young and uneasy
by Alex S. of HIgh Tech High International '14
Why are we obsessed with youth? Why is youth and innocence coveted by so many? We are born innocent and the length of time in which we remain so can depend on the experiences we have and the way we grow up.
Some people are forced to remain innocent by others, some have their innocence stolen from them, and some people seem as if they’ve never been innocent. These three novels interested me because of the young characters that lead unlikely childhoods filled with deceit and corruption which evidently affect the rest of their lives. These three prove that just because someone may be innocent does not mean that they aren’t aware of the cruelty of the world. |
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Lolita
by by Vladimir Nabokov - 309 pages Lolita is narrated by the anti-hero, Humbert Humbert, in a journal-like manner. He has an odd fascination with young girls ever since losing his first love at a young age. Humbert is an introvert that pursues the love of his life, Delores Haze, whom he nicknames Lolita. The only problem is that Delores is twelve years old. Knowing that their love will never survive if they stay in their small town, the two roadtrip across 1930’s America. A passionate tale of uncommon love that exemplifies the term “crazy” in love, it may leave some readers more unsettled than comforted by this eerie love story. |
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides - 243 pages Jeffrey Eugenides’ morbid novel follows the infamous Lisbon sisters--Therese, Mary, Bonnie, Lux, and Cecilia--throughout their short lives. It is narrated by an obsessive boy who traces the steps of the sisters’ downfall by detailing the items the sisters have left behind analyzing their significance. The whole novel is filled with sadness and lost hope. Throughout the year that we are with the Lisbon sisters, the tone is always really somber and depressing and leaves you feeling more empty than whole. |
Less Than Zero Bret Easton Ellis - 208 pages Returning home to LA for winter break, Clay, the main character, already seems detached from the rest of the world, observing his fast-paced life in a slow, emotionless tone. The crazy cast of characters that Clay encounters seem to be even more emotionless and immoral, only obsessed with tanning and finding entertainment, including snuff films and dead bodies. Constantly using some type of drug, the young adults haven’t experienced innocence in years, or even at all, it seems. Never leading up to anything spectacular, this novel shows how heartless spoiled teenagers really can be when they have no limits. |