Blog 3

 Something that has stood out to me in our recent readings of Waverly is the unique narrative style that is similar to other classic novels that I have read, such as Tom Jones and Tristram Shandy. The narrator adopts a cocky tone of sorts in which he tells the reader that if they do not like what they are reading, then they should stop reading the novel. This is something unique to this type of novel, and I appreciate the candor. Talking about the book itself in the novel is a style of writing that is very outdated, and it seems like breaking the 4th wall today. I am still determining how I feel about it or how I would feel if modern authors chose to adopt this method. It would receive backlash in today's reading community since it does seem slightly distracting from the plot; isn't the whole point of a novel to become so enraptured in the plot that you forget it's fictional?

Besides this little detail that has been sticking out to me, I also can't help but notice how unlikeable Waverly is. The parts of this novel that I enjoy are the historical aspects, and the Scottish appeal. However, I find myself unable to connect with Waverly, which, after reading some reviews online, is a common trend. I think that since he is 'wavering' so much and cannot seem to pick a set personality or character to show himself as, I find it difficult to relate to him in any way besides the fact that we both seem to be persistently inconsistent in our identities. I also get frustrated with his character in instances such as the love triangle with Flora and Rose, in which Flora has quite passionately turned him down a few times, and Rose has been there the whole time, observing how he interacts with others in an attempt to know him deeper. Rose is so clearly the one he should be pursuing, and yet he finds himself disinterested in her due to his infatuation with Flora. 

Overall, I have been enjoying this novel for the Scottish setting and for the way it is teaching me more about the history of the Jacobite rising than any novel has done, but I am disappointed with the development of the character of Waverly. Many people view his character as one of great growth from the beginning to the end of the novel, and because we still have quite a few chapters to go, maybe my opinion will change. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog 1: Introduction

 My name is Eva Mihelich, pronounced like Ava, just spelled differently. I am from Cleveland, Ohio and I'm studying English (Professional and Technical Writing) with minors in Business Administration and Catholic Studies, and I am in my junior year. In my free time, I like working out in the gym, spending time in nature, walking my dog, reading, and listening to music. I also have recently taken up the hobby of coloring, which I usually do while watching mindless TV shows like New Girl or How I Met Your Mother. I'm known for being compassionate, driven, adventurous, and funny.  I wanted to go on this trip for a number of reasons. I have always wanted to go to England because I appreciate the quaintness of it - it just seems like the type of place I could have a cup of tea and write a novel. Ireland also was appealing to me because of its gorgeous scenery. Scotland was never a place I considered traveling, but it is honestly the place I am most excited to go for this trip. It se
Read more

At the boarding gate

 As I am writing this, I’m sitting at Concourse C59 waiting for our first flight to London. I cannot wait to finally travel to all the places we’ve been talking about. Even though I’m literally at the Pittsburgh airport and I’m around all my fellow travelers, this trip still doesn’t feel real to me. First little road bump of the trip - I forgot my phone charger so I had to buy one for 40 dollars. Oh well!  We board in 15 minutes, so if this blog is shorter, my apologies. I’m hoping we have time to walk around in Glasgow for a little bit. I’ve always heard stories about how lovely that city is so I think it would be cool for us to see both Glasgow and Edinburgh. The next blog I write, I’ll be across the pond! 
Read more

Blog 5

 As we get closer and closer to the trip I find myself experiencing the pre-trip butterflies. I don't know about you guys, but this trip is all that's getting me through my typical end-of-semester slump. I keep telling myself that in a few weeks I'll be in a country I've never been before.  My mom was born and raised in Slovenia and moved here when she was 23. I can't imagine packing everything up at this age and going to an entirely new land. However, my mom has always said that she can see me moving out of the US at some point, and I have a feeling I'll fall in love with one of these countries we're going to. Now that she's in my head about moving internationally, I just know I'll subconsciously be scoping out which place I'd want to live in the most.  I find myself getting overwhelmed at how much there is to see in each city in the limited time we have. I don't want to regret how I spend my time on this trip, so I decided to start research
Read more