Hello again, freshmen! Post your second independent reading reflection here (click on "comment" and post from there). Address the following questions in your reflection and make sure you write a MINIMUM of 800 words! Make sure you list the title of the book and the author's name at the beginning of your reflection.
1. Was this book enjoyable to read? Why or why not?
2. What is the theme of this book? How did you arrive at this theme statement?
3. Pick one major event from the book and explain why it is significant to the overall narrative.
4. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Tara Duncan: The Cursed Sceptre
ReplyDelete1. Yes. The book was really interesting, I was very surprised at how much I liked it. It is about a young 'witch' who is the heir of a huge kingdom, one of the leading powers of OtherWorld, the planet she lives on. Although originally from Earth, she discovered her powers by accident and is immediately transferred to OtherWorld. Upon discovering that her mother is still alive, she takes it upon herself to deliver her from her prison. At the end of the book, she stops the army of demons that her mother's captor sent, and in doing so saves the planet from imminent destruction. I liked the book because it was really interesting, it the story from different angles. The ending really threw a surprise at me, because something I had really not suspected came around. As is with most good books, it inspired me with emotion whenever something good or bad happened to the protagonist. I really enjoyed it.
2. I think the theme of this book is self-discovery. I realised this when Tara rediscovers her own identity and her family. She realises many things that she didn't before, and in doing so, discovers that friendship is more important than stature, seeing as it is her friendship with Cal, Robin, Sparrow and Fabrice that save her life. She comes to terms with herself, her aunt and uncle and, finally, her family. Although her mother Selena plans to marry Medelus, an elven general, and Tara is convinced to eliminate him from the equation at the beginning of the book, at the end she realises there is nothing she can do about their love. It is her own relationship with Robin, a half-elf, half-human who is in love with her that she must deal with, in the addition to keeping herself alive. She finds out many things about herself, and this, I think, is the theme of the novel.
3. The major event in the book, I think, is when Tara destroys the Cursed Sceptre, reason for which all the adults in the world have lost their powers. Aided by the Her Imperial Highness, Lisbeth'tylanhem Ab Santa Ab Barmi Ab Maru of Omois, she makes the whole thing explode, delivering the more experienced wizards and witches of OtherWorld defeat the army of demons that Magister, Tara's mother's captor, sends to defeat the Omois empire. The scene is important because, not only does it demonstrate HIH's and Tara's powers, it also truly shows how, when working together, nothing can stop you. It is hard to admit that you are wrong, sometimes, and that is exactly what Lisbeth'tylanhem does. She cannot stop herself from thinking she is right, however she admits that her niece has solved a mystery even she could not elucidate and she bows down to her, sign of great respect in Omois. If her own aunt, the Imperial Witch of Omois is declaring total submission to her own heir, then why should anything stop Tara from reaching her goals in defeating Magister? He and his army are nothing but an illusion that they discover thanks to the destruction of the Sceptre, and this is why I think the circumstances of its destruction add to the climax scene of the novel.
4. Yes, I would recommend the book to a friend. The vocabulary is complex enough that the reader is challenged to understand the basis of the novel, the chapters are nice and short and the overall ‘experience’ with the book is highly enjoyable. Sophie Andouin-Mamikonian is a very talented writer. The book is an entertaining and captivating read that you just can't put down.
Blog Post Part 1
ReplyDeleteZach Bull
English
Ms. Lavender
Independent Reading Response #2
Dresden Files Collection Books 1-5
By Jim Butcher
Overview
The Dresden Files Collections is a collection of books 1-5 in a series. This series is about a modern wizard named Harry Dresden. He is on probation from the White Council (a council of wizards sworn to uphold laws) because they think that he broke the first law of magic, never use magic to kill, although that is not true. He is the only wizard who in the phone books says “Harry Dresden, Professional Wizard.” He acts as a private investigator working for hire. In addition to this he works as a consultant for the Chicago Police Department, specifically Special Investigations. Over the five books he is hired to find things or solve certain mysteries. After he is hired, he usually gets a call from the CPD about a homicide. Then he finds out that the homicide and the investigation he is hired to do are linked to some greater thing. Over the books, he starts a war between vampire and wizards, stops a fairie war and other things like that.
1. Was this book enjoyable to read? Why or Why not?
I personally found these books very enjoyable to read for many reasons. Jim Butcher masterfully weaves all the seemingly unconnected elements in the plot into one important concluding event. Additionally, the writing is often very dry, ironic, and witty. And lastly the characters are very well developed and learn many things throughout the books. For example in book one, Harry is hired to find a missing person. Then he is called by Special Investigations to help investigate a double homicide, which looks the bodies exploded, from the inside, breaking the first law of magic. It turns out that the missing person is a black mage who is channeling the power of storms to kill all the people involved in a crime. Those two very different investigations were actually very much interconnected one affecting the other. Another example, in book 5 Harry is attacked by a chlorofiend (big plant monster), a ghoul, and a troll, and he called that “not a problem.” At the end of each book Harry and the other characters in the book learn an important morale or idea. In book one he learns that things will always turn out okay, in the end.
2. What was the theme of this book? How did you arrive at this theme statement?
I think that the theme of this collection is very difficult to discern. Each book has its own theme. However, I think that the overall theme is fight the good fight. Harry is an Investigator, who has almost no money, and has to take any job he is asked to do. He lives in a small apartment, and sometimes has run himself ragged to finish a job. He doesn’t have to do this though. The White Council will pay for him to live in a house, and just do research. So then why does he do this? Because some has to, he says. If he won’t who will? Who can protect the people who need help? Not the police for sure, they can’t protect themselves, so he believes he has to do it.
Blog Post Part 2
ReplyDelete3. Pick one major event from the book and explain why it is important to the whole Narrative.
The most major event in the 5 books is the war that begins. Harry Dresden in a wizard of the White Council in Chicago and therefore must be their representative for certain events. Harry is invited to a ball to celebrate a female vampire’s ascension to part of the Red Court. The Red Court are a court of vampires, they have some of the traditional powers of the vampires and some of the traditional weaknesses. There is also a Black Court, whose vampires are exactly like traditional ones, and a White Court, whose vampires are the most humans, feeding on the feelings of humans, not the blood. Harry is allowed to bring one companion, who will be protected by the ancient laws, just like Harry. If he brings more, Harry must choose one person who will not be protected by the ancient laws. Harry chooses to bring Michael, a Knight of the Cross. The Knights of the Cross are the self-righteous men who have taken up one of the three holy swords of God to fight and put down evil. However, earlier in the book the sword Michael uses, Amorchius, was taken by the Red Court. He must go to the party to get it back. While there he meets and talks to his evil godmother who will take Harry away to fulfill an earlier bargain. Before that happens, his girlfriend, a reporter who had snuck in using a fake invitation, offered the evil godmother a year of her memories in return for keeping Harry from being taken away. In the world of magic, it is traditional for the host of a ball to give gifts to the most important people at the party. The female vampire, Bianca, gives gifts to Harry, a white court vampire, a black court vampire, and Michael. After Harry and Michael are called up, Bianca calls up the black court vampire. She gives the vampire Amorchius and presents the vampire with a human victim. See if a holy sword spills innocent blood, it will turn evil and become the sword of the devil. So therefore Harry must break the law of protection to stop the holy sword from becoming evil. If he breaks the law first his life is forfeit, but if the Red Court breaks it first their lives are forfeit. After breaking the law, he is captured by the vampires who put him and another victim into the room with Harry’s girlfriend, who has been given the vampire thirst for blood, should she act on it she would become a full vampire. Harry thinks he is about to die and says to her that he loves her; this temporarily takes away the thirst and gives her a chance to control it. He has to escape, but to do so he must kill Bianca, starting a war between the Red Court and the White Council. This event is very important because it started the war. This war affects many things in the later books. Book 5 is specifically about how to survive the war. In the other books, Harry’s thinking is changed because the Red Court constantly sends assassins after him. The war makes him do more rash things, less planning, and overall take unnecessary risks.
4. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or Why not?
I would very much recommend this series to a friend who likes reading. It is funny, clever, and overall, brilliantly written and planned out. Anybody with the time, patience, and love for reading should read this series as it wholly satisfying and if there was any book about magic to believe, this would be it.
The book I read was called “The Cardturner” written by Louis Sachar, the same author that wrote the book “Holes”.
ReplyDelete“The Cardturner” was a very enjoyable book to read. They way the author has written in a way that as a reader appreciate the book. Alton, the main character, was writing a book, but in a way that he is also telling a story of how he plays a card game called bridge by his old, sick, and blind uncle Lester (a.k.a. Trapp) without actually knowing how to play, which worried Alton when he hung out with his uncle. At first it was his parents that forced him to do so. If everything went well, they thought that Trapp would mention Alton’s family in their will and hopefully, they get his money (Trapp was a very rich man in their family). As Alton, I thought it was kind of selfish and rude. However, later on in the book, his dad lost his job and they did not know what to do. Then they had a reason to get that money ASAP. The amount of drama in the book really interested me.
The theme of the book was bridge, the card game. How I arrived to this theme statement was that it was talked about in almost every sentence of the book. Trapp loved playing bridge since he was Alton’s age (seventeen). Trapp used to play so well that he was one of the best bridge players that people could remember, until he got blind. No one knew apart from his former partners and Alton’s family. He taught Alton how to play anyway. Even though Alton and Trapp never used to talk to each other, playing bridge brought them together. Without the theme, the book would have been in pieces. It has brought many events together. For example he had used emotion to portray different emotions such as happiness, sadness, and anger. It may just be a game that not many people have heard of, even myself as the reader. However, this book has revived the game from its inexistence. Is that what Louis Sachar wanted to do? Why in that way and not another?
A major event in the book was when Trapp died before the nationals games. Not only was Trapp blind, but he also had diabetes, which eventually got worst right before the nationals were coming up. It is significant because his character has made Alton closer to him, even though it was through playing with a blind uncle. Also, Alton’s parents did not know if he suggested Trapp to put them in his will. Alton never brought the conversation up with Trapp, which was the right choice since it would seem too demanding. Eventually, they found out that he gave all the money to people that had diabetes, which I thought was sweet. However, Alton’s dad was still jobless, but Alton and his new girlfriend, Toni, won the nationals in tribute of Trapp and helped Alton’s younger sister, Leslie, to start playing bridge as a sport at her school. Trapp was not nice and many people would say. When you got to know him, he was a loving man inside. The only problem was he never really showed it, but only when you played bridge with him and even then no one could see it. He would have loved you so much to actually show it.
I would recommend this book to a friend because it does give out a great message. The message that I got out from the book was that even though we’re different in appearance, we all act the same. The book considered having lots of emotion. In that sense meaning you can feel how Alton goes through as a seventeen-year-old. How he tries to get to be loved by Trapp whom you have seen only once when you were six years old. That feeling in getting Trapp’s appreciation in learning bridge, but Trapp cannot see it because he became blind. Also trying to find a girlfriend after he had a terrible incident with his ex, Katie who is now dating is best friend, Cliff. Not only Alton losing a girl he truly loved, but also how Trapp lost his girl of his life. The amount of emotion, loss, and drama, made me, as a reader, enjoy the book. I could recommend this book to people who do like a bit of mystery and books with drama, a bit of curiosity, and lastly, who do not get emotional very easily. It shows how people in real life go through; losing a family member, a parent loses their job, and many more. However, the author is trying to say that no matter what situation you and your family are in, always find a plus sign to things.
ReplyDeleteRunning Wild
ReplyDeleteBy Michael Mopurgo
1. This book was enjoyable to read as I felt that I could connect with the book. The story about, a boy, Will in Indonesia during the tsunami, reminds me of when I was in an aircraft to London on the day of the tsunami and in the aircraft we could feel the turbulence caused by the tsunami. I can just imagine how scary it must have been for a boy who was on the beach where the tsunami was. He must have been terrified, even though he had studied tsunamis, experiencing one is scarier than it sounds. The adrenaline rush and excitement that the book evokes, is really intriguing. The book always leaves the reader craving to know what happens next. He uses the voice of a boy stranded in the jungle. His use of characterization is amazing. The way the character develops over time is one of the most interesting parts of the book.
2. I think the theme of this book is overcoming and enduring hardship. There are several parts in the book that led me to this conclusion.
a) When Will’s father dies, he is left to overcome the great loss and hardship of this tragic event.
b) When he arrives in Indonesia and the tsunami occurs, he has to overcome the loss of his mother. He has to overcome his emotions and force himself to stay positive.
c) In the forest, all sorts of insects and bugs, bite, scare and terrify him. He is also left to overcome and endure that hardship
d) When he is captured and locked in the cage, he has to overcome and endure his hunger, as he watches people around him eating to their hearts content.
The pain and hardship that Will endured, amazes me. That such a boy of such a small age could go through so much, he could see the world in a different light, he could understand the secrets of the jungle and the tricks of survival.
3. The scene where the hunters, come to kill the orang-utans’ and Oona runs away is significant to the overall narrative. This is because it is the second time that the boy loses everything and is faced with new responsibilities. The first was during the tsunami, his new responsibility was communicating with Oona and looking for ways to survive in the jungle. The second time he loses Oona and finds himself responsible for some baby orang-utans. This is significant as it clearly highlights how he has changed from his first loss. This event shapes the remainder of the book and is the most tragic part of the book. It is tragic because it is the parting of two souls who may have never wanted to part. Two lives which are changed forever. Two beings that face pain,hardship,suffering, tears and sadness. But the most unique thing is that the connection between these two souls is a connection between an animal and a human being. Who knew that their connection could be so deep, who knew that they could care for each other so much. Care for each other, the way a mother cares for her child. Such a profound connection, beyond comprehension.
Uneeza
Part 2(Uneeza)
ReplyDelete4. I would recommend to a friend because:
a) Touching
b) Good read
c) One of my favourite authors
a) This book was really touching as it brought attention to one of the most devastating natural disasters in the history of mankind. This natural disaster killed thousands if not millions of people, separated families, orphaned children and destroyed infrastructure. The way that Mopurgo presented his ideas, is a pot-pourri of real events and imagination. His writing relates to global issues but he adds his own imagination and creativity to transform the book. His writing could be described as somewhere between the seriousness of non-fiction and the hearty laughter of fiction stories.
b) This book is one of the best books I have ever read, it is inspirational. It is one of those books that anyone can enjoy, no matter what the age. A book of this kind is what I call a good read. Sometimes it can be hard to find a good read, but I am inspired by Michael Mopurgos writings and his creativity to explore new fields in writing.
c) Michael Mopurgo is one of my favourite authors. He has written several books which are some of my favourites including The butterfly lion, Dear Olly, The amazing story of Adolphus Tips, Born to run and Private peaceful. His writing is unique in a way that it engages the reader, so much that they feel they are part of his story. I can vividly picture the settings, the characters, the emotions, the moods and the tone of the story. This is what makes Michael Mopurgo my favourite writer.
Uneeza
Independent Reading Project 2 -- Aqila
ReplyDeleteThe book I read was called ‘Pemba’s Song’ and was written by Marilyn Nelson and Tonya C. Hegamin. This was very appealing to me for various reasons, one being that it is written in teenage language. This language consists of slang and also has the perspective of a teenager. I feel as if the book was not only enjoyable but also had a moral to it in a way. Pemba starts out rebelling towards her mother, and towards the end she needs her mother and apologizes for the way she behaved. Pemba was also very ignorant to her African history but due to the fact that she had to help someone out she learned about the past and turned out to be very passionate towards the past. I really particularly enjoyed the book since most of it was written through poems. I really enjoyed the language that the author used as these poems where so different from the rest of the novel. I feel as if this book is basically what every teenager will go through, well what everyone will go through, in ways where you are forced to grow up and take matters into your own hands.
The book is about a teenage girl who has lost her father to war, who now lives with her mother and is moving from New York where she was brought up to a small house in Colchester. She is very displeased with this move and rebels, which is very common to what every teenager does to his or her parents. She then starts seeing a ghost of which she has to help. She starts getting visions where she is inside the ghost’s body going through flashbacks. She needs to then learn about the town history and help this poor slave girl expose the truth about a murder. The theme of this book is mainly how people grow up and how they discover new things about themselves and how they discover how to conquer their fears. Pemba has to put her own life on pause and the way she normally lives like in New York and is forced to mature and do what’s right. I feel as if she really grew in terms of not being selfish and caring for others. I also feel that there is a strong message brought through using music and poems where both girls in the book convey their feelings. They both keep journals and I feel, as that’s how they mostly communicate to one another.
One of the most interesting parts of the whole story is when Pemba looks into the mirror of her new house and sees the ghost, Phyllys, reflecting back. At that moment Pemba thinks she is crazy and later on realizes that she really did see a ghost. It is true that Phyllys is a ghost but to me the reflection through the mirror seams to be a sign that they are connected in a way and that they have one stage or another gone through the same things and share something special. Also the fact that they are both African American come to conclude that they are very close and that they have a bond. I feel as if the mirror scene was a start to an ostentatious adventure and where the mystery unfolds.
I would definitely like to recommend this book to my friends as we could really relate to it and feel more for the characters then others could. Teenagers in general could. I feel as if this book it very different as it is not predictable and it also includes information about the past. I really like the way the story is laid out. By this I mean that Pemba constantly writes in her journal in the book and the author makes it seem that the ghost also writes in a journal and they are both writing about their different yet similar lives and that was very interesting to read. The way that the journals are written is with rich vocabulary and is also written in poems. This was a challenge as most of the time I was not sure who’s journal it was as these characters basically had the same emotions but expressed them in different ways. I also think that teenagers would like this book as it has a mixture of comedy, drama and romance. I feel as if all this categories are very essential to a good book and I feel that it is more enjoyable to read.
For my second independent reading, I read a novel called Wicked Lovely written by Melissa Marr. The book was about a fairy called Keenan who was the king of summer and had to find the chosen mortal to break the Winter Queen chill curse. However, the chosen mortal called Aislinn was already beloved to Seth, another mortal. Keenan had to find a way to persuade Aislinn he was her king and convince her to help him fight against the curse. If he was not able do complete these roles, then all the summer fairies and eventually the humans would die form the winter chill.
ReplyDeleteI found this book very enjoyable because the concept was intriguing and the idea of how and why the fairy immortals interacted with mortal humans was fascinating. It is a read that had many climaxes to keep you engaged. The author used a very descriptive language that drew a picture in your mind and made you feel like you were actually in the novel. It was one of the best books I have read.
I think the themes of the book are, what you see and hear is not always the truth and actions always have reasons behind them. I arrived at the first theme because in the book, there are certain families that pass on a gene that makes fairies visible to that family. Nobody can see fairies unless they have this gene passed on to them, unless the fairies take a human form. Aislinn and her family have this gene. When they walk through their town streets they are able to see fairies. All through Aislinn’s life, she has been warned never to attract a fairy’s attention because they are evil immortals. She has walked to school and back home watching them do horrible things to people, making them suffer for fun. Until she met Keenan, she thought every fairy was monstrous. Keenan finally was able to get through to her and explain that that was not the case. He explained that only the fairies under the rule of the Winter Queen were evil, all his summer fairies were not. Aislinn realized that she had always thought wrong about fairies. She now knew that those fairies doing horrible things on the streets were the winter fairies and that the summer fairies were the ones bringing joy to earth.
I arrived at the second theme because Keenan did outrageous things to Aislinn such as threatening her family and Seth or telling Aislinn only the good part about agreeing to fight on his side and she never knew why he did these horrible acts. Later on in the book, she realized that he had only done it to save his summer fairies, to protect his kingdom and to keep his families throne. He had only good intentions, he applied them the wrong way.
A major event that took place in the book was when Keenan persuaded Aislinn to go on a ‘date’ with him to a carnival. Aislinn only went because she wanted to find out more about Keenan and about her being the ‘chosen one.’ At the carnival, Aislinn and Keenan had a lot of fun, they danced round and round until Aislinn was to dizzy. They also drank a lot of fairy summer wine and went to see a fortuneteller. This was very significant to the overall narrative because the fortuneteller had hinted that Aislinn was very special and was truly the chosen one. Keenan also gave Aislinn summer wine and did not tell her that if she drunk it she would turn from a mortal human into a summer fairy immortal very soon. When she was dizzy and drunk she gave away her family secret and legend and told him that she could see him as a fairy which was extremely dangerous. It was dangerous because her family had warned her that they would come after them if she revealed this secret. This impacted the book because Keenan now knew for certain that she was the chosen one, that she could see him as a fairy, that she would soon be a summer fairy in his hands, and that he would be able to kill the winter chill. This turned the whole book around because Aislinn had to now figure out how to protect her family, and how to undo her becoming a fairy before it was to late and she was in the throne with Keenan against the Winter Queen.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the book, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves to read fantasy, and likes a book that has romance between humans and mythical creatures. It is a very enjoyable read that would keep you engaged. It is one of the best fantasy books that I have read. I predict that any teenager who wants to read this book will be intrigued and able to make real-world connections to their own life.
Garage Band by: Gipi
ReplyDeleteKhalil Dualeh
1. Was this book enjoyable to read? Why or why not?
This book was really fun to read I really enjoyed it. Anyone would enjoy this book. It’s appropriate for any age. Honestly I have not read anything like this. The book’s message was so profound. This is an Italian comic/book that is about a band of four members who are really close. The book talks about each members lives and their role in the band.
2. What is the theme of this book? How did you arrive at this theme statement?
The theme of the book is to have a strong sense of friendship and family relations. In Italy especially it is important to have a strong sense of family. Without family you cannot succeed. In Italy it is common for a man to leave his parent’s home at the age of thirty. The theme of the book is the garage where the band chills out and plays. It is main setting and the beach where the lead singer meets his girlfriend.
3. Pick one major event from the book and explain why it is significant to the overall narrative.
The first event would have to be the most significant. When the band move in to the garage is the most significant event in the story. This was the introduction to the story there would be no other way to start the book. It was a milestone in the boy’s lives. A day they would not forget. The singer’s dad was a musician himself but did not have his breakthrough. So when his son asked him for the garage, which was really old, his dad said yes.
4. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
I would recommend this book to a friend but not force it. This book was interesting there where a few points that threw me off and there were points were I thought to myself that “how in the world did I chose this book?” but nonetheless I liked the book/comic.
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (part one)
ReplyDeleteWas this book enjoyable to read? Why or why not?
This book was very enjoyable to read because it is good literature, but it has the same addictiveness of a trashy teen novel. Wharton uses sophisticated vocabulary, and her descriptions are immensely detailed. This gave me a challenge to fully comprehend the text, eliminating the prospect of boredom. However I often find that classic novels can be a bit monotonous, and the writing a bit flowery, but in the case of The Age of Innocence the plot was very appealing, and not too heavy. It was ultimately a love story, and although there were more complicated messages and themes engraved, it was straight forward and spoke very directly about love and and desire and all that comes with it. I think the concept of love is very relatable in various forms, to most people, so the book was a definite “crowd pleaser”. This interesting but relatively simple story line, combined with Wharton’s excellent writing technique and hidden themes combined to create an extremely enjoyable reading experience.
What is the theme of this book? How did you arrive at this theme statement?
The theme of this book is the conflict of doing what you want, as opposed to what is right. I arrived at this theme statement because in the novel it is represented when the main character, Newland Archer, struggles with the decision of staying with his fiance, or giving in to his passionate love for the Countess Olenska. His Fiance, May, is the perfect lady. Their marriage benefits both families, and is a perfect match by society standards. May is sweet and loving and cares deeply for Newland. However the Countess Olenska does not conform to New York society, and reeks of scandal and scrutiny. Not to mention she is cousins with May. It would appear that the right thing to do would be staying with his bride to be, but in the novel you see that it is not so black and white. Is it right to marry someone you do not love? Is it wrong to make a decision based on passion? Besides this main theme, there are many other, minor themes that appear. Closely linked with the over all theme, is the theme of human nature’s imperfection. Newland is only human, and can’t help his attraction to the Countess Olenska. He also struggles with restraint. He continuously finds himself calling on the Countess, despite knowing that it is wrong considering his situation. Newland has to sort through these feelings to distinguish which decision is the “right” one. And even after he determines this, he is still left to decide whether not to make the “right” decision.
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (part two)
ReplyDeletePick one major event from the book and explain why it is significant to the overall narrative.
One major event in the book is the annual opera at the beginning of the novel. At the time, you do not realize how important it is, but it sets the foundation for the entire book and it even goes back to the same opera at the end to show how things changed over the course of that one year. It is at this point where Countess Olenska is introduced and you begin to see the who’s who of New york society. This event starts the book out in an exciting way as well, so the reader is hooked from the get-go. Additionally there is some foreshadowing taking place. For example Countess Olenska’s presence was the cause for the engagement announcement, which hints towards the way in which she will effect the lives of Archer and May over the book’s course. This event was discretely major, and because it was at the very beginning, it influenced the overall narrative more than any other event.
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
I would recommend this book to a friend, however probably only to a female friend. Even though the book is written in the perspective of a man, because it is a love story, and because it focuses so much on little parts of society, I think it would be more interesting to a girl. This could easily be stereotypical of me though, because I’m sure that many guys can also relate to desire and love and may find interest in the conventions of that time. If we’re speaking about ninth grade boys though, I would generally not recommend this novel. However I think it is the perfect novel for girls my age, because it is not trashy like some of the books being read, but it is still interesting and fun. I would also recommend it as an intro to the classics, because it got me very excited about reading more novels in the same style. Additionally I would recommend this to any and every adult, because it follows Newland through most of his life. It shows him when he’s trying to start his life off independently, and it also shows the outcome. This is something that would interest any person in any stage of their life because there are parts that relate to what they’re going through and parts that talk about what is to come or what has happened already. In conclusion I would recommend this novel to everyone, with the possible exception of younger boys who may want to hold off for a few years.
Nikhil Mathur
ReplyDelete30th October, 2011
English
Independent Reading Blog Report- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne PART 1
1. Was this book enjoyable to read? Why or why not?
This book was very enjoyable to read due to the superbly written descriptions of events, a very well created characters and a really well setup story line.
This book is full of descriptions of the sea and marine life that is seen by the protagonist, Dr. Aronnax. These descriptions are well written, detailed and are very entertaining to read. Also, since this book is full of marine life and such, it helps the reader better comprehend and understand what is happening which in turn helps the reader understand the character and how they feel.
One of the characters in this book called, “Captain Nemo” is said to be one of the best-developed and best made characters ever. He is the antagonist in this novel that causes the change in the protagonist, Dr. Aronnax. He is the character that creates the amazing ship in this story known as “Nautilus”. He is by far the most complex character in this book and arguably the most complex character ever. This character seems to be secretive and menacing but he also portrays empathy and kind-heartedness. Even at the end of the novel, the author does not reveal much about the character other than he is some sort of a brilliant scientist madman who is out of avenge the wife and kids. The main thing about the character that reveals his brilliantness is his name, Nemo. In Latin, Nemo means nobody.
The way the story itself was written was close to perfection. Since Verne wrote this in the late 1800’s, it is full of complicated literature, which made it all the more interesting to read. Also, throughout the story you could see a solid exposition, rising action on, climax, falling action and resolution. Even though the plot of this story is simple. Three men set out to capture and explain the unexplainable. Instead they are captured and encounter a brilliant madman who travels the seas seeking revenge and beauty. The men cannot continue in such a manner, so they risk their lives to free themselves. But the characters and the way the author has written make this novel one of the best book I have ever read.
Nikhil Mathur
ReplyDelete30th October, 2011
English
Independent Reading Blog Report- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne PART 2
2. What is the theme of this book? How did you arrive at this theme statement?
This book has one main theme, Man vs. Nature. This theme is personified through the conflict between Aronnax and Nemo as well as that of Nemo against himself. Aronnax must decide between staying on the Nautilus and learn about the amazing things Nemo has accomplished by defying nature or running off with Ned Land (another main character in the book who has problem believing in science unless he experiences it) and Conseil (Dr. Aronnax’s faithful manservant). It is a choice between science and his fellow man. In the case of Captain Nemo, it is a choice between achieving immense power through science against the possibility of hurting his fellow man.
Also, the book has two other minor themes, Revenge and Liberty. The reader knows from the context given that Nemo is out to avenge his lost wife and children and return all his pains and sorrows experienced whist he was on land. But he is not acting out irrationally. He is action like any country, which he declares himself to be, would. He uses his military force and resources to try and even the score that he has to settle but he also uses his immense wealth to help the poor and under privileged.
Liberty is one of the most reoccurring themes in the whole book. The world is seeking to liberate itself from the creature, the Nautilus. Nemo is seeking to liberate himself from land and all its creatures. Aronnax, Conseil and Land are seeking to liberate themselves from Nemo.
These three themes can be seen throughout the entire book and are obvious. Although there may be many others, none are as evident and noticeable as those three. Also, there may me few themes, the way they are used and to the extent they are used is the furthest thing from “few”.
Nikhil Mathur
ReplyDelete30th October, 2011
English
Independent Reading Blog Report- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne PART 3
3. Pick one major event from the book and explain why it is significant to the overall
narrative.
I think that the most significant event in the entire novel would be at the end. If you are planning to read the novel, stop here because it shall reveal the ending. At end, Captain Nemo decides to steer his crew, his ship and himself into a whirlpool resulting in their demise. This shows just how mad and yet brilliant this man is. He has the reasons and capability to perform any action he wants to, but still feels remorse for it even thought he doesn’t have. He is trying to level his score with humanity but it trying to do it in such a way that is accepted by humanity.
The fact that this event occurs at all is amazing. It reveals so much about this controversial character who, until now, we have no information about. It changes the whole perspective we have had of the Captain and shows that he is limited by morality and fatigue. Before now he seemed like an unstoppable superhero and villain at the same time.
Nikhil Mathur
ReplyDelete30th October, 2011
English
Independent Reading Blog Report- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne PART 4
4. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It is an excellent tale that is interesting to read due to a variety of aspects that at first the reader doesn’t seem to take notice of but later realizes how important they are and forces them to go back to it.
The one thing that brings this novel down is that it is quite long. It is filled with pages upon pages of descriptions that at times, seem unnecessary. The up-side to these descriptions is that they have nothing to do with the plot of the story. Therefore the reader can skip the descriptions without said reader having to miss out on any important events of the story.
About A Boy
ReplyDeleteNick Hornby
1. About a boy is a fantastic book, one i really enjoyed. I'm sure it can be read and enjoyed by all people around the world. I was very impressed by this book, which contained lots of humor, a great story line, and a lot of emotion. You can learn many things within reading this books, mainly on the topic of friendship, how to fit in a community, the difference with people’s personalities, and much more. The setting of the book takes place somewhere in London, England, which is one of the minor reasons I love this book. The story line is a bit complicated in the book, but it is mixed with drama, humor and shocks. Overall, a great, well written book, that i thoroughly enjoyed.
2. The theme of this book is about friendship, and how we need friends and families to make our life more enjoyable. I say that this is the theme of the book, for in the book, the main character, Marcus, is a young boy who has just moved into a new area. He finds it hard to settle in his new surroundings, and even has a very hard time in school. That is until he meets the other main character in the book, Will, a 36 year old man who has lived in the area for a while. When these two different characters meet, Marcus starts to enjoy more of life, and starts to find it easier. And so, because of the friendship and help Will provided for Marcus, Marcus was able to live a much better life in his new area.
3. The most significant event in the book is the when Will and Marcus first meet up. This is a massive event, which plays the role of dictating the rest of the story line.
4. I would most definitely recommend this book to my friends and anyone else! It truly is a great book, and i for one loved every page of it. I'm more than sure anyone else will love this book as much as i did, for it is a nice story, one that has a lot of emotion, and humor in it.
Shivam Ghai
ReplyDeleteGANDHI
Great Soul
By John B. Severance
POST 1
While reading, I found many parts of the book interesting, especially, him living in India, how he went from a poor family, to such a successful education leading him towards life in South Africa, not only that, but he also had to face family problems, his mother was very sick which made things hard for everyone. His first arrival to Johannesburg was very interesting, due to all the new things he encountered such as much more discrimination that he expected. Also how he managed to keep the thought of peace in his mind even through all the violence and discrimination going all around him. I can’t relate to what Gandhi went through, although I can to the discrimination that I see around me. A lot of racism and discrimination goes around in the world today. One of the most controversial ones I remember was in 2001 when the supposed al-Qaeda bombed the twin towers. Since then Muslims around the world when wanting to fly have been stopped, questioned, discriminated. These are some of the things, which I think made the book more enjoyable and interesting.
I think the theme of the book is peace. In the book the main conflict was Gandhi vs. British government. As soon as Gandhi arrives in South Africa he is immediately faced by racism. He faced racial prejudice. “At a stop along the way the agent tried to make him give up his seat and ride on the footboard of the drivers seat. ‘The insult was more than I could bear,’ wrote Gandhi in his autobiography.” (Severance, 31) Gandhi rejected what the agent had said and the agent punched him in the head Gandhi held on while the agent was trying to pull him out of his seat, and the other passengers insisted for him to sit next to them, then the struggle was stopped. After that Gandhi had one more train ride left, he entered and an Englishman defended Gandhi’s right to sit in a first-class compartment. The train conductor approached them and called Gandhi a Coolie. Coolie was name derived from the Hindi word for untouchable. These quotes represent Gandhi vs. Society. Once Gandhi started the rallies on his beliefs against the British rules government, this is the point in the book were it began Gandhi vs. the British government and society. Gandhi’s wife was very supportive towards what he was doing. Through the book, Gandhi isn’t spreading his beliefs through force but through peace, this is why I think that the theme of the book is peace.
Shivam Ghai
ReplyDeleteGANDHI
Great Soul
By John B. Severance
POST 2
In 1899, war broke out between the British and Boer settlers in South Africa. The government had believed that citizens would fight for benefits. Gandhi saw this as an opportunity for the Indian settlers to make an impact through actions. Gandhi believed that all war is immoral so, instead of forming an Indian regiment to kill enemy soldiers, he decided to establish an Indian ambulance corps of stretcher-bearers and hospital workers. Gandhi and some others began training as nurses but because of racial prejudice the Natal government would not permit them to serve. As the war continued, and things got more difficult for the British, the ambulance corps Gandhi assembled was allowed to go into action. They made a great impact and by the time the war was over, Gandhi hoped that the Indian loyalty to the empire during the crisis of war would be rewarded with better treatment. After Gandhi decided to visit his family back in Bombay. Farewell gifts were showered gold, silver, and diamonds were showered upon his family. This made Gandhi most uncomfortable because he believed that “’a public worker should accept no costly gifts.’” (Severance, 40) This in my opinion this idea of peace very significant to the overall statement Gandhi made in the narrative. Gandhi believed in solving things in peace, which he backed up by his actions. This was another one of Gandhi’s techniques to make the government notice him.
I would recommend this book to anyone middle school and above. The book contains non-complex language, which makes it easier to understand, and I think anyone can find Gandhi’s story interesting due to the many conflicts and tolerance that he faces which many could be able to relate to. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone younger because this book I believe requires a good understanding a racism around the world and the power to convey the message Gandhi had tried to show his whole life. While reading the book it kept me consistently interested in what was going on, questionable and surprised towards the amounts of racism, and somewhat grateful to Gandhi in sense of what he did, and spending his whole life to fight for what he believed. I think anyone can find this book interesting due to all the conflicts that you could have different views on such as the conflicts, decisions, actions, and behaviors.
Adrian Paz
ReplyDeleteEnder’s Shadow: Orson Scott Card
1. Was this book enjoyable to read? Why or why not?
The book Enders Shadow was extremely enjoyable to read. This book was enjoyable because it was about a kid in the streets that was genetically engineered with no friends or family to support him. With his intellectual brilliance, he was able to survive the ruthless streets of Rotterdam even though he had a great disadvantage being his small size and short life span.
There are parallel stories within this novel. While Bean is in battle school, Sister Carlotta tries to find out Beans’ origins and real parents. Near the end of the story, Sister Carlotta discovers his biological parents and in the last few pages of the book, he meets his family.
This book is very entertaining because it is futuristic science fiction novel. The novel makes you think about many questions. What the future could hold? Are we really alone in the universe? If so, are there any potential dangers to not being the only ones in the universe?
The book has many surprises and twists, such as Bean’s best friend turning out to be his genetical clone. The simulator tests were actually real. They had told the children it was only a simulator test but every ship and man they had been lost in the simulator process turned out to be someone in the real world.
This book allows the reader to connect with both Bean’s struggles and advantages as he tries to figure out how things in the mind of a normal human work. He would try to analyze and to be in the shoes of the people that he talked to in order to understand the way they were thinking and the battle strategies they had developed. This book was enjoyable because it would leave you thinking every time you “dropped it” about many things. Especially, it would leave you wondering how someone as smart as Bean could be judged by his size and age. Intellectually he was capable of things beyond any normal human’s reach. Orson Scott Card tries to describe the fact importance of intelligence and leadership through this science fiction novel.
2. What is theme of this book? How did you arrive at this theme statement?
The central theme of this novel is about intelligence and leadership. In this case, achieving superior human intelligence limited the protagonist’s life span and size. In addition, it is part of the central theme of the novel the fact that leadership is the ability to bring people together and to take the right decisions in difficult moments. This book is about Bean, a boy that has had his genetic compounds (DNA) altered by a scientist. This made him have a superior intellect than any human on earth. But since he had superior intellect, he also had a defect, his life span and size would be decreased.
Although Bean was extremely intelligent, he was not the type of person that was fit for being in command of many people. He wasn’t fit to be a leader and he didn’t have the leadership skills. He was not meant to be a commander because no one would be loyal to Bean. He had none of the traits that would make someone jump in front of a bullet to save him. People disliked him because of his size, age and since his intellectual capabilities were better than theirs. What made Bean not to be as good in command as Ender was the following; he didn’t have the trust of the others, and thus, they will never be as loyal, hard working as with Ender.
The importance of intelligence without leadership is a profound theme in the book “Ender’s Shadow”. What Orson Scott Card is trying to say is that being an intelligent is not good enough if you don’t have the trust of your people. Thus, intelligence without leadership is nothing. However, it is important to note that Bean realizes through the story this importance and learns from Ender’s way of thinking in order to successfully lead others.
3. Pick on major event from the book and explain the significant to the overall narrative.
ReplyDeleteThe major event of the story was when Poke was killed. After Poke was killed, Bean was never quite the same again. He never understood why Poke had saved Beans’ life out in the street nor had he understood why Poke had died for him when she could’ve saved herself. Bean blamed himself for Poke death. He would spend hours upon hours trying to discover why someone would try to save other people. Bean wouldn’t let anyone do anything that could put them in danger to help him.
Throughout the book, Bean never understood loyalty, friendship, and mercy. He just didn’t get it. Why would someone be willing to give up their life for someone who they barely knew? It was this that made Bean not suitable for command. He didn’t feel affection to anyone. It was him versus the world.
4. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Yes, I would recommend this book to friends that like science fiction and futuristic styles stories. The story is filled with twists that are unpredictable as the main character himself. Bean is the protagonist of the story who leaves home and after several struggles in life, including issues with his leadership style, returns home with a victory from the battle with the Buggers. He wins the battle with the Buggers and earth is saved. This is a happy ending.
One of the most important things about the book is that it keeps you in suspense and you never know what is going to happen next. Whether Bean’s assumptions would be wrong or was he right after all? Leaving your adrenaline pumping through the unpredictable tale of Orson Scott Card laid on paper and ink. The narrative of this story has a pretty basic vocabulary (including its own futuristic and street developed vocabulary) with some words here and there that you might struggle to find the meaning to.
Garage Band by: Gipi
ReplyDeleteKhalil Dualeh
1. Was this book enjoyable to read? Why or why not?
This book was really fun to read I really enjoyed it. Anyone would enjoy this book. It’s appropriate for any age. Honestly I have not read anything like this. The book’s message was so profound. This is an Italian comic/book that is about a band of four members who are really close. The book talks about each members lives and their role in the band. This book talked about many problems in teenager’s lives in Italy. Giuliano faced problems in family and friendship. Life in Italy is very busy with teenagers going out, school and in Giuliano’s case his band. So it was really interesting that how he handled it in his manner.
2. What is the theme of this book? How did you arrive at this theme statement?
The theme of the book is to have a strong sense of friendship and family relations. In Italy especially it is important to have a strong sense of family. Without family you cannot succeed. In Italy it is common for a man to leave his parent’s home at the age of thirty. The theme of the book is the garage where the band chills out and plays. It is main setting and the beach where the lead singer meets his girlfriend. I have really connecting to this book. I am form a very nice and loving family. I would do anything to protect my family. I would never let anything get in between my family and me. This is exactly how Giuliano felt in the graphic novel. Although he had a fight with his aunties he did not react bad to the situation. He also had problems with his girlfriend. At this stage of the graphic novel he was very depressed. He had no one by his side. “I’ve just met someone in the music business” (gipi 49). This is when Galliano’s dad was talking to him at the diner table. He has seen the talent in his son. So he met with a close friend who is CEO at a recording label. So for Giuliano this is an important opportunity for him.
3. Pick one major event from the book and explain why it is significant to the overall narrative.
The first event would have to be the most significant. When the band move in to the garage is the most significant event in the story. This was the introduction to the story there would be no other way to start the book. It was a milestone in the boy’s lives. A day they would not forget. The singer’s dad was a musician himself but did not have his breakthrough. So when his son asked him for the garage, which was really old, his dad said yes. “We’ll get some songs ready and then we’ll see. Everything different now we’ve got the garage” (41 Gipi). This quote I think means that the boys will get down to business since they’ve got the garage to themselves. No parents or siblings around. This means that they can drink and have parties there. The garage is quite large though. What was really funny is when the band reacted to when they saw the garage in its worst state. “ This place is full of rat crap”(gipi pg 9). Later on as they were in huge doubt of actually moving in into the garage one of the band members who looked on the bright side and really saw the benefit of the doubt said “I think it’ll look great of we clean it up” (gipi pg9). The only thing left was to clean the garage, which took a lot of effort. It kept having the band members arriving home real late.
4. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
I would recommend this book to a friend but not force it. This book was interesting there where a few points that threw me off like when the drummer saluted to the Hitler posters on his wall. It was quite random because I thought the book took place in 1943. And there were points were I thought to myself that “how in the world did I chose this book?” but nonetheless I liked the book/comic. The great thing was that the band members were close and they were trustworthy. If not the book would only be about problems, which is not fun to read.
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ReplyDeleteTHis is what it keeps telling me when i try to post, is there any way i can fix THis?