Othello 3

"I will incontinently drown myself." pg. 1380

Throughout the first few acts of Othello, four major themes have surfaced. The first is jealousy is a powerful, often destructive force. Roderigo is insanely jealous of Othello and Desdemona's relationship with one another. Roderigo is in love with Desdemona and considers suicide because he cannot handle his jealous feelings. The next theme is hatred is often based on preconceived notions. This was exhibited when Brabantio expressed his hate for Othello. The only reason Brabantio claimed hatred was because Othello married his only daughter. Brabantio based his hatred on a preconceived notion rather than considering who Othello was as a person. The third theme of this play is appearance and reality are not always the same. This is displayed through Iago's character. Most people consider Iago to be a very noble and honest man; however, the readers know that he is a very manipulative man with an agenda. The last theme is showing love can often require courage. This is expressed through Othello. When professing his love for Desdemona, he had to be very courageous. He was standing before her father and discussing how he loved her. This takes a plethora of valor to do, but his love for Desdemona is worth it.

Never Let Me Go 20

"It's a shame, Kath, because we've loved each other all our lives. But, in the end, we can't stay together forever." pg. 282

It really is a shame. The ending to this book just depressed me. I felt so sorry for Kathy. Everything she has ever loved was now gone, and she was standing there helplessly not knowing what was in store for her next.  I so badly wanted her fantasy of Tommy to come true, but realistically, I knew that could never happen. But, that is life. Life doesn't always end happily. That is what I think one of the main messages of the book was: live life to the fullest and to enjoy those people in your life while they are still there, because you never know when they'll be gone. Another major point I think Ishiguro is trying to make is the same one made in Brave New World. That is to beware of technology and scientific advances. We can't let these thing take away the relationships we have with people and the families we live in. I just hope that our society never resorts to using the lives of lesser people for the betterment of others. We need to keep the idea of every person is equal regardless of race, age, background, and anything else, as a major focus in our lives.