Our Cyberpunk Anti-hero

I realize that I've never posted my last blog (heheh) so here it is:

According to Lawrence Person, science fiction writer, critic and editor of SF magazine Nova Express, cyberpunk characters are “marginalized, alienated loners who lived on the edge of society.” I think we can all agree with Person that the main character in All Tomorrow’s Parties, Laney, is exactly like that. Come to think of it, he is not our typical heroes either, he is rather…very anti-hero like. Lacking the traditional heroic qualities, such as idealism, our anti-hero, is manipulated and placed in situations where he has little choice and control. Despite the complexity this had lead the character Laney into being, it has also made him very believable and easy to relate to.

To be honest, I was almost disappointment to see Laney as the protagonist of ATP, perhaps because I was expecting to have a real “hero” to come and rescue the day. The fact that he lives in a filthy environment just makes me dislike him all the bit more. However, I can see the purpose of Laney’s character and every detail about him is not without a sense of reality. Laney’s physical state of being (living in a cardboard box) is used by Gibson to bring our attention to the homeless in Vancouver. In particular, Gibson points out the homeless situation around urban areas, as depicted in the novel by the subway station Laney lived beside.

Secondly, Laney’s anti-hero characteristic is shown as more and more of his weaknesses are presented at a greater amount than his assets. Laney’s obsession of Cody Harwood, an effect after being experimentally injected a drug called 5-BS as a child, was frightening to me. (This made me imagined Laney as a psycho thought out the story haha) However my admiration for him grew as he struggles between his drug-induced self and the Laney that works for Lo/Riz. Toward the end of the novel, too, Laney redeemed himself as we discover in Chapter 71 of his heroic aspect: he was courageous as he “ran toward” the confrontation with Harwood. Having seen several dimensions of Laney, Gibson has conditioned us to draw connections between the fictional character Laney, ourselves and the lives around us.

Now, if you will excuse me, it’s time for me to take my 5-SB.

The Moment

When reading All Tomorrow’s Parties by William Gibson, I can’t help but notice his repetitive use of the phrase “the moment.” Gibson specifically uses it to refer to the eventual installation of nanotechnology in all the Lucky Dragons stores in the novel.
Nevertheless it makes me wonder what “the moment” means in a broader sense. I think of people that identify themselves as living in the moment, people that savor their present more than anything and enjoy immediate pleasures in life. The opposite of this, I suppose, are people that live for a greater, more distance goal in the future. Does this mean they are more focused on an ultimate goal in life rather than the steps towards it? I sure hope that it would be a rewarding ending but seeing life as one giant progression into the grave is rather depressing. (Although I’d think that we’re all in between these two extremes)
We live in a society where the final result of something is much more cared about than the entire process. Consider the computer monitor that you’re currently reading this off from. Do you know how it was designed, manufactured and sent into the store you picked it up from, or if it was put together by workers in the third world labor market that works 12 hours a day just to earn a living? Do you care? Perhaps this is what Gibson is suggesting: the process and result is both equally as important.
What do you think?

Douglas Coupland's "Hey Nostradamus!" is one of those books that is great for juggling the minds of those that had been questioning the existence of God and for those that are currently believing in Him. It's already difficult for one to believe in God let alone believing that He died and rose again. Debates of whether or not that God is real and out there still continues on until this day. In "Hey Nostradamus!", Douglas Coupland enables you to open up your mind and set asides your securities and religious beliefs by letting you see the different lives that each of the characters in "Hey Nostradamus!" are living. As mentioned in lecture, these four characters represent the four levels: heaven, purgatory, limbo and hell. We're first introduced to Cheryl whom possess the qualities of a good Christian, always speaking to God and trusting in Him. We later on learn that she dies, along with many innocent others, in a school shooting that took place in the cafeteria. This incident gives Coupland a chance to question us if there is a God and why does he let many innocent people die. Incidents similar to the school shooting in Cheryl's highschool such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks leaves those who had or has not lost a loved one questioning their faith. Another example of Coupland's constant juggling of minds is when we learn that Jason, to the eyes of many, did a righteous act by killing the shooters yet is seen as a sinful act by his very own father. Jason's father, Reg, did not bother to ask how he was after the shooting took place but questions him why he did such a sinful act. Reg believes that Jason should have not commit that murderous crime but rather to let himself be killed and have a "perfect"(101) soul. Jason, being rejected by his very own father, opens the minds of many as to why one should obey God and avoid breaking the Ten Commandments even if it means killing someone based on protecting oneself and many others in the face of danger. Through the lives of the characters, Coupland is able to destablize people and question their faith in their God. Although proving or disproving the existence of God cannot be fully reached yet, until then, it all depends on one's faith.

Forgive and Forget

Life is not easy, anyone can tell you that. Everyone goes through struggles and has to deal with the obstacles that come their way. Personally, I think that forgiving someone after they have gotten on your bad side is one of the most complicated things to do. Although forgiving someone for hurting you can be extremely challenging, forgiving yourself can be that much more difficult. But why is it so hard? This is simply because no one wants to see their own flaws or personality blemishes. In Alice Munro’s Forgiveness in Families we see how difficult it really can be to change after noticing a personality flaw. The story commences with the narrator, Valerie, describing her brother Cameron. Not really describing personality traits or physical appearance or what he has accomplished in his years, Val describes what he has done to upset her. In this very biased description we learn more about Valerie and her self-centered quality. Val describes her brother as being an embarrassment because her mother was giving birth to him while Val was going to school for the first time. Val is bitter because all of the other kids had their moms with them. She is also sour because Cam “got to stay home from school weeks on end” because he had severe asthma. Val continues to give us more information on how awful her brother is. About mid-story, we see Val’s true colours if we hadn’t caught on yet. Val’s mom becomes very sick and in the end pulls through and lives. Although a very traumatic experience, it should also be one of complete relief however Val is still disturbed because “Cam didn’t kill her after all, with all his carelessness and craziness and going out and neglecting her he didn’t kill her.” With this statement said, it becomes evident how self-centered Val really is. Writers usually put a moment of self-recognition or realization at the very end of a story, Forgiveness in Families lacks this moment of truth. We know this because Val says, “I was thinking myself about changing into a different sort of person from the one I am....but afterwards I went back to being more or less the same.” This shows really how difficult it is to forgive yourself and to make the change needed to correct it. This just goes to show how complex and challenging life can be.

The Bridge

Before I read a book or even watch a novel, I try and see whether there is any relation between the title and the picture that is displayed. Unfortunately, it is not always that these two things go hand in hand. Having looked at All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) and the picture of the bridge on the cover, I thought that the narrative would be about some sort of celebration in the future that would require us to cross over some barrier. The bridge resembled the Lions Gate bridge to me and I believed maybe life outside the city and into the North Shore with the beautiful mountains and natural flora and fauna would attract people and bring them across the bridge thus the 'tomorrow's parties'.

With the information obtained thus far, I am disappointed to say the least since the title for one does not necessarily relate to the book and it was a song the author William Gibson (WG) liked from a band the Velvet ....that he also liked. The picture maybe the only object that is symbolic since the bridge community in the narrative is central to a lot of the themes expounded on in the novel.

The bridge is where WG brings his characters together and we the readers get to see how they all relate to each other. Central to the theme of the book and the bridge too is the ability to acquire, retain and re-use things that might be considered refuse plus the introduction of numerous technology; the clocks being repaired by Fontaine, magical epoxy used to stick stuff on the walls, Kilz to cover blood, gundam robot, chain gun, rei toei appearance.

I wish I could extrapolate on this bridge idea further but WG literary technique is quite confusing and leaves alot of loose ends for me; how did Silencio become normal again, did Konrad kill Harwood, rei toei walked out-did she become human or what, what happened to the other characters especially creedmore (i liked him).
someone please enlighten me?!?

Life itself is a great mystery. The great chemistry that exists in everything intrigues me. I personally, really enjoy reading Margaret Avison's Poems. You could say they're sort of like a mystery to me. This is because poems are similar to puzzles in such a way that you'll have to figure out the meaning of each word itself; why each word is place where they're placed; and the overall effect and message Avison is trying to convey to her readers. As I was re-reading “Cement Worker on a Hot Day”, I was trying to pick out some clues that would lead me to the bigger picture Avison was trying to paint. The first stanza is about how ordinary the “yellow hydrant” is: it is “just a knob shape”. I like how she separates “just a knob” and “shape” and places them on separate lines. It helps to create that ordinary feel for the objects that we see but don’t take the time to notice the details. The next two stanzas quickly step pass the everyday standing hydrant by bringing it into the spotlight by showing what it does best. The hydrant provides an abundant amount of life’s necessity: water. It is interesting to note that the third stanza is not aligned with the other stanzas in the poem. It gives an effect of water “gush[ing]” out of the hydrant. I think she is trying to tell us to take more notice to the objects that we pass by everyday. In the context of Chemistry, it’s like these objects have potential energy (stored energy) and that if we have the time to take notice, we can recognize the other forms of energy it can potentially change into.

Creativity in Writing

Personally, I think that Douglas Coupland is a genius. Not only was Hey Nostradamus! interesting, it was also extremely intriguing. As soon as I started reading this book, I had difficulties putting it down. For me, the most amazing part of this book is the front cover itself. After reading Hey Nostradamus! the significance of the title becomes evident. In fact, the entirety of the novel is summed up in the picture on the front cover. This is really what makes a good artist what they are. The front cover shows Couplands vast imagination. I never even realized the significance of the picture until it was brought up in lecture. Having a symbol of someone praying on their knees shows submission, certainty and faith. However, if you were to turn the book upside down, you will see that the symbol becomes a question mark. The question mark represents doubt and uncertainty. This shows that things aren’t always as they seem and that if you look at something perhaps from a different perspective you may be surprised. This play on the symbol is similar to Margret Avison’s play on words. As I have mentioned in my blog on poerty, Avison wrote the poem CNR London to Toronto which when read sounds like a train. I am just amazed at the level of creativity that these authors have. It’s incredible. The talent of these two authors is just breathtaking. It definitely makes me wish that I were more creative!

Religion & Suffering

Hey Nostradamus, is almost portrayed as a juxtaposition of religion and suffering. Often people undergoing any suffering shall turn to God for solace and become very religious in a bid to alleviate at least some of the pain from suffering. Contrary to this belief, others shall question the existence of God and his loving nature when they suffer and fail to believe in God.
Cheryl, converted while she was alive but now as she narrates while dead, she questions her beliefs and the existence of God. Jason on the other hand was a staunch believer while alive with Cheryl but after his experiences after her death, he does not make an earnest effort to talk and walk the path of righteousness.
The book touches on suffering on an emotional and psychological basis. Religion is all about belief and there is not really anything physical to prove religion, therefore, causing the reader to be at odds on religion and suffering.

Yay Poetry!!!

So I am the “lucky” one who is blogging on Margaret Avison……

After the close readings that we have done on Margaret Avison’s poetry from “Always Now” I have come to the conclusion that I hate poetry but for some odd reason, I have a great appreciation for it. The most appealing things about Avison’s poems are her use of carefully selected diction and her ability to turn something simple into something more puzzling.

The majority of Avison’s poems (if not all of them) are based on a very simple idea. Avison’s poem, “CNR London to Toronto” is based on a train trip (not a difficult concept). But after reading it out loud, I was amazed at the thought that must have gone into creating it. To have a poem about a train that sounds like a train while reading it is sensational. There is no other way to describe it. Each word that is in that poem was hand picked by Avison. Her awareness of this effect is how she demonstrates her talent. Another simple idea is displayed in Avison’s poem, “Hid Life” which starts with the thought of an apple hanging from a tree during the winter; this is a very simple concept. Avison uses this visual and creates a poem based on something that most people don’t even notice. Essentially she takes things that are unnoticed, and makes them seem more important. The poem “Cement Worker on a Hot Day” is the same concept but instead of an apple the poem focuses on a worker who takes a drink from a fire hydrant. There is nothing exceptionally special about these two ideas, but Avison sees otherwise and from that she gets her inspiration and creates poems.

Although poetry is not my favorite type of literature, after reading Avison and noting her particular attention to detail, I most certainly admire her ability to take ordinary situations or things, and bring more depth to them.

The Innocent Traveller - Ethel Wilson

During class discussions Ive noticed that some of the students are finding Ethel Wilson’s novel The Innocent Traveller tedious and difficult to enjoy due to its lack of character and plot development. True, the lengthy descriptions in the book can seem tiring and overwhelming at times. Nevertheless, small details, though seemingly insignificant, give the readers insight into Ethel Wilson’s view of human nature.

Rereading the chapter, The Journey, has leaded me to the following: we are what our memories are. For instance, Annie’s encounter with an actor, Mr. Otis, in which she feels that he is “so kind and…so truly good” directs her into allowing Rose to the Opera house many years later. This, in more than one way, shows us that people take the memories of their past and carry them into the future by makes decisions upon it. What a refreshing idea is it to think that our past, present and future are tied together by our memory and our interpretation of it alone. And all this wouldnt be seen if it wasnt for the enormous amount of details included in the book. .

On a lighter note, I think that the characters in the book would not have been as interesting to me if it wasnt for the abundance of details. Take the three ladies’ journey to Vancouver for example; one can’t help but notice the different responses in the three Edgeworth women upon their arrival and be charmed by it. The courageous Grandmother Annie, leaves behind her beloved family, shows us her incredible readiness to adapt and “learn new ways.” Topaz, spirited as always, takes her enthusiasm and talkativeness to another level with the passengers she meets on the voyage. Nothing seems to be able to discourage her from being herself (chatting with the gentlemen in the smoking room) and she suggests that they must, in her opinion, “be less conventional.” Lastly, Rachel, too often preoccupied with the family affairs, found herself in the open countries of Canada and feels, almost immediately, “Canadian.”

Therefore, I think The Innocent Traveller isnt a book that can be confined to the standard plot, conflict, climax, and conclusion practices, you must read it as it is and enjoy it, yes, as a collection of details.

Women's Role and Status in Society

I believe there's a purpose or motive behind every story that was written by every author. An insight or message is to be shed on the reader. From reading Sky Lee's "Broken Teeth" I noticed the role of women stood out throughout the majority of the story. Through Lee's story of the mother's childhood, I was able to grasp some insight on how Chinese women in particular were treated in the past.

I've actually did some research on the status of women in the Chinese history. Confucius, a famous and respected philosopher in ancient China, revealed that women were grouped as slaves and inferior to men. There's a saying from the past that still exists today which listed the criteria that must be met inorder to be a good woman to her husband. If translated it's called " The Three Obediences and the Four Virtues". It basically highlighted that women should "obey" their husbands like how slaves obey their masters. This quote also highlighted a "daughter's duty to her father" (146).

Although we're living in the 21st century, it's safe to say that there are still some families out there that value males more than females just because men are going to be the ones that'll be passing down the family's last name. The incident in the mother's story where she recieved a blow to her cheeks when angered her father because she accidentally knocked her little brother over greatly illustrated the value of males in families of ancient China.

After this story, I have much more respect for my parents than before because I realised how lucky I am because they love me and my siblings equally.

"The First Woman"

Many writers often write narratives to portray their own real life experiences and Gabriel Szohner in "The First Woman" also falls into this category. He introduces us to Franz a struggling painter who immigrated to Canada over 3 years ago. He has dreams of being a well-renowned painter; yet we know that Gabriel is developing a career as a painter, having moved to Canada from Hungary and already establishing himself as a literary guru.

He is bitter about life and its hardships and his lack to success; and wishes for harm to befall him. He is in a foreign country with hardly any friends and his failures thus far make him resign to whatever fate has in store for him. The girl is introduced into the narrative and she almost seems like a whole dream for we do not even get to know her name. She is important to the narrative since we get a glimpse into the life in the area Franz resides and also know that there are more immigrants Italians whose mannerisms are not the best. We also get to see the gentler side of Franz, one that yearns to love and be loved, a caring one.

One hopes that Franz would develop a friendship with the girl and possibly get a window of opportunity at being successful, since we are sympathetic with Franz situation of desperation. In my analysis, the girl represents opportunities that come by everyone once in a while. The opportunities are not clear as day light for all to see but one has to grab the opportunity or at least try else the chance shall be gone and we are back to square one.