Scene

Silver Linings Playbook' a rom-com with bite

David O. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook" follows Pat, recently out of a medical hospital on plea bargain after beating his wife's illicit lover nearly to death. Pat, who had long been undiagnosed for bipolar disorder, is determined to get in shape and get better to get his wife back, who now has a restraining order against him.

Django Unchained' brings back Tarantino

"Django Unchained" paired great writing and directing with even better actors to be one of the biggest movies of the holiday season and on the Oscar shortlist for best picture of the year. Quentin Tarantino is known for his unique, out of the box and often-controversial films, and "Django" is no exception. In the so-called "spaghetti western" Tarantino explores the pre-Civil War South and the attitudes of and towards African Americans.

Golden Globes winners

Golden Globes fashion: best and worst

The award for best host goes to... Fey and Poehler

Tap Dogs' turns tap dance on its head

This past weekend at the Morris Performing Arts Center, "Tap Dogs" grabbed hold of the stage and refused to let go. "Tap Dogs" is a tap dance show - unfortunately not featuring literal dogs - created by Australian dancer and choreographer, Dein Perry. The original cast first performed the show in 1995 at the Sydney Festival in Australia. Different variations of the show, each with a cast of eight male dancers, are now performed in major cities around the world. The company even performed at the 2000 Sydney Olympic ceremonies in an enormous group. Due to the show's unique staging ideas, the Tap Dogs are often recognized within the dance community as having revolutionized the way tap dance is presented to a modern-day audience. Elements such as set design, sound effects, lighting effects and unique uses of these elements - in addition to unique uses of props, all combine to create a fast-paced, otherworldy show. Part movement and part percussion instrument, and 100 percent American in its original form, traditional tap was probably made most famous by a series of classical movie musicals in the 1940's starring Gene Kelly, most notably "Singin' in the Rain" and "An American in Paris." Kelly was known for his energetic and athletic tap style, yet even this Hollywood legend's moves were not as crazy and athletic as those of the Tap Dogs. Like Riverdance, which took the formal, stiff traditions of Irish dance and added so much theatricality - such as more dramatic music, interesting sets, creative lighting and exciting plots; the Tap Dogs take traditional tap dancing and turns it on its head. The show's set at the Morris was absolutely magnificent, on par with the dancing itself as an important part of its total impact. The dancers maneuvered and manipulated the set, which resembled a construction site, between almost every number. Performers used the set in unexpected ways, such as breaking the stage into two jagged pieces and jumping back and forth across them, climbing railings and creating various angles and levels to dance upon. However, the most amazing part of "Tap Dogs," was the ridiculous creativity the dancers brought to the world of tap. Every time I thought I had seen the most unique and cool thing that could be done while wearing tap shoes, they would top it with the next dance. They dribbled basketballs to create a rhythm to dance to - while they were dancing! They placed eight kind of music synthesizers on the stage, each dancing on a different one, to make a wild array of different musical instrument sounds. They used lighting and smoke to achieve cool effects and flashlights to highlight different dancers, effectively filling the stage with a flashing strobe. Other times, they opted for moments of total darkness to force the audience to focus on their sound. At another point in the performance, these "Tap Dogs" poured water into a long tray and danced through the water wearing rain boots, even splashing the audience a few times. It was audience participation with a side order of Sea World. They even hoisted one of the guys upside down, letting him tap on the ceiling. The chemistry among the performers in "Tap Dogs" was great. They were funny, full of personality and it was obvious the entire performance that they were having the time of their lives. Each of the eight dancers brought a different personality and style to the stage. The show had a laid back feel to it, with all of the dancers wearing normal clothing - mostly jeans and T-shirts. The cast worked well with together, always feeding off each other's energies and trying to top each other in their epic dance moves. They each had little quirks, including one dancer who frequently integrated random disco moves into his pieces. The audience easily felt the cast's playfulness, which brought a light-hearted and fun atmosphere to the show. "Tap Dogs" has been around for quite some time, and, after catching it at our own Morris, I'm fairly certain it won't be disappearing from the world's stages anytime soon. Contact Tessa DeMers at tdemers@nd.edu

Ke$ha still awesome party girl on 'Warrior'

A disclaimer: I love all things kitsch. In fact, the tackier, the better. Perhaps it should come as no surprise I had incredibly high hopes for the newest album from the queen of trash herself, Ke$ha, she of the dollar-signed name. Back when I was a wee little first-semester freshman, I came across a Facebook advertisement for some unknown singer who just released the single "TikTok." As a Britney Spears fan, I was apparently supposed to be drawn to this song due to its infectious, electro-driven beat and a certain degree of irreverence that seemingly only 20-something female pop singers can deliver. I clicked the link to listen to the song. Boy, was I not prepared for what I was about to listen to. From the infamous opening line - "Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy" - to the heavy beat, to the exceedingly sassy lyrics about Ke$ha's over-the-top lifestyle (namely, brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack Daniels), this girl was apparently a force to be reckoned with. For my entire first year at Notre Dame, it wasn't officially a party until "TikTok" had been played at least once. Luckily for us, Ke$ha was not a one-hit wonder. With such hits as "We R Who We R" and "Your Love is My Drug," it was easy to see the blonde-haired pop vixen knew how to craft the ultimate party jams. With song titles like "Blah Blah Blah" and "Take It Off," we knew she wasn't going for critical prestige. But boy, does Ke$ha know how to get down. If she were a Greek goddess, she would be the female Dionysus, someone devoted to festivities and general merriment. And I love her for that. With the release of "Warrior," her sophomore album, it is clear to see Ke$ha hasn't lost her dirty magic. The lead single "Die Young" is the de facto party anthem of the fall, thankfully surpassing "Gangnam Style" and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." Just like most of her other songs, it encourages lewd behavior, dancing, drinking and general debauchery. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. What is so refreshing about Ke$ha is her uninhibited honesty. She drinks. She parties. She loves guys (big, hairy guys especially). She makes no bones about the fact that she likes having fun. And that is so different from other female pop stars out there. Take Taylor Swift, who also released a new album this fall. Taylor too sings honestly and from the heart. Unfortunately, the emotions she wants to share with the world are bitter, catty and immature. On the other hand, Ke$ha is the type of girl who lets her hair down and doesn't let anyone's opinion of her get in her way of her pursuit of having a crazy fun time. Tell me, which girl's music would you rather listen to? For that matter, which girl would you rather hang out with in real life? I thought so. That isn't to say Ke$ha is all style, no substance. She brought in Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips to help produce several tracks, and Iggy Pop lends some vocals on "Dirty Love." But face it, if you're listening to Ke$ha you're probably at a dorm party or on the dance floor at Fever. Thankfully, "Warrior" delivers a slew of party-ready hits. The second single off the album "C'Mon" starts off with what sounds like a choir of angels and segues into Ke$ha's signature rap-singing hybrid. Featuring such lyrics as "Feeling like a saber tooth tiger / Sipping on warm Budweiser" and "Feeling like a high schooler / Sipping on warm wine cooler" it is hard to not dance, or chuckle for that matter. Other standouts on "Warrior" include "Gold Trans Am," "Crazy Kids" and "Out Alive." All feature thundering beats, catchy lyrics and impressive hooks. Ke$ha is good at what she does and she knows it. She even delves into more "serious" subject material on "Supernatural" which details a paranormal sexual experience she had. At this point, that type of behavior does not even surprise me. My one bone to pick is when Ke$ha slows things down on tracks like "Wonderland." The song isn't bad, per se. Rather, when I listen to Ke$ha it's not because I am feeling moody or introspective. It's because I want to party. Luckily, these types of tracks are few and far between on "Warrior." Face it. Ke$ha is the awesome party girl you may never have the guts to ask out. No matter. On "Warrior," she is here for us all, the goddess of trash, debauchery and fun. Contact Sam Stryker at sstryke1@nd.edu 

Know Thy Shelf

My dad said this to me over the phone as I sat alone in the library, the only one studying on a Football Saturday. At that moment, my story didn't look all that exciting. The novelty of new classes and new people had worn off, and I was even getting used to having an undefeated football team. Two years done at Notre Dame, I looked back on those semesters and all the adventures I had. Appalachia, Notre Dame Encounter, classes with amazing professors, nights spent watching random movies, spring break in Florida, spring break in Chicago. "College is going to be the best four years of your life," people say. Well, I hope not, because that means I'm over half way done with my quota, and when that's done, what am I supposed to do? Spend the rest of my life reminiscing? And that's what it sounded like to me when my dad said, "Keep writing your own story." Writing your story sounded like reflecting and remembering on the good times, while staying holed up in my one-room apartment trying to type my way from reality. The thing is, I always wanted to be a writer. The intoxicating, time-stopping disembodiment I experienced when I wrote was the closest thing to transcendence I ever achieved. And it's not until after an article is finished that I realize my words achieved that same coherent, fluid authority of wordsmiths, novelists and journalists. Those people craft performative, compelling statements without having to say aloud what has already been implied, "I write, therefore I am." For me, it has always been, "I am, therefore, I write." It is the natural response to experience. Even if I go months without so much as a drop of creative impetus, when I see a striking tree loosing its winged leaves into the autumn air or when I lay back on the docks in Maine to question the stars, the floodgates open. I lose myself in a train of thought that collects treasure from around the pockets and veins of gold lodged deep inside somewhere. Automatically, rhythmically, I reach for my pen, and dig around for the right sentence. I have to find it - that word, that thought. This will be my last column on campus this school year. On Jan. 9 I'll join a flock of other Notre Dame students as we take London by storm. It will be my first time in Europe, and I plan on seeing buildings and art museums and gardens and markets until my eyes pop out. I'm going to walk until my shoes fall apart and take pictures until Facebook revokes my rights to post photos. I am going to enjoy every last second of next semester. "Study abroad is going to be the best semester of your college experience," people say. Well, I hope not, because senior year and the years after that still hold possibility. And I realize now I can take my dad's advice a different way. "Keep writing your own story." That doesn't mean my story is over. Storytelling is performative. The way I write is the way I live. To quote that sage, Natasha Bedingfield, "Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten." Contact Meghan Thomassen at mthomass@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.  

A Very Indie Christmas Playlist

"Baby It's Cold Outside" - She & Him

Why 'Die Hard' is the best Christmas movie of all time

Why 'Die Hard' is the greatest Christmas movie of all time

Killing Them Softly:" impressive story and performance

Where are they now?

Mannheim Steamroller

Sleepwalk with Me shows the serious side of being funny

Listen While They're Young

Some things in life are inevitable, even if we don't know the specific details. We know the Irish will play for a national championship, but we don't know whom against. For us seniors, we know we are going to graduate, but we may not know what our next step is. I know I am going to eat dinner, but I don't know what I am going to have. And one day, we know One Direction will probably break up as a boy band, but we don't know when. Music groups have a tough time staying together, and One Direction will probably be the same. After all, N*SYNC did it. Destiny's Child didn't last, and neither did the Jonas Brothers (although they still actually are brothers). One day Niall, Liam, Zayn, Harry and Louis will stop performing together and go their separate ways. But for now, we get to enjoy the infectious ear candy these British teenyboppers produce. Just a year after releasing their first album "Up All Night" the boys are at it again, coming out with their sophomore effort "Take Me Home." For the most part, it's a solid, if not spectacular, effort. With One Direction, you get what you would expect with a boy band. There are catchy tracks, indistinguishable vocals and not a whole lot of substance. That being said, "Take Me Home" is pretty fun when you accept it for what it is. "Live While We're Young" is the lead single off "Take Me Home" and it is a solid example of One Direction sticking to what they do best. Just like Michael Jordan was great at basketball and James Bond excels at saving the world, One Direction is at their best when they unleash catchy sing-along jams, and "Live While We're Young" is the type of song you get stuck in your head for the day. All in all, it's the strongest song off "Take Me Home." The second single off the album, "Little Things," is a step in a different direction than "Live While We're Young." Whereas the latter is danceable, flirty and fun, "Little Things" slows things down and tries to be heartfelt but comes across as plodding and tedious. One Direction should stick to their guns and do what they do best - poppy songs that make you want to dance, or at least aren't dreary. For example, "Summer Love" is not a fast track by any means, but it is much more listenable than "Little Things" because it is bright and uplifting. For the most part, One Direction sticks to the formula of bright and flirty songs. Other standouts off the album include "Kiss You" and "They Don't Know About Us." The former is a sunny ode to young love and the latter starts quietly but builds to a slow jam. If the themes in the song titles seem a bit repetitive, it is because they are. One Direction knows their target audience of screaming teenage girls and aims perfectly. The songs off "Take Me Home" may be starry-eyed, but they are young and fun. That being said, there is a sort of wink with these songs that acknowledges the boys and their audience are maturing. The album title is one such example, and also on "Live While We're Young" they sing "And if we get together, yeah get together/Don't let the pictures leave your phone." Adapting to an audience who is growing up with these boys is crucial, and it's a step in the right direction (pardon the pun) for One Direction to go where there audience is going. They can't stay together forever, but they are staving off the inevitable for that much longer. "Take Me Home" isn't groundbreaking, earth shattering stuff. It's a boy band doing what boy bands do best - singing about young love over slickly produced tracks. That isn't a complaint, just a fact. Fortunately, One Direction does a pretty good job of executing this task, and teenage girls (and boys, and their moms and so forth) should be forever grateful. One day, Liam, Niall, Louis, Zayn and Harry will no longer be the pop culture phenomenon they are now. They'll grow up, and a new set of fresh-out-the-oven heartthrobs will take their place. But for now, One Direction is the musical flavor of the moment, so you might as well enjoy them while they last.  

Let Time Fly with 'One Night'

After apparently living underneath a rock this entire time, I was finally turned on to Timeflies and was urged to take a listen to their new album by a friend of mine (Here's your shoutout, Dawson.) With the release of their new EP, "One Night," the feel-good, electrorap  duo-or as they describe themselves, the "Electro Hip Hop Pop Dub-Something"-put together a compilation of six tracks to make for a pleasantly surprising and thoroughly enjoyable experience. The sophomore effort opens with the title track "One Night," as lead vocalist Cal Shapiro sings with an almost distant croon, immediately wearing his heart on his sleeve and baring his feelings to the audience. He says, "Where are we now/ I can't calm down, I'm dreaming/ They scream so loud/ I don't know how I'm breathing." These emotions feel so raw and desperate (something that I haven't usually found to be characteristic of electro-anything music). Already this mystic atmosphere is painted in the listener's mind ­- bright, vivid, and painful. With this, Timeflies makes a very clear case as to why they've captured the attention of listeners all over (and myself as a late arrival to the party): beautiful, haunting lyrics by Shapiro and pensive guitar strings by producer Rob Resnick, which evolve into some fist-pumping synthesizers against the repeated "I need one night!" and boom-claps that really do bring excitement and a multifaceted quality to the track. Mind you, this is just my first impression after the first track. Immediately after is a complete switch-up, with a shoe-in dorm party song "Swoon." All the most likeable qualities of a good party song are alive and well in "Swoon," with rhythmic blasts of the synthesizer against strings currently making me bouncing in my seat, bobbing my head to the almost smooth whisper, "Let me see you swoon." With that said, there is no definite categorization of this project as a whole: this is not a "party" album, nor is it exclusively "chill" or otherwise.  The inability to limit this to one adjective is where the beauty of this project lies (which shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, seeing as how it is simply an EP): This is easily a project that could appeal to many people, for virtually any mood.   As a first-time listener, I'm immediately sold on Timeflies, as they seem to go against the grain of any typical genre of music - they're not too simplistic and solely bent on being catchy, as average electro music is; they don't drone on and clash horribly with the background harmony, or mangle attempts at melody as how hip-hop sometimes ends up being; and they certainly do not seem to produce the wrangled cacophony that dub-step might give rise to. Their self-description as "Electro Hip Hop Pop Dub-Something" is precisely what they are.  And if you scratch your head at that, then I believe that's the point:  They aren't any one genre, but a wonderful combination of so many, indescribable as a category.   Even as an EP, surprisingly there's no sign of any filler songs, only six quality songs, each a standout in its own right. Timeflies' sophomore effort "One Night" EP is a very solid project, one that I thoroughly enjoyed and one that made me a fan after one time through.  It is unlike any of the electro/pop music out there now, in the best sense. I would be remiss in my duty as Scene writer if I didn't end on either a witty or cheesy note, so allow me this:  Let yourself listen to the first song in "One Night" EP, and watch the time fly.  

Download, Listen, Discard

Download Taylor Swift's newest album may carry the label of "country," but if this blatant pop effort can pass as country music, then Nicholas Cage can call himself a groundbreaking actor and I can start telling people I play defensive line for the New York Giants. For example, "I Knew You Were Trouble" is the typical catchy, sassy, borderline-angsty track Taylor Swift fans have come to enjoy, but its use of dubstep shows the true extent to which "Red" is actually a pop album. "22," Swift's song about living it up and enjoying youth, could have been pulled straight from a Katy Perry album, and will no doubt find its way to the top of the charts soon enough. Not to harp on this subject much longer, but you certainly wouldn't see an artist like Kenny Chesney do a collaboration with Skrillex. Drop the act, Taylor, you've gone pop. Acknowledging this reality, "Red" is still a highly enjoyable, download-worthy album. My favorite tracks, "Red" and "All Too Well," are classic Swift "love lost" songs, but without the whiny, passive-aggressive edge that annoyed me early in her career. Swift seems to be maturing in her perspective on relationships, emphasizing the good times and lessons learned rather than the fighting and dysfunction. The notable exception would be "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," a party-ready track telling the story of an on-again-off-again relationship. By diversifying her sound and subject matter, Swift has expanded substantially into the pop realm. Whether this fact makes you happy, or makes you want to leap off the top of Stepan Center, be prepared to hear "Red" for months to come. Listen Some may know Phillip Phillips from his victory on the 11th season of "American Idol," but my first exposure to this talented singer/songwriter came watching last year's summer Olympics. Phillips' hit song "Home," which weaves together soft vocals with the folksy, boot stomping sound of Mumford and Sons, served as the unofficial song of the U.S. women's gymnastics team, and quickly became one of my favorite tracks of the summer. Why was I watching women's gymnastics? For the same reason every young male across the country tuned in: the beauty... of the sport. Yeah, that's it. None of the tracks on Phillips' new release "The World from the Side of the Moon" can rival "Home," but that doesn't mean the album isn't worth a solid listen. My other favorite song, "Man on the Moon," is a light, jazzy track laced with Phillips' skillful acoustic guitar playing. In both "Man on the Moon" and "Get Up Get Down," Phillips's throaty voice, carefree vibe and suggestive lyrics actually make him sound shockingly like Dave Matthews. Overall, "The World from the Side of the Moon" is nothing revolutionary, but its lighthearted sound and themes of life, love and self-discovery make the album an enjoyable listening experience. Discard Kid Rock rose to fame as the king of trashy, generic hillbilly rock, and his new album "Rebel Soul" has done nothing to steer him from this course. The album also did nothing to alleviate my moderate to severe hatred of his music. Many of the songs on "Rebel Soul," including the eloquently named "3 CATT Boogie" or "Cocaine and Gin," sound like something they would play in the bathroom of a Famous Dave's restaurant, riling up yokels as they pick spare ribs out of their assorted-colored teeth. I was also slightly disconcerted by the song "Let's Ride," a so-called battle hymn for troops stationed in the Middle East, and its accompanying music video. The song tells troops to pick up their guns and "let their conscience be their guide," accompanied by images of tanks juxtaposed with Muslim women in traditional garb. There's a line between being patriotic and being culturally insensitive, and I'd suggest Kid Rock let this song fade out before visiting the Middle East anytime soon. Kid Rock's ode to his home of Detroit in the aptly named "Detroit, Michigan" contributes to the album's spectacularly underwhelming nature. I don't have anything against Detroit, but I do have something against bad music. Maybe my impression was irreversibly damaged by the fact that, upon typing "Detroit, Michigan" into YouTube in an attempt to find the song, the first result was "Detroit, Michigan ghetto." Overall, "Rebel Soul" is the definition of white-bread hick rock. Unless that kind of music floats your boat, or I guess I should say floats your tractor, steer clear of this album.  

Download, Listen Discard

Download Taylor Swift's newest album may carry the label of "country," but if this blatant pop effort can pass as country music, then Nicholas Cage can call himself a groundbreaking actor and I can start telling people I play defensive line for the New York Giants. For example, "I Knew You Were Trouble" is the typical catchy, sassy, borderline-angsty track Taylor Swift fans have come to enjoy, but its use of dubstep shows the true extent to which "Red" is actually a pop album. "22," Swift's song about living it up and enjoying youth, could have been pulled straight from a Katy Perry album, and will no doubt find its way to the top of the charts soon enough. Not to harp on this subject much longer, but you certainly wouldn't see an artist like Kenny Chesney do a collaboration with Skrillex. Drop the act, Taylor, you've gone pop. Acknowledging this reality, "Red" is still a highly enjoyable, download-worthy album. My favorite tracks, "Red" and "All Too Well," are classic Swift "love lost" songs, but without the whiny, passive-aggressive edge that annoyed me early in her career. Swift seems to be maturing in her perspective on relationships, emphasizing the good times and lessons learned rather than the fighting and dysfunction. The notable exception would be "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," a party-ready track telling the story of an on-again-off-again relationship. By diversifying her sound and subject matter, Swift has expanded substantially into the pop realm. Whether this fact makes you happy, or makes you want to leap off the top of Stepan Center, be prepared to hear "Red" for months to come. Listen Some may know Phillip Phillips from his victory on the 11th season of "American Idol," but my first exposure to this talented singer/songwriter came watching last year's summer Olympics. Phillips' hit song "Home," which weaves together soft vocals with the folksy, boot stomping sound of Mumford and Sons, served as the unofficial song of the U.S. women's gymnastics team, and quickly became one of my favorite tracks of the summer. Why was I watching women's gymnastics? For the same reason every young male across the country tuned in: the beauty... of the sport. Yeah, that's it. None of the tracks on Phillips' new release "The World from the Side of the Moon" can rival "Home," but that doesn't mean the album isn't worth a solid listen. My other favorite song, "Man on the Moon," is a light, jazzy track laced with Phillips' skillful acoustic guitar playing. In both "Man on the Moon" and "Get Up Get Down," Phillips's throaty voice, carefree vibe and suggestive lyrics actually make him sound shockingly like Dave Matthews. Overall, "The World from the Side of the Moon" is nothing revolutionary, but its lighthearted sound and themes of life, love and self-discovery make the album an enjoyable listening experience. Discard Kid Rock rose to fame as the king of trashy, generic hillbilly rock, and his new album "Rebel Soul" has done nothing to steer him from this course. The album also did nothing to alleviate my moderate to severe hatred of his music. Many of the songs on "Rebel Soul," including the eloquently named "3 CATT Boogie" or "Cocaine and Gin," sound like something they would play in the bathroom of a Famous Dave's restaurant, riling up yokels as they pick spare ribs out of their assorted-colored teeth. I was also slightly disconcerted by the song "Let's Ride," a so-called battle hymn for troops stationed in the Middle East, and its accompanying music video. The song tells troops to pick up their guns and "let their conscience be their guide," accompanied by images of tanks juxtaposed with Muslim women in traditional garb. There's a line between being patriotic and being culturally insensitive, and I'd suggest Kid Rock let this song fade out before visiting the Middle East anytime soon. Kid Rock's ode to his home of Detroit in the aptly named "Detroit, Michigan" contributes to the album's spectacularly underwhelming nature. I don't have anything against Detroit, but I do have something against bad music. Maybe my impression was irreversibly damaged by the fact that, upon typing "Detroit, Michigan" into YouTube in an attempt to find the song, the first result was "Detroit, Michigan ghetto." Overall, "Rebel Soul" is the definition of white-bread hick rock. Unless that kind of music floats your boat, or I guess I should say floats your tractor, steer clear of this album.  

Know Thy Shelf

After years spent trying to justify my love of literature, I finally had that moment. It was an elusive but completely satisfactory second of pure realization and vindication. When I read Martha Nussbaum's essays on "Cultivating Humanity," it was like God had rolled back the sky like a scroll, reached down and stuck a big "OK" stamp on my English degree. Martha Nussbaum is a liberal humanist who tackles the influence of literature, but without the alienating academic garble. She is one of us. She doesn't use words like "solipsism" or "autolatrist." Her sentences are reasonably sized and don't abuse the comma like it's her job (ahem, Hemingway). Nussbaum's chapter on "Narrative Imagination" highlights how everything we love about books can actually work for the greater good. For Nussbaum, the imagination is vital in order to be a cultivated citizen of the world. As Aristotle wrote in his "Poetics," literature shows us "not something that has happened, but the kind of thing that might happen." But Nussbaum theorizes that literature doesn't just show us what might happen, but what should happen. Think about all the times you sat on the edge of your seat, enraptured by whatever book you're reading. You tune out the world, shun your friends and maybe even deny yourself proper hygiene, all because you just have to know what happens. John Grisham and Nora Roberts have turned this kind of suspenseful writing, be it mysterious or romantic, into a very comfortable livelihood, but that does not discredit the theory behind their success. Nussbaum says imagination makes readers invest themselves in characters and "inspires intense concern with the fate of characters and defines those characters as containing a rich inner life." It doesn't take much for an author to imply what a character's inner landscape looks like. Gandalf doesn't say much to Bilbo, but when he does, he reveals centuries of wisdom and fathoms of power behind that kindly, old-school façade. ElinorDashwood spends the majority of "Sense and Sensibility" worrying and writing letters, but when Edward finally gets down on one knee, Austen captures mountains of anguish in one, uninhibited cry. When something happens to the characters you've grown attached to, whether it's Severus Snape, despite Harry's judgment, or Scarlett O'Hara, even though she's a self-centered princess, you feel an overwhelming sensation of justice, especially if you think your character has been wronged. Who didn't fling "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" across the room when (spoiler alert) Snape died? Who didn't raise their hand in solidarity when Scarlett swore that she "would never go hungry again?" You've never met these people. You've never encountered a situation like theirs. And yet your values are being put to the test with each new reading. By inciting your compassion or righteous rage, literature does something to you. It puts you through a highly specified and refining experience, one that can be recreated, reinterpreted and shared for years and years to come. This was the essence of the Greek tragedy. To watch "Oedipus Rex" or "Antigone" is to experience cruel fate and injustice firsthand. The Greeks saw value in these cathartic visits to the theater because it plumbs each spectator's moral virtues and normalizes the crowd's response. If adequately skilled, the playwright cannot only identify and induce a common emotion, but can also teach what the spectator's proper reaction should be. Obviously, Nussbaum's understanding of literature is nothing new. Works like "Animal Farm" and anything from the Irish nationalist theater will attest to that. But for everyday people who aren't facing major political conflicts, Nussbaum calls attention to what we read and how it normalizes our actions. This doesn't mean we should only read what we agree with. That would only lead to complacent, uninformed value systems that would crumble at any outward challenge. If written correctly, a book can help you recognize, understand, and respect other people. Unless, of course, you're a solipsist. Contact Meghan Thomassen at mthomass@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.