So Much Reading

While the rain clouds are taking a rest in Rome, my homework still falls in sheets like rain in a thunderstorm. Fortunately for me, I love the work Im doing. In my Roman Influences on Literature course we are looking at ancient Rome and how history has either repeated itself, or people have learned from it, all the way to present day. The readings have to do with which pre-Christian Roman values were passed onto the people of Brittania when they were invaded and what that means for us now. Since middle school, when I was taught by Todd Gunn, Ive scarcely had as inspirational a professor who, when he speaks, sounds like a well planned book. How words drip so smoothly from the mouths of some people will always amaze me and its easy to sit through that class. Plus, he is hilarious! He told us a story about a Rugby match he and his friend, Dave, went to and it almost had me rolling on the floor laughing. In my Passing in Literature and Film class we are learning a lot about what it means to "fit" in society and about how we present ourselves. We just finished the Scarlet Letter, which is all about passing - private versus public, reality versus apperance and so forth. We talk about what parts of us are most important and how no one could really fit into the boxes society has created to define us. Its extremely interesting, especially Foucault's concepts of discipline and the Panopticon's function in society. In Genre of Fiction we just finished Love and Excess, which I originally found to be really fun and quick but soon wanted to rip to shreds. Now we are reading Emma, and I LOVE that story, not to mention Jane Austen. My Grandmama gave me a copy of her book from Jane Austen's actual home and I think of her now when I read it. In my Art History class I did my first on-site journal entry and was shocked at how much I have learned, even in a state of constant confusion at her complete disorganization in class. The words just came to me and flowed onto the page. Before I knew it, I had spent two and a half hours in front of a very small mosaic by Cavalli!
Wish me luck as I embark on my first Italian test Thursday, and my first lengthy paper in one week!