I finally finished Oliver Twist last week. It only took a letter from the library reminding me it was way way overdue. Wait, I mentioned Dickens last in the blog title, well, as homage to Dickens I’ll start with the last first, and work my way through the plot (blog entry) as I please.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading it. The movies are similar, but they’ve altered a few major plots, in some ways okay, but in some ways not so good. First, I think they indicate Nancy betrays Oliver, she does not. Also, at the end when Sikes is running after he murders Nancy, Oliver is not with him, in fact, unlike the two film versions I’ve seen, he does not get captured after he gets shot.
Dickens uses fancy words, here’s some I didn’t know:
Imprecations
Profligacy
Loquacious
Assiduity
Paroxysm
Ineffable
Rueful
Propensity
Taken out of context the words don’t seem as fancy as they are in the sentences. Here are some chopped up sentences:
'Wolves tear your throat!'……As Sikes growled forth this imprecation, with the most desperate ferocity that his desperate nature was capable of,…
With many loquacious assurances that they would be agreeably surprised in the aspect of the criminal,….
The doctor then communicated, in reply to multifarious questions from his young friend, a precise account of his patient’s situation; which was quite as consolatory and full of promise,…
He applied himself, with redoubled assiduity, to the instructions of the white-headed old gentleman,….
‘Your prerogative!’ sneered Mrs. Bumble, with ineffable contempt.
…., Mr. Bumble took his hat from a peg, and putting it on, rather rakishly, on one side, as a man might, who has felt he had asserted his superiority in a becoming manner, thrust his hands into his pockets, and sauntered towards the door, with much ease and waggishness depicted in his whole appearance.
Why only parts of sentences? Well, they can be quite long. The first sentence in Chapter XXVII is a full 16 lines long.
Mostly, I like Dickens’ descriptions, some are really graphic:
It was a cheerless morning when they got into the street; blowing and raining hard; and the clouds looking dull and stormy. The night had been very wet: large pools of water had collected in the road: and the kennels were overflowing. There was a faint glimmering of the coming day in the sky; but it rather aggravated than relieved the gloom of the scene: the somber light only serving to pale that which the street lamps afforded, without shedding any warmer or brighter tints upon the wet housetops, and dreary streets. There appeared to be nobody stirring in that quarter of town; the windows of the houses were all closely shut; and the streets through which they passed, were noiseless and empty.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading it. The movies are similar, but they’ve altered a few major plots, in some ways okay, but in some ways not so good. First, I think they indicate Nancy betrays Oliver, she does not. Also, at the end when Sikes is running after he murders Nancy, Oliver is not with him, in fact, unlike the two film versions I’ve seen, he does not get captured after he gets shot.
Dickens uses fancy words, here’s some I didn’t know:
Imprecations
Profligacy
Loquacious
Assiduity
Paroxysm
Ineffable
Rueful
Propensity
Taken out of context the words don’t seem as fancy as they are in the sentences. Here are some chopped up sentences:
'Wolves tear your throat!'……As Sikes growled forth this imprecation, with the most desperate ferocity that his desperate nature was capable of,…
With many loquacious assurances that they would be agreeably surprised in the aspect of the criminal,….
The doctor then communicated, in reply to multifarious questions from his young friend, a precise account of his patient’s situation; which was quite as consolatory and full of promise,…
He applied himself, with redoubled assiduity, to the instructions of the white-headed old gentleman,….
‘Your prerogative!’ sneered Mrs. Bumble, with ineffable contempt.
…., Mr. Bumble took his hat from a peg, and putting it on, rather rakishly, on one side, as a man might, who has felt he had asserted his superiority in a becoming manner, thrust his hands into his pockets, and sauntered towards the door, with much ease and waggishness depicted in his whole appearance.
Why only parts of sentences? Well, they can be quite long. The first sentence in Chapter XXVII is a full 16 lines long.
Mostly, I like Dickens’ descriptions, some are really graphic:
It was a cheerless morning when they got into the street; blowing and raining hard; and the clouds looking dull and stormy. The night had been very wet: large pools of water had collected in the road: and the kennels were overflowing. There was a faint glimmering of the coming day in the sky; but it rather aggravated than relieved the gloom of the scene: the somber light only serving to pale that which the street lamps afforded, without shedding any warmer or brighter tints upon the wet housetops, and dreary streets. There appeared to be nobody stirring in that quarter of town; the windows of the houses were all closely shut; and the streets through which they passed, were noiseless and empty.
As you can see in this crappy pic of Pillar Mountain taken out back, me leaning over the railing, is a li’ touch o’ green pokin’ through yesteryear’s dead grass. The image of Pillar Mountain is about to dramatically change – we’re getting wind turbines right atop Pillar. You can see an artist rendering on KEA’s website www.kodiakelectric.com, but I don’t see any specific info, which I was hoping to find. Crab Fest – yeah! Oh wait, it rained. Nevermind. Never did get any crab. It sold out everytime we went. I had plenty of kettle corn though!
Also, I entered the Crab Fest art show, even though the piece pictured below (not Ohr's, below that) did not turn out. Disappointing. Oh well. I sold just one piece. I am still a broke artist! At what point do I give up?
Also, I entered the Crab Fest art show, even though the piece pictured below (not Ohr's, below that) did not turn out. Disappointing. Oh well. I sold just one piece. I am still a broke artist! At what point do I give up?
The other evening ago I was changing Abby’s diaper, and she didn’t want it back on. Since it was almost time for bed, and to let her butt air out, I just let her run around nude. I do this in the evening sometimes. This time was special. She was playing, and I started talking to Jr., and then he said ‘Oh my G--, what is that?!’ pointing to the floor. It looked like small dog turds. Oh wait, its Abby turds!!! I laughed and laughed. I was laughing so hard Abby was looking at me funny. I guess she was playing, squatted, and let it out.
Every time she poops I tell her, “Abby, you’re supposed to say Mommy, I went poop.” No luck yet.
