Finding Noel - A Christmas Novel

“My mother used to tell me that angels walk the earth disguised as people.

Tonight I am a believer.”

(Mark Smart from Finding Noel, page 10)

I thought I’d just post a short comment on a book I read on Sunday! The 304-page book Finding Noel by Richard Paul Evans is a Christmas novel that is definitely worth to read. The story is about two people and how life had dealt them one body blow after another. It is about faith, trust and love and it is about how one simple act of kindness can change a life forever. If you need a tear-jerking, heart-warming story in this cold winter season, you should absolutely get yourself a copy of Finding Noel, make yourself a cup of tea and find a cozy corner to read. It’s worth it!

My Hands are Small

Yes, I decided to bring the lyrics to Hands by Jewel Kilcher to class.

Just so everybody knows what I will be talking about, I'll first acquaint you with the lyrics.

If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we're all OK

and not to worry 'cause worry is wasteful

and useless in times like these

I won't be made useless

I won't be idle with despair

I will gather myself around my faith

For light does the darkness most fear

My hands are small, I know

But they're not yours, they are my own

But they're not yours, they are my own

and I am never broken

Poverty stole your golden shoes

But it didn't steal your laughter

and heart ache came to visit me

But I knew it wasn't ever after

We'll fight, not out of spite

For someone must stand up for what's right

'Cause where there's a man who has no voice

There ours shall go singing

My hands are small I know

But they're not yours, they are my own

But they're not yours, they are my own

and I am never broken

In the end only kindness matters

In the end only kindness matters

I will get down on my knees, and I will pray

I will get down on my knees, and I will pray

I will get down on my knees, and I will pray

My hands are small I know

But they're not yours, they are my own

But they're not yours, they are my own

and I am never broken

My hands are small I know

But they're not yours, they are my own

But they're not yours, they are my own

and I am never broken

We are never broken

We are God's eyes

God's hands

God's mind

We are God's eyes

God's hands

God's heart

We are God's eyes

God's hands

God's eyes

We are God's hands

We are God's hands

In case you would also like to listen to this wonderful song, here are two youtube links:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk0bKfC8XSE

2. Live acoustic version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFLPwv6b3lI

There are many reasons why I truly love this song:

I love the melody and the way Jewel's voice sometimes quavers.

I love the lyrics and the deeper meaning that is hidden behind, at points, rather simple words.

I love the reference to God and the fact that it makes me feel like I am special.

And I love the fact that it reminds me of my time with my family in Chicago.

Some of my feelings are highlighted by the way this song is written. Jewel uses a few metaphors,

which make the song more picturesque, e.g. Poverty stole your golden shoes But it didn't steal 

your laughter. She repeats certain phrases and words, not only in the chorus. This draws attention

to these words. In addition to these few aspects, the beginning of the song is a kind of "ear-catcher":

If I could tell the world just one thing...and then she pauses. This pause makes the onset of Hands dramatic.

The listener is anticipating the rest of the sentence.

These are only a few things which make the song attractive. 

Favorite Poem or Song Lyric

For next week's class everybody is supposed to bring in their favorite poem or song lyric. Great, this should be fun and easy, was my first thought. But now, after a few moments of reflection, I find this task a difficult one. I have sooo many songs and poems that I adore. “I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens.“ This quote, from one of my most cherished movies Ever After* from 1998, perfectly describes the way I feel about this assignment. It is impossible to pick and choose when you have sooo many wonderful masterpieces to select from.

   One aspect that makes this also very difficult is that I grew up bilingually. Therefore, approximately one half of the lyrics and poems I love is written in German and the other half is in English. For instance, two of the German poems I truly enjoy are Der Erlkönig by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and John Maynard by Theodor Fontane. I remember that we had to read and discuss these pieces of literary art when I was in middle school. Although I never had fun in my German classes, I really loved these teaching units in school.

   English poems and lyrics, that I love, are, for example, The night before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore or Hands by Jewel Kilcher. In addition to these two, I love almost every book for children by Dr. Seuss, who writes his works in a poetic kind of manner. Who is able to resist charming little Cindy Lou Who in the Christmas parable How The Grinch Stole Christmas!"?

   As you can see, I still have a lot of thinking to do, in order to not come empty-handed to class on Wednesday. :)


*In this movie Danielle, one of the main characters, made this comment when she had the opportunity to choose one book from a hundred of books in a Franciscan monastery.

Writing a Review: Organizing my Notes as a First Step

Last week I saw the play Doubt. It was a great experience, during which I took a great deal of notes. These notes are now supposed to help me write a critical theater review. Thus, I began to sort my ideas and found that it is the easiest to make two separate mind-maps for two of the play's main characters. Hopefully, these will help me organize my writing... :)

Notes on Father Flynn

Notes on Sister Aloysius

Literature as Art

Yesterday, in class, we discussed what makes literature into art and discovered that language plays the key role. Here are some ideas we shared:

"Doubt"

   On Wednesday evening I had the opportunity to see the play Doubt by John Patrick Shanley. This play is being performed by the Hamburg Players at the Theater an der Marschnerstraße in Hamburg. Since we talked about this theater piece in class prior to seeing it, I approximately knew what to expect. I was intrigued by the topic of Doubt (suspicion of child molestation by a Catholic priest), after having visited a private Catholic school myself for almost ten years. Therefore, I really looked forward to it.

   I enjoyed the performance very much and can only recommend seeing it. The way the topic is handled was surprising but also very appropriate. For further reading, I will post a review I am working on right now in the next coming weeks.

What makes English into art?!

   As homework we have been given the task to read the fifth chapter of Using English from conversation to canon by Janet Maybin and Neil Mercer. This chapter deals with the topic of “What makes English into art” and takes a closer look at language art in written English texts. Although the aspects mentioned throughout this chapter make sense to me and are something students of English are able to work on, I also believe that art has something to do with talent. Talent, as defined by Merriam-Webster’s Notebook Dictionary, is a natural mental or creative ability. It is a gift people just have. Certainly, we can work on trying to understand art. But is it really possible to master art without at least a glimmer of talent!?! I am not quite sure…