A Fulfilled Vision

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of good fortune, must be in want of a wife.  It is also a universally believed truth that those who marry for love will be happy in their marriage. It seemed for Mrs. Anne Carleton, neither of these truths were accurate in being universal. As she cut her eyes across the party to her husband she pressed her lips thinly together.

So many years ago, truly only five although it felt to be a lifetime, she had first spied Charles at the New Year’s Party. She’d checked her watch to hide her glances his way but he had noticed to no avail. Laughing, kind-eyed and golden-haired to be the sort of prince out of legend and she to be his lady love. Anne loved Charles with a deep passion and fierceness that would frighten him if he knew, and frightened her as she did know.

He courted her for a year at the bequest of his father, and Anne once believed, at the bequest of love. Anne had a vision before their wedding, of a perfect life. The two would be husband and wife, together forever; nothing could go wrong because she married him out of love.

If only Anne had noticed how Charles had grasped their best man’s hand in the shadows, the look of sadness and resignation cast between them. Well, now she noticed but it was too late. At their current party she saw Charles and that same man laughing with Charles’ arm around his shoulders. 


The forsaken bride felt white-hot envy, a knife of grief, burning her inside. It was too late.

An annulment of the marriage would bring shame to her family. Also, for all her anger towards him, she still loved her husband. Her teeth were grinding together as she saw that-that other man-that usurper laughing at something Charles had said. Anne should be sitting next to her husband, she should be the only one he had eyes for. She shouldn’t have to bear any of this!

What part of ‘I love you’ don’t you understand? Anne thought bitterly and despairingly as she retired to the quarters they shared. She slipped into her nightgown and removed the pins from her hair to brush it with ferocity.

Anne had married for love; she wasn’t happy. Not every man was in want of a wife. Her vision of being with him forever was hers, but how worthless it was if he could never return her feelings.

Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision.

Famous First and Last Lines

Famous First Line: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

This first line is from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. Jane Austen was born in 1775 in England, and was close to her family throughout her entire life, particularly her older sister. She had an informal education taught from her independent reading, and the male members of her family, like her father and older brothers.

Pride and Prejudice is a tale of an wealthy English family's efforts to find happy marriages for their single daughters. Specifically, two of five single daughters within one family, Jane and Elizabeth have their romances detailed. Jane is hoping to catch the eye of one Mr. Bingley, while Elizabeth experiences a belligerent but passionate courting with a man by the name of Mr. Darcy. The tale is abound with complications in the romances and the occasional appearance of a love triangle while Elizabeth and Darcy appear to be too stubborn to admit their feelings to each other throughout the novel.

I think I would enjoy reading this novel for a number of reasons. I enjoy complicated plots, and have a fondness for romance so those would be the most prominent of reasons. I would also enjoy the themes of the story of finding happiness on one's own terms and not for the benefit of others.

Famous Last Line: Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision.

This last line is from To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1927. Virginia was a troubled American woman born in 1832, who struggled with bouts of depression and mood swings. Her early life was difficult, as she suffered abuse from the hands of her half-brothers, as well as the death of her mother and sister.  She eventually went on to marry Leonard Woolf.

To the Lighthouse is a book covering the events of a the Ramsay family's stay in a summer home before World War I, their experiences during World War I, and their visit to the lighthouse across from their summer home after the war. The experiences of Lily, a young painter friend of the Ramsays and James Ramsay are covered in detail.

I would enjoy reading this book because I have recently began reading Virginia Woolf's work and I am intrigued by it. Her insight into social relations is very interesting, as one could note from any of her books.

The Daily Stargazer

PENTAGON PLEDGES SUPPORT

a news piece by Elixia Ashla

Year Printed: Juno 9th, 2102

The scene yesterday was hectic in the United States Pentagon, Earth(Proud members of the United Worlds Union). Various military officials had gathered this day for a momentous decision that would be recorded in our history programs. The Grand Dyet of the f-class planet Aspiria and the leaders of the planet f-planet Shreedo had arrived to negotiate an alliance with the t-class planet Earth's military officials. The Argons of Aspiria as well as Shreedo's Grogons have been repeatedly threatened and pressured by the slowly approaching Martian Empire. For twenty-four earth-years the Earthlings have acted as a blockade against the Martians for much of the galaxies, their chief allies being the Venusians of their planetary cousin Venus.

As the Earthlings are the galaxies' defense force the Argons and Grogons sought their help in defending their home from the tyrannical Martian King, Cagnox. Cagnox's goal has been for much of his two-hundred and fifty earth-year life span to gain greater territories and raw materials for his already considerable empire. Martians are well known for harvesting the heat of planets' cores for their own life and city support systems, hence their desire for a large empire. Controlling all past his home planet and the strangely named 'Milky Way' Galaxy's asteroid belt he is a considerable foe to all who oppose him. All planets in the opposite direction of Mars, and the galaxies beyond are guarded by Earth, and since their first encounter in the year 2078 they have prevented further Martian expansion in such a direction. Therefore, Cagnox has turned his gaze, elsewhere, in this case to Aspiria and its neighbor Shreedo.

The negotiations lasted for hours, particularly on the subject of arming the Earthlings with Argon's weaponry. As Argons are sentient-gas beings, they can only use gaseous poisons against the Martians, which could also be deadly to Earthlings when released. Ultimately a solution was reached through the containment technology of Shreedo that was capable of holding Argon poison. After much deliberating the officials were kept waiting with bated breath for the final decision of Earth's government and military.

The Pentagon, Earth's military capital, pledged support to the Argons and Grogons and to take them on as their allies in the war against the Martian Empire. There was much rejoicing on all sides, although much speculation on what this would mean for the future of the war efforts. The Martian Empire has yet to deliver a response to this bold declaration of alliance.

Pictured Below: Grogon President Enment and Earthling General Marshall



General Marshall is quoted as saying of the Martian-Earthling Conflict "This is the greatest challenge of our time, and the greatest challenge we will overcome."



Insipiraitonal Words

Writers as Readers

Whenever I sit down to crack open a good book, I like it to be either inside on my couch with bright lighting, or outside in a hammock in the shade of a tree. It can't be too cold, but I can ignore heat for my book, and while it's not a necessity I love having a cool cream soda while I'm reading. I love any sort of writing of any genre as well as fiction or nonfiction too. However, I really love reading fantasy because I love the freedom of knowing that anything can happen in such a story, and you don’t have to worry about the limitations of reality.

 

My first reading teacher was my mother, who is now an elementary school’s librarian. When I was very small she would show me flashcards of letters and ensure that I knew each letter and the sound that went with it. When I was older, we would sit on the couch, me snuggled into my mom’s side while I meandered my way through The Poky Little Puppy, Mr. Poppleton, and The Hallo-wiener. Those are some of my fondest memories of reading, besides the time I devoured the first four Percy Jackson and the Olympians books in four days when I was ten, or the times I read The Great Gatsby while I was camping with my family beside a freshwater lake.

 

My favorite books are a wide variety. Of nonfiction, I love Kisses from Katie and Eat, Pray, Love, because I love sharing the experiences of others, I was touched by the selfless heart of Katie on her journeys, and I really, really want to travel. Fiction could go on for a while if I stated them all, so I’ll stick to a few. Looking for Alaska, The Great Gatsby, The Promise, The Lunar Chronicles, and The Outsiders are all I’ll list here. Each of these touched me most because of the life-filled characters in each of them. If any of them were real existing people I would truly want to meet them because they’re all remarkable individuals. Besides the wonderful characters, each story had an interesting plot with adventures, romance, important messages, and friendships which are some of the best parts of life and certainly the best parts of any story.

 

Books certainly have the power to move people to action with or without the people reading them. However, they more powerfully motivate someone if they’ve read the book in question, and it is more often out of ignorance someone will take action without having read the book. Someone who reads a lot will be a better writer, indeed. When someone reads a lot, they’ll increase their vocabulary, learn new themes, and learn new sentence structure and will certainly incorporate such writing into their own writing at another time.

 

I may write a book someday, and I certainly hope I do. I imagine the book would be some sort of fantasy novel in which the characters go on a great journey. In the About the Author at the front of the book, I would want it to say I’m married, that I have kids, have pets, and live somewhere spectacular. I’d also want it to say that I’d published a lot of other writing. Finally, I would also want it to say I’m a total nerd, I like fanfiction, and that I have a serious sweet tooth. There would also be a mention of my favorite books somewhere.