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How to use “Resonated” Correctly
“Resonated” is joining the ranks of the most misused words in the English language.
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Is Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar a Feminist Novel?
The Bell Jar is commonly viewed as a withering critique of expectations of women in the 1950s. The novel is perhaps this, but it is also more. Themes of the stifling roles of women in the ‘50s are present, yes. Yet the alternative to these traditional roles, as represented by independent, career minded women, are…
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The Northman Delves into the Viking Reality: a Film Review
It was a valid choice that the Northman should have such an otherworldly quality. Otherwise, we could not really conceive of the world of the Vikings. Most of the action is set in 914 AD; as such, the film portrays paganism in its purest and most virile form. It is in this world where we…
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When I was Puerto Rican: a Portrait of the Soul of a Writer
The ironic title begs the question: How could it be that someone was Puerto Rican, if it’s an ethnic identity? Ah, but to live there can be a temporary thing, despite that it might live inside you. And moving is after all a motif of Esmeralda Santiago’s memoir. The amount of times Santiago moves is…
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“I Appreciate You”: A Sentimental and Misguided Phrase
Wherever this abominable phrase began, it needs to be discarded as unsentimentally as possible.
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An Analysis of Joyce Carol Oates’ Short Story “Big Burnt”
“Big Burnt” is one of several rich narratives from Joyce Carol Oates’ short story collection Beautiful Days. Protagonist Lisbeth Mueller is diffident, full of rich inner life, and emotionally vulnerable. The male protagonist, Mikael Brun, is cold and taciturn. Lisbeth, often referred to simply as “the woman,” goes on a trip with an accomplished, middle-aged…
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Girl, Interrupted: a Comparison of the Book vs. the Movie
The protagonist, Susanna, is portrayed in a soulful performance by Winona Ryder.
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“Definitely Possible”: a Contradiction in Terms
If an eventuality is possible, by definition it is not definite, when after all it might not happen. In other words, the phrase is an oxymoron.
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“Twang”: an Onomatopoeia?
When you hear a nice southern accent, especially from a female speaker, you hear that twang. When men speak, I suppose it’s more of a drawl. Twang is considered an onomatopoeia. That Twang is an onomatopoeia might seem straightforward enough. But upon further reflection, it became a much more fraught topic. Twang is characterized as…
Michael M Blog
Books, Grammar and Opinion
