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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Blogathon Post 6: Top 15 Book-ish Moments


The simplest of  books can pack a very impactful moment or two. While the book as a whole may have been forgotten (or moth eaten), a single line, para or scene remains etched in our memories forever. 



My personal top 15 such scenes include:
1. Gone with the wind: 
Scarlett O'Hara tearing the curtain to make her dress.
In the very first scene, Scarlett sitting with the twins in the sunlight.

2. Rebecca:
Maxim patting his wife's head absent-mindedly (like one would pat a puppy).

3. A Thousand Splendid Suns: 
The ceasarean birth of the protaganist's son without an Anaesthetic

4. Kite Runner:
The protaganist finally finding the boy in ghonngroo n dancing.

5. And The Mountains echoed: 
The separation of the brother and the sister.
The final scene - Alzheimer's is my worst fear, second only to paralysis.

6. The Lord Of The Rings: 
Legolas seeing the Balrog for the first time ("Ui! Ui! A Balrog!").
The Ent's song.

7. Game of Thrones:
Jaime's multiple utterances of "Things I do for love", each having a different context and meaning.
The death of Tywin Lannister.
Cersei's walk of shame, and the final scene between Petyr, Sansa and Lysa in Ice & Fire

8. Tell me your dreams:
The realisation by the investigators that that all the three are actually... the same. 

9. The Satanic verses:
Eating the fish - bones and all.
The "Taka Tun Taka Tun" Song by Gabriel as he falls.

10.A Fine Balance:
The worm in the stomach, it's extradition and the final weight gain. (For a long time, I believed I had the same issue)

11. The Picture of Dorian Grey:
The disposal of the body so that no trace of it remained - I thought it was a creative leap by the author, until "Breaking Bad" happened.

12. Twilight:
The first time Bella saw Edward - Nowhere close to my love story, but in a parallel world, I can imagine being that smitten by Ashwin since he is like the epitome of my dream man.

13. One hundred years of solitude:
The trail of blood - Such a fantastical (and creepy) notion.

14. The Six Cousins:
Rodderick's shoe cleaning obsession - I have a similar obsession, so can imagine why Roddy enjoyed it so much!

15. The world according to Garp:
The car accident - I just couldn't get over it, close second to the Thousand Splendid Suns scene which gave me a lot of sleepless nights.

Are there any that stand out in your memory?

7 comments:

R's Mom said...

honestly? - The food description in Enid Blyton stories. The scones and butter, the rich chocolate cake, the raspberry jam, the cucumber sandwiches, the lemonade, the chocolates

Kunal Chandra said...

Amazing that you can remember such details but may be then the top 15 for anyone will be memorable anyways. The blood trail to Rachel's (?) window I remember too and i also thought it to be a stroke of genius for a writer. Such confidence!!!
Kite runner too... Although my most memorable is the moment of shame for Amir when he sees his friend put through the horrendous act and chooses to turn back and leave. So human so us!
Nice post and congrats for holding up in the marathon....
I promise a commentathon!!! if it amounts to anything.

Archana said...

R's Mom: Enid Blyton is perennially associated with Ginger beer in my head!!

Kunal: Marquez can create magic with his words!
And thanks for the encouragement! Your comments amount to a lot - I will hold you to your word!

Anonymous said...

wow!! nice list. Let me add some to my wish list.

Unknown said...

Great list! Wish I could read some of those this year

Archana said...

Momsince27: Thanks - I had so much fun writing it!
Gayathri: I am sure you will, considering the Bingo Challenge! :)

simple girl..... said...

of the list read 1,3,4 and loved them...