Book Report For The Winter Holiday
This holiday is a beautiful and busy time for reading, that I have read several English books. Here is the report.
Vanity Fair
I have finished reading the book named Vanity Fair, a novel without a hero. In this novel, different person has different typical character, no one is the replica of anyone else, and here I want to talk about the two main characters in this novel.
Rebecca is very beautiful, smart but poor, she turns herself into a mean girl, toying and flirting with any prospective one by which she could ascend to the upper class. With deep ambition, she uses all the means, no matter it is good or bad, to get her own goal to reach her own heaven, the upper class society. But her best friend, Amelia, is very different, simply lovely, innocent, friendly and no one preparedness. She seems to have all the good natures of the human beings. She lives in a perfect world and she herself is also a perfect girl with a kind and warm heart, she does not care about others' bad purpose, does not need to care about the real everyday life, she just needs to has her own inside world as even in the heaven.
At beginning of reading this novel, I liked Amelia very much. In my thought, she was the angel falling down to our society; on the contrary, I hated Rebecca who was almost without good nature. However, when I came back to enjoy this novel, I changed my ideas.
Different people have different aims, which is almost based on the background she is born and the condition she lived. We cannot say which is right or which is wrong. If we put these two women in the society which we are living in, I believe Rebecca, the ambitious woman, would be a successful person who plays an important statu and role. She is not afraid of failure and likes to try her best to gain her goal. Maybe she is the representative of people who are governor-oriented. But we have to admit that she is very brave. There are many things we should learn from this small woman. Firstly, an unchangeable aim is her best weapon. In her whole life, many things have changed but her aim. She costs a lot to reach it but she does not give up. Where there is a will, there is a way. In her deep heart, she must have thought whether it is worth to so many things but she persuaded herself because of the aims. Secondly, to be yourself. The society has turned every different stone to the same shape, however, you need to be a completed person, do not concern too much about others' words. Only be yourself is the best way to keep you happy. Rebecca is the very person who has done it well.
The opinions about the characters vary from person to person, but I like Rebecca best. To be that such excellent person is so difficult but I should learn so much from her, to be adamancy, to be myself.
Hamlet
Hamlet, the most representative of Shakespeare's artistic creations and the summit of the Renaissance drama, is not a simple revenge play, but a tragedy of humanist ideals crushed with cruel reality. The play begins with the news that King of Denmark has recently died. King Claudius, the late king's brother, who now rules Denmark, has married Queen Gertrude, the late King's wife. Hamlet, the late King's son, does not trust the new King, nor does he approve of his mother Queen Gertrude remarrying so quickly after his father's death. In the feeling of sorrow, he meet the ghost of his father, who reveals he was poisoned by King Claudius and who tells him to avenge for his death but not to punish Queen Gertrude for remarrying. After the appearing of the ghost of his father, he knows the truth and wants to revenge, so all the rest of the play is talking about the revenge.
I am sorry to say I know little about the art and value of dramas, so here I want to give my opinions about the character of Hamlet. During Shakespeare's whole life, he had created many characters with unique creative technique. These characters were alive with the unique personality, particularly in Hamlet, the image of Hamlet
(A)As A Humanist
In the beginning of the play, we can see that Hamlet is an idealist. He affirms the human being and speaks:"what a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving, how express and admirable in action, how like a God: the beauty of world, the paragon of animals." from here, we all can see the humanist. It is the hottest praise to human and also the most serious question to god and church. He has an unbounded love for the world, nature and man; he loves good, hates evil, and is free from medieval prejudices and superstitions, he shows a contempt for rank and wealth; he is a man of genius, highly accomplished and educated; he is a scholar, soldier, and statesman. He thinks that his father is the most perfect man and his parent's marriage is the typical constant example. And all of these make him believe in love, friendship and human being’s mind. But his father's death and his mother's remarriage conflict to his ideal principle.
(B)Being Hesitant
When I want to analyze a character in a drama, I will image he is a friend next to me. When I was reading this drama, I really tried to persuade myself that Hamlet was my friend, but at last I failed, because I am a hotheaded person who would do the things as soon as possible. Hamlet, however after knowing the truth, he does not revenge impulsively. He meditates on the revenge plan with his anxiety and hesitation, so that the time for revenge is delayed for several times. Why is he hesitant? Because in his heart, there are two opposite sides in his mind, the moral integrity and the need to avenge his father, the dark one and the bright and these two fight fiercely.
Hamlet in this drama was a very typical character in that period and this drama is also a milestone in Shakespeare’s dramatic development. As Shakespeare said “There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes." So the way to analyze hamlet is so long.
the Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen’s most famous novel Pride and Prejudice is one of the most favorite books I’ve ever read. I first read it in my secondary school, when I didn’t know what love is. However, it seems that it is our instinct to tell right from wrong. Almost as soon as I’ve finished this book, or to be exact, before finishing it.
It takes place in London, England, around the time of the 1800s. This story talks about Elizabeth Bennet's family, including the daughters' love life.
While I was reading the book, I was totally absorbed in the plot, feeling what Elizabeth felt and thinking what Darcy thought about. I was sometimes amused by Mr. Collins’ stupidity, sometimes irritated by Wickham’s hypocrisy and sometimes extremely worried about Elizabeth and Darcy’s mutual understanding. Luckily, it is a happy ending.
After reading the book, I could not help asking myself: Is it another fairy tale of another Cinderella? Could it be possible that a noble man like Darcy would marry a humble girl in reality? Could there be a man just as handsome, gentle and considerate as Mr. Darcy? I may easily tell it is rarely possible! In reality, people tend to value social status or personal income a lot. People who come from different backgrounds form different way of thinking and behaving. In my opinion, love and respect cannot do everything. They would find contradiction in their value and even in daily affairs. Therefore, two people from different backgrounds can hardly match.
Also, we can see the ideal marriage in this novel. It’s not common, but possible indeed. It is not only about the appearance or money. Marrying people should understand each other, respect each other, love each other and be equal. Even the extraordinary appearance does not give marriage the real happiness, Lydia had already showed us.
In the novel, we could conclude that the author is in favor of marriage based on love. And Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s marriage is the most favorable one among all. There’s also something we could easily notice, the relationship between marriage and money. Marriage for money is doomed to be a failure; nevertheless, marriage without money can never be happy. It is justified by all of the couples in the book. To some extent, the reason why Elizabeth and Darcy enjoy the happiest marriage is that Darcy has the most fortune. Since Wickham has the least fortune, his marriage with Lydia is destined to be the worst. Thus we could indicate from the marriages in Pride and Prejudice that a happy and strong marriage takes time to build and must be based on mutual feelings, understanding and respect, while hasty marriage based on superficial qualities will not last long and will lead to unhappiness.
This book has taught me how to be an outstanding girl like Elizabeth. Smart, knowledgeable and so on. Pride and Prejudice is a book you can read over and over and over again. When you start reading, you just can't stop. And for every time you read it, you'll learn something new.
Jane Eyre
Charlotte Bronte was born in York; England in 1816.She was the third of her siblings. Her father was a poor prophet and her mother was a housewife. As you all know, just like Jane. Her mother died when she was five years old .Fortunately, her father was a well-educated man, he could teach his children at home. Her two younger sisters and she grew up very talented in literature. They were known as the Bronte sisters, whose novels have become enduring classics of English literature
Jane is free physically and mentally. As she says, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will.” At her time, women have no social status and they are thought to be dependent on their husband. However Jane is different, she is not dependent on anybody, her soul is free and she pursues freedom bravely.
She regards herself as equal as anyone in the world at God’s feet. Even though she is poor, obscure, plain and little, she is not soulless and heartless, she has as much soul as any “noble man”, she respects herself and thus she owns Mr Rochester’s respect and love in return.
Jane never stops her efforts to find love. Even when she’s just a little girl, she wants to be loved, and that is shown by her comment: “ I must dislike those who, whatever I do to please them, persist in disliking me; I must resist those who punish me unjustly. It is as natural as that I should love those who showing me affection, or submit to punishment when I feel it is deserved.” She desires love and happiness.
I admire Jane’s spirit and bravery. She lives a life in her own way, and sets a good example to many people, including me. Her spirit of pursuing love, freedom and equality inspires me.
Little Women
As Mrs. March had said, “There’re a good many hard times in this life of ours, but we can always bear them if we ask help in a right way. I think my little girl is learning this.” Every time you want to give up, the encouraging words in the Little Women will light it up to you.
The four lovely girls from March had different characters. With strong passions toward their dreams, they tried their best to achieve them though the way to success was not always full of sunshine and flowers. The way to an adult world just like the Piligrims exploring the New World, was an uphill struggle. However, they grew up through the ups and downs in their lives and finally be an independent woman.
The most interesting part of the novel was the dinner-time story. Each girl including their mother told the daily story to the whole family. It can be funny or meaningful. It impressed me that though they were poor enough to live their lives, they never forgot to be grateful to the world.
It was a fantastic journey while you put yourself into the little women’s life. Wise people in hard times never failed to find a way to comfort their lives. And the good story they left behind can always give us strength and wisdom.
From their body, I learned how strong and learned how to be contented, but I cannot satisfy the need to learn to always be full of hope for the future and try to chase the dream of optimism. I also learned to cherish the double-owned, and so on do not know who died lost their commendable. We found that everyone should be careful not to bring the advantages of the colored eye can only see other people's shortcomings.
Keep in mind that happiness is fundamental, has to be happy, even if the life of the poor than the rich do not happy the stronger and more! Very often, when we have been dreaming of the things themselves, often forget their own original work and the pay is the most valuable and most admired. If we have forgotten, it will often lose themselves and choose to corrupt, if we are able to firmly keep in mind, we will be able to keep their own efforts to show that the rich and well-being. This is a life of wealth, career, emotional, such as the pursuit of truth, and not just in terms of a family. We would like to be able to bear this in mind, a rich and well-being.
These are the books I have read these holiday and here are some points.
