Finding the Lit

Why are they cutting down the trees? In our first guest episode listen in to Anthony, Nathan and Adrian discuss Dr Seuss and one of his whimsical children's stories; The Lorax. A story about hyperconsumerism, environmental consciousness and linguistic playfulness. A discussion and full reading of the story is available in this episode. Anthony David Vernon is a professor at Miami-Dade College and...

We carry on with Chapter 3, addressing how the animals learn language, history as a broken wheel that keeps turning and some background insight from Orwell's 1984. Timestamps: 00:00-Introduction 06:00-Chapter reading begins 20:08-Discussion of Chapter 3 23:59-Animal Farm in the context of religious fundamentalism 37:18-Political control of language and the workplace 47:39-George Orwell's 1...

A continuation of our commentary and reading of George Orwell's Animal Farm Timestamps 00:00-Introduction 03:00-Chapter 2 begins 10:00-Brief discussion on Chapter 2 so far 15:28-Chapter 2 continues 24:35-Discussion of Chapter 2 - Religion 30:54-Literary analysis of Chapter 2 32:44-Our personal stories growing up reading Animal Farm 47:45-Animal Farm & Political Philosophy 54:38-Closing tho...

Join Nathan and Adrian as we explore George Orwell's political fable of pigs, horses, dogs, cats, rats and...political rebellion. We explore our own background on reading Animal Farm, George Orwell's authorship and how Animal Farm can be applied to today. Episode 53 - Animal Farm, Chapter 1 Timestamps: 00:00-Introduction 01:44-Our previous experience with Animal Farm 09:22-Context, George...

Episode 52 - On the early history of New Brunswick, Canada - Part 2 00:00-Introduction & first section 02:28-Discussion - St John's River & Miramichi River 06:05: Where and what is St Ann's Point? 08:46:How non-fiction is composed 12:28-Section 2 reading 15:58-The Canadian colonies during wartimes 17:51-The history of Canada & Pacifism 22:02-Finnish, Canadian and British educat...

Join Nathan and Adrian on our first non-fiction episode. We discuss a historical account from 1862, how this affected the Maritime province of New Brunswick, and various ways in which we as audiences read and interpret history. Timestamps: 00:00-Introduction 02:21-Where is New Brunswick? 08:02-Context before section reading starts 11:10-Section 1 of "...history of New Brunswick" 12:49-Di...

Join Nathan and Adrian as we discuss The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S Eliot. We discuss rhyme, how the poem applies to today and T.S Eliot's approach to composing poems. 00:00-Introduction 03:45-Social anxiety as a theme of the poem 09:45-On learning "etiquette"  11:21-Applying the poem to today's time 18:46-What reading T.S Eliot's poetry feels like 20:36-Our perso...

Join Adrian and Nathan for the poem reading of The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot. Adrian does a wonderful reading and we continue the discussion of it in the next episode. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/44212/the-love-song-of-j-alfred-prufrock

Join Adrian and Nathan for the third and final portion of our discussion of Book 9 of The Odyssey by Homer, using Alexander Popes translation. We finish our discussion on the land of the cyclops, and the creature as a character. 00:00-Introduction 07:42-Discussion of the Cyclops' scene 12:52-Ending section of Cyclops

Join Adrian and Nathan for the second portion of our discussion of Book 9 of The Odyssey by Homer, using Alexander Popes translation. We discuss the land of the cyclops, the structure of this portion of the Odyssey, and our thoughts on the piece as a whole. 00:00-Introduction 04:50-Story overview and next section 10:12-Literary discussion, scene setting & language 14:40-Homer's Blindness 1...

Join Adrian and Nathan for the first portion of our discussion of Book 9 of The Odyssey by Homer, using Alexander Popes translation. We discuss the structure of one of the original stories, and discuss how different a performed Odyssey would be from written accounts. 00:00-Introduction 04:04-Book 9 begins 06:41-Discussion of The Odyssey's structure 11:28-Odysseus sailing through storms 15:32-The L...

Join Adrian and Nathan as we continue with our final portion of Dune by Frank Herbert. We discuss the dynamics of fatherhood and the means to portray a good villain. 00:00-Introduction 01:05-Dune Part 1 Film Discussion 06:21-Duke Leto & Fatherhood 10:54-Writing villain characters 15:06-Baron Harkonnen's chapter reading begins

Join Adrian and Nathan as we add another portion to our discussion of Dune by Frank Herbert. We discuss the differences between the book and movie, shields, mentors, politics, and prophecy. 00:00-Introduction 02:42-Differences between the novel and the movie 07:35-Princess Irulan 09:05-Dune & Shields 11:09-Dune & Causality 13:25-Gurney Halleck 16:28-The mastery of Frank Herbert 19:18-Dune...

Join Adrian and Nathan as we continue our discussion of Dune by Frank Herbert. We discuss the first reading compared to the movie and continue with Paul's training. 00:00-Introduction 05:00-Dune & Lord of The Rings 17:07-Characters of Dune (Chapter 1) 22:44-Religious references of Dune 25:09-Chapter reading, Paul & Thufir Hawat 45:54-Paul & Gurney Halleck

Join Adrian and Nathan as we discuss Dune by Frank Herbert. We begin by looking at the very first chapter and set the stage for a grand epic adventure. Timestamps 00:00-Introduction 11:48-Chapter 1 reading begins 20:48-Paul Atriedes' test 33:48-Mythology of the Bene Gesserit

Join Adrian and Nathan as we discuss 4 poems concerning war. We look at the Crimean war, American Civil War, and the First World War. We will be covering: 1. The Charge of the Light Brigade, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. 2. The Pride of Battery B, by Frank H. Gassaway. 3. More Cruel than War, by W.S. Hawkins. 4. Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen. 00:00-Introduction 06:15-The Charge of The Light Br...

Join Nathan and Adrian as we finish Act 5 of Othello. Continuing the discussions by focusing on Othello and the final moments of his part in Iago's treachery. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1531/1531-h/1531-h.htm 00:00-Introduction 01:04-Othello's solemn speeches 02:53-Othello & Desdemona 07:51-Othello & Emilia 11:48-Iago & others enter the scene 21:08-Othello's final speech 23:34-Dis...

Join Nathan and Adrian as we carry on into Act 3 of Othello. Continuing the discussions of oppression, poetry v prose, and the differences between our time and Shakespeare's. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1531/1531-h/1531-h.htm 00:00-Introduction 08:24-Our mistakes as men and trying to do better 13:00-Performance of Othello, Act 3, Scene 3 28:31-Discussion of scene start 35:36-Linguistic discuss...

Join Adrian and Nathan as we discuss our upbringings surrounding the holidays. What did we do with our families, and how did we feel about it all? Let's Find out. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Good Will to all. 00:00-Introduction02:00-How did Adrian celebrate the holidays?08:18-How did Nathan celebrate the holidays?12:51-Saying grace at Christmas21:08-If you celebrate the holidays by yourse...

Join Nathan and Adrian as we continue with Act 2 and the crux of Iago's plan comes to light. What does he intend to do and why? https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1531/1531-h/1531-h.htm 00:00-Introduction 03:24-Performance section 1 13:00-Shakespeare, prose vs verse 17:45-Performance section 2 26:10-Being "on watch" 30:00-Othello as the general 33:16-Performance section 3 40:32-Discussion: Iago and j...

Join Nathan and Adrian as we look at Act 2 and the women of the play are introduced, how do Desdemona and Emilia resist the patriarchal and racist overtures of Iago? https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1531/1531-h/1531-h.htm 00:00-Introduction02:36-Plays in Shakespeare's Time07:17-Performance Section 111:40-Discussion Section 113:48-Deus Ex Machina in Othello14:54-The realities of war on the homefront...

Join Nathan and Adrian as we continue with our discussion portion as we explore Othello by William Shakespeare. We discuss the many angles that the play can take on and the numerous ways it can be interpreted. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1531/1531-h/1531-h.htm 00:00-Introduction 06:28-The racism of Othello’s hearing 11:04-The Duke and his decisions 15:48-Othello’s first speech 21:53-Desdemona’...

Join Nathan and Adrian as we discuss the portions we explored from Othello by William Shakespeare. We discuss Religion, Racism, prose, and poetry. All central topics to a good play. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1531/1531-h/1531-h.htm 00:00-Introduction + Performance 06:52-End of Act 1 + Discussion 12:00-Go Make Thy Money 13:20-Prose and Verse in Shakespeare 18:54-Syncretism + Religious disclaim...

Join Adrian and Nathan for our final storytelling scene of The Fellowship of the Ring. Frodo and Boromir discuss the ends men would go to to save their people. Playlist of Fellowship of the Ring Episodes: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ICqslF2lbtmWlzBrtNGMD?si=216OXjblRUao3e10wBf19w 00:00-Introduction 04:26-Chapter reading begins 10:27-Frodo wanders into the forest 14:04-Boromir makes his case...

Join Adrian and Nathan for our next storytelling scene of The Lord of The Rings. Frodo and Sam find themselves contemplating their journey with the aide of Galadriel. Playlist of Fellowship of the Ring Episodes: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ICqslF2lbtmWlzBrtNGMD?si=216OXjblRUao3e10wBf19w 00:00-Introduction 02:08-Chapter Reading 03:24-Frodo’s Poem 04:40-Sam Gamgee’s Poem 07:07-Lady Galadriel...