these might be some good books

     While reading Albert Camus' The Stranger , I began to think about the interpretation of the court vs. Meursault, how the court was biased not necessarily towards Meursault for killing the Arab man, but how they were biased to not focus on the actual crime, but why Meursault is the way he is. It seems a bit strange to be in a court, on a jury, be prosecuting someone, and barely mention the crime whatsoever. I just thought it seemed a bit off. The fact the prosecution focused on who Meursault is in his own head is fascinating, as a man was murdered on the beach, in a cold-blooded manner if I do say, yet the prosecution seems to not care at all. While yes, he is sentenced to death, during the trial it just seems like the main focus is on Meursault's brain, not his actions.  Some of this though, I feel is not real. A real court in a real country would still focus on the crime taking place, and while I understand at this time and in this location the crime may have been less fr

  The Sun Also Rises , by Ernest Hemingway, details the affairs of a number of characters in post-war France and pre-war Spain, but it also looks into themes such as masculinity. I want to focus on how Jake defines masculinity after his injury, through the different settings we see. In France, I believe Jake's idea of masculinity is tarnished by the war. Everything is hardened to him; France has undergone a number of changes in its society post-war, such as many veterans living there now, and bringing their ideas of what the world should be to France. We see this with Jake's judgement of Cohn, about how he isn't manly enough by just being the middleweight boxing champion of Princeton University, or he isn't masculine enough  to Jake's standards. This also brings to question, does Jake see anyone who has not fought in a war or battle masculine at all? Count Mippipopolous, a man who has seen many battles and wars is someone Jake deems perfectly fine masculinity wise;