Books, Memories, and Emotions

Blog #4

            Studies have shown that memories are associated with certain smells, and even some sounds and music. The brain forms a connection to the scent or the specific song with what is happening and what emotions are being experiences at the time the senses are being stimulated. However, one thing that I would be interested in researching is how exactly this happens, and how does it relate to the memories I have related to books that I have read. I do not mean remembering what the plot line was in certain novels, but what part of the brain builds the association to events that I have with certain books. Is this the same part of the brain that connects smells and music to memories?

            Whenever I think of the childhood cabin, I think of two specific books: The Bridge to Terabithia and the Amelia Bedilia series books. I have a very specific memory of myself reading The Bridge to Terabithia in the loft of my cabin. When I reached the ending, I began crying, and my mom immediately blamed my older sister for picking a fight with me, even though the tears had nothing to do with my sister. With this specific memory present, I understand the reason of why I associate my cabin with the novel; however, this is not the case with the Amelia Bedilia series.  Never (in my recollection) can I remember a time where I read these childhood books anywhere near my cabin. This creates more curiosity of why the association exists.

            I believe there is a power within books to tap into emotions so deeply that connections are made. There was once an article which stated that "memories are only made when intense emotion is felt." With my very limited knowledge of the brain, my simple guess would be that books cause the reader to feel an emotion, and the brain takes in the surroundings of the event and stores it into long term memory. This is a simplistic guess for a complicated inquiry, and I would be interested in learning the mechanics of how books become associated with certain memories.

The Convenience of eBooks

Blog #3

            Electronic Books (eBooks) have become the up and coming thing in the world of literacy and reading. I will admit to used eBooks, but this does not hinder the fact that my love runs deep for bound books. The idea of eBooks has taken off since the invention of the Kindle and now numerous companies have released devices to read books electronically.

            Though I prefer "old fashioned" paper books, I understand the appeal of eBooks. They can be read on multiple types of devices, and these devices are easy to carry around. Whether it is an iPad, Kindle, Nook, or other sort of tablet, they are more light weight that a typical hardback book. Convenient access is also a large factor in the move towards utilizing eBooks. With a tablet, it is possible to story hundreds of books in one lightweight place. If a reader completes a book or tires of it, a new book altogether can be accessed with just a couple swipes and taps upon the screen. There is no need to log on the internet to check the catalog of your local library to see if the book you want is available. There is no need to get in the car and pick up said book or return it on time to avoid a late fee. This convenience is worth the expense to many people to buy books compatible with eBook readers.

            Unfortunately, eBooks come at a cost. Consumers need to buy the rights to read the books, but fortunately for the organizations, they are willing to do so. However, this does not fare well for book stores. We have already seen certain Barnes and Noble Bookstores go out of business due to the popularity of eBooks. In cases of textbooks, the electronic version is often less expensive than the hard copy version, which draws many college students towards the transition away from tangible books. I am interested to see if and how long it will take for  public libraries and bookstores to lose their relevance.

J.K. Rowling and the Inspirational Tale

Blog #2

            Genres of  novels range from Romance to Science Fiction to Mystery. Often times, a reader get so wrapped up in the events taking place and characters within the pages that the story of the author is overlooked. One of my long–time favorite series that the Harry Potter series. The author of this blockbuster series, J.K. Rowling, has an inspiring story that is overshadowed by that of her characters'.

            J.K. Rowling's story tells the tale of a struggling single mother who worked hard and reaped the rewards. She was born and grew up in England. In 1992, she moved to Portugal to teach English and met her husband. The couple had a daughter, Jessica, but unfortunately the marriage did not last. After the divorce, J.K. Rowling moved  back to England with Jessica where she could live near her sister. As a mother with a young child, she had nearly no money. She was put on welfare so she could provide for herself and her daughter.  During a train delay at King's Cross Station (a landmark mentioned throughout the series), Rowling came up with the idea for the first Harry Potter novel. She began to write it down on a napkin she had with her. Before long, the first three chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone were drafted on a series of napkins. The novel took J.K. Rowling five years to finish, but she was then able to sell it for $4,000.00, a very helpful amount of money for a single mother on welfare. As the novel gained popularity, she continued to write the series, and make more money to provide for herself and for her daughter.

            Though she no longer was in desperate need of money, J.K. Rowling used her story of overcoming to inspire others. Through letters, the author inspired a young girl named Evanna Lynch, though she is better known to fans as Luna Lovegood, a character from the series. At age 11, Evanna struggled with an eating disorder. She was in and out of rehabilitation centers fighting Childhood Anorexia for years. Evanna wrote to J.K. Rowling while she was sick. In an interview she said, " I wrote to her because Harry Potter was the only other thing I really cared about and that helped me take my mind off it, and I just wanted to thank her for that and say how much it helped me. Especially how much Luna helped me. It was basically just a big fat, “thank you, I love you” letter." She admitted to being surprised when she received a response back from Rowling. Rowling had written her sending encouragement to overcome her challenges and proposing the idea that if she were able to beat her illness, she should audition for the films. This encouraged Evanna to fight back against Anorexia, and later she landed the role of Luna Lovegood, her favorite character.

            Author's do more than create characters and put words on a page for readers to enjoy. They are capable of inspiring and making a difference through the impact their characters have on the lives of the audience.

Benefits of Reading

Blog #1:

            As the title of this blog is "Readers are Leaders," in this inaugural entry I would like to discuss the benefits that I see to come from limiting time in front of the television and maximizing time curling up with a book. As a child watching television was not an option of source of entertainment (unless the Seattle Mariners were playing, of course). My brother, sister and I had the options of going outside to play or to crack open a book. As the weather in Seattle, Washington is not always conducive for outdoor activities, we more often than not found ourselves huddled inside with a blanket and a novel.

            This is something that I am extremely grateful for. Growing up as a reader has enhanced my life in more ways than one. One of the main reasons is that reading at a young age taught me how to focus on a single activity for long periods of time. Society these days cater to short attention spans: 30 second television commercials, 15 second radio advertisements, and even 50 minute college courses. The mind is reaching a point where it begins to lose interest after a short period of time. Even educational discussions and lectures, such as TED talks, are limited to 20 to 30 minutes. In my opinion, one of the reasons why attention spans have shortened is the amount of television that is watched. As programs cater to keeping the interest of the viewer, the minds of the audience are being conditioned to only focus for short amounts of time. As a young reader, my brain focused on a single activity for hours, and as a result my attention span adapted to this. This has continued as the habit of reading has remained in my life. Though I am no longer always reading novels and other things of interest to me, having a longer attention span has allowed me to sit down and focus for extended amounts of time on course material and reading assignments. In theory, this capability has enabled me to retain information, therefore, being more successful. With this idea, it is easy to fall into believing a slippery slope fallacy of reasoning; however, longer attention spans allow students to pay more attention in classes and benefit more out of a class room setting.

            Reading from a young age has helped me grow to love the activity. It is soothing and provides a safe haven in times of stress. Reading has also allowed me to explore many different topics, giving me surface level (at the very least) knowledge about a broad spectrum of things. It is my experience that individuals who enjoy reading are often more knowledgeable about a wider range of topics. This is not to say that those who rather watch television are not knowledgeable; this is simply making an observation of my experiences. This broadened range of knowledge has come in handy for me, particularly when I am making small talk to get to know someone. This summer as an intern, I worked with 3 men all over the age of 40. Initially, I worried about finding a way to connect and converse with my employer and superiors; however, I found that I was able to participate in their discussions to some degree using the little bit of information I had on each topic. This aided significantly in going through the stages of Socialization within the organization.

            I have found that an individual benefits from reading and skills are developed from exercising the mind, rather than lounging in front of the television. Later in life when I have children, I intend on limiting their television time and encouraging them to pick up a novel. This, I hope, will help them develop useful life skills.