Assignment 2- Mary Huffman- My Limited Literacy

If I'm honest, I don't read books as often as I should, and now that I have to write this blog post, I'm a little embarrassed about the number of books I've read in the past year. The first book that comes to mind is titled The Optimist's Daughter, written by Eudora Welty. This book is likely not one I would have picked up myself, but there aren't many that fall into that category, apparently. The synopsis on the back cover explains that the main character Laurel returns to New Orleans to be with her father as he dies; Laurel then goes home to Mississippi, where she "finally comes to an understanding of the past, herself, and her parents" while staying in her childhood home. The Optimist's Daughter was a gift from one of my mom's cousins or somebody, so I naturally felt obligated to read it. I felt somewhat familiar with southern culture because my parents are from North Carolina and Louisiana, both of which we visit fairly often. This novel was relatable because of my experience with more southern customs, which engaged me especially when the story became dull. One thing I took away from The Optimist’s Daughter was that sometimes it’s better to forget something than to keep holding on to bitter memories; remembering without having learned anything is more burdensome than simply forgetting. 

Another notable book I’ve (more or less) read in recent memory is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I tend to grab this book off my shelf when I know school will be completely uneventful. I have never gotten more than a few chapters into this 300-page science-fiction novel, but I keep trying nonetheless. Each time I pick up the book, I get to about the same point in the story when the main character is setting off on a voyage to find a giant squid who’s been sinking ships. The reading isn’t too challenging, though I often look up the definitions of some particularly long words; I’ve just never been able to get past the long exposition because it’s so verbose and uneventful. Perhaps I should consider this fact in my own writing.