Individual Reading №2

Chapters 11-20

On the way to Paris the narrator began to feel his mission difficult and hopeless because he had seen Mr. Strickland a few times and thought he had no rights to discuss Charles’ personal life. The man expected to find him in a fashionable hotel; however, the address brought him in a cheap one. Their meeting was not successful because Mr. Strickland refused to return. Moreover, the narrator was confused by Charles’ relation to his wife and children because the man did think about them and was not interested in their future at all. The narrator was informed about Charles’ desire to become an artist and start to draw. Mrs. Strickland perceived this information through hate to the husband and decided not to apologize him ever. Her sister took caring about the children and Mr. Strickland had to provide money only for her.

After five years the narrator left London to Paris and saw Charles again. It happened after the narrator’s meeting with his old friend Dirk Stroeve. In his opinion, Dick was not a talented artist but he sold his pictures successfully. The narrator did not like commonness in his art and tedious style of drawing. Dirk told him about Charles and the narrator came to see the latter. Charles had changed; he did not seem as a successful artist because of his appearance. The narrator noticed a lack of money. Dick recognized Charles’ pictures original and interesting and Charles himself as a man with great talent.    

Individual Reading №1

Chapters 1-10

This novel is written from the point of view of the narrator, who told us about the artist Charles Strickland. The former had a chance to know his person with great talent and he shared his memorials with readers. Mr. Strickland would have been unknown if Maurice Huret had not written the article about him. After it he became famous and debated, his works seemed extravagant, his reputation was established by critics. The narrator faced him at the first time in the Stricklands’ house and he did not impress him: the man seemed boring, ordinary and no art-oriented. But his wife was his opposition; the woman was interested in art and in people connecting with the world of art. The narrator spent several lunches and dinners in the Stricklands’ house and found out that the family was typically one where the members of it love and respect each other. Except the parents there were the sixteen-year old son and the fourteen-year old daughter. No one could suppose that some changes were going to happen in thethis family.

The last time the narrator saw the Stricklands they were going to holiday and he promised to visit them in autumn because he left London as well. The day of next visiting was full of information which the narrator did not expect to get. It was nonsense that Mr. Strickland left the family and moved to Paris. His wife received the letter which informed about his decision. The woman was in grief and only wanted to return him. The narrator was asked to go to Paris and meet with her husband. He did not like the idea but could not refuse and promised to do his best. 

Pleasure Reading №7

Chapters 43-47

Carrie enjoyed her success and life without Mr. Hurstwood in a small flat for 3 dollars per week. The life seemed to Carrie free and interesting, the roles in the theater successful; she even started to receive letters from men who asked her to meet with them for any money. May be earlier Caroline paid attention to them, but not now. Now she, Miss Medenda, had publicity, money and freedom, her photos were in any papers and everyone in New York knew her. The manager of the theater offered her 150 dollars per week and the manager of a fashionable hotel asked Carrie to live there to engage tourists.

Being alone Hurstwood did not know how to survive because he still had no work, no money and no Carrie. Having spent leaving money, the man lost hope of a normal life, his only way was to live by begging. Only one time he came to Carrie and asked her money. Their ways became completely different and nothing would unite them.

One day Mr. Drouet visited Carrie but he no longer seemed to her as an upper-classed man with charm and elegant clothes, the woman had the opposite feelings. Carrie talked with him once in her room in a new hotel and stopped think about him. From the conversation she found out about Hurstwood’s money story but did feel nothing except pity. Hurstwood’s daughter married with a rich man and with Mrs. Hurstwood they traveled to Europe. Carrie did not hear more about her former lover because he had died. Caroline had everything what earlier had seemed to her the high of life but she was not happy and all her life she spent in such feelings.

The End

Pleasure Reading №6

Chapters 37-42

Mr. Hurstwood lost hope to find a job and have money in a moment when he had only 50 dollars for food and their flat. Day after day the husband seemed to Carrie as a weak and good-for-nothing man, he gave up in attempts to find job, he even did not try to find because he spent whole days at home. An interesting thought came in Caroline’s mind that she herself had to earn money. She needed some days to find a job in the theatre, where she got 12 dollars per week. Firstly all her money was used to pay for a flat and food but then Carrie’s heart began to protest.

She did not appreciate that Mr. Hurstwood had no work and their relationship got worse and worse. The director in the Carrie’s theatre noticed her talent and made her the main actress there with 18 dollars per week. However, Caroline decided to hide information about it to let herself buy new clothes. She coped with her role but had to change the theatre in the near future because the troop was going to be on tour. Caroline did not go with them because of a lack of money and her husband. She became an actress of other theatre with 35 dollars per week and decided to break up relationship with Hurstwood because she was tired to pay for everything and saw the husband to do nothing to change the situation. One night when Mr. Hurstwood returned home, he found the letter and 20 dollars which Carrie had left him. He noticed changes in her behavior long ago when she spent much time outside and did not talk with him, but the man thought that Caroline would not leave him alone.

Pleasure Reading №5

Chapters 32-36

One day the brother of Mrs. Vance was introduce to Caroline and all evening she was enjoying his company.   His views impressed her because he did not give much importance to money; however, Carrie who had used to suppose the opposite decided that he was right. His words influenced her greatly and took her attention for some days. Caroline’s life seemed to her more and more ordinary and boring. Mr. Hurstwood, in his turn, had problems at work: the building with his bar was sold and he had no opportunity to pay for it to a new owner.

That time was difficult for Carrie because the Vance moved and Mr. Hurstwood thought about nothing except work. They changed a flat because of a lack of money and decline their purchases. The life and relationship within the couple got worse and worse, quarrels got more often and love disappeared at all. Mr. Hurstwood searched for any job without result and limited any entertainment for Carrie. They both regretted that they had left Chicago and had to live in such way.

The Vance returned to New York and Carrie met Mr. Vance by accident and the latter promised to visit her. Caroline did not want the woman to see conditions in which the Hurstwoods were living; especially she was ashamed of her husband who stopped to dress with care. Mr. Hurstwood did not find a job but to have some money went to casino but lost about 100 dollars though he had about 300. 

Pleasure Reading №4

Chapters 25-31

The Carrie’s dreams about happiness with Hurstwood failed completely after she had known about his family. She could not believe that he deceived her and was a reason to break up relationship with Drouet. Mr. Hurstwood, in his turn, left home but had to send money to the wife. His desire to be with Caroline forced and he made attempts to see her. One night, being the last worker at the office, he found amount of money and after doubts stole them. This decision meant a new life for him in a new city and the man was ready for it only with Carrie. To make her go with him, Mr. Hurstwood lied that Mr. Drouet was badly injured in an accident and the woman immediately went with him understanding nothing.

Doubts came in the Carrie’s mind at the railway station and only in a train to Destroyed everything became clear for her. Mr. Hurstwood explained his intentions to her having missed money and his possible arrest. Caroline could not oppose him for a long time and agreed to go to Destroyed and then to Montreal and New York. In Montreal a detective found them and suggested Mr. Hurstwood to return money and quietly leave Canada to New York. The man agreed and that money problem disappeared. The couple held a course to New York and settled there, by the way, they got married and to do it Mr. Hurstwood had to change his name.

After a year in a new city Caroline began to feel her life as not interesting and boring one and meeting with her new neighbour made her absolutely sure in it. Hurstwood found a job and even had success. Their love did not blind them more and the couple began to notice vices in each other. The man sent all time at work, the woman wanted to go out and communicate with people. Mr. and Mrs. Vance helped her to deal with the boring life by inviting to theatres and walks. 

Rendering №4

The article “Nearly 400-year-old secret painting in Rembrandt masterpiece revealed” was published on January 28, 2013 on FoxNews.com. It discusses that scientists may be one step closer to revealing a hidden portrait behind a 380-year-old Rembrandt painting. It is an open secret that the masterpiece, "Old Man in Military Costume" by Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, resides at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. The author, Megan Gannon, mentions that scientists had noticed the painting bears faint traces of another portrait beneath its surface. It is necessary to point out that researchers had previously probed the painting with infrared, neutron and conventional X-ray methods, but could not see the behind the top coat, largely because Rembrandt used the same paint (with the same chemical composition) for the under painting and the final version. Analyzing the situation it is necessary to mention that new studies with more sophisticated X-ray techniques that can parse through the painting's layers give art historians hope that they may finally get to see who is depicted in the secret image.

It is clear that Alfeld and an international team used macro X-ray fluorescence analysis to examine a mock-up of Rembrandt's original, created by museum intern Andrea Sartorius, who used paints with the same chemical composition as those used by the Dutch master. The reporter tells that when bombarded with these high-energy X-rays, light is absorbed and emitted from different pigments in different ways. It is an open secret that the scientists targeted four elements of the paint to fluoresce, including calcium, iron, mercury and lead, and got much better impressions of the hidden painting in the mock-up than they were able to before. It is interesting to note that the successful completion of these preliminary investigations on the mock-up painting was an important first step. Moreover, the results of these studies will enable us determine the best possible approach to employ in our planned upcoming study of the real Rembrandt painting.

In conclusion the author considers that this isn't the first time scientists have delved into Rembrandt's paintings. Previous research revealed why his art possesses such calming beauty, finding the artist may have pioneered a technique that guides the viewer's gaze around a portrait, creating a special narrative and "calmer" viewing experience. Essentially, the researchers found Rembrandt painted more detail in and around the eyes of his subjects, tapping into an innate human attraction to the face. As for my opinion, I think that the 21th century gives us lots of abilities to interpret and find out any pictures and any pieces of art. Rembrandt is a great painter and it will be interesting to analyze his works under the modern technology.