Pride & Prejudice --Jane Austen Lizzie Bennet, one of my first heroines. Probably the first girl that was complex, intelligent, & idolized, that I had read about at the age of 11. She's a one-size-fits-all heroine. Every person has their vision of who Lizzie Bennet is, what she would or would not say in certain situations." Lizzie Bennet taught me that it was okay to think outside the box, & do things that weren't expected of you. It was ok to use your brain & fall in love, there's room for reconciliation between the two. I thank Lizzie Bennet for the ability to see the reality in romance, & the romance in reality
"Hamlet is a painting of life. Perhaps alone amongst plays, it becomes a new piece of art with every layer of experience we assimilate. It is a swashbuckling parental revenge tale for children, a tribute to found and lost love for the young, a philosophical thriller of mannerisms and allegiances for the learning, a lesson for the writer and performer, a comical punchline for the cynical, a roster of consequences for the older. And for each, the question of 'to be or not to be' is ingrained in the reader's imagination."
"I knew since childhood that I was gay. Yet, I was always so afraid to be my true self. I played the part of being the ideal female and daughter. I wore dresses, wore high heels, put on makeup, had my hair long and flowing, and dated guys. I made myself out to be what I felt everyone wanted me to look like and to be. I never felt comfortable in my own skin, or in women’s clothing. I thought that I would have to live my life a lie. While living in Florida, in my mid-twenties, my friend and I started a book club. One of the books we chose was Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. This book opened my eyes and my soul because it made me realize that up until that I couldn’t live my life that way any longer. Shortly after, I made the difficult decision to come out to close family and friends. Little by little, each day became easier and I was able to come into my own. Although the protagonist in the novel is intersex, I was able to relate to the character and his struggles. Some main themes of the novel are rebirth, the American Dream, and gender identity. These three themes I have been able to explore and eventually become my happy, true self."
