Deconstructing Albertine Time

Rick Moody’s “The Alebrtine Notes” presents a tumultuous scenario of characters and setting. I would agree with the others that this text was rather hard to keep up with. As the plot progressed, I found myself questioning not only the obscure details of the story, but also the context of these events and how to place them relative to the rest of the events that had already occurred.
Continue reading

The Darkest Ends for the Slightest Beginnings

Of all the aspects of this novel that stood out, I think that the McCarthy’s most striking feature was his unique characterization of all the characters. I appreciate this on a number of levels, for he is able to provide an extensive analysis of both the characters and the setting.
Continue reading

Life, Death, & The Road in Between

While reading The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, I found myself getting very emotionally attached to the storyline. Although I am not generally an unattached reader, I do find that my sympathy or feel for characters and plot structure varies among different works of literature. With this reading, I can say that I was impressed with my degree of commitment to McCarthy’s writing and the tale that he narrates. When forced to contemplate why this book strikes out to me, I can only resonate this particular interest with the overall theme of human survival.
Continue reading

Apocalyptic War

The Turner Diaries presents very interesting insight into the networks of apocalyptic groups. Its details and progression allows us to juxtapose the policies of the two opposing sides, and provides an opportunity for more thorough evaluation of the two extremities of this apocalypse-ridden storyline.
Continue reading

From Page to Screen

The Turner Diaries, by Andrew Macdonald, and the film, “The Forbin Project” offer insight into a unique apocalyptic experience. They deal with controversial issues, which can have consequences of epic proportions, as we later learn. I find that the controversy excites very narrowly defined extremes, and it is these exact ramifications that encompass the truth and individuality consistent with apocalyptic nature.
Continue reading

Doomsday Romance

Apocalyptic themes prevail heavily in the films Apocalypto, Children of Men, and 28 Days Later. While these movies use different plot schemes and settings, they converge at the portrayal of a largely apocalyptic event in which doom has disrupted the world “as we know it” and created a post-millennialist scenario. Through graphic and technological means, these films offer visual representations of the awaited and questionably irrevocable doomsday experience.
Continue reading

Fundamentalism: The Be All and End All

In his concluding essays, Strozier presents a very thorough analysis of the various tenets of apocalyptic fundamentalism and how they influence the overall doomsday mindset that has prevailed in society. It is interesting to trace Strozier’s didactic approach to understanding the fundamentalist way of thought. His previous readings writings introudced us to the dualism and particular psychology associated with apocalyptic violence. In his later essays, Strozier narrows his argument by linking the root of violence to paranoia.
Continue reading

A Violent Means to An End

As presented in Strozier’s essays, apocalyptic fundamentalism has had a great impact on human psychology. Strong Christian believers have experienced immense changes in their mentality, as well as in their attitudes toward other ways of thought. We can say that such changes in mindset definitely alter the ways in which fundamentalist groups approach the apocalyptic phenomenon, and how accepting they are of other beliefs. It is exactly these alterations that have redefined the psychology and malevolence of doomsday culture.

Continue reading