The Lord of the Flies

With all of the books that i have ever read there are only a few that i have read multiple times. For me, reading a book a second time is a true testament to the greatness of it's plot, characters, and climaxes. I have read 'The Hobbit' about three times, and Catch-22 about five times, but i have read 'The Lord of the Flies' no more than ten times. I have seen the movie and the remake multiple times as well and have had multiple discussions with various friends, family members, and strangers. The premise is excellent -- the ultimate "What if?" question of being stranded on an island. The storyline and plot are developed by true-to-life characters. The character design and interaction amongst themselves is beyond comparison and very accurate. One of the items that i usually look for in good stories is character development and interaction. Most times i try to put temperaments to the characters i am reading about. I have become a personality predator of sorts, and am constantly trying to label others so that i may understand them.

There is one unique feature to LotF: It's four main characters are depicted well in overall temperament.

Ralph... Is the natural charismatic leader. He believes in rules, and a governing body. His main objective is to keep the fire burning in hopes that someone will see it and save the boys from the island. He establishes a hierarchy and becomes used to giving orders. He also desires to build shelters, and to set up schedules for the boys to work, maintain the fire, and forage. He is a true guardian.

Jack... Is the challenger to Ralph's domination. He wants power for himself by slowly subverting the authority that is established. He lives in the here and now. He forms a para-military hunting group, out of his choir, to provide meat for the boys. He is not concerned with law and order. His main thought is that he who provides the food should be in power. He is concerned with the hunt, and his single focus is on that. Part of his ploy is to rile the others into frenzies and undermine the rules after he leaves the main troop. He steals the conch as well as piggy's glasses for his own needs and establishes his own 'tribe.' His action-minded, hunter mentality is artisan-like.

Piggy... Is the unfortunate voice of reason. It's his logic that alerts the boys that they are actually lost and that nobody else knows that they are lost-- "people know where we were, and where we were going, but nobody knows where we are now." It's his glasses that start the fire, it's his idea to use the conch shell as a method of turns for others to speak at assemblies. It's he that thinks to build shelters to live in. He suffers from asthma, wears glasses, and is fat. This unfortunate combination makes him an easy target for Jack's violence. He seems to me the archetypal rational. His unyielding loyalty and friendship to Ralp and Simon is also not matched among the others on the island.

Simon... for me is the bravest of all the boys on the island. He is the one that realizes that the 'beastie' is just a downed airforce pilot by approaching the cave and entering it. He is the curious 'outsider' in the group. He obeys the rules as much as the next one, but often goes off on his own to explore the island and eventually maps the island. He feels sorry for the killed pig, and admires the fauna, and animals on the island. He has visions of the LotF, and converses with it too. Unfortunately his 'oddness' is punished by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is killed by the group after one of Jack's frenzied hunter parties. His character is best explained by the Idealist temperament.

As i wrote earlier this book is probably my favorite fiction book, and the last time i read it, it was with the knowledge of personality and temperament.

Boredom

It comes and goes, but mainly stays. I am at this job for three reasons: 1) further my teaching education, 2) beef up on my research, 3) sharpen my clinical skills

I will start with my clinical skills. They are as dull as they ever have been before. I can see things slipping away. names of meds, tests, and procedures. I still have my suave charm with patients and nurses, but that is not a learned thing. That is a practiced art. I try from time to time to sharpen my skills but they have me barely working. I have requested twice to have more challenging cases thrown my way but this was ignored. Maybe it is impossible to get me to see more challenging cases, but i feel like there was never an attempt made at it. when i start my new position i will have to start sharp and focused. I need to come on the scene like gangbusters! I will be alright as long as i get started.

My research is a joke. To undertake a huge project in one year was too much to swallow. I am lucky that the HIT thing took off like it did. The other stuff was just shit. Walker's stuff was not going to include me anyway, and Shah dismissed me as a nothing. oh well. even the LVH thing took tool long to develop. Half the year went by without a single lead working out for me. I wish to leave the research up to the researchers. It is not for me.

As for the teaching... this is the thorn in my side. Firstly i feel as though i am teaching foreigners to become americans instead of students into doctors. ridiculous. Secondly i have only this year to show for my efforts. I wanted some form of degree. I asked twice for something to show for my efforts. this was also ignored. I was told that this on my resume would be enough. bullshit.

I cannot wait to leave. at this moment it will be 10 weeks. I cannot wait.

Personality Predator

I have become this entity that can sniff out another's thoughts, actions, and beliefs. I look at them and study their body language. I see how they observe things. I watch as they process information. I watch how they interact with their environment. I watch how they interact with friends and strangers. I see how they struggle and how they thrive. Then i speak with them. I hear their words, but smooth out the wrinkles. I read their underlying messages from their speech. I smoke out what they want to keep hidden. I climb into their brains from an opened back window. I combine their verbal messages and cues with the way that they carry themselves and then i own them. I could tell them more about themselves most times than they even know. I can flatter and i can charm. I can hobknob or i can fight the system. I can speak logistics and provisions, or i can tell jokes...

I can prey upon those that cannot guard their own thoughts. I can use this power for my own well being. I have built webs of associates to call upon for later use. I can also help these people and impact their lives. Do i even want to? Should i even bother?

This is a practiced art. This is a science. This has become second nature to me. I no longer think about it. i just do it. I just observe, then act.

book ideas

the one with the 33 year old doctor that is in the prime of his life, good looking, making and spending money, living life... gets cursed or into car accident and then is transported into the body of a 16 year old boy. This boy is fat, stupid, unpopular and untalented. He is the exact opposite of the doctor.

The boy then starts doing things differently. Works out, eats healthy, helps his mother, defends himself, and uses the deceased doctor's assests as his own.

The doctor may have been getting ready to do doctors without borders for six months. does the boy contact his family?? Does the boy solve the mystery... or come back to being the doctor??

I need the climax, and i need some sort of twist...

there will be good character development including personality as a theme. Is intelligence inherited? Is change possible?