Ethan Mintmire > Recent Status Updates

I love the Hross, specifically Ransom’s companion, Hyoiy. He’s very poetic and wise. The scene where Ransom felt embarrassed any time he had to share anything about earth with Hyoiy was rich with allusion to the fall of man in earth. I love how pure he has learned the Hross are. The fact that it couldn’t even understand motive for war as Ransom presented it to him was genius. I loved every second of that scene.

I just read the poem “Bath.” The poem is about how music has “bathed” the narrator’s imagination and vigor for life. He’s gone from seeing the world and those around him as wilting roses to seeing it as clothed in climbing roses. This resonates with me because I too have experienced what it’s like to go from a place of depression, seeing the world as grey, to being enchanted and enamored.

Okay so I’ve read on, and I think I just misunderstood the whole Sorns thing. I don’t think Lewis intended that part to be mysterious. The Hross and Sorns are not the same species it looks like. I am fascinated that the handramit (valleys or canyons) of Malacandra is seen as the lower parts of the planet while Harandra (peeks and mountaintops) is supposed to be the surface.

This is very encouraging so far. But the puritans push a line in piety that I’m not really used to in my daily life, which is healthy. They seem to push the line of aseticism without really going there, while emphasizing Christ’s habit of drawing near to the weak and sinful most of all. I look forward to getting on with this book.

So Ransom has now met a “Hross.” It was an endearing, curious, and tantalizing encounter. I’m wondering now if this is what he has referred to as a “Sorn.” He hasn’t come into contact with a sorn, and maybe if he got closer he’d realize the Hross an Sorn are the same all along. Lewis’ ability to identify man’s habit of putting things into familiar categories is poignant also.

Ransom has now fallen asleep in the forest after escaping Westin and Devine. He’s back and forth between fear and wonder. He’s scared to drink the mysterious water but his body is getting weaker and weaker. I look forward to seeing what he does next.

No comments yet. I have a poor habit of speaking too soon.

SPOILER:
Wow. The scene between Lise and Alyosha was incredibly entertaining. I followed every syllable of their dialogue. Mrs. Khoklakov’s reaction to it did surprise me, I maybe need to reread or look up why she reacted the way she did. I’m totally roped into Snegirev’s character though. Some small part of me wants to pray for him even though he’s a literal character in a book.

The scene between Alyosha and Snegirev was a potent scene depicting how destitution and misfortune can invoke vice in the same way vanity and success can. This was a sad scene. It also demonstrates the power cruelty has to ruin lives, I say referring to Dmitri assaulting Snegirev. There are huge honor-shame culture dynamics portrayed in this chapter as well.

SPOILER ALERT:
The story is setting up a lot of questions about the visiting monk to the monestary, what’s going to happen between Dmitry and Fyodor, who is this boy who bit Alyosha’s finger? Probably the son of the man who dmitri beat up so bad. I think Katerina is bad news. The only person I trust are Mrs Khoklakov and Alyosha. But idk the story is moving a little slow right now.

This story is absolutely enthralling. I wish I could take just 5 days and read all the way through the rest of it.

The introduction story of Smerdyakov was so fascinating. Lizaveta is yet another example of how masterfully Dostoevsky can craft a complicated character who stirs the reader’s curiosity. With every introduction of a character, Dostoevsky earns another 1000 pages of committed, attentive reading from his reader. This story is wonderfully complex.

Gotta be honest, I’m not loving these poems. They’re not resonating with me, and the verse is so prose-y that I feel like I’m just reading paragraphs chopped out of a random roaring 20s sad novel and not actually enjoying poetry as an art form. Maybe there’s something to be said for learning to appreciate something— that is after all how I’m reading today, but it’ll take more than this.

In response to Alyosha requesting his consent to go live at the monestary, Fyodor Karamazov delivers a, duplicitous, and eerie monologue about how Alyosha is so pure and cannot be sullied about anything. Ending with this shivering line:
“You’ll get over it and come back to me.. you’re the only one who hasn’t condemned me.”
“He [Fyodor] was wicked and sentimental.”

It sounded manipulative to me.

The author has presented the characters in a fascinating way. Dmitri (or Mitya), the rebel, Ivan the scholastic, and Alexei (idk I’m on chapter 4 now) are a very intriguing trio. Fyodor Alexandrovich Karamazov has married Adelaida Miusov and Sofia Vorokhov and is a pitiful man and father who lives off attention, receiving good and bad attention indiscriminately. I’m curious to learn more about Father Karamazov.

I can tell this book is gonna be a reread. So far, a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, it’s very clear, easily readable, communicates the story of the Bible with crystal clarity. And, it adds preaching tips throughout the book, so anyone who wants to become more of a biblical-theological expository preacher, this books trains you to think to that end.

Wanted a refresher on biblical theology and a easy read. Started it this morning and wanna see if I can finish by tomorrow. I enjoy its clarity and simplicity.

Kenyon’s free-verse offers freedom of expression which nicely accommodates her raw emotional presentation. While displaying vibrant emotions, she balances her inner emotional life with a very normal outer life. This inadvertently offers validation to the reader who maybe has a very active emotional life, but feels stuck in a normal life which wouldn’t permit emotions vulnerability. I’ve truly enjoyed this.

Lewis’ depiction of the countryside of Ireland is extensive, and pushed me to my limit in terms of attention. But he probably meant to push me there. His contrast between the foreign “fantastic” beauty he already appreciated against this new “homely” beauty he learned to appreciate from his friend Arthur is enjoyable to read and learn to appreciate for oneself.

Just like the Will Harmon anthology, I’m reading through this as I please in no particular order. Really trying to get a feel for whether I like poetry, and what kinds I like if I do. This one is enjoyable, varying depths, lengths, complexities. Great for a new poetry reader