The importance of being honest -- an extract from a Russian film

  This is a little piece from a Russian film 'A Literature Lesson' (1968), based on Victoria Tokareva's story ("A day without lying"), the script is hers as well. Here's a page http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063752/.
   It's about a young graduate (educated as a journalist) working at school. There are a lot of interesting ideas. But the main one jumps to this: telling the truth (importantly -- to oneself), being honest. This is a final monologue of the main character. It starts somewhere on the eighth minute of this file, soon after the piano sounds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT47OLVZmhI&feature=related
   That is a quote from the film that comes at the end, showing the main character's speculations.
   ''Now the day is over. I've lived it the way I wanted to: I wasn't afraid of anyone, I told what I think both to myself and the others. And what will be tomorrow? For if I want to live the way I lived yesterday I will not be able to do it, and, in fact, I do not want to.
Maybe the transition period is the period when you stop asking questions to the people around you and start asking them to yourself. This period can come at the age of fifteen, and at twenty five, and at forty. Or it may never come.
   What have I lost? Everything. What have I gained? Everything.''
   How it's really important to be honest with oneself and allow transition period (asking questions) to move on.

Something to write about

Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. I'd like to describe some impressions I have of their work.
What do I usually write about? Some major principles are as follows:
1) I write mainly about what's really interesting to me or moves me. Or delights me. Or what I consider worthy of attention, valuable or interesting. Frankly and sincerely.
2) I try to put in in an interesting and readable way, do some quality writing, so to speak.
Sometimes I wait for the appropriate mood and the appropriate amount of time. The mood is very important. If I am tired I can't write long and finely worked out texts.
So again a post which is not very interesting.

On communication (an uninteresting post)

I hope I'm not being overly intrusive.
I sometimes really am, when I am open and active in talking. People could get a bit tired.
I can never understand something -- of course, I understand it, but, on the other hand, I don't. It's wnen people politely listen to you, they do not tell you to stop or that they're tired of you. I know that if they really tell this to you you feel even more offended and hurt. (There were times when I asked the people to tell me forthright -- these were quite painful moments, later, however, they worked out for the better. There were other moments, too, when people had not informed me of what they did not like, when I realize, I said 'Why didn't you let me know?')
But if looked at from a different angle, you are kept in the dark this way -- you do not know whether you are welcome or not. You can guess in real life communication, in online communication you can't know the reaction at all.
I'll add one more thing here now. In reference to online contacts in particular, I think one should express express his attitudes, because if not shown how can it be guessed?

A poem

Robert Frost, Dust of Snow (1923).

The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

Great Day post

Apri, 27 was the day of Easter this year (in the Orthodox Church calendar). Christ is risen, giving us life.
Jesus is the hope of our everything. The hope of change for the better, the faith in God's care and love to heal the situation, to help us, often in spite our weaknesses. Whenever there's a problem, in faith is our life in hope.
Whenever I can see a touch of good change in a person -- this is the gift of God, and the good, inwardly right turn to the best, most beatiful sources of one's soul.
The life of a Christian is inner life, good change, sensed from the inside.
I want to say that Christian faith is not only in the statement of our beliefs (the Creed), but also in real life, in our hearts, in our joys, often where there's a penitent desire for a change and hope for the better in trust.
P.S. I think I'm a bit unclear here in expressing the idea. Sorry.

Reading experience

   When I was a child, I enjoyed reading fairy tales, the magic that was in them, I think. For example, when I was about nine, there was a rather long tale, about a Russian warrier, who fought for something, had lots of adventures, I was reading this in the park library (there was a library in the park at that time in the city of Saratov, where we went for the whole summer), it was very exciting! Now I don't recall the details, the plot.
I liked other tales, magic stories, adventures, too. I liked the Chronicles of Narnia a lot. One of my favourite books was 'The Horse and His Boy'. When I was rereading it some time later -- I wanted more details: descriptions, relationships, psychology. I was about eleven or twelve -- I guess, something else was becoming more interesting about fairy tales, not the magical, adventure aspect, but the relationships of people, their psychology, their feelings, probably.

I wrote about this film http://verdevivoverdechiaro.blogspot.com/2008/02/pilgrimage-to-eternal-city-apostle-paul.html/ , a documentary about Apostle Paul.
What information was new to me? The fact that Apostle Paul, at the time where he was a persecutor, had been the one to throw stones into one of the first martyrs, Stephen.
Then there were some descriptions of Apostle Paul's appearance, I wonder where they got them. Also there were extracts from the Epistles and from somewhere else (where from?), it seemed to me.
Another curious detail is that the place where the Apostle was killed was shown, and at this place at that time the linden trees had grown, archeologist research confirmed. That spot was precede by touching words how Aposles Peter and Paul met not far.

What is the Lent about?

In a few words, generally. The Great Lent is a period of preparation for Easter, the time of fasting, the time for spiritual shift, for movement. It is said to be the period of test and exercise.
Fasting is a means: you forgo certain food, on the other hand, you refuse or linit certain things to leave space for something better, refuse one thing for the other, the more important one. As for the Church calendar, through the Lent the major events of the Gospels are remembered and relived, revived in the hearts and minds of the believers.
(This was an attempt to say a few words about what the Great Lent is. Based on what I read and some thoughts of mine.)

Why I write

Even one reader is a reader. Thanks, Ann!
I think I had wanted my wrings to be read more than I do. Or rather now I realize that I write, first thing, because I want to, because I want this to be. Of course it's gratifying and pleasing when your texts are read, understood, found interesting, and when someone takes an interest in your personality -- and to me it is pleasing, too. But it is not the first thing. If you don't want it, guys, you don't have to read it.
Through blogging there's a possibility to find people who are interested in those things you touch upon, and freely. (I also mean to say that those who search for certain things will find them and appreciate them, they will find what they want.)
Then I've been thinking. Who am I to interest anyone as a personality and writer/blogger? Though I find some of my posts interesting, on the whole, what is there so interesting? So I'm learning.

Spring

On April, 5 my sister Irene and I went for a walk in the forest. Here are some photos.

The view from the window. And trees with a small pool.

Early spring it seems to be. The sun shines often. It's quite warm, sometimes windy, though. I like this spring light. It's nice: the ground is dry in some places, the sun shines on pavements, the grass has not yet begun to spring up, the trees are bare, still it is spring.

Forgiveness Sunday

In this post I was planning to write something about the so called Forgiven Sunday. http://verdevivoverdechiaro.blogspot.com/2008/04/week-just-before-great-lent-was-good.html#links/ Catholics have Ash Wednesday, The Orthodox have Forgiven Sunday, the day just before the Great Lent. I haven't found any clear indications to this tradition on the net. I know it's old. The start of it lies in the words from the Gospels (http://kingjbible.com/matthew/6.htm): 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
The tradition is to ask the people to forgive you, and the usual answer is "God will forgive." Formerly, before the revolution, people used to these words even to the people they were not acquainted with, strangers.
By the way, this tradition is shown in Nikita Michalkov's film "The Barber of Siberia" (1999).
So what is the situation nowadays? Nowadays people do it, mostly relatives and friends, I think. Even some people who are not church-goers and who are not religious.

Some links

Yesterday I found some posts on blogs.
A specialist in Medeival literature. http://verboseprose.blogspot.com/ Vince Locke.
English and literature students http://oaueglclass2004-forlearningandculture.blogspot.com/2008/04/weac-syllabus-on-literature.html Genres and other stuff.
http://afortmadeofbooks.blogspot.com/ Robbie F. writes literature analyzing things, too.
A serious study http://methodius.blogspot.com/2007/09/christianity-paganism-and-literature.html .
http://folknation.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/christian-mythology/
http://unlocked-wordhoard.blogspot.com/2007/12/reading-medieval-allegory.html
http://blogokimberly.blogspot.com/2008/03/they-got-mustard-out_20.html Metaphor, allegory, simile, analogy, symbol (definitions).
On symbol and allegory http://aspectreview.blogspot.com/2008/01/symbol-and-allegory-in-preaching-gods.html
On allegory and symbol, stating the difference. http://graegrae08.blogspot.com/2008/03/allegory.html

'The Earth-Star Voyager'

My sister and I, we watched the film once. It was shown on TV in 1993 when we were twelve.
A sci-fi story -- I liked such then (space, adventure), but later I became more interested in something closer to real life.
I think this film would be still interesting to watch.
Romantic musical score with an optimistic strain, hero-like, adventurous.
We liked almost all the characters, especially: Jessey, Sally, Jacob, Johnathan, Huxley.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFgLL8EN71I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJz6WnXyUWE Trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDVzm-pCR6g
I'll say some more about it later on.

Apostle Paul's Faith

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
The First Epistle to Timothy (1)
http://kingjbible.com/1_timothy/1.htm
This is a useful source http://bible.cc/, you can see different translations and some comments.
Line 13 to me seems comforting.
Line 15 ... Shows Apostle Pauls humility and penitence. By the way, this line is sometimes read in the Divine Liturgy (with some other prayers) in the Orthodox Church, just before taking the Holy Communion. And also in Russian transation the last word is 'the first'.

Grateful

I am grateful to God for a lot of things I have been having and experiencing, for my life and other things. Including encouters, both in reality and through the net.

Joys

This post can be linked with this one http://verdevivoverdechiaro.blogspot.com/2008/02/joys.html I wrote about how glad I was. At my and other people's request the person has been writing the whole book, interesting and exciting! It's like a novel, with parts like chapters, giving curious details! I admire the man's mind capacity, stamina, will-power and all!
All the best and appreciation.

The week just before the Great Lent was good for me (the 3rd to the 9th of March). I watched a few episodes of the "Odyssey" series. On March, I took one of our classmates out to meet, a nice, good-hearted girl, we hadn't seen each other long. Then there was 'The Forgiven Sunday' (if translated literally), I think this tradition is Russian. The Great Lent began. This year Easter in the Orthodox Church calendar is on April, 27.
I'd like to dwell on these (and other) things with more details further.

Tolkien: Allegory and Applicability

   From the foreword to The Lord of the Rings. Here are some parts containing interesting ideas.

   "I should like to say something here with reference to the many opinions or guesses that I have received or have read concerning the motives and meaning of the tale. The prime motive was the desire of a tale-teller to try his hand at a really long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times maybe excite them or deeply move them. As a guide I had only my own feelings for what is appealing or moving, (...)"
Deeply move! That's an essential point about the epic.
  "As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical. As the story grew it put down roots (into the past) and threw out unexpected branches (...)" -- Then the author justifies there was no allegory of the war implied.

    Allegory and Applicability
   "Other arrangements could be devised according to the tastes or views of those who like allegory or topical reference. But I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author.  An author cannot of course remain wholly unaffected by his experience, but the ways in which a story-germ uses the soil of experience are extremely complex, and attempts to define the process are at best guesses from evidence that is inadequate and ambiguous."
  (In Carpenter's biography of Tolkien it is stated that there were quite many letters in which he mentioned attitude to allegory.)

   In this passage the writer attempts to draw the line between 'allegory' and 'applicability' as a means of expression, also clarifying why he dislikes 'allegory'.
  "The purposed domination of the author", that's what Tolkien dislikes about allegory. As I gather, the man disliked any imposing, concerning his Christian faith, too he did speak about Christian values in his works, but, say, through through the characters' actions and situation, not through declaring the ideas.
  As it seems, if the question of allegory and applicability is looked on and developed from the above mentioned positions, 'allegory' in this sense is often mixed up with 'applicability', because if there's an image in the story (a symbolic image), it can mean several things, from which is for the reader (and the author) to choose (or not to choose).
  If anyone has something to say about the topic, feel free.
 
   Some 'blogspot links' concerning allegory, metaphor in literature etc. http://verdevivoverdechiaro.blogspot.ru/2008/04/yesterday-i-found-some-posts-on-blogs.html
    My other posts on Tolkien.
  Tolkien as a Christian writer, parallels and symbolism, the image of elves, Samwise Gamgee at the beginning of the story. http://verdevivoverdechiaro.blogspot.ru/2015/11/reading-tolkiens-lord-of-rings.html
  The passage where Samwise Gamgee gets caught by Gandalf  'eavesdropping, his appearance, quotes. The friendship theme. http://verdevivoverdechiaro.blogspot.ru/2015/11/dont-you-lose-him-samwise-gamgee.html
   Introduction of Strider (Aragorn), quotes from the book. http://verdevivoverdechiaro.blogspot.ru/2015/11/strider-iall-that-is-gold-does-not.html

The Joy of Sharing

It's real good joy when you feel good if you agree with someone about something which you consider important, not just an emotion shared, but, for example, deeper feelings or states, or attitudes, values. That's where the fellowship begins.

'Due South'

That's a good series. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Due_South A brief review now.
I liked this film. The main character, like an odd one, behaving strangely (not like other people), always responsive, ready to help, exercising the love for the neighbour, Christian love. With the 'who, if not me' attitude.
I can't tell exactly in what number season (the second or the third) the concept of the main character was changed, the writers made him more common, so to speak.
A good nice film.

Icon Art

Here' s a good site. http://www.icon-art.info/ The Gallery the works of Andrey Rublev and his school http://www.icon-art.info/. Another page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Rublev.

The Holy Trinity. I like this blue colour, what is it called? The Saviour.

Apostle Paul.

There is something special about the old icon art, mural and fresco art.

I'd like to speak about my teacher

  His name's Alexandre Vashchenko, he taught the History of English and American literature to us (students) at the Institute.
  When I remember my years of studies the most favourite subjects appear to be those connected with literature, reading and culture.
  This professor's lectures were always so interesting. We (my twin sister and I) always wanted more of them: we wished the period had continued. I thought, such teachers reveal to you the world of literature, how nice it is to have such guides, especially when you know little about the world of literature and reading.
  What was also valuable and interesting about his lectures was that he traced symbolisms, connections (for instance, the repetition of symbols or similarities in the plot), tradition. He analyzed well.
  Probably it was him who taught me to trace connections, symbols, tradition, allusions. I might have been ready to take this, while he was reading a lecture -- it was often exciting, he's a good story-teller -- maybe I felt sort of self-identification with the points he made (like "This is it" and "That's what I need and like"), I enjoyed this I am grateful to this teacher, I learned from him.

Joys

I never thought I would be able to get in touch with the writer, the scriptwriter of the film I watched when I was fifteen. In fact, this film is still important to me.
I am still amazed at the opportunities the internet provides. So I did find this contact, I'm glad.

'Pilgrimage to the Eternal City', Apostle Paul

This documentary is amazing. It produced a great impression on me. It is the first series of the five. The first film is about Apostle Paul. Featuring Vladimir Mashkov.

From here http://russart.com/?movieplay&mid=1422 the first five minutes can be downloaded (no English translation, though).

'Words fail me', or Response

'Words fail me' -- I took this phrase from 'Jeeves and Wooster'. It describes the state when you feel at a loss what to say in your surprised reaction to what you read, hear or see. Sometimes it's silent amazement. You can't find the right words to express it properly. Response is a good thing: when you see that you and someone agree about something important.

'Three Plus Two'

Based on Sergey Mihalkov's play.
Scenes where adults behave like children. I enjoy those. Make me smile. !!!)))
Roman asks his friend for advice about how to reveal his feelings to the girl.
Later there's a thunderstorm -- the three men are playful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA8DNWJ9e6w&feature=related .
Here's one more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BMhdptcFPU&feature=related On the sixth and the seventh minutes they are frolicking, too!

Childlike

I was a childlike sort of teenager, I am a childlike sort of adult.

English, French, German, Italian

   I have had some experience of learning German -- I started it. I found it difficult. So many words to learn. And grammar: cases and other changed forms, articles. German is beautiful sometimes -- there is some neat accent.
   Recently I've looked through an Italian book in the form of dialogues with parallel translations (on the right side of the page), grammar and language stuff is explained, too. And what I found is as follows. Italian is more interesting and easier to me than German. Maybe because I've studied French. I also find Italian has more in common with English than German has (I might be mistaken here though). English appears to have a strong connection with French -- both having lots of Latin roots. Tracing the history: The Roman Empire, the Norman Conquest, The British Isles and France -- interaction, dynastic marriages, wars (XV-XVI centuries); besides, French was popular in the XVIIIth century, if I remember rightly.
   Some previous experience. German: film series "Anna" about a young ballerina, some children language learning programmes. Spanish and Italian: long South American Spanish-speaking series, Cenerentola 87. So little of German. And quite a lot of French and Spanish.

An Opportunity to Share

   This is my first post here. I'm going to write mostly in English here. I will share what I can, tell about some of my thoughts and impressions that I find interesting.
   I'm Liza, from Russia, Moscow.
   I'm interested in: Christianity, faith, good films, Russia, Russian films (soviet period), reading and good literature (though I do not read a lot), language, the Russian language, museums, beautiful scenery (landscape), personality and personality development, photography, the good things a person has inside.