I had a wonderful little post lined up at the end of last week. However, as it turned out, I made a mistake not unfamiliar to myself: I did not save it and so it simply disappeared after some time. It really was a bit upsetting, as it seemed to be a very honest set of paragraphs. Alas, you will never see it as I didn't have the faintest desire to retype it. And surely, any word which one does not have the desire to repeat should not be repeated. Take your own hesitance as a sign.
Well then! That was enough of an intro, yes? Yes, so I'll dive right in. Howards End, A Passage to India, A Room With a View, etc, are lovely, lovely books! How I adore E.M. Forster, for he had such a way with not just words, not just ideas, but with both. He was obsessed with human nature and human values, intertwining ethical values with romance, moral issues with hypocrisy and sympathies beyond mosts' imaginations, although "obsessed" makes him sound possessive; perhaps infatuated or smitten are closer titles to what it really was. His writings seem so wry and well-plotted, and through his very human characters I can sense a very human man merely trying to express humanity in words. Glorious, glorious humanity!, yearning to know, searching to learn, eager to fill the holes they feel in their existence! Do I sound very much like the Doctor? I have been watching a bit of that this week; older episodes, the first season with David Tennant. As a side note, it is a marvelous show. Anyway, I watched A Room With A View this last week, and as the opening credits started, I fell in love - again. I have seen it before (many times, in fact, since my mother first introduced me to it); the film was my first meeting with E.M. Forster, and I have not stopped meeting him since. I do like A Room With A View best... Of yet, at least. It's the most optimistic of his novels, and I feel I can identify with several of the characters, which makes it all the more interesting. The film was well-crafted in the book's image, and they did strive to stay true to the novel. Plus it was Helena Bonham Carter's first film and Maggie Smith and Judi Dench are in it, not to mention Denholm Elliott. I LOVE Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, and when they conspire together, they are ten times better. Oh! Mr. Emerson crying in his passion (which I admire so very much), "I don't care what I see outside, my vision is within! Here is where the birds sing! Here is where the sky is blue!"and Mr. George Emerson giving his creed, the "Eternal Yes"... How I love spirit!
Of course, these passions of mine for E.M. Forster and humanity coincide with my passions for culture, literature, the English countryside, Jane Austen, the times, etc. Sometimes I do admire their leisurely way of life greatly, and go so far as to wish it upon myself. But that would never do; I'd be too restless, too... Useless, to put it frankly. E.M. Forster's appeal of "only connect" isn't one of leisure, in any event. Or, it's not something leisure alone can support...human connections, relationships...they require effort; labor, industry.
I suppose I am concentrating far too much on leisure, but really, I do like to be at my leisure! Not to say that I don't like work, but they have their separate times and places, and I have enjoyed my winter break to the utmost, what with social engagements, dinners, films, reading, poetry, and quiet walks. It really has been most wonderful. It has reminded me that leisurely activity is attainable, though after hard work. It has reminded that school is the time for learning, and after school is the time for hard, hard work, and if I finish it all up, then I can do something of actual enjoyment. Unfortunately, these moments are rare, and I feel them getting progressively rarer. Is that even a word? Yes, of course... Dandy! Time to go do things that my teachers think are important, though I wish I could just read.
Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever yours,
Scout
P.S. You're welcome (for the obnoxious adieu).
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