"She opened her gentlemen friend's suitcase and pulled a bundle of letters from it... tied all the letters together and asked me to burn them. I was so taken aback by her request, I wasn't able to answer." (p. 41)
At this point in the story, we are in the middle of a flash back where Mattie is thinking back to when Grace Brown, a guest at the Glenmore hotel, asked her to burn a bunch of letters. Mattie is very surprised by this request, but does what she is told. This makes me wonder if these letter contain something hidden that could lead to Grace Brown's murder. Why was she murdered? Where? Who? This passage brings up many questions to ponder. Maybe Mattie is going to end up being responsible for figuring out this puzzling mystery.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Fiction Book prt. 2
"Weaver always says freedom is like Sloan's Liniment, always promising more than it delivers... until white men are punished for stringing up black men, no black person will ever really be free." (pg. 33)
This quote in the book really jumped out at me for some reason. I thought it was interesting how a character in this novel would think that freedom always promises more than it delivers. I think what Weaver is trying to convey is that people promise freedom will come to the blacks but the freedom promise never really gets put into action. "Actions speak louder than words." Then again we are in the time period of the early 1900's so many of civil rights events haven't happened too much yet. Although the civil war has occurred and Lincoln has gone through the presidency, the blacks are still not feeling very free still at this point.
This quote I feel can also be true to life today. For instance, graduating from college and going off into the "real world" is like gaining your own freedom. But this freedom promises more than it delivers because you have to find a good job to support yourself after college, find a place to live etc.. So in fact the freedom of being out on your own and telling yourself and promising yourself you'll find a good job and a great place to live doesn't always deliver or you don't always get what you want or promise yourself. You may not get the job or that dream place you want to live in.
So in fact, this quote can have many interpretations and you as the reader can interpret it any way you want to. That is why I thought this quote was interesting.
This quote in the book really jumped out at me for some reason. I thought it was interesting how a character in this novel would think that freedom always promises more than it delivers. I think what Weaver is trying to convey is that people promise freedom will come to the blacks but the freedom promise never really gets put into action. "Actions speak louder than words." Then again we are in the time period of the early 1900's so many of civil rights events haven't happened too much yet. Although the civil war has occurred and Lincoln has gone through the presidency, the blacks are still not feeling very free still at this point.
This quote I feel can also be true to life today. For instance, graduating from college and going off into the "real world" is like gaining your own freedom. But this freedom promises more than it delivers because you have to find a good job to support yourself after college, find a place to live etc.. So in fact the freedom of being out on your own and telling yourself and promising yourself you'll find a good job and a great place to live doesn't always deliver or you don't always get what you want or promise yourself. You may not get the job or that dream place you want to live in.
So in fact, this quote can have many interpretations and you as the reader can interpret it any way you want to. That is why I thought this quote was interesting.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Fiction Book
The book I am going to begin is called A Northern Light. From what I can tell from reading the back, this book is going to be exciting filled with mystery and suspense.
Sixteen year old Mattie Gokey, takes a job at a hotel and soon realizes she could have signed up for more than she asked for. When a hotel guest asks her to burn some letters, and then this guest's body is found at the bottom of a lake, she discovers the letters may reveal some truth behind this murder.
This book written by Jennifer Donnelly, has won the Honor Book award and has gotten a lot of praise from critics. Even the employee at Barnes and Noble told me this book is amazing and I will enjoy this read greatly.
Sixteen year old Mattie Gokey, takes a job at a hotel and soon realizes she could have signed up for more than she asked for. When a hotel guest asks her to burn some letters, and then this guest's body is found at the bottom of a lake, she discovers the letters may reveal some truth behind this murder.
This book written by Jennifer Donnelly, has won the Honor Book award and has gotten a lot of praise from critics. Even the employee at Barnes and Noble told me this book is amazing and I will enjoy this read greatly.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Host prt. 6
In chapter 21, I thought there was a quote that I thought was significant. When Wanderer and Jaime, Melanie's brother have a chance to be alone together, Jaime brings up how Wanderer ended up in Melanie's body. He asks "That planet you were coming from before you were in Melanie, ... what was it like there? Was it like here?" (pg. 207) I thought this was significant because it shows that people are starting to open up to Wanderer and notice she's not as dangerous as they thought she was. Also the fact that Jaime is Melanie's brother makes it more significant and shows he's trying to make an effort to get to know and understand the person who is in his sisters body.
Something else I thought was significant in the same chapter was " These were not the tears of a child, and that made them more profound made it more sacred and painful that he would cry them in front of me. This was the grief of a man at the funeral for his entire family. (pg. 210) Jaime starts to cry because he's thinking of his family while Wanderer tells him how she got in her sisters body. I thought this quote was significant because it shows that not everyone in this hiding place is as strong as they seem I think Jaime's actions show how everyone feels on the inside. They know their family members have either been captured by the seekers or are hiding somewhere they don't know. These people in the hiding place where Wanderer is hiding, I think want to show these emotions but can't because they want to seem strong and intimidating to Wanderer.
Something else I thought was significant in the same chapter was " These were not the tears of a child, and that made them more profound made it more sacred and painful that he would cry them in front of me. This was the grief of a man at the funeral for his entire family. (pg. 210) Jaime starts to cry because he's thinking of his family while Wanderer tells him how she got in her sisters body. I thought this quote was significant because it shows that not everyone in this hiding place is as strong as they seem I think Jaime's actions show how everyone feels on the inside. They know their family members have either been captured by the seekers or are hiding somewhere they don't know. These people in the hiding place where Wanderer is hiding, I think want to show these emotions but can't because they want to seem strong and intimidating to Wanderer.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Learning Curve Article
For this post, I'm going to blog about an article I recently read in Teen Vogue Magazine. The article is called learning curve and captures the events of two high school juniors and what they went through during some disturbing incidents when visiting colleges they were thinking of attending.
In the article, Sarah, a high school junior went on an overnight visit to a small college in Connecticut. When she arrived she was warmly welcomed and felt the acceptance from college students immediately. Not soon after arriving, her host for the night thought they should attend a friend's party. "It sounded fun." Sarah recalled. "But then we got in the car and drove for close to 45 minutes." She ended up at a party that was totally off campus and was very frightened for she was only seventeen at the time. The article stated that Sarah is actually not alone when it comes to this type of experience. According to a study from Students Against Destructive Decisions and Liberty Mutual Group, 39.1% of teens who go on an overnight college visit report drinking, using drugs, or engaging in sexual activity during their stay, with 12.4% engaging in all three.
This article made me question a view on visits to colleges. If this is how things "play out" on a regular college overnight visit, this may make students reconsider visiting and experiencing the colleges they most want to attend. Even though the events that played out during Sarah's experience may have happened because of poor decision making and wanting to "fit in", these types of things should not happen when a high school student is visiting maybe one of their dream schools. It not only puts a bad reputation on for the school, but it also puts students visiting in danger and might make them reconsider the school they want to attend.
Another student, by the name of Maya, stayed overnight at a school she thought she wanted to attend. And when she was there, the students from the college basically wanted to throw a party for her to get drunk. Even though Maya knew it was a wrong decision, she wanted to fit in and therefore did get drunk that night.
Even though when visiting a college and things like this happen, there are precautions one can take before the overnight stay. Brian Glassberg a counsler at John P. Stevens High School in Edison, New Jersey states that his students view the visit as an assignment and not a vacation. "Treat it as though you're a boss interviewing the school and when you meet your host, ask if you can also meet the dorm's resident advisor." These steps can help you and guide you on your overnight stay at a college.
Overall, I thought the article was informative and precautioning high school students to stand their ground if anything should happen like what happened to Sarah and Maya. It also gave me an insight to what to expect if I ever want to go visit a school on an overnight. Because these college visits are sure coming down the road quickly and I know I want to be prepared as much as possible for anything that can happen.
In the article, Sarah, a high school junior went on an overnight visit to a small college in Connecticut. When she arrived she was warmly welcomed and felt the acceptance from college students immediately. Not soon after arriving, her host for the night thought they should attend a friend's party. "It sounded fun." Sarah recalled. "But then we got in the car and drove for close to 45 minutes." She ended up at a party that was totally off campus and was very frightened for she was only seventeen at the time. The article stated that Sarah is actually not alone when it comes to this type of experience. According to a study from Students Against Destructive Decisions and Liberty Mutual Group, 39.1% of teens who go on an overnight college visit report drinking, using drugs, or engaging in sexual activity during their stay, with 12.4% engaging in all three.
This article made me question a view on visits to colleges. If this is how things "play out" on a regular college overnight visit, this may make students reconsider visiting and experiencing the colleges they most want to attend. Even though the events that played out during Sarah's experience may have happened because of poor decision making and wanting to "fit in", these types of things should not happen when a high school student is visiting maybe one of their dream schools. It not only puts a bad reputation on for the school, but it also puts students visiting in danger and might make them reconsider the school they want to attend.
Another student, by the name of Maya, stayed overnight at a school she thought she wanted to attend. And when she was there, the students from the college basically wanted to throw a party for her to get drunk. Even though Maya knew it was a wrong decision, she wanted to fit in and therefore did get drunk that night.
Even though when visiting a college and things like this happen, there are precautions one can take before the overnight stay. Brian Glassberg a counsler at John P. Stevens High School in Edison, New Jersey states that his students view the visit as an assignment and not a vacation. "Treat it as though you're a boss interviewing the school and when you meet your host, ask if you can also meet the dorm's resident advisor." These steps can help you and guide you on your overnight stay at a college.
Overall, I thought the article was informative and precautioning high school students to stand their ground if anything should happen like what happened to Sarah and Maya. It also gave me an insight to what to expect if I ever want to go visit a school on an overnight. Because these college visits are sure coming down the road quickly and I know I want to be prepared as much as possible for anything that can happen.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The Host Prt. 5
For this post, I have found some significant quotes.
"I'd already known that she was more to me than a resistant host who made life unnecessarily difficult. We'd become companions, even confidants during out past weekends together... (pg. 164).
We see in this particular quote that Wanderer and Melanie are becoming very close and helping each other. When they were taken into hiding with Jeb, who found them in the desert, they began helping one another through their thoughts and feelings about certain events. For instance, when Wanderer meets Jaime, Melanie's little brother for the first time, Melanie becomes very sad by the fact Jaime does not think Melanie is still present. Wanderer helps Melanie through her struggle, and grants Melanie's wishes to stay in control and to help her brother get through his struggles as well.
Another quote I found that was significant was on page 186.
At this point in the story, Jared who was Melanie's love, doesn't like the host inside Melanie's body and thinks Melanie is dead. Therefore, he has punched Wanderer and abused her not only physically, but also through words as well. Ian, who is one of Jared's friends, witness's Jared being quite mean to Wanderer and begins to feel guilty for her. "Just because she isn't human, do you think that means she doesn't feel pain?" (pg. 186). I think this quote is significant because it shows that people are starting to realize that Wanderer is no harm to them and that she is not going to turn them in to the seekers. It also shows that Wanderer is experiencing the feelings people go through in life which is what I think is bringing her closer to Melanie.
"I'd already known that she was more to me than a resistant host who made life unnecessarily difficult. We'd become companions, even confidants during out past weekends together... (pg. 164).
We see in this particular quote that Wanderer and Melanie are becoming very close and helping each other. When they were taken into hiding with Jeb, who found them in the desert, they began helping one another through their thoughts and feelings about certain events. For instance, when Wanderer meets Jaime, Melanie's little brother for the first time, Melanie becomes very sad by the fact Jaime does not think Melanie is still present. Wanderer helps Melanie through her struggle, and grants Melanie's wishes to stay in control and to help her brother get through his struggles as well.
Another quote I found that was significant was on page 186.
At this point in the story, Jared who was Melanie's love, doesn't like the host inside Melanie's body and thinks Melanie is dead. Therefore, he has punched Wanderer and abused her not only physically, but also through words as well. Ian, who is one of Jared's friends, witness's Jared being quite mean to Wanderer and begins to feel guilty for her. "Just because she isn't human, do you think that means she doesn't feel pain?" (pg. 186). I think this quote is significant because it shows that people are starting to realize that Wanderer is no harm to them and that she is not going to turn them in to the seekers. It also shows that Wanderer is experiencing the feelings people go through in life which is what I think is bringing her closer to Melanie.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The Host Prt. 4
On the Move. Right now "Melanie" is trying to find her brother and Jared, the love of her life. Not many significant events have happened except, somehow Melanie's uncle finds her when she's about to die in the desert. From the scorching heat, and hardly any water or food, Melanie tries to stay alive in the desert through persistence and courage. Wanderer who is the alien soul in her body, is not used to this type of weather. And does not know how to react to the blazing heat. Melanie helps Wanderer so she and her body can stay alive.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)