Reflect upon your present blessings–of which every man has many–not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. — Charles Dickens | A Christmas Carol
It seems so odd to be this far into October already. The holiday season starts in just a few short weeks. I think as we get older time begins to move so much quicker because we stay so busy. Long gone are the days of sitting and playing with toys, watching morning, noon, and afternoon programming on television while our folks stayed busy working or tinkering around the house.
But I have been able to stop and take notice of the picturesque fall we’ve had this year. Foggy mornings, hot cups of coffee, and the trees. The trees! I can’t remember a year when they looked so autumnal. Maybe it’s because we live in the country now, and the trees are everywhere to look at.
Well, enough said.
Today on the blog, we are going to look back against the week previous and look ahead toward the upcoming week.
Last week
For starters, we examined chapters 11-15 of The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury. The cadre of boys and Mr. Moundshroud experienced Halloween in a few different locales, from the Grecian Isles to the Roman shores. They took notice of the ancient Halloween customs of each civilization, from delectable food on windowsills to pitch on doors to trap spirits. Moreover, they travel to a Celtic ceremony, witness Samhain in his terrific glory, and witness the Romans destruction of the Celtic culture and the rise of Christianity. Lastly, they end at Notre Damn cathedral where the lights of Halloween ward away the spirits.
Furthermore, on the blog we summarized The Mysteries of Harris Burdick and studies it for its strange history and contents. Following, we defined Polemics and how to use them in writing and why they serve an important function in argumentation.
Continuing, we analyzed temptation as a device in literature and how it shapes the themes of the stories we know and love. Then, we outlined House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski because it has been on my reading radar for a long time. Lastly, we reviewed the film The Haunted Palace and looked at its relationship to two stories by two horror masters, Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft.
Next Week
For the coming week, we have much to read and analyze!
Monday: “The Halloween Tree,” chapters 16-19
Tuesday: Building Background, Death in literature
Wednesday: Writing Craft, How to write like Ray Bradbury
Thursday: Poetry: Death and verse
Friday: Book List, Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Saturday: Folklore, Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones (1991).
Sunday: Reflections
Feel free to stop by, like, and comment. See you on the blog this week!
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