The Year of Magical Thinking

“Life changes fast, life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.” This is the first few lines of Joan Didion's book The Year of Magical Thinking, a poem she refers back to on many occasions to emphasize the humanity of death. “It was far, far too pale, and still, and, well, dead, yes dead. She was dead, dead, dead, dead…” This is a quote taken from Anthony Rapp’s autobiography, Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent, which also shows an…

capacity is seen as limited.” (Dionysius the Areopagite, Works (1897) Chapter1). Simply, good is good and evil is evil. Can evil exist without good? Can good exist without evil? I believe, evil only exists because we believe in or are forced into thinking that it really exists, but, good on the other hand is all around us. The wonderfully created world that we live in, humans, animals and plants is living proof of all things…

Have you ever fantasised over a place? Have you ever wanted to escape from your parents? Introducing two fearless fellows to you all, Prosper and Bo. They were orphans on the run from their cruel aunt and uncle, the Hartliebs. Attracted by the magical, charismatic stories, they embarked on an adventure from Hamburg to Venice and met another three orphans led by Scipio--the Thief Lord. They lived in an abandoned movie theatre, the Star Palace, as a hideout. Scipio broke into houses and sell what…

The Swastika and The Star of David, two highly recognisable symbols juxtaposed in our minds today in association with the Holocaust. The Swastika invoking the racism and genocide perpetrated by Hitler’s Nazi Party and the Star of David representing the martyrdom of the Jewish people that were persecuted. But this has not always been the case. Today I will tell you about the long and fascinating history of the two symbols and the shift in their meanings over time and through cultures. You may…

Jeff’s Epic Journey Jeff was supposed to be the heir to the throne, the leader of the dancing unicorns. He lived in the perfect world. Everything was good for him and everybody else in the kingdom. He was a perfect unicorn. He had pink eyes, rainbow colored hair, and had a perfect horn. There was just one issue; Jeff couldn’t dance. The kingdom was specifically known for dancing and since he was part of the Royal Family, everybody had very high expectations for him, but Jeff just wasn’t born…

made a tough decision but their love for each other has helped them become happy without having kids. Eventually after their long happy life Ruth dies. Ira can feel a piece of his heart leave along with Ruth and he is very heartbroken. Throughout the years she's been gone she still helps him get by. She's always overseeing him and letting him know he is not alone. When he gets into a car crash she is there letting him know he can do this and to not give up. With her help he survives until he…

unnatural. She blames the alteration of the corn for her illnesses and defends her thinking when she says Amal Assa’ad (MD) has “magical thinking” (Shetterly). Assa’ad states, “'We're so afraid of chemicals because they are man-made, right? A lot of chemicals have helped us—a lot of medications are chemicals’” (Shetterly). Carroll, the author of Skeptics Dictionary and Critical Thinking, disagrees with Shetterly’s thinking because he says, “Just because something is natural does not mean that it…

Early childhood years are considered the “play” years and the most important years in development. By age 3 they being to play more with others and use more elaborate imaginative scenarios. At this age they start to depend less on others and become more independent. They have their own theories and ideas on the world around them and sometimes feel theirs is the only/correct one. Not only do their skills and strength grow at this age, but so do their bonds between their friends and family.…

possessive and often obsessive qualities. As stated in Aquamarine, “love is the closest thing we have to magic.” This is often the case for personal relationships: what would seem ordinary soon takes on much more meaning. Love is then, in a way, truly magical; It defies ordinary logic, in so doing surprising any observer. When one is truly in love, one could simply do no wrong; the statement that “love is blind” immediately gains truth. Love drowns the mind, body, and soul in its raging sea of…

differently, a habit known as counterfactual thinking.” Counterfactual thinking is the sole of Ofelia’s journey, as she is desperate to find a way out. By using a fairy tale, she is able to place herself in this imaginary world that distracts her from the horrors of the war and the captain. Some may argue that it is something that only the young are able to do, however, its also arguable that in Jane Yolen’s, “Briar Rose”, Gemma relied on counterfactual thinking about her experiences during…