Most Memorable Books Read By Michael Kalamchi

1. Rhinoceros. Eugène Ionesco. A play that speaks of the absurdity of the human condition and the struggle of an individual to keep an identity unique in a world where people would rather be with the crowd than out of it. Personal identity and individuality is something that has always been a subject of interest to me.


2. Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. A novel in which society is kept in the dark from what has really been happening in the world. The end of the novel leaves us asking ourselves if ignorance is truly bliss. Would we want to live in such a world?


3. The Phantom Tollbooth. Norton Juster. The first book I've ever read that was important enough to me to remember. Modern fairy tale about a boy named Milo who is bored with life. Is sent a package with a tollbooth that takes him to a different world. After spending what seems like years in this world he arrives back in his room to find that only an hour has passed. Sad he hopes that the tollbooth will return one day but now has a new outlook on life.


4. Brave New World. Aldous Huxley. Did not read or had not heard of this book until the summer before this year. Ended up choosing it as my summer reading. Really enjoyed this book. Talks of the control of technology in an idealistic world where humans have been breed and predestined. Everything from there personality to their thoughts are some how influenced from their "birth."


5. A Separate Peace. John Knowles. A bildungsroman. This story is told 15 years after the events described in the novel took place. The main focus of this novel is human's natural tendency to become jealous and the destruction that comes with it. The jealousy that Gene has for his best friend Phineas causes him to intentionally or unintentionally, it's never made certain, physically injure his friend. The novel is about Gene coming to terms with himself and his actions. Towards the end he reveals what he had done to Phineas. After a confrontation Phineas ends up falling down a flight of stairs, breaking the same leg. During the operation Phineas dies, it is then that Gene finally comes to terms with himself.


6. Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling. Enjoyable series that I had read when I was younger. I have re-read this series multiple times. A creative and enticing world with a story that allows you to connect with the characters.


7. Novels Related to the Star Wars series. Various Authors. Star Wars has been something I fell in love with as a child. Watched the movies growing up. An amazing universe with interesting characters. The books are just an expansion to the story of the films.

Bernard's True Intentions

In Brave New World, a science fiction novel commenting on the use of technology and its importance in shaping a Utopian/Dystopian world, the part of the novel that had the strongest effect on  would be right after Bernard Marx brought back John and Linda to show to the Director. After this event we see the true side of the character Bernard. Earlier in the novel we are introduced to the insecurities of Bernard. Being an Alpha but lacking in the normal physique shared by normal Alpha males. Being shorter than the rest gives rise to rumours of a mishap while he was an embryo. This furthers his insecurities with himself as well as his position. Through his conversations with Helmholtz Watson, his close friend, we see that Bernard is capable of individual thought and does realize that there is a problem with the world they live in. However after his experience at the reservation and after the ordeal with the Director involving his long lost lover and his son we see a different and truer side of Bernard. Bernard used his popularity as well as John to get what he wants. Be it reputation, fulfilling his own ego, or women. We find out that Bernard truly wanted to fit in with the world he was so critical of and find out that the only reason for the criticism of the world he lives in stems from his hate of being alienated from it. We also see a change in how the society views him. Before people used to be critical of his height, the reasoning for his height being too much alcohol in his blood while he was in the embryonic state. After the incident with John and the Director people completely disregarded this.  At first it seemed as if his experience with John, also an alien from the society he lives in, would open his eyes and show him that being an individual and being unique works and is more natural in humans rather than the completely controlled society he lives in. This was not the case as we see that Bernard only brings John back to his world as a publicity ploy, putting John on display to everyone as the savage. Surprisingly people do realize what Bernard is doing. They comment how this will be his fall and that fact that he will not have another savage to pick him back up afterward. This is surprising seeing as how any information or ideas that people know are those that have been drilled into their minds while they were infants. This event of the novel had a lasting effect on me because it shows the true dynamic of a human being. Bernard's views on society were clear and yet he still yearned to be part of the population even though he hated it. This part of the novel was surprising and a let down. Expecting to see Bernard finally break free from the mold of society we instead see him more than happy with his place even though he hates the ideals. He would rather be part of the crowd rather than stand alone even if he knows it is wrong.