2010 Games of the Year

Bioshock 2 – I have endless and unceasing love for Bioshock 2. I had just gotten into video gaming and my mother had found it as well as DarkSector and Fracture (games that I will never remember on their own merits) in a bargain bin at Walmart. I didn’t think much of it at first, […]

Literary Analysis: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Prompt: What role does the idea of “reputation” play in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight? Does Gawain uphold the reputation (and in turn, the Code) of the Court? Response: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an absolutely fantastic display of the Arthurian Legend and the ideas of chivalry and honor. Sir Gawain takes […]

2011 Games of the Year

Portal 2 – The cleverness of Portal 2 is what pushes it to the top for me, the entire game is filled with great writing and puzzles that make its eight-ish hour length fly by. Each act of the game is distinguished by different goals and different styles while turning certain puzzle mechanics on their […]

2012 Games of the Year

Mass Effect 3 – The Mass Effect trilogy is phenomenal. While Mass Effect 3 has some of the most controversial final minutes in any game, it doesn’t dispute how phenomenal this series is. Endings are hard, and with how much there was to consider going into this game it is no surprise it does its […]

Literary Analysis: A & P

Prompt: Why do you think Sammy quit? How do you interpret his actions? Response: John Updike’s A&P is a fantastic story that really hones in on the idea of the choices between conformity and rebellion that those coming of age in the world are faced with. This story is an early version of the popular […]

Literary Analysis: Emily Dickinson’s poetry critics

Prompt: How is Dickinson’s poetry portrayed in the work of Wendy Cope, Hart Crane, and Billy Collins? What points do they seem to emphasize about her work? Be sure to bring some of Dickinson’s own work into your discussion. Response: Poetry is a powerful method of communicating not just ideas but the intimate thoughts and […]

Literary Analysis: A Midsummer’s Night Dream

Prompt: What is the function and effect of the play in A Midsummer’s Night Dream? What does the play (in both senses) suggest about the value of drama and imagination in society? What attitudes toward drama does Shakespeare encourage us to adopt? Response: William Shakespeare is perhaps the most well-known and significant author in history. While […]

Film Analysis: Doubt

Prompt: Did Father Flynn abuse Donald? How do race, class, and gender complicate the interpretation of the play? Response: The hook of Doubt is the question of Father Flynn’s guilt or innocence and whether Sister Aloysius was correct in her crusade against him. Yet, that question is not one that is easy or simple to […]

Literary Analysis: Cathedral

Prompt: What does the narrator “see” at the end of “Cathedral”? What is “really something”? Response: The idea of personal growth is one explored in nearly all of fiction as a character changes from one state of mind to another when they are faced with a difficult circumstance or a strange situation. For the narrator […]

2013 Games of the Year

The Last of Us – The opening of The Last of Us is a huge part of why I love it. Showing that great relationship between Joel and his daughter Sarah before cutting it tragically short is one of the most impactful video game openings ever. It immediately tells you that this game is not […]