Author: alexhugie

The Heartbreaking Truth

“I love you.”

What do these words mean? Well, depending on its context, the answer to this question varies. The word “love” could be attributed to the interior decoration of a person’s house, signifying deep admiration and approval. On the other hand, it might refer to the Greek Narcissus speaking to his own reflection, a high school student expressing appreciation for a close friend, a mother nurturing her children, Leonardo DiCaprio whispering to Kate Winslet aboard the Titanic, or King David from the Bible singing psalms about his supreme creator. Perhaps the word sometimes—even often—means nothing at all.

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Approval: Earned or Won?

“Have you ever noticed that idiots tend to have a lot of friends?”

Marcus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has been one of many to notice this trend. All human beings (not just teenagers) often find themselves focusing on one ambiguous goal: the approval of others. However, it never seems to occur to some that there is more than one method available to acquire that approval, and there is more than one type of approval that may be acquired.

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Dr. Seuss: More Than a Children’s Author

I have examined a number of lists naming the works of literature most often recommended by scholars. These lists claim to officialize which novels, plays, and poems throughout history qualify as works of “literary merit.”

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The 9 Circles of Stupidity

It is a little known fact that the Inferno was not Dante’s first adventure. Before he met Virgil in the dark woods, he chanced upon another hierarchy—one that has remained a secret until now.

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