Author Archives: adhira b.

Book review – Lord of The Flies by William Golding

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Lord of The Flies is a psychological fiction that follows a large group of British schoolboys, ages 6-12, who end up stranded on an uninhabited island after a plane crash during a fictional worldwide war, likely referencing World War II.

The boys initially attempt to establish a sense of community. Ralph, one of the older boys, is selected as chief of the island, taking responsibility of leadership. He emphasizes the importance of being rescued. However, as time passes, darker truths of human nature get revealed in the book as the boys descend slowly into savagery.

The book has many powerful qualities, I’m excited to share the ones i found the most interesting and meaningful.

Themes and ideas

  • “Humans are Inherently evil”

The book demonstrates how almost every single kid on the island becomes out of touch with sense of civilization, and becomes savage. Without influence, the boys develop an animalistic lust to hunt and kill, which supports this message Golding is believed to have implied.

  • Fear

The boys are consumed with running thoughts that result in the increasing fear of the unknown “beast” which drives the boys to absurd violent behavior. Regardless of being unsure of what the beast is, the boys, especially the younger ones, are kept up at night.

Symbols in characters

  • Ralph

Ralph is one of the most civil boys on the island. He clings on to the hope of being rescued, while other boys cascade into violent savagery. He was a good leader, and therefore symbolizes order and structure.

  • Jack

Jack breaks away from Ralph’s civilized society and forms a violent tribe, therefore he is one of the first to depart from societal culture that everyone is used to. Jack represents savagery, and the supposed truth of human nature.

  • Piggy

Piggy is one of the smartest characters in the book. He is also one of the boys only hope of being rescued or retaining civilization. He has rational thoughts, but not many listen to him. He symbolizes civilization and struggle to maintain intellectualism in the island.

Overall, the book was a very intriguing interpretation of human nature. It has deep themes about survival and instinct. In real life, times of war or poverty can be the cause for many people to resort to similar dynamics, such as violence and power struggles. I would suggest the thought provoking novel to any people who are interested in complexity of human nature. The book is recommended for high school students.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free as an audiobook from Libby.

Album Review – Currents by Tame Impala

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Tame Impala is a psychedelic pop project by Australian singer Kevin Parker. He released their third album, Currents, in 2015. This is the first album that Parker mixed and recorded all music and instruments alone, therefore the album featured no other collaborators. Personally, this is my favorite album by Tame Impala and I became a fan of them after discovering the hit song, The Less I Know The Better.

Similar artists – MGMT, Mac deMarco, Foster the People

Themes and Lyrics

  • The album revolves around ideas of self-discovery, complex relationships, and conflicts in past and present. Almost every song describes relation-related transformations as well as their struggles. One of the more prominent examples of these journeys of self reflection can be seen in this quote from the song Yes I’m Changing

“Life is moving, can’t you see? There’s no future left for you and me”

I think the song describes getting over a relationship that most likely isn’t going to work out. This quote illustrates that it’s not always right to be stuck in the past, which many people can sympathize with. Another song that strongly embeds this theme is Past Life, in which a guy talks about an encounter with his old lover, which gives him a strange feeling.

Impressions and Opinions

  • Overall the songs in this album are very ethereal and nostalgia-inducing. My favorite songs in the album are Love/Paranoia and Eventually. If you are a first time listener to this album, I would definitely suggest listening to The Less I Know The Better and Let it Happen. My least favorite songs are either very repetitive (Nangs) or don’t have any lyrics (Gossip). No offense to the instrumentals, they’re great, but it’s just not for me.

Final Comments

  • I would recommend this album to people who enjoy upbeat, immersive music and would like to explore themes of personal transformation. If you’re getting over a relationship you might find a connection with this album.

Churro Cookies – recipe

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Since the holidays are around the corner, I thought making churro cookies would be a unique twist on traditional holiday cookies. Similar to snickerdoodles, these chewy cinnamon desserts make a perfect companion for a glass of milk or eggnog!

Ingredients

Cookies (12)

  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Cinnamon sugar mix

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Buttercream

  • 1/4 cup room temperature butter
  • 1-2 (up to you) tbsp cinnamon
  • splash of heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Mix + Bake cookies (Don’t incorporate buttercream ingredients.)

  1. Mix cinnamon sugar
  2. preheat oven to 350 fahrenheit
  3. cream butter & sugar until fluffy and light
  4. scrape sides and beat in egg & vanilla
  5. scrape sides and add flour, baking soda, & cinnamon.
  6. Make dough balls, dip them in mixed cinnamon sugar, flatten, and arrange on pan.
  7. Bake for 14-17 minutes, make sure they’re not glossy

Make frosting and frost!

8. Whip butter until smooth, add sugar, whipping cream, & cinnamon. Pipe and serve!

Book VS Movie – The Help

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Read The Help (2009)

The Help is a novel about African American maids working for white families during the 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi. It touches topics on racism, but also newfound open-minded perspectives. It follows Skeeter Phelan, a white resident of Jackson, helping black maids, especially Aibileen and Minny, through their struggles as she writes a controversial book about harsh work environments for the maids

Skeeter and her mom

Book – Illustrates Skeeter’s frustrating experiences with her mom, who has a very old-fashioned mindset.

Movie – especially focuses on the two’s unexceptional love, regardless of different perspectives.

Minny and Leroy

Book – follows Minny’s abusive relationship with Leroy is illustrated in greater detail. In the book, she even eventually runs away from him.

Movie – extremely minimal, only scene is when he throws a plate at the wall, and you can hear him yelling.

Themes 

Book – deep analysis of racism, privilege, and inequality.

Movie – overall lighter tone, despite both the book and movie being for middle schoolers/freshman, the movie is even more on the kid-friendly side.

Ending (Same plot, but..)

Book – more emphasis on Skeeters success from her book and her new career opportunities.. A bit more open ended.

Movie – follows Aibileen after she gets fired, showcases the dependence many white families had on their maids in these times.

Watch The Help (2011) on Disney+ or Hulu

Overall :

Book

  • Detailed and serious storytelling. 
  • Character development and societal criticism

Movie

  • Brief, empowering, emotional.
  • Visually captivating and heartfelt adaptation

Personally, I liked the movie better because I was able to follow along the whole time. The book was slightly over-detailed and there are many times when I lost the plot.

The Help book and movie by Kathryn Stockett are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. The book is also available to download for free from Libby.