Blog
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The Medieval Origin of a Vile New Insult: Cuck
If you happen to frequent the comments section in political Facebook and Twitter posts, YouTube videos, and many other such places on the Internet, you may have encountered alt-right commenters referring to 'those stupid liberal snowflakes' as “cucks”.
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Translation as Literary Reconciliation: Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali’s Sounds of a Cowhide Drum / Imisindo Yesigubhu Sesikhumba Senkomo
The 1995 South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) intended to “provide a forum for both victims and perpetrators [of apartheid] to share their stories and bear witness to historical harms and injustices in an open, public forum” (Gaertner 446). The terms and expectations for the TRC’s notion of reconciliation, however, do not account for the lasting effects of the legacy of apartheid on contemporary South Africans. More specifically, the TRC does not account for socio-political and cultural reconciliation beyond the proposed reconciliation of the individual victim and perpetrator. It instead provides a temporary but ultimately insufficient method of healing dependent on the closure of a past that cannot and…
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What’s in a Name? The Importance of Being Earnestly Yourself
The Importance of Being Earnest is Oscar Wilde’s witty play centering around Jack Worthing and the consequences of having a false identity (named Ernest) to escape social obligations and limitations. As Jack explains to his friend Algernon Montieff, his name is “Ernest in town and Jack in the country” (5). Algernon learns of this deception by an inscription on Jack’s cigarette case, addressed to him by his real name, and is shocked by his confession, responding that Jack looks “as if [his] name was Ernest” and that “[he is] the most earnest looking person he ever saw in [his] life” (5). Jack’s situation turns into a complicated affair when his…
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7 Poets to Follow on Instagram that aren’t Rupi Kaur
If you have been living anywhere that isn’t under a rock for the past 4 years, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard of Rupi Kaur. She has captivated readers with her two simple yet incredibly resonant collections of poetry: Milk and Honey and The Sun and Her Flowers. Her 3.1 million Instagram followers wait daily for her to post another poem. This being said, if you’re anything like me you’re probably a little tired of hearing about Rupi Kaur and are looking for something new. Below are 7 other poets to help refresh your Instagram feed. @atticuspoetry Atticus is my favourite poet on Instagram,…
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Drama, Determination and Death: Diving into Sophocle’s Antigone
On the surface, Sophocle’s Antigone presents itself as your typical Greek-style tragedy. Yet, I was left thoroughly shaken by the morally diverse depth of each and every character throughout the play, abstract questions swarming in my head, urging me to explore further than the words lying on the pages. I delved into the personal beliefs each character holds and the consequential implications of their resulting actions in society, as well as examined the dynamics that arise amidst the characters’ interactions with each other. What I discovered are not some bland, stale answers that neatly wrap up my trains of thought; there are many answers for one concept depending on your…
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Halloween Books to Kickoff Your Halloween Week
The origins of Halloween date back to a Celtic tradition marking the end of the harvest season. Later, this pagan celebration was given Christian connotations by the Church, and the term “Halloween” translates to “All Saints” (“History of Halloween” Radford, B.). The modern celebration of Halloween proves to be far more removed from its origins, and nowadays Halloween is typically associated with candy, haunted houses, pumpkin spice lattes, and carving jack-o-lanterns. As the weather cools and Halloween approaches, here are some spooky books you can curl up with to embrace the Halloween spirit. 1. “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley “Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful” –…
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Childhood Trauma and the Search for Closure
Guilt, sadness, resentment. Trauma. In childhood, we experience the world as creatures of intensity. Our memories remain clear yet marred, the pain of trauma cutting through all senses in recollection, even as we become adults. Madeleine Thien’s novel, Simple Recipes, recounts the fictional stories of individuals from different backgrounds and locations as they look into their childhoods and relationships in their search for closure. Set in Vancouver, Thien weaves a realistic portrayal of innocence and trust, as well as guilt and sadness, in her characters’ recollection of their traumatic experiences as children. The stories in the book range from childhood disciplinary violence, abandonment to sexual assault and alienation within the…
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Drugs, Alcohol and Literature
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan are only a few of the many incredible works that Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote in his troubled lifetime. When he lost his father as a young boy and suffered from several health issues in his youth, the solution that was offered to him was opium. While the drug was initially administered to him in small doses, it slowly made its way into his life and to become a full-fledged addiction. Among other reasons, Coleridge began regularly using opium as an antidepressant and relaxant amongst other reasons. He even admitted to using laudanum, particularly during times of extreme stress and anxiety. Since…
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5 Common Phrases in their Shakespearean Context
Although we may not realize it, many common phrases we use today were written by Shakespeare hundreds of years ago. When was the last time you were so tired you felt as “dead as a doornail”? Or when you experienced a “wild goose chase”? Although these sayings may not have been coined by Shakespeare himself, they were certainly present in his written works and were popularized by him. Here are some Shakespearean phrases in their literary context to boost your knowledge of The Bard. 1. Dish fit for the gods “And, gentle friends, Let’s kill him boldly but not wrathfully. Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the…
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The Kids’ Section: Oliver Jeffers’ The Heart and the Bottle
Though I consider myself a geek when it comes to English literature or anything poetry, there will always inevitably come a time when I need some kind of a break. Watching my mother teach kids in kindergarten and seeing the adorable picture books she would bring back home was fascinating. I was surprised when I learned how much planning and intricacy was involved in creating the perfect picture book, and soon found myself taking interest in the field of children’s literature. Having been exposed to some great picture books as a child, I was keen to find out more about different, new authors and illustrators. One of my favourites is…
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6 Poetry Bites to Feed Your Soul on Dark, Gloomy Days
Dark Raincouver nights. Week after week of essays. A never-ending list of obligations. Whether you’re taking double shifts at work, crunching to meet a word count or studying into the wee hours of the morning for midterms, it’s important to take a quiet moment for yourself however you need to. Here are some small bites of poetry to get you through those dark, gloomy days. A few words of encouragement, a phrase to resolve your existential crisis, or just a beautiful, brief verse — sometimes literature can keep us going even when copious amounts of caffeine cannot. 1. “O Me! O Life!” by Walt Whitman “Oh me! Oh life! of…
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Senior Leaders on Sauder 2013 FROSH: A Discourse Analysis
Last term, I chose to do my ENGL 312A (Discourse and Society) final paper on how people at UBC talk about the Sauder 2013 FROSH chants. In today’s blog entry, I will discuss the portion of my research that focused on how senior leaders at UBC responded to the controversy. Do you remember a time when Sauder had the most amazing FROSH activities on campus? Me neither. When I came to UBC, I was a second-year transfer student entering Sauder. It was 2014 and FROSH was no longer an event held for new students. New students to Sauder now attended The Spark, a student-run event welcoming first-years and transfer students.…
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‘Too Strong’ of a Female Role: Feminist or Anti-Feminist?
(Editor Note: This blog article contains spoilers from Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl) Geoffrey Chaucer’s Wife of Bath’s Tale and Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl evoke two kinds of reactions in their readers: “you go, girl!” or “crazy b****”. Within the frame of their respective marriages, The Wife of Bath and Amy seek to control their husbands. While these strong female roles can be seen as either liberating or misogynist, this categorization is not so black and white. Both texts perhaps agree that women are strong and smart enough to have power, but also present this power as potentially problematic. Does this type of narrative illustrate women positively or negatively? The Wife of…
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The Discussion of Race on Television Over Three Decades
Race: an arbitrary subject which some have the privilege to ignore while most do not. The popular narrative of a group of white people struggling to “make it” is often the way life in North America has been depicted on television. This narrative fails to capture reality, as it does not acknowledge the challenges and obstacles of people who are not white and middle class. To explore how the conversations about race have changed on television, I am going to analyze the way race is discussed in three popular shows: Friends which takes place in the 90’s, The Office which takes place in the 2000’s, and Master of None which…
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More Than Just Words on Paper: Reflections on an English Degree
In my first year at UBC, I was a Science student on weekdays and a barista on weekends. I stuck out my coffee-making career into my second year, which was when I decided to pursue English Literature and Psychology. The “So You Wanna Be A Barista” jokes didn’t start until after I’d transferred into Arts, and, ironically, after I’d decided to quit my job. This post isn’t meant to set fire to any major or lord one degree over another. It’s a reflection of what I’ve gained from studying English and the value of an English Lit experience to me. In the end, your degree is more than just the…
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Oh, for the Love of Keats!
One of our ESA contributors, Saakshi, reflects on the way a trip to Keats’ home affected her outlook on English, poetry, and the universality of pure human emotion. I was fortunate enough to have myself immersed in the magical world of John Keats for the first time in high school, two years ago. Ever since I read his work, no other poet’s words have managed to move or resonate with me more. Keats wrote with a passion unmatched, about emotions so heartbreakingly human that I couldn’t help but feel his pain, almost alongside him, and fall more in love with his poetry. It was a dream come true when…
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Children’s Literature Isn’t Just for Kids
Confession time: I’ve read more Harry Potter books than I have Shakespeare dramas. Yes, I know, truly shameful stuff for an English Lit major. But despite my supposed status as an adult, I’m still a total sucker for children’s literature. Children’s literature is an expansive and flexible genre that can be prescribed to many different works. What counts as children’s lit depends on how you define the genre, and how you define “children” and “literature”. You could argue Harry Potter, “Alice in Wonderland” and “Coraline” fall under that category. And then you have outliers like Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, which for all purposes appears to be children’s literature…
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The Theatre Experience, Through the Eyes of an English Lover
I might not know what sort of future I am looking towards, or the career path I am destined to take, but I definitely have always known that I would be some kind of Arts Major at UBC. My passion has always been centered around creativity — telling, reading and writing stories — so it’s no surprise that in high school my favourite and best subject was English. I read all sorts of poems, novels, and plays (as the routine English class normally does), and with each work I gained more knowledge, more happiness, and more curiosity. It was a source of my passion, an outlet for my creative needs — but…
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HOWLween! with the ESA Recap: Part Two
This is Part Two of our exciting HOWLween! with the ESA Recap. You can catch up on Kristinaville’s initial casualties here. The two werewolves were still at large. Our town, on the other hand, was feeling not so large. Especially when we all woke up and discovered that Jessica, the nicest person in our whole town, had been murdered. Also, ever since Kevin died, we had all been running short on carbs. Our energy levels just weren’t what they used to be. * ‘What if we just don’t kill someone? What if I’m morally against killing?’ Ronnie asked, after leading three angry murder mobs. ‘No, you have to kill someone,’ said…
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HOWLween! with the ESA Recap: Part One
On October 30th, the ESA gathered for its annual game of Werewolf. We ate candy. We decorated cookies. We sharpened our pitchforks and ruined friendships. Don’t fret if you missed out on the fun and food. There will be more of it (with hopefully less bloodshed) on Friday, November 17 at the ESA’s November Board Game Night! You can also hear some (far more expert) stories, poems, and more at The Garden Statuary Issue 7.1 Launch Party on November 30! In the meantime, Rebecca, Kristinaville’s town doctor, has provided an unbiased and totally accurate account of the village’s werewolf trials and tribulations. [Editor’s Note: We are currently negotiating with Rebecca…
