Author Topic: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?  (Read 7898 times)

charity

  • Level 9
  • *
  • Posts: 313
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #15 on: February 05, 2008, 05:08:55 PM »
I would say that I have read a vast many books, and I still don't see it. But I'm not into disecting books either. I enjoy them as a way to escape.

I think you're just reading into it. Did you see anything in Harry Potter? ;)

Nessa

  • Administrator
  • Level 32
  • *****
  • Posts: 1918
  • Fell Points: 5
  • Giving life to demon spawn since 1999
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #16 on: February 05, 2008, 05:11:42 PM »
I read a lot, too--as evidenced by the plethora of reviews I write for this site, which means I spend a lot of time critiquing books. I have a BA degree in English. I just don't see that in his books.

I think perhaps that Rowling's revelation of Dumbledore's leanings has given you the idea that it exisits secretly in other works, as well.
"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter--'tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning."  -  Mark Twain

Check out my book reviews at http://elitistbookreviews.blogspot.com/

White

  • Level 5
  • *
  • Posts: 123
  • Fell Points: 0
  • (is largely not of this world)
    • View Profile
    • Livejournal
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #17 on: February 05, 2008, 05:42:44 PM »
Uh, not really, am I the only one who *strongly doubts* she wrote him as gay originally?

I've always suspected she just said that at the end in a sort of "....and guess what kiddys; Santa's not real either!" type of way.

But I mean, hey, if I had the opportunity she did to freak out small children as she did I probably would have had to go out and buy that marvellous book of great lies to tell small children...

I've heard that since the "outing" the Dumbledore's actor's taken to swanning it up on set. (Which also must be fun).




I have to admit though, my beliefs were stengthened about Eldest/Eragon after I found out Paolini had been home school and based one of the characters off his sister

- other people fear carny folk, I fear the home schooled. Something about their pressed polo shirts or whatever *freaks* me out... though I love polo shirts really, great material to physically exert yourself in, I just get very weirded out by people who iron it---- or eat pizza with untensils.

I'm still sticking with my "Saphira wants to do what's-his-face though" as a metaphor, even if only because it's such a fun argument to make.


I'm terribly sorry, I ramble so.

(this is why I draw pretty pictures and don't write).
Clyde Bruckman: You know, there are worse ways to go, but I can't think of a more undignified way than auto-erotic asphyxiation.
Mulder: Why are you telling *me* that?
Clyde Bruckman: Look, forget I mentioned it. It's none of my business.

charity

  • Level 9
  • *
  • Posts: 313
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #18 on: February 05, 2008, 09:30:48 PM »
Yeah I think most people would say Rowling stuck that in just to get attention.

And I don't see how being home schooled remotely lends itself to homosexuality or any such "wierdness". now this is saying alot, since I'm fairly against home schooling, but I wouldn't say that I can see his homo erotic tendencies because of that. I know plenty of home schooled people and not one of them has a tendency towards homo anything. And when I write books I name the characters after my kids and family what does that say about me?

And so help me if the Dumbledore in the movies starts acting gay I'm not watching another one.  :)

Pygmalion

  • Level 5
  • *
  • Posts: 137
  • Fell Points: 0
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #19 on: February 05, 2008, 10:27:55 PM »
I have to admit though, my beliefs were stengthened about Eldest/Eragon after I found out Paolini had been home school and based one of the characters off his sister

- other people fear carny folk, I fear the home schooled. Something about their pressed polo shirts or whatever *freaks* me out... though I love polo shirts really, great material to physically exert yourself in, I just get very weirded out by people who iron it---- or eat pizza with untensils.

Please don't fall prey to the stereotypes and be afraid of homeschoolers. Granted, there are cases in which there are some wacko homeschoolers that you probably should run away from. But the VAST majority are just normal people who do not wear insanely well-ironed polo shirts. (The creepy ones you want to run away from are probably wearing overalls.)

"Vision is the art of seeing the invisible" - Jonathan Swift

Bryant

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 29
  • Fell Points: 0
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #20 on: February 06, 2008, 01:15:07 AM »
The school system in the US is quite terrible, both public and private institutions. Homeschooling, if done properly, is infinitely better than subjugating your children to the conformity inducing production line that is American education. Of course, there will be parents who teach their children far more poorly than anything the education system could do, but that isn't indicative of homeschooling in any way - just bad parenting.

charity

  • Level 9
  • *
  • Posts: 313
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #21 on: February 06, 2008, 06:25:01 AM »
Now that we've gotten completely off topic, which I saw coming the moment white mentioned homeschooling. I will have to put my $0.02 in, although I agree that the public school system is lacking in some area's of our country more than others, I think, that with the proper supplementing and involvement  from the parents it is the only way to go. I feel very strongly that public school is not only for academic education, it is also a place to learn valuable social skills like working with people you don't agree with, the importance of not smelling funny  ;), and how to interact with your peers and superiors, these are things that a great many people miss out on when they  are home schooled because their parents just neglect to teach it, through no fault of their own, I'm sure.

Public education is as much for the valuable social lessons as it is for academia IMO.

White

  • Level 5
  • *
  • Posts: 123
  • Fell Points: 0
  • (is largely not of this world)
    • View Profile
    • Livejournal
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #22 on: February 06, 2008, 07:48:50 AM »
Oh sorry I wasn't really putting a direct link between homo-erotic subtext and = homeschooling.   :)

It was more the whole aspect where homeschooling tends to go hand in hand with not getting out much and therefore Paolini being a bit a bit inept in trying to write more balanced interactions between guys and girls in his books perhaps. I always though Eragon's crush came across a little weird (as I may have said already).

I agree that American school system is flawed. The actual problem I have with the concept of homeschooling is I have doubts as to parents abilities as the educators to properly instil in their children the ability to be competitive in industry when they grow up - because parents care a lot about their children being hurt therefore the kids wind up being coddled. (I have a friend with a similar problem although not from exactly the same situation). Plus I don't know that it would be as academically competitive and I'm a firm believer that competition will nurture a better drive to succeed - or as Charity also mentioned - the realisation that deodorant is necessary.

And at the end of the day I sort of think that an author who's been homeschooled will not write a book with as interesting social interaction and will probably be less inspired to writing something very unique and individual (since I seem to recall high school being all about that and everyone trying to be different).

Some of the best books have in fact been written by say, people like JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis I think - I believe both of them went to war, and I think their writing was better for that as the more experience people have out in the world the better and more convincing books they'll write because the authors will have better understandings of social interactions etc.

Not that writers *should* go to war, it's just an example, I mean, they could maybe just work in retail or travel or whatever.

And onto another topic: if anyone writes here, has your writing ever been affected by working in retail?  ;D

It's a war zone.     ;)

Sorry, edited for typos!
« Last Edit: February 06, 2008, 07:55:15 AM by White »
Clyde Bruckman: You know, there are worse ways to go, but I can't think of a more undignified way than auto-erotic asphyxiation.
Mulder: Why are you telling *me* that?
Clyde Bruckman: Look, forget I mentioned it. It's none of my business.

skibocastle

  • Level 3
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
  • Fell Points: 0
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #23 on: February 06, 2008, 05:18:10 PM »
I agree with White and Charity about the social aspect of home schooling.  My nephew is home schooled because he has issues, but it seems that they "coddle" him and the issues are getting worse, not better.  When he gets a job, they aren't going to care about his issues.  Public school gives you a chance to work through some of those issues, and have friends, and learn about dating and sexuality.  Home schooling makes for a very sheltered individual, who is in no way ready for the college environment.

charity

  • Level 9
  • *
  • Posts: 313
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #24 on: February 06, 2008, 08:46:17 PM »
White, I can see your point now...and although I have attributed the 'lack' in Paolini's love story with being as yet (or when he wrote Eragon) still a child. I chuckled at his discussion of 'epic love' in the book, thinking 'what does a 15 year old know about epic love?'

But I can also see that it could come from lack of social experiences, and since I also live in the vicinity of the Paolini's.... they live in Paradise Valley, which is about 15 minutes from my town (which incidentally several other well known people live out there) .... and I know the area they live in is Ranch and Farm Land (gorgeous area btw) and the houses are very spread out, there is one small school for k-12 out there as well, so i'm thinking that socializing without school is a bit difficult. Did that make sense, I put a lot of little thoughts in there, so you might need to reread that...  :)

And as to the body odor thing, I was in no way trying to offend anyone, I was actually thinking of my babysitter who is home schooled and lacking in this particular aspect of education.

I agree that experiences can lend themselves to good writing, although it is not obligatory I don't think. Take Nicholas Sparks, his books The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and several of his first ones were written from personal experiences he has dealt with in his life, the death of his sister, mother, and father being at the top of the list. Those books are considered, by some, far better than his more recent works. So there is another example.

Shi

  • Level 5
  • *
  • Posts: 111
  • Fell Points: 0
    • View Profile
    • My Deviantart page
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #25 on: February 06, 2008, 09:36:25 PM »
Alright, it have to defend myself here. I was homeschooled from preschool all thee way through highschool, and I think I turned out just fine, thank you. I don't care for polos, I eat pizza with my hands, I have tons of friends, and I get top grades in my college classes. Same thing with all my siblins, they're good students, and all have social lives.

I seriously hate it when people try place me in that stereotype. Not all jocks are stupid, not all cheerleaders are mean, and not all homeschoolers are anti-social. And school isn't the only place to meet people you know. I've made friends through church, dance classes I've attend, art classes, work, there's a thousand places out there besides school.

Quote
And at the end of the day I sort of think that an author who's been homeschooled will not write a book with as interesting social interaction and will probably be less inspired to writing something very unique and individual (since I seem to recall high school being all about that and everyone trying to be different).
 

How is it that being homeschooled will make you a worse writer? If you thnk Paolini's books are shallow and flawed, that's most likely because they are--and not because he was homeschooled. I agree that the more experiences you have, the more inhanced your writing will be, but what makes a book good has a lot more to do with whether or not you write well. Someone could have spent three years studying the natives in africa and have all kinds of interesting experiences and stories, but that doesn't mean he'd have the ability to write a good book about them. And you keep coming back to homeschoolers having no social skill. It is such a flawed and loaded statement that I almost cring at the fact that it's being used. 

White

  • Level 5
  • *
  • Posts: 123
  • Fell Points: 0
  • (is largely not of this world)
    • View Profile
    • Livejournal
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #26 on: February 06, 2008, 10:12:28 PM »
It isn't that we think people who are homeschooled must be socially deprived, it's just that there would be a greater tendency for people who are already being segregated for their education, will be more likely to also be guided in other ways into more small social circles or whatever -  it's kind of hard to explain what I mean, but really I'm talking about tendency more than anything else - the same way there's a tendency for regularly schooled people to swear like pirates (I know I do~!  ;D ).

Obviously, there will be parents who raise very well behaved wrath-fearing-children who will never succumb to the sultry temptations of flying ducks or ships with a 'T'; but in my experience, the fact remains that as a whole schooled people have a greater tendancy towards lewd language.

So, do you kind of see how we're really not trying to make a personal attack but we're just describing a tendency towards something?

Really, not trying to make anyone feel the need to defend themselves.


Yes, Chariy your post made more sense than any of mine ever do!
Didn't think the body odour think was offensive, in my experience there was a set moment in about year 8 or 9 in highschool when the year group on mass was like: "Oh, what's this deoderant thing you say?~" and anyone else who was lagging behind was eventually caught up.

One of those important socially shaming experience of highschool - I seem to recall on a hot day one summer in Geography everyone (being in yr 12 at the time) coming to the mass and afterwords proven concensus that the last class had to have been year 8's or 9's judging by the fact we had some smell-i-vidence to go by.



oh and Shi, btw the thing about Paolini being homeschooled and that maybe contributing to the fact hat his books were kind of unoriginal came from me reading up on him and him saying how he drew inpiritation from all these books written by the famous fantasy writers or whatever (and his lovely scenic home - so I'm obviously a bit envious now of Charity) but the link/point/thingy I made came from the fact that - to me his work wasn't very personal. It was more like a retelling of elements of other fantasy stories already in existence.

It kind of lacked a bit of personal foibles and whatnot that tend to be developed from worldly experience and that's bascially more what my point was.

Um I'll hesitantly use an example of Chick Lit. I like a good chick lit, they tend to be nice, personal and flavoured with the author's own experience (perhaps more so than more classical literautre which tends to be more stripped bare and philosophical like modernist design). In my opinion-  going by some of my favourite works of Chick Lit, their creators *must* have had some interesting bosses/friends/weird experience because that type of thing pops up in their work and is often very real and personal feeling and everything, and their characters seem more three-dimensional to me.

um, (again) sorry I don't know if there was a point in there but I like Chick Lit. The current company seems relativly girly though so I hold hopes of not being openly stoned for this.



P.P.S.
I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay~!  :-*



(... no I'm not *really* in case you didn't get the reference.)



[and as always with me, edited for typos!
curse thee, foul, ergonomic-keyboard~!]
« Last Edit: February 06, 2008, 10:16:57 PM by White »
Clyde Bruckman: You know, there are worse ways to go, but I can't think of a more undignified way than auto-erotic asphyxiation.
Mulder: Why are you telling *me* that?
Clyde Bruckman: Look, forget I mentioned it. It's none of my business.

Bryant

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 29
  • Fell Points: 0
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #27 on: February 06, 2008, 11:22:41 PM »
I can't say I think of high school fondly, or even as real social interaction. I went to public school, and high school was more an exercise in subduing any actual personality you had, and adopting a stereotypical personality to fit in with whatever clique it was you found yourself in. Everything that I would call real social interaction in a school setting happened at college, and outside of the school.


Spriggan

  • Administrator
  • Level 78
  • *****
  • Posts: 10582
  • Fell Points: 31
  • Yes, I am this awesome
    • View Profile
    • Legacies Lost
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #28 on: February 06, 2008, 11:46:27 PM »
Psh, you people just had sucky High Schools.  I never had any of those experiences.
Screw it, I'm buying crayons and paper. I can imagineer my own adventures! Wheeee!

Chuck Norris is the reason Waldo is hiding.


42

  • RPG Editors
  • Level 56
  • *
  • Posts: 4350
  • Fell Points: 8
  • Unofficial World Saver
    • View Profile
Re: So did you hear about Chris Paolini's books?
« Reply #29 on: February 07, 2008, 02:55:27 AM »
Paolini is young and his writing reflect that.

As for homeschooling, I've spent some time working with school administrators and seeing how schools are organized. I'm not against homeschooling at all. Honestly, public schools only seem to work for about 80% of kids. The other 20% of kids would probably be better off being home schooled.

I don't think public schools help every child socially. I think it helps some children develop social skills, but a lot of children don't develop good social skills no matter how many people they are around. Public schools don't require social interaction--it's not part of the curriculum and if it is it gets shoved aside.

Also every community is different. For many children, particulary if they have a disability, they are better off being home schooled where they can recieve more attention and more individualized instruction. As far a learning social skills, many home school children excell at learning to network with many people outside of their peer group since they don't get placed into social clicks and are forced to look for friendship outside of the local geography.

Course, I went to public schools. I don't have a lot of fond memories of high school. I'm actually really glad my family moved away from the first high school I attended.
The Folly of youth is to think that intelligence is a subsitute for experience. The folly of age is to think that experience is a subsitute for intelligence.