So my mom's not crazy

This author of this article writes about humans giving dogs human voices and why people do this. I immediately thought of my mother and her two best friends, Lucy and Josie. Lucy and Josie are both dogs, Lucy is a Jack Russell Terrier and Josie is a German Shepard. My mother has always talked to our dogs, and recently she has created voices for both of them. I thought she was crazy, and that she may need to go to the nursing home. However, this article informed me that not only is she not the only person to create voices for pets, but it's not really that strange. She treats the dogs like humans, and the only real way to connect with the dogs as humans is to create voices for them. 

Happiness: Doing It Wrong, and Doing It Right

Each of Amatenstein’s patients imagine happiness as something that’s able to be obtained and maintained like a well nurtured plant. In truth, it’s something that comes in short and quick doses. In other words, it’s a feeling, not a lifestyle. Though she addresses this issue, she fails to recognize that the personalities of her patients are merely symptoms of a disease that encompasses the whole of society today. Humans are unique creatures, not only in our ability to reason and live beyond our instincts for survival, but also, in the sense that we are aware of ourselves. Some would say, from an evolutionary standpoint, this “self consciousness” is one step forward, and two back. Indeed, it has lead us to where we are today, but with what consequence?

Well, Amatenstein unknowingly circumnavigates one of them: our perception of time. In essence, Amatenstein addressed every neighbouring archetype for the common citizen seeking happiness, except the most prominent and circumferential of these paradigms: those who fail to live in the present. What her patients don’t realize is that happiness, as well as any other emotion, is immediate, fleeting, and finite. Today, when we are surrounded by media, television, books, short stories, games, and movies, it’s easy to imagine that life is a matter of plot. The introduction, the conflict, climax, and resolve all inevitable and integral to our existence as members of a collective focused on the ideal way of living. Indeed today many sociologists and psychiatrists would agree that many of us do, at least sub consciously, narrate our lives, as if we played the protagonist in an epic fantasy. In fact, it’s considered a healthy attitude and approach towards life, for the sense of validation it brings to one’s “story”.

 The issue within this idea lies in the fact that the past and future are merely illusions we use to organize and arrange the events that make up our lives, and that though you might reminisce with joy at times, you can’t simply just be happy with who you are as a result of your life. Despite our advanced modes of living, in truth, we remain confined to more basic triggers in regards to our emotions. Happiness, more often than not is a matter of what you are experiencing in the now, be it physical pleasure, mental engagement, or the brief but intense feeling of accomplishing something great. Sure, there are extended periods of time in which one might be happy, such as in a relationship, or in the pursuit of a goal that encompasses the meaning of one’s life, absolutely. But regardless, it’s not permanent. There is an end to everything, including relationships that define love, and epic quests that reach beyond our feeble day to day lives.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you make of life. Not what you have, who you are, what your story is, or the minor inconveniences that no one on Earth is immune to. Your disposition in approaching the challenges that face you. How often you notice the little things. The pride you take in your work, family, and relationships. What you taste, hear, smell, feel, and see. It’s in the present, and it’s something to seek, not obtain. As Thích Nhất Hạnh, a Vietnamese monk once said, “Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.”

http://www.vox.com/2015/6/2/8686191/happiness-myths - Link to Sherry Amatenstein's article, "Everyone wants to be happy. Almost everyone is going about it wrong."

9/28/15 Yogi Berra Yogi Berra is one of the greatest baseball players to ever step foot on a field. He spent a majority of his career with the New York Yankees. He won 13 World Series and was MVP 3 times. Unfortunately, he passed away recently. This loss drastically impacts the baseball society as it shows how big he was amongst the fans. He was a role model to not only young kids but current players in the MLB today. A museum was made in honor of Yogi Berra's death as a tribute to his successful career. Berra's quotes were famous throughout the baseball community. His successes are widely known across the globe and he was elected to be in the Hall of Fame. "It ain't over till it's over". This is a quote to live by everyday of your life.

Foolish Child Rather Than A Courageous College Student (Detainment of a Korean-American Student in North Korea)

The media has reported that Joo-Won Moon, a college student currently attending New York University, has been detained in North Korea for five months. Moon claimed through a released video clip that he entered North Korea in order to vividly and frankly inform many about the reality North Koreans have been facing daily, and he also emphasized that the North Korean government has treated him well with sufficient food and comfortable accommodation. Despite the compliments Moon has received for his courage by some optimists, the writer would like to harshly criticize his imprudence. Moon, although he has not specified his motivations, probably wanted to gain attention and publicity by “courageously” climbing over barbed wires to reach Pyongyang. As an ambitious elite studying in a selective college, he also would have considered acting as a bridge between North Korea and the US by voluntarily walking into one of the most dangerous, nerve-wracking region in the world. However, this meaningless attempt rather resembles the case of Dennis Rodman, who foolishly interacts with the dictators and coaches the North Korean basketball team in order to “promote peaceful relationship” between two nations. Moon, in the writer’s opinion, simply underestimated how convoluted and difficult diplomacy and negotiation are. Instead of trying to become a negotiator of the United States to North Korea, he became an obstacle to his own country because this situation inevitably distracted, or perhaps triggered the aggressive relation between two countries. Like how an innocent British reporter was suddenly brainwashed to become a propaganda reporter for the ISIS, the writer and several professors from the SAIS of Johns Hopkins University* are concerned that North Korea might exploit Moon as a tool or a hostage to obtain their right to use deadly weapons or to practice human rights violation that the world has been sanctioning. Consequently, the writer cannot observe or identify a single benefit for the US, or the world as a whole through this impulsive action that a college student has committed.

*Opinions from the Johns Hopkins University professors were collected last summer in Washington D.C. when the writer fortunately had an opportunity to intern for the US-Korea Institute of Johns Hopkins University.

The future of college applications

Hampshire College’s policy to refuse SAT and ACT scores in the application process may represent the future of the college application process. Although some colleges may argue that standardized testing creates an intellectual measurement that places all applicants on a level playing field, however these tests can be quite the opposite. Parents are willing to spend thousands of dollars on school, tutors, and educational experiences to better their child’s chance of being accepted to a top college. This is yet another example of why the rich continue to get richer, while the poor continue to get poorer. Some may argue that affirmative action may reverse this effect; however,those who are more advantaged in life will still have a better chance of being accepted to top colleges. Furthermore, standardized tests are merely another representation of how well a student can regurgitate information; students are already tested in this facet of intellect through their school, which determines GPA based upon how well a student can reiterate information. Given that most students applying for top colleges are intelligent and likely have similarly high GPAs, colleges should consider the character of applicants to determine which students are accepted. Standardized tests appear to solely boost a college’s reputation by allowing the school to compare their test scores to other schools. The possible elimination of standardized tests from college application will reduce stress on applicants and allow schools to focus on a student’s potential fit in the school, rather than their ability to prepare for a test.

Google No Longer Hires Based on GPA

Google has made the revelation that GPA and college transcripts are close to worthless when hiring their employees. As a result, they are hiring more people who have never even been to college. I agree with this action entirely. We are beginning to live in a world that no longer revolves around grades. In the school systems in America, most of the lessons and materials revolve around tests. Everything that students students learn and study for is for a test, or, for a specific answer in class. "One of my own frustrations when I was in college and grad school is that you knew the possessor was looking for a specific answer...", Google's Senior Vice President for People's Operations Laszlo Bock. It is interesting that Google is just now realizing this fact that the skills that are learned in college are "completely unrelated" to the skills taught when working for Google. However, at the end of the day, Google still does hire more people who are college grads and undergrads than not. In society today, we all need to stop focusing on grades and more about life skills or skills associated with the future job that is preferred.

NYU Student detained in North Korea

A U.S citizen and a student at New York University , Joo Won-moon, has been detained in North Korea. He has not been allowed to return home, or speak to his family yet, however, the North Korean government is still determining his punishment. Woo-moon is a South Korean national, but climbed a barbed fence to get into North Korea. It is unclear why he came into the country, but regardless the whole situation sounds a little peculiar to me. The only claims that Woo-moon has made in regards to North Korea is how well they are treating him, and how he hopes that one day he will be able to speak to his family. Jon-Woo-moon says, "There's no need to worry because the people here have treated me with the best of humanitarian treatment," Joo said. "I've been fed well, and I've slept well and I've been very healthy." In the past detainees have not made these kinds of claims for the North Korean government. It is under my opinion that either Joo Woo-moon said this involuntarily, or he is trying to achieve something with the North Korean United States relations. Woo- moon also speaks about this Wednesday is when the South Korean authorities are expected to speak on Joo-Woo’s fate and come to a conclusion.

The Pope's in Town

Josie Battle Pope in Town There was uproar on the streets of Harlem on September 24, 2014. The streets of Harlem is home to a vast population of people who live on the streets. These people don’t have jobs or any sort of money, and the the streets are the only place they can find to rest and rejuvenate. On the 24th, Pope Francis had a scheduled visit to 125th street in Harlem to visit a school there. The pope is a widely respected figure who has a large following and is looked upon with great respect. When it became clear that the pope was visiting this neighborhood, police took action to expel the homeless population that were living in the area. Dozens of people were relocated using the excuse that the pope was coming. As one of the people pointed out, just because they are homeless and looked down upon by society does not mean that they simply do not exist. All humans have basic rights and just because you are living on the streets doesn’t give you any less. It is appalling that police moved the homeless. This creates a false sense of security for the pope. Homelessness is a huge problem in the United States and relocating dozens so that it won’t be an “inconvenience” to Pope Francis is immoral and unacceptable. Moving the homeless does nothing to solve the problem. Something has to be done to help these people in our community, and hiding them away accomplishes nothing.

Accessing the "Doomsday" Vault

The Syrian Crisis has led to the first ever opening of a “doomsday” seed vault.  For those that do not know what this is, or that it even existed in the first place, the Arctic Seed Vault in Svalbard Norway is an underground facility that has seeds from thousands of plants from around the world.  These plants found in the facility are the ones like wheat or rice that are necessary for humans to survive.  The facility is located deep underground in a layer of the earth called permafrost.  This is where the land is frozen year-round, which is good because it means that even if the power fails, the samples are calculated to be able to stay alive for almost 200 years in their frozen state.  The seeds, however, used to be in a vault in Syria, because that was the region was in greatest risk of drought and famine, but in 2012, 87% of the seeds were moved to the Arctic because war was imminent.  Currently all of the seeds are safe though and they are ready in case they are needed to replenish the global food supply.

Breaking the Standard

Written by: Sophie Norton

BREAKING NEWS: standardized test scores don’t determine everything. You, college applicant, are more than just that number from that one day during Junior Spring; you are the sum of over a decade of education, where you learned to express yourself in a myriad of ways. You are unique and you are more than your ACT score. Hampshire College, a small liberal arts college in Western Massachusetts, was the first university to adopt this philosophy. They no longer accept standardized test scores.  By doing so, the university disqualified itself from the U.S News Rankings. This led to a positive trend in quality of applications, but a decrease in the amount of applications. The President of the college described the newly admitted as people who are committed to their educational development and to the unique mission of the college, rather than people who only care about rankings. This is the right step for America’s failing education system, where the percentages of high school students with mental disorders such as depression and anxiety have skyrocketed in the past decade. Put the emphasis back on education; end the obsession with inflated stats and scores.

#IStandWithAhmed

         Two weeks ago, the police department of Irving, Texas decided that creativity is synonymous with terrorism. Those people who swear to protect attempted to destroy the life of a boy whose intellect and passion seeped out through his creations. A handmade clock cannot be seen as a young muslim boy’s output to the world of technology, but only as an input to evil and destruction. Islam is not inherently evil. It is not defined by the radicals who dare to use words of peace to justify violence. If the KKK does not define Christianity, ISIS should not define Islam. Because that assumption is made, the experience of Ahmed is and has been a reality for muslims all over the world. It discourages and dehumanizes them. It teaches young kids to fear the consequences of praising Allah, before they truly learn to fear Allah himself. The media coverage of Ahmed’s story is what allowed this happening to end as well as it did, but many muslims do not have this privilege when they are oppressed or harassed. Media gives the victims of Islamophobic acts the voice that society tries to strip away from them.

Meow C(atcha) : How Two Men Revolutionize the Rap Game

     When one hears of a rap album composed of the sound of cat meows, one's imagination goes to many different and exhilarating ideas of what this may sound like. The anticipated Killer Mike and El-P album Run the Jewels, also known as Meow the Jewels, exceeds expectations. True artistry is taking an entirely new concept and revolutionizing the art field. Pablo Picasso's art was first perceived as primitive and unearthly, but as time elapsed, Picasso's cubism and novel method of art transformed the art world. The once acclaimed style of classic Victorian "real-life" painting was overlooked. Picasso shifted the perspective of millions with his unique painting style, similarly Killer Mike and El-P achieve this in their modification of rap genre.  The album features renowned artists such as Snoop Dogg, Lil Bulb, and many other artists. The album applies the sound of meows in the beat, and rap to this sound. The use of meows rather than simple pre-recorded, typical studio beats intensifies the power and dope-ness of the piece. The album gains its own flavor and adapts its own identity; it contrasts immensely with any album dropped in this decade. The album's proceeds will all go to charity. El-P and Killer Mike take something that was originally a joke, and turn it into a piece of art, and the two note "together we have managed to do a little good using the stupidest method possible." Art is defined as something that is used to express human creativity and imagination; art also heals individuals. It heals those that create, and those that receive. The duo prove themselves as the Picassos of the 21st century and use their creativity, humor, and good-nature to revolutionize the rap game, and creative a positive outcome in our world. 

Kaitlyn Dutchin

Station Eleven Review

Station Eleven is a story of survival that takes place before and after a catastrophic flu that wipes out most of humanity. Emily St. John Mandel, the author, does an exceptional job alternating between the past and future in a way that not only makes sense to the reader, but is also entertaining. Station Eleven deals with the difference between being alive and truly living which is perhaps best encompassed by the motto of the Traveling Symphony: “survival is insufficient.”

Station Eleven opens with a performance of King Lear that it is interrupted with the death of one of the main characters. This moment, in itself, is possibly the author’s boldest decision. She uses this event as the turning point of story–the ending of the past storyline and the beginning of the future storyline. In the scene, the author use subtle language to imply that something is wrong with Arthur as he begins skipping lines as King Lear. She confirms his strange behavior to readers by saying, “... it was obvious to Jeevan that he [Arthur] wasn’t Lear anymore.” The voice that the author uses to describe Arthur’s death is very indirect. In the passage, she never directly states that he dies, but instead, focuses on the characters around him and their actions. She diverts the reader’s attention to the dialogue between Jeevan, Walter, and Miranda to create the gloomy atmosphere in which Arthur died.

From this point in the story, Emily St. John Mandel diverges the text into two timelines: the past–before the flu, and the future–after the flu. She interweaves these timelines to create a story that ties together the two main characters: Arthur Leander and Kirsten Raymonde. The way that Emily St. John Mandel is able to tie together these two seemingly unrelated characters with very different backgrounds is an incredible feat in it of itself. At the end of the novel, when all is said and done, readers are left with a sweet aftertaste–one that delivers closure as well as understanding.

Throughout the text, Emily St. John Mandel tackles the topic of what it means it be alive. She assumes the position that one must do more than survive. Although the Traveling Symphony saw this something more to be Shakespeare, the message of Station Eleven stands that if people cannot express themselves, they are not truly alive. All in all, Station Eleven is a fantastic book that takes a convincing stand on a pressing philosophical question. Emily St. John Mandel delivers her argument in the form of a novel. Not only does the author answer the question of how we survive in times of suffering, but she also tells why we survive.

-Stefan Kassem

Tobias Wolff: On Doing Poorly in School

Tobias Wolff struggled in school -- as many of us do -- but his message is more clear and important than any lesson taught in the classroom. “Do what you can day to day as well as you can do it.” This is a very important lesson for students these days. Life isn’t all about your grades, what school you go to, how you did on a test compared to the kid sitting next you; instead, life is about learning from mistakes, adapting to the circumstances, and facing everyday challenges. Students these days put too much pressure on themselves, often thinking ahead into the future and panicking at the thought of what it may hold for them. In doing so, we often crumble under the expectations brought upon us by our peers, educators, and parents. Don’t allow yourself to become a victim to somebody else’s expectations for you. Control what you can control, and strive for success with an eye for doing things excellently.

Are the U.S. and China Headed for War?

The centerpiece of this article is Thucydides theory of rising and rivaling powers. This theory explores the inevitability of a war between an established superpower and a rising, competing power. The article covers the rapid ascent of the Chinese economy and power over the last decade. In addition the article provides 16 examples of Thucydidean cases, 12 of which ended in war. It goes on to question which of the two categories the China-US rivalry will fall in. What the article failed to comment on was that 3 of the cases that were resolved peacefully were in the last 20 years. These last 20 years have been filled with innovations, the digital age in particular, that have brought the world together and interwoven international trade. Since the breakdown of the Soviet Union and the nexus of the aforementioned developments international intelligence and diplomacy have grown vastly more comprehensive and communicative. An overt war, with the magnitude of World War II, is unfeasible because of the very developments that have allowed China’s rapid growth. Without open and solid trade channels with Europe and the United States China’s economy would crumble and would be even less capable to deal with the serious challenges facing the country's economy, such as its inflated real estate market and struggling stock exchange. However, a covert war is certainly possible and is already in its first stages. Chinese cyber attacks on Western governments and companies, aggressions over disputed Islands, and currency manipulations are serious warning signals that relations might be taking a turn for the worse. Instead of escalating aggressions in response to these covert attacks we must see them as an opportunity to openly address the unfolding Thucydidean crisis. The struggle of China to become a recognized polar power in the former unipolar world can only be addressed through a balanced mix of demonstrations of Western power and willingness to defend their interests, and the West’s willingness to seek peaceful and mutually-prosperous solutions.

Survival is Insufficient

Station eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is an intriguing, futuristic tale about life following the collapse of society because of a deadly apocalyptic flu. Mandel transitions between the pre and post apocalyptic world, alternating between an omniscient perspective and the first person perspectives of Arthur Leander and members of the Travelling Symphony. Both time periods are linked through Arthur’s ex-wife, Miranda, who composed the comic book Station Eleven. As Miranda designed the comic, she received criticism for spending too much time on a useless project that nobody understood. As the story progresses, the reader realizes that Station Eleven is one of the few remaining pieces of literature and links to the old world. The comic offers insight into the state of society prior to the collapse; many people had time to engage in seemingly meaningless intellectual activities such as writing a comic book. This contrasts the post apocalyptic world in which people are consumed solely by survival. One of the most important lines of the book is the Travelling Symphony's motto, "survival is insufficient," which is part of the greater themes of intellectualism, pursuit of improvement, and human curiosity.

Mandel uses a direct and purposeful voice to disseminate the Travelling Symphony's message to the settlements in which they perform. Although the motto is only three words, it stands for the nobility and constant pursuit of living beyond the bare necessities. The Travelling Symphony strives to spread and promote the now ancient beauty of music, art and theatre. This is the beginning of reconstructing a functioning society that is not solely focused on hunting and gathering. Mandel gives the impression that intellectualism in the years following the flu has quickly vanished. The reader perceives the Travelling Symphony as the strongest and one of the only remaining connection to the old world besides the museum of civilization, located at the Severn City airport. In a post apocalyptic world where barbaric settlements revolve around merely surviving on a day to day basis, the encouraging and developmental approach of the Travelling Symphony offers a unique sense of hope and optimism for the future.

Although a link between the old world and the post flu world is necessary and adds another element to the plot, the novel lacks entertainment and excitement when recapping events in the old world. Most of the narrative was simply setting up events or themes that occur in the post apocalyptic world, without offering any insightful information. Understandably, the characters in the old world, such as Jeevan and Miranda, were not as interesting as the futuristic and adventurous Travelling Symphony; however, this left the reader disengaged for chapters at a time.

Mandel effectively communicates to the reader that intellectualism, curiosity and the desire to return to the previous state of society, although diminished, is not entirely dead. As a human race, Mandel reminds us that we should not take our lives for granted since the future is unknown, and opportunities present today, may not always be available. One should always attempt to improve oneself and the community in which they live, similar to the Travelling Symphony. Had the Travelling Symphony’s curiosity not lead them to explore other settlements and challenge the status quo, they may never have been able to discover electricity or civilization again. Although much of Station Eleven is placed in the future, Mandel’s message about the pursuit of living, rather than just surviving, is a timeless theme that readers should implement in their own lives.

Erpf Station Eleven: What It Is To Be Human

Mandel starts her novel off with the passing of Arthur leander, a famous actor, in the midst of his performance of “King Lear.”. Fifteen years later, the Georgia Flu pandemic has devastated civilization, and left humankind in a wasteland, in which a handful of survivors, all uniquely connected to Arthur Mandel, known as Traveling Symphony perform shakespeare and music for small outposts and settlements. During their adventures, they are exposed to the horrors that plague their anti utopian society, introspection that gives insight and a fresh perspective on what it means to be human, and the notions we cling to that define us as a society.

Despite the seemingly odd idea of having a performance arts group in a dystopian world, this aspect of Station Eleven is heavily influential in the book's overarching theme of life, identity, and what it is to be human. Mandel depicts the performers as a group of survivors who seek not only to find meaning in life beyond their own survival, but additionally seek to spread their art throughout post apocalyptic America. Mandel demonstrates this recurring theme throughout the novel, and utilizes a famous quote derived from Star Trek, “Survival is insufficient,”, in order to demonstrate the idea that humanity transcends necessity. Throughout the novel, Mandel explores this theme of why it is that humans strive to go beyond survival, even in a bleak and dead world. The Traveling Symphony is used as a symbol of the most important aspects of life, as their purpose goes beyond survival, and extends to the abstract ideas that characterize humanity, such as art, love, history, etc..

Further, she explores these themes not only in the wastes, but additionally, in the past, and constantly recounts the stories of the Traveling Symphony. These novelettes give insight to the audience concerning the motives, aspirations, and identities of the book's protagonist characters. Mandel’s incorporation of past and present is a captivating tactic and adds to the significance of the novel’s overall meaning and dominant impression through adding personality and life to each of her characters and the unique backgrounds from which they originate.

Mandel goes to the length of examining modern society through comparing it with her post apocalyptic dystopia, and draws the distinction between virtual identity and the true individual. She poses that virtual identity is only a semblance of real individuality, and that through media people create “avatars” that replace themselves as people, albeit, in the eyes of others. In other words, Mandel contends that through media people identify as the person that others see online, the avatar, rather than their true selves, the people you interact with in real life.  

Mandel uses a conversational tone in her commentary on the modern identity crisis which gives the audience an impression of authenticity, and reassures the audience of the narrator's credibility as a trustable, and personal source of knowledge. Her casual tone and the imagery, simply defining media as “cries for help and expressions of contentment and relationship-status updates” as well as “plans to meet up later, pleas, complaints, desires”, adds to the effect of simplifying the material she discusses, and highlights only the most important aspects of media and it’s effect on society. In addition, her informal tone enables the complex ideas this passage carries easier for the audience to understand and digest.

Her usage of repetition highlights the drastic change that “No more Internet.” has on society. Mandel uses this rhetorical device to quickly rattle off a plethora of seemingly unimportant and honestly truthful depictions of media, in order to quickly put the audience in the mindset that media is ultimately to the detriment of society. In her decision to employ repetition, Mandel cleverly convinces the audience through attrition that media invalidates one’s true identity.    

Station Eleven is a unique and interesting read among an overpopulated genre full of overused themes, plots, and characters (ie World War Z, Divergent) and is a fresh read in the post apocalyptic brand, and would remind you of the Hunger Games in its unique approach to dystopian society. Despite its individual approach, and Mandel’s ability to successfully integrate multiple characters into her story, her symbolism and her most prominent messages frequently appear blatantly obvious, which removes the audience from the story. Further, the omniscient narrator, though at times adds to the character of the novel, can often feel outright unnatural, and generally unauthentic, which throughout the book dis involves the audience, and takes away from the immersion of the reader. Albeit, convincing an audience of apocalypse is daunting task, Mandel struggles with this aspect in her writing the most, as even some of her strongest points feel overly drawn out, dramatic, and extensively hypothetical. Overall, lapses in the audience’s captivation as a result of Mandel’s uncommon style and plot are worth the pay off we get from the general vibe and message the novel provides. Station Eleven makes for an easy and entertaining read, and earns a 8/10 for plot, 7/10 for clarity, a 9/10 for voice, and a 9/10 for world, for an overall outstanding 8.5/10.   

More Than Another Dystopian Future Book

Station Eleven Book Review

9/24/15

If you are looking for another dystopian future book, look no further. Emily Mandel’s Station Eleven has what you need—and more. Emily Mandel is a 36 year old Canadian novelist. Station Eleven is her fourth novel. Mandel has written a book that does not follow the typical dystopian future story. Through all the horrors that the characters face, the biggest of those being an illness that wipes out 99% of the population, the main characters do everything they can to hold on to artforms. Considering the degree of this illness, the book is not dark, but actually filled with hope. After the Georgia Flu passes, a group by the name of the Traveling Symphony, which is made up of musicians and actors including a girl named Kirsten, journey through North America performing in survivor towns. Flashbacks in the story focus on the lives of Arthur, Miranda, Clark, Jeevan, and other characters, and eventually the characters all become connected. Mandel’s writing takes on various forms; most of the book is narration, however, some chapters are just letter exchanges, interviews, and comic book chapters. Any passage in Station Eleven will allude to the voice Mandel has.

In chapter 10 on pages 110-111, Mandel writes about Kirsten’s walk in St. Deborah. Aspects of Mandel’s voice in this passage convey clear and relatable images, evokes investigation from the reader, expresses Kirsten’s neutrality to the town, and emphasizes the main point. As Kirsten reminisces about the world pre-Georgia Flu, Mandel chooses to write about McDonalds, a symbol of ordinary life, to help the reader understand what Kirsten is imagining. In the sentence about IHOP, Mandel makes it clear that something is wrong: she writes, “she was surprised to see that it had been boarded up, a plank hammered across the door” (Mandel 110). However, Mandel’s diction does not indicate that Kirsten has any emotion other than “surprise,” which shows Kirsten’s curiosity and open-mind, and lets the reader take his own position on the peculiarities. Mandel also uses syntax to communicate her ideas. In the second sentence about the “former world,” the dependent clause, “by keeping her gaze directed upward so that there was only the sign and the sky,” is lengthy and specific, imitating the effort required for Kirsten to remember the past (Mandel 110). The outlier in the syntax of the paragraph puts emphasis on its main point. The only short sentence in the passage goes, “It didn’t quite make sense,” (Mandel 111).

Mandel also varies the degree of elaboration of character emotions. For example, Kirsten’s emotions are barely expressed; chapters on the Traveling Symphony are mostly facts and observances. On the contrast, Miranda’s thoughts take up more words than her experiences. Moreover, Mandel switches themes as she cycles through the characters. The first chapters, which captures the death of Arthur, are full of foreshadowing in the future; a line from page 23 goes, “Of all of them there at the bar that night, the bartender was the one who survived the longest. He died three weeks later on the road out of the city.” The chapters that follow Kirsten are heavily devoted to the past, as details of the plague are explained, and details of life before it are questioned. Lastly, Miranda’s chapters are completely in the present and full of her deep and personal thoughts.

Distinct from other dystopian future books, these characters have hope, passion, or purpose. Possibly even forgotten by people in a plagueless world, Kirsten’s tattoo that reads “because survival is insufficient” embodies the hope she and the other characters have. The main characters are devoted to art, and each of them finds a way to integrate that art into their lives, even in times of suffering; this is what makes the book so relatable, even for those not connected to art. Each character has a reason for their art; Arthur's acting is his passion, and he continues to perform even with three divorces; Kirsten holds onto comic books and performs music and plays because it is all she has of her past; and Miranda finds a personal escape in writing comic books, away from abusive and cheating significant others.

Station Eleven should entertain all those who enjoy a dystopian future book, but also those who want characters that change and are relatable to current times. It is a story of hope, passion and curiosity in the worst of situations.

*Exclusive* Unpacking and Revealing the Secrets of Station Eleven

Hey, this is Sungwoo Park. Today, we will unpack and evaluate Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven. Station Eleven was published in September 2014, and this novel is Mandel’s fourth novel. The novel was included in the list for the New York Time Bestseller.

With a concept of dystopia, Mandel starts the novel in a theater where an actor who plays King Lear unexpectedly dies. Jeevan, who tries to save Arthur’s life on the stage, receives a call from his friend that a plane, containing plenty of patients, has arrived from Russia. Mandel informs the readers that the Georgia Flu pandemic has begun, and ninety-nine percent of the human population gets eliminated because of this deadly disease. She also changes the main character from Jeevan to Kirsten, who was a young girl at the theater that observed Arthur’s death. Being a part of a traveling symphony that performs Shakespeare’s plays long after the pandemic, Kirsten faces a challenge with the group as two members of the symphony, Charlie and Jeremy, disappear two years after they temporarily left the group. Although Kirsten was at a Canadian theater a couple of decades ago, borders, countries, and rules have vanished after the epidemic. Along the way, Mandel adds flashbacks of how Kirsten has been obsessed to Arthur; she, when she was young, collected news articles that featured Arthur, a former Hollywood star. Anyways, Kirsten and her symphony decide to confront ‘the prophet’, who has been a religious fanatic and an inappropriate leader of the town where Charlie and Jeremy has lived. In the Museum of Civilization, where it has antiquated goods, such as cellphones, laptops that existed before the apocalypse, Mandel attempts to portray how tragic and disorganized a post-apocalyptic Earth can be in her dystopian novel.

In general, Mandel’s plot is extremely creative and unique. Unlike most of the dystopian novels that tend to have a tragic introduction, Station Eleven starts in a fairly ordinary, peaceful setting: a Shakespeare theatre in Toronto. The readers, including the writer, probably did not acknowledge a dystopian plot of this novel until a Russian plane with patients arrive. Her depictions of a devastating, stark society after the apocalypse are vivid and force the readers to imagine the calamity and feel intimidated. “No more Internet. No more social media, no more scrolling through litanies of dreams and nervous hopes and photographs of lunches, cries for help and expressions of contentment and relationship-status updates with heart icons whole or broken, plans to meet up later, please, complaints, desires, pictures of babies dressed as bears or peppers for Halloween. No more reading and commenting on lives of others, and in so doing, feeling slightly less alone. No more avatars” (Mandel 32). This quotation, which appears right after the disaster occurs, strongly alerts many teenaged readers who waste much time in their lifetimes procrastinating on social medias. Since almost everyone commonly has active Facebook and Twitter accounts, Mandel attempts to frighten the readers and to inform them this pandemic can happen to us in real life at anytime.

Despite the warnings and the tragedies that Station Eleven contain, Mandel, through this novella, proves her skills in projecting her voice effectively through various techniques. Her sentences differ in length depending on what her purposes are in certain sentences or phrases. When she tries to vividly describe a situation, she elongates the sentence so that the readers have enough time to imagine the sceneries. However, whenever she attempts to convey a strong point or to inform a sudden transition, her sentences are concise and vigorous.

If the world faces a collapse or an unexpected apocalypse, what is the one thing you will try to keep? Through her novella, Mandel emphasizes the importance of art in our daily lifestyles; her affection towards Shakespearean music and plays are obvious to detect throughout the novel. Even when happiness and rules disappeared from the planet, a traveling symphony still exists in order to invigorate exhausted, spiritless souls. In addition, through creating another setting of the story called the Museum of Civilization that displays all goods we currently use in real life, Mandel conveys to her readers that every matter could be historical artifacts and assets in the future. Overall, Mandel, taking her view and endless imaginations to the future, argues that not only survival but preservation of art is also essential for human beings to keep moving forward despite harsh challenges and conditions.

In a perspective of a teen reader evaluating a New York Times bestseller, this novel truly is a pinnacle of creativity and uniqueness compared to all renowned and successful dystopian novels.

Linell Review// "Station Eleven"

Eric Linell

9/20/15

Station Eleven Review

       Station Eleven, a novel written by Emily St. John Mandel, addresses the apocalypse  with a focus on the aftermath rather than the deadly Georgia flu that wipes out world civilization.  There are many elements in the novel that illustrate how an apocalypse will impact society’s value system and everyday life.  The book is very thought-provoking as it moves back and forth in time, between locations and among characters.  Mandel quickly absorbs the reader’s attention by creating a mystery within the story leaving subtle clues interweaved throughout the chapters. The mystery of how the different character are connected from pre-apocalypse to post-apocalypse, twenty years later, is slowly revealed to the reader as the story progresses. The story was very engrossing with a good story line but left me disturbed by Mandel’s lack of attention to the suffering created by the end of civilization.  

   There are  many aspects of the book that are intriguing.  Mandel’s ability to redefine a sense of normalcy after the tragedy forces the reader to examine how much we take things for granted in our everyday life.  The way post –apocalypse people interact and survive shows that material possessions and modern technology are less important than humanity and decency.  Mandel seems to be giving the reader a commentary on today’s society.  Have we let our preoccupation with technology and material possessions pre-empted our need and ability to communicate and form relationships? Mandel’s sends us this message through the Traveling Symphony. Their motto of “Survival is not Sufficient” refers less to the lack of modern necessities and more to the need for friendships, relationships and humanity.  The characters in the story are also very engaging. I immediately liked Jeevan.  His desire to be a paramedic, his loyalty to his handicapped brother, his trustworthiness and his dependability at the airport all make the reader root for his survival.  I also felt sympathy for Arthur, the celebrity. Mandel demonstrates the different stages of his life and show how he finally realizes what is important in life. Before his tragic death, he attempts to get rid of his possessions and plans on going to Israel to reunite with his son, Tyler. It is quite sad that he dies before he can accomplish this dream.  I also admired Kirstin’s bravery and her ability to survive in the face of danger. Mandel also uses Arthur’s son to show how a character progresses in the face of the tragedy. He goes from being an innocent boy to the leader of a religious cult capable of murder.  When the true identity of The Prophet is revealed, the pieces of the puzzle are solved in the mystery.  It was fascinating to see the final connection between Arthur, the first character, and Tyler, his son, who turns out to be the Prophet.   I also liked the optimism at the end of the story. It is comforting to think that if the apocalypse occurs in my lifetime, there is a chance that survival is possible and some part of modern civilization will be preserved.  

   There are also many disturbing aspects of the story.  Mandel fails to address the suffering and despair that society would experience if the end of the world occurred.  The small settlements of people that survived seem to have adjusted to a new sense of “ normal”. There are several current shows and movies that address the apocalypse , like The Walking Dead, that demonstrate the fear and suffering. It is also strange that Kirstin is so obsessed with Arthur, a dead celebrity.  Why would a young girl be obsessed with an older man and the comic books?  It may be her way of holding on to past civilization, but I think Mandel put too much emphasis on this aspect of the story. Mandel seems to use Kirstin as a way to connect the characters in the story. I also found Mandel’s use of flashbacks in the telling the story distracting to the flow of the book. Perhaps, it forces the reader to pause and concentrate on the message the author was trying to communicate. I also felt very sad when the Prophet turned out to be Arthur’s son.  It was depressing that his lack of meaning caused him to grasp religion in an unhealthy way. These unsettling aspects of the book caused me to have mixed feelings about the story.  

   The book Station Eleven is quite compelling as the characters demonstrate their ability to survive this tragedy.  Mandel shows what is truly important in life and asks the reader to re-evaluate  their life.  The most unsettling part for me as a reader is the reality that recent world events, like the Eboli virus, show that this scenario  is not so far fetched. There is much anxiety in today’s world that despite all modern technology and medicine, there are still events that could occur to cause the apocalypse.  

Station Eleven: A Marathon

Station Eleven: A Marathon

Reading Emily St. John Mandel’s book Station Eleven  is like running a marathon: it seems a bit slow at the start, almost regrettable in the middle,  and by the end, there’s an anticipation to finish it. The book focuses on the journey of The Travelling Symphony after the world collapses due to the deadly plague  called the Georgia Flu.  Kirsten, one of the main characters of the novel and a member of the symphony, is used as a means of interconnecting the story with multiple characters. This exposes the reader to different perspectives of the new world before, during, and after the apocalypse. The wholesomeness of the book is attributable to these different experiences, but many of them were dull and prolonged. The absence of consistent, interesting conflict at the beginning of Station Eleven  leads to the reader’s lack of engagement and intrigue for the majority of the book.

The stories of the characters Jeevan and Clark are unnecessary and, frankly, irrelevant when it comes to captivating readers to continue to read  Station Eleven. Both characters are essential in providing context,  and their stories serve as a means of transitioning into pivotal events throughout the book. However, the depth in which their stories are described takes away from the reader’s  initial anticipation of reading about action and drama. People would rather read about the violent and unbelievable stories of the post-apocalyptic world than about the lives of a man who hates his job and another who can’t find a suitable one. It is understandable that Mandel pushes for the reader to understand the emotional journeys of certain characters, but she already does so in an effective way in Chapter 6 of the book. The characters of  Station Eleven experience the hardships of surviving in an anarchical society and often reminisce on what once existed before the Georgia Flu. Mandel dedicates a whole chapter to what characters reminisce as they continue to exist in the new world; one part of that chapter goes as follows:

No more countries, all borders unmanned. No more fire departments, no more police. No more road maintenance or garbage pickup... No more Internet. No more social media, no more scrolling through litanies of dreams and nervous hopes and photographs of lunches, cries for help and expressions of contentment and relationship-status updates with heart icons whole or broken, plans to meet up later, pleas, complaints, desires, pictures of babies dressed as bears or peppers for Halloween. No more reading and commenting on the lives of others, and in so doing, feeling slightly less alone in the room... (p.68)

The structure of the passage is list form, which is expected from the title of the chapter: "An Incomplete List". Though this structure and Mandel’s starting each sentence with the words "no more" make the passage seem somewhat repetitive and tedious, her diction and syntax account for that by capturing the reader with the vivid realities of  life post-apocalypse. Both her vagueness and specificity in describing the losses of the new world dig into the emotional, mental, and societal detriments of the characters of the book. Mandel connects the readers to the characters by finding a common ground: humanity. This is the content that will push a reader to continue a book, and it simultaneously allows the reader to comprehend the context and current state of the new world and its people.  

Overall, although the end of Station Eleven suffices to the standards of spontaneity and action set in this review, it does not compensate for how tedious the beginning was. If a reader is not captivated throughout a book, that book will not be finished. There is no way one will appreciate a book when he/she puts it down in the middle and is reluctant to pick it up -- unless it is to complete a mandatory high school reading requirement. Mandel’s choices for Station Eleven  are apprehendable and respectable, but how she portrays some of these choices is detrimental to the book.  

Words, words word, they're pretty powerful: Station 11 Book review

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Civilization is over; everyone you’ve ever loved has died, and you are alone. Everything pure in the world has been sullied; You are a 7 year old girl witnessing death.  In the novel station eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Arthur Leander, a common day equivalent to Brad Pitt, has a heart attack on stage, and after that, everything ceases. In the story, Arthur Leander is the sun, and the other character’s stories are the planets which revolve around the sun. Mandel  eloquently ties her prominent characters and storylines into one perfect little bow. The desperation of the ended civilization is fluently expressed through Mandel’s use of language. Mandel similarly uses parallelism and other literary devices to tell the story. The novel’s title “Station 11” is based upon a series of comic books called station 11 in the novel. These comic books are used by Mandel to parallel the occurrences in the world, post-civilization.  The use of imagery in Mandel’s novel enables the reader to embed themselves within the story. The story is told through a scope of perspectives, one of which is seen through the eyes of an actress in the  traveling symphony, Kristen. Now, what is the traveling symphony? When all of society ended, the surviving people decided that the dark, electricity-less world needed light. They provided this light through art: shakespearean plays, and music.  The symphony travels across land by foot; they hunt for themselves, cook for themselves, and they survive off the land. Mandel is very descriptive in her scenes; she illustrates danger, distress, and hopelessness. Throughout the novel, the characters in the novel are in a constant brawl for their lives. The struggle for survival is consistent. Through Mandel's words, the frightful scenery the characters face are played like a movie in the mind of the reader. As the characters drudge through “great clouds of steam, [during] times when they were cold and afraid and their feet were wet” , the reader is able to imagine themselves as the helpless and cold symphony traveler(Mandel 119). She also paints an intimidating picture of the unknown. Through the use of the fear of the unknown, whether it be “blank walls of forest”, or  “wondering if an unhinged prophet or his men might be chasing them”, she instills fear within the readers in the most beautiful way(Mandel 119). The reader is able, through the descriptive illustrations she paints, to feel like they are in the book themselves. This allows the reading experience to enliven completely. Mandel similarly grapples the concept of “survival”: what does it really mean? Is survival really staying healthy, or does survival entail happiness and a fit mental state? Kristen has a tattoo engraved into her skin: survival is insufficient. The concept of art being a means of survival is a major player in this novel. There is a reason why these people risk their lives in the unknown to present their art to complete stranger. Mandel captures the true beauty of art with her words. She certainly uses too many words, which makes the novel quite dense, but in a grand sense, she communicates a beautiful concept to her audience.  A concept that is unforgettable and leaves the reader in awe. What would you preserve in an empty dark world? What would be your art?

"Station Eleven" Shows Humanity in a New Light

Thursday, September 25th, 2016

"Station Eleven" Presents Humanity In The Face Of Destruction

While most post-apocalyptic novels tell stories of destruction, chaos, and death, Emily St.John Mandel’s Station Eleven introduces the possibilities of life, love, family, hope, and beauty. Station Eleven analyses the underlying beauty of human nature shown by the destruction of the world, and efforts to create a new one. By doing so, this novel is able to compel readers to think beyond known civilization and society, so that all there is left to ponder is the core of humanity. I believe that Mandel’s most important point in the book is that if the world ended in destruction, sorrow, and death; there will always be hope within humanity. Mandel’s unconventional voice allows readers to consider the essence of hope succeeding the catastrophe.She effectively shows the beauty of hope  by utilizing a passionate voice to showcase the elements of various symbols in the book. This gives the reader deep insight inside the novel and makes the reader rethink the world as an entirety.

Station Eleven begins with events preceding the apocalypse caused by a flu epidemic. The novel first sets out during a King Lear play in Toronto, Canada. The star of the play, Arthur, a 51-year old actor, has a sudden heart attack on stage. In attempts to revive him, Jeevan, a man who knew CPR in the crowd runs onto the stage. After his attempts, Jeevan looked to exit the theater, when he notices a young girl crying, Kristen. Kristen and Jeevan are later revived and intertwined together throughout the story. They also continue to be addressed after the end to the modern world. Kristen appears again twenty years later post-apocalypse. At this time most of the modern world and the people in it are destroyed, now known as the ‘Old Word’, this newborn world after the destruction is referred to as the ‘New World’. Within the New world, Kristen  is a part of something known as the Traveling Symphony, a band of musicians that perform musicals and concerts in small towns and civilization. In Station Eleven, the Traveling Symphony is Mandel’s most prominent symbol of hope. They are viewed as such because of their dedication to spreading plays, music, and concepts of love and family from the Old World.        

Mandel uses an especially passionate voice when talking about the Traveling Symphony which contributes to their impact as a symbol. “ But what made it bearable were the friendships, of course, the camaraderie, and the music and the Shakespeare, the moments of transcendent beauty and joy when it didn’t matter who’d used the last of the rosin on their blow or who anyone had slept with” (Mandel, 49) I believe it is within this excerpt where Mandell first truly exemplifies her passion for the Symphony. She describes quite wistfully the important elements of the Symphony and why they matter. Throughout the novel, due to Mandel’s passionate voice when speaking of the Symphony, readers begin to understand its importance. They start to think about the significance the Symphony brings to its participants as well as those who view their performances. It is within the Traveling Symphony where the Old World can be rehashed and reminisced. They can also be equated to the beauty and hope of humanity . When the Symphony performs for people Mandel passionately describes the joy and beauty they bring the audience and themselves, “What was lost in the collapse: almost everything, almost everyone, but there was still such beauty. Twilight in the altered world, a performance of a Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Mandel, 57). Despite the ‘end of the world’ the group is a family that spread joy, happiness and music throughout the remains of civilization. The transcendent unity and joy that the Symphony brings to itself and to others transpire hope onto the thought that even though the Old World is nonexistent, the New World can still contain its elements. Without Mandel's earnest voice when speaking of the Symphony, the message she is trying to pull across of hope within humanity, the novel wouldn't make much of an impact.

Mandel’s unusual perspective and beautiful voice makes this book ardent. The Traveling Symphony allows us to broaden our thoughts of our views of human nature as a whole and question whether or not family, love, and hope would transcend the destruction of humanity. It is through Mandel’s passion that the reader gains insight into Station Eleven. Mandel drives us to question what would happen if the world were to end; what would remain, and what would cease.

Station Eleven...Worst Book Ever?

Pat Piscatelli Emily St. John Mandel’s new book, Station Eleven, follows a group of Shakespearean actors after the collapse of the world due to a disease. Yes, Mandel somehow sees the importance of Shakespeare and acting in a world of anarchy and demise. Mandel also writes about the world before the epidemic. Mandel bounces from past to present and then back to past throughout the book, often confusing the reader. Mandel, however, does a decent job of tying all the events past and present together in the end, but you still need to suffer through over three hundred pages of pointless paragraphs, and confusing stories to get there. The rewarding end does not compare to the horrendous beginning and middle of the book. Mandel’s book, Station Eleven, follows a group of Shakespearean actors and musicians, called the traveling symphony, in a post epidemic world. The group travels into a town and finds a christian prophet. The prophet believes that the symphony kidnapped one of his wives, so he decides to kidnap two members of the symphony. Looks like the post pandemic world did not affect the sanity of people; because of course a group of young actors and musicians you’ve never seen before clearly kidnapped your wife. After the kidnapping of the symphony members, and the alleged kidnapping of the prophet's wife conflicts start to arise between the group and the prophet. The fight between the groups continues until the dramatic ending. The book lacks in structure. The plot is confusing enough, but add in the past and present aspect and this book becomes like a teenagers room, a mess. Mandel starts the book with a man, Arthur, dying in a play, and that's where the book should have stopped. After the death of Arthur, Mandel jumps between characters and the time period so often you forget what was just written. “Ten minutes before the photograph, Arthur Leander and the girl are waiting by the coat check in a restaurant in Toronto. This is well before the Georgia Flu. Civilization won’t collapse for another fourteen years. Arthur has been filming a period drama all week, partly on a soundstage and partly in a park on the edge of the city” (Mandel 71). If the structure of the book flowed better chronologically maybe the novel could be decent. In addition to having terrible structure, Mandel also struggled in her writing techniques. She switches from passive voice to active voice randomly. This not only is strange but it also is confusing. Mandel struggled with diction in the book. "Clark woke at four a.m. the next morning and took a taxi to the airport" (Mandel 223). Instead of took Mandel should have wrote rode. Some books like, Lone Survivor, Unbroken, and Sherlock Holmes you can’t put down, but Station Eleven is hard to pick up. After ten pages the book has already bored you, and confused you enough to drive back to the bookstore and ask for your money back. Unless you are required to read it for school I cannot understand why anyone would read this book.