literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
A Matter of Perception
As a student of the occult (hidden knowledge), I have always been fascinated with witchcraft and the magical arts. Interestingly, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s "Young Goodman Brown" is set in Salem Village Massachusetts, the site of the infamous witchcraft trials and executions of 1692. There, the main character goodman Brown (goodman refers to his humble birth, it is not his name, for it isn't capitalized in the text) departs from his wife Faith for a night to meet up with a distinguished older figure which can only be described as the devil. Although it is unclear if young goodman Brown knows this or not, Hawthorne gives us a hint in the text. He writes, “With this excellent resolve for the future, goodman Brown felt himself justified in making more haste on his present evil purpose” (620). The phrase "evil purpose" suggests that goodman Brown had some foreknowledge of who he was dealing with. As the two travel through the dark Forrest together, the devil reveals that he’s had dealings with goodman Brown's father and grandfather, who were Puritans, and with many of the prominent people of the town, including politicians. They also encounter historical figure, goody Cloyce, who in actuality is Sarah Cloyce, who was accused of witchcraft during the Salem witch trials of the late 1600s but was subsequently released. She was also Goodman Brown's catechism teacher—someone who he looked up to. In the end, all of the so-called good people in Salem village that he looked up to were in one way or another, aligned with the devil, including goodman Brown's wife Faith; thus, shattering his faith and leaving him disillusioned in the end. Hawthorne's short story is full of gothic elements, occult references, and historical figures from the Salem witch trials. Through his use of characters and setting, Hawthorne challenges the concepts of good and evil and highlights the protagonist's disillusion and loss of faith.
By Wilson Geraldo8 years ago in Geeks
How the 'Hunger Games' Trilogy Should Have Ended
So. As you should probably know from the subtitle, and the title of this here piece, there are going to be some spoilers. Well, not so much spoilers, I suppose, as a brief discussion of what was NOT the ending, and what, in my opinion, it should have been. One final time, just for good measure: if you haven't read The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, or if you have not seen the movies based on the franchise of the same name, and you don't want to have anything at all spoiled or ruled out, do not proceed. Rather, go immediately to your (preferably local, independent) bookstore, purchase a copy of all three of the books, and don't do much else until you read them all. After which you should also immediately (preferably binge) watch all of the four movie adaptations of The Hunger Games trilogy and enjoy the breathtaking masterpiece that is Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen. More on that in another piece coming soon...
By Kai Pedersen8 years ago in Geeks
Novels by the Numbers: The Source of Magic by Piers Anthony (and the Entire Xanth Series)
From the novel’s Goodreads Page: The Source of Magic (Xanth #2) by Piers Anthony Synopsis: Ordered by King Trent to determine the source of Xanth’s magic, Bink and his companions were harried by an unseen enemy determined to thwart them. When even their protector turned against them, Bink still managed to reach his goal and carry out the King’s orders…but the king did not expect Bink’s next act–to destroy utterly the magic of Xanth!
By Trent Milam8 years ago in Geeks
The Wheel of Time Adaptation
Just as prelude to this post, I would like to state that I feel the inevitable comparisons to Game of Thrones are unwarranted. The only things these two fantastic series have in common are that they are both a part of the fantasy genre. And that's it. That's where the similarities begin and end. However, the comparisons are inevitable and I've included it in this post for the sole purpose of proving a point.
By Darshan Desai9 years ago in Geeks
Draco Malfoy x Oliviana Taylor
It was shortly after that encounter that things would take the worse, rather than the best, for the auburn haired Gryffindor. How did she even convince herself to come down tonight? She felt awful, particularly about her weight. The red dress that hugged her girls was held up by matching crimson laced sleeves, the ribbon around her neck providing the illusion that she didn't have two chins at standing. Her hands were covered by pure white gloves, lipstick to match. Her eyes drew directly to her hips, the width around them. As she walked alone through the mess hall, she felt only as if she needed a place to hide.
By Catherine Blanton9 years ago in Geeks
Draco Malfoy x Oliviana Taylor
"Tch, is that even a question? It's already bad you talk to hardly anyone but Hermione, but you're in Gryffindor? The worst house apart from Hufflepuff." He said, snickering softly under his breath, gorgeous blue eyes rolling. "I'm shocked it took you so long to figure that out, Cinthy. I mean, you're supposed to be somewhat smart, right? Guess I was wrong." He said in a snobbish tone, the rich boy attitude clear. His bleach blonde hair had small strands that were loose and falling onto his forehead.
By Catherine Blanton9 years ago in Geeks
Longing
It had been twenty-seven months, twenty-four days, sixteen hours, and forty-three minutes since he laid eyes on the man he had devoted his life to, the man he held in such high esteem and regard, the one creature he truly loved. When he had first disappeared, John didn’t think much of it, it had happened before, he just assumed he would be back in a few days. When he was gone for two weeks, John started to search for him, checking his normal haunts and dives, reaching out to every contact they had, even his brother. When a month had passed, John sought the assistance of the Yard and they looked for the missing genius internationally. Not a single sign of him was found. Every day for eight months, John went about his normal business, expecting at any time the man, his man would burst through the door with a fantastical story of his exploits and a full explanation of his disappearance. Once the tenth month had passed, John no longer held onto that hope. It wasn’t until a year had passed that John began to lose himself as his hope faded to sorrow and his confusion to pain.
By Zionaeus Shekhinah9 years ago in Geeks
Review: 'The Trinity Six'
For those with an interest in espionage, the Cambridge Five remain well known. Five graduates of Trinity College Cambridge, the group infiltrated high levels positions inside the British government between the 1930s and 1950s and spied for the Soviet Union. They handed over names of agents, exposed entire operations, revealed details of the Enigma code-breaking effort, and helped to tip the Soviets off on efforts to build the atomic bomb. It took decades to expose all five but imagine, for a moment, that there was a sixth Cambridge spy. One who has managed to remain hidden but is now on the verge of being exposed. That is the premise of Charles Cumming's 2011 novel which sees the past coming back to haunt the present.
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Geeks
Who is the Valonqar?
Spoilers ahead for both the books and the show! Game of Thrones is back in our lives once more. The first episode of Season 7 has graced our screens, and what an episode it was! From the North to the South, and the East to the West, we are more certain than ever that nobody is safe.
By Charlotte Williams9 years ago in Geeks
