This is why I spent countless hours straining my eyes to cheat off of Cameron while sitting behind him in high school. Bad eyes, a 5 on the AP US History test, and a permanent memory of "C-squared"s backside...it was all worth it. Dude takes a three month vacation from book club and comes back to put us all in our place, reminding us yet again of our own inferiority.
I can agree with Cam's take on "Daniel" thus far. I think the discomfort and confusion is absolutely what Doctorow is trying to portray. I still those "extremes" with which we precariously flirt are relevant in today's political environment. It wasn't what Doctorow had in mind, but Cameron is right--a small push in either direction and we really aren't so far different today than we were then.
I especially liked Ben's thoughts on how society will always be divided along some line.
In a way, though, that very idea disproves anything that Daniel's parents would have agreed with. Their support of the communist party was based on Socialist ideals, and the hope that a perfectly "equal" society could one day exist. Such a society is impossible, and it always will be, as evidenced by Cameron's thoughts as well as Ben's--there will always be extremes, there will always be "haves" and "have-nots". This is why every society in the history of the world that has been based on Socialist ideas has failed.
I'm hoping to finish the book as soon as possible because finals are rapidly approaching. I've really enjoyed it so far.
2 comments:
Well since everyone else is lost in this book, I will pick it back up and keep reading. By the way we will need a new book for Sept. I recommend something really short and easy so we can all finish "The book of Daniel." Maybe we could even just pick the Book of Daniel found in the Bible? What is it like 30 Chapters? Just playing.
What is this? A blog book club and I was not invited. Shame on you. (Just Nick. I don't have any idea who the rest of you are.)
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