Murakami’s Boris the Manskinner has an unsettling resemblance to Vladimir Putin and wannabe authoritarian Donald Trump. Without strong beliefs, one cannot stand up to him.
Monthly Archives: October 2017
Putin as Murakami’s Boris the Manskinner
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Donald Trump, Haruki Murakami, Magnitsky Act, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, politics, Russia sanctions, Vladimir, Wind-Up Bird Chronicle Comments closed
Mockingbird Discomfits the Wrong People
If teachers should teach controversial lit to discomfit their students, is “To Kill a Mockingbird” a good choice? There’s a problem if those most discomfited are black students.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Book banning, Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee, racism, To Kill a Mockingbird Comments closed
Rightwing Evangelicals Bind with Briars
Studies show that college does not turn young people away from religion. In fact, literature and humanities courses can strengthen faith.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Garden of Love", "poem in praise of menstruation", Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jane Austen, Lucille Clifton, Pride and Prejudice, Purple Hibiscus, rightwing Christianity, rightwing evangelicals, William Blake Comments closed
Foes of Mockingbird Have a Point
I’m somewhat sympathetic with the Biloxi parents who want to ban “To Kill a Mockingbird” in an 8th grade classroom. At the very least, I want it supplemented with works by writers of color.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged banned books, Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird Comments closed
Wild Accusations of Witch Hunts
Wild accusations of witch hunts by Donald Trump and Woody Allen are not what Arthur Miller had in mind when he wrote “The Crucible.”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Arthur Miller, Communism, Crucible, Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, red scare, sexual harrassment, witch hunts, Woody Allen Comments closed
Ishiguro Anticipated Brexit, Trump
Recently Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro anticipated the return of tribal hatreds in the developed world.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Brexit, Buried Giant, extreme partisanship, Fascism, Kazuo Ishiguro, Remains of the Day Comments closed
Kelly as Coriolanus? Dear God, No!
John McCain is John of Gaunt to John Kelly’s Coriolanus. Guess which one loves his country more.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Coriolanus, Donald Trump, Fascism, Henry VI Part I, John Kelly, John McCain, popular rule, Richard II, William Shakespeare Comments closed
How Owen Meany Comforts the Bereaved
In his interactions with friends and family of slain Green Beret Sgt. La David Johnson, Trump is making the issue about himself. “Prayer for Owen Meany” reminds us that we should focus instead on the mourners.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged David Johnson, Donald Trump, Frederica Wilson, Green Berets, John Irving, mourning, Niger ambush, Prayer for Owen Meany Comments closed
Religion in Class? Teach It, Don’t Preach It
Is academe biased against religion? Maybe to a degree, but religious background is essential for understanding most of the literature we teach.
