Blogging Around

In response to Bill's Best Of Week post:

Bill, I find your observation quite insightful and agree with your statements on Conrad's choice of perspective. Racism is a very prominent theme in the book and the choice of a white man as a narrator gives a very specific viewpoint on it that adds to the story.

In response to Taylor's Best Of Week post:

Taylor, I agree with your opinions on voice in terms of writing stories. Consistency seems to enhance character development by giving a steady, more natural feel. Cathedral was a great example of this.

Best of Week: Connotations of Cathedral

Titles may be so much shorter than the stories they head, but their effects on readers exist nonetheless. In class, a discussion group compiled an extensive list of connotations of the word "cathedral." While some were far-fetched, many made perfect sense and showed themes represented in the story itself.

Although readers may not consciously crank out a bunch of related themes when reading titles, reading a story would still be different without knowing the title. It doesn't necessarily define what the piece of writing is about, but it seems to subtly guide the thinking process behind the reading.

The connotations of "cathedral" themselves were not the best of the week; the idea that they mattered was.