Hello, freshmen of 2011/12! This is where you will post your first independent reading reflection for the year. After you finish reading your book, please write a 500 - 800-word response to the following prompts:
a) What did you find really engaging about your book? Would you recommend this book to others?
b) What was the primary conflict that your protagonist faced in your book? Was this conflict something you could relate to? In what ways?
c) How did this book make you feel as you read it? What moods did the author create throughout the book to evoke emotions in you, the reader? Please include specific examples.
Have fun! :)
Independent reading report
ReplyDeleteA) I found the action parts engaging. I also found the main character Armpit very funny (yet awkward). Yes I would recommend this book for some one else. It’s a quick read, but wow is it good.
B) The primary conflicts were man vs self. In that Armpit was still trying to figure out who he was and what he wanted to do. Also man vs society, because everyone assumed just because he was black he was dangerous. Also just because he went do jail. I can hardly relate to these themes.
C) The book made me laugh and because there were so many awkward parts for example, the letter Kaira wrote to Armpit. Also many thrilling yet deep parts. Like when Armpit fought Moses (no, not the one from the bible). It said blood dripped from his face. Yikes. There are some love aspects but I wasn’t to impressed by those. The best part was when they were n court and X-ray lied to the officer repeatedly and obviously and didn’t get caught
Liam
A)I read The Eagle. There are parts of it I didn't understand for example each Roman legion has their own eagle its gold and a person in the legion carries it. It's about how in ancient Rome the Romans were taking over most of Eourpe. They had moved and taken the Southern part of Britan, but the tribes were very mad and wanted their land back. Therefore, when the ninth legion came marching in to go and replace a garrison at a fort in the north. The tribes ambushed them and killed all of the men and took the Eagle as one of their gods. The main character Marcus's father was the leader of the nineth legion. Marcus didn't understand at the time what happened to his father, so he asked around and then he finally found out that he had died with his whole legion. He also hear that they weren't going to reform the legion because the Eagle wasn't in Roman hands. Marcus sets out to find the Eagle with his slave. They finally found it with the meanest tribe in the north. They outwited them and stole the Eagle and ran back to Rome and got the command of the ninth legion. This book was very engaging to me, but in the middle it got kinda boring waiting for him to make his mine up about going to get the Eagle back. I would strongly recommend this to others.
ReplyDeleteA) I found the parts when Jane and Mr.Rochester spent time together engaging. For example when he tried to make her jealous, or when they had their debates/discussions. I would definitely recommend this book to people, it is a classic and extremely well written.
ReplyDeleteB) The main conflict is love versus independence or freedom. Jane from a little girl only wanted to be loved by her aunt. The only "affection" she actually gore was from a nurse named Bessie, and even that wasn't really affection. Her cousins beat her up mentally and physically, as well as her aunt. When Rochester wants Jane to marry him even after finding out about Bertha she feels that she would loose her honesty just for love. I cannot really relate to this conflict at the moment. I have a loving family and I consider myself an independent person.
C) This book made me feel multiple emotions. When Rochester asked Jane to marry him and when Jane spilled her emotions to him I was so happy. I was crying during this scene, since it was very emotional for both of the characters, and the author executed it well if she can get readers to cry. Another emotion i felt was rage. When Rochester had Blanche and the rich people over for a visit he was totally ignoring Jane, as well as making her jealous. I just wanted to get Blanche out of the picture. In the beginning of the book I felt injustice, and disgust. Disgust for the conditions of the boarding school and injustice because of the mean actions towards Jane(a little girl) from her aunt and cousins. But in the end, when they were finally together even when Rochester was blind, and had lost his hand Jane still loved him and he still loved her, happiness and joy was the emotion I felt. I was so overjoyed at this and knew this is how it had to be.
Elly
Ender’s Game
ReplyDeleteBy: Orson Scott Card
Genre: Sci-fi
By Khalil Dualeh
Ender’s game was a really engaging book. What was really interesting and creative was that in every chapter it would start off with a conversation of some sort. They would talk about a problem and that would have to be resolved in the chapter. Throughout the whole book I could visualize what was happening and I would have a picture in my head. A fellow classmate recommended this book to me. He said that you should read this book. It’s about a young boy who is enrolled into a military academy to ensure that the next alien encounter with earth will be a defeat for the aliens he encounters many problems and has to solve them on his own. He is the son of a very intelligent man and that’s why he is enrolled into a military academy that train only kids in order to prepare for a battle that might affect the human race. I would recommend this book to any age above 8.
The first conflict for the protagonist is that he had fought with a boy named Stilson who was teasing him at school. He was teased about being a third. He said that it was the government’s fault that his birth was authorized. While on his way to the bus he is cornered and while trying to get out of it he kicks Sitlson in the chest he kicks him seven more times brutally and cries while he is at the bus stop thinking he’s become just like Peter. When I was in second grade I was bullied by a bunch of kids that had a problem with me. I ran away and did not know why. They were jealous.
The book made me quite sad because Ender has to play simulation games in order to practice he is in charge of fleets and is a commander everyday he plays a game with an opponent and sometimes never losses. The head of the academy wanted to rig the game because he felt that war is not fair and that ender needs to know this. So the head gives the ender’s opponent an advantage. In the beginning ender is kept isolated in the chamber because when there is an actual war he’s not getting help from anyone. So he needs to learn while he is young. He is kept away for his friends.” We aren’t just ordinary children, are we, none of us. Don’t you sometimes wish you were?”(Scott card 240) They are not ordinary children they are children that are breaded to be military geniuses. They would love to be ordinary children playing video games and playing sports. Not worrying about aliens attacking.
All in all I really enjoyed this book and if there is second I’ll definitely read it for our next independent reading project. This book sort of reminds me of other sci-fi books. Who knows that there will be an alien encounter in the near future that will effect our future generations to come?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI read The Wanted by Sara Sheperd. It a sequel to the book Pretty Little Liars (PLL).
ReplyDeleteA) The book was engaging because it made you think and made me (the reader) suspicious and curious to what was going to happen next. I would recommend this book to people who are into drama, chick flicks, and whom do not get easily afraid.
B) There were four protagonists (Aria, Emily, Hannah, and Spencer). The main conflict would be that A (who has been stalking them since their best friend Ali died) wants to kill them. The conflict could relate to how secrets could eventually affect peoples lives. When they would get texts, it was mostly about their secrets only Ali knew, which did not make sense since Ali was not there anymore. They almost all did not know each others secrets. Only until A almost did (Hanna took shortcuts to losing weight, Aria's dad cheated on her mom with a colleague, Spencer's dad and Ali's mom hooked up, and Emily was homosexual).
C) The book made me feel as if I was one of them. You could feel how Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily were going through (losing their friend and their secrets). The author used many emotions that evoked me as a reader. There was the emotion of being shocked. When Ali's parents told the press that Ali had a twin sister named Courtney (Ali had never told her best friends about a twin sister). There was also the feeling of suspicion. The moment that after they could trust Courtney and who she really was (Ali), Courtney tried to kill them because they had ruined her life since her sister had died. There was also the emotion of sadness and hatred. How Courtney would do the exact as she used to do (as Ali); flirting with Aria's boyfriend, argue with Spencer, ruining Emily's love for her, and teasing Hannah about when she was obese. Even though Ali's house burnt down, they could not find the body. Therefore, is Courtney (Ali) still alive?
INDEPENDENT READING: THE TIPPING POINT BY MALCOLM GLADWELL
ReplyDeleteThe book is based on change. When I first got the book I thought it would be on how small thing make a difference, like the light bulb for instance, but it is actually based on how an event changes another event. It is almost an examination of social epidemics on things like the power of what you say, or hoe things like Sesame Street are so successful in teaching kids how to read. He also talks about the power of context in the book. In the book he says to think of the world as an epidemic, how things change dramatically all the time. It also talks about how epidemics can grow and then decrease in fast rates, even with the smallest change. For example crime rates in New York suddenly dropping in a year.
I don’t think I would recommend thins book to all the 9th graders because of the depth of though was quite hard to drop, something that would be easier to grasp in a year or two. I found the book interesting; I think I found the stickiness factor. Through the book I had a very captivated mood, he kept my attention while I read for long periods of time.
The book has no antagonist or protagonist; it is not a storybook. This book is more of a science theory based book,
-What did you find really engaging about your book? Would you recommend this book to others?
ReplyDeleteThe most engaging part of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, was the complex nature of the characters. Jane Eyre, the protagonist, appears to be a straight forward, relatively simple, girl who is satisfied with her monotones life. However as you read you discover her many, inner, somewhat cynical, thoughts. Similarly, you hear her accounts of the twisted and impassioned Mr.Rochester along with other characters that appear through out the novel. Bronte describes them all with such insight and analysis that even the minor characters bring depth to the novel.
It is for this exact reason that I would recommend this book to others. The narrators observations and opinions on life can be appreciated by anyone, so long as they are willing to decipher the messages that the author is trying to communicate. The book is somewhat complex, but it can also be taken as just a love story, as easily as it can be taken as the brilliant accounts of an insightful young woman. This allows the book to be enjoyed by a wider range of people, not only those with strong reading comprehension. However those who do enjoy analyzing novels, will find that the book overs a lot to be discovered.
The many different effects that this book can have on one is why i recommend it to everyone. However, as far as reader response, it maybe be easier for a girl to enjoy because the books is told from the perspective of a young girl growing up into a woman. They may be more hesitant, but boys could also relate to many of Jane’s feelings. It is no surprise to me that Jane Eyre is widely regarded as one of the best novels of all time.
-What was the primary conflict that your protagonist faced in your book? Was this conflict something you could relate to? In what ways?
The primary conflict that the protagonist in Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre, faces is making her relationship with her employer, Mr. Rochester, work, despite the challenges that they face. The first and foremost obstacle that they are forced to avoid is their different socio-economic status’. Due to the fact that in our time, there is not as distinct of a divide between classes, I have trouble relating to this conflict. However the author does an irreproachable job of describing the situation, so you are able to empathize with the characters to enough of an extend as to still enjoy and fully comprehend the novel.
-How did this book make you feel as you read it? What moods did the author create throughout the book to evoke emotions in you, the reader? Please include specific examples.
Although the book was ultimately happy, through out the course of the novel I found that i was feeling dominantly sad. Jane had to go through so many struggles before finding happiness, that you couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She is such an unfortunate character, and so unappreciated, yet she is so strong. This evokes pity, and sadness in the reader.
The author creates moods that emphasize this sadness. She initially writes about as Jane as a little girl, being bullied by her cousins, setting a depressing mood from the get-go. Then you continue to feel sorry for Jane when Bronte sends her to boarding school, where she is scrutinized at the start and then her life becomes a boring routine that she has to endure, with no visible end. After she becomes a governess and falls in love with Mr. Rochester things begin to look up, how ever you feel sorry for her yet again upon the return of Mr. Rochester’s wife. This repetitive circle of failures, gives a great magnitude to the sadness that they cause. The sadness that the book evokes, is not however, a negative aspect. In my opinion, what makes a book “good” or “bad” is it’s ability to evoke any strong emotion, positive or negative. Jane Eyre successfully made you feel a deep sorrow for the protagonist. Also, all the sadness gave an even stronger sense of relief at the end of the novel, when after all her struggles, Jane Eyre was able to find happiness.
Nikhil Mathur
ReplyDelete11th September, 2011
English
Independent Reading- “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell
Blink is a popular science book whose main topic is how our brain is capable of making quick accurate decisions based on very little information. The author also talks about how our brain is able to take the very important and yet very miniscule bits of information from a large chunk of it and use it to make what he defines as “snap judgments”. The author has categorized this process as one known by the name of “thin-slicing”.
I believe that the main message that the author is trying to convey is that these “snap decisions” the brain makes are a good as, or even better than, those that are carefully planned and well-thought out ones. I believe that the carefully chosen, extremely plausible examples that prove the points that the author is trying to convey are what really hooks any reader to this book.
He also goes on to explain that stereotypes, prejudices and such all corrupt the ability that we all have within us to make the “snap decisions” that the author talks about. What really fascinated me about the effects of stereotypes and such was when Gladwell incorporated a full-size proper psychological test into the book to explain the effects of prejudice. In his experiment, you were had to say a set of words that in terms of grammar and punctuation make sense, but not in terms of what society forces you to believe. An example of this was when the subject of the experiment had to like the words, “white, man, steal and car” (Gladwell 79). In the instance above, Gladwell said that if it took you longer than it did with the previous test, it showed that you were the a benefactor of stereotypes and may have not known it.
Throughout the course of reading this book, experienced a variety of mixed emotions. But none as significant or noteworthy as the feeling I felt once I had finished the book, and was in my mind, reviewing it. Whilst I was reading it, I felt like I had just experienced an epiphany. I felt as though I had just received the answers to a billion of my questions. This was mainly because I have had multiple personal experiences that the author described and that were also extremely accurate. The concept I feel that I can related to really well is when Gladwell states that we have the ability to “mind read” through which we are capable to read emotions that others are feeling and react accordingly. I absolutely agree with this because I think that I constantly enact this very process in my everyday life.
Although Gladwell’s findings were extraordinary and very impressive, I felt that some of them were just too impressive and extraordinary to be true. An example of this was in one of the examples provided by Gladwell. In this example, Gladwell talks about a psychologist who gave students 10-second videotapes of a teacher lecturing and asked them to rate the teacher on a scale from 1-10. Then she asked the students who had taken a course with the professor to rate him on a scale of 1-10. When the ratings came in, it had some very shocking results, the were almost identical!
I find this very hard to believe for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the study was conduct on pretty large amount of students, which makes the chances of having similar results even more unlikely. Secondly, the results of this experiment contradicts something that Gladwell stated in an earlier section of this book. In the earlier section of the book, he said that having accurate results in experiments such as this are very, very unlikely as they are often influenced by things such as prejudice/bias and such. And even if the two reasons listen above were not taken into account, the chances of the results being even close together are just impossible.
Other than the previous fault, I think that the book, “Blink” is quite a good interesting read and would recommend it to all due to its odd, unique way of approaching the “how to use the other 90% of your brain” dilemma.
Sold
ReplyDeleteA) In the book “Sold” what was most engaging to me is that it was easy to visualize and tell what the character was feeling. The book was very descriptive about everything, which I usually find annoying in books but in this book I actually found it to be pretty interesting and I read through it all, so that was defiantly engaging. Something else that made it really hard to put the book down was the way that the author wrote it. The text was written as though each entry was a poem, when really nothing rhymed and nothing was really poetic about the book at all. Since the text was so much different from what I’m used to it drew me into the book and really made it a lot more interesting to read. I would defiantly recommend this book to others to read because it was just so engaging to read and it was one of those books that my mom had to come in my room and tell me to turn off the lights, and there are few books that are like that for me. The only thing I didn’t like about the book was that it ended so soon. I feel like the author should have just gone on a bit more about the characters life after she was saved by the American’s so we would know if the rumors about them were really true or if the pictures that were shown to her were really real.
B) The primary conflict that the protagonist in the book “Sold” was that she was sold into prostitution and that she was trying to get out of it. This was a pretty hard subject to try and relate to since I myself have never been sold but I have heard of many stories of girls being sold and I have even had a couple of friends that have been raped themselves and I have seen what they went through and even just for me it was difficult to see them in that situation. Although the book was hard to relate to emotionally it was very easy to tell what the character was feeling and so therefore there was a connection between the book, making me want to continue to read.
C) As I read the book I got angry at some parts. In the beginning when the step-father is telling her that she is going to the city to become a maid and she is very excited I was actually a bit happy for her, but I started to become a bit suspicious on whether she was actually going to become a maid or not when they went to a shop and a woman was judging her looks. Later when she is at the train station and she sees the girl having things thrown at her and men walking by just discriminating her I started to realize what was going to happen to the character and this made me angry as well. I became mad because she had trusted her step-father and even her Aunt and both of them had told her that she was going to go the city and make a lot of money being a maid. Afterwards during the story I felt bad for her when she was so determined to go back to the village when other girls had left and come back because their villages had disgraced them. I think she secretly knew that the same would happen to her if she tried to leave and that’s what really made me feel bad for her. In the end of the book when she was escaping with the American’s though and the place was being shut down I was happy, because now all of the girls at the “house” could have a good and a clean life and try to forget about everything that had ever happened in their past and try to start over.
A) I read The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein. I found it a very engaging book because of the way it was written, the problems the main character (Frodo) faces and the places that the main character goes to. I also love the whole fantasy feel to the book, and how the author includes elves, hobbits, dwarves and and harmonizes them with plain humans to make it so much more exciting. Tolkein left out nothing when he wrote this book and has made up a whole language which he used for the Elvish language. Another engaging thing about my book is that it is actually the first book of three, and it leaves the adventure incomplete and it makes you want to immediately begin the next book.
ReplyDeleteB) The primary conflict that the main character faces is that he owns a very powerful ring that was created by an evil character called Sauron. Sauron soon finds out that Frodo has this ring and sends his servants throughout the land in search for his precious ring. Frodo must then end the ring, and the only way he can do that is to travel to Mount Doom and throw the ring into the volcano. Eight others volunteer to join him on this quest and help in any way possible. Along the way of this small adventure the author adds other minor characters and scenes that makes the story even more interesting and creative. However I could not relate to this primary conflict.
C) The book made me feel like the whole world inside of it was larger than life. Only a few other series of books have been as good as this series. I think what makes these three books so good is that Tolkein has actually put in a lot of effort to create a whole new world with languages and history and has left out no detail to make sure it is complete. He was also creative with his words and would make you feel exactly how he wanted you to feel. For example, when he describes the shire, you get a very welcoming atmosphere and you have visions of it being sunny everyday, with green fields and small hobbit holes scattered here and there. Another example is when Frodo and his friends arrive to Rivendell, when Tolkein describes the place and all the events that happen, it makes you feel like the atmosphere there is very peaceful, quiet and calm, though when needed it can have a very serious feel. Tolkein also has a very crafty way of giving the reader a hint of foreshadowing, even though it has not been said you can tell that something big is going to happen. The only problem that I had with the book was that in the beginning, Frodo took a very long time to decide whether or not he wanted to go on this adventure, and it took about nine years before Frodo finally set off on his adventure.
a) I read the book 'Top 8' and I really enjoyed this book. I do think that this book was engaging because it was given a lot of detail and you didn't have to turn the page to re-read because it didn't make sense. And usually, i find myself doing that a lot, but this time I didn't find myself doing that. I also found that it was really helpful that the book was written like a chat room and you understood the story well. I would definetely recommend this book, but to mostly girls because it's like a chick-flick in a book.
ReplyDeleteb)The conflict in this book was the main character in this book got hacked on her Facebook page and the hacker sent out mean messages to people. I can relate because we all have Facebook and I know how it feels to have things leaked online, and you don't know what to believe.
c)This book made me have a lot of emotions, I couldn't put the book down because it was so interesting. Every time she would try to friend out who her hacker was it got really intense and I would sit there, trying to figure out who could've hacked her. The author really made me shocked when at the end I found out her own best friend hacked her! I was so mad, and even more upset that the author chose to still make them friends in the book. I do really like the fact that the author brought different actors to become friends with one another. For example, the popular girls and the "nerds" became friends at it really made me happy to see they were coming together.
Book- China Boy
ReplyDeleteAuthor- Gus Lee
In my opinion this book was really engaging as it was based around a topic which was quite interesting, culture shock. Gus Lee creates a pot-pourri of culture and opinions in his book. The amazing factor is the way Lee makes his character, Kai search for his culture in every small corner of the Panhandle. On top of that the little culture that Kai has left is being snatched away from him by his stepmother. Amidst all the search for culture and trying to protect whatever little he has. Kai faces a life of hardship and struggle trying to protect himself and his culture
I would recommend this book as it really opens ones eye to how important culture is to bring peace to the heart and soul. The book demonstrates the importance of roots and culture and how much we need it to make ourselves feel complete.
The primary conflict that the protagonist faced was trying to maintain and save his culture from being snatched away from him by his stepmother. He also faces the challenge that he is trying to learn about his culture.
I could not relate to this personally from my own experiences but I connected with the book through my study of the Maasai and how culture was so important to them. I could get a deeper understanding of the book because of this.
The book made me feel quite sad as it was portraying emotions that were extremely saddening and depressing. The writer created this by use of imagery and characterization. This is evident throughout the book especially in the scenes which Kai’s mother is telling him stories about China and their escape.
-Unee
Sofiya Gulam
ReplyDeleteIndependent Reading
For my independent reading, I read a book called ‘Shiver’ by Maggie Stiefvater. Shiver is the first book from the trilogy that consists of Shiver, Linger and Forever. ‘Shiver’ was a really great book because the author had very good descriptions of the characters and events that took place. It was also really engaging in a way that there was always action taking place so you did not want to put the book down. It was also very interesting because it brought the werewolf, a mythical creature into real world situations. For example the werewolf called Sam had a girlfriend and went to school while in human form. I would recommend this book to all the lovers of Twilight, Vampire Diaries and whoever wants to read about romance between a school girl and a werewolf facing exciting and deathly adventures.
The primary conflict is where Grace the protagonist faced was when her boyfriend Sam had been tied up in the cold on the urge of turning back into a werewolf forever and she was held hostage by another werewolf called Jack. Since I have read and watched the Vampire Diaries series and the Twilight series, this conflict made it easier to relate to. This is because they are both about a girl who is in love with a mythical creature and has deadly and frightening moments. This conflict reminded me of what Bella went through with Edward, how they lived such dangerous lives just to be together, in the same way Grace and Sam did.
I read this book, my mood kept changing because there were so many different descriptions that were so intense. At one point of the book I craved candy and hot chocolate because Sam had taken Grace to this amazing candy store. “ I closed my eyes, flared my nostrils, and let the scents fold in. The strongest of them, caramel and brown sugar, smell as yellow-orange as the sun, came first…And then chocolate, of course the bitter dark and the sugary milk chocolate…Peppermint swirled into my nostrils, sharp as glass, then raspberry, almost too sweet, like too-ripe fruit. Apple crisp and pure. Nuts, buttery, warm, earthy like Sam…The butter cookies on the shelves added a floury, comforting scent, and the lollipops, a riot of fruit scents too concentrated to be real.” (Steifvater 312-313). At the end of the book I felt sad because Sam had turned back into a wolf but happy to know they were so in love. “And leaving you (there aren’t any words to untangle it)
Your life, fearful and immense and blossoming,
so that, sometimes frustrated and sometimes understanding,
Your life is sometimes a stone in you, and then, a star.” (Steifvater 428). Sam helped Grace finally understand poetry. I felt scared and worried at the climax because I could not believe that this might have been the last time Grace saw Sam, the boy and wolf she had always loved and admired. When Sam Protected Grace and they touched for the first time when Sam was a wolf, in Grace’s body I would have felt calm and subtle to know that wolf, the one with the green eyes would always be there for me. “One wolf prodded his nose into my hand and against my cheek, casting a shadow across my face. His yellow eyes looked into mine while the other wolves jerked me this way and that. I held on to those eyes for as long as I could. Yellow.” (Stiefvater 1).
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAlex Rider
ReplyDeleteBy Anthony Horwitz Response:
How does this text make me feel?
This text makes you feel like you can go through anything and come out all right in the end no matter how bad it is. Alex rider the main character in the novel I read was a reluctant yet menacing spy for MI6. He escapes from death and feeds that spy organization the information they need, even though Alex feels like he is being used. Alex also feels like the entire world is against him. That is a common feeling for all of it and us is a feeling that is constantly felt through out the book. This novel sort of gives you the darkest moment, and makes you sort of live that darkest moment. This book makes you feel like you can go through and conquer any challenge after reading the success that is Alex Rider
How can I Connect?
I feel like I connect with Alex Rider because even though he is a spy, because of all the times he is being told what to do by MI6. I also feel I relate to him because he had to choose a side; side of a terrorist organization, or MI6. My sides I choose are usually upon a fight with friends but it’s the same point. Also a lot of the challenges that Alex faces could be counted as eccentric metaphors for what many people everyday have to face. Some examples of this include choosing a side on an argument or pushing your self to do something that is required but you don’t really want to do.
Ho does my Experiences Shape my Understanding?
Life experiences shape my understanding of what Alex Rider feels when he is betrayed. I have had many occasions when I felt like some one went back on their word on me. The struggles that I have faced, he has faced in this novel though he faces them in a more ferocious manner.
Reader’s reflection
ReplyDeleteBook: Small Steps
Author: Louis Sachar
Liam
I thought the book Small Steps was a great book. It had a solid story and well developed character I enjoyed the book a lot. I found the action parts very engaging; also the changes in the main character were good. I was nice watching as the character continued to change through the story. I would definitely recommend this book to others because it is a quick read and has well written story. Plus it was sequel to the New York Times best seller Holes.
There were actually 2 large conflicts the main character Armpit faced during this story. One being Man vs. Man. During the story Armpit is trying to figure out he wants to do with himself and who he is. After a rough start at Camp Green Lake, he has to get back on his feet. He gets a job as a landscaper. He has to fix pipes and move rocks, and gets a pretty good pay for this. At one point he even gets a job from the mayor, to his moms surprise. This is where the Man vs. Society part comes in. His parents always treat him like a delinquent because of Camp Green Lake. He didn’t even deserve to go there because it was someone else who got him sent there. He was carrying a bowl of popcorn to his seat in the movie theater when he bumped into someone. The person got enraged and shoved him, he shoved back, and soon a few to the guy’s friends came to back him up. As it ended the guy and his friends ended up in the hospital.
Another theme in the Man vs. Society theme is that he’s black. Everyone fears that, and sometimes people won’t even walk on the same street as he does. During the concert his friend Ginny who has a mental disability has a seizure. The security automatically assumes since he was with her that he gave her drugs, it ended up that the mayor vouched for him and Ginny was all right. I couldn’t really relate to either of them except for a little bit in the U.S People kept asking me if I liked in a tree or if there was electronics.
There were several feelings I had about the story. It was a little funny and made me laugh at times but there were some thrilling parts. At one point Kaira’s evil father tries to kill her and slams her with a metal bat in the neck, ouch! Also Armpit fights one of the gang members and that was pretty exciting. There were also very awkward moments, all through the story there is some kind of romance going on and there are always awkward parts in romance. Also whenever Armpit tries to do something “smooth” he usually fails or makes a fool of himself. During the story he had to give a speech to try to get someone to vote a stuffed animal nominated for president but he didn’t win because his speech was “unrememberable” It was a somewhat awkward speech. But by far the worst and most awkward moment was in Kaira’s trailer when they were having ice cream. Trying to be “smooth” he asked what kind of ice cream and when she said chocolate he said. “Chocolate is my favorite ice cream!” really loud. Wow. The author often exaggerated how people reacted to certain situations and that just intensified it for the reader. Some f the lines were even Cringe worthy.
Well that was quick review of the book. I enjoyed it and you should read it.
LIAM
INDEPENDENT READING: THE TIPPING POINT BY MALCOLM GLADWELL
ReplyDeleteThe book is based on change. When I first got the book I thought it would be on how small things make a difference, like the light bulb for instance, and on how it has helped modern societies today, but it is actually based on how an event changes another event in fast periods of time. It is almost an examination of social epidemics on things like the power of what you say, or how things like Sesame Street are so successful in teaching kids how to read. He also talks about the power of context in the book. In the book he says to think of the world as an epidemic, how things change dramatically all the time. It also talks about how epidemics can grow and then decrease in fast rates, even with the smallest change. For example crime rates in New York suddenly dropping in a year is one of the examples the author uses to introduce thins new idea.
I don’t think I would recommend thins book to all the 9th graders because of the depth of the book was quite hard to get a hold of, something that would be easier to grasp in a year or two of high school. I found the book interesting; and I found the stickiness factor the most interesting because its mainly about the child brain and how different techniques help them learn and at the same time the different success from different shows, such as sesame street.
The book has no antagonist or protagonist; it is not a storybook. this book is more of a science theory based book, a book were ideas are brought into it. Although through the book I had a very captivated mood, he kept my attention while I read for long periods of time. While reading the most interesting parts in my opinion, I was amazed at the depth of thought and I also felt in a quite questionable mood at the time. Questionable by having alot of things on my mind as I read, questions on how did that work? Or why did that happen? The book was confusing at some points especially when it went onto the topics on spreading diseases, because I didn’t know any of them and it was hard to grasp the topic. Others I think I took in well such as the stickiness factor, I found that the most interesting part of the book. Parts of the book the author out more detail into it, and others were the outcome was more detailed. I found it easier to take in the sections of the books were he explains what causes things to happen rather than what he explains what is the process to the outcome and the outcome itself. Besides that, the book was captivating and brought a lot of new thoughts into my mind, many new ideas. I think the author did a good job in the process of introducing new ideas. Although if someone higher in high school than I am will probably find it easier to grasp some of the topics I had trouble with at the start.
JANE EYRE, by CHARLOTTE BRONTË.
ReplyDeleteA) Yes, I would definitely recommend this book to others. It was engaging in that it was a very queer love story, but it ends nicely. There is a lot between the moment when she meets Rochester and the moment when they marry, such as her visit to Mrs. Reed, who is dying, the fire in Rochester's bedroom, the attack on Mason by who she thinks is Grace Poole, the visit from all the nobles and the suspected marriage between Rochester and Blanche Ingram. The latter only existing to make Jane jealous, it is an adorable mark of love and compassion that Rochester shows towards his lover. Jane and Edward do make a really nice couple!
B) The primary conflict for Jane was that she found out that her love was married to another, and so he was committing bigamy. She also find out that, much as he claimed to love and adore her, he was only using her for his own benefit. Seeing as he had married a woman who was mad, ugly and (you could go so far as to say it) blood-thirsty. As he says in the wedding scene, 'look at her, compared to my wife! Do you not see why I favoured her?' It was heart-rending for her, because she truly thought that Rochester loved her for who she was rather than what she looked and acted like, but she realised that she must leave Thornfield Hall. The memories that that place carried were too strong for her to deal with; she could not live alongside Rochester for much longer. . I don't relate to this sort of distress, however I do sort of know how Jane felt, seeing as I have been betrayed more than once. Such betrayals are, of course, extremely shocking and emotionally testing but you forget them eventually. Time heals all sores, does it not? There were certainly three types of conflicts, these being Man vs. Self, Man vs. Society and Man vs. Man.
C) I felt a deep confusion, actually! I was quite happy about the end, seeing as all is well that ends well. I was sad and angry with Rochester, because no man should treat a woman as if she is simply a plaything, not even in the days when women were not equals with men. I really connected with Jane because she was such a round character. She went through phases of humour, particularly with Rochester. At the same time, she was the main character of the book and so we saw all sides of her: the shy one and the more adventurous one. Jane, being a curious and inquisitive being, found herself caught in the middle of a whirlwind of emotion, confusion, and, above all, secrecy. She is forced to stay quiet about the attacks and fire, even though she thinks they were committed by Grace Poole. I felt particularly angry with Mrs. Reed and her children at the beginning of the book because they treated her so badly, even though Mr. Reed made his wife promise to keep and love her. Never has a promise been broken so badly as with this one. If she thinks loving someone is beating them for fighting back at an assault from a spoilt boy, then Mrs. Reed is very much mistaken. I am glad that Eliza, at least, came around to the fact that her mother was selfish and a sadist, because her sister Georgiana leads a life of regret over her deceased mother.
All in all, it was a really great read and I would not hesitate to recommend it to another and read it again.
I found that when Peeta and Kat sort of had this crush thing going on between each other throughout the book i found pretty engaging and actually pretty interested in the fact of their being sort of a love drama going on in the backround of all the fighting going on when they are actually in the Hunger Games and how sometimes I think Peeta did not know which way to go. And yes I would definatly recommend this book to others because every time I would start reading it I would just get hooked on it and not want to stop, just laying in my bed till like 2 o clock in the morning because I would be to anxious to know what is going to happen next.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, most people would think that Kat is the protagonist in this situation, but i think peeta is a protagonist just trying to be a bad guy but sometimes can't really do what it takes to become a bad guy so that's when he reveals the protagonist part of himself. but the conflicts he goes through are just incredibly hard for him, he had to choose from going with kat and only have a small chance of surviving, or stick with the big bad dudes of which he has a higher chance of living, so he's sort of stuck between going with the person he is secretly in love with or going the wrong way and sticking with the bad guys. I do not think i could relate to that because I've never had a situation of where i have to choose survival or love.
This book ALWAYS had me jumping out of my seat by just thinking about whats going to happen next or if i just found out something that shocked me with excitement, mostly when drama is caused internally in the book. Sometimes i felt worried that something bad was about to happen when you get to that really intense moment (The Climax) and you're hoping that Peeta and Kat will win or etc.
A) The book that I decided to read was This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff. I found the way that the protagonist, Jack, usually escaped from the torment of Dwight the antagonist. Jack would often use his vivid imagination to escape from the real worlds. A good example of this would be when jack envisions himself as a soldier and would patrol around his house with his Winchester .22. Another very engaging aspect of the book was the way in which it was written. The author of the book often used an informal and bias narrative; this aspect is very engaging because of the fact that Jack is an adolescent so this style of narrative gets Jack’s point across with all the emotions that all adolescents feel. I would recommend this book; I found it a very exciting and interesting read.
ReplyDeleteB) The primary conflict that Jack faces is undoubtedly Man vs. Man, The antagonist was Dwight. Jack’s mother married Dwight in the hope that doing this would provide Jack with a life in which they are not constantly on the move. But this proves to be the wrong move as Rosemary (Jack’s mother) soon realizes. At this point it is too late and this is where Jacks imagination comes in to play. Dwight constantly abused Jack. One of the main characteristics of Dwight is that he is constantly trying to degrade everyone; the only time in which Dwight shows any change in his feelings toward Jack is when Jack gets into fights. Dwight only shows this for a very brief period of time. There are few things that I could relate to. But there are many personal experiences that I could bring in. Many of the experiences are not similar to those of Jack’s but the experiences I can bring into provoke emotions. Probably the biggest would be by comparing how stable my family is against the instability that Jack endured throughout his adolescence. Anther big experience that I brought in to the book was my relationship with my dad and Jack’s with Dwight, when I compared the two you can really get a sense of why Jack constantly tried to escape.
C) This book made you feel emotions mainly with the rebellious way that Jack acted in secret; a good example of this would be when every night jack would take a joy ride in Dwight’s car. Every night he would go just a little bit further and he often fantasized that one day he would just keep on going and never turn back. The emotions that this part made me feel was sympathy for him as he always imagined himself escaping and leaving his abuse ridden life behind. As the book goes on Jack is constantly fighting with Dwight and thinking of ways to escape. But Jack never acts fully on his plans to escape. There are many things about the book that provoke emotions, most of them sympathetic and I couldn’t help but in every situation Jack had to make a big decision I often imagined what choice I would make and think about what would happen. All throughout the book Jack has very little power, his power his lessened when Dwight sells Jack’s Winchester .22 and buys Jack a dog with the money. In a few ways the conflict is also Man vs. Self in the way that Jack is constantly feeling guilty and worthlessness. This particular conflict on the book made me really think about the choices I had made and the results that had followed. The way that the author gave these emptions was because he often described how meaningless and worthless the tasks that Dwight gives Jack are for example; when Jack first begins to stay with Dwight, Dwight gives him the task of husking hundreds of horse chestnuts. Two years later on a Christmas Eve Dwight and Jack go up to fetch them they find them in a rotting cardboard box. There were many ways in which the author provoked emotions and made the reader feel things. I think that in the end he is able to forget his past and focus on his future.
It Worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteFor my independent reading book, I read The Thief lord by Cornelia Funke. This books genre is adventure, fiction and fantasy. I really enjoyed this book, because it engaged me into the reading, it was interesting throughout most of the book, although I don’t like the fact that the kids steal.
ReplyDeleteThis book is about a two kids named Prosper and Bo whose parents die so they decide to run away from the people that care for them in Germany to Venice. They meet a group of runaway kids in a theatre in Venice. Their leader is named Scipio but he nicknames himself the Thief Lord. The only way for them to survive is to sell things that Scipio steals to a shopkeeper. While trying to survive they must also try to avoid a detective that the people that cared for them hired.
This book is very well written; I never really got bored of it because I always wanted to know what would happen next. I was literally standing up for most of the story as for I didn’t want to kids to get caught while stealing and I didn’t want them to get hurt. I was also excited every minute of the book because I always wanted to know what would happen next, but the ending of this book was a bit disappointing because you want to know what will happen to Scipio, it leaves you thinking too much, especially when there isn’t a sequel.
The main conflict of this book is that the characters want to belong to something; they want to be part of something and be happy, and live without problems. The conflict of this story is Character to self. I related to this book because I sometimes feel different or just want to be different for the sake of it. I sometimes feel as if I may not belong, but I do, just that I don’t see it. There isn’t really an antagonist in this book. There are a few small ones, but they don’t matter much, but if I have to say one it would be Victor Getz the detective.
This story made me feel sad for the kids, because I live in a good house with food, water, electricity while the kids live in the streets or theatre without any form of warmth, food and water and have to live thinking what they will eat the next day, what will they do to get food and how, but throughout the story I was excited, the story had my heart beating at a faster rate than in any other book I’ve ever read.
I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a well written adventure, fiction and fantasy story, that also like suspense and reading a good book.
P.S I changed book
Charles Lindbergh; Born to Fly.
ReplyDeleteCharles Lindbergh is one of the most successful men that have ever lived in this world. “The true Story of Charles A. Lindbergh” is a real heart opening biography about a man with a dream. I personally can relate to this book very well, and it seems that Lindbergh and I have a lot in common. He has come across many obstacles in his life, and has made a difference in the world. Lindbergh has shown courage and compassion for what he has done for us, and himself. He has heart. No doubt about it!
Charles A. Lindbergh always had a passion for flying, even as a child. At 10 years old, he went to an air show with his mother. He enjoyed every single moment of it. I always thought it would be an amazing thing when a child achieves his goal in life, and does what he loves the most. I believe children, no matter what race, or no matter where they came from, should always try and achieve their goal. The one thing my father always told me is “if you believe, you can achieve”, and I stick to that rule. I love playing basketball, ever since I was 4 years old. I could never get the ball to the rim, but I always believed I could do it. Once I was 9 years old, I was able to shoot it from the free through line, and once I was 11, I could shoot a 3 pointer. Always try you’re hardest, and you’ll make it to the top.
Charles Lindbergh didn’t grow up with much. His best friend was his first dog, Dingo. He was poor, and had very little as a child. His family owned a farm, and he wanted to continue the farm business with his family at one point because he didn’t think he had the capability to fly, also, because his parents wanted to do something practical with his life. Lindbergh wasn’t a very intelligent person. He never studied, never did his work, and never cared about anything. He also found his classmates immature, and stayed away from smoking, drinking, and dating.
When Lindbergh was 6 years of age, he was a given a .22 caliber rifle from his grandfather. He always hunted and fished with his father. Later, he was given a .38 caliber revolver, and a 12 gauge shotgun. At the age of 13, he was a better shooter than his father, and when he was 19, he joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, and was a member of the pistol and rifle team. He was the best shooter in the team, and led them to victory in the national competition. I remember when I when hunting with my dad almost every holiday when we were living in Zimbabwe. It’s really strange how or lives are very similar, Lindbergh and I. When I was 8 years old, my dad gave me my very first gun, a .22 caliber rifle. I also went fishing with my dad every weekend. When I was 9, I got my first kill on a Duiker. That was probably one of the best days of my life.
In many ways, Charles Lindbergh and I are very similar, except I actually am focusing on my studies! Charles A. Lindbergh is a very successful man, and is a very courageous man. He has taught us all many important lessons, and has guided me to believing in myself. I would most definitely recommend this book.
A) I found my book very engaging but at times boring. The beginning was very interesting because the book had just finished introducing the characters and a battle started. Marcus, the main character, and his own legion were at a fort in the north when some of the tribesmen attacked them. Marcus was injured by a falling chariot that landed on his leg. The middle started out interesting but got very boring and was just not fun to read. Marcus was injured in the battle at the beginning of the book, which left him limping around his uncle’s house for the entire middle section of the book. The only interesting part was when he went to a gladiator fight where he rescued his slave. At the end, he accepts the fact that he must go and find his father’s eagle. Every Roman legion has a gold eagle that one of the men in the legion carries wherever they go. This part helped to make it more interesting. The very end was confusing. Marcus and Esca (a slave) outwitted the tribesmen by faking their path and so were able to get away. This part was very engaging. I would strongly recommend this book to others. It is a great book if you like action and mystery mixed together.
ReplyDeleteB) The primary conflict that Marcus, the protagonist, faced was trying to find out what happened to his dad. He was very young when his dad left with the legion. Marcus couldn’t understand what happened to his father so when he grew up he heard from other people that his dad had died as a coward. Marcus had to overcome people talking bad about his dad and just ignored them because he knew that his father had not died a coward. I can’t really relate to this conflict because I have been lucky enough to have my dad throughout my life. Marcus fought through all the people talking and found his father’s legions remains in a small clearing in the middle of the forest. The only reason he was able to get out of the north alive was because of his slave Esca. Esca was a tribesman and his father was the leader of a well known lost tribe. Esca convinced the tribesmen that this Marcus was his slave and that they were heading north to hunt the exotic game in that region. Marcus owes Esca his life.
C) In the beginning of the book, I felt anger especially when the whole Roman Empire was talking bad about Marcus’s dad. As the book wore on, I felt scared for Marcus because the tribe he was stealing from was vicious and bloodthirsty. If they were caught, they would have been killed very painfully. When I got to the end of the book, I felt tired like I had gone through the whole journey with them. I was also very grateful that they didn’t get caught by the tribe but I was also happy I was finished with the book. I was tired of being on the edge of my seat when the middle was very boring. However, these emotions were nothing compared to the emotions Marcus felt in the book.
-Samie Mirghani
Alex Rider: Scopia
ReplyDeleteAnthony Horowitz
Response:
How does this text make me feel?
This text makes you feel like you can go through anything and come out all right in the end no matter how bad it is. Alex rider the main character in the novel I read was a reluctant yet menacing spy for MI6. He escapes from death and feeds that spy organization the information they need, even though Alex feels like he is being used. Alex also feels like the entire world is against him. That is a common feeling for all of it and us is a feeling that is constantly felt through out the book. This novel sort of gives you the darkest moment, and makes you sort of live that darkest moment. This book makes you feel like you can go through and conquer any challenge after reading the success that is Alex Rider. Yet the text also gives you a better understanding of why criminal organizations and terrorist groups like SCOPRPIA (the one in this Alex rider book) do what they do. The main example in this novel is when SCORPIA is paid a large some of money to convince the Americans that if they do not surrender and shut down there navy and weapons manufacturing or else the ultimate price will have to be paid to there over seas allies in the U.K. You see this organization is just trying to make a buck, but it is amazing how many terrible things people will go through to make a buck. And the saddening part is that something conceivably as greedy as this notion, must have happened in real life and happens on a smaller scale every day.
How can I Connect?
I feel like I connect with Alex Rider because even though he is a spy, because of all the times he is being told what to do by MI6. I also feel I relate to him because he had to choose a side; side of a terrorist organization, or MI6. My sides I choose are usually upon a fight with friends but it’s the same point. Also a lot of the challenges that Alex faces could be counted as eccentric metaphors for what many people everyday have to face. Some examples of this include choosing a side on an argument or pushing your self to do something that is required but you don’t really want to do.
Ho does my Experiences Shape my Understanding?
Life experiences shape my understanding of what Alex Rider feels when he is betrayed. I have had many occasions when I felt like some one went back on their word on me. The struggles that I have faced, he has faced in this novel though he faces them in a more ferocious manner. Some of my other experiences like when I was in the alien city of Zürich and Alex was in northern Italy, I got the same feeling as him when I was trying to find different places and such.
500 and one words mrs.!
ReplyDeleteFever Pitch
ReplyDeleteby Nick Hornby
My independent reading book that i have been reading is called Fever Pitch, and it is by the author Nick Hornby. The book is about many things: football, childhood and life in general. Mainly though, it is about the author Nick Hornby, and when he first fell in love with football when he was young, and how he has always had a passion for the game ever since. In addition, the book is about his personal experiences, both in his childhood and in football, and the good times and the bad times in his football life. Furthermore, the book is a little flashback to the author Nick Hornby's early life, and the events that happened, and what he remembered.
The story-line of the book is about different sections in Nick Hornby's childhood, and different football matches that he went to. I find the story-line to be quite interesting, because like for every match or event that happens in the book, there's always something new or a different emotion towards it. I think that this is smart, for it makes the book more interesting and unpredictable.
As i read this book, i found out that i had quite a few connections with Nick Hornby. For example, whenever he would talk his experiences in each live football match he went to, and like as i was reading them, i remembered the time i went to live football matches with my father, and how many of his experiences and my experiences related to each other, and the similarities between them. In addition to this, Nick Hornby would always talk about how he and his mates would argue about football and their teams during school, and thats the exact same things that happens to me and my mates. We go on and on arguing about football, and teasing each others teams if they lost, and so on. So yea, there were many similarities between me and Nick Hornby.
Whenever i read a Nick Hornby book, i notice that he has something that other authors don't have. In his writing, he puts bits that are serious, yet manages to balance out the seriousness with light humor, and that what makes his writing great to read. Whatever subject his book is on, he manages to make it funny, but also interesting and serious at the same time. So thats why i like reading Nick Hornby books, his way or writing is great and unique.
I for one personally love this book, for it is about one of my favorite topics, football. Ever since i first heard about football, i loved playing and watching football, and when i heard about this book, i thought that i should try something different and read about football. Apart from football itself, the book is very well written, with its humor and emotions, and i found it to be quite interesting. I feel as if people who love football should definitely read this book, for they will find it entertaining.
INDEPENDENT READING PROMPT
ReplyDeleteBook: ANNE FRANK
Author: ANNE FRANK
I found this book really engaging, eventhough it is not one of those books that I enjoy reading from time to time. I found it engaging because she started off as a 13 year old girl ending up really famous. Her technique in writing and use of words are really advanced and good. She likes to use big strong words to show her emotions and opinions about certain thing that go on in her life.
I would really recommend this book to people from our generation because she is around the same age as most of us are and is going through some of the things we are even today.
The primary conflict in the book was probably the emotions that she was going through at that time. She like many othor jews were being discriminated from other people and even good friends. Also did she have to hide for her life and safety in order to survive the world war. Thirdly is she also going through the stage where she becomes a teenager and starts finding new emotions going through her.
I think not only me but others too could relate to the part where they are getting new emotions because we all go through that stage. Also I think we could all relate in some way to being discriminated in some way, not necessarily like she was.
This book gave me that big feeling of being ANNE FRANK myself. She was around the same age as me, and has some problems related in some ways. She is also friendly energetic and a lively girl that can always find the good in many things. I could really feel and understand the way she thought about things like her family, friends, and almost around anything she was writing about.
-hannah duiker