it was intended to foreshadow a possibility of what the future may hold for our country. Since we have long passed 1984, I realize that we are blessed as American citizens to live in a free country where we can enjoy the freedoms granted to us by the Constitution. Throughout my life, I have been reminded of the struggles that citizens of other nations have in order to be treated as equals and to be able to live a life where they are free from government constrictions.  Our current freedoms from government control allow us to live life as we please. We are able to choose our jobs, our spouses, whether or not we want to pursue education, and all other major life decisions. I have become more grateful and appreciative of the country that we live in as well as the life that we are able to choose to live. The theme of control presented in 1984 has a small representation to the oppression of slaves in Beloved. Their lives were controlled by their masters and they had no say in what they did.

2. A Farewell to Arms

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway impacted my life in the most positive way it could, although it is a tragic story of a soldier and his partner, Catherine. This past May, I lost my grandfather to cancer; he was the first close family member of mine to pass away. Our family knew that he had cancer, but he never told us that he only had a short time left. When he went into hospice care, we knew that he had little to no time, so we made the best of it. After he passed away, I knew our family gatherings would never be the same. After reading A Farewell to Arms, I realized that life is valuable, but also cyclical. We never truly know when any of our loved ones will pass away, but life continues regardless. Just as Frederic Henry lost Catherine and his still-born baby boy, we too can lose loved ones with no warning. I have learned to cherish the moments we have with the people we love while we can and to be able to accept such tragedies when they occur and grow from them. This story of acceptance relates to the theme found in The Moons of Jupiter when Janet has to learn to accept the ultimate fate of her father. She doesn't know whether her father will survive the surgery or not so she must prepare for the worst. She accepts the possible passing of her father in the surgery just as my family and I learned to accept the passing of my grandfather.

3. A Good Man is Hard to Find

This was probably my favorite class reading this year. I learned the most from this short story: that we must put our idea of what society believes we are aside and realize who we truly are. Even though I only recently read this, it has already began to impact how I develop myself as a person through college. As college students, we now live without the complete guidance of our parents and are able to grow as an individual. I am beginning to learn what I want to be in the future rather than what the most influential people in my life want me to be. In addition, I am becoming more involved in clubs and activities in college that I did not pursue in high school. I am learning to look into who I am as a person: who I identify as and what my interests are. I am no longer conforming to who people say I am and what people want me to be.

4. Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre taught me that, although I am a female, I am powerful enough to overcome gender stereotypes in society. In current society, women have become more equal to men however we still face daily inequalities, such as the right to choose our reproductive rights and our current salaries (compared to men's). Although men may be physically more powerful than women, women are just as intelligent and have the capability to hold the same job positions as men. In addition, it taught me that we have the ability to make the most of our lives. Jane Eyre was poor and therefore was not viewed as high in society. She dismissed this idea and pursued what made her happy. She remained honest with herself and her emotions, but did not allow them to negatively impact her life. Eyre communicated how she was feeling so that she did not miss out on something that could change her life for the better. She wisely states, "It is madness in all women to let a secret love kindle within them, which, if unreturned and unknown, must devour the life that feeds it". I have learned to always communicate what is bothering me in hopes that my life will be impacted positively. The power of the woman can also be seen in Persepolis. Marji, as a female in Iran, must break the stereotypes of the role of women in her society. She follows her own path and "wanted to be an educated, liberated woman. And if the pursuit of knowledge meant getting cancer, so be it". Marji, just like Jane, overcomes the stereotypes that are placed upon her in society and stays true to who she is.

5. The Old Man and the Sea

Even though life may give you challenges, perseverance and determination can help you overcome these challenges. I have been dancing since I was three-years old. When I started attending conventions, scholarships were handed out to a certain amount of dancers in a class of about two to three hundred. For the first four years of attending three conventions a year, I was never called back after the first round. I would always leave the convention in tears, thinking I was not a good enough dancer to be competing. Finally, in my fifth year of conventions, I was called back to the final rounds. My confidence was boosted and I was filled with happiness. Although I didn't win a scholarship that year, I knew that all the experience I had and all the hard work I put into the art that I love finally paid off. I persevered through multiple injuries and denial for many years, but it made me a stronger person and a better dancer. This can be paralleled to the theme discussed in Dickinson's Hope is the Thing with Feathers. We all go through hardships at some points in our lives, but hope and perseverance can help us to overcome these hardships.