Here we are. The end of the year. As I pack up my things and finish up my tests and papers, I look back on my sophomore year as one of the most important years of my life thus far. I have come into my own, created special bonds with people, and further realized want I want out of my future while enjoying the present.
In "The Holder of the World" by Bharati Mukherjee, the main character Hannah travels throughout the world finding herself and figuring out what she truly wants out of life. While reading this novel, I found myself understanding Hannah on a personal level, seeing as how I am going through many of the same emotional feelings as she was. Am I doing the right thing? Am I in the right place? What is the purpose of all of this?
This past weekend I had a conversation with a senior departing this college and it was bittersweet. Hearing her thoughts, frustrations, and experiences during her past four years left me uncertain about my future hear. Intellectual conversations such as this as well as classes such as Literary Theory this semester have taught me how to deconstruct the world around me and try to find my place in the complexity that life holds. Throughout this semester, I have been opened up to a whole new way of critical thinking, and it has helped me truly find out who I am, and for that I say thank you to the class, students, and professor.
As Hannah did in "Holder of the World", next year I depart to India. My experiences there will be like none other that I have had before, and I hope I will be able to take the knowledge that I have learned throughout this class and apply to the new and intriguing world around me.
I like the idea that you are having many of the same feelings as Hannah and that you are departing for India yourself. It ties in everything in a funny way. Similarly to what I said on JP's blog, however, how does all of this tie in to the theory? What do your end of the year activities, conversations, self-reflections, etc. have to do with space/agency/tactics etc. For example, how is the change of space between home/college/India making a difference to you?
ReplyDeleteI found your blog to be very interesting especially with you going to India soon for study abroad. I think that although I understand the overall relationship between this and the theory I think you could go a little more in depth in showing how it relates to the thoery a little more. Overall, good blog I enjoyed reading it.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy India!!! I think you told me that you are taking a class with Madhu now, right? India has a complex history, and also some great literature. For summer reading, I recommend Salman Rushdie's novel Ground Beneath Her Feet, Mahasweta Devi's short stories Imaginary Maps, Amitav Ghosh's novel Calcutta Chromosome, Amitava Kumar's memoir Bombay, London, New York, and Arundhati Roy's novel God of Small Things.
ReplyDelete