Walking Around in Circles

I don't know about you all, but I was decidedly underwhelmed as I read The Man of the Crowd. I kept thinking that something awesome would happen, like a knife fight or a murder or a drug deal, alas nothing of the sort occurred. Not to mention the fact that the narrator was already sick. . . and walking around in the rain. . . all night long. Was I the only one who found that odd? Am I being overly critical?

Anyway, a few questions occurred to me along the way--I will post them to the discussion board as well:
  • Do you often people watch? Do you make up stories about those people's histories? 'Cause I do, and I don't want to feel like the only freak. . . 
  • Is the Man in the Crowd so guilty about something that he cannot stand to be alone? Is that his problem?
  • Is he a symbolism for guilt, just being generally unsettled? Was his physical bouncing back and forth indicative of his internal state?
  • Was the Man simply avoiding problems?
  • Was the Man an alcoholic?? (He was only happy when had a little gin. . . )

Wino, the Angel

Maybe Poe meant The Angel of the Odd as a warning, but I found myself laughing the whole way through.  It's quite strange, though the initial exchange in the bedroom reminded me of Crime and Punishment.  I kind of want to build the Angel of the Odd. . . am I the only one.  I think it would be more than just a conversation starter.  I mean to fit it with the insides of Teddy Ruxpin (yes I have one still) and really freak people out with it. I am picturing a drunken version of the Tin Man. (Am I alone in this?)

Did anyone else catch the fact that runaway wives and apprentices were listed in the same column? Are they equally inconsequential?  The main character seemed a little self-righteous wanting to cure journalistic falsehoods, don't you think?

Here are some questions that popped into my strange little head while I read:
  • Is this story Poe's ramblings on fate and his belief on our inability to alter what will happen to us?
  • Did you get the sense that Poe was more rambly than usual?
  • Was this the narrator's dream? Or a drug trip gone terribly bad?

We will discuss this further on the discussion board.  Or you can leave some comments here. I love to read your thoughts!
 
This was intended to be released last night, but the Internet at my house was uncooperative.  Oh well, it gave me the opportunity to catch up on all my reading and plan a little for next week. 

Monkey See, Monkey Murder

So, be honest, who really expected to find an orangutan responsible for such a massacre??? Really.  It seemed to appear out of nowhere.  

Madame L'Espanaye and her daughter, Mademoiselle Camille L'Espanaye kind of gave me a Great Expectations-type feeling, but I think that could just be because of their lifestyle and that they were hulled up on the fourth floor of their home.  I was convinced from the start that Dupin was the murder and I am not so sure that this is not the case. ( I am suspicious of people who want to remain constantly in the darkness.)   I would kind of like to see an orangutan shave; I think it would be interesting.  Overall, I liked the Sherlock Holmes feel of it all.  I was constantly on edge while reading, sure that the next line would reveal Dupin as his true self. I did not trust the narrator either; since he voluntarily associated himself with Dupin, he was automatically suspicious, in my mind at least.  (I realize this was a bit of a stream of consciousness, but those were some of my thoughts.)

This story raises interesting questions regarding morality, the importance of the truth and imagination, and remaining too close to a problem while trying to discern its solution.  We will discuss these and others in the discussion boards this week and through out the month.  The devil is definitely in the details. 

I feel one is supposed to close his book remembering to keep an open mind when faced with a seemingly impossible situation.  What about you all?? Thoughts on the main point of this story??

Here are some of the questions I asked myself after completing The Murders in the Rue Morgue:
  • Who is at fault for the murder? The sailor? The orangutan?  Without the sailor bringing the animal into the city, this would not have happened, not under these circumstances at least. 
  • If we are going to claim that animals have certain "rights" and the orangutan should not have been whipped and contained in a closet, is the animal not at fault for its actions?  If so, what is a just punishment for an orangutan? Does it even understand what it has done or if its actions were wrong?  If the orangutan does understand its actions, should we draft a bill of rights for primates??
  • Do you feel the police altered their future approaches to seemingly unsolvable crimes?

Tarred and Flaxed. . . 

I found Hop-Frog more than slightly disturbing.  Also, I was surprised to find that I blindly chose 2 stories to be read back-to-back that included orangutans.  Granted in two totally different aspects of the story.  

This story also touches on morality and the justification of one's actions.  We will discuss this on the discussion board.  

I at first felt some sympathy for Hop-Frog and Trippetta, but that soon left once I realized everything they were willing to do to their captors.  Before you jump all over me, hear me out.  Once the king and his cronies were chained together and in the party, the two of them could have easily escaped (since it was easy enough to place such important people into such a compromising position).  There was no reason for the two of them to kill the king and his clan.  That was cruel; yes, the king held them hostage and humiliated them repeatedly, but their actions were entirely uncalled for and deplorable.  

Here are some questions I asked myself after finishing Hop-Frog:
  • Should we, as individuals, expect punishments to rival the cruelty and violence of the crime committed? If so, what does this say about our civilization and morality?
  • What is the significance of orangutans for Poe? Is he obsessed? Or did he just not have another scary animal to use?
  • When does one man's humor cross the line?  Does all humor not poke fun of someone, somewhere, at some time?  
  • Why did the king think it was ok to allow himself to be tarred and covered in dry flax, then walk into a ballroom lit only with the moon and torches???
  • Does the removal by force of one man from his home and the subsequent dehumanization of him and his friend merit such a violent and malicious attack on his captors?

Please share your thoughts on these two stories!! And join in on the discussion. I love yo read your comments!!!
 
Ok guys, I decided that we will start off with an author that we are all at least vaguely familiar, Edgar Allan Poe.  I have to say that my love for him had to grow and mature over the years, but he provides insight (and fright) to the world.  
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I figured, since Poe wrote mostly short stories and poems that we could read and discuss a few each week.

I thought it would be nice to begin with some stories to which we are less likely to have been exposed.  Granted, I did not perform extensive research regarding these stories; however, I do not think we will be disappointed.  If you want to run to the library to pick up a copy of his collected works, feel free, but everything we will be reading in the month of April will be totally and completely free of charge to us because of the glorious Internet (Thank you, Al Gore. . .).  Also, I will provide links to each and every story, so you don't have to go searching for them.  

As you will see, I tried to keep the amount we read this week around 50 pages.  This will increase as we read novels, but if you're like me, you have a hard time switching between stories, so this should make it a little easier. 

Week 1, April 1-7
  1. The Murders in the Rue Morgue  (maybe you have read this one, but I don't ever recall hearing about it)
  2. Hop-Frog
  3. The Man of the Crowd 
  4. The Angel of the Odd

I am working on putting up the discussion forum, it is currently in French and I don't know why. . . even though I can read and understand it, I feel it is unfair to ask you all to translate. I will have the rest of our schedule up and available very soon. . . hopefully.  This gives us enough to get started anyway.  


Until the forum is up, please feel free to post any responses or thoughts here as a comment on the blog post!! Happy Reading!! And I will update you on everything else as soon as I know what is happening!!

I love reading your comments!! Here we go!!

 
So, I have toyed with the thoughts of staring a book club for several years, but with the amount of reading associated with college, I have just not found the time.  With my recent foray into blogging, I had the bright idea to start it here, on the internet.  I think it will work. 

Also, you notice that the second tab says "About Us;" that's because I am open to adding contributors.  I will be adding a former co-worker soon, but the more the merrier as far as I am concerned.  

As to the format, I am still creating it and am completely open to suggestions.  I would like to read probably one book per month, with a structured reading schedule, but nothing too strenuous.  I would like to hold a forum at the end of each month to discuss the book and to announce the new book and its reading schedule.  

That being said, since it is the end of March, we need to decide what our first book will be.  I would like to try to keep the cost WAY down.  As in, if we can find some awesome classics to read, that would be wonderful.  Both because they are timeless and they are likely available at little (in a bookstore) to no (on the Internet) cost to our members.  We need a book by Saturday, so get your thinking caps out.  Nothing too hard, we want an enjoyable read, but Turning Over Pages is not opposed to actually thinking while we read.  


Leave some comments!! Let's get talking!! I cannot wait to begin!!