I am reading the book Paper Towns by John Green. So far in the book, Quentin, the main character, has followed his neighbor, Margo, on a journey of getting back at all the people she thinks did something bad to her. Quentin drives Margo to all the places she wants to go, and accompanies her in breaking into homes and cars and vandalizing people's property. So far, I think that there are a lot of themes that are popping up in the book, and they include friendship, love, and peer pressure.
First of all, I think that friendship is a big theme is Paper Towns. Quentin relies on his best friends Ben and Radar. They are very close and talk about everything from the prom and girlfriends to school. Also, Quentin has a kind of friendly relationship with Margo, since they are neighbors, but they were also friends since they were little children. Margo has always been the adventurous one. For example, she was very curious when they found a dead man in the park when they were nine-years-old, but Quentin has always been a little more reserved, and not as interested in those types of weird situations.
Ever since high school, Quentin and Margo were not as close. Margo had a lot of boyfriends and friends, and was often caught up in her popularity. Quentin just hung out with his few friends on the sideline. But it sounds like he still likes Margo. After she comes into his bedroom in the middle of the night and asked him to drive her around to help her complete a list of missions with her, and he says yes, he starts to feel things for her. When Quentin is arguing with Margo about trespassing into Sea World, he doesn't hold his grudge for long and instead drives her there and sneaks in too. I can tell that Quentin still like Margo, and wants to be friends, or even more, with her.
Also, I think that peer pressure is a big theme in Paper Towns. Quentin agrees to drive Margo around in the middle of the night even though he doesn't think it's a good idea, because he's pressured in to it. He steals his mom's car and does whatever Margo asks him to do, driving her anywhere she wants to go, including her boyfriend's and best friend's houses in all different directions, and buying her whatever she needs, including fish and shaving cream. He helps her break into some of her friends' homes, something he didn't want to do, but he still does it, risking getting in trouble. I think he does this because he wants Margo to like him, so he's being sucked into her crime-spree so he gets to spend time with her.
In conclusion, I think that friendship, love, and peer pressure are so far big themes in Paper Towns. The themes of friendship and peer pressure seem to relate back to love, and I think Quentin has done all these things, like vandalizing people's houses, shaving off someone's eyebrow, and leaving dead fish behind for them because he wants to impress Margo and do whatever she wants him to do because he loves her. I am very curious to read on to see how Quentin and Margo's relationship grows, if it does at all.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Caitlin's Change in Mockingbird
Yesterday I finished reading Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine, and I thought I'd do an appreciation of it. I feel that the main character, Caitlin, has really changed throughout the book, even a lot since my last blog post, where I talked about meaningful moments in it. At the beginning of the book, I think that Caitlin was ignoring dealing with her brother's death, but by the end she was able to fully accept it.
First of all, in the beginning of the book, Caitlin was resisting feeling any emotions about her brother's death. When her school counselor asked her how she felt during the funeral, she just replied that she felt normal and was able to doze into her own little world. Caitlin doesn't feel sad or even show that she misses her brother, who was her role-model. She goes on living life like nothing happened. She uses Devon's name in the present tense, saying that "Devon says..." instead of "Devon said..." It's as if at the beginning of the book Caitlin didn't understand that her brother was truly gone. She knows that Devon was shot and killed and that he is dead, but she doesn't seem to acknowledge that she won't be able to see him again.
As the story progresses, Caitlin starts to get very sad about her brother's death. She tries to find closure by finishing Devon's wooden chest that he was working on, but when that doesn't make her dad fully cheer up, she realizes that completing the chest will fix only some problems. No matter what, Devon is gone, and there will always be a gap that can never be filled. At the end of the book, Caitlin finally cries for her brother, that his life was cut so short and that he'd never be able to teach her anything else again. I feel that this is when Caitlin really understands that Devon is dead. She understands that finding closure is much more than finishing the chest. By the end of the book, Caitlin notices that she is a friend and role-model of Michael, a first-grader whose mother was also killed in the same school shooting as Devon. She realizes that Michael looks up to her as much as she looked up to Devon. By the end of the book, Caitlin became more mature and grown-up.
A main theme in Mockingbird is understanding others, and the author made it a really big idea. Since Caitlin has Asperger's, she has trouble understanding her peers and her peers have trouble understanding her. But by the end of the book, Caitlin makes an effort to relate to others and make friends. Also, the author discusses in the author's note how a school shooter might not be understood by others and not have anyone who listens to them, and that causes them to resort to violence, and that maybe these actions could be stopped if people took the time to understand each other better. It makes sense, because if everybody cared to listen to each other, and possibly understand what they're saying, everybody would have a chance to get their thoughts out in a peaceful manner.
In conclusion, Caitlin has changed a lot throughout the entire book. At the beginning of Mockingbird, she didn't feel anything after her brother's death. At the end of the book, she really started to miss Devon, and she also felt the need to be Michael's friend. I liked this book for a lot of reasons. It's told from the point of view of a girl with Asperger's, and a lot of books aren't told from that kind of perspective. Also, I think the theme of understanding others is important in life. This was a very interesting book, and I recommend it to other readers.
First of all, in the beginning of the book, Caitlin was resisting feeling any emotions about her brother's death. When her school counselor asked her how she felt during the funeral, she just replied that she felt normal and was able to doze into her own little world. Caitlin doesn't feel sad or even show that she misses her brother, who was her role-model. She goes on living life like nothing happened. She uses Devon's name in the present tense, saying that "Devon says..." instead of "Devon said..." It's as if at the beginning of the book Caitlin didn't understand that her brother was truly gone. She knows that Devon was shot and killed and that he is dead, but she doesn't seem to acknowledge that she won't be able to see him again.
As the story progresses, Caitlin starts to get very sad about her brother's death. She tries to find closure by finishing Devon's wooden chest that he was working on, but when that doesn't make her dad fully cheer up, she realizes that completing the chest will fix only some problems. No matter what, Devon is gone, and there will always be a gap that can never be filled. At the end of the book, Caitlin finally cries for her brother, that his life was cut so short and that he'd never be able to teach her anything else again. I feel that this is when Caitlin really understands that Devon is dead. She understands that finding closure is much more than finishing the chest. By the end of the book, Caitlin notices that she is a friend and role-model of Michael, a first-grader whose mother was also killed in the same school shooting as Devon. She realizes that Michael looks up to her as much as she looked up to Devon. By the end of the book, Caitlin became more mature and grown-up.
A main theme in Mockingbird is understanding others, and the author made it a really big idea. Since Caitlin has Asperger's, she has trouble understanding her peers and her peers have trouble understanding her. But by the end of the book, Caitlin makes an effort to relate to others and make friends. Also, the author discusses in the author's note how a school shooter might not be understood by others and not have anyone who listens to them, and that causes them to resort to violence, and that maybe these actions could be stopped if people took the time to understand each other better. It makes sense, because if everybody cared to listen to each other, and possibly understand what they're saying, everybody would have a chance to get their thoughts out in a peaceful manner.
In conclusion, Caitlin has changed a lot throughout the entire book. At the beginning of Mockingbird, she didn't feel anything after her brother's death. At the end of the book, she really started to miss Devon, and she also felt the need to be Michael's friend. I liked this book for a lot of reasons. It's told from the point of view of a girl with Asperger's, and a lot of books aren't told from that kind of perspective. Also, I think the theme of understanding others is important in life. This was a very interesting book, and I recommend it to other readers.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Meaningful Moments in Mockingbird
I am reading the book Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine. It is about a girl named Caitlin who has Asperger's syndrome. She has trouble understanding emotions, feelings, and relating to others. She is also obsessed with words and reading dictionaries. Recently her brother Devon, who she admired and looked up to greatly, was shot and killed in a school shooting. After her brother's death, Caitlin and her father struggle to find closure. There are many meaningful moments in Mockingbird that make it a powerful and very interesting story.
One of the most meaningful moments to me is when Caitlin goes inside Devon's wooden chest, which he was working on for a boy scout project before he was shot. On the day that Devon was killed, Caitlin's dad put a sheet over the unfinished chest, as if he never wanted to be reminded that Devon would never be able to finish it. One afternoon after school, Caitlin comes home and goes inside the chest and starts to remember being at the hospital and the doctors telling her dad and her that they tried to save Devon but they couldn't start his heart up again. While she's in the chest, Caitlin starts to flop her arms and legs, screaming "Dev-on, Dev-on", as if she was his heart inside his chest, and as if there was still a heartbeat inside of it. I think Caitlin was trying to keep Devon alive, as if there was hope that he would still be there for her. This was a very sad scene, because at the end Caitlin comes out of the chest to face reality that Devon is never coming back.
Another meaningful moment in Mockingbird is when Caitlin meets Michael, a first-grader, whose mother was killed in the same tragic school shooting as her brother. Caitlin sees Michael by himself on a bench, looking sad. She then goes to him and introduces herself and offers a gummy worm to him. After this, Michael feels happy, and gratefully accepts the candy. They both talk to each other about finding closure and become friends. I think this is good, because now Caitlin has someone to talk to and, especially, to relate to.
A third very meaningful and powerful moment in the book is when Caitlin and her dad start to work on Devon's unfinished chest. Caitlin thinks that this will help her and her father finally find closure. This is also the time when she and her dad start talking, working together and connecting for the first time in the book. I think the reason Caitlin wants to finish the chest is because she wants to do it for Devon. She knew how much finishing the chest and moving on to the next boy scout level meant to him, so she didn't want the project to be forgotten even though Devon was dead. Devon always made everything make sense to Caitlin, and was such a role model to her, so by completing the chest Caitlin is doing something for her brother, as if to thank him.
In conclusion, Mockingbird is a really good book with some heavy and deep moments that I think are very important to the storyline. The author, Kathryn Erskine, said in the Author's Note that she wrote this book after the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007. Now that I'm reading this book, I understand more about what a truly horrible thing it is to lose someone you love in a shooting. One day you're with them, and the next day they're gone. Caitlin is a strong character, and even though she has Asperger's, she still expresses grief and missing her brother like anybody else.
One of the most meaningful moments to me is when Caitlin goes inside Devon's wooden chest, which he was working on for a boy scout project before he was shot. On the day that Devon was killed, Caitlin's dad put a sheet over the unfinished chest, as if he never wanted to be reminded that Devon would never be able to finish it. One afternoon after school, Caitlin comes home and goes inside the chest and starts to remember being at the hospital and the doctors telling her dad and her that they tried to save Devon but they couldn't start his heart up again. While she's in the chest, Caitlin starts to flop her arms and legs, screaming "Dev-on, Dev-on", as if she was his heart inside his chest, and as if there was still a heartbeat inside of it. I think Caitlin was trying to keep Devon alive, as if there was hope that he would still be there for her. This was a very sad scene, because at the end Caitlin comes out of the chest to face reality that Devon is never coming back.
Another meaningful moment in Mockingbird is when Caitlin meets Michael, a first-grader, whose mother was killed in the same tragic school shooting as her brother. Caitlin sees Michael by himself on a bench, looking sad. She then goes to him and introduces herself and offers a gummy worm to him. After this, Michael feels happy, and gratefully accepts the candy. They both talk to each other about finding closure and become friends. I think this is good, because now Caitlin has someone to talk to and, especially, to relate to.
A third very meaningful and powerful moment in the book is when Caitlin and her dad start to work on Devon's unfinished chest. Caitlin thinks that this will help her and her father finally find closure. This is also the time when she and her dad start talking, working together and connecting for the first time in the book. I think the reason Caitlin wants to finish the chest is because she wants to do it for Devon. She knew how much finishing the chest and moving on to the next boy scout level meant to him, so she didn't want the project to be forgotten even though Devon was dead. Devon always made everything make sense to Caitlin, and was such a role model to her, so by completing the chest Caitlin is doing something for her brother, as if to thank him.
In conclusion, Mockingbird is a really good book with some heavy and deep moments that I think are very important to the storyline. The author, Kathryn Erskine, said in the Author's Note that she wrote this book after the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007. Now that I'm reading this book, I understand more about what a truly horrible thing it is to lose someone you love in a shooting. One day you're with them, and the next day they're gone. Caitlin is a strong character, and even though she has Asperger's, she still expresses grief and missing her brother like anybody else.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Review of Alex's Blog Post About The Poisonwood Bible
I just read Alex Stutt's blog post about The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. I thought that Alex's appreciation and analysis was really well-written, and even though I never read this book I could understand what was going on. I wanted to read this book for a long time, and after reading Alex's post I want to read it even more.
First of all, I think that Alex's post is really well-written. In all her blog posts she uses many details to back up each of her ideas. One thing I like is that at one point Alex relates The Poisonwood Bible to A Wrinkle In Time because she thinks that the characters of Leah and Meg are alike. I think this is interesting because she's making a text-to-text connection that goes beyond one book and one individual. Another thing I also notice in all of Alex's writing on her blog is that all her posts consist of many paragraphs that stay on the same topic, each bringing a new sub-idea that supports her main idea. In this case, each paragraph is about one character, and it all relates back to how they changed after going to Africa.
Another thing I appreciate about Alex's post is that as the reader I understand what's going on. Like I said, each paragraph is broken up into a different character in the Price family, so it's very clear who she's writing about. Alex's introduction describes what happened in the story, when it takes place, and the relationships between all the characters, and her conclusion wraps up her whole post. Even though I didn't read The Poisonwood Bible, I know that a preacher named Nathan Price, his wife, and his four daughters go on a missionary trip to convert people in the Congo to Christianity. Alex did a great job of giving enough background information about the book's setting and characters so that I, as the blog reader, could understand what happened.
After reading Alex's post, I want to read The Poisonwood Bible. She gave a lot of information about the setting and characters, but she didn't give away too much. This book sounds very interesting, and it looks like a very suspenseful story. Alex wrote that it takes place from 1959 to 1986, which is a long time, so it seems like there's a lot that happens. I'm also very interested in history, and I like that this books takes place in the past. All the characters sound very complex. Alex wrote that "Every member of their family goes on the trip thinking that they have set out to change the Congo", and I want to see what exactly they feel at the very end of the book. Alex describes all of the characters as very different people, and I enjoy reading a book told from many different perspectives.
In conclusion, I think that Alex's post about The Poisinwood Bible is very well-written. Alex also uses a lot of details, so it's clear to the reader what is going on in the book. I appreciate when a blog post has background information about the characters and setting, so I know what the writer's talking about, and Alex did a good job of this. After reading Alex's post, I look forward to reading The Poisonwood Bible soon.
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