Scribble Issue 10 - Scribble Canon

S C R I B B L E Shrewsbury High School Literary Magazine, Issue 10 (May, 2022)

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NOTE FROM THE

EDITORS

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ello reader!

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elcome to this term's edition of Scribble which we are excited for you all to read. For this issue, we decided to create a ‘Scribble Canon’, where everyone got a chance to choose a novel they believed should be showcased in the canon and to explain their reasons. The Western Canon is criticised for being white-washed, male-dominated and largely involving complex plots. Our articles aim to show that canonical novels do not need to be overly complex, as illustrated by Abigail Kulemeka in ‘Slayer by Kiersten White’, or English, as Darcy Duhra discusses in ‘Why Should Foreign Literature be Included in the Canon’? There is an array of other fascinating topics such as Imogen Hollins’ take on ‘A Clockwork Orange’ exploring this novel in a deeper sense and Pippa Simcock’s take on ‘America’s Favourite’ as she delves into the world of American literature. The resident editors, Aaina and Libby, both explore the place of romance in the canon, with Aaina’s article ‘Romance is Underrated’ and Libby’s exploration of ‘Normal People’.

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lthough our critique of the established canon may be controversial, we are excited by this edition! Thank you for choosing to read this issue, we hope you enjoy it as much as we’ve enjoyed writing it.

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his issue is the last for the current editing team, so we figured we would go out with a bang – disseminating the role of literature today and giving our lovely contributors an opportunity to explore some of their favourite novels. We wish the new editors the very best of luck and we cannot wait to see what direction they take Scribble in.

Contents 2 Welcome from the Editors 3 Contents 4 Why should foreign literature be included in the literary canon?

6 America’s Favourite 8 Clockwork Orange 10 Romance is Underrated 12 Slayer 13 Scribble Canon Book Reviews 14 ‘Normal People’, a Radical Non-Romance 16 Phenomenal Women 18 Canon, Yay or Nay?

Editors Aaina Jassel, Libby Driscoll

Editorial Contributions Darcy Duhra, Pippa Simcock, Imogen Hollins, Aaina Jassel, Abigail Kulemeka, Libby Driscoll, Emma Owen

Proof Reader Alex Hale

Editoral Design & Typeset Tiffany Pardoe

Front Page Illustration Scribble Scrabble by TSPardoe Published by Scribble, Shrewsbury High School 32 Town Walls, Shrewsbury, SY1 1TN

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Why should foreign literature be included in the literary canon?

By Darcy Duhra

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his article may feel out of place. Why on earth should German literature be included in the English literary canon? But maybe this will broaden your view on how all literature could have a huge positive impact on the education system. In this article I am going to explore the benefits of reading German literature, this message also applies to wider world literature, as it is just as valuable if included in the curriculum. The benefits of studying foreign literature are massive, it offers a fresh perspective, common ground and appreciation of a different culture. But even so, long before most of us pick up our first German novel or foreign novel, we have read Dickens, Shakespeare, Orwell, Austen and Blake.

Why hasn’t foreign literature been included? Even American and Australian literature is not included in the GCSE curriculum although it is written in the same language. Staple novels such as ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee were dropped by the AQA exam board at GCSE. There are always valuable things to learn from literature especially if it is not purely focused on the British point of view.

Exposure to foreign literature may even help us to think more independently and with less bias. This makes its inclusion in the curriculum even more important - particularly considering that not all students may read in their free time.

Der Besuch der alten Dame translates to: “the old lady’s visit“ (in the English translation it is known as ‘The Visit’), the play written by the Swiss author Friedrich Durrenmatt, centres on: tragedy, despair, moderation, lucidity, and a sense of responsibility. It was published in 1956 after the Second World War. In this “Tragic Comedy”, everyone is ruled by the plot and caught in the sweep of events. The paradox created by “Tragic Comedy” sets the play up to display serious problems with a comic attitude - which offers the audience both laughter and horror. This tragedy takes place inside the characters, the comedy being in their actions and the villagers’ strange attitudes. This mixture becomes clear at the very beginning of the story, when Claire arrives in Güllen (somewhere in German-speaking Switzerland.) The welcome, the speeches, the meeting - everything seems utterly absurd. At the same time, some of the old lady’s phrases give the audience a first hint of the tragedy. Claire offers a cash prize to the village, but she sets this on one condition: her ex-lover Alfred Ill is to die.

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Although the residents initially react indignantly to the demand, it becomes increasingly dangerous for him in the village.

To the students reading this article you might feel like this narrative is similar to An Inspector Calls, the play we study at GCSE. The ominous nature of the play and the revealing of each character’s true nature is what drives the play and keeps the audience on its toes. The unveiling of each character’s involvement with one young woman creates an uncomfortable and tense atmosphere which effects each member of the Birling family in a different way. Similarly to Durrenmatt, ‘An Inspector Calls’ was performed after the Second World War in 1945, at a time of great change. There are many parallels that can be drawn between the plays: - Class/money - Social responsibility of a community or family members - Guilt and suicide There is a universal aspect to both narratives. They focus on how people treat others, how human nature does not change and how societal structures dominate justice. What strikes me, is that these themes are what both authors were seeking to explore in the post-war years. Although ‘An Inspector Calls’ is set before the First World War both plays highlight the common experience and thoughts the authors must have had when writing their plays. What struck me about Durrenmatt is that his interpretation of wealth heavily focuses on America and the exploitation of women. However, Claire defies this construct and twists the narrative by exploiting men for their money through marriage and divorce.

Priestly also includes an extraordinarily strong female character who has an influence over other people. Mrs Birling came from a more prominent family before marrying Mr Birling. This underlines how important these themes were to explore and to convey to an audience who experienced war. Both authors highlight injustice and the power and control money has over people.

Durrenmatt makes clear that “Claire represents neither justice . . . nor the Apocalypse; let her be only what she is: the richest woman in the world, whose fortune has put her in a position to act like the heroine of a Greek tragedy: absolute, cruel, something like Medea.” Guellen (the villagers) are the main characters and Alfred Ill its scapegoat, ritually murdered so that the community can at the same time, purge itself and accept Claire’s bounty. They are not wicked, claims Durrenmatt, but tragically “people like the rest of us,” concerned with sin, suffering, guilt, and the pursuit of justice and redemption in an alien universe.

As both these plays are regarded as modern texts, I do not see why the choice is not given to choose to study foreign literature. While some people might say it is more difficult to study a translated text, I think if it is approved, there is no problem with it. The same literary devices are included, and the text can be analysed to the same standard. This could however differ if the text is translated from a non-contemporary language.

Foreign literature deserves to have a place in the literary canon and the thing is, it could be absolutely anything. There is such an abundance of amazing classic novels, plays and poetry from so many diverse cultures out there, that by narrowing it down to only British literature is simply criminal.

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America’s

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By Pippa Simcock

hen I first started thinking about which novel I should submit for this literary canon, I was a little defeated. I spent at least half of the time I should have spent writing this article trying to select a work that was sophisticated, original and meaningful yet entertaining and to be honest, I couldn’t decide. So, how did I choose ‘The Great Gatsby’ as my number one? Initially, I tried my very hardest to come up with a less well-known book; the title is so prevalent amongst readers, I thought suggesting a famous classic would be a little hollow. However, had I not given this book a chance, I doubt I would ever have come to realise the true value of literature.

Great Gatsby’ was a gateway, allowing me to discover an abundance of compositions that I was completely ignorant to in the past.

Living in England, I’ve often felt that the British classics were the only ones out there - crazy I know, but if we think about what we are taught in school, Shakespeare and Carol Ann Duffy, was there ever a reason to think differently? American literature is host to a treasure trove of new novels that are quite scandalous, more so than their British counterparts. It was in exploring this new realm of literature that I truly discovered my passion for reading.

Similarly, the alternative interpretation of romance between Daisy and Gatsby in the novel held immense meaning for me. Centred around the breakdown of the American dream and deceit, the themes of the novel made way for a more disreputable romance to blossom. Throughout the book, we watch the two as they fall in love and are torn apart. They do not shy away from the messy side of love, having an affair while Daisy is married and, when the whole novel climaxes with the death of Myrtle, we see betrayal as Gatsby takes the blame from Daisy out of love for her and she leaves him.

One of the reasons that I wanted to submit this novel was because of how it has helped me. Before reading it, I was stuck consuming literature that lacked variety and any real excitement. Then I discovered American literature. Being slightly more modern than the well-known British classics, often American writers choose not to shy away from difficult or controversial subjects, as well as including more contemporary themes. For me, ‘The

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‘happiness’ by Taylor Swift as an example.

In one of her most recent albums entitled Evermore, Swift weaves themes, symbols, and quotes from this novel into her song.

The whole track is about seeing a past relationship in an idealistic way, and this really mirrors how Gatsby felt about Daisy throughout the book. To him, she was perfect, when in reality, she is far from his perfect match. Swift references ‘our great divide’ which also correlates to the lake separating Gatsby and Daisy who live in the West Egg and East Egg. The two references tie together to represent the misery of growing apart. We see a direct quote in the lyrics ‘I hope she’ll be a beautiful fool who takes my place next to you’ and ‘all you want from me now is the green light of forgiveness’. These lyrics refer to Daisy hoping her daughter will ‘be a fool - that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool’, and the motif of the green light used to represent Gatsby’s unattainable love for Daisy. This presence in modern culture allows the book to remain relevant, there are always new layers to uncover and sometimes we discover them in unexpected ways.

By the end of the book, she does not even go to his funeral. The torturous love affair between these two characters is captivating and the duplicity makes this novel thrilling to read. ‘The Great Gatsby’ embraces the selfishness of humankind and acknowledges that truth is rare. Nobody is innocent, and I think that is what makes the love story resonate with so many.

Another reason I wanted to add this book to the literary canon was because of the use of setting. If you are looking to enter a new era of literature, ‘The Great Gatsby’ is the way to do that. Set in 1920s New York, the backdrop to the story is vibrant and dynamic. We see the contrast between the East Egg depicting “old money” and the West Egg representing “new money”.

These parallels give readers a way to analyse the novel, realising how setting represents aspects of human nature that Fitzgerald is trying to communicate. We also see the Valley of Ashes showing the corruption of American society and of course, New York City where characters go to seek money or gratification. The opportunities for analysis and understanding are endless, and I truly believe that a captivating, meaningful setting makes getting your teeth into the message behind this novel so much more enjoyable.

In essence, I believe that ‘The Great Gatsby’ deserves a place in the literary canon not because it is an overlooked hidden gem, but rather because it acts as a bridge, connecting readers’ minds to the pages.

So, what actually makes ‘The Great Gatsby’ relevant today? Well, besides the universal themes presented in the novel, we see references to ‘The Great Gatsby’ in the media being created nowadays. Let’s take

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A Clockwork Orange

by Anthony Burgess

By Imogen Hollins

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o provide an adequate review for ‘A Clockwork Orange’ to satisfy your tastes would be nigh-on impossible; my subjective opinions may clash with your own, however, there are a million reviews of ‘A Clockwork Orange’ in existence, each with subjects that have been dissected a million times, so if this review whets your appetite, then my work is done!

Like many of us, my original view of the novel was tainted by Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 gory portrayal of Burgess’ seminal novel ‘A Clockwork Orange’. Widely known, Kubrick’s version incited violence across the UK that reflected the images in the novel, so much so that Kubrick removed it from circulation until his death in 1999. I was intrigued to read the novel for myself in order to see the differences between the novel and the film as many film or television adaptations often fail to hit the mark. After reading the novel, I can safely say that, despite the close parallels between the novel and the film, Burgess’ carefully constructed narrative allowed me to fall in love with the novel and the anti-hero on a much deeper level then the film adaptation; therefore, particularly with the close connection to the focaliser of the anti-hero - Alex, I view the book as one of the greatest pieces of dystopian fiction to befall the literary canon.

A brief summary: Alex is the fifteen-year-old leader of

a night-time gang who terrorises the streets with violence and robberies. It’s set in a futuristic time (from when it was penned) where this sort of violence is commonplace and the wayward youth have taken over the night. After a spat with his “brothers”, he finds himself betrayed and then jailed for murder. After a few years of prison, he’s chosen for a new experimental treatment that promises to cure him in one month. It’s an effort to do something different because of the prison population problem. The treatment causes Alex to become physically ill when viewing or contemplating violence. After this, his case becomes national news and politicised.

Like many people who have watched the film, I reacted with more questions than answers; the pressing question was: What on earth? The movie was disturbing and felt extremely offensive. However, after reading the novel, I realised Burgess’ intentions as, despite the detailed descriptions of the criminal activities, the violence falls into last place behind the myriad of themes and factors that infiltrate the narrative. I particularly found this when viewing the novel from a Marxist perspective and contemplating the effects of the totalitarian government regime in the novel and the lack of freedom Alex possesses. I shall be exploring these in light detail to aid your reading of the novel if you choose to do so.

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‘A Clockwork Orange’

treatment, he can no longer bear listening to his beloved music. In the beginning of the novel, he describes that music from ‘the starry German master’, influences his need for committing crime and therefore it became a form of control over him.

is broken up into three sections of seven chapters each.

However, America, and America only, had the final chapter omitted in its first publications. It is also omitted in the movie. This final chapter shows Alex changing in thought and desire, contemplating giving up his life of crime.

Burgess, in many interviews, laments that this novel is his most known work – he wishes it wasn’t. He wishes to be entirely disassociated with the novel. Many great artists have hated their most famous work.

Another great topic for discussion is control and choice. The more obvious form of control is the totalitarian government and their control over the wider society and the use of the aversion treatment. Burgess, however also exercises his own form of control, not only in the way Burgess constructs the language in the narrative, but also excersises control over Alex. In an interview with the New Yorker, Burgess states ‘Alex is a comic reduction of Alexander the Great, slashing his way through the world and conquering it. But he is changed into the conquered—impotent, wordless. He was a law (a lex) unto himself; he becomes a creature without a lex or lexicon’. The hidden puns, of course, have nothing to do with the real meaning of the name Alexander, which is “defender of men.’’

Through this, Burgess shows he predetermined Alex’s criminal characterisation through the lexical connotations behind his name.

There are many points of fascination with the novel. One is the language. This novel is a notoriously difficult read, and that is because of the slang involved. We’re all familiar with our own regional slang, but the author went a step further to create a charmingly sophisticated slang set in the future, completely unknown to the new reader. This new form of language is derived from cockney slang and Anglo-Russo words, called ‘nadstads’the Russian prefix for teens. Consequently, as the novel is focalised through Alex, the reader is subjected to learning the Nadstat slang: ‘rookers, gulliveeting, cancers’. Burgess brainwashes the reader into learning the language - in some places forcing them to use a Russian dictionary - in order to read the book; this is fitting as the novel is centred around the theme of brainwashing. In some editions of ‘A Clockwork Orange’, despite Burgess’ insistence that there isn’t one, a glossary has been printed; including an extensive one in ‘A Clockwork Orange: The Restored Edition’ published on the fiftieth anniversary of the novel in 2012.

Another interesting element of control is music. Alex loves music, and notably – he loves classical music. During his institutional reprogramming, classical music plays as the score to the videos he’s forced to watch and he’s massively upset. He’s afraid that hearing this music will also make him sick, and he’s right. After the experimental

Opponents to the new treatment from the government say that choice (to be good or not) has been taken from Alex. His prison chaplain struggles with the concept. He believes that God wants you to choose goodness, and not have it chosen for you, to be truly good. But, since Alex chose to participate in the experiment, isn’t Alex then choosing goodness? (In reality, we know it’s because Alex just wants to get out of prison – and that he sucked up to the chaplain for nothing more than benefits).

I highly recommend the novel as a must read for (at least) over 16s. If this review has whetted your appetite, have a look at other reviews of other’s judgements to come to a conclusion of whether you are comfortable with the themes in the novel. It is a brilliant read for discussion groups and a must read for everyone, particularly if embarking on a dystopian fiction journey. Don’t forget your Clockwork Orange dictionary!

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Romance is Underrated

By Aaina Jassel

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hen I looked at the canon of literature, I was shocked at how little the romance genre appeared. Romance has been one of the fastest selling and most popular genres of literature for the past century and the need for it has only increased. I personally love the romance genre and it annoys me to see how flippant others are about it. It is often called ‘trashy’ or dismissed as being ‘unrealistic,’ but the romance genre is one of the most powerful I have ever known. It is for this reason that my novel for our Scribble Canon is ‘The Love Hypothesis’ by Ali Hazelwood.

‘The Love Hypothesis’ is a contemporary romance and was nominated for Best Romance in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2021. This book follows Olive – a third-year PhD candidate – through her life as a woman in STEM whilst she falls in love with Adam – a young professor. This novel has some of the staple romance tropes; from “fake-dating” to the “grumpy/sunshine” trope whilst shedding light on to how difficult it can be to advance into a male-dominated field. Olive is made to feel as if her achievements are lesser than her male counterparts and all-the-while she navigates her life as a 26-year-old woman living with student debt. The story revolves around Olive and her best friend Anh as Olive begins a fake relationship with Adam, one of the young professors at the University. Whilst the novel conforms to the standard tropes of the genre, they come second to the plot and the characters (who are the typical romance stock characters). These tropes are therefore used as devices to enhance the novel and work in tandem with the characters themselves.

Olive goes on many journeys and discovers many truths about herself throughout this novel – much like most contemporary literature. These journeys through Olive’s life demonstrate just how difficult it can be to navigate the start of your life. She manages to work on her PhD study, afford her living standard, advance into the world of STEM as a female scientist and still have fun with her friends. The importance of this novel is that it shows the hard truths of life – dealing with grief

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and sexism daily – whilst creating a safe space to explore more light-hearted topics such as the struggle of falling in love with your fake boyfriend. The combination and variety of topics, such as those in ‘The Love Hypothesis,’ is a reason that ‘Best Romance’ was the most voted on category in the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards. It beat ‘Best Fiction’ and ‘Best Fantasy’ – both of which are highly competitive titles.

A 2018 article on WritersOnline.com said that “Romance fiction is a billion-dollar genre, with estimated sales peaking … at $1.8 billion according to Bookstats, and $1.44 billion including self-published titles”. This tells me that the romance genre is not to be dismissed, and this same article stated that 34% of the US fiction market was romance novels. In the last 9 months of 2017, $162,028,818.90 worth of romance e-books were sold and that was not even a full year. This is evident that we are consuming masses of romance – that this is a genre we have previously enjoyed and now continue to enjoy.

The romance genre has grown massively due to the demand, it is easier to find certain types of novels. For example, it is not simply romance, there are: historical romance, fantasy romance, contemporary romance, and the list goes on. Within these there are even more subsections such as: children, young adult, new adult, adult etc. Each divide within the romance genre creates more scope for topics and more variation, and different viewpoints, cultures and plots are being discovered and written about every year. As I mentioned earlier, there are many staple romance tropes but each subsection of the romance genre changes them to work alongside their story and their characters. You could read two novels with similar tropes yet they could be vastly different and have no similarities beyond the shared tropes. On the other hand, you can also find novels which are extremely similar yet have different characters and different plots creating a new world, within which you are already comfortable. This is a reason I love the romance genre – I do not always know what I am going to get. Sometimes I can explore something completely new, or I could find comfort in a story alike to one I have read previously – both create exciting journeys.

Some romance authors even like to follow a family, like Stephanie Laurens and her ‘Cynster Family Series.’ This series follows the six main Cynster males as they find their future wives in Regency London, but it also branches off to follow the Cynster women, their siblings married into the Cynster family and even the Cynster’s associates. This series is a classic one which sticks to comparable stories, yet they are all somehow starkly different – set in various places with different characters and plots.

The romance genre truly has something for everyone. It is fused with mystery, horror, action, adventure and so much more. Romance is not always ‘trashy’ and should not be given a label which emits such negative connotations. You cannot generalise an entire genre as ‘not good enough’ when the genre itself is extremely broad. You might even find that in a novel branded as horror there are elements of love, the same with adventure. From my reading experience, I have found that romance seems to sneak into most novels, even if it is not the focus.

Next time you are reading a novel which is not necessarily part of the romance genre, see if you can spot a little romance within. It is very possible there will be some!

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By Abigail Kulemeka

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it is just a normal teen fantasy novel. However, I feel that novels don’t have to be thought-provoking or have underlying complex narratives to be a ‘great’ novel. The reason being it is not possible for someone to enjoy every novel that’s ever been written. For example, a younger child’s favourite book would likely be full of pictures and possibly only a chapter long whereas others may enjoy a work of non-fiction that provides insight into other places in the world. The point is: both books function the way they are displayed, a children’s picture book won’t be highly thought provoking and a non-fiction novel about the history of a country won’t have deeper and more The main character of the novel is an extremely complex meanings hidden within, but both novels cater inspiring character for a young woman; she takes on to the desires of those who love to read them – without the roles of nurse and carer for everybody who lives in being in the canon.

The canon, as it were, is quite subjective. For example, her castle accommodation whilst also being on stand-by for the warriors’ training. Further into the novel when if you are not a fan of dystopian novels then George she realises her true identity, she is also pressured to Orwell’s ‘1984’ probably won’t be the best read. Or take on the role of warrior, which she does nobly and perhaps philosophical novels that deal with morality for the greater good. This is significant because the main are too hard hitting for some – Herman Hesse’s character is just a young teen – I have found that in many ‘Demian’ wouldn’t be suitable for that reader either. This other novels that I’ve read, characters with this much doesn’t make ‘1984’ or ‘Demian’ any less of a literary power are usually much older. Despite her character masterpiece, it would just be bold to assume that every literally being a warrior who fights demon-like creatures reader would enjoy it. from ‘hell holes’, she is very easy to relate to as she fights Therefore, with this mindset I believe that people with her inner struggles, insecurities and struggles with shouldn’t just rely on the Canon to find a good novel typical teenage problems… like boys! to enjoy, and instead just read whatever they feel have chosen ‘Slayer’ by Kiersten White because it is one of my favourite novels that I have read to date. It is set in the same universe as Buffy the Vampire Slayer but is set post-Buffy. Having never indulged in the original series, I can whole-heartedly say that I didn’t feel left out when reading it. I’m sure I missed an easter egg or two, but I didn’t feel like any part of the novel was missing. I feel that this is quite important as I have read novels in the past that are set in the same universe as huge literary franchises and felt that the novel was rather unwelcoming to new readers unaware of the franchise.

In terms of the narrative, ‘Slayer’ cannot compare to comfortable with at that moment in time. the literary geniuses that already reside in the canon as 12

Scribble Book Canon Animal Farm by George Orwell Pippa Simcock

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4/5

Animal Farm is a modern classic. It is an accessible book that allows a wide range of readers to understand its universal themes. The direct parallels between the animals and the Bolsheviks create a connection that most readers can understand. Unlike some other modern classics, this comprehendible structure makes the novel much easier to read, so you can not only tap into the deeper meaning Orwell is trying to convey, but you can also enjoy the vivid storyline. My only criticism is that it leaves little to the imagination, removing an opportunity for deeper analysis.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Aaina Jassel

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4/5

Jane Eyre is an incredible story of a young girl forced into a boarding school and how she not only completely turns her life around, but she becomes the bigger person forgiving her abusive family. Of course there is the epic romance between Mr Rochester – who hires Jane as a governess – and Jane Eyre herself. This novel will make you laugh and cry, hate and love with its tumultuous nature and the variety of characters. I’ve loved it and I am sure you will too!

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Imogen Hollins

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5/5

The original depiction of the heartthrob - Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy the Byronic brooding wonder entrances our hearts as we follow the wit and strong will of our protagonist Lizzie. A tale of two hearts withstanding hate and grief as they lose themselves to find their ultimate form - together.

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‘Normal People’,

A Radical Non-Romance

By Libby Driscoll

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am so glad I did not read the plot of this novel before purchasing it as I am fairly certain it would have stopped me from being exposed to Sally Rooney’s genius. The premise sounds incredibly cliché – it follows the stereotypical YA trope of the football star falling for the nerdy girl, with Connell, the good-looking popular guy, inexplicably drawn to Marianne, the socially awkward, misunderstood loner.

Instead of the light and easy read I would have expected from the cheesy plot, I found an uncomfortable, awkward, weird, depressing novel about, as Rooney put it, ‘two people who, over the course of several years, apparently could not leave one another alone’.

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‘...cruelty does not only hurt the victim, but the perpetrator also, and more deeply and more permanently. You learn nothing very profound about yourself simply by being bullied; but by bullying someone else your learn something you can never forget.”

What differentiated this book from other books targeted at young adults (which I can be a bit critical of) was that it was clearly not there to inspire, instruct, or entertain you, rather simply to present the truth of adolescence without the filters of nostalgia, sentimentality or attempting to be comforting. As such, it presents a deep exploration of Connell and Marianne’s psyches in a way that feels almost invasive. They feel incredibly tangible – I think Connell’s character especially has given a sympathetic exploration of mental health in teenage boys that I have never encountered before – there has been widespread relief from male readers that none of the more shocking thoughts Connell expresses are abnormal.

Rooney herself is a self-described Marxist. In interviews she often mentions hearing Marx’s dictum ‘From each according to his ability, to each according his needs’ from her parents and absorbing it as if it were a core universal rule, maybe something Jesus had said or, as an interviewer from The Cut put it, ‘something someone might embroider on a pillow’. This belief is explicit within the novel in the Connell’s critique of literature functioning as cultural currency, ‘it was culture as class performance’, ‘literature fetishized for its ability to take educated people on false emotional journeys, so that they might afterward feel superior to the uneducated people whose emotional journeys they liked to read about’. However, it is also implicit in the ‘She believes Marxist principles applied on an intimate scale in the interactions Marianne lacks between groups of two, three or four people. Rooney’s earlier novel, ‘Conversations with Friends’ included a conversation between Bobbi “warmth”, by which she means the ability to bef and Frances in which they question whether love is ‘a social value for love from people who system… both antithetical to capitalism, in that it challenges the hate her.’ axiom of selfishness which dictates the whole logic of inequality… yet it is also subservient and facilitatory… (whether) capitalism harnesses “love” for profit’. This novel answers this question, although the characters (with their radical politics) may feel helpless towards the world’s broader inequalities that feel both inevitable and unsolvable, they can apply these on the smaller scale.

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They come to some kind of mutual dependence, fundamentally at odds with the mainstream feminist idea of autonomy as the obvious good, ‘how strange to feel herself so completely under the control of another person, but also how ordinary… no one can be independent of other people completely, so why not give up the attempt, she thought, go running in the other direction, depend on people for everything, allow them to depend on you, why not.’ Rooney often allows Connell to come to Marianne’s rescue when angry or violent men threaten her: when she is groped in a nightclub, bullied by her boyfriend and abused by her brother. A novel preaching independence as a straightforward virtue might have made her come to her own rescue, but as I said before – Rooney is not preaching anything.

He is not helping her as an archetypal knight in shining armour, but he is a man and aware of the power that can give him in certain circumstances.

People can use their advantages for one another – qualities, abilities, ‘At times he status, looks, can act like wealth or goods to be used for common benefit. has the sensation that These characters have different things at various times: money, social he and Marianne are capital, looks. This novel suggests a world in which these advantages like figure-skaters, are shared and redistributed according to need. Marxism of the heart. improvising their

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discussions so adeptly

There are, however, flaws in this novel. The characters are those and in such perfect typically idealised in teenage fringe culture: they are atypically beautiful, synchronisation that it alarmingly slender, they drink, they smoke and they self-harm. They surprises them both.’ are the extremely precocious teenagers who, unlike everybody else, are educated on world politics and read the likes of Marx and Proust to the point that they become incredibly nihilistic. This is a significant step back for me – these characters were very romanticised in early 2000s culture – with the likes of Skins and Tumblr exemplifying this. With the massive steps being taken today in body positivity, it is rare to see such casual references to behaviour clearly indicative of eating disorders (for example, in Sweden Marianne eats half a pastry in the morning then does not eat again till eight or nine in the evening). Marianne’s brother Alan is a remarkably flat villain, to the point that his abuse of her ‘He was like is laughably ridiculous (‘enraged now, Alan wrenched her back a freezer item that had from the sink by her upper arm and, seemingly spontaneously, thawed too quickly on the spat at her’), losing its intended effect of making Marianne seem outside and was melting pitiful. However, I see all of this as inevitable when so much of everywhere, while the the narrative is entrenched in Connell and Marianne’s psyches inside was still frozen and that these attributes are not necessarily being idealised as solid.’ these characters are certainly not being presented as happy. Of course they seem damaged, that is Rooney’s focus – ‘Normal People’ are.

“

Despite this, it is clearly a love story; interweaving ordinary moments with emotionally charged ones, jumping forward three weeks, six months or five minutes to show how important people come in and out of your life, while exploring themes of class and depression. However, it is not a romance. In as much as there are romantic moments, ‘Marianne, I’m not a religious person but I do sometimes think God made you for me’, the writing style feels so precise that each shrug and eye roll leaves you on the verge of tearing your hair out at their utter inability to communicate, but this frustration feels like the good kind. The kind you get from caring too much. It is perceptive where it could be vapid, clear eyed where it could be melodramatic – and all-in-all it is an exhausting insight into normal peoples’ normal lives that stays with you.

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Phenomenal Women

(1978)

By Emma Owen

I am always struck by Maya Angelou’s work due to her success in encouraging newfound hope within her readers, always finding a way to indicate the need for change through her words, and addressing the current flaws of societal values. After delving into her work, I feel grateful to have recently discovered her poetry, and consequently, I feel that it would be wrong of me not to choose a piece of her poetry that has inspired me the most – a poem called ‘Phenomenal Woman’.

I was instantly drawn to this poem due to Angelou’s ability to still connect with the modern-day audience even though this poem was released in 1978. After reading this poem I felt empowered to be a woman and I feel obliged to share it with you all.

In short terms, Angelou has stated that a woman is defined not by attractiveness or by size, but by how a woman wears her confidence.

She kills the stereotypical remarks about woman and the convention of the world to judge female worth solely on appearance, by empowering women as a whole. Through her words alone, she gives hope for equality as she describes the true nature of being a woman with the same definitions for confidence, conviction, and self-belief. Her words are able to put women on the same tier as men, even with society against them, especially in the 1970s - as seen with the gender paygap, the prioritisation of opportunities towards men, and the general lack of respect towards women. And that’s just it; this woman here had the confidence to release a poem that not only conflicts with her upbringing and the strict regulations of her society, but portrays a new idea of feminism, presenting an idea that juxtaposes with the tradition of women bringing up the children, doing all the housework, sewing in schools instead of playing sports like boys, learning

how to cater for men and be a ‘good’ wife, and so much more. Her valiant character illustrated a new concept of a woman for her time, a step away from discrimination, and a step towards change - fighting for her morals and equality.

Nevertheless, this poem still seamlessly connects to millennials and gen z alike 50 years after it was written, due to the pressures caused by social media to look ‘perfect’, to be the slimmest, to have the clearest skin, and so on. Angelou however obliterates these pressures instantly by stating ‘I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size’, thus immediately empowering women to not feel the need to meet the current beauty standards, rather to feel beautiful in your own skin and to show beauty as a reflection of your character.

Personally, I find it shocking to know that this poem still finds context today and is still addressing relevant social insecurities. I strongly believe that Angelou was ahead of her time.

Angelou starts the poem with ‘Pretty women’, by which she refers to the women who are considered conventionally attractive by society. They are in disbelief that a woman who looks like the narrator could be so appealing, failing to acknowledge that true beauty lies within confidence from accepting one’s appearance as it is naturally and within

the substance of one’s character. This disbelief alludes to the countless women of both Angelou’s contemporary period and the present day who have been taught to believe their self-worth lies in their attractiveness, often as a result of pressures to look one’s best on social media, indicating the reality and frequent misconception over the fact that social media is completely flawed - many girls are brought up idolising people based on posts on their social media accounts, which are very often edited and photoshopped, thus revealing the unrealistic beauty standards that are set (which only botox and filters can achieve). We have been brought up on the basis that you have to look attractive in order to have followers; you need to keep up with the everchanging fashionable features - but what happens if we don’t? What will society become? What will people think of you? And do you know the answer?

Nothing. No one will treat you differently, no one should make you inferior unless you let them.

These small but impacting insecurities emerge from the idea that looks determine the person you are. But why? Is there respect with looks? Personally, I don’t think so. Let’s take James Bond as an example, in every movie there will always be a girl that Bond has to save, a beautiful girl that wows the viewers. Yet does that give her respect? Her only purpose is to make Bond seem all-mighty due to her dependence on him - a man. So, to put this in perspective within the poem, Angelou commands respect not as a result of physical appearance, which as we have seen is no guarantor for respect in the first place, but as a result of embracing her true self and defining her self-worth independently. Angelou uses her poem to help reset the beauty standard by exploring empowerment and self-acceptance in a non-traditional way – not coming from her physical appearance but her inner beauty: ‘it’s in the arch of my back/the sun of my smile’. In this line for instance, she is welcoming the sense of realism and pride that one should embrace and not superficial appearances.

Although this poem has short and simple lines, Angelou effortlessly incorporates all the contents of what being a woman really is, as viewed through

society’s eyes. Yet she puts a positive and encouraging spin on the end of each stanza with repeated lines to embolden the idea of the actual truth of being a woman. For instance, ‘They [men] swarm around me, /A hive of honeybees’. Angelou uses this metaphor to depict the men’s movement as a result of ‘the fire in my eyes,/and the flash of my feet,/the swing in my waist,/and the joy in my feet’ before proudly stating ‘I’m a woman/Phenomenally’.

On one hand, the men’s behaviour can be seen as evidence of the magnetic pull of her confidence and dominance, arising from her own view that she is a prize, irrespective of others’ opinions. Thus, men are presented as simple, insignificant creatures buzzing around a singular beauty which they are striving after. Alternatively, one can interpret her response to their behaviour as being to convey her attractiveness, established by her confidence in how she views herself, how she views the power in being a woman, and most importantly her own self-justification and belief in being ‘phenomenal’ as an inevitable result of her gender, proving the idea that being a woman is ‘phenomenal’. In this way she demonstrates to them the true power of embracing womanhood in its entirety, without misogynistic influences and standards; Angelou’s definition of being a phenomenal woman isn’t subjective to one type of person; her views are not race-restrictive, size-specific, or based upon economic status.

Proving that every woman is phenomenal, beautiful, and powerful.

Personally, as a sixteen-year-old, surrounded by and almost drowning in, social media and the pressures to ‘look pretty’, I find that this poem elevates my confidence every time I read it and it helps me to define who I am as a person instead of my appearance. She seems to be saying to me (and I think that this is an important message that she wants to instil in all of her readers), that I am not only enough, I’m way more than enough! Even if I’m not the stereotypical size, height, skin colour or look ‘required by the fashion of the day’- I have everything else- and it’s phenomenal.

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Canon

Yay or Nay?

(cherry-picked by Editors)

We (Aaina and Libby) have compiled a list of canon texts with our thoughts.

Canonical novels can seem scary and inaccessible to those who haven’t ventured into this section of literature before, so we have created this list below as a starting-point.

! y a Y

FRANKENSTEIN - MARY SHELLY

LOVE THIS NOVEL! Shelley single-handedly popularised the gothic genre and paved the way for many modern authors. Understandably iconic, this novel covers themes of identity, religion and morality – in a unique light. Who do you think was the true monster? The Doctor? Or The Creature?

! y a Y

PRIDE & PREJUDICE - JANE AUSTEN

IDEAL INTRODUCTION READ! A great pathway into the canon, easy to read and very light-hearted. One of the most talked about romances and the beginning of the Byronic hero type which we still see today.

Incredible and will always have our hearts.

! y a Y

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE- J D SALINGER READ WITH CAUTION! We like this novel but we’re ashamed to admit it as Holden Caulfield (protagonist) is quite possibly the biggest red flag in literature!

He is cynical, jaded, and misogynistic. This whole novel explores the world through his eyes – it is not a pleasant experience, but definitely worth the read!

THE BELL JAR - SYLVIA PLATH 16+ This is possibly Libby’s favourite novel. It delves into the character of a damaged woman, following her descent into depression. Plath’s writing style is almost lyrical at times and her use of imagery is reminiscent of Oscar Wilde. Similar novels include: Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney.

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! y a Y

SCRIBBLE

Nay!

LES MISÈRABLES - VICTOR HUGO

The first 100 pages are notoriously difficult to get through.

Apparently, it is worth it but we will never find out! In total it is 48 novels and 365 chapters making it one of the longest novels ever written. Good luck if you plan on reading it!

Nay!

MOBY DICK - HERMAN MELVILLE

Where do we start? With the pages of whale anatomy? The first few chapters seem to be okay however when the whale enters the scene, all hope for this novel is lost. If you want to feel hopeless, this is the novel for you.

THE GRAPES OF WRATH - JOHN STEINBECK

This is one novel which we tried to fight our way through. It didn’t work. Written in a Southern-American dialect, each sentence has to be read several times for clarification. As shown here: “I got thinkin’ how we was holy when we was one thing, an’ makin’ was holy when it was one thing. An’ it on’y got unholy when one mis’able little fella got the bit in his teeth an’ run off his own way, kickin’ an’ draggin’ an’ fightin’.” Make of this what you will.

Nay!

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GREY - OSCAR WILDE Most beautiful novel we’ve ever read!

No words needed.

Yay! Nay!

Nay!

Yay!

Yay!

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD - HARPER LEE READ WITH CAUTION - TRIGGER WARNING - RACISM Another red flag character in Atticus Finch. However, good overall message despite the toxicity of this novel.

1984 - GEORGE ORWELL We don’t generally enjoy dystopian novels and unfortunately this was no exception. Although it’s world has become iconic (“Big Brother is watching you”) it completely lacks subtlety. We found ourselves disagreeing with the authors writing style – why include several looooong chapters of the novel the protagonist is reading.

METAMORPHOSIS - OVID

THE CANTERBURY TALES - GEOFFREY CHAUCER

Ovid’s descriptions, whilst beautiful, take precedence over the story and his long-winded metaphors and similes can be hard to understand. We struggled to continue reading this and did not finish it.

Good stories once you get past the difficult language and ridiculously long tangents.

GRIMM’S FAIRY TALES - JACOB GRIMM If you need the darker side of the classic fairy tales – here you go. We love the Grimm’s collection and you’re never too old for a good fairytale – especially with gore!

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