text: When I was a kid, a book I read advised young artists to be themselves. That decided it for me. I was a corny kind of guy, so I went in for corn. Walt Disney
  A book club organizer has a lot on her plate but with a little bit of homework, imagination and perseverance she can minimize the stress level. Here are some tips that cover some basic organizer duties. These tasks can be shared with other group members on a rotating basis but the needs of the club remain the same.
  Obtaining Books
  Making sure everyone in the group gets a copy of the book can be a challenge. Advance planning is key and there are many resources available in major cities. In Toronto, for example, the public library system offers special book club sets. Designated libraries set aside up to fifteen copies of books for book club members four weeks in advance. Members can check the books out for six weeks but cannot renew them. The libraries offer a wide selection of titles.
  One downside though is that your group is limited to what is available on the library book list. Despite this limitation, the book club sets are an excellent option especially if you want to minimize the financial cost for the members of your group.
  Used book stores are the next best source for your book club. The books are in excellent condition and there are usually several copies available. The books are often fifty percent less than the big chain book stores. The staff at the used book stores also tend to be more knowledgeable than workers at the big chain book stores, especially at BMV at 2289 Yonge Street, north of Eglinton. Not only is the store always well stocked and maintained, without the use of a computer, they instantly know the title and author you are looking for.
  Choosing a Venue
  An organizer should be attuned to where and how the majority of book club members want to meet.
  The following criteria should be considered:
  cost
  location
  noise level
  food variety
  The cost of food and drinks is often paramount in the minds of members. Try to find a medium-range cafe or restaurant that has reasonable prices from $3-$20. The eateries should provide a decent selection of hot and cold drinks, appetizers, vegetarian items and simple fare. The noise level should be very low. Make sure that the meeting place is accessible via public transportation and offers affordable or free parking. Some club members like to host a gathering at their place and that is always a great option.
  A well-organized book group can greatly maximize the experience for its members. An organizer can either make or break the book club experience. By providing easy access to books and choosing venues that members enjoy, an organizer can be successful.
  Check it: Types of Allegorical Novels: Spiritual Journey, Human Experience, Political and Social Satire
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  Types of Allegorical Novels: Spiritual Journey, Human Experience, Political and Social Satire
  Tuesday, July 27th, 2021
  Allegory in Greek means “to speak publicly.” An allegory is a work that uses symbolic figures to express thoughts or ideas about a human condition or experience. An allegorical novel is one that has a dual meaning, both literal and symbolic. The allegory serves as an extended metaphor throughout the entire course of the novel. It consists of a series of Interconnected symbols which are interrelated throughout the entire work.
  Early authors discovered that it is easier for a reader to grasp a theme when it is presented in the form of telling a story, as opposed to presenting a lecture or delivering a sermon. The allegory attempts to teach a lesson by putting abstract ideas into a more concrete, narrative form complete with characters and a story or adventure that the reader may find entertaining and can identify with and readily understand.
  Examples of Allegorical Novels
  The Pilgrim’s Progress John Bunyan
  Moby Dick Herman Melville
  Lord of the Flies Wiliam Golding
  Animal Farm George Orwell
  The Pilgrim’s Progress: The Religious or Spiritual Journey
  A great number of allegories contain some kind of moral message. A common theme, especially in earlier works, is that of the Christian faith and the human soul’s pilgrimage through life’s temptations to reach salvation.
  Characters in this type of allegory are often quite obviously named to represent human qualities, For example, in the 1678 work The Pilgrim’s Progress, the hero Everyman encounters characters such as Christian and Old Honest as he flees the City of Destruction, passes through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and other familiar places on his way to the Celestial City. As in The Pilgrim’s Progress, the allegorical tale is often about one man’s pilgrimage to understand his life, but also represents the universal trials of every man’s life.
  Moby Dick: The Human Experience
  Moby Dick is an example of an allegorical novel representing man’s struggle against fate. On one level it is an adventure tale about whaling on the open seas and the main character Ishmael’s quest for the white whale. On a more symbolic level, the hero’s epic journey represents man’s search for the meaning of life. The white whale symbolizes the elusive goal. It is also representative of nature and elements over which man has no control.
  Animal Farm and Lord of the Flies: Political Allegory and Social Satire
  Not all allegorical novels are religious or tales of spiritual growth. Some allegorical novels such as Animal Farm are political satires or criticisms of government policies and serve as a warning as to what might happen if certain political ideals are allowed to take over. Animal Farm is a thinly-veiled satire on communism and the evils of authoritarianism. Knowledge of the politics of the time indicates that the head pig Napoleon represents Stalin and Snowball, Leon Trotsky.
  In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses the example of a group of marooned schoolboys who attempt to set up their own form of government on a deserted island to point out the flaws of man-created culture. The island represents society and the boys are representative of the different members who make up society. For example, Piggy stands for intellect and reason, Simon for morality. The Beast represents evil. The entire novel is about how bad leadership can lead to destruction and how lack of civilization leads to savagery.
  Often political allegory is used when outright criticism of a government might prove to be dangerous.
  Courage is contagious. A critical mass of brave leaders is the foundation of an intentionally courageous culture. Every time we are brave with our lives, we make the people around us a little braver and our organizations bolder and stronger. Brené Brown