Tolog Review: Emma

Emma
by Jane Austen 
reviewed by Meiqing Gao

Emma is a popular book written by Jane Austen who specializes in marital theme novels, the one of the most famous is “pride and prejudice”. For Emma, Jane Austen writes an interesting story about the main character Emma use her own way to help her friend to get marriage although we see it’s usually a kind of a selfish and ridiculous method and failed several times. At the ending of the story, Emma find her mistake and everyone get their own happiness.

Jane Austen shaped Emma as an intelligent and kind but proud and selfish woman in a special way, Emma has some disadvantages but that not makes people hate her. Emma grows up during the period she helped Harriet to get “marriage” and “happiness”. In this process, she grows in a constantly self-understanding way.

Emma is such a proud, thoughtful and brave woman. When other girls consider about parties and men, she speaks out that she never think about marriage. However, she also has some mistakes, she’s not perfect. Mr. Knightly have been created based on Emma’s disadvantages. The author wrote him as a mature man who never impulse or vanity but full of rational all throughout the book, even to affections. He judges everyone fair and always gives Emma some helpful suggestions about her growth and thoughts.

Oppositely, Harriet is the girl that young and pure, she is lack of the ability of self-judgment. Easy minded and easy-going makes an apparently contrast with Emma’s thoughtful personality. When she thought she loves Mr. Knightly, she also stimulates the development of the plots that makes Emma realizes Mr. Knightly is the one she wants to choose.

Besides, Jane is the most controversial character in this novel. One side, she’s as good as Emma, attractive and graceful. Mr. Knightly even gives her a high evaluation as well. The other side, she’s almost a perfect woman in the novel but her personality is base on emphasize the main role which is Emma. People usually put Emma and Jane together to consider which one is better. It’s also a point to attract people to read this book.

Readers attracted by these personalities, characters and plots in Emma. Jane Austen created people not perfect but have some disadvantages, characters overcome them and meet some important people through their long lives, grow up and understand themselves and other people and finally get their happiness.

Tolog Review: A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry
reviewed by Leah Rassam

A Raisin in the Sun is an insightful play by Lorraine Hansberry about the lives of a black family. The Youngers live in a small apartment on the South Side of Chicago. Mama has been the head of the household since her husband died. They have little money and are awaiting an inheritance check. Each of them has lost sight of the dreams they used to have. Due to their lack of hope Mama, her children, and grandchildren are unhappy. The drive to accomplish their dreams has been replaced with sadness. In the play, dreams help build up and destroy this family. Once their aspirations are forgotten so are the ideals of what family should be. Hansberry chooses a quote by Langston Hughes to embark on the theme of the play. 

“What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like
a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore- and then run? Does
it stink like rotten meat or crust and sugar over- like a
syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sages like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?” 

Each generation has their own longing to work for success. Mama wants to buy a house. Walter Lee wants to buy a liquor store and his sister Benetha wants to become a doctor. During the drama the characters have to question themselves and ask if their goals they have are what they have always dreamed of.

The check was supposed to solve everything: the pain and agony of an unhappy family, lost aspirations, and any other problems. While the money is in possession of the Youngers it helps them bring on a new life style. One where their family is living the life they had always dreamed about. Though the time with the money is short lived. When all of it cannot be found, Walter Lee and his sister finally realize what their dead father tried to teach them: dreams are important to remember because they serve as a reminder to be focused on a goal. Losing the money showed Benetha and Walter Lee that there are tough times, but how you react to them is what matters.