Hello, my name is Leen Seleem, and I am a sophomore student attending Balmoral School. I am a youth volunteer with the Guild and have been involved in the planning of our new Youth writing circle. We had the pleasure of hosting the second meeting on Sunday 24th April.

Our youth participants had several writing prompts given to them at our previous meeting in March. Later, they were presented with the task of developing a short story or poem. On Sunday, a sample of their work was presented, and the youths present were provided with a chance to commentate on one another's work. It was wonderful to hear the cross-section of comments and suggestions each young author received from their peers and adults on the call. At the end of the meeting, more writing prompts were provided to the participants to inspire their creative talents for the next month. Hopefully, we will be able to share some of their work in a future newsletter. 

 
 

I have found the process of analyzing the great works of literature has helped my own comprehension of a classic and gives me a little insight into the craft of writing. (I added my essay to the book for reference).  

The commencing of the school year had invited the opportunity for students to formulate a book report on a book that was assigned that summer, I had completed that book, however, it was not the only one I read that summer, I read a book that deeply resonated with me that summer and left me with strong impressions. The impact it had bled through the two-month break and into the beginning of the school year, that book was the acclaimed novel authored by Fydor Dostoevsky penned “Crime and Punishment.” 

My fascination with the book was one I could not explain, I was simply aware that it left a meaningful impact, however the process of attempting to analyze and break down the idea I walked away with helped me comprehend why it was just so wonderful. 

I spent lots of time formulating this essay at that time, I wanted it to give the book justice, A report that enticed others to pick it up and explore the messages Dostoevsky so beautifully conveyed at such a critical time. 

Regarding my fascination, I can explain. 

The theme of the tragedy of the human condition is one not foreign to the works of many. It was one that fascinated me deeply, however. It penetrated itself in many different forms of my expression, be it art I crafted, writing I authored or simply the thoughts I would share in discussions. 

Dostoevsky, I believe, was a master of this, he utterly understood the inner workings of the human condition, it was not knowing he was simply blessed with, it was through the experiences that he faced in his own life. 

The story of Crime and punishment was not simply of Raskolnikov's fall from grace and the delusions that ensued to protect himself from bearing such a sin on his hands. 

But it was a commentary on our modern times as well, an explanation of ourselves as humans and the complexities and issues so embedded with us. Raskolnikov was not the only character in this story, we were part of this journey as well. 

This is not a fantasy; it was set in a world we know so well but can hardly say we understand. 

Art imitates life and I believe that Dostoevsky captured the essence of that so beautifully. 

This led me to the conclusion of just what I believed necessary for a novel to leave an impact on myself or the rest. 

A novel whose characters you can reflect on, you can emphasize with them, and a world that is not far removed from our own. A story that leaves us with a better understanding of our own world, and others. And in some cases, our own selves. Those are the novels that left the greatest impact on me. 

That is not to dictate that every great piece of literature must be one embedded with profound meaning. That is not always the case. However, the former are books that I have no trouble recalling because, in works such as those, you find yourself as a character in these very works. It becomes not only the character's journey but your own, as well as you, navigate through the ideas as you flip the pages. 

This is my personal view on the matter, and I believe that language is a powerful tool that can express more than just emotions. I leave you with these thoughts and hope they can offer some insight into the importance of the portrayal of human emotion and issues with society in our literature. 

Until the next time,  

Leen Seleem