Allow me to explain my latest finesse with Animal Farm, and how it was abrupted ended on the last page this morning. It surely daunted upon me very unsuspectedly. What a way to end the book! It was an easy reading, so I decided to finish it fast, and was planning to do so last night but sleep overtook my senses. So this morning, armed with a mug of coffee, I tackled the remaining pages of the book, which I started reading on Friday.

I was influenced by a lot of people's comments that it was a very political book, even the introduction to the book stated so. Hence, I was on the outlook of what communism, socialism, capitalism, all sort of -ism that would be embedded in this book, and found plenty though I could not, for my lack of political knowledge, tell apart which one was which. Funny naming the pig Napolean, and how it later dominated the whole farm, and finally being one with the human beings. I guess the way it ended, gave no solution to what further resolutions the animals would take on there, perhaps it was back to square one for them, back to the times with Jones.

A sad truth to note though is how the Seven Commandments kept changing to keep abreast with the living standards of the pigs - or the legislators. Perhaps this is how it is in the real world too. So many passing of the bills, changes, but what is the standard that we are basing on? For Christians, it is clearly on the Bible with the Book of Law which has not changed over the many years. However, sometimes I feel that we can really make the law to suit us, even those in the Bible.

Going to work, to toil in the field soon. Up next would be Veronika, I have decided to keep her for another time, as time for now is short and not sufficient to describe how this book has caused rife in my life.

posted by lil piggie at 9:58 AM

I've finally finished reading Hard Times. I'm so amazed. It took me (counting from my entry in 5th Jan) over 2 months to complete, which, after pondering a while, is not that many months, but it seemed long enough to me. Well, taken into account that I got interrupted several times by other books, it should not be that amazing after all. But it still is, to me!

And I can't believe this, but I met a Mrs Sparsit in my life. I never thought it was possible, and this person being a male. He took such a serious pity on me, that I felt it a threat. I wonder if that was how Mr Bounderby felt and how he could bear with it. Good riddance of Mrs Sparsit in the end! *laugh..

The story started dreary, but ended rather dearly. Though much blame was not executed into the Gradgrind family whose son stole from the bank. I would expect Mr Bounderby to react, but the story did not tell us that. And it was not altogether a happy ending, but a satisfactory one nonetheless. Perhaps I had hoped for something to turn out between Mrs Louisa Bounderby and Mr Harthouse, but such would tarnish further her good name. And smart is the beauty who fell not into the trap out of love. For it would be indeed out of love, and not of love if she were to consent to Mr Harthouse's pursue. But Hard Times was not intended to be a romantic story. So, there!

Then, what is Hard Times about? It's about life, and how life cannot be done without a heart, a heart that is accessible to emotions as well as reasons. The whole thing only dawned upon me towards the end of the book when Bitzer came into the picture to remind the readers once again of how the book started off with the address that nothing but Facts mattered. Mr Thomas Gradgrind had a real blow in his life when he experienced first-hand what his teaching had done, how incomplete it had been. (I would not say it being wrong, for the learning of Facts is just as crucial as the learning of the other faculty in life.)

I feel that I can, and most likely should, finish all of Charles Dickens' books. Not in being a die-hard fan myself, more so because this is a new adventure that I want to embark on in my classical readings. To finish all the books of one author, then move onto the next.

posted by lil piggie at 1:24 PM

There's one intriguing bit about Anna and Mister God that took me a while to understand. Not only that, I had to read many pages down before I finally got the idea. It is the part on the coloured glasses, whereby Anna said that things are yellow because they absorb all the colours except yellow. Thus they reflect yellow, and we see them as such. Then following not long after that part is when Anna told Fynn that she does not have any of the coloured glass in her. Finally I understood what she meant. Or at least, I think I do.

When Anna said that people have 'bitsa coloured glass' in them, she is trying to say how people try to reflect what others want to see in them. But when you have no coloured glass, you are showing who you are - being vulnerable. So when Anna said she has got rid of them, she has learnt to trust. Though I am unsure whether she has learnt to trust Mister God or people to accept her as she is, perhaps the former more than the latter.

This is a really good read, and I highly recommend to all. Do read it! And I have yet to finish reading it. :)

posted by lil piggie at 1:14 AM