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Books That Shaped Me
Beyond Good and Evil
Nietzsche's critique of orthodox morality and "herd mentality" led me to ponder upon how unconscious biases and expectations present in my environment may have limited my growth as a student.
For instance, I had selected Psychology, that had newly been added to the curriculum, as my iGCSE options to pursue something that I was interested - despire being pressured to select an "easier" and "timesaving" subject.
Nausea
Reading Sartre's "Nausea" invited me to reflect upon the purpose of life after viewing the world Roquentin's eyes. The 'nausea' he felt, or his awareness of the arbitrary nature of life, reminded me that life has no inherent meaning besides what I create. This made me reflect upon the choices I make, motivating me to prioritize authenticity over conformity to societal norms.
Metamorphosis
Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis reinforced the importance of compassion in connections. Watching Gregor's physical transformation and his alienation from his own family, I realized how shallow human connections can be; where even family relationships can be transactional.
This taught me to invest in genuine relationships grounded in empathy, whilst also prompting me to become someone that fosters other people to feel valued for who they are.
Frankenstein
Despite its fame, many people fail to acknowledge the message of Frankenstein, simply concluding the Frankenstein's creature was the villain. I believe that the true message of the story is about the impact our actions have on others, reflected in the chain of tragic events that fall due to Victor abandoning his responsibility of his creation.
This taught me to always be considerate when interacting with others, staying mindful of how my words can affect others.
2024 Reads *Last updated october 2024
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