"Servants of the Map"

Personally, the idea of climbing a mountain has always seemed ridiculous. I can't imagine forcing myself to climb up to the top of a mountain, regardless of how beautiful people say the view is, or how overwhelming the feeling of accomplishment. There are plenty of beautiful places I can see with much more ease, and much simpler tasks that give me a feeling of accomplishment. Climbing a mountain has never been something I have desired to do.

However, each day, there is a hurdle we much overcome. A mountain to climb. When we "reach the top" of our mountain, the view is beautiful, and we feel accomplished. I enjoyed the HONY post, and the connection made between journey and destination. Most emphasis is put on the destination, however, the focus should be on the journey taken to get there. Each step taken towards the destination changes perspective, and entices personal growth. Whether or not we reach the destination, we have made progress. There is something to be said about putting in the work, even if the results aren't the most desirable outcome. Climbing a mountain teaches us what we can accomplish, pushes us to be better, and forces us to break out of our comfort zones.

The experience of reading a play changes the perspective through which the story is seen. When reading a play, I always feel that I have insider knowledge. I am instructed on how the characters are positioned, and their reactions are detailed. However, when body language isn't emphasized, it allows the reader to put their own perspective on the situation. Novels give more descriptions, whereas plays tend to focus on staging and dialogue. I enjoy this, however, because it allows the reader to infer the tone of the character, and the way in which words are spoken. I don't believe there is a hinderance from reading a play, it simply portrays the story in a different medium.

Adichie Lecture

While attending Chimamanda Adichie's lecture, I noted how strong of a sense of humor she had. This was surprising to me, as many of the stories we read in The Thing Around Your Neck were heavy and saddening. I loved her ability to joke, while discussing serious issues at the same time. I was also surprised when Adichie said to, "write about what you know". I was curious as to how familiar she was with the scenarios in The Thing Around Your Neck and the personal experiences she had to make them something she knew.

Loss in "The Shivering"

In "A Private Experience", we discussed the idea of loss. Applying the idea of loss to "The Shivering" gives a different idea. In this story, the idea of loss can be applied to love. In "The Shivering", Ukamaka speaks about the loss of her boyfriend, Udenna. Learning about the character and personality that Udenna had throughout the story, one begins to question of Ukamaka really "lost" when Udenna broke up with her. Chinedu asks Ukamaka on page 153, "How can you love somebody and yet want to manage the amount of happiness that person is allowed?" Has Ukamaka truly lost something? Or has she gained? Similarly, Chinedu speaks about the loss of his boyfriend who was very possessive and controlling. Ukamaka says to Chinedu, "How can a person claim to love you and yet want you to do things that suit only them?" Both characters in "A Private Experience" had lost loved ones, and would suffer negatively from the loss. Yet, both characters in "The Shivering" lost loved ones, and found room to grow and benefit.