Pride and Prejudice: What Constitutes an Accomplished Woman

Pride and Prejudice is largely a social commentary on the plight of women, especially poor, single women, in the Regency period. In Chapter Eight of Volume I of the novel, there is an extensive discussion on what it means to be an “accomplished woman”. The list entails everything from knowledge of the arts to manners …

Sense and Sensibility: How Plot and Character Intertwine

Sense and Sensibility is my first venture into the world of Jane Austen’s novels, and I am not disappointed. Though quite lengthy and at times very slow paced (characteristic of 19th-century novels), Austen’s intricate writing style, satirical tone, and underlying wit make the novel a pleasure to read. What I have noticed about Austen’s writing …

Forgotten Women: Rachel Carson

The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction. ~ Rachel Carson Living in an era wrought with increasing awareness and concern for the environment, it is important to remember the person who is often credited for starting …

The Rhetoric of Emojis

Last month, it was announced that MoMA - Museum of Modern Art - will be adding to their permanent collection the original set of emojis. Yes, ladies and gentleman! As Amanda Hess stated in her NYT article, “Your phone has just become home to a tiny collection of modern art.” Emojis are slowly but surely …

What is Said vs. What is Meant

Language is complicated. Communication is even more complicated. So what is more complicated, you ask? Creating meaning through the process of language and communicating that meaning effectively, that is what! Apart from worrying about the context in which meaning is being produced, we, as communicators, also have to worry about the fact that a lot …

“And if thou wilt, forget.”

Christina Rosetti's poem, "Song," fascinated me. In this poem, the speaker is telling a loved one not to mourn them when they die, because life will go on. Rosetti structured the poem in two stanzas, each presenting the idea of memory in a contrasting way. The title of the poem, "Song," works with the way …

On Reading Poetry: “Dover Beach”

Poetry may be an art, but reading poetry in itself is also an art. Of all the forms of writing, it is safe to say that people shy away from reading poetry the most. One of the biggest mistakes we make, when confronted with poetry, is that we tend to immediately look for deeper meanings, …

Momento Mori

We are surrounded by endings. Finality. Like this sentence. Like a good book. Like life. And with every ending comes this idea of purpose. The ultimate. The reason. For that sentence. That book. That life. The masterpiece. What Alberto Manguel calls, in A Reader on Reading, "Final Answers." "This paradox [that] haunts authors," he says. …

The Duality of Man in the Absence of Woman

Sex and sexuality have been a taboo for most cultures across the world at some point or the other. Interesting, isn't it? The thing that is the reason for life is one of the most shied away from topics of discussion. The mere mention of it makes most people blush. Or awkward. Or uncomfortable. Once …

The Oxford Comma: It is what it is.

This is a debate that is never going to end. But let’s face it. The Oxford comma is important. Think about it. Why do we use grammar? To create meaning. What is an Oxford comma? It’s grammar. Why should we use it? Because it creates meaning. Of course, there is a divide on that very …