Review of Alex's Blog Post About The Poisonwood Bible

Alex's Blog Post: http://alexstutt5.blogspot.com/2011/10/poisonwood-bible-appreciation-and.html      

  

            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. 

Setting in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire (Spoiler Alert)

            I just started reading Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Last year I read the first book in the series, The Hunger Games, and I really liked it. Both books are set in the future, in an unfair society split up into twelve districts, where some have very wealthy people, and other districts are impoverished. In the last book, Katniss and another boy named Peeta from her district survived the Hunger Games, an event where twenty-four kids chosen from each district must fight each other until the end to stay alive. I think that in both The Hunger Games and Catching Fire the setting is an integral part of the book.
           The setting is very important in the book because first of all, that is why Katniss has so many struggles. If everything in the districts were easy and peaceful, there would be no reason for her to try so hard to stay alive. Katniss is also very brave because of the setting. She has to overcome obstacles like finding food, and she learns to hunt and even go without food sometimes. This is part of the reason I think she was able to stay alive until the end of the Games, since she was used to going without necessities and having to be without important things.
          The world set in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire is very unfair and there is a lot of injustice in it. This affects the story and the setting in many way. The Capitol, made up of a group people in charge of all the districts, has a drawing every year to randomly pick one girl and one boy from each district to compete in the Huger Games. During the Hunger Games, all the kids will die except for the last one standing. In the last games, Katniss won along with Peeta, because they altered the rules and were both able to survive. If the setting wasn't this way, these events would probably never have taken place. Katniss would have never changed, and she wouldn't have fallen in love with Peeta. If things were different, the world might have been more fair, and the people in charge would never have done this to young children. 
          Lastly, without the setting, I don't think Katniss would be so close to her family. After her father died in a mining accident and her mom become unable to care for her younger sister Prim, Katniss had to take care of the family. She had to take over getting food and making sure that everybody was okay. This is why I think Katniss feels she needs to be responsible for Prim, because there's no one else to care for her. This is also a reason I think she was able to win the Hunger Games. She was used to fending for herself and having to be tough and strong. 
          In conclusion, the setting in The Hunger Games trilogy is very important to the plot, conflicts, and characters. The struggles, injustices, and hardships of District 12 and the Capitol are why I think Katniss cares for her family so much and was tough enough to overcome the Hunger Games. If the setting was any different, I think the story would also be totally different. 

Archetypes in 13 Little Blue Envelopes

            I am reading 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson. I am at the part where Ginny has just arrived in England, following her aunt's directions in the letters she sent her. Even though Ginny's Aunt Peg is dead, I think that she is an archetype in this book, because Ginny really admires her life and her advice.

            First of all, I think that Ginny really looks up to Aunt Peg. She admires her life, and how much creativity and fun she put into it. She also likes how Aunt Peg did such interesting things with her, and how much time she spent trying to bond with her. When Ginny and her mom find out that Aunt Peg has died, she doesn't believe it because it was just so shocking to her. Aunt Peg was so lively and so imaginative, it seemed so weird that she'd never see her again. I think that Ginny looked up to Aunt Peg because of how much importance and brightness she put into every day, and this admiration is why I think Ginny felt the need to follow her aunt's letters, to take her aunt's guidance in life. 

            Also, I think that Ginny trusts her aunt, and that is why she chose to follow her instructions in the letters. Ginny knows that even though Aunt Peg acted like a teenager, she would only want the best for her. Aunt Peg really took the time to know and understand Ginny, and that's why I think she would trust her. In life, it's important to have trust in people you know are going to be there for you, people who are close to you, who know your wants and needs, like how Ginny can trust her aunt.

           Another reason I think that Aunt Peg is an archetype to Ginny is because she's a leader and mentor to her. Through the letters that she wrote for Ginny before she died, she instructs her on where to go, when, and what to do. I don't know where these letters will take Ginny, but I predict that at the end of the book she will be more educated and I suspect that she will change for the better. I wonder why Ginny's aunt wrote these letters, and I wonder where exactly it will lead her. 

           An archetypal character is someone who mentors the protagonist, they are someone who guides the younger character with their experience and wisdom.  That is why I think Aunt Peg is an archetype for Ginny. She guides her through her advice and what she knows will be best for Ginny. Ginny looks up to her aunt, and most of all she trusts her, and that is why I think that Aunt Peg is an archetype in this book. 

Separation in The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane

          I am reading the book The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane by Polly Horvath. In my last blog post I wrote about connection between all the characters, but as I read more of the book, I am noticing that separation is becoming the big theme. Even though each of the characters are confined on one tiny island with only themselves and have many of the same experiences, they are resisting connecting to each other. Jocelyn and Meline don't talk, Uncle Marten ignores them both, and the new housekeeper, Mrs. Mendelbaum, does not care to connect with the family.

         First of all, even though both Jocelyn and Meline's parents have just died, they do not talk and they do not try to relate. I find this funny because I think they would heal better if they grieve together, because they are both going through the same thing. Even when Meline tries to talk to Jocelyn, Jocelyn just shrugs her off and says that she's spying on her. I wonder why this is. Since they're around the same age, I think it would benefit them both to talk to each other. 


         Also, Uncle Marten separates himself from the others on the island. When I first started this book, I thought that Uncle Marten would start to connect with other people now that he's around them everyday, but as I read more, I see that he is still separating himself from other humans. All he wants to do is study his books and try to find new science research.   He's not trying to connect with anybody; he only really cares about the way things used to be, when it was only him on the isolated island with all this free time for him to just explore.     


         Thirdly, I feel that Mrs. Mendelbaum, the new housekeeper, is separated from all the other characters. I think this is because she feels that a housekeeper should just cook and clean, and stay out of the boss's way. But she also doesn't care to sit down with the family or talk to Meline and Jocelyn. Even Uncle Marten doesn't want to chat with her. Everybody is separated on this island, and I don't think it's good.   


          On page 67, Meline says "We had no real relationships, any of us. We had no one on the island. We were each of us entirely alone". I think that she is saying that no one on the island is there for each other, that no one really cares about anybody else. It's ironic because even though they're the only ones they come in contact with all day, they really don't get along with each other. I wonder if this will change as the story progresses, and the time they've been on the island gets longer. 

The Symbol of Connection

       I am reading the book The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane by Polly Horvath. I am up to the part where Meline just gets to her uncle's island with her cousin Jocelyn, after both their parents were killed in an accident in Africa. Even though I am just at the beginning of this book, I've been noticing a lot of symbols. One symbol is Meline and Jocelyn's parents death, and I think it represents connection between all the main characters.
        First of all, I think that the death of Meline and Jocelyn's parents is a symbol for connection because it seems like the first time the cousins ever really had anything that was the same for both of them. Meline talked about how Jocelyn and her came from different backgrounds and families, and that they were different in many ways, including the way they were brought up. For the first time in a long time, the cousins have something in common: they both have lost their parents, who were killed in the same horrible accident, and they both are stuck at their Uncle Marten's mansion on his own deserted island. Meline said that she hasn't seen her cousin in six years, and they are definitely not close. Meline and Jocelyn share the same tragic event that happened to them both, and it gives them a reason to meet again, and to become closer. It gives them a connection that no one else can have with either of them.
        Also, I think that the death of Meline and Jocelyn's parents represent connection because it gives their Uncle Marten a reason to communicate with them, and other people in general. Meline said that after her uncle got rich from investing in the stock market, he packed up his things and built a mansion on a deserted island off British Columbia. For years it was just him, his house, his books, and the sea. When Meline and Jocelyn are dropped off at his doorstep, Uncle Marten is forced to devote some of his time to his family. Uncle Marten has to talk to other people, instead of just ignoring the outside world and closing himself into his own comfort zone. Since Meline and Jocelyn were forced to live with Uncle Marten, he starts to connect with other people, not just his books and himself.  
          In conclusion, I believe that in the book The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane, the death of Meline and Jocelyn's parents is a symbol for connection. It brought them two together, and it also brings Uncle Marten to connect with other people. Even though Meline and Jocelyn both lost their mother and father and had their immediate families torn apart, it brought together a new family unit, consisting of both of them and their uncle.     
        

Issues in the Catcher in the Rye

         I am reading The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and I find that it's taking me a long time to read it. I really like the book, and I find it very fascinating. One reason for this is I find myself relating to how Holden feels. I like how he points out odd observations about the world and the problems in it, and mostly I agree with what he has to say. Also,  I really like the way Salinger chose to write this book. I can tell that it's from the point-of-view of a teenage boy from the Fifties, from the language Holden uses and what he does. The issues are real, like fitting in, peer pressure, and finding your place. Most of all, I enjoy reading this book because I really like Holden as a character. He's funny, and he's a unique character. I find myself thinking about his situations even when I'm not reading, and I don't do that for a lot of books. The Catcher in the Rye is very realistic and well-written.
          
        There are many issues in The Catcher in the Rye. The issue that I think is the biggest so far is that  Holden does not fit in most places he goes. At his old boarding school, Holden struggled with finding friends. No one took the time to listen to him. Holden is really bright, and he's a great writer, but at school he can't really express it. An example of this is when he writes his roommate's, Stradlater's, paper. He writes about a baseball glove that his younger brother, who died, used. He makes it very descriptive, and you can really envision it. But Stradlater doesn't care about how well-written it is and the amount of time Holden spent on it. All Stradlater thinks is that the paper is bad because it didn't fully fulfill the assignment. Holden is very creative, but at his old school he found it very hard to express it. 
          
         Holden's always trying to be someone he's not. Like when he's on the train going home after he was kicked out of school, he tells his classmate's mother that he meets that he is another boy. He doesn't give his real name, and he makes up a fake story about why he is leaving school early before winter break started. I think Holden did this because he was ashamed by who he was, how he was kicked out, and he didn't feel like having more people know about it.
             
         The Catcher in the Rye is a great book, and I'm glad I'm reading it. I think that it's nicely written and that Holden is a fun character to read about. One issue in The Catcher in the Rye is fitting in, and I think that most of us will deal with that problem at some point in our lives. That's another reason I like reading this book. It deals with real situations that people go through. 
          
               

What Really Hard Things are Happening in the Catcher in the Rye?

What really hard things are happening in the text? 


          I am currently reading the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Holden has been kicked out of boarding school and I am at the part where he is talking to his roommates and they are ignoring him. I think people's lack of listening to others is a really hard thing going on in the book, and also in the world.
        
           First of all, when Holden is talking to the boy whose room is next to his, Ackley, he has trouble communicating with him. Ackley doesn't listen to Holden when he says to get out, and he touches everything he wants to in the room. Ackley keeps bringing up that he is eighteen and an adult, while Holden is just sixteen. This also has to do with when Holden is talking to his roommate Stradlater, who is going on a date. Holden knows the girl Stradlater's going with, and he tells Stradlater about all the experiences he had with her the previous summer. Stradlater doesn't care. All he's interested in is borrowing Holden's jacket and having him write his English paper. Both these guys are ignoring Holden, and he doesn't get a chance to get his voice across.
         
           Ackley and Stradlater's behavior towards Holden is similar to Holden's behavior towards Mr. Spencer, at the beginning of the book. Like I talked about in my last blog post, Holden is getting advice from Mr. Spencer about how to do better in life now that he flunked out of school. Instead of learning from his strong words, Holden just dismisses it and doesn't keep in mind what Mr. Spencer is saying. Holden is ignoring the voice of his teacher, who is trying to be helpful.
         
           I think that the lack of attention being given to Holden and Mr. Spencer is relevant to the world, and it's a really hard thing to get over. For example, in an oppressive government often times a lot of the people's voices, opinions, and point of views are being forgotten and not heard. It's not fair that Ackley and Stradlater do not listen to their peer, and it's not good that Holden doesn't pay attention to Mr. Spencer. I believe that in order for there to be justice in the book and in the world, everybody should listen to what each other has to say. This way, everything will be more balanced and equal, more fair.