Hannah Aster, Author at Shortform Books

Michelle Obama: Balancing Public Life vs. Private Life

How did the Obamas attempt to live a normal life while in the White House? What steps did Michelle take to ensure that she maintained a personal life? After they moved into the White House, the Obama family quickly learned that their lives wouldn’t be the same. Michelle and Barack couldn’t even go to dinner and a movie without shutting down the streets of New York and Michelle struggled to balance her public life vs. her private life. Continue reading to learn more about how Michelle Obama tried to balance her public and private lives after moving into the White

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: Baptism

What does How to Read Literature Like a Professor say about baptism? What is a symbolic baptism? A baptism in literature doesn’t always have to be religious. A literary baptism is when a character escapes a watery death and reforms their life as a result. How they escaped drowning is an important part of the character development. Keep reading to learn what How to Read Literature Like a Professor has to say about baptism.

Buddha and Mara: Accept Your Negative Feelings

What is the story of Buddha and Mara? What does it mean to invite your negative feelings in for tea? In the story, the god Mara tried to sway Siddhartha but Siddhartha met every challenge with Radical Acceptance. Instead of trying to ignore Mara, Buddha acknowledged his presence by saying, “I see you, Mara” and eventually Mara would leave on his own. This story is about accepting your feelings instead of repressing them. Continue on to learn about the story of Buddha, Mara, and Radical Acceptance.

Ladder Marketing: Know Your Place in the Hierarchy

What is a marketing ladder and how does it work? Why shouldn’t you pretend your product is number one if it isn’t? Ladder marketing says that the key is to know your position in the marketing hierarchy and acknowledge it in your advertising. If you market as though you are number one, consumers will reject it. Continue on to learn about ladder marketing and the Law of Duality.

Michelle Obama at Princeton: Facing Discrimination

What kind of discrimination did Michelle Obama face at Princeton University? How did her brother play a part in her college experience? When Michelle Obama entered Princeton, less than 9% of students in her class were Black and most were male. She even had an experience where her roommate moved out because her mother didn’t want her rooming with a Black girl. Despite all of that, Michelle thrived. Keep reading to learn more about Michelle Obama’s Princeton years.

Secondary Character Archetypes in Literature

What are the two secondary character archetypes in literature? Why can’t every character be rounded out? There are two main secondary character archetypes in literature: the round character and the flat character. Round characters have backstories, emotions, and growth while flat characters are just there to aid the protagonist. Keep reading to learn more about secondary characters in literature.

The First Noble Truth: Selfishness Triggers Anxiety

What is Buddha’s first noble truth? How are anxiety and selfishness related? How can you learn to accept yourself? Buddha’s first noble truth is that suffering is universal. Feelings of “selfness” can make you feel trapped, anxious, and always wanting more. But if you let go of the “I”, your personal suffering becomes universal and you can understand that there is nothing wrong with you. Continue on to learn about the first noble truth and letting go of selfishness.

Michelle Obama: Imposter Syndrome Struggles

What was Michelle Obama’s first experience with imposter syndrome? Why did the feeling of “I’m not good enough” stick with her? Michelle Obama struggled with imposter syndrome for almost her entire life. She recalls that her first time wondering if she was good enough was after she was accepted into Chicago’s first magnet high school. Keep reading to learn more about Michelle Obama’s imposter syndrome.

Illness in Literature: Diseases are Symbolic

What do illnesses symbolize in literature? Why is it more common to write about some diseases and not others? What does it mean when a character is physically disabled? When writing literature, authors choose which illnesses to give their characters very carefully. Some illnesses are picturesque, some are mysterious, some are powerful metaphors, and some have significant origins. Keep reading to learn more about illness in literature.

Radical Acceptance and the Power of Compassion

Why is compassion such an important part of Radical Acceptance? Why is it so difficult for us to show compassion towards ourselves? Radical Acceptance is made up of two parts: mindfulness and compassion. Compassion is so powerful because it goes against our inclination to run from pain. However, we need to learn to treat ourselves with compassion before we can show it to others. Keep reading to learn more about the power of compassion.