Gratification

I got my hands on Wuthering Heights from a friend recently. This classic was such a failure when it was first published that the author Emily Bronte went to her grave believing her only novel to be a failure. It seems like such a terrible punishment to an author, especially when the work is regarded as a masterpiece after his/her death. It brings to mind one of Oscar Wilde’s famous quotes:

There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about

Yesterday, I finally finished A Tale of Two Cities. Even though there were quite a few coincidences in the book, I think it is one of the best I’ve read, and are essential to the tale. Truly, this book has the most famous starting and ending lines in literature. Just before the end Sydney Carton, the most unappreciated character in the book, is said to be at peace and to have enough a sense of being gratified to think:

It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known

But in the real world, the public can be so ruthless, letting a great author like Emily Bronte die unappreciated during her lifetime.

The lesser of two evils

Disclaimer: This post was written when in a non-serious mood. The author would like to state that he does not support terrorism in any way and that he thinks it an unforgivable crime. He would also like to apologize if anyone finds the comments mentioned here offending

Terrorism is bad. It kills a lot of people.

But then again, trains are also bad. They also kill a lot of people. In a year, I am sure that trains kill more people than do terrorists.

So when terrorists attack trains, it is like when Godzilla meets King Kong. Also as in these gore fests, it is always the innocent bystanders who suffer the most.

Cube Life

I live in a cube – 343 – 7³ – that’s my room number. But you can’t complain about the room, it really is a cube (as promised). The walls are at perfect right angles with the floor and the ceiling, and of exact dimensions too. There is just enough space for a bed, two chairs - one for hanging my dirty laundry and the other for draping my towel on (I sit,lie and sleep on my bed), a table and a shelf for my books. Just perfect for your average cubeite. Makes you wish you had some cardboard boxes to decorate the room with, then it would be really picturesque

?!!

In 'A Tale of Two Cities', Mr. Dickens (or Charles but never Mr. Charles) writes,

... I love your daughter fondly, dearly, disinterestedly, devotedly.

This is the first time I have come across a usage of 'disinterested love'. I have heard of disinterested opinion and a disinterested judge but never its usage with love. I don't even know whether it is a nice thing to tell someone, still I like it a lot!