11th Grade American Literature Students:
The following is our list of independent reading books for the 1st semester.
For each of the following books, I have provided you with a series of questions to assist you in composing your responses. You are NOT required to answer one of these questions; however, please ensure that your blog post contains the following:
1. Clear topic sentence
2. Title and author of the work
3. Specific examples of 1 literary technique used by the author.
4. Details/analysis to support discussion of literary technique.
5. 1 quotation from the book, cited MLA style.
6. Summary sentence
7. 6-8 sentences minimum length
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
1. Describe the different definitions for the word “midnight” in this novel.
2. Characterize Lady Chablis. What is her role in this murder mystery?
3. How does the setting generate such an eccentric group of characters?
4. This novel is usually classified as non-fiction or mystery. Can you think of a more appropriate genre?
5. What is Berendt’s tone (remember the definition for tone)?
6. In what ways can this novel be classified as “gothic”?
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
1. Discuss one scene in which Holden lies and/or stretches the truth? What does this say about him as a narrator?
2. How does Holden form friendships in the novel? What issues does he have with different forms of intimacy?
3. What is the tone of this novel (remember the definition of tone)? Can you find Salinger’s voice deep within Holden’s?
4. How does Holden view children and adults? Which category do you think he belongs and why?
5. What is significant about the scene in which Holden visits Mr. Spencer, his history teacher, after he’s been thrown out of school?
6. Holden likes to point out the phoniness in the world around him. How is this ironic?
1984 by George Orwell
1. Discuss one theme of this novel. How does the author present this theme to us?
2. Characterize Julia. How is she different from/similar to Winston?
3. Describe "doublespeak". How does The Party use this concept to control its citizens?
4. Explore the meaning of this quotation from the book, "War is peace.
Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength."
5. How does the following quotation explain the way in which the Party controls its citizens: "And perhaps you might pretend, afterwards, that it was only a trick and that you just said it to make them stop and didn't really mean it. But that isn't true. At the time when it happens you do mean it. You think there's no other way of saving yourself and you're quite ready to save yourself that way. You want it to happen to the other person. You don't give a damn what they suffer. All you care about is yourself." How is this statement ironic?
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
1. How does the setting (New York City) create both positive and negative energy for Esther?
2. Esther’s mother concludes “I knew you’d decide to be all right” after Esther refuses to go back to electric shock therapy. What is Plath’s opinion of this statement?
3. Explain the symbol of the bell jar.
4. How is Esther’s madness related to the various messages of domesticity she receives as she comes of age?
5. Research Sylvia Plath’s life. Discuss why Plath might have published her only full-length novel only a month before she killed herself.
6. Describe Esther's different relationships with men. What patterns do you find? What is the underlying tension in each of these relationships?
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
1. Over the course of the novel, Celie learns to write more fluently. Describe specific examples of how her writing changes over time? How does this characterize Celie?
2. Discuss Celie's relationship to Shug. What role does Shug play in the novel?
3. What is the significance of the color purple in this novel?
4. When Celie returns to Georgia, how does she find Mr. ______? What does this show us about his psychological development as a character?
5. Describe the relationship between Celie and Nettie. In what ways do these young women teach each other to grow?
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
1. Characterize Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale. How are they similar/different?
2. Hester’s “A” symbolizes adultery. What affect does this symbol have on Hester’s identity?
3. In what ways does the setting of this novel influence the central conflict?
4. Can you identify the tone of this novel? (Remember the correct definition of tone)?
5. What emotional baggage causes Dimmesdale to suffer physically? How can he make himself better, and why doesn’t he do anything to help himself?
6. What affect does Hester’s situation have on Pearl?
7. Is there any resolution in the novel for any of the characters?
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
1. Describe the relationship between Alice's writing and her abuse of drugs.
2. Discuss the way in which the maggots and worms from Alice's dreams are symbolic? What do they represent?
3. Discuss the irony of the epilogue. Why do you think Alice's story ended the way it did? Be specific.
4. Discuss a specific line (or series of lines) from the text that exhibit Alice's inability to communicate well with others. How do these lines characterize Alice? Is this a fair assessment of her character?
5. Because it is written in epistolary form, this book is more like a conversation between ALice and her thoughts. Discuss the benefits of this particular narrative form, 1st person epistolary. Are there any drawbacks for the reader?
Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates
1. What does it mean for Kelly to be "the one he had chosen" at the party? How does she think this liason will enchance her life?
2. What is the narrative sequence in this novel? What affect does the narration have on the reader? What affect is it supposed to have?
3. Discuss Oates' use of imagery and foreshadowing in the first few chapters.
4. How is the title of this novel symbolic?
5. What techniques does Oates use to keep her readers in suspense, even though we know how the novel will end?
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
1. What type of a parent is Atticus Finch? In your assessment, describe specific evidence of his parenting style from the novel.
2. Discuss character development for Scout. How does she change over the course of the novel? How does she stay the same?
3. How does the relationship of the children (Jem and Scout) with Boo Radley expose their childish understanding of the world?
4. How is Boo Radley symbolic in this novel?
5. Describe the setting of this novel. In what way does the setting of this small town detail social inequalities that exist in the society of that time?
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
1. Characterize Gene. To what extent is he a reliable narrator? What evidence do you have to support your opinion?
2. What significance does World War II have in this novel?
3. How are Gene and Finny different characters? Explain their friendship.
4. How does the story being set at a small, private boarding school influence the plot? Can you imagine what this story might have been if it had been set in an urban area?
5. How does Gene come of age in this novel? What realization does he have that allows him to see the world as an adult?
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
1. Why does Kingsolver shift point of view in Chapters 2 and 4 from Taylor to Lou Ann?
2. Describe the ways in which Taylor, Estevan and Esperanza, and Turtle are illegitimate?
What is the message that Kingsolver is trying to portray about legitimacy?
3. What is the difference between religion and spirituality in the novel? (Reference either 1-800-the lord or Jesus is Lord Used Tires).
4. What role does setting play in Taylor’s circumstances and decisions?
5. This novel was written in the 1980’s. Based on the novel, can you surmise the plight of the Native Americans? Has anything changed in the last thirty years?
6. What statement does the novel make about family?
163 comments:
Jonathan Ayoub
In the novel 1984 Owell uses characterization to present the amount of fear, and sceptism in winston throughout the reading.Winston is constantly engulfed in a flame of mis-trust and deception.He is always aware of his surroundings;in the novel he oberves police helicopters spying in on people through their windows.A character like this feels controlled.Winston is trapped in a society where every if not all aspects of your life is monitored,controlled.The novel 1984 Orwell ultimately depicts the loss of freedom through the eyes of winston.
The book Go ask Alice by Anonymous, was a very good book, armed with a great story and written in the style of a diary. The narrator is a young girl whose name is never given, it is presumed to be the title name Alice. The author uses Point of View as a major literary element to tell the story. The narrator deals with the normal teen issues in the beginning of the story but as she delves into drugs and sex her life turns into hell. Another literary element the author uses strongly is imagery. As the narrator she makes the author picture every moment, every feeling the young girl has up until the point where the reader squirms from the inside over the girls experiences. Overall this book was an amazing story and very descriptive that it uses so many literary elements to please the reader.
Bryan Rivell
H Block
9-23-08
In The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath uses imagery so far in the first four chapters. While reading this novel, people would be able to picture images in their head from what they are reading. Betsy had told Esther and Doreen to join her at her party. While Esther and Doreen were stuck in traffic, Esther noticed that Doreen seemed to be wearing such a beautiful white laced dress, it must have fit her amazing. At least, that’s what the author described it to be. Doreen has won a magazine contest along with eleven others. The twelve winners wrote fashion blurbs, poems and short essays. Their prize was a free job for a month in New York City. Esther was thrilled to be out of the town where she lives. Although, it was a big adjustment for her and it was a much different atmosphere. Especially when waking up early in the morning to the noise of honking horns and loud people. There was one afternoon that Esther decided to go out to lunch with her new friends. Almost everyone at lunch ordered an alcoholic drink. Where Esther lives ;there aren’t many people that drink, especially at her age. Esther decided to order vodka with no ice. Not knowing, that wasn’t such a good idea.
Amanda Palladino A Block
This book Go ask Alice an amazing book, telling one about the harsh world of drugs and what it does to lives. It’s a book that one doesn’t want to put down. The author, anonymous used foil as a literary device. In the book "Alice" finally starts to become clean and get on the right track, yet there she has obstacles in her way. Obstacles such as the drugs sellers, and who ever she bought from try to get her to buy some more. They try to get her to buy because she was a good customer to them giving them profit. Another obstacle which is what started it all was the first drink that led her onto this spiral downward. The author also uses first person point of view, it is written in a diary form. It is unknown of who it is actually about but from the title one can presume her name is Alice.
Vanessa Cucuzza
h:block
In the book 1984 by George Orwell the author uses atmosphere to show the mood of how Winston is always being watched by big brother and how he secretly hates the society he lives in. the atmosphere in 1984 really expresses how everywhere you are no matter what you are doing you are always being watched by the government. Winston sets the mood by secretly expressing his desire to be free of this society were he could not be free of big brother and the government that restricts everything down to his own thoughts. The mood in 1984 is very depressing, because Winston is struggling to keep his want of freedom hidden, but how can he if every he turns he is being watched by his friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Everywhere Winston turned he was not safe, and he new that he would be killed or “vaporized” if anyone found out of his true feelings against big brother. Winston records his thoughts against big brother in a dairy, telling how he does not agree with having no privacy, having no freedoms, having no self. Mood and atmosphere show how Winston wants to break away from his society and how he is struggling to keep his thoughts hidden in order to stay alive.
Katie McSherry
Block: A
In the novel The Catcher and the Rye Holden Caulfield writes his story from a rest home to which he has been sent for therapy. Holden Caulfield refuses to talk about his early life only mentioning his older brother, D.B., who is a writer. The events in the novel he narrates take place in the few days between the end of the fall school term and Christmas, when Holden is sixteen years old. Holden's story begins on the Saturday following the end of classes at the Pencey prep school in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. At Pencey, he has failed four out of five of his classes and has been told that he is about to be expelled, but he is not allowed to return home to Manhattan until Wednesday. Pencey is also the fourth school that he has attended because he failed out of the other ones. The author, J.D. Salinger, uses point of view greatly all throughout the book. In fact the whole book is from the point of view of the main character. The only problem with this is the narrator, Holden Caulfield, is a chronic liar and so far he has been lying in the book.
Louis Ferrara
In the novel Go ask Alice by Anonymous, there was a girl named Alice. She was an ordinary 15 year old girl until things in her life started going in a different direction. Alice trying in the beginning of the book to fit in with everyone, made a dramatic change. She had physical and emotionally changed her ways of life. Sometimes certain people can`t handle or crasp things in life so they turn to drugs and think of all the bad stuff in life so that everything goes away. But as you keep proceeding with drugs things most of the time get a lot worser then they already were. The topic sentence of this would have to be if you do drugs you get addicted to it and you can`t control it and you die. One quotation from the book is ``This heat will pep you up like a tranquilizer slow you down.
Chris Gallo
A-Block
Go ask Alice by Anonymous is a very powerful and exciting book. characterization plays a big part in this novel because her personality, values and attributes change drastically throughout the book. in the beginning Alice was a very shy unpopular girl she was an outcast she did nothing but read read read. she was very uncomfortable around her classmates she felt as if she didnt belong. When her family decides to move to another town she finally met a true friend, a nice young Jewish girl named Beth but when summer came along Beth went to camp and Alice went back to her old home town to stay with her grandparents for a while. During the time that she was there she bumped into a couple of her old class mates, the popular ones.They got her into sex, LSD, Acid, speed and other kind of drug and she felt like they accepted her for who she was and she finally fit in with the "popular" crowd.
Samantha Wong
H block
9-25-08
The novel Go Ask Alice by Anonymous is a very intriguing and an eye opening book. Alice’s diary entries makes all teenagers; girls and even boys think about the responsibilities and the consequences when teenagers experiment with drugs and sex. The author Anonymous wants the readers to know that if you have problems at home, at school, with boyfriends or girlfriends you should never stoop so low and do something you will probably regret the very next day. The author uses point of view to explain Alice’s life, and her diary. The author explains every emotion, every pain, every high, and every regret that Alice was had and wrote in her diary. This book makes you feel bad for Alice and sorry for her that her only real friend was her diary. Furthermore I loved this book and I am looking forward to read more of Alice’s diary entries.
Victoria Ann Palladino
Block- A
In 1984, George Orwell uses setting to portray the main characters Winston's emotion. The setting in the novel is a city in which, every facet of one's life is monitored by the government. This type of setting creates a certain depressing atmosphere within the novel. In this type of society Winston every action is controlled by the government even his own thoughts. Winston's longing for freedom must be kept hidden from the government also known as the "Ministry of Love." If his thoughts of freedom are let loose there would be unforeseen consequences for Winston. The setting is described well in that the reader feels the crushing aura that the Ministry of Love has on Winston in the society. The setting leaves Winston no privacy for Winston to even dream of freedom in any shape or form. Winston's only form of freedom is with the diary he keeps where he expresses his yearning for freedom. The diary shows how strong the setting is within the novel and how Winston can only express himself through a diary due to the strict conditions of his environment. Setting plays a key role within 1984 and is shown through Winston's diary.
Ho Lee
A Block
Animal Farm written by George Orwell is a fascinating story that will catch everyone in a daze; this novel shows how quickly the leaders against tyranny can turn their revolutionary ideas towards totalitarianism. Corrupted by the humans. A farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With outstanding idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice and equality. The animals join together to start their own type of government, a more humane establishment than that of their previous master Mr. Jones. The animal in charge of the farm animals revolution is old major, and throughout his last days in the animal farm, he is seen as a symbolic figure by all the other farm animals. When old major dies Napoleon takes his place as a revolutionary leader and corrupts old major ideal of a farm run only by animals. His rules were the seven commandments for the animals to follow, in those seven commandment's Napoleon strictly pointed out that two legs were bad and four legs were good. He soon became a power hungry leader and established a new type of government leaving himself total control over the farm. George Orwell uses characterization, and personification to explain how political leaders can act like animals and vice verse. In George Orwell's Novel Boxer represents the working class which are always fighting for the dream that the political leader illustrated for them. The conflict is when the political leader always addresses that he/she will provide equality and freedom among all; but yet the working class like boxer ends up fighting for the causes that their leaders falsely promised them. The authors purpose is to explain how people with too much power can act like animals and destroy there own creation with their power. Overall too much power can only cause chaos to yourself and your followers.
Animal Farm written by George Orwell is a fascinating story that will catch everyone in a daze; this novel shows how quickly the leaders against tyranny can turn their revolutionary ideas towards totalitarianism. Corrupted by the humans. A farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With outstanding idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice and equality. The animals join together to start their own type of government, a more humane establishment than that of their previous master Mr. Jones. The animal in charge of the farm animals revolution is old major, and throughout his last days in the animal farm, he is seen as a symbolic figure by all the other farm animals. When old major dies Napoleon takes his place as a revolutionary leader and corrupts old major ideal of a farm run only by animals. His rules were the seven commandments for the animals to follow, in those seven commandment's Napoleon strictly pointed out that two legs were bad and four legs were good. He soon became a power hungry leader and established a new type of government leaving himself total control over the farm. George Orwell uses characterization, and personification to explain how political leaders can act like animals and vice verse. In George Orwell's Novel Boxer represents the working class which are always fighting for the dream that the political leader illustrated for them. The conflict is when the political leader always addresses that he/she will provide equality and freedom among all; but yet the working class like boxer ends up fighting for the causes that their leaders falsely promised them. The authors purpose is to explain how people with too much power can act like animals and destroy there own creation with their power. Overall too much power can only cause chaos to yourself and your followers.
In the novel A Seperate Peace John Knowles uses setting to set the main character in an England boarding school during the begining of World War two. The setting potrays a friendship that is giong to be a war itself. the friendship between Gene and Phineas is a frienship that best friends have. then over the summer something happens to the frienship these boys shared. In the beginning of the book Gene returns to his boarding school 15 years later to remember the frindship Phineas and he shared before that fatefull summer. he goes back to his childhood in the boarding school. Gene remembers the good times in the school. "I went back to the Devon School not long ago, aand found it looking oddly newer than when I was a student there fifteen years ago." so the setting potrays that even in a time of war some frienships do not last a lifetime they can end Abruptly.
Derik Hubbard H Block
The novel The Catcher and the Rye written by Holden Caulfield tells his story from a therapy home. The author dislikes discussing his past events in his life only mentioning his older brother. The novel takes place during the end of the school term and Christmas time in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. In school he has been failing the majority of his classes and there is a probability of him getting expelled out the school. This is a large problem for Holden because he is not allowed to go home to his place in Manhattan until the following Wednesday. J.D. Salinger utilizes the literary element of 1st person view very well.
Brian E. Lopez
In the novel The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver follows the experences of missy as she leaves her child hood home of Pittman, Kentucky.She avoided getting pregnante like her other students, she leaves her home town in search of a better life with a car that that barely runs.while on the rode missy says the next place her car breaks down that is what she will change her name to, so sheends up in Taylorville. Now goes by the name of Taylor Greer. she now drives through a Cherokee Nation area of Oklahoma and her car breaks down by a bar so she stops to go in for some food she is approached by a lady with a baby girl and the lady gives her the baby girl so taylor is now Challenged with unexpected motherhood
The novel Go Ask Alice by Anonymous uses characterization to show how Alice goes from good girl to bad. The novel puts you in the thoughts of this girl who’s just trying to live her life. As the novel progresses Alice develops a drug problem changing her sweet and kind personality into a cruel uncaring one. The author uses characterization to show Alice’s personality through her drug addicted life. The author also shows the darker side of drugs through characterization based on the decisions Alice makes in the book. Theirs even one part of the book when Alice states “After you’ve had it, there isn’t even life without drugs”. The character makes the wrong decisions pulling her in deeper into the chaos which she’s trying to avoid. Characterization is a great way to make the reader feel pulled into the book and keeps them reading until the book ends.
Shawn Cybulska
9/20/08
The novel Go Ask Alice by Anonymous uses characterization to show how Alice goes from a normal teenage girl to bad girl who get into lots of problems with drugs.In the beginnig of the novel alice moves from her town that she lived in to a new town because of her dad's job as a college professer. Alice is very excitied about her move. As the novel goes on Alice develops a drug problem changing her personality into a drug addicting girl. The author uses characterization to show Alice’s drug addiction. Alice makes bad decisions that lead to lots of problems Characterization makes the book alot more interesting to read.
Jonathan Weiss
9/26/08
h Block
In Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous, the main character’s name was never specified. The narration style is first person, and written like a diary. The author uses point of view to convey his or her story. The main character or Alice as she is referred to, is a normal teenage girl. She has problems with her parents, and problems with her friends, or the lack of friends, and even boys. One night Alice is invited to a party with the cool kids in school. LSD is slipped inter her coke without her knowing. Alice spills all of her heart out into her diary as her life slowly spirals downward.
Luke Opulski
h block
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver is an interesting novel about how a young woman changes her life. The story starts with the protagonist, Marietta living in Pittman, Kentucky working at a hospital. She saves up enough money to buy herself an old Volkswagen beetle that barely works and five years after high school graduation she leaves Pittman Kentucky. Marietta decides she will drive her car until she runs out of gas and change her name to whatever she sees or where she ends up. Marietta ends up in Taylorville, so she changes her name to Taylor. Barbara Kingsolver uses irony in this novel because in the beginning Taylor describes how she tries to keep her job, not get pregnant, and save enough to buy a car. After she moves she comes out of a diner one day and a woman just puts a baby in Taylor’s car and leaves. Even though Taylor is shocked she still takes the baby with her to raise as her own and names her Turtle.
Cory Moser
A-Block
The novel Go Ask Alice by Anonymous is an amazing story of a young girl. The novel is about a life of a teenage girl who becomes addicted to drugs. This novel shows a strong use of characterization because it shows how the character of a young girl who goes from being a ordinary laid back fifteen year old to becoming addicted to drugs. The author also captures the reader by pulling you in to the book by using the literary device, imagery. This story of a young girl starts out as a regular fifteen year old should be but then everything changes after just one party. The young girl always had trouble fitting it so she would do mostly anything to fit in. She had only two friends going up until she moved away into a new town. When she moved to her new town she finally found a best friend named Beth. She thought she fit in and everything was going well at her new school until Beth went away for camp during the summer. When Beth was gone the young girl went to visit her grandparents in her old town, where then she saw the “cool group” from her old school. One of the girls went up to her and ask her to go to a party with them and of course she said yes because she wanted to fit in. When she was at a party they where playing a game and she was served a drink laced with LSD. It didn’t take long after that before she was hooked. The young grill then became taking speed, acid trips and other drugs. Then young girl finds herself one day in a loving home of her family and the next on the streets fending for herself. In the novel everything is so detailed because you begin to find yourself creating pictures in your mind to replace with the words. This novel brings you in a lets you experience this young girls life journey of drugs. Drugs eventually took over her life, took away her family her chance to be young and experience the world but mostly her life.
Samantha Villa
H - Block
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger deals with an internal conflict. In the book, the main character Holden Caulfield is extremely disappointed with how society is. He believes that most people are fake or as he refers to them, "phonies". Holden is an extremely pessimistic person, and criticizes just about everything. Holden’s biggest downfall is the fact that he never gives anything or anyone a chance. The only person who Holden feels he can relate to is his smart younger sister, Phoebe Caulfield. The only fear about his sister is that she might change as she grows older and may soon be like the rest of the world, fake and materialistic. Throughout the story, Holden is constantly deciding whether people are “phonies” in his eyes or not. A few people who he believes are not "phonies" are the two nuns he met at the train station, his old girlfriend Jane Gallagher, Sunny, and lastly his dead brother Allie. Even though he believes some people are not fake, he still feels most of the world is. Holden judges people as soon as he meets them, and once he makes a decision about whether the person is phony or not, there’s no changing his mind. Holden also has a problem with lying. “I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life”. “So when I told old Spencer I had to go to the gym to get my equipment and stuff, that was a sheer lie. I don’t even keep my god dam equipment in the gym”. These two quotes lead me to believe that Holden is not always telling the truth to the reader. The book is draws the reader in, and then comes with surprises. This looks like thee theme of the entire book.
Connor Chatterton
H Block
The novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt was written based on true story. It is a novel that is thrilling, exciting and full of mystery. “A rug in Mercer House hides a bullet hole.” Created the mood of the story. John Berendt uses imagery to create dramatic and vivid images of the incidents that are happening in the novel. From Williams makes business calls from prison to a secretive person till the trial beings to clarify the incident, Berendt describes everything really detail and well descriptive. The mystery of murdering become very strange and obscurity, which makes the reader wants to know what is going to happen next. The Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a really interesting mystery novel.
Wing Sum Cheung
A block
9-26-08
In the novel 1984, George Orwell utilizes theme to emphasize the consequences of living in a totalitarianism society. Where every aspect of society is so controlled by the administration, people do not have the privilege or even the opportunity to speak, write, share political views, or live freely without the consent of the management. In the novel, the antagonist The Party forbids the protagonist Winston Smith from having free thought or any expression of individuality all because he works in the Ministry of Truth where he informs historical records to the Party. This sends him into deep frustration and guilt because he is also breaking the law. Winston Smith sensed the feeling he is being spied on by Big brother and knew he would get into trouble sooner or later for not abiding the laws, which actually comes to reality later on. Winston lived under the totalitarianism of Big brother and is later punished for disobeying their rules. George Orwell uses theme to signify what the consequences were for Winston Smith living in a totalitarianism society.
Ola Afolabi
A block
9-26-08
In the novel Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates the author uses the mood to entice the reader. The atmosphere that the author portrays in this book keeps the reader on edge. Kelly Kelleher, the main character was at a party with many people and The Senator was there. Everyone there was having a good time and drinking. But The Senator chose Kelly to go home with. But what she thought was going to be her chance to move up in her career went wrong. The reader is left on edge when constantly the author is going from the party to the tragedy in the story. On the way to The Senators place, something happens. As the senator is driving on the bumpy road he looses control of the car and crashes into the guardrail. This leads to the car crashing into the water. The author keeps the “on edge” mood by stating every little detail of what happens. So far this novel is great; it makes the reader want to read on and turn the next page. Black water by Joyce Carol Oates is an intriguing novel.
Jazmin Roman
A-Black
9-26/08
The Catcher and the Rye by J.D Salinger uses characterization in order to tell the story. J.D. uses the main character a troubled teen who is unhappy with his school. J.D describes the teens emotions and feelings from a narrative voice. I feel that I know the young man that is how well the Author describes him. J.D. also writes with such description that I am more into the book because I can imagine his school and home. This book will be good for me because i can relate to the character a teen who is alittle troubled. As of right now i would give this book a 8.5 out of 10 because I can relate to the main character. So far im not giving it a ten because there are to many details for me many like a lot of details however i lose concentration.
Ryan McLean
H-Block
In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, the author greatly uses atmosphere to capture the furiosity and the intensity of the main character, Holden Caulfield. Holden is a troubled individual who is always infuriated and acts like he hates the world. He does this throughout the entire book by alwase including adult language in the text and quotes, and sudden outbursts. Salinger also uses clamax well at the ending of the book. When Caulfield refuses to take his sister with him when he decides to move. they go to the park. When he bought her a ride on the carousel, watching her sister riding it broke him out in tears. He became so inspired and remembered all the good times that he ends the book and narration after declaring that he is inspired to attend a new school in fall.
-Francisko Kim H Block
In The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger uses characterization to build up the main character Holden Caulfield. Throughout the story Slinger develops Holden’s character by showing you how he sees the world and interprets people's actions. He is constantly looking for the flaws in people, and thinks of almost anyone except for a select group as “phonies”. He is a very deceitful character and lies in many parts of the story. Being such a liar helps make his character more realistic by showing that he isn’t as perfect as he implies throughout his life, and also makes everything he says questionable. What the story really shows readers is that Holden is a hypocritical pessimist who picks on the flaws of other just so he does not have to deal with the ones he has himself. When he says “Grand. There's a word I really hate. It's phony. I could puke every time I hear it” (15) you can really see that he focuses on what he doesn’t like in people and thinks of it as just another fake thing humans do. The overall way that Holden seems to readers is a depressed teenager who is sick of a world of phonies, but at the same time is one himself. The flaws in the character and the way he looks at the world make him a more complex and interesting person for readers. The author created Holden in a way that made readers agree with what he is saying, but at the same time think he is full of it.
Josephine Barone
H Block
In the novel the Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses his point of view throughout the whole book to have the reader experience everything he is going through. Holden Caulfield is the narrator of the book and he is explaining how he got kicked out of another school he was attending once again. Holden cannot tell his parents that he got kicked out again because he knows he will get in trouble, so he his waiting around till Christmas break comes along to be able to come back home without having any problems. Throughout the whole novel, Holden lies constantly, even if he doesn’t have to, he finds it amusing.“ I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. Its awful” (J.D Salinger 22).When this was said, you can tell that Holden wasn’t a trustworthy character and till this moment he has been lying ever since.
Angie Issa
A block
9-26-08
Go ask Alice by Anonymous is a very interesting book. The characterization is a huge part of the story because her actions and her perspectives changes throughout the book. Depending on the crowd she was in her attitude was different. While with her friend Beth she acted well behaved but when she was mixed into the wrong kind of kids she started behaving like them and getting involved with drugs and all kinds of stuff to mess up her life. From the book you can see that she is easily manipulated. She is a follower and just wants to fit in.
Michael Morawed
The Color Purple by Alice walker is intriguing. In this novel the main Character Celie is constantly abused sexually and physically by her father Alfonso. During this time of pain, Celie writes letters to God about how she feels and what goes on in her day to day life. Unfortunately, even though her writing becomes better , her struggles become worst. Alfonso not only abuses Celie , but impregnates her with a girl. However, instead of taking care of the infant he decides to steals the baby while Celie is asleep and kills it, in the woods. In this novel the author Alice walker uses Setting to illustrate how and why this evil is being done to Celie..This novel takes place in rural Geogia where Celie and her family lives. However, Celie didn’t always receive abuse by her Father. When her mother was alive Alfonso would look to her for sexual gratification. Now once her mother became ill and soon passed away the father took advantage of the situation and began to sexually abuse Celie. Unfortunately Celie was fourteen years old and had no power over her father during that period of time. Setting plays a big role in The Color Purple because if it wasn’t for the time, place and atmosphere of the novel none of this evil would have had happen
Ashley Jones
H- Block
The novel Go ask Alice by Anonymous was a moving journal by a teenage girl going though struggles in life with school and family. The author used imagery and point of view to get her feelings across. A lot of imagery was used when Alice and her friend Cris returned home after running away. Alice described the Christmas dinner with a lot of examples such as when she said "the house is filled with fragrance," and then she went on to describe the smells of the cooking when comparing it to other things in everyday life. Most of Alice's diary was filled with information about her abuse of drugs. She would always explain how it made her feel great like she was free from all her burdens in her family life. This book was exceptionally moving and truly captured the life of a confused teen.
Brianna Shane
A Block
The book A Separate Peace by John Knowles was a young tragedy story of a boy after world war 2.the author used imagery and point of view to trap the emotion and mood of the book. This boy went to a educational building called Devon school before the war. When he returns the war ended 15 years ago and still looks brand new. He relives the memories he had in the school in terror and fear. Imagery was used to describe the school that he had hated with a passion and to describe all the secrets it held. Point of view captured the boy’s emotions towards the tragedies that happen while he was enlisted there. He said he remembered the school but not as new as it was now, and that he forgot the about the school until he returned.
Rob Green
A-Block
The book The Color Purple written by author Alice Walker is so far a very intriguing book. One literary technique used is conflict because the book is overcome with details of celie's abuse as well as sofia's abuse from Harpo, Mr._____ son.It starts off with Celie writing letters to god about her abusing father alfonzo who beats and rapes her. Nettie, Celie's Sister then learns that Mr._____ wants to marry her but Alfonzo refuses. Alfonzo then offers celie to marry Mr._____ and he accepts while he still lusts for her sister. Celie and Mr._____ enter a joyless marriage. Then A Singer named Shug Avery comes to town, Celie and Shug then become lovers after shug becomes Ill and celie is left to nurse her.
As stated above the book is very detailed and very intriguing. Reading the first couple of letters, I noticed celie's writing was written in slang. I would definitely recommend this book, although the movie was great the book is by far so much better.
Maya Pressie
H-Block
In the novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, the bell jar is a symbol that holds in all of Esther’s emotions. Esther tries to fulfill her education but her anger problems are holding her back. During college, Esther’s mental problems made her attempt suicide but the attempt failed. Esther is the girl inside of the jar because her mental problems prevent her from doing well in college. Outside of the jar are the people around Esther such as her friends. Being trapped inside of the jar while everyone else is succeeding in life is hard for Esther. Towards the end of the novel it seems like Esther is trying to do well with her life but if she doesn’t keep it up she can be back in the jar.
Ric Viera
H Block
9/26/08
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an amazing tale of love and crime that took place in a Puritan settlement in seventeenth century Boston. A beautiful young lady with the name of Hester Prynne, is released from prison with her infant and the scarlet letter “A” embroidered on her breast. Hester was being punished for adultery and that is why she bore the letter “A”. She was forced to live in a community where she and her daughter, Pearl, were humiliated and shunned by all the people. Dimmesdale, Hester’s lover, along with Hester and Pearl were to flee to Europe to live a better life, but Dimmesdale announces his sin publicly and falls dead. Chillingworth, Hester’s former husband, who spent his life seeking revenge also dies about a year ater. Hester and Pearl leave Boston. Pearl marries a European aristocrat and Hester returns home to her charitable work. When Hester dies, she is buried next to Dimmesdale, sharing a tombstone that bears the scarlet letter “A”.
In The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne use the literary technique of symbolism throughout the novel. “ On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A” (Hawthorne 46). One major symbol is the scarlet letter “A”. The scarlet letter is first seen as a symbol of shame and humiliation, a symbol of adultery and sin. This is somewhat ironic being that the letter was embroidered as if it were for a King. However, the letter’s meaning changes as time passes. It soon becomes the symbol of Hester’s identity. It becomes a symbol of ability and importance when the Native Americans think it marks her as a person of high status. For the people in the Puritan community, it is a constant reminder of Hester’s affair with Dimmesdale. On the other hand, Pearl views the letter as insignificant, which illustrates the community’s poor system of judgment and punishment. The letter is just a human creation that is misleading to Hester’s character and personality. The symbol “A” is used by the author throughout the novel and holds great meaning. Although the novel was at times confusing and rather challenging, it was intriguing and interestingly intense.
Angela Tsetsakos
H Block
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, is a wonderful book about dealing with life as it continues to moves forward. Barbara Kingsolver uses the growth of plants as a dominant theme of the novel, and as a metaphor for the growth of the characters. The growth of bean trees represents the growth of Turtle Greer and her maturation throughout the novel. The growth of the plants represent both life and death. Turtle buries her dolls seemingly to have them grow, but really she does this to replicate the burial of her mother in a cemetery. Chapters Two and Four are switched from the story of Taylor, to her telling the story about Lou Ann Ruiz. This is done to illustrate the dominant relationship in the novel between mother and child. Most of the female characters in The Bean Trees are mothers who raise their children without the help of the father. Mama Greer raised Taylor as a single mother, and Taylor in return becomes a single mother when she gets custody of Turtle while traveling through Oklahoma. Lou Ann Ruiz raises Dwayne Ray by herself, just as the waitress Sandi raises her son Seattle alone. Mattie is a single mother to her various refugees, and compares herself to a parent to them on more than one occasion. The one mother in the novel who is not a single parent is Esperanza, yet she no longer parents the kidnapped Ismene. Kingsolver idealizes the single mother and diminishes the position of the father who is irresponsible. “ When she got home (Lou Ann) she saw that Angel had already been home from work and had left again, for good.” This book exhibits the strengths of women succeeding in life with just her independence and mind.
KrisMunoz
H-Block
aNgeLA sALMoS
The book The Color Purple by Alice Walker is a very addictive book.You cant stop reading and wanting to want more.It uses conflict to show the difficulties of Celie and how she gets abused by her father Alfanzo who also rapes her.She writes letters to God explaining every inch of her life.
Nettie(Celie's sister)is then wanted to be married by Mr____,but Alfanzo refuses so Celie marries him.Everythingg happens leading to other things.It shows the struggles of life before and life now.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger deals with an internal conflict. An internal conflict is a conflict with the protagonist and him or herself. In the book the main character Holden Caulfeild is extremely dissapointed with how society is, he believe almost everyone is fake or as he refers to them as "phonies". Holden is an extremely cynical person, and critisizes just about everthing. This is caulfeild biggest downfall, he never gives anything a chance. The only person who Holden feels he can relate to is his smart younger sister, Phoebe Caulfeild; although he fears as she grows older she will soon be like the rest of the world-fake, and materialistic-but hopes to prevent that from happening. Throughout the story Holden picks out few people who believes they have kept there innocence and have not yet to become a "phony". Some people he believes that are not "phonies" are the two nuns he meets at the train station, his old girlfriend Jane Gallegher, sunny, and lastly his dead brother allie. Even though he believes some people are not fake he still feels most of the world is. In the end this idea he had of people turned on him causing him to have a mental breakdown. "About all i know is, I sort of miss everybody I told you about."(Saligner 214) this quotation explain how he realised that people are not so bad; however he spent most of his life only bashing mankind believing a great majority of it was selfish and only cared about material pocessions. Holden should not judge people so quickly, or better yet he should gives second chances.
In the book Go Ask Alice by Anonymous, the author describes the story of a young girl who was addicted to drugs. The author uses imagery throughout the book to describe her "high" moments and her normal times. For example she describes walking on a rug, where the " sensation in my feet was totally indescrible, a softness that enveloped my complete body" (Anonymous,57). She also continues to describe how she can hear the almost silent sound of the rug rubbing against her feet. Even when she is not high she can describe everything in vivid details, such as what would happen to the corpse of her dead grandfather.
During the time of her giref over her grandfather, she has dreams of maggots and worms. She states that the maggots make no distinction between young or old, bad or good, they simply eat; the purpose of their existence. This is a comparison to the use of drugs. When drugs start to destroy your body, mentally and physically, the drugs makes no distinction between who you are, it simply anihalates you. This book is something that is personally understood, and it is a very good work of literature that should be read by all teenagers because it provides many thoughtful insights on life.
Raya Dyadkina
The book Go Ask Alice by Anonymous is a very moving novel. Alice, your average teenage girl, feels insecure about herself. Her confidence is extremely low and no matter how hard she tries, she feels she can never up to other people's standards. Alice's parents inform her they are going to be moving due to her father's change of schedule as a college professor. Alice was actually excited to move. She did not feel welcomed or even known her town. Alice wanted to change that. After the move, Alice seems to be having a better time socially. She meets a nice girl named Beth. Beth and Alice become very close, and bestfriends; something Alice never had. While visiting her beloved grandparents in her old-town home, Alice meets two more friends, Jill and Bill. Unlike Beth, Jill and Bill are no good for her. They introduce Alice to drugs, and that is where her life starts to roll down hill. Alice's grandparents, whom she loved very dearly, pass away. Alice used to spend her summers with her grandparents. During the holidays, they would always be together. This has left a huge impact on the way Alice thinks. Feeling extremely depressed and lonelier then ever, Alice uses drugs as an escape from it all. Alice's mistakes grow bigger and bigger, and she falls deeper into the hole she is digging herself into.
Ally Beals H Block
The book Go Ask Alice by Anonymous is a very moving novel. Alice, your average teenage girl, feels insecure about herself. Her confidence is extremely low and no matter how hard she tries, she feels she can never measure up to other people's standards. Alice's parents inform her they are going to be moving due to her father's change of schedule as a college professor. Alice was actually excited to move. She did not feel welcomed or even known her town. Alice wanted to change that. After the move, Alice seems to be having a better time socially. She meets a nice girl named Beth. Beth and Alice become very close, and bestfriends; something Alice never had. While visiting her beloved grandparents in her old-town home, Alice meets two more friends, Jill and Bill. Unlike Beth, Jill and Bill are no good for her. They introduce Alice to drugs, and that is where her life starts to roll down hill. Alice's grandparents, whom she loved very dearly, pass away. Alice used to spend her summers with her grandparents. During the holidays, they would always be together. This has left a huge impact on the way Alice thinks. Feeling extremely depressed and lonelier then ever, Alice uses drugs as an escape from it all. Alice's mistakes grow bigger and bigger, and she falls deeper into the hole she is digging herself into.
Ally Beals H Block
Tiana...
In the novel "Go Ask Alice" the anonymous author uses setting to portray the life of a teenager. Alice experiences many obstacles and struggles finding solutions.At a party she was invited to she was given the opportunity to explore a whole new world ,her peers where all doing drugs and she fell into peer pressure and started doing drugs.The atmosphere made it impossible for her to pass up what she thought was a leaning experience.After the uses of drugs Alice endured many more situations for herself.The anonymous author shows in great detail how this main character goes though different stages of exploration.
In the novel The Color Purple, Alice Walker uses characterization to describe Celie in Mr. ____'s point of view as slow, naive, and subservant black woman. This is a story about two poor, southern black sisters, one is forced to be a child bride and the other sister becomes a missionary in Africa working for a preacher and his family. The distance between the sisters nor the time passed stops their undying love for eachother. Celie was not allowed to finish school and had very little education. She was treated like an animal by both her father and her husband. Celie and her sister had a hard life growing up with their mother who was very ill and later died, and then abused and raped by their father. She had gotten pregnant with two of her father's children which he got rid of while she slept. Celie's father marries her to a man who likes her sister Nettie. Celie's husband treats her horribly, beating her all the time and working her constantly. Nettie meets the preacher and his wife, who have Celie's children, and moves to Africa with them to become a missionary. After years of being apart, Celie and Nettie have love for eachother that never dies out. Celie is reunited with her sister and her two children. Overall, this novel is heartbreaking to read but a very intriguing novel.
Bethany Greenman
H Block
In this novel The Catcher and the Rye Holden Caulfield writes this story from a theroapy home. He was sent there for treatment from what he begins to tell in the story. Holden Caulfield does not speak of his childhood only bringing up his older brother D.B. who is also a writer. The story starts off towards the end of a semester in college around christmas in Agerstown, Pennsylvannia. He appears to be very angry with the world such as one against the world like he has nothing to prove in which he is failling missrably and is to be expelled he faces a delma though in which he can not go home to manhattan until that following wensday because his parents cant find out or they will be pissed so he wants to play it off as he is home for the holidays.He doesn't trust anyone he is very parinoid and no likes him because he is a excessive lair who critic's every thing and is cocky too. Saying that he is the best lair you'd ever see. For a person who only trusts two nuns and his ex-girlfriend with everyone being "phonies" waiting about week will be hard. In the cruel world he see's. Through his eyes told in caulfeilds great narrating skills of a journey into this firstperson narrative known as the Catcher and the RYE.
-Paul O'Hara-
alexandra crimmins
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous is an excellent novel that ends extremely ironic. This novel is about a girl named Alice and her struggle with drug addiction. The novel is the combination of two diaries over the span of several years, of her experiences, parties, and type of drug she had currently experimented with. Throughout her addiction to drugs like LSD and pills, just to name a few, she has been on and off drugs. She is addicted to drugs because Alice believes that she cannot live without them because of the effects that make her feel elated. However, when she reminds herself that taking illegal substances are unruly and not religious, Alice stops taking drugs, for the time being at least. Towards the end of this novel Alice makes a vow that she will permanently quit drugs and will treat her loving and forgiving family as well as they have treated her through the years. The irony of this story is what occurs next; she dies unexpectedly dies in her home three weeks after her promise to herself which makes this story ironic.
Allison Lee
H Block
In the novel Catcher in the Rye,Holden Caulfield gives the reader a introduction to life by letting them know he was kicked out of college. Caulfield explains how he younger brother had died, his older brother was in Hollywood and his younger sister was in school. Caulfield uses hyperbole's throughout his novel. In the novel he stretches the truth quite a few times and most of them were noticeable too. He lied about some important things and some things that were just nonsense. The point in the novel that i am up to is where he leaves his former college and heads to New York City, where his parents live.
-Brandon
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee is a novel that utilizes setting to give the reader an understanding of the protagonist’s perspective during this timeframe. Lee uses the setting of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930’s to illustrate how segregation in the South has an effect on the community, especially on the life of Scout Finch. Growing up in Alabama Scout Finch and her brother Jim grow up learning the morals of life from their father, Atticus Finch who is a lawyer of honest tactics. Throughout the novel, Scout is faced with the insults from individuals who criticize her father because of his support of justice for Blacks in the courtroom. Setting is used in this narrative to portray how Tom Robinson, an innocent black man accused of rape, is placed in a courtroom with a predominate white jury. Segregation and racism manage a massive role of inequality and injustice during the 1930’s and growing up as a child, Scout realizes the unfairness of society, even in her own community. One day Atticus talks to Scout and states “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view”. (Lee 30) This quote allows Scout to view the differences in people and helps her realize why some people have hateful attitudes towards Blacks. Although, Scout does not fully comprehend why imbalance systems favor in the South between Blacks and Whites, she understands that injustice is wrong and inequitable. To Kill a Mocking Bird demonstrates how the location and atmosphere of Maycomb, Alabama contribute to Scout’s controversial opinions of society and how evil intentions can seem to override the good.
BY: RACQUEL WOOD
A-BLOCK
In the novel Go Ask Alice by anonymous, the author uses characterization to portray the book. When the book starts, Alice is a sweet innocent young girl. Towards the middle of the book Alice starts getting into serious problems like drugs. Finally, Alice is addicted to drugs and has no one to talk to about her problems, thus having to write her thoughts in a diary. The anonymous author has readers on the edge of their seats waiting to read the twists and turns of a 15 year old girls life. In the book, the reader can realize the difference in the young girls life after abusing drugs.
Corinne Mueller
H-block
9-26-08
In the novel Go Ask Alice the anonymous author uses setting to portray in this book. Thru out Alice's life she always had good grades, did what she was asked by her parents, her family and Alice constantly followed her father from town to town for her was a famous professor at many cuny colleges. After a big move Alice starts to hang out with a shady group while she visits her grandparents for the summer. What Alice thinks is just a group of friends watching TV and drinking coke with popcorn is really her "friends" spiking the coke with LSD. When Alice realized what had happened she comes to admit she had liked it. Slowly and shortly Alice started trying a lot of different drugs. It started with LSD then it went to acid, pot, speed, and pills. Alice was completely hooked and addicted to the high of drug. The people Alice would hang out with went from a group of kids who did their homework to a group of kids who did drugs. She started fighting with her parents more; she was slipping in her schoolwork. The drug had deceived her in life, while turning it upside down.
susan yacca
h block
9 26
In the novel A Separate Peace John Knowles uses many sensory details to describe what the main character can see, feel, and hear. In the beginning, the author describes the sights that the main character sees when he visits his old school. By using the sensory details, Knowles tells what makes this visit so nostalgic. One of the main character's most nostalgic sights is the old tree he would always see with his friend Phineas. "Moving through the soaked, coarse grass I began to examine each one closely, and finally identified the tree I was looking for by means of certain small scars rising along it's trunk, and by a limb extending over the river, and another thinner limb growing near it" (Knowles, 14). Therefore, John Knowles uses sensory details to help the reader visualize what the main character sees in his novel.
Michael Appelgate
A block
In the book Go Ask Alice her setting plays a major role in her decisions. She was constantly moving to different schools and had no real friends. She wanted to fit in with everyone and started abusing drugs. Even though the first time she used drugs she wasn’t conscious of it, the surrounding friends that she decided to stay with was a bad decision. She made a promise to herself the she would never use drugs in her life again. This promise was not going to stand; due to the pressure created by her friends she started abusing drugs. "I don't need the sleep as much as I need the escape.” At this point in my life nothingness is a lot better than somethingness.". In this quote by Alice she states how dugs in her life can substitute for things she missed out on. She is really hooked on drugs and makes it clear when she says he needs it much as sleep. Having to constantly move and the desire to fit in plays a major role in her future.
Reuben Gunasingh
H-Block
The novel The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, is a very captivating novel. The boo ki s about a young woman named Taylor Greer who's main goal is to leave her"backwoods" town without getting pregant. She achieves this goal. However, a baby Indian girl is given to her on the highway. As the novel continues, Taylor learns that family is not always how people think it should be. The literay techniques used by Kingsolver to keep the novel interesting was situational irony and motif. Taylor was very proud that she was one of the few girls in her town that made it out without a baby. Ironically,Taylor was a mother not even two days outside of her. Another technique used used is motif. One of the motifs used is motherhood. Throughout the novel, motherhood is shown in several ways but they are not the typical expectations of motherhood. Taylor purposely avoids pregnancy and is given a child. Lou Ann's husband leaves her while she is pregnant. Esperanza has to give up her child in order to save her and the lives of others. All these mothers love their children to the point where if they had to choose between anything else, they would choose their children each and every time.The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver held my attention with these techniques along with action and humor. I did not want to put it down.
Asha Gibbs
H-block
11th graders,
First, I am pleased to see so many of you thinking deeply about the literature you are reading. Here are some comments for you to use for your 2nd marking period blogs...
What I saw that worked –
1. Many people used literary techniques in their topic sentence to begin the discussion of HOW the author uses those techniques to influence his/her message or to impact the reader.
2. I saw some in-depth thinking about the books as more than just articles we LIKE or DO NOT LIKE, but as works of literature that we analyze.
What I saw that needs to be improved –
1. Write in the present tense – the book does not die after you read it. The action is the book is continuously happening (like a movie that plays on television even though no one is watching). Always use present tense verbs to discuss the action in the book.
2. Proofread your work. Simple spelling errors and basic sentence structure awkwardness should not be an issue.
3. Do not use “I” or “I” phrases like “me”, “my”. Also do not use “you”. This is too informal and self-centered. Instead use “one” or “a person”.
4. Leave out plot summary that does not directly relate to your chosen literary technique. If you are writing about setting, the only plot details I want to hear from the book are details about setting or about how setting influences the characters.
5. Use quotations from the text. Most of you did not. These strengthen your arguments.
6. Cite MLA style correctly. When you use a quotation from the text, you cite as follows. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." (Dickens 1) Use only author’s last name and no commas. Put a space between author’s last name and page number where the quotation can be found.
7. Don’t introduce a literary element, like theme, and then never explore what the theme of the book actually is. If you introduce a technique you need to describe WHAT IT IS and HOW THE AUTHOR USES IT. Then, WHY IS THAT SIGNIFICANT IN SOME WAY?
8. Use specific details form the text – things that actually happen in the book. Do not give general plot summary and expect that to suffice.
9. Lose the sparknotes-ish plot summary. Most of us don’t actually write like that (if you do, that is wonderful). I want to hear YOUR voices discussing this literature. Your grade will be affected negatively if you choose to use thoughts/language from other people. Outright plagiarism will be dealt with according to school policy. You don’t have to sound like an expert. I want to hear what YOU have to say about this literature.
10. We’re not rating literature – I don’t care what number out of 10 you would rate the book. Your opinion about the book is less important in this venue than your analysis of the book.
Ms. Prevosti
PS I look forward to next marking period's blogs. I can't wait to see how we improve. Enjoy your reading:)
The book i am reading is the Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver. It os a really good book. One of the main characters is Marietta who in turn changes her name to talyor when she ends up in Taylorville. Marietta lives in Kentucky. Now Marietta tried avoiding pregnacy her whole life. So when she stops at a tire repair shop she was in for a surprise. She ends up hsving to take a three year old, native american girl soon to be named turtle. She needs to mature and fast. Now she not only has to take car of herself but now a three year old child. One literary techinque that Barbara Kingsolver uses is setting. It shows how, where , and when the story takes place. It seems like a really great book that i am looking to finishing soon.
Samantha Grasso
H block
There are two topics I feel I can really improve on I my blog. First I feel I should have picked a stronger literary element to write about, I feel mine was very weak and hard for me to support. I feel the wrong literary element really changed how I wrote my blog, in a bad way because it was hard for me to really explain Winston and big brother while I wrote about atmosphere and mood. Second I feel I need to work on my sentence structure I write run-on sentences, use comma slices, and just a lot of incorrect sentences. I also need to right in a present tense because I was writing as if I was talking about the past which is incorrect. I feel that if I improve on theses parts of my blog I can get an E.
Katie McSherry
My blog was good, but still needed some improvement in certain areas. First of all, in the end of my blog, I left the transition "therefore" which left an awkward finish to my blog. A better transition might have been "in conclusion". Another problem with my blog was how much of the novel I included in my work. I only used information I gathered from the first few pages when I should have tried to use information from many more pages in the beginning, the middle,and the end of the novel. I must be sure to tell the reader that the author uses a certain literary element throughout the entire book! Finally, even though I didn't make any errors in my blog, I need to get into the habit of proofreading my work so I avoid making grammar and surface errors. If I fix these problems, then I'm sure I can raise my grade to an E or maybe even an E+!
Michael Appelgate
A block
I feel like i didn't analysis enough for the novel that i was reading. I think i should use more specific details and examples from the novel to support the literary element that i'm using. Also, i should prove read my paragraph to make sure there is no misktakes or grammar error. Meanwhile, i should also explain why i pick that literary device and how is it make the novel special.
Wing Sum Cheung
9-30-08
Overall, I think my blog was was rather adequate. I used a solid literary technique and I wrote about how that literary technique impacts the reader. I think I used a sufficient amount of details and I think I made my analysis and my interpretation clear. I did not use any “I” phrases and I proofread my grammar before I submitted the post. I also used a quotation from the book which i believe strengthened my argument. I hope I can keep doing what I did in the first blog for the rest of the blogs during the year! I think it is important to discuss somewhat of a plot summary so the person reading the blog will get a better understanding of the whole situation and how the literary technique is used throughout the novel. However, I think I should work on not having so much plot summary in my blog because I always end up writing a paragraph on plot summary and then a paragraph on the literary technique the author uses. In conclusion, I am happy with the grade I received for my first blog!
Angela Tsetsakos
H Block
My blog followed the method I was supposed to write but I did not post the blog on time so my grade is moved to the next marking period. I did not currently receive any grade so I cannot be sure I well I performed. I did notice that I have to correct my grammatical errors. I will also have to work on my structure formation. I also have to work on using the MLA format; I will have to go over the review sheet so that I can get it right. The two literary devices I used were good. I used adequate details to prove how the literary devices were affected. I will have to try better so that I can get a better grade and keep up my good work id I did get a good grade.
Reubeng Gunasingh
H-Block
My blog was pretty good, I see some improvement based on my sentence structure but there was a specific area I should have acknowledged better. I failed to illustrate how the author uses theme in the book as much as I had planned to but I gave a brief summary of one of the major ideas of the book.It was a little bit challenging for me to explain the plot since it wasn't the literary element I chose to write about so I couldn't relate the theme to the plot of the story. I also forgot to spelling check and edit my work, which caused me a bunch of errors. If I had focused more on these two areas like I did on the rest, I believe I would have earned a better grade on my blog. Overall I think I did a great job and I'll make sure my next blog is very well done before posting it.
Ola Afolabi
A block
10-01-08
My blog post only received an S because I did not include enough specific details. I could have done better all around but that was my major problem. I pretty much used too much plot summary. Next blog, I will make sure to have enough specific details and throw in a couple of quotes as well, using the correct MLA format of course. The main this is not to lose my focus either on the book and more importantly, the literary element. If I increase my focus and the use of greatly specific detail, I will surely do well on my next blog post.
Francisko Kim
H Blog
On the first blog I got an S+ as a grade. For the next blog I plan to do a lot better. While writeing my blog i will get into more detail about the literary devices and how they were used in the novel. I hope that for the next blog i will recieve at least a G.
On the first blog I got an S+ as a grade. For the next blog I plan to do a lot better. While writeing my blog i will get into more detail about the literary devices and how they were used in the novel. I hope that for the next blog i will recieve at least a G.
Michael Morawed
Ps: i forgot to put my name the first time i posted
Improvements on my blog could've certainly been done. One obvious corrections I could of made was with my syntax errors. If I had just reviewed my post before posting many errors could have been fixed. Another improvement that could have been added to my blog entry would have been an excerpt from the novel. A quotation or passage from the novel would have solidified my literary techniques explained in my blog entry. Another error that could've been avoided was the misuse of commas. If these errors were fixed then my essay could have obtained a higher grade.
Ho Lee A Block
For my first blog i did nto get a grade yet. But i think i will probally get around an S. I think that becasue i didnt base or really talk about a literary technique. ALso the blog i wrote should be a little bit longer. I should have put more detail. Also there were some spelling error. I should proofread agian and agian to make sure there are no surface error. Once i get my grade and why i got it, it should help me in doing better for my next blog.
Samantha Grasso
H Block
My bolg did not truly reflect my personal oppinion of the novel. I worried too much about detail and lenght. I should have picked a literary technique that i understood well enough to write about. I included unnecessary events that had nothing to do with the literary technique. My re-do blog will be corrected and with my own ideas as well as the blogs that follow.
KrisMunoz
H-Block
In order to improve my blog, I needed to improve on watching out for surface errors. I didnt look over my work when it was finished. Also, I did not include a quote from the book and adding a correct citation. Another thing I need to work on as far as the blog is concerned, is to not use so many "I" phrases. Other than that I belive my blog was pretty good after such a long time not writing them.
Asha Gibbs
H- block
My blog was decent in its own sad way. I could improve it by giving more details, checking my spelling, making sure my grammar is decent and making more of an effort. Other than that I really don't know how to improve on it so that i would get an E+. I really enjoyed the book though, it was interesting and I could connect to it on a personal level.
Raya Dyadkina
In regard to my comment on the novel 1984. I could have used more descriptive detail to demonstrate how the author made the characters feel, and what they observed. Also my blog was lacking supporting detail to back up some of my thoughts.Another flaw I noticed was the my ability to present more information about the characters. If I would have fixed the erros in the two above categories; then my response addressing the novel 1984 would have been golden.
Jonathan Ayoub A-Block
My first blog would of been better if I had read more of the book, in my oppinion but, I think for the amount of the book I read I responded to the question well.
In my Next blog post I will be shure to use more literary eliments properly and check for spelling mistakes
Victoria Exume block A
I`ve been reading the book Go Ask Alice and I think my blog for this semester was okay. I should of followed more directions so I could achieve a better grade on this blog. What i didn`t do was i didn`t write in present tense. What i did was pretty much make a summary of what i am up to in the book. But I think i followed mostly all the tasks of writing the blog. I could of used a lot more sensory details also in my blog. What i really didnt understand was how to cite MLA format but now i sort of understand how to so on my next blog i will understand how to folloe directions and i will write a successful blog and score high on it.
Chris Gallo
A-Block
After reading my blog again I feel that I did good.However, I think I should have used less plot summary. Instead of including a whole lot of plot summary I see that I should have proved how the author used setting in the novel more.Also, to improve my next blog im going to included more analysis. So now after I reflect on my strengths and weakness on the blog I now know what to do and what not to do next time.
Ashley Jones
H-Block
Kamylah Bennett
Ms. Prevosti
The book "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding uses the literary element, setting, to grab the readers attention. In the book, two boys discover that they have survived a plane crash, as they observe the remains of the plane scattered around them. They are left alone in the middle of what seems to be a jungle, with no adult supervision. William Golding says "Ralph disentangled himself cautiously and stole away through the branches". This creates an eerie feeling for the reader, and shows the conditions of which the boy is in. In conclusion, the author uses descriptive language to paint a picture for his reader.
The book Lord of the Flies was written by William Golding. It sets off an adventurous fun atmosphere as two boys have just survived a plane crash and are overwelmed at the act thier are no adults and no one to tell them what they can and can't do. As trouble begins to find the boys, the book quickly turns to a frightining and devasting enviroment. The boys at first never want to be found but then begin to beg to be rescued.
In the novel The Catcher and the Rye, J.D Salinger uses characterization to express his feelings towards what happened in his life. Holden is a troubled teen that hates the world, as we know it. Everything to him is everyone else’s fault and not his own. Throughout this work the author depicts how Holden views the world and how he reads and interprets people. His attitude from the novel varies from time to time. In the novel he tries to find and attack the flaws people have to make him feel better. Not realizing that he has more problems and flaws than everyone he psychoanalyzes. Holden can simply be put as a depressed teen, which is sick of a world of phonies, but ironically he is one himself. Ultimately Holden is a depressed kid but above all else he is a chronic liar, he lies about everything. The author created Holden in his own image leading the reader to believe everything he said was true, but at the same time believed he was the liar, which was perceived by the reader. Generally his flaws make the book actually worth reading, not to mention the actual connections it has to the real world.
-Jonathan Ayoub
In this emotionally intense novel, “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker, while Shug first arrives into Celie’s life, she optimistically changes her life. Throughout this compelling novel, she has an infrequent disease which her own parents neglect her for. Shug is a woman of uncertain morals. As they first meet, Celcie is caught by Shug’s appealing and sophisticated style. Also, as Shug reminds Celie of her mother, they come within reach of each other. Moreover, both characters can relate to each other. Shug plays a more dominant role than Celie’s mother. Similarly, as Shug becomes an inspiration to Celie, she gradually inspires her to make a living by sewing pants. Shug plays many roles in Celie’s life, being a mother, best friend and lover. Shug, an adviser of Celie, helps Celie in change emotionally and spiritually.
Ricci V.
11/28/08
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee uses mood to display atmosphere in the book. The setting is based in the town of Maycomb a few years after the Great Depression. The story is told in the first person perspective of Scout. Scout's father is chosen to defend a black man in court for raping a white women. This helps develop mood because back then black people had no rights. The mood goes from bad to worse as everyone in the town makes fun of Scout and her brother Jem. In the end the black man was arrested even though he was innocent. Harper Lee used mood to truly make the setting feel hopeless and depressing to really give the novel feeling.
Shawn Cybulska
Block-H
11/29/08
In the novel A Separate Peace, John Knowles uses imagery to illustrate the sights and views of one of the main characters. One of the main characters had gone to Devon School in New Hampshire; after he had graduated he had returned fifthteen years later. This man wasn’t happy with what he saw at first, the author portrayed what he saw in a very detailed manner. For example he stated “through swinging doors I reached a marble foyer, and stopped at the foot of a long white marble flight of stairs” (Knowles 11) this character had described what he saw in-depth because he realized everything he saw because the way he knew that school before the war, was very different. He kept getting flashbacks of how things used to be and he pictured in his mind how the school was. By John Knowles describing every aspect of the campus the reader is left understanding how much that school meant to him.
A-Block
Jazmin Roman
11/30/08
Holden lie's, when he told the old retired teacher that he had to get his equiptment from the gym when yet he doesnt leave anything i gym Holden belives everyone are fake or as he would call them "phonies". I dont belive you can find Salingers voice deep withing holdens. I think he should be in the childrens because, he seems immature at some points of the novel. I thought it was very nice of him to visit him, but for him to lie to him wasnt the nicest thing to do. When he read the letter outloud that Holden wrote a while back when he was still in school wasnt the write thing either. Holden seems to be lyeing to the reader. I feel the book is filled with suprises and it draws the readers attention not to put the book down.
- Alexandra Ferrigno
A-Block
In To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee uses imagery to describe Scout and Jem's fun experiences with Dill during their long Summer, as well as Dill himself. "Dill was a curiosity. He wore blue linen shorts that buttoned to his shirt, his hair was snow white and stuck to his head like duckfluff" (Lee 9). The author's physical description of Dill gives the idea that Dill looks like an old man even though he is only seven years old. Harper's descriptions of the characters' experiences also led to characterization, like when Dill was described as eccentric after the children acted out some plays early in the novel. Dill is also a very curious young boy, and that is because he wants to make Boo Radley come outside even though no one in the neighborhood, including himself, would go anywhere near the front door of the Radley house. Therefore, the imagery used by Harper Lee in To Kill A Mockingbird shows why Scout and Jem accept Dill as a friend and, indirectly, characterizes Dill.
Michael Appelgate
A block
In the novel To kill a mockingbird , Harper Lee uses symbolism to present the style of the novel. Jem and Scout symbolize innocence.Then their father Atticus symbolizes decency and goodness. Atticus also helps and protects the innocence. Tom Robinson symbolizes oppression. And Radley is symbolism of the towns "weirdo" who is misunderstood. The novel To kill a mockingbird, takes place in the great depression, and theses symbols helps show this mood.
Vanessa Cucuzza
H:block
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous is a very ironic story of a girl who becomes wrapped up in drugs. Alice is your average shy, timid teenager who starts to experiment with drugs during a trip visiting her grandparents. Through out the book Alice gets into deeper and deeper trouble due to drugs but at the same time hate the drugs for what they did not only to her but to her family and her reputation. The reason this book is so ironic is because in the end Alice seems to finally have pulled herself together and fixed her life, she dies to an overdoes of drugs. That leaves open so many questions to whether she took the drugs and overdosed, or if someone planted drugs so that she would overdose. Alice worked so hard to become good and stay off drugs and the fact that her death was caused by an overdose of the one thing she was trying to rid her life of is very ironic. “After you’ve had it, there isn’t a life without drugs.” Anonymous, 83.
Katie McSherry
Block: A
In the novel 1984, George Orwell uses characterization throughout the novel to show the fear inside Winston Smith. Big Brother is always watching Winston. Because of this Winston is always aware of his surroundings and tries not to attract attention to him. Winston feels too controlled in his society and trapped in his own country. For example, the government makes people speak a new language called Newspeak. This language attempts to prevent political rebellion by eliminating all words related to it. Even thinking rebellious thoughts is illegal. Such thoughts are a crime, in fact, the worst of all crimes. In this kind of community one cannot help but fear expressing thoughts or actions that might lead to misinterpretation by Big Brother. Winston feels overpowered and controlled by his government and lives in constant fear. He is afraid to live his life.
Louis Ferrara H-block
In the novel To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee uses symbolism such as the gum in the hole of the tree, that’s also where Scout and Jem found the two pennies. Harper Lee is giving us the evidence that will relate to what is going to happen in the future of the book. Another symbol to remember is the Radleys, since Atticus found the kids playing the game, that might’ve stirred things up. A girl named Scout is the main character. Scout feels as if school is frustrating for her. She accomplished the first months so far. After a long day of school, she was walking by the Radley Place, and notices a piece of tin foil sticking out of a hole in the tree. It caught her eye, so she decides to walk over to it, unwrap the foil and notices two pieces of gum. After Scout chewed both pieces of gum, she told her friend Jem about what had happened. Jem thought it was a bad idea and urged Scout to spit it out of her mouth. The frustrating school year was finally over for Scout and Jem. Scout and Jem were walking together and found two tarnished Indian-head pennies. The unusual aspect was that the pennies were hidden in the tree in the exact hole where Scout found the gum. The friends thought this was special, and decided to keep the pennies. Since students had their whole summer to enjoy, Dill returned to Maycomb. Dill, Scout and Jem did exactly what they do every summer when their together, play outdoor games. A game that enjoyed by the friends was rolling each other inside a tire. When it was Scouts turn to roll in the tire, it rolls right in front of Radley’s steps. Jem and Scout began to get very nervous. Although, this helped Jem come up with the next activity for him and his friends to play. It was called “Boo Radley”. They played this fun game throughout the summer until they exaggerated on how the Radley family acts and their personalities. Atticus discovers the kids playing their game and asks them if it involves the Radleys. Jem did the wrong thing and lied, Atticus seemed mad and left. The kids wonder if they would be able to play their “Boo Radley” game anymore since that incident.
-Amanda Palladino A Block
In the novel A Separate Peace, John Knowles uses theme depict the characters coming of age; it describes the confusion of adolescents maturing into adulthood as the protagonist Gene Forrester tries gain respect and love from his school mates. The theme also revolves around the danger of jealousy that arises between two school friends. Despite the fact that Gene Forrester is a great friend to Finny, Gene is extremely jealous of Finny because he is talented and well-liked by people in school. His jealousy becomes so intense it causes Finny to fall a tree, which makes him a cripple and ultimately causing his death. The anxiety from the war also plays a major role in the novel. "So the war swept over like a wave at the seashore, gathering power and size as it bore on us, overwhelming in its rush, seemingly inescapable, and then at the last moment eluded by a word from Phineas; I had simply ducked, that was all, and the wave's concentrated power had hurtled harmlessly overhead." (Knowles 101).Life was peaceful before World War II but as students begin to leave the school to join the military, the serenity of most students is replaced with pain and anxiety impacted by the war and also influences their decisions to leave school. In the novel A Separate Peace, John Knowles ultimately depicts the misunderstanding between two friends, which ended tragically.
Ola Afolabi
A block
In the novel "Go Ask Alice" the anonymous author uses point of view to protray the real problems that this teenager Alice has faced due to peer pressure and not having the right friends around.The novel is written in first person in the form of a diary. The novel contains Alice's everyday life inside. Alice would write in her diary feeling a sense of relief knowing that what ever she writes she will not be jugded based on her diary.Alice talks about how she does not enjoy change in any way. Alice is exposed to obstacles that she herself can't find the answer to.She would do drugs with her friends and assume that would be the answer.Alice would write in her diary and try to tell herself that she doesn't need drugs, the addiction is far more greater then she knows. This novel has many great examples of real problems teenagers face in highschool, bad influences are just one of the many Alice has and is experiencing. This novel is a great book that really lets people know that the problems Alice is facing are real life problems that occur in high school.
Tiana Rodriguez
A-Block
In the novel The Catcher In The Rye J.D. Salinger uses characterization to show the disdain Holden has for the world. Holden's cyncism is made clear with the first sentence of the book when Holden says "You'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like." (Salinger 1) J.D. Salinger uses characterization by telling the story through Holden's eyes which is very negative and morbid. Holden's characterization makes the story told very narrowly since, the novel is presented in the first person point of view. There by laying out the story with limited ideas of how other characters really are. Holden refers to many people as "phonies." Which, shows his negative outlook on life. Holden's characteristics makes the reading of The Catcher In The Rye very unique and interesting.
In the novel A Separate Peace , John Knowles uses characterization to depict the personality of Gene. Gene admires his best friend Finny while he envies him. He admires his talented athletic skills and his popularity in school. Gene is jealous because he has to work so hard to achieve his goal while Finny could accomplish it easily. Gene’s resentment and jealously of Finny has overcome their friendship. He decided to make Finny fall from a tree on purpose to make him injured while everyone thought it was an accident. Afterward, he regrets of what he has done to his best friend Finny and tell him the truth of his accident. Gene’s guilt makes him apologies to his own fault. Finny eventually forgive him and they were friends again.
Wing Sum Cheung
In "Go Ask Alice" the anonymous author uses point of view to portray the real problems that this teenager Alice has faced due to peer pressure and not having the right friends around. The novel is set as the first person who is actually the diary Alice keeps and writes in. Alice uses the diary to help her get through school and some hard times. In the book shes tried many drugs and moves to two different states. the book shows great examples of what teenagers face during their lives. Some are influences with drugs or alcohol.
"Last night was the night friend! I finally smoked pot and it was even greater than i expected"! This book really shows the hardships Alice had to face during her teenage years.
Derik Hubbard
H-Block
In the novel A Separate Peace , John Knowles uses characterization to depict the personality of Gene. Gene admires his best friend Finny while he envies him. He admires his talented athletic skills and his popularity in school. Gene is jealous because he has to work so hard to achieve his goal while Finny could accomplish it easily. Gene’s resentment and jealously of Finny has overcome their friendship. He decided to make Finny fall from a tree on purpose to make him injured while everyone thought it was an accident. Afterward, he regrets of what he has done to his best friend Finny and tell him the truth of his accident. Gene’s guilt makes him apologies to his own fault. Finny eventually forgive him and they were friends again. Although Gene makes Finny fall off from a tree on purpose because of his jealousy, he regrets what he has done to him. It shows that Gene still cares about Finny although Finny died from his operation of his leg.
Wing Sum Cheung
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a story that takes place during the Great Depression in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. The narrator is six-year-old Scout Finch, the daughter of the widow Atticus, a middle-aged lawyer. They live with her older brother Jem. Jem and Scout have a friend named Dill who visits Maycomb to stay with his aunt for the summer. Atticus goes to great lengths to teach his children the importance of being open-minded, judicious and being good citizens. Jem and Scout often call him “sir” or they call him by his first name instead of “father”. Scout matures as the novel plays out but still has some of her childish ways. The novel is written from the point of view of Scout when she is older. She often comments on how she didn't understand some things at the time of the story, but as a grown up, she does. Scout learns from Boo Radley the true value of getting to know someone before "judging them." She is sad at the end that she never gave him anything back, as he gave them treasures and their lives. The novel is famous for its humor, despite dealing with issues of rape and racial inequality.
Bryan Rivelli
H Block
11/30/08
The Bell Jar is a novel that uses setting to create a negative place for Esther Greenwood. Esther is living in New York City working as a magazine columnist. Plath uses fast paced New York City to contrast with Esther’s calm but dark personality. However, Esther’s calm demeanor begins to change further in the story. She is not as perky or similar to any of her peers whom she lives with and believes this city is more oppressive than inviting. After her month of working at the magazine she returns home. Esther becomes more depressed and tries to kill herself. Eventually she is placed in mental institution. The mental institution is an even more oppressive environment and Esther wants out. She prepares to leave the institution and stay out of the metaphorical “bell jar” she believes she’s trapped in. Plath’s novel is an well written book with various settings and unpredictable events.
Allison Lee
H Block
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel that implies characterization to illustrate how one man’s decision to do right benefited the life of someone else. Harper Lee uses characterization to demonstrate how Atticus Finch’s decision to help someone, helped shape the society of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930’s. Atticus Finch is a compassionate and truthful man who believes that fairness and equality should be of higher value than injustice and unbalanced laws. Being a lawyer during the trial of an innocent black man accused of rape, Atticus Finch chooses to defend Tom Robinson even when faced against a jury that is entirely white. Atticus’ courage and strength in this case allows him to stand strong even when facing adversity. “Atticus had said it was the polite thing to talk to people about what they were interested in, not what you were interested in”. This illustrates how Atticus places others before himself. Although he knows it’s dangerous to defend a black man in a predominate white jury, Atticus continues to protect Tom Robinson, because he establishes himself with fair and just methods. Harper Lee portrays Atticus Finch as a man who persists in doing what is right to prove that there is good in people even when faced with difficult situations.
By:Racquel Wood
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is an intriguing novel set during the 1950’s in Pennsylvania and New York City and narrated first hand by the main character Holden Caulfield. Holden Caulfied is hospitalized while he is writing his passed experiences dealing with school, family and life in general. J.D. Salinger uses the literary technique of characterization throughout the novel.J.D. Salinger develops Holden’s character by allowing the reader to see what Holden thinks of the world and how he interprets and communicates with the people around him. At first Holden seems like a real, powerful and strong character. Holden is repeatedly saying how dissappointed he is in the way society functions. He is constantly judging and calling everyone and everything “phony.” Throughout the novel, it slowly becomes clear that Holden is in reality the phony one. He fails out of four schools, has mixed emotions and has no idea what he wants to do with his life. Also, he is unable to connect with other people other than his little sister Pheobe, his deceased brother Allie and his former girlfriend Jane. Although Holden is extremely satirical and humorous, he is also a deceitful and insecure person. “I knew the part about pretending i was a deaf mute was crazy, but I liked thinking about it anyway” (Salinger 258). When Holden says this it becomes clear that he lies often and he enjoys doing it. Throughout the novel, he is continuously bringing up his philosophy on how children are pure and innocent and how adults are phony and fake. The way in which Holden expresses himself attracts the reader to the book even though he is a liar not only to the reader but also to himself. Although the reader will not always be able to tell if what is being said is real, the novel is full of excitement. Holden’s character is one that can be easily connected to which keeps the reader interested.
-Angela Tsetsakos
-H Block
In the book go ask alice by anonymous the author uses point of view to you the reader how hard it is to be a teenager. The author shows you the problem alices faces, and the peer pressure she goes throught. She gets into peer pressure because the friends she have mad. They werent the right group of friends, they influenced her badly. The diary/book is written in the first person view. The book is her personal diary. She writes about soem hard times she has had, and also about school, and she the problems she has in school. Her teenage years are already hard enough but her new friends make it even harder for her. They do bad things like drink, and smoke. After sheeing her fiends do it she also tries it. In the book it says she has tried many types of drugs. So far i think the book is a great book. I hope to finish it soon.
Samantha Graaso
H Block
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is written by John Berendt. This novel takes place in Savannah Georgia and contains real life events that occurred in the 1980's.It is the story of hustler Danny Hansford’s who is murdered by art dealer Jim Williams. This nonfiction novel captures the readers attention by the use of imagery to create dramatic and vivid images of the incidents that took place. The Lady Chablis is the local drag queen and entertainer of the town in Savannah who plays a role in the novel . The title implies to the voodoo idea of "midnight" which is the period between the time for good magic and the time for evil magic; in "the garden of good and evil," which refers to the Bonaventure Cemetery. As told by the narration, the citizens of that town feel that they are living in another world. "'But actually," she said, 'the whole of Savannah is an oasis. We are isolated. Gloriously isolated! We're a little enclave on the coast - off by ourselves, surrounded by nothing but marshes and piney woods. We're not easy to get to at all, as you may have noticed. If you fly here, you usually have to change planes at least once...We're a terribly inconvenient destination!"( Berendt 29). The novel which is placed in with the "non-fiction" genre or "mystery" would also be considered a "crime" genre. Overall, Midnight in the Garden of Good and evil is very exciting and well written.
KristineMunoz
H-Block
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is an intriguing novel written by John Berendt. This novel takes place in Savannah Georgia and contains real life events that occurred in the 1980's.It is the story of hustler Danny Hansford’s who is murdered by art dealer Jim Williams. This nonfiction novel captures the readers attention by the use of imagery to create dramatic and vivid images of the incidents that took place. The Lady Chablis is the local drag queen and entertainer of the town in Savannah who plays a role in the novel . The title implies to the voodoo idea of "midnight" which is the period between the time for good magic and the time for evil magic; in "the garden of good and evil," which refers to the Bonaventure Cemetery. As told by the narration, the citizens of that town feel that they are living in another world. "'But actually," she said, 'the whole of Savannah is an oasis. We are isolated. Gloriously isolated! We're a little enclave on the coast - off by ourselves, surrounded by nothing but marshes and piney woods. We're not easy to get to at all, as you may have noticed. If you fly here, you usually have to change planes at least once...We're a terribly inconvenient destination!"( Berendt 29). The novel which is placed in with the "non-fiction" genre or "mystery" would also be considered a "crime" genre. Overall, Midnight in the Garden of Good and evil is very exciting and well written.
KristineMunoz
H-Block
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt exhibits the murder mysteries in Savannah, Georgia in the early 1980's. Berendt uses imagery to give his readers in depth detail of the scenes in the book. Within the first few pages, you can almost imagine yourself being in the mansion of art dealer Jim Williams. Berendt also uses characterization to show each characters emotions and actions towards one another. Most of the characters are pristine, wealthy, fine men and women. They all dine together in each others mansions and are always elegant about what they say and do.
- Brandon DiMatteo
In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel that is about a black man who is charged with rape of a white girl. The author Harper Lee uses a setting to give the reader a better understanding of that time frame. He uses a setting to show how in the 1930’s Maycomb was affected by the south. This novel’s narrator is a girl named Scout Finch . Who is the daughter of Atticus the lawyer. They lived in the same home with Scout’s older brother Jem. Scout and Jem learned everything from their father. He taught them how to be good citizens and very open minded. Scout and Jem called there father either by his first name or “sir”. Scout always had it hard with her father and always faced the criticism from other people in Maycomb because of her fathers support of the justice of blacks. The setting is used in this novel because during this time frame 1930’s there was a lot of racial problems. Where the setting kicks in is when an innocent black man was accused of rape and is put in a court room with an all white jury. Due to the racial inequality during the 1930’s racism played a huge part in the decision making in the courtroom. Scout new this was very unfair thanks to the help of her father Scout will always know never to judge a book by its cover you really need to know someone first. Scout will always carry on her fathers words but will never completely understand why there is so much racial inequality in the south.
Samantha Villa
H - Block
December 1, 2008
In 1984 by George Orwell the author uses setting to portray the main character Winston Smith’s problematic life. Winston Smith lives in a city where everyone’s lives are monitored by the government. This creates a barrier between him and freedom. Winston desires freedom so much that he joins the “Ministry of Love”. He believes by joining this organization he will achieve some freedom but instead he lives with dread that someone might rat him out. He is afraid of the criticism that he will receive if he was caught trying to express his right to liberty. The setting plays a major role on this play because it envelops the reader in the stress felt by Winston Smith. Winston is only able to trust his diary; He expresses all his feelings in the form of words in his diary. In the very beginning when he starts writing in his journal he feels that he was doomed to be caught. He soon receives a note from one of the girls from the Ministry of Love that says “I love you”. He finds someone that he can trust and share his emotions with. But everything changes when he is caught and taken for interrogation. He is completely brainwashed by the interrogators and sides with the government. His love for Julia disappears as his ability to think for himself. Winston Smith’s life was affected by his setting because it was able to overpower his freewill and make him a slave of the government.
Reuben Gunasingh
H-Block
12/1/08
The novel Go Ask Alice by Anonymous, was an intriguing book about a fifteen year old girl who is known as Alice, starts writing a diary. With a sensitive and observant writing style, she writes about all her troubles and worries. She writes about how she worries what her crush Roger thinks of her, her weight gain, and her sexuality. She is very uncomfortable at school and has difficult times with her parents when she is at home. Alice's father gets a teaching position at a new college and the family ends up moving which makes Alice happy. The move makes things difficult; Alice is not having things easy at her new school and she feels like an outcast. Alice goes to a party which leads to her doing drugs after she vowed never to do them again, and she loses her virginity while she was on acid. Alice worries that she is pregnant but she goes home and her parents welcome her back. Alice has a tough time with drugs and pressure to keep doing them and one day gets caught by the police while she was on drugs and is arrested. She eventually gets sent to a hospital and dies from overdosing on drugs. In this novel, the author uses point of view to talk about all the things that went wrong in Alice's life. Overall, this book is very was great and had a way to influence young people that drugs have major consequences.
Bethany Greenman
H Block
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel that uses characterization to portray the character’s perspective during the time of the great depression. In Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s Scout Finch and her brother Jim grow up learning most of what they know from their father. Their father is Atticus Finch who is an honest lawyer that believes everyone has rights. Scout feels insulted throughout the novel by the people of the court and of the town because her father is defending a black man that was accused of rape. Characterization is used in the novel to show how courageous Atticus is by defending Tom Robinson in a court during the great depression where the whole courtroom is white. Even though Atticus thinks that Tom doesn’t stand a chance in the court he believes that Tom deserves his rights and someone should stand up for him and defend him. Since no one else in the town is willing to he thinks he is the right man for the job. But now the town is talking about Atticus and his children about how he supports black people and stands up for Tom after he has been accused of rape. Harper Lee characterizes Atticus Finch as a man who believes that there is good in everyone and that everyone should have a chance and be treated fairly.
Cory Moser
A-Block
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses characterization to build up the character Atticus and illustrate the power he has to influence the view of others. Throughout the book Atticus is a strong moral influence to his children, Jem and Scout. While there is so much racism and hate in their town he keeps his children at an unbiased view. Even though there are many people against him Atticus keeps his views and stay’s with what he knows is right. Even though defending Tom Robison was not in Atticus best interest he still stood up for what he saw as just. When Atticus says “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”(lee 30) it is clear that he is a very rational person and has he power to strongly influence others. Overall the use of characterization in To Kill a Mockingbird showed how even with so much hate there are still people who see the truth and this book was very enjoyable because of this.
Josephine Barone
H block
Kamylah Bennett
English Blog Post
F block
In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses mood to give the reader a feeling of the characters surroundings and conditions. In the beginning of the chapter, Simon wakes up and is confronted by the “Lord of the Flies”. While walking up the mountain, he was able to stop and see what the beast really was. Simon soon found out that the beast wasn’t really a beast at all; it was nothing but the remains of the pilot held together by rubber, cloth, and cords. After his ordeal with the beast, he saw from a distance a pig being roasted, and went to tell the boys that there really wasn’t any beast on the mountain. Meanwhile, after the boys have their feast, they begin performing a ritual. They chant “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” as they pretend to attack that fake beast made out of a pig. As their pace speeds, a storm starts to rumble; Simon comes from the forest and gets in between the circle. Simon tries to comfort the boys, and let them know that there is no beast, just a rotting body. Simon’s voice got lost and the chant and he was trampled to the ground; the boys stabbing at him with spears mistaking him for the beast. Finally they back off, and realize Simon’s dead body lying in the sand. "Surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures, itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations, Simon's dead body moved out toward the open sea." The mood in this chapter was a mix of anger and fear.
Kamylah Bennett
English Blog Post
F block
In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses mood to give the reader a feeling of the characters surroundings and conditions. In the beginning of the chapter, Simon wakes up and is confronted by the “Lord of the Flies”. While walking up the mountain, he was able to stop and see what the beast really was. Simon soon found out that the beast wasn’t really a beast at all; it was nothing but the remains of the pilot held together by rubber, cloth, and cords. After his ordeal with the beast, he saw from a distance a pig being roasted, and went to tell the boys that there really wasn’t any beast on the mountain. Meanwhile, after the boys have their feast, they begin performing a ritual. They chant “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” as they pretend to attack that fake beast made out of a pig. As their pace speeds, a storm starts to rumble; Simon comes from the forest and gets in between the circle. Simon tries to comfort the boys, and let them know that there is no beast, just a rotting body. Simon’s voice got lost and the chant and he was trampled to the ground; the boys stabbing at him with spears mistaking him for the beast. Finally they back off, and realize Simon’s dead body lying in the sand. "Surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures, itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations, Simon's dead body moved out toward the open sea." The mood in this chapter was a mix of anger and fear.
The book Go ask Alice by Anonymous, was a very interesting yet devastating book the author of go ask Alice uses point of view as one of the literary elements throughout the book it is based on a diary of a girl that goes through rough changes. the narrator of the book who
was a 15 year old girl named Alice explained to us the issues that everyday teenagers go through, the book scares us away from the thoughts of drugs and sex.
Samantha Wong
H block
Travis Knight
Catcher in the Rye is one of my personal favorite books. It is the tale of a man who has been sent to a rest home for therapy. The way the author points out the Phoniness in the world around him is ironic. This irony amuses me. The reason it is ironic is because our protagonist himself, Holden, stretches the truth and even lies over the course of this book. For example, He purposly excludes certian bits of information. He refuses to talk about his older brother ar his actual birth date. He lies just as much as the phonies he despises.
aNgeLA sAlMos
A-block
The Catcher and the Rye by J.D SANGLER is in 1950 when Caulfield was 16 years old.Holden Caulfield goes through treatment in a mental hospital. At Pency,He failed 4 outta 5 classes and recieved a notice that he was gonna get expelled.This story uses point of view within the main character,But he is not allowed to go to mahatten until the following day.
In the bell jar by Sylvia Plath, in the summer of 1953 Esther Greenwood is working as a guest editor for a fashion magazine. The author uses imagery to appeal to the reader. There are many imagery details to describe how every setting looks.
luke opulski
The novel the Catcher and the Rye is set in the 1950's and is told by Holden Caulfield, he is also the author of the book. He tells the story of his life explaining only the details he thinks are important, (he makes sure not to give as he says “un-needed information” such as his childhood story.) He talks about how he attends Pency Prep School in P.A and how wasn’t really the best student there and only really enjoyed one of his classes, only due to the teacher of it. Holden uses a lot of characterization and irony to express his life. He shows a lot of irony when he talks about growing up, such as the pro’s and cons.
Brianna Shane
A- Block
In this book The Catcher and the Rye, the protagonist Holden is telling the audience about his life. This book is very insightful. This book is written in a first person point- of-view. Also this book uses a lot of characterization; he is characterized as a man of respect and knowledge. Yet he sees untruthful people. The boy in this book went to a prep school and only liked one class. He only enjoyed school for the reason of his teacher.
Rob Green
A-Block
The novel Go ask Alice is intriguing. This novel is about a young girls struggles from the decisions she decides to make. Throughout this novel the main character doesn't make wise decisions. The decisions/people she choices, leads her into a cruel and horrible life style.Such as sex, drugs, and droping out of school. The author uses point-of-view to illustrate the horrible affects of the choices made."After you've had it there isn't even life without drugs". This quote is a great example of her bad choices and in addition , shows the point-of -view of the character.The author portrays point-of-view by this quote because it gives the main character's opinions/views about drugs. Which is basically saying, if you try using drugs there is no escape out of it. This book is a great novel for teenagers to read , so that they will learn the bad affects of drugs and other bad temptations.
Ashley Jones
H-Block
In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger is an intriguing work of literature where the author uses irony and conflict to tell a story of a yound man. The young man is in a constant conflict with himself. For example he states that he lies purposly but yet he says that lying is terrible. Another example of the self-conflict is when he hires a prostitute because he feels aroused, but then when she takes off her dress he "felt much more depressed than sexy" (123 Salinger). He tries to figure himself out but it only leads him to more confusion. When he was kicked out of school, he did not know how to adequetly react to it.Irony is also an element used in the novel. The young man believes that the world is against him, when in reality he is against the world. He constantly repeats that the "world" is phony, when it is him who constanly builds fake personalities and alter-egos. The young man is the phony but he states that the world is actaullly phony, thus illustrating the irony of the novel and of his personality. The novel is a perfect example of a young adult who is trying to figure out his character, and this idea is perfectly created by the author through the use of irony and conflict. Ms. Prevosti, I am sorry that this is late, but I did not know the website, but otherwise I did actaully do this on time. ( snaps for raya) Raya Dyadkina
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the story took place in the south, a country called Maycomb. Atticus was smart, layed back, and very patient with his children, with the help from Calpurnia (the maid). Atticus was a lawyer who was not prejudice against blacks, like everyone else back then. Jem and Scout his children, would go about their business, but always listened and learned a lot from Atticus. He taught and talked to them from a very early age about grown up things, not like they were kids. They always played outside but not to far from their house. Scout was more curious about things then Jem was. Jem was a more serious child.
Chris Gallo
A- Block
In The Pearl by John Steinbeck the literary devices used by Steinbeck creates his unique style. One element Steinbeck uses to create style is sentence structure. The author fuses long sentences followed by shorter sentences. One example is "And this time he spoke in the old language." Steinbeck also uses imagery to portray his style. The imagery used in the novel creates a sense of environment. With the many literary techniques his style is one of emotional value. By using all the techniques the story is written with fluidity throughout the hardship of Kino's life. With the tone being omniscent the author creates a sense of danger and anxiety within the novel. Now Juana had the baby under her shawl, and she stared with anxiety and fear." With Steinbeck's style it is clear that Kino's life will be filled with sorrow. John Steinbeck also uses symbolism within The Pearl. Within The Pearl the actual pearl symbolized hope for Kino and his family. The pearl was supposed to bring peace but brought havoc instead. The irony within the symbolism creates a depressing tone. All the techniques he was used within the novel creates his unique style. The emotional value is definitely represented in The Pearl.
Jonathan Ayoub A-Block
In Death of a Salesmen, Arthur Miller uses characterization to depict the views and beliefs of Willy Loman. Willy is the protagonist of the play and is upset with his social status. He is a traveling salesmen who is currently battling himself through his occupation. "Spite, spite, is the word of your undoing! And when you're down and out, remember what did it" (Miller,103). The ides thatwilly demonstrates lead everyone to mourn for him as a person. He is slowly breaking down and cracking to stress. This stress leads to his tragic demise, "low-man" refering to his life being lower then mediocre.
In the novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck tragic hero is utilized to indicate how the protagonist’s desire for a better life results in the death of his son. Kino is a sea diver who is trying to provide a better life for his wife Juana, and son Coyotito. Barely having enough money to provide for his family, Juana’s windfall comes one day while he goes sea diving. Juana encounters with a pearl of great size and he believes it will bring great prosperity to his family because his son needs medical treatment after being bitten by a scorpion. However, Kino’s obtaining of the pearl only leads into deeper trouble for both him and his family. Neighbors long to have the pearl, some people try to steal it, and trackers follow Kino and his family. Although evil tends to occur in Kino’s life he does not give up in the pearl and continues to trust in its “great” value. In one incident Kino attacks the trackers who have been hunting down his family, as he confronts one tracker, another one blasts a bullet which pierced through the top of his son’s head. “In Kino’s ears the Song of the Family was as fierce as a cry. He was immune and terrible, and his song had become a battle cry (Steinbeck 89)”. Kino’s attempt to create a better life for his family result in heartrending pain as his son dies and his hope fades.
Racquel Wood
In the novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck tragic hero is utilized to indicate how the protagonist’s desire for a better life results in the death of his son. kino is a pearl diver trying to provide a life for himself his wife Juana and his only son Kayatito. Barely having enough money to provide for his family, Juana’s agrees comes one day while he goes pearl diving. kino finds a pearl the size of a sea gulls egg. he believes this will help his family gain a lot of money.However, Kino’s obtaining of the pearl only leads into deeper trouble for both him and his family. Neighbors long to have the pearl, some people try to steal it, and trackers follow Kino and his family. when kino attacks the trackers one shoots his son. “In Kino’s ears the Song of the Family was as fierce as a cry. He was immune and terrible, and his song had become a battle cry. (Steinbeck 89)” kino was trying to make a better life for his family but in the end one got killed. the pearl represents evil,and greed in john Steinbeck's THE PEARL
DERIK HUBBARD A-Block
In the play All my sons, Arthur Miller present his style through the point of view, sentence structure, tone and use of vocabulary of the play. “Nothing. Just that you.. remember him, he’s in your thoughts”(Miller 377) shows that the point of view of the play is the narrator while the play was mainly lead by the dialogues between characters. The sentence structures of the play are also clear and simple. He uses simple vocabulary that present simple messages to the reader. “MOTHER-Well..yes; ANN- Well, I’m not Kate.”(Miller 379) shows that the use of language of this play is simply and usually contains slang. “KELLER- I’m just wondering. All these years George don’t go to see his father. Suddenly he goes…and she comes here.”(Arthur 389) shows that the dialogues are simple as the conversation that people have in the daily life. The tone of this play is critical because Arthur Miller doesn’t agree with the character’s action. The mood of All my sons is sad, doom and tragic. In contrast to Arthur Miller’s other work of literature such as Crucible which have similar mood and tone.
Wing Sum Cheung
A block
Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle uses sentence structure to break down his ideas into short chapters. Vonnegut does this to add more ideas into his book instead of cutting them out. Most books only show you specific key things, Vonnegut's book shows you every single thing that happened to the main character. Most chapters in the novel are only about three pages long but still get there point across. Vonnegut's style of writing is that he won't put to much detail into anything "The two set sail for Miami" this could be more detailed. This style of writing works for Vonnegut however, when authors add to much detail to a book they bore the reader. Cats Cradle gives more information about things in the book not a detailed setting. Kurt Vonnegut's style of writing is perfect it is able to give the reader details without boring them.
Shawn Cybulska
Block-H
In the novel The pearl, John Steinbeck uses imagery to exhibit his sense of style. His uses of style creates the message of greed in the novel. "And the beauty of the pearl winking and glimmering in the light of the candle, cozened his brain with its beauty." (The Pearl, 39) This imagery can illuminate the beauty of this pearl that everyone wants a piece of. Greed can relate back to karma because it always comes back to get one. Greed leads one to do things they would never believe they would do. The imagery of the pearl helps one to understand greed because it shows how people act in such way over something that changed all of their lives. John Steinbeck uses imagery many times in the novel, because it creates a sense of environment. John Steinbeck's, The Pearl shows his style of imagery to convey his message of the story.
Vanessa Cucuzza
A:block
The Pearl by John Steinbeck is a story about a diver named Kino who finds a pearl that can make his life better for him and his family. The family finds nothing but trouble as the pearl sparks nothing but greed and obsession from all of his neighbors and curses Kino himself with suspicion that everyone is out to steal his pearl. The family, who represents the innocence of the human heart, loses that innocence with the dread that follows the coming of the magnificent pearl, and the thought that wealth can help any situation. Steinbeck uses a great deal of sensory details, using words that appeal to the senses, to describe how the situations feel for the characters. In the scene where Kino’s son Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, how the scorpion made its way down into Coyotito’s box, how “the curved thorn on the tail’s end glistened” (Steinbeck, 9) giving the reader an image of how fearful everyone in the room was of the deadly scorpion. Steinbeck also uses diction, using large and meaningful words in place of smaller and less effective words, as a way of describing events in the plot.
Bryan Rivelli
H Block
3-29-09
The Pearl by John Steinbeck is a story about a diver named Kino who finds a pearl that can make his life better for him and his family. The family finds nothing but trouble as the pearl sparks nothing but greed and obsession from all of his neighbors and curses Kino himself with suspicion that everyone is out to steal his pearl. The family, who represents the innocence of the human heart, loses that innocence with the dread that follows the coming of the magnificent pearl, and the thought that wealth can help any situation. Steinbeck uses a great deal of sensory details, using words that appeal to the senses, to describe how the situations feel for the characters. In the scene where Kino’s son Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, how the scorpion made its way down into Coyotito’s box, how “the curved thorn on the tail’s end glistened” (Steinbeck, 9) giving the reader an image of how fearful everyone in the room was of the deadly scorpion. Steinbeck also uses diction, using large and meaningful words in place of smaller and less effective words, as a way of describing events in the plot.
Bryan Rivelli
H block
3-29-09
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is a play about the miserable life of a man named Willy Lowman. In the play Willy cannot catch a break. His life is hard, his job is terrible, and he has nothing in his life but miserable ness. The style Arthur Miller uses is metaphorical and tragic. He uses these in some of his other plays. An example of this is The Crucible. In the play Willy seems to be looking for a way out of his life. Willy at one point tries to commit suicide with a pipe. Yet Willy constantly refuses one way out of his predicament he calls life. This is when his brother, Ben, offers him work in Alaska. Arthur Miller uses Willy Lowman's life as a metaphor for the life of the common man. The metaphor seems to be that the common man's life is unrewarding and unfulfilling. In fact Willy's own last name is a metaphor. Lowman literally means low man. This means Willy Lowman is at the bottom of society almost like a bum. In the play Willy says "Nothing's planted. I don't have a thing in the ground." This means there is no evidence of Willy's life. He will not be remembered. The play ultimately depicts the way life was for many people in America during the 1940's.
Louis Ferrara
3/29/09 H-block
John Steinbeck uses a tone of moral lessons to create his sense of style in the novel The Pearl. Kino is a pearl diver, who had come a crossed a pearl the size of a sea gulls egg. Kino tries to sell this pearl, but is unsuccessful. People of the town become greedy and everyone wants a piece of this pearl. Kino is seen as a tragic hero in this novel. He is striving to realize his ambitions and recognizing his mistakes. Though when all Kino wants is for his son, Coyotito to become healthy again Coyotito, gets shot. This leaves Kino in a mournful moral meltdown. This novel The Pearl uses tone to signify the style of John steinbeck.
Francisko Kim
H: Block
In the play Under the Bridge, Arthur Miller uses characterization throughout the entire entertaining play. Eddie is characterized by having life experiences in which helped him discover a copious amount more than his neice does. Eddie is caring yet has a carefree personality. He feels as if his neice Catherine isn't good enough for any Italian that crosses her path in Brooklyn,New York. Rodolpho doesn't know what he's getting himself into with falling for Catherine. Eddie's personality traits will not let this young man fall for his neice. He worries about Catherine as if she were his own daughther. Eddie finally accepts the fact that Rodolpho and Catherine want to be an item. Not expecting Rodolpho to be standing in Catherine's bedroom doorway when he comes home from work one afteroon. Eddie's carefree personality turned into a whole different one. After this incident, Eddie didn't care where Rodolpho wounded up. As long as he was out of his home.
-Amanda Palladino H Block
John Steinbeck uses style such a little dialog. A misfortune mood, modest modest vocabulary, and long sentences to reveal his message in The pearl. Mainly the limited amount of dialog and misfortune mood reveal the purpose of John Steinbeck's The Pearl. The message or purpose or purpose that John Steinbeck is trying to reveal in the pearl is even the worlds greatest gift can be it's destroyer. Steinbeck used the misfortune mood to reveal this, because in the novel one of the characters Koin obtains the “ pearl of the world” misfortune seems to follow him in his quest to sell the pearl and make a better life for him and his family. Koin becomes a different person and actually kills a man, their son whom the pearl was going to save from a life of being less then everyone else was murdered, all due to the finding of the pearl which should have saved their family rather then destroy it. The limited amount of dialog used leaves more room for Steinbeck to allow the reader to more or less get in to Koins head and understand what he is seeing and feeling rather then seeing the novel from a third persons perspective. Both of these styles really show and reveal the message that Steinbeck is trying to create.
Katie McSherry
Block: A
Death Of A Salesman by Arthur Miller is a play about a salesman named Willy Lowman who's life all goes downhill. Willy not only loses his job, but he also has problems at home. Willy and his Oldest son Biff just cant seem to get along. Arthur Miller uses sentence structure to show the tone of the play. By using alot of dialogue between characters and sentence structure is clear and simple. The dialogue is very simple to understand Arthur Miller's point. The tone of the play is very tragic. This is shown throughout the play, especially when Willy loses his job and barely has enough money to pay the bills. Other plays written by Arthur Miller have the same tone such as The Crucible and All My Sons.
Angela Soliman
A-block
Ryan McLean
H-Block
The Death of A Salesman by Arther Miller really shows Millers stand point on writing. One of his more destintive trademarks is how he writes plays. This was true in A Death of A Salesman. However something else that is intriving about his style is the lack of details. Although this sounds like a downfall it is not. Millers style using less details keeps the reader in check of the main idea (the mystery behind Willy Loman). Miller feels that the details are unnecassary. Another trademark used by Miller are his short sentences. Both of these charactiristics get to the main idea of Millers style. This is that short and gets to the point. A book does not have to be 500 pages long to be informative. However a shorter book will keep the reader satisfied and unbored.
John Steinbeck, the author of The Pearl, uses tone to his advantage in The Pearl. The tragic and depressing tone of this novel gives the reader a understanding of what is going on in Kino's life. When Kino finds the pearl, his life takes a turn for the worse. Steinbeck's tone allows the reader to imagine what troubles Kino is going through. As the novel ends, Kino is deeply affected from the evil luck of this pearl as his baby son was shot by hunters. Steinbeck uses tone in this novel to express the emotions of kino's life and how it changed for the worse.
-Brandon DiMatteo
In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, I think that Arthur Miller`s purpose or message of his style is that how some people handle certain problems. How you can handle something by acting kind but feeling sick on the inside. And by how others handle it differently, because they don`t really understand it. And some people only know one way to handle a situation. How some people cover for another persons misunderstanding of a certain problem that is going on. I think the author is trying to show a family crisis. And the true meaning of trying to uunderstand what`s happening, and the frustration that can happen to a family.
Chris Gallo
H-Block
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is a play about the horrible life of a man named Willy Lowman. In the play nothing goes right in Willy Loman’s life. His life is hard and it is constantly filled with hard work that he dislikes greatly. The style Arthur Miller uses is metaphors and tragic endings. In the play Willy seems to be looking for a new way of life. He wants to experience life differently where he is not miserable. At one desperate point in Willy’s life he tries to kill himself by using a pipe. Arthur Miller uses the life of Willy Lowman to portray the life of the common man. The kind of man that has to work to live. Willy's last name is a metaphor. Lowman is used in the play to and it actually means low-man. In the play Willy says "Nothing's planted. I don't have a thing in the ground." This means that he has left nothing behind for people to remember him by. He has not been noticed in society because he has not done anything great.
Michael Morawed
In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller uses conflict to describe the play's path to Willy's imminent death. Willy has an internal conflict with his past, creating regret within himself, while he also has an external conflict with his son, Biff. In the past, Willy gave away a pair of stockings Biff made for Willy's wife, Linda, and, thus, destroyed their loving relationship, leading to his past catching up to him and his short temper with Biff. Other than conflict, Miller uses symbolism with the stockings representing Biff's love and admiration for his father. Willy cannot handle the impact of his failure as a father figure and temporarily goes insane, placing himself in the past when he screwed up Biff's life, as well as his own. The following quotes are the effects of Willy's conflicts, "Bernard: What is that noise? Who is it? Jenny: Mr. Loman. He just got off the elevator. Bernard, getting up: Who's he arguing with? Jenny: Nobody. There's nobody with him." (Miller, 219), "Willy: Oh Biff! Staring wildly: He cried! Cried to me. He is choking with his love, and now cries out his promise: That boy--that boy is going to be magnificent!" (Miller 252), and "Linda, calling: Willy, you coming up? Willy, uttering a gasp of fear, whirling about as if to quiet her: Sh! He turns around as if to find his way; sounds, faces, voices, seem to be swarming in upon him and he flicks at them, crying, Sh! Sh! Suddenly music, faint and high, stops him. It rises in intensity, almost to an unbearable scream. He goes up and down on his toes, and rushes off around the house. Shhh!" (Miller, 254). Therefore, in the end, Willy and Biff resolve their conflict with their love for each other, but Willy loses the conflict with his past and sadly dies.
Michael Appelgate
A block
Travis Knight
A Block
In the novel The Pearl, John Steinbeck uses his long discriptive sentances and lack of excessive dialogue to create his style. The lack of dialogue gives a sense of a serious tone. this serious tone along with Steinbeck's almost painfully discriptive sentance structure helps develop Steinbeck's dull style of writing. He also uses Kino as a tragic hero to get the central message across. This message, is more of a moral really, Power corrupts even the most noble of causes. Although Kino does not die, he ends up losng his first born son because of his pearl. Most of all Steinbeck uses imagry in his long frustrating sentances to exhibit his style. According to a fellow Steinbeck reader, an entire chapter is dedicated to describing the way a turtle moves. All of these techniques make John Steinbeck's works of literature unique and in my opinion...Boring.
John Steinbeck’s style in “The Pearl” is to use a lot of description, which allowed him to use the literary device, sensory details. Steinbeck has a unique style to use as much description as possible especially when it comes to describing people’s emotions. In “The Pearl” many unfortunate events happened to Kino, Juana and Coyotito. When Kino was attacked the first time, because of the pearl, he became extremely paranoid to the point to he couldn’t sleep. After Steinbeck used a lot of sensory details on Juana and Kino’s emotions of Kino’s paranoia, Juana finally said “receiving something on accident brings more success than wanting to obtain something.” Kino was in complete denial throughout the whole story about the pearl being bad luck even after all of the bad events that happened to Kino and his family while they had the pearl. At the end of the novel Kino finally realized he was helpless and the pearl was bad luck but it was too late. Trackers were after Kino when he realized the misfortune that the pearl brought. The pearl only led to Coyotito’s death for no reason because in the end Kino disposed of the pearl. John Steinbeck uses description throughout the whole novel especially when it came to Juana because throughout “The Pearl” she said the pearl was bad luck. The author uses Juana with his descriptive style and sensory details to reveal his message that “receiving something on accident brings more success than wanting to obtain something.
Ric Viera 3/30/09 H-Block
In the novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck, a style of writing was created. The style of writing created contains long sentences with descriptive writing. Each sentence introduces new details and important facts. John Steinbecks message in the novel is that money doesn't always bring happiness and problems will follow. The author utilizes his style of writing to help create his novels message. Since Steinbecks sentences are long and contain details, a reader can learn and obtain a clearer understanding of the book. The descriptive sentences help lead to the message of the novel. The situations in the novel are clearly explained, helping the message become more clearer to the reader. Since John Steinbeck uses descriptive writing, he helps the reader gain a clearer perspective of characters and their problems with money as well as happiness.
In the novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck, a style of writing was created. The style of writing created contains long sentences with descriptive writing. Each sentence introduces new details and important facts. John Steinbecks message in the novel is that money doesn't always bring happiness and problems will follow. The author utilizes his style of writing to help create his novels message. Since Steinbecks sentences are long and contain details, a reader can learn and obtain a clearer understanding of the book. The descriptive sentences help lead to the message of the novel. The situations in the novel are clearly explained, helping the message become more clearer to the reader. Since John Steinbeck uses descriptive writing, he helps the reader gain a clearer perspective of characters and their problems with money as well as happiness.
Corinne Mueller
H block
In the novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck he has his own unique style of writing. He uses run on sentences to thoroughly describe what he’s trying to show. His message in this novel revolves around the phrase more money more problems. John Steinbecks style of writing assists the reading in fully comprehending the stories main message. The pearl in the story is used a symbolism that money can corrupt those even if their intentions were good.
Brian Lopez
H-Block
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller uses tragic hero to create style. Willy Loman is the average every day guy who is suicidal and depressed because of his old age and his life. He can’t afford to pay for most things around the house and doesn’t like his job. As he gets older and realizes more and more that he is a failure, and so are his sons, he becomes more dependent on his boys anyway. He always fights with the boys when he tells them to go out, finish their lives, and go get real jobs like with Biff who is trying to find himself back at home with his parents. “Ben: why, boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. And by god I was rich.”(Miller 48). This quote only makes Willy feel worse about himself because he thinks when he was younger that he should have went to Africa with his brother Ben and he would be rich from collecting all of the diamonds with him. All of the events in Willy’s life just add up to make him feel like even more of a failure. Willy Loman is a tragic hero because he was just an everyday regular old man trying to support his family, but losing his job led to his suicide. At night when everybody went to sleep Willy got in his car and drove into a wall killing himself. He doesn’t give his boys a chance to eventually work things out and turn their lives around.
Cory Moser
H-Block
"Arthur Miller'' 's writing style is a very partiuclar and unique way of putting thoughts and images together. His clear, imagery details helped me to visualize the events as I turned the page. In the novel, "The Death of a Saleman", Miller's key approach is a frank attitude. Author, Aurthor Miller is straight to the point, but at the time, has a distinct way of keeping his readers intersted and eager to discover more. Arthur Miller is open with gored scenes; such as painful events and deaths suffered by the characters throughout the novel. Therefore, it could be said, Miller's way of utilizing his techniques are in a critical and ironic manner. Also, "The Death of a saleman" was written in play form; as well as his many famous novels, such as "The Crucible". "The Death of a Saleman" stood out to me in particular, after just reading a few pages. Instantly, his writing style was clear to me. Usually, literature I read from the early eighteenth century (1930 in particular) does not fasinate me the least bit. This book was contrary because I was naturally able to connect to Miller's personality throughout his unique way of expressing ideas.
ALLY BEALS 9/30/09 H-BLOCK
In the novel Galapagos by Kurt vennegut, a very peculiar style is evident within the book. Kurt Vonnegut created a character,Leon Trout,who is an omniscient ghost. Leon tells the story from the first point of view and he has the power to read minds and portray the feelings and thoughts of the character who is observing, but at the same time he states his own opinion. This narrative style is unlike any other and further demonstrates the irony of the novel. The whole book portrays such satire that it makes you want to cry but laugh at the same time. Leon tells the story of how a shipwrecked group of poeple end up as the only surviving group of humans. The ship that the group is on is the same ship that Leon was building and died on. Leon, constantly states that " the only true villain in my story: the oversized human brain", yet Leon is a human himself. Vonneguts style of narrative, short sentences and satire shows the message that people are quite foolish and he tries to portray how little there is in this world to save.
Raya Dyadkina
In animal farm, George Orwell uses symbolism to teach the reader an important life lesson. In the beginning of the story the animals on manor farm overthrow Mr. Jones.
The animals set up a government with the pigs as the leaders. Later in the story the pigs betray each other and become very corrupt. Eventually the government fails and the living conditions are worse than ever for the animals. At the end of the story the pigs resemble the humans and act the same as they do even though the animals hated them at the beginning of the book. “Four legs good to legs better” (p71). This quote shows the reader how the pigs began to embrace human society and eventually become like tyrants. The author uses the government of animal farm to symbolize how humans behave in real society when they abuse their power and become totalitarians. When the leaders of the government become selfish and make unwise decisions that favor themselves their government will always fail Symbolism plays a crucial role in the story of animal farm because the pigs parallel how humans behave and become corrupt.
In animal farm, George Orwell uses symbolism to teach the reader an important life lesson. In the beginning of the story the animals on manor farm overthrow Mr. Jones. The animals set up a government with the pigs as the leaders. Later in the story the pigs betray each other and become very corrupt. Eventually the government fails and the living conditions are worse than ever for the animals. At the end of the story the pigs resemble the humans and act the same as they do even though the animals hated them at the beginning of the book. “Four legs good to legs better” (p71). This quote shows the reader how the pigs began to embrace human society and eventually become like tyrants. The author uses the government of animal farm to symbolize how humans behave in real society when they abuse their power and become totalitarians. When the leaders of the government become selfish and make unwise decisions that favor themselves their government will always fail. George Orwell uses symbolism because it plays a crucial role in the story of animal farm because the pigs parallel how humans behave and become corrupt.
"The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri is a great book. The book is about this boy named Gogol. His parents want him to change his name when he goes to school. But Gogol wants to keep his name he does not see the reason for the change of his name. His parents say he will be Gogol at home and Nikal at school. In the book Jhumpa Lahiri uses imagery to show the reader that Gogol wants to keep his identity. An example would be this quote from the book " She walked him to Ninth Avenue, stood with him at dawn, her hair uncombed, her face still thick with sleep, her coat and a pair of boots slipped on over her pajamas(page170, Jhumpa Lahiri.) The author showed the central message through imagery.
Samantha Grasso
H Block
In the Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri uses the motifs of love and relationships. Throughout the book Lahiri has a number of short stories that all revolve around relationships and how love does not always work. In the first story in the book A Temporary Matter the character says "They wept together for the things they now knew" (lahiri 22). In the story a young couple loses a child and have gone for months barely talking. Their relationship finally ends when a blackout gives them no choice but to talk and find that they couldn't make it. This situation showed how certain events can get between people even if they were in love. In the story "When Mr Pirzada Came to Dine" Mr.Pirzada is separated from his family because of a war but continues to hope for his family. That story unlike many in the book showed how the love people could last even through long distances. The use of motifs were able to connect the stories and make a clearer message in the book. Overall Lahiri was able to show the problems faced by everyday people and how relationships and love are fragile.
Josephine Barone
h block
The novel In the Time of the butterflies by Julia Alvarez; the author uses theme to portray their style of writing in this book. By using theme to portray the style of the book the style is being built up is tone. This is the attitude put out and the mood of the story. In the time of the Butterflies is an "on edge" novel. As each page turns, the reader is left wondering what will happen next. This is because the theme/main idea of the story is how a dictator can ruin and affect a family's lives. Because of El Jefe the Mirabal family was forced to go against him. The laws and regulations he enforced were ridiculous "A heavy fine was now imposed on anyone who wore khaki trousers and shirts the same color"(Alvarez 78). The strong willed sisters secretly fought for their rights. They knew if they were to get caught they could face death. The struggles and losses they were forced to face is what sets the tone of the book. After their father was sent to jail without knowing his crime, is when Minerva and her three sisters knew El Jefe had to be stopped. Also after living in fear of what they were trying to do kept the author hopeful and wishful. The theme of the novel helps develop its tome completely. In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez, the style used is tone.
Jazmin Roman
A-Block
The Color of Water
A black mans tribute to his white mother written by James McBride. James McBride's use of point of view is clearly distingushied through the mother and her son, explaining how life is like for the both of them. Swtching points of view throughout the novel helps the readers to understand how each of the characters feel about having a white mother, vice versa having black children and being of different race in the same family. "Im dead, you want to talk about my family and here I been dead to them for fifty years."(McBride pg#1). The mother hasn't experienced that sense of beloning and she does not enjoy talking about her past or her family either. " I took pains to keep my life as a punk a secret from my mother." (McBride pg#142). The son is not happy with the decisions he is making and doesn't want to seek guidance from his mother and doesn't know how to make his mother proud. Both characters are expressing their thoughts and feelings about the future, past and present. They are also talking about experiences they have had and are sharing being in the same household. This also influences the pace and the mind state of the reader, making the reader think about how two people of different race in the same family still have love for one another. Also to show that we as people shouldn't jugde a person by the color of thier skin. This novel demonstrates how its doesn't matter the color of your skin without having an education there is no future.
Tiana Rodriguez
A-Block
11th grade English
In the novel Paradise, Toni Morrison utilizes setting to describe the tension the helpless women experienced under the hands of a group of terrorist. In Oklahoma, There is sense of hostility, between the town of Ruby, and group of women who live in a nearby convent on the outskirts of Ruby. The town Ruby was increasing outraged by the existence of the convent, which they constantly threatened, and wanted to put an end to. The Ruby residents attack the women in the Convent. The women were severely tortured by the Rubi men as a payback for being unable to stop the convent. “they are obliged to stampede or kill, and they have the paraphernalia for either requirement" (Morrison 27). The men claimed their actions were taken to keep the town safe from the trauma that lies ahead. Some women were tortured and killed, as others felt helpless but hoped they are saved. After the agony ended, the people of Ruby and the Convent ultimately resolved their issues and try to help one another. Through the utilization of setting, Toni Morrison proves how hatred and disagreements can lead to a tragic end.
Ola Afolabi
A Block
04-16-09
ANGELA SALMOS
A-BLOCK
In the novel Beloved by Toni Morrison uses irony to portray how one person's past can never be erased and can come back to haunt emotionally or physically. She gives(the main the character sethe)a reputation of being attractive and lustfully wanted by men, but she had a rough past. She was a slave in Sweet Home Kentucky before but she was able to escape to Ohio while she was pregnant with her daughter Denver. In Ohio she starts a new life. A new life where she is free. She lives there in a house with her husband Paul D and her daughter Denver. There in that house she is being haunted by her baby that previously died.Later on she meets a girl named Beloved. Sethe believes that Beloved is like another version of her daughter that died.She battles with her past as it always haunts her. Irony is used by the fact that even in freedom she still wasn't free because of her brutal past as a slave back then.
Angela Salmos
A-block
4/19/09
In Galapagos, Kurt Vonnegut uses imagery to Illustrate his style. The imagery in the book paints a picture in the reader's mind of how Vonnegut wants his readers to see the scene. One Million years ago, back in 1986 A.D, Guayaquil was the chief seaport of the little south American democracy of Ecuador, whose capital was Quito, high in the Andes Mountain, you can almost see the town and chief. The imagery portrayed in this book is very strong and insightful, it puts the reader in the book and shows the reader the picture so they may understand the book better, his style is very visual and detailed. Imagery used in this book shows the style of Kurt Vonnegut.
-Rob Green A-Block
The novel What We Talk about When We talk About Love by Raymond Carver is intriguing. Raymond Carver uses dialogue to create a sense of style. Through dialogue use the readers are able to obtain the authors style that portrays the everyday, normal life of humans . The simple situations and conversations between characters in each short-story allows readers to put themselves in the setting of the novel. For example, “I’ll put you in a cab, I said. He said, I’ll see you off . That’s all right I said . Next time maybe” (Raymond Carver 45). Therefore, because of the simple use of dialogue as illustrated by this quote , it develops the authors sense of style. However, although the style of Raymond carver is intriguing and simple to comprehend, I wouldn’t want to read another novel with the same style pattern.
Ashley Jones
A-block
The Color of Water by James McBride which is a tribute to his mother, uses theme to evaluate the difference between the past and the present. James and his mother Ruth are similar in which they both struggle to strike a compromise between past and present. Ruth is determined to hide her past as a Jew so she becomes a Christian and focuses very hard on living the life she tries to form. Ruth must reconcile her immigrant cultural heritage and religious background with her association with black people and with her Christian faith. Both James and his mother Ruth both deal with race issues and prejudices. While Ruth tries to shield her son from what she believes is dangerous because of the difference in their skin color, James wanted to understand since he was a little boy. He soon finds out why his mother was the way she was and why she acted so strange his and his brothers and sisters eyes and he learns to accept his mother. “I thought it would be easier if we were just one color, black or white. I didn't want to be white. My siblings had already instilled the notion of black pride in me. I would have preferred that Mommy were black. Now, as a grown man, I feel privileged to have come from two worlds.” Here James undergoes a transition from adolescence to adulthood where he went from resenting his mother's race to feeling blessed to have come from a mixed race union. As a young child James knew nothing of his mother's Jewish background, however, as he grew older and became more aware of his state of being biracial he began to accetp and appreciate hes dual racial identity. The Color of Water by James McBrideis an inspirational book to those who can relate to the struggles that James, or Ruth, or any of the other charcters went through.
The Color of Water by James McBride which is a tribute to his mother, uses theme to evaluate the difference between the past and the present. James and his mother Ruth are similar in which they both struggle to strike a compromise between past and present. Ruth is determined to hide her past as a Jew so she becomes a Christian and focuses very hard on living the life she tries to form. Ruth must reconcile her immigrant cultural heritage and religious background with her association with black people and with her Christian faith. Both James and his mother Ruth both deal with race issues and prejudices. While Ruth tries to shield her son from what she believes is dangerous because of the difference in their skin color, James wanted to understand since he was a little boy. He soon finds out why his mother was the way she was and why she acted so strange his and his brothers and sisters eyes and he learns to accept his mother. “I thought it would be easier if we were just one color, black or white. I didn't want to be white. My siblings had already instilled the notion of black pride in me. I would have preferred that Mommy were black. Now, as a grown man, I feel privileged to have come from two worlds.” Here James undergoes a transition from adolescence to adulthood where he went from resenting his mother's race to feeling blessed to have come from a mixed race union. As a young child James knew nothing of his mother's Jewish background, however, as he grew older and became more aware of his state of being biracial he began to accetp and appreciate hes dual racial identity. The Color of Water by James McBrideis an inspirational book to those who can relate to the struggles that James, or Ruth, or any of the other charcters went through.
kristine munoz
H-Block
4/19/09
"Where I'm Calling From" by Raymond Carver was a wonderful novel. It was different then most books that i've read before, because Carver writes short stories instead of full straight foward novels. Most of the stories were about relationships. Whether the relationship be with a family member, a neighbor, or a loved one. Each story was different, but somehow connected to one another. Carver also never ended the story properly. He always left the reader hanging off a cliff at the end of a short story. Carver's style of writing is definitely mysterious and a little on the strange side. He uses alot of literary techniques like metaphors and personification. Carver's style is definitely unique. His style is also very complex. There's alot going on during the stories. Carver's style is used by him to show his feelings. Personally, i feel the stories are possibly things that happened to him during his lifetime. The message of the novel is hard to tell because Carver's writing is strange and hard to comprehend. Carver's style is used to describe his writing as well.
Angela Matrone
H Block.
In the novel, Galápagos, Kurt Vonnegut’s style is satire at its finest. Vonnegut displays his possible distaste for the human race and their nature by using third person point of view. However, Leon Trotsky Trout, the narrator of this story, also expresses his own opinion throughout the novel. Trout is a spirit who hates humans, although he was once one, “What could that have been but another acknowledgement by people that their brains were no damn good?” (Vonnegut 39). He narrates about the lives of six people, boarding the Nature cruise of the century, Bahia de Darwin, the name becoming ironic being that humans had to evolve in an island of Santa Rosalia. Survival of the fittest didn’t apply on this island where only the people who ended up there were not only the only people in the world to reproduce but their only predator was sharks in the ocean around them. He believed the “era of big brains”(Vonnegut 4), a million years ago, was inferior to that of modern day humans. Modern day humans are more similar to that of a seal or fish, adorning hands like a flipper along with a smaller skull with beaks; meaning smaller brains. Vonnegut’s style including sarcasm and hatred for humans is found in many other works of his. Trout believed that “big brains” were unnecessary to survive therefore Vonnegut is mocking humanity in itself.
Allison Lee – A Block – April 20, 2009
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