Week of 27/1/13: Autobiography (again)

Prompt: Do any of the characters feeling change as you’ve read? Explain why or why not.
Pages read: 260-390 (hopefully this will be the last blog, I mean really, if you want a better blog about this, go to the first one, I worked hard on it)

For this blog, 'characters' are obviously real people, as this is non-fiction.  Skewed truths, as this is an autobiography (duh) and the author has his own story/version/side.  You get the idea I hope?  Before I give you my answer, I will set the scene in this paragraph.  To make this easy to understand for someone who has not read the book, let's say post band that the author was in there was legal troubles and the members all had to go to court.  Sounds boring? Maybe a bit, but the commentary was a bit brilliant.  See in a court room, things happen between people.  To make this blog interesting to the reader let's just drop a few overused words like: Betrayal, Lies, Deceit.

His post-band members got along with him back in their heyday, but now after arguments and monetary issues, there have been tensions.  I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think any of the members communicate with each other any more.   So as I'm reading the book, friendship dwindles into nothing, and the 'characters' act like strangers, with maybe a slight grudge toward each other.  It's really quite interesting to see how an actual band works or worked, as all the general public gets to see today is faked media stories and statements from PR.  What I'm trying to say is that it is interesting to hear an actual first hand experience than from the normal journalists P.O.V.

I've become disenchanted with this prompt, so I guess I'll share some insight/observations I've gotten from this book.  Or I'll just complain about how long it is.  Either one is alright, there's not a huge difference, if that makes any sense.  Or maybe this is a not-so-clever way to write a third paragraph on a tired out topic.  Really, you should read my first blog on this, it's actually fun. You haven't checked yet?  Well then I'll give you some probably unwanted quotes from the book.  "Whenever I'd overhear how people found me to be 'a bit much' (which is the gentle way of saying the word 'unbearable'), I understood why. To myself I would say: Well, yes of course I'm a bit much — if I weren't, I would not be lit up by so many lights." is a favorite of mine.  Some people think that is egotistical, and they might be right, but it's still a great thing to say, unfortunately many people will take this quote the wrong way. I should let you decipher the meaning for yourself, but where's the fun in that... 

*In children's show voice* Oh Morrissey!

Week of 19/1/13: Autobiography

Prompt: Discuss what images appear in your mind as you read & how the author helped create those images.
Pages read: 102-270

*If you don't know who I'm talking about, read last week's blog.  You're too lazy to read that?  Then don't bother reading this, ugh.*

Morrissey, obviously the author of his own autobiography, goes into great detail about places like Manchester and the office at Rough Trade Records.  When he talks (and talks and talks and talks and talks and whines and moans and then makes some really humorous point) about his hometown of Manchester, I can vividly picture what it looks like.  Manchester seems a lot like Chicago actually (the people and it's economical state), except it seems a bit rainier and perhaps smaller.  Morrissey discusses in detail Manchester's drab, desolated schools in the 60's and 70's.  I picture white/pale green corridors that are empty, save for nuns running down them chasing after children (and their innocence).

When Moz (that's a popular shortening of his name, because you know, who needs to write things out anymore) talks about the Smiths recording sessions, I can picture these British rockers sitting around, bickering, and playing around the guitar and piano.  Morrissey's voice throughout the book, and from my prior knowledge about him, helps me imagine him whining through the session.  Which seems like it happened a lot.  Most of the time?  All of the time.  I do like that visual though, because they are great musicians/artists so it was really interesting to hear about their process of writing songs.

Finally, and wow, I'm really uninspired right now.  So as for this boring piece of writing: Deal with it!     To start again: One of my favorite scenes in this book is when Morrissey and David Bowie go to a restaurant together.  Now if you're wondering how that went, with both of their unique and bold personalities. When he describes the dialogue and the look on Bowie's face when he says a few things, I start to laugh, imagining that scene.  So I guess as you can see, this book, however annoying it may be to read, has some really interesting writing in it, and some scenes are actually quite humorous.

Week of 13/1/13: Autobiography (yes, it's really called just that)

Prompt: Summarize what has happened in the book so far. (Hey, give me a break, it's my first summary of the year.  Also I wanted to interpret Autobiography, but I couldn't find a statement that stood out from the others (because there were a lot of insightful ones I guess. This is an extremely wordy and detailed book, I'm really not kidding. I needed to rant a bit.)
Pages read: 0-102

If you're wondering who/what this Autobiography is about, it's one of the world's most annoying yet brilliant men, Morrissey.  You don't know who Morrissey is?  Not even The Smiths? Well... Look them up!  The Smiths are the best!  Just kidding, you don't have to look them up, I'll give you a brief summary: Morrissey is the singer/lyricist for The Smiths, an indie band popular in the mid eighties.  They are considered one of the most influential bands and are praised for their poetical lyrics that deal with life and it's absurdities along with their inventive musical style.  That sounded really pretentious, oops. Let's just say The Smiths were a band in the 80's and Morrissey has a big ego (I mean it can be quite suffocating), while being what you would called depressed.  He is often very VERY whiney, so reading this book is a bit of a challenge. But still interesting enough, as I admire his lyrics


Now if I ranted and whined as much as Morrissey does in this blog, I would have 0 reads and 0 comments on this.  Well actually that's kind of normal for this but whatever.  So I'll obey the prompt (ugh) and summarize what's happened so far in this book.  Basically, we travel back in time to Manchester, England in the 1970's and 80's to view his childhood, which he describes in great, great detail.  After reading 100+ pages, I can tell his childhood was not desirable, but not quite excruciating. Manchester has been described as the Chicago, or rather Detroit of England, being a working-class "hellhole". Morrissey goes into the specifics of his few friends (acquaintances really) and gives the reader pictures of family, friends, and the New York Dolls (who you totally have to check out, they're bizarre and truly awesome), who he never quite stops talking about.  In case you don't know who the New York Dolls are, well, it's a lot more of an experience to go look for them yourself.  Listen to "Personality Crisis" look up a few images, you're all set ;D)  He also talks about Oscar Wilde, who you should definitely know about.


One of my favorite parts of this book is how Morrissey adds in little personal details in the book (besides the obvious facts) and you have to read each story closely to know about his personality more and how he came to be like this.  I also enjoy his activism on certain issues, like animal rights.  He is a devout vegetarian, who is very proactive in his protesting.  Actually, one of the Smiths albums is "Meat is Murder".  Below I will link to (or embed, I haven't decided) a few of their songs, just in case you want to hear them.  I will also include pictures.

A gif (duh)  of The Smiths performing "How Soon is Now"










"How Soon is Now" (song)

"There is a Light That Never Goes Out" (song)

"Panic" (song)






In case you were wondering, my background is lyrics from The Smiths.

"The Death of a Disco Dancer" lyrics pictured.

The Picture of Brother Leon (an amoral antagonist) Book: The Chocolate War

Previous blog on this book (not character blog)

     

    As soon as I heard the Headmaster was ill, I knew it was the perfect time for me to step up and take what was rightfully mine.  Trinity Catholic High School, the all boys school where I am the Assistant Headmaster.  I’ll admit it is not the best school around, or the one with the nicest boys in it.  But boys will be boys, right?  And besides, who doesn’t like a little mischief and rule breaking once in awhile... 

    There really would only be two problems, but neither of which I couldn’t manipulate my self into, or out of.  Using basic human nature to get my way in even the toughest situations has been my strongest suit.  But more on that later.  Perhaps I shall give you an example later; but maybe not. Those two problems are the school funds, and Trinity’s secret society The Vigils, a group that makes fools out of the other boys in the school; something I find quite admirable. But, my new position at Trinity will give me a tremendous amount of power, something I shall push upon the students, well my students rather.  They will assist in my plan to solve those problems.  If I find myself carried getting carried away, which often happens when one realizes they have the power to control human emotion (something so frail it can be broken with a few words and and a ambivalent smile) I will not panic.  No, I happen consider my plans brilliant, and if anything, or anyone should come in the way of them, there will be a war.  

                                                          This is Trinity 

It’s been a few weeks.  Since then, I have managed to make a handful of my students cry during English.  How, you ask?  Well, it’s simple human nature.  Take the shyest kid in the class, for instance, and stand him up in front of the class.  See? He’s already getting nervous, as you can tell from his shyness, he does not like to draw attention to himself.  Sometimes you just have to observe to get thing your way.  Observing is not all I did, if it was, maybe Gregory Bailey would have been fine, and not missing school for ten days, something I take credit for.  How unusual for such a scholarly student they ask.  After you stand the boy up, you ask some basic questions.  “Are you perfect Bailey? All those A’s - that implies perfection.  Is that the answer, Bailey?” I slyly asked.  Stirring up trouble is something I took pleasure in.  Asking that question, followed by an accusation of cheating (which we both knew wasn’t true, but lead to the eventual break down) were just loading him up.  After I added continual pressure, questioning him with loaded queries, Bailey giving answers that either way would have incriminated him, I stopped and let the boy cry as the bell rung.  

   See my passion for psychological terrorism? It didn’t stop there.  With my newfound power, and the Headmaster showing no signs of recovering from whatever it is he contracted, I could continue this for a long time.  And so I did. 

It all started with a simple suggestion.  Really, the power of determination and verbal prowess can get you anywhere...

The Chocolate Sale has been going on for some time now, and tensions are still on the rise.  Good, we have to sell these boxes.  My position could be taken from me if I left the school in debt.  I do owe it to the Vigils, without their (let’s call it) assistance, Jerry Renault would still be refusing to sell the chocolates, disturbing the Universe as that tacky poster on his locker says.  When he was refusing to sell he was motivating other students to refuse to, or to at least rebel against my force, which will ultimately win out.  I have heard talks of the Vigils hosting a raffle to finally get our quota.  And that’s good for them, quite honestly I admire that Costello boy, leader of the Vigils and the real mastermind behind them. Psychological warfare is one of life’s many pleasures for those who know how to administer it.  

 I suppose you have some questions about the Vigils, feel free to comment a question about my plan, the Vigils, or whatever I’m talking about.  I’d understand if you didn’t quite follow my ramblings on.  Sometimes I can be just too brilliant for a normal mind, like yours or the Renault boy’s.  

Jerry refusing video

Ever since the raffle the Vigils somehow managed to pull off, the atmosphere at the school has been tense.  It seems as if every student has fallen to submission, accepting the fact that the Vigils are the true leaders of the school, and even more so Archie Costello.  After I announced the death of their Headmaster, I became the accepted leader.  I only show sympathy towards the members of my club (yes I am referring to it as my club because I did give them their ultimate assignment.  It was something even Archie Costello wouldn’t dream of doing). who so helped me get to my position now...  

Jerry Renault hasn’t returned, but I pay no notice.  I remember the look on his face when he saw me peering in on the raffle, where he was so brutally beaten to near death.  Of course, I did not help the boy.  Far be it for me to show my emotion. Really, I felt no sympathy towards him.  In his final conscience moments, I smiled my grin and my eyes fell to his grimace.  He seemed to whisper something along the lines of “Why did you do it?” and I could only look on.  Watching my pupils bask in violence, knowing my job had only just begun. 

Quotes

This was a banned book  (I can almost see why, but not quite)

     
(This was how I imagined Brother Leon to look in the book, this is not the same actor as in the movie.  This is Andrew Scott.  His voice also sounds like what I imagined Brother Leon to sound like) 

(This is Brother Leon in the Chocolate War movie.  It was a good try.)