NL 1-38

The protagonist in this novel Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name, Clarissa, Is a very troubled character. She has many problems, and is dealing with them in a very interesting manner. It is hard for me to judge what she is doing, because it is a situation that I am unfamiliar with. Family troubles are so difficult to deal with and Clarissa Is just trying to find a way to make her painful past go away.
I actually enjoyed reading the first couple of pages, which is unusual because of I really dislike reading. I think I enjoy this book because I am not familiar with the character’s story. It is pretty outlandish story; it seems like everything that could go wrong to her does. She is acting very irrationally, but possibly with reason. Because she is so unstable, and the circumstances are so far from my life, I think it is an interesting read.
At first, I thought Clarissa’s behavior was insane. She was pushing away her brother, kicking her fiancé out her life, and running away from the people who care. With the recent death of her “dad” and the realization that her “dad” was not her biological father, she needs those people around her. But like a child, she runs away from home to escape her problems. If she was thinking clearly, she would realize that. But she is so distressed that irrational behavior, such as her encounter with Kari, will probably become more prevalent, and also making for an interesting story.
The childlike behavior can be because of regression to a childhood state. Her problems all started when she was a child, such as her mother leaving, her brother’s birth with a mental disorder, and her lack of a biological father. By going back to childish actions, she is acting more irrational. She probably feels the need to revisit her childhood to make sense of what is going on in her life, and to reevaluate the relationships she has with people. This could bring people closer to the main character, or possibly push them away even further.

Reading History

Reading is actually one of my least favorite activities. I successfully avoided reading every book that was assigned in high school. I do not remember the last book I read for fun. If I did actually read something, I usually would enjoy more recent authors. The only exception is that I did enjoy reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I am not totally sure of what kinds of books I actually enjoy.
I do enjoy watching movies. My favorite movies are comedies and action movies, but there are definitely a variety of movies that I enjoy. Some of my favorites are Boondock Saints, Juno, Elf, and many more. My least favorite movies are A Clockwork Orange and No Country for Old Men. I think I like watching movies because it is so different from reading. I can really relax when watching movies. There are a lot of movies that I have not seen yet, but it is mostly because I cannot find the time to sit, relax, and enjoy a good movie.
In high school, I read most of the assigned books except for senior year. I hated most of the books I read, and did not comprehend most of them. My reading comprehension and my lack of interest really hurt my reading history. I also judge a book by its cover, literally. If I do not like the summery, cover, or the first couple of pages, I find it very hard to continue or even start reading the book. I really need to be attached the novel from the very beginning to enjoy reading. I hated just about every book that my high school made me read. I really felt like I wasted my time reading them, especially because I would skim through most of it. Most of the books I read, which I cannot even remember the titles, just kept pushing me away from reading with each horrible book I read.
In college, I have gotten a little more motivated to read texts for my classes. I still have not done any reading for leisure. I was hoping the summer before I entered college I would have some time to do some reading. I was distracted by trying to read Beyond UFOs, which was one of the worst books I have ever attempted to read. My dad even tried to read that book because he thought it would be interesting, yet he could not even finish the book. My mom bought books for my whole family for Christmas, except for me, because she knew I would not have the time to read anything.
Reading is very valuable and I wish I was more passionate about it. It would make me understand simple references to novels that go right over my head. It also increases vocabulary which is something that is very important to me. I wish I had time and the interest to read more. I also believe it helps writing skills. By reading different writing styles, it can help improve my writing, which would also be very valuable to me. My sister loves to read and always suggests books for me to read, but I never find the time to even get them let alone read them. Hopefully, I will at one point find the time to read, and find the value in reading.
In English 112, I will try to keep up with the reading streak I have started since college. I know it will be very difficult for me, especially because I do not like sitting and reading for a set amount of time. Possibly with the tips and hints into better comprehension we went over in class, and by setting small goals, I can possibly get through the books. Who knows, maybe I will even think the books are interesting, and possibly enjoy the books. Now that I think about it, I should probably start trying to read the first 38 pages that I am supposed to read for Tuesday.