No fool, it's a "test"!

With my confidence at an all time low as this semester's "test" looms ever closer, I was nicely reaffirmed today that the test would have some what of a layed back approach to it.

The themes running through this semester have captured my imagination effortlessly. With Chris Horrie's resilient, and at times controversial views, acting as a shining light at the end of the tunnel. If I don't pass this test, which I have been assured that I will, it will be through my own doings; the education I have received this year has been nothing short of exceptional.

Personal highlights for me obviously include Freud (I bang on about him enough), Grapes of Wrath (who would have thought a novel could entertain master Hopley), and of course Orwell, and Wells.

Today's lecture on the works of Orwell was excellent and very formative. I have always had a love for Orwell, and the lecture just acted as a reminder of how truly great this man was. With Animal Farm acting as a somewhat obvious yet potent and poignant allegory for Soviet Russia, and 1984, well, what can i say...? this to me is a work of art. I'm sure any novelist in the world would give up his arm to have written either of these!

For such blatant symbolism, Orwell writes without shame, I mean, come on, who would name a pig "Napoloen" if he wasn't a pig with revolution on his mind. These two novels share great parallels with Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath as both write unashamedly about troubles and strife as a form of propaganda, as they create sympathy within their protagonists. Although Orwell employs allegories within his novels, as opposed to Steinbeck who is clear in his message, both just use different ends to meet their respective means.

I hope I'm not just writing rubbish. If I am then this will be the sort of rubbish which causes me to fail my "test"