Blogging Around

In response to Lauren's post, which checked The Kite Runner against the archetype of the Hero's Journey and asked whether Amir was a hero:

I remember learning about this when we read the Epic of Gilgamesh last year, but I had completely forgotten about it since then. This is a way of looking at the book that nobody brought up during class, probably because Amir's actions during his childhood were so clearly un-heroic. But Gilgamesh is not admirable at the start of the Epic either--he must pass through many ordeals and adventures to become a wise and good king. And while Gilgamesh's story included bigger, more dramatic adventures--climbing mountains, fighting monsters, and so on--his most important journey was internal, just like Amir's. Amir is no Gilgamesh, and his journey of redemption has none of the glory of ancient mythology, but there is something heroic about it all the same.

On Sam's post about how, in great literature and great art, not understanding everything can be a good thing:

Sam, I think that I agree with you about this. The meaning of a great book or painting may be difficult to understand, but it can still be valuable if it makes the reader/viewer think. On the other hand, I have read many books that made me think without being difficult or intimidating. And at the same time, simply being difficult doesn't make a book valuable. Everyone has read books that were difficult to get through without giving new insight into anything. In my opinion, it's possible for a book to touch on important, "difficult" ideas but remain approachable and easy to read.