Reading And How It Has Changed

A couple of days ago a friend of mine shared a quote from The Fault In Our Stars and a very heated bookish conversation started between us friends on that status. This usually happens, one of us reads an awesome book, word gets around and everyone else reads it instantly and we start our very intense discussions involving major verbal arguments over fictional characters. The most recent ones are Dimitri Belikov and Augustus Waters. But it was not always like this.

Photograph by Saliha Jamil

Almost six years back, I used to be the only girl in the class who read books till I came to know that someone else reads as well. Than it was two instead of one. We were allowed to borrow only one book at a time from our library and we had library period once a week. Our school being very conservative, did not let us go otherwise because it was in the boys wing. Anyway, so in 7th grade, I made my whole class get library cards so I could borrow books on their cards and read them. That was my love for books. It used to be only me and my best friend. We had the best of our time with it. It was like our own secret garden. Instead of growing flowers in it, we grew worlds full of alluring words. Our class assignments were based on the recent books that were read. I was caught numerous times reading in the class instead of listening to boring Pakistan Studies lectures. 

But things changed in the past couple of years. Firstly, we met another awesome friend and bookaholic who brought tons of books with her. Not only did she introduce us to new authors but also to the vast book collection that her mother had.Then more of our friends became bibliophiles as well, which simply meant more books for us to read. And the circle just grew. We started sharing books with each other, discovering new authors, having intense character or story oriented conversations but the reading in the class, it did not stop. We passed it on to others. We made a Reading Club and failed miserably at it, though in my defence, it was not my fault. I did try, if not my very best. 

It is very different than it used to be. Where there were just two friends sharing their love of books, now there is a whole group who loves books. I used to think that finding a friend who loves to read as much as you do is the best thing in the world, I did not know how much better is finding a whole bunch of them. Books are your best friends but people who love books are your whole world.  

...SAP...

Is This Right ?

Why is it that we feel for fictional characters? We feel the pain and the joy of the characters in a movie or a TV show. As time passes by we get attached to them. We start living our lives with them. They become a part of our lives. Their joys and griefs become our joys and griefs. We cry at their funerals and their wedding.  But sometimes we do not feel for the real people. I don know why but we just don't. They become our friends and they becomes our enemies. We curse over someone cheating on their partner and we want to punch them. We celebrate their Birthday in the schools bus (Yes, I celebrated Ian Somerhalder's B'day in the school bus. Not one o my proudest moments. And it was NOT my idea). We comment on their clothes. Their lives become our lives.

Somehow we relate to those characters and they become more attached to us then the real people in our lives. Maybe it is because we expect a lot from the people in our lives and we cannot face disappointment. Or its just that they are not that beautiful. Maybe its because the image that we have created of them in our minds shatters and we have to see those people for who they really are. Not for what we thought they were.

There are so many times that I have loved book characters and related with them. I feel as if somehow I can understand who they really are but not understand who the real people are. If that even makes sense. Because it is just really hard to figure people out. People are mean. Down right mean. I am just talking in a general sense. Its like one minute you praising them and the next you will be like, you did not just say that. Because it totally ruined your image in my eyes. I know that at times I myself might have done the same thing to people and I hope they didn't curse me. Sorry people.

Despite all that, you need real people in your life. Their meanness and other not so good qualities kind f balances your life and makes it more real. Otherwise I would think that I am living in books or movies. When someone asked me what would you wish for if you had the chance ? And I replied, a day in one of my favourite book. I was like 10 and I got this super weird and annoyed look from that aunt because she thought I would say like dolls or clothes or something. I guess I am too much of a bibliophile. So just be grateful that you have mean people in your lives.

P.S.I cannot believe I went from emotional drama to downright mean myself.

...SAP...