Lectura Independiente de Álvaro Lizán

I decided to read The Catcher In the Rye by J. D. Salinger for my independent reading. It is a bildungsroman novel in which the protagonist of it is the narrator as well. The novel is set in between the 1940s and the 1950s and most part of it it’s set in New York. The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is a teengager that tells the reader at the beginning of the novel that he just got kicked out of the boarding school he was attending, Pencey Prep. He describes all the reasons why he hates the school and the people in the school, who are apparently a bunch of  “phonies”. He makes a detailed description of his roommates, Ackley and Stradlater, who bother Holden a lot and make him very irritated and turn out to be “phonies” as well. He reveals his platonic love to Jane Gallagher, a girl he spent a lot of time with during summer. After being kicked out of the school and having nothing to do, he decides to depart to New York and rent a hotel room so he can spend some days there until  he can go to his parents house. He wanders around New York and makes references of his family multiple times. Holden’s sexual desire as a teenager becomes bigger and bigger throughout the novel.

In my opinion, it was a little annoying how Holden hated everything and was bothered by any kind of behaviour and how he thought everyone had a “phony” personality. Though something I really liked was Holden’s desperateness for women and how he strived so much to get dates with girls, it was funny sometimes.

Regarding to the narrator’s style and tone, it changes throughout the course of the novel but he speaks in a colloquial style and his tone varies from critical, nostalgic or cynical.

I strongly recommend this book because it has a good plot and it’s really well written.

The Program

Ilse Diaz
Mrs. Arnold
English 9
May 18, 2015

For this independent reading project, I read “The Program” by Suzanne Young, a fictional futuristic story that includes action, brainwashing, and a little bit of romance. The story is definitely a fast read that keeps you deeply intrigued. Young keeps the “teenager-esque” feeling well in the story, the feelings that the characters feel reflect onto you and really intrigue you. The main characters, Sloane Barstow and James Murphy, find themselves in a very tough situation when all they have left is each other after The Program has taken everyone they know, that haven't killed themselves, because of the depression that has over swept globally on teenagers. Sloane's brother killed himself and now Miller, James and Sloane’s best friend, has killed himself. The Program has been made to stop depression from children who are at high risk of depression and brainwash them to forget everything in the past and move on. Weeks after Miller killed himself, they took James and he came back completely brainwashed. A week after his return, Sloane’s parents flagged her and called The Program to take her as well. Now it’s up to Sloane to see how she’ll save herself from The Program. All the characters really mesh together well to create the heart breaking but equally as fascinating in this story. Sloane is portrayed as a tough and strong female because even though she’s had a very harsh life so far, she finds ways to move on and helps others along the way. The fact that this is in the future, it makes one wonder and think that it could happen because of many factors that have a possible ending similar to the book. It was very well written and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a romantic but action filled book.

Koerner HBD

Christopher Koerner

Mrs. Arnold

English 10

18 May 2015

Home Before Dark

The book Home Before Dark by Tim Shoemaker is a fictional detective thriller, that focuses on a kidnapping. The story begins in a park with four kids on their way home after a night out. The teens Cooper, Gordy, Hiro, and Lunk are in a rush to get home when one notices a van in the parking lot of the park. On top of the van is a backpack, and when the car starts to drive away Gordy decides to go warn the driver about the pack. As he leave the others quickly realize that something seemed wrong; Cooper, Gordy’s cousin, quickly pedals toward the van to catch up with him. All of a sudden, when Gordy goes to return the pack he is tasered and thrown in van by a big man. The three kids quickly call the police with what they think the licence plate numbers are, but by the next morning there is no sign of Gordy, the van, or the kidnapper. Over this period Cooper goes through stages of guilt and blame, while Hiro, whose dream job is a police officer, works on possible places Gordy could be hidden locally. All the characters views are shown and how they are feeling in the moment. I enjoyed the characters as they all go through a struggle and the way their feelings are expressed make the helplessness they feel more real to the reader. I personally enjoyed the book and would recommend it to our age group and both to guys and girls

Kevin Ye

Mrs. Arnold

Independent reading

I choose Everything I Never Told You for my independent reading. This book is written by Celeste NG, and she is a Chinese American. This book is talking about a Chinese American family living in a small town in Ohio in  the 1970s. When I read the background of this book, it was highly attractive to me.

The book starts with Lydia’s body, which was found in the middle of a lake nearby her house. Lydia is the middle daughter of Marilyn and James Lee. James Lee is a Chinese American; his parents came to the U.S. with the Chinese immigrations of 1840, when many Chinese came to the US for the Gold Rush. James felt self-abasement and he could not fit in America’s society although he grew up in the U.S. He rejected to learn Chinese because he worried once he learns, Chinese will influence his English accent. Marilyn is an American woman who really wanted to be a doctor , but she fell in love with James and realized she pregnant with Nath ( Her first son). She became a homemaker. At that time period, a mixed family was not accepted in the whole country so they live in a suburb. James wanted Lydia to fit in with native students and be the center of every party. But Marilyn wants her to pursue Marilyn’s original dream--- be a doctor. Both James and Marilyn ignored Lydia’s feeling. Nathan and Hannah, the younger daughter,  are struggling to distinguish themselves, but Lydia will always be the most important child.  Lydia’s death is a catalyst that make the whole family in chaos and pulled them apart. Even their neighbor Jack who is not accepted in their community is involved in Lydia’s death.

From this story, I like Hannah best, because she is the most smart in this family. But I also feel frustrated James and Marilyn ignored her. She is the youngest child in this family, but she lives in the attic. Even Marilyn didn’t set a seat for her at the table. Hannah is the most poor child in her family.

This whole book represents some problems in that time period, 1960-1970. This book narrates some stories about how native Americans discriminate against James’s family. These stories stand for part of the Chinese American community who lived in a very low level in society during that time period. Another big problem is the different cultures and the different opinions on mixed family. There is a gigantic difference between James and Marilyn; James forces Lydia to make more friends but Marilyn forces Lydia to be a doctor. They never ask what Lydia really wants to do.  I highly recommend this book. As an international student I have the same feelings with this book in some special situations. This book is not only attractive to me to know about the relationship in this family, but also can make me realize more information about American culture during that time period. This book is worth reading.

Where She Went

Tina Hong 
Ms. Arnold 
English 10
17 May 2015

where she went by Gayle Forman

I read “where she went” by Gayle Forman. It is the sequel of " if I stay". I loved "if i stay"'s book and movie, and I was so eager to find out what happen next because "if i stay" ended with a cliffhanger right as Mia wakes up. 
The genre is realistic fiction, and it is a story about Mia and Adam's reunion after three years of separation. The book, Where she went was told in first person from the perspective of  Adam, which I really enjoyed, because I got to know more about Adam( the first book was in Mia's perspective). This story mostly takes place in Manhattan, New York, and Brooklyn. 
This book happens three years after Mia's loss of her family and the break up with Adam. Mia becomes Julliard's rising star and Adam is a popular rocking star with headlines and a celebrity girlfriend. One night Adam gets stuck in New York, and chance brings Mia and Adam together. They go to Mia's favorite places in the city which is her new home. Mia explains to Adam why she left him and what has happened in her life since they've broken up. Adam listens carefully and ends up opening his heart again to her. They both find out they still have feelings for each other and make plans to see each other when Mia has concerts in Japan and Adam has concerts in London. 
I loved Mia because she is pretty, nice, loyal, and is an incredible cello player. 
She is patience when Adam refuses to listen to her explains and is nice to her fans, her friends at the diner. I do not have a character I hate but I did find a bit too much inappropriate words in Adam's quotes when they are in New York which made me pretty uncomfortable. However, it is understandable because Adam's quotes perfectly showed his anger.
The main conflict in the book is when Mia tells Adam  why she left him three years ago. The reason was because she hated him when Adam made her stay and she thought it would be easier to go. Then they have a huge argument and Mia walks away.  In this part of the book, the story kind of pulled me in and I started to think in Mia's position although I was reading in Adam's perspective. 
The book reflects the differences of living style between city and country. Adam in the book has had a hard time adapting to the busy life, and wants to get back to his original life with loose schedule.
 I would recommend this book to those who have finished the first book or movie, If i stay, because it would be  quiet hard to follow up without the knowledge of the background. 

Where She Went by Gayle Forman book trailer (video ...
Where She Went (If I Stay sequel) | Unofficial trailer - YouTube

Jack Hambrick Independent Reading Project Final

Jack Hambrick

Mrs. Arnold

Independent Reading

5/17/2015

Shadow Wave

For my spring independent reading book I read Shadow Wave by Robert Muchamore.  It is the final book in the Cherub series.  It is about a kid named James who is recruited for British intelligence at the age of 13 after his mother dies. This book takes place when James is 18 and is about to leave the program because he is too old.  Before he leaves his last mission is to watch over a politician's children with his sister and a younger agent during a weapons deal.  The politician is a very corrupt man who steals money and kicks villagers out of their homes to build tourist attractions.  One of James's friend tells him about the man and convinces him not to accept the mission. His friend ,Kyle, also convinces him to sabotage the deal and destroy the politician's reputation.  James’s sister still wants to go on the mission and refuses to help them, so James bugs her phone so he can track where they're going.  The also recruit multiple journalists to make the story public and protesters to get the politician and family angry.  Will James and Kyle ruin the corrupt politician or get in trouble with British intelligence and ruin there lives.  I recommend this book if you like a fast paced book with an interesting story.

Independent Reading Project

Kellie Fonville
Mrs. Arnold
English 10
17 May 2015

Paper Towns

For my Independent Reading project I read Paper Towns by John Green. This book is about a boy named Quentin Jacobson and a girl named Margo Roth Spiegelman. Quentin has spent his entire life loving and admiring his neighbor Margo. So when she comes into his room in the middle of the night one night. He takes the opportunity to be with her. Once their first hangout is finished they begin to hangout more. During these hangouts Margo confirms Quentin's love for her is supported and he begins to fall harder and harder for her.  But in this process Margo runs off to somewhere else. No one knows where she is because she covered her tracks well, but she leaves little clues for Quentin around town so perhaps he can find her. The story is about Quentin going through the town trying to find the girl that he loves. This book was put on the Best Sellers list and won an Edgar Award. This was probably my favorite Independent Reading book I read this year I loved reading it and it kept me very entertained.

Spring independent reading assignment

Claire Xu

Mrs. Arnold

Independent Reading

17 May 2015

The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger Is a story told from the first person perspective of Holden Caulfield, as he recalls the events following his most recent expulsion. This book is set in the 1950s, in a post war setting. I believe this detail is relevant because many adults of this time begin to feel the need to fit the ideal of the American dream, which makes Holden think adults are fake and ingenuine. In the three days between when he was expelled and when he finally went home, he encountered many people along the way, many of which were figures from his past. While reading this book I didn’t always know what to feel when it came to Holden, because he seemed so emotionally unstable and I never really knew what he would do next. There were many points where I felt sorry for him and his inability to break his mindset of childish behavior, because he feels as if growing up is painful. I was surprised by how much his character made me feel. There were times when I felt resentment towards him for his unrelenting negativity, but at other times I felt like I could relate to him when talking about his feelings of loneliness. He seems like a danger to himself and potentially even to those around him. Another character that stuck out to me was Ackley; I hated this character as soon as he was introduced because his character traits and lack of hygiene are the very qualities that drive me to dislike a person. The book was written in intricate detail that immersed you into Holden’s unstable mind that often isolates himself and makes him think he is above others. I loved Salinger’s writing style and ability to put so much detail and content into such a short time period without making it feel like it was dragging on. I believe this book is definitely worth reading because it makes you really consider your views on growing up and how you act in relation to Holden. This book provokes stimulating conversations and truly makes you rethink your character.

Link to Catcher in the Rye book trailer

J.D Salinger

The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas - Alex Lee

Alex Lee

Independent Reading Project

Mrs. Arnold

05/18/15

For this spring independent reading project, I read "The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas" John Boyne. This book is a historical novel and a fiction based on the stories of the Final Solution and the Holocaust in World War II. There are several themes in this book, such as Friendship, Innocence and Morality. Friendship is revealed by the relationship between two main characters; Bruce and Shmuel. Shmuel is a Jewish boy who lives in the Auschwitz concentration camp, and Bruce is a boy son of high ranked Nazi executive living right next to the concentration camp. Their relationship is extremely unique, of course it is a relationship of son of Nazi and son of Jew. The next theme Innocence is shown directly from Bruce. Bruce does not have the propaganda of the Nazis but since he lives in the Nazi family, he is "blamed" of the cruelties and inhuman acts of the Nazis. In conclusion, Bruce is innocent about the ideas of the Nazis and has the compassion and his own way of accepting the Jewish people but the fact that he is in a Nazi family, he is blamed of the acts of the Nazi community. Lastly, morality is shown allusively from Bruce's parents. Bruce's father, especially, do not want Bruce to know about the existence of Jews and the concentration so that Bruce does not think or be suspicious about what they do to the Jews. It is a bit ironic because Bruce's dad is a high ranked executive and has a lot of influences to the acts of the Nazis which means he is pretty into the Nazi society. However he does not want his son to know about what he does in his job. I presume that at least he has some morality about his behaviors. As a person who enjoys reading historical novels, I think this book was very interesting because it is a point of view of a person from a Nazi family, not like most of the books that I have read which usually was Jewish or more of third person view. This book made me really emotional and sympathize to Bruce's feelings and behaviors since I was once a nine years old child. The basic story of this book is about a boy named Bruce who moved away from his home Berlin to this unfamiliar place called "Out-With" which is Auschwitz. He of course, does not like the idea of leaving his home, his friends, and other friendly feature in his hometown. As times goes by, Bruce tries to blend into his new home, and then he met this Jewish boy named Shmuel, with blue striped pajamas who is in the other side of the unpleasant looking wired fence that was in fifty feet away from his house in Auschwitz. Since Bruce does not have any friends in his new home, he decided to be friends with Shmuel and Shmuel also became friends with Bruce. And their incompatible relationship begins. My favorite character on this book was the main character Bruce. I like the way the the author portrays Bruce as curious and adventurous nine year old boy. For example, how he is really questionable about everything that he did not like and the relationship of his sister Gretel. A typical older sister and little brother relationship. It was really amusing to compare the relationship that they had and the relationship the I have seen in my life. My least favorite character was the Commander of Bruce's dad, which is Hitler. Hitler did not play a lot of role in the story, he came to Bruce's house in Auschwitz to have a dinner with Bruce's dad, but all of these Holocaust story is caused by this one maniac. Just the existence of this guy makes me mad and how uncomfortable for me to accept this guy as a human being. I was really emotional to this book as a read along. This writer had a really catchy writing style and was easy to know what this author was trying to tell. Not just literally, also meaningfully. One thing that should be point out is that this is just a personal view. This book was really interesting and intriguing that I was just into this book. As a person who really enjoys historical novel, I would suggest anyone to read this book.

The Handmaid's Tale

Anna Rose Iverson
Mrs. Arnold
Honors English
May 18, 2015

The handmaid's Tale

          The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a dystopian science fiction with a similar premise of that of George Orwell’s 1984.  Instead of themes of socialism Atwood focuses on women's rights in her not-so-distant future world.  The Handmaid’s Tale is told through the eyes of a handmaid named Offred. Offred is not her real name, it is “of” added to the first name of her commander, in this case Fred, (this is how all handmaids are named).  This is an obvious way of showing that these handmaids are property of their commander.  Offred leads us into the society of Gilead, which replaced the United States. Gilead has a fundamentalist Christian government that was built by the suppression of women like Offred. Women have few roles in Gileadian society. There are marthas, who keep the houses of their commanders, house wives who are the wives of the commanders and are in charge of the house, and economy wives who are forced to do every thing for her husband including having children. Then there are the Handmaids. In a society where pollution, nuclear warfare, and ramped STDs lower fertility rates, the Handmaids are wombs for hire (but without a choice).  Basically Handmaids are forced to be the commanders’ sex slaves. If they get pregnant their child is stolen from them for the commander and his wife, yet if she  doesn't get pregnant after a set amount of time she becomes an unwoman and is sent to “the colonies” to be a slave who cleans radio active waste with no protection.  The final position a woman can hold is that of most power, the aunts. Their job is to suppress the handmaids and brainwash them after they grew up in the pre-Gilead world. Offred shows us the twisted relationships between the women of different classes in the society and also in women’s relationships with men and how off they seem to be to us. Atwood has written The Handmaid’s Tale in a way in which it seems Offred is speaking to us. She does not speak to us perfectly and shows her imperfections making her relatable. Atwood published this book in 1986 during the second wave feminist movement, which is referenced in the book. While Atwood never explicitly states when Gilead took over the US it is assumed that it is during this time. She uses the book as a call to arms to women. This book shows what might happen if the feminist movement failed.Offred grew up with a strong single mother who was a leader in a feminist movement, which mostly embarrasses Offred. Offred is not a feminist hero. She did not champion right but just lived her life not appreciating the simple rights she had. Offred’s name is never stated. she is the personification of all the women who are not actively championing womens rights. This book is worth reading because it opens your eyes to what the world could be like without feminists. Everyone should experience Offred’s world where a persons name could literally means “Of-the man who rapes me”.

Taylor Walker
Mrs. Arnold
Global Genres
17 May 2015

                                                                            Sold
 
For my independent reading project, I read Sold by Patricia McCormick.  This novel starts out by the main character, Lakshmi, a twelve year old girl living in a poor town in Nepal.  Lakshmi has a small family including a baby brother, her mother (Ama), and her step father whom she doesn't have a good relationship with.  Lakshmi has had a dream all her life to become a maid in the city to avoid being a poor family.  One summer day, a down poor of rain washes away their rice, which means that Lakshmi and their family have little supply of foods.  Lakshmi's stepfather tells her she is to work in the city and that "Aunt Bimla" is to take her there.  Before Lakshmi is to leave her family in Nepal, her stepfather exchanges money to Aunt Bimla.  As soon as Lakshmi arrives in India, Aunt Bimla leaves her with an old woman, Mumtaz.  After a couple of days locked in a single room, Lakshmi soon realizes that she has been sold into prostitution and there is no way out.  Mumtaz, the leader of the brothel tells Laksmi that she is trapped until she can pay off her family's debt.  Soon enough, Lakshmi is taken to "Happiness House" where she refuses Mumtaz and will not work.  Mumtaz continues to lock her in a small room, beating her, and starving her until she agrees to work for her.  Mumtaz then drugs Lakshmi so she will now do anything she asks her to do.  Lakshmi realizes that this is her new life even though it is hard for her to believe it or accept it.  Gradually Lakshmi becomes friends with other girls in her same position and makes do with her situation.  Along with making friends, she teaches herself how to read and to speak English.  After many months, Lakshmi meets an American man who leads her to freedom.      

Independent Reading 2 (Clifton)

Jack Clifton
Mrs. Arnold
Global Genres
17 May 2015

Game

For my independent reading project, I read Game  by Barry Lyga. When I read the prequel I Hunt Killers, it was one of the only books i have actually enjoyed reading cover to cover. I took this opportunity of this project to read the second book. Here is some background information about the prequel. There is a boy named Jasper Dent, son of Billy Dent, an insane serial killer. Jazz (Jasper) grew up with the pressure to follow in his dads footsteps and also kill innocent people. In his hometown of Lobos Nod, Billy was arrested and soon after, a man was rein-acting Billy's murders. Jazz helped the police officers hunt him down. Meanwhile, Billy escaped prison and murdered a few people in Lobos Nod. After this, he fled to a new territory of New York city and began all over again. Game is about Jazz's and the police's efforts to catch Billy. Jazz must leave his best friend Howie to take care of his grandmother while Jazz is away. Jazz's girlfriend Connie begs to go to New York with Jazz and does. In New York, Jazz meets a new serial killer named the Hat-Dog Killer. Jazz knows that the Hat-Dog Killer had to have come across Billy because their murders are very similar. Jazz and Connie begin to receive strange text messages and must start to play a game in order to survive. You will need to see if Jazz will give in to his fathers teaching or will he put him in prison alongside the Hat-Dog Killer    

The House on Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros

Summer Owens

Mrs. Arnold

Honors English 10

18 May 2015

The House on Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros

I read “House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros. The genre is non-fiction, and it is a story about a young Latino girl named Esperanza growing up in a poor neighborhood in America. The book was told in first person from the perspective of Esperanza, which I really enjoyed, because I got to know everything she was thinking when the event happened. This book is set in a poor Latino neighborhood in America around the late 1970’s and the early 1980’s. This was a time when Latinos were not looked upon as well as they are now, so there was discrimination against them as a whole, but especially the discrimination against Latino women is very prominent in the book. Even some of the Latino men in the book look down upon their wives. They make them stay in the house all day with nothing to do besides stare at the wall, and some of the fear instilled wives don't even want to leave because either their husband will beat them if they do leave or they do not speak English so they would not know what to do once out in the American world.

This book starts off with Esperanza and her family moving from different houses many different times throughout her life, but while living on Mango street she learns some very important life lessons and more about herself as a person. She has three younger siblings: Nenny, Carlos, and Kiki. Carlos and Kiki are Esperanza two younger brothers who she believes live in a different “boy” world and do not have to worry about the things her and her sisters do. Nenny is Esperanza’s little sister, although they are close and hangout, Esperanza does not consider her a best friend. She loves her sister, but she points out that one cannot choose their sister, and that is why they are not best friends. Esperanza goes to a school with many other American kids. They all pronounce Esperanza’s name weird, and this leads her to wish that she could change her name. Her name in English means “Hope” and personally I think that both the English and Spanish versions are very pretty. Esperanza meets her first friend in the neighborhood named Cathy. They agreed to be friends for about a week until Cathy moves out. Cathy is moving out because she believes the neighborhood is getting too rough, and clearly the reason she believes it is getting bad is because families like Esperanza’s are moving in. One day Esperanza and Nenny make friends with two other girls around their age their names are Lucy and Rachel. They become friends with them because Rachel and Lucy need one more dollar to buy a bike from a neighborhood boy named Tito. Esperanza gives them the money and they become great friends and bond over their new bike. A little while after Cathy moves out a new family moves in. They have a son named Louie and his cousin is named Marin. Marin is a saleswoman for Avon and she teaches the girls a lot about boys and many makeup tricks. One day another one of Louie’s cousins comes in a new Cadillac and takes the kids for rides, but as soon as he hears the police sirens he makes them get out and he drives away very fast. A few minutes later he crashes the car and leaves in handcuffs. The kids don’t realize what is happening so as he is riding in the back of the police car they are waving goodbye. Throughout the book Esperanza describes many of the people living in her neighborhood. One family that stuck with me was the Vargas family. Their mom is named Rosa and she has so many kids and no husband that she does not know what to do. Her children are out of control and at first the neighborhood tries to help, but eventually everyone just gives up. Esperanza grows up a little more as the book goes on and eventually gets a job at a photo developing store. As Esperanza gets older she starts to hang out less with Lucy and Rachel and more with a new girl named Sally. Sally comes from a very sad family. her dad beats her almost everyday and does not want her to grow up. Her mom is nice but also afraid of the dad and rubs lard on the Sally’s bruises. Sally is a girl very mature for her age. She is already off kissing boys and she gets married at a very young age in an area where it is legal to get married under 18. The book ends with Esperanza realizing that although she loves her family and friends she must leave, but must always look back on the wonderful qualities her home and family gave her.

I really liked a lot of the characters, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be Esperanza, but there were also some qualities that I did not really like about her. I admired how she cared for her brothers and sisters, she knew that being the oldest child in her that it was her responsibility to care for her younger siblings, and I believe she did a great job doing that. I also admired her for knowing that she wants to make more for her life than staying in that bad neighborhood, but that she will always look back on her home and her origins. The only quality that I did not admire about her was her ability to stand up for herself once she was older. She let people like Sally push her around and she let boys say things about her and do things to her, and she did not try to fight back. If I was in her situation I do not know what I would have done, but I wish she had just stood up for herself a little bit more. Overall, I do think that Esperanza was a great character.

There are many themes throughout the book. Some of the major themes include coming of age, the mistreatment of minorities and women, and the struggles that they go through each day. I believe the most important theme was coming of age, because that really helps her accept herself as a Latino woman, she accepts where she lives and remembers to always look back on where she came from, and she also realizes that she wants to make more of herself than those around her. Also tied in with the themes of coming of age and the struggles that women go through is how Esperanza is treated as she gets older. As she gets older men start to pay more attention to her and she is even sexually assaulted sometimes. Some examples include when she was a young girl riding bikes with Lucy and Rachel. An old homeless man said that he would pay them one dollar for a kiss, luckily they run away before anything happens. Another time Esperanza was sexaully asulated was when she was at work and she met a “nice” old man. He said it was his birthday and that he wanted a birthday kiss, and Esperanza did not think it was going to be a big deal, but then he grabbed her and didn’t let go, and this made Esperanza feel very uncomfortable. A final example of her being sexuallly asulated and men thinking they can just take advantage of her is when she is at a carnival and is waiting for her friend Sally. This big boy approaches her and begins to kiss her and hold on to her and Esperanza is screaming and crying and desperately trying to get away. This makes me very angry, because while he is saying, “I love you Spanish girl.” This led me to believe that he feels he can treat her this way, because her values and morals are not as high as other girls of a different race, and so if she had been a different race he would have not done this.

The writing style was in very short chapters. I really enjoyed this writing style, because it kept me more intrigued and interested as the book progressed. The only thing I think the author could have done better with is telling the reader about how old Esperanza was or at least how much time had passed throughout the book.

I think this book is definitely worth reading. It is told from the light-hearted perspective of a kid. It also sends across a great message that sometimes in our world that we live in is forgotten. We don’t think about not having a meal on our table each night or not wanting to go to school because we are embarrassed of our bruises. The book really made think about how much I have to be thankful to go to a nice school, have a loving family, and live in a nice house. That is why I would definitely recommend this book, it makes one think about what they have to be thankful and it also sends across a great message within a very short book.

https://pwrites.princeton.edu/files/2013/12/tumblr_my452rPHH61qzqoygo1_500.jpg

http://hdenglish2.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/7/5/7675396/721165787.jpg?280

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pyf89VsNmg

A Prayer for Owen Meany

Ashley Higgs

Mrs. Arnold

Honors English

16 May 2015

A Prayer for Owen Meany

A Prayer for Owen Meany takes place in Toronto, Canada, in 1987. The narrator, John Wheelwright, looks back on his life in a series of non chronological flashbacks, describing his childhood with his best friend, Owen Meany, in Gravesend, New Hampshire in the 1950s and 60s. His small and bizarre best friend since he was young encourages John to believe in God, but also accidentally kills his mother. The two boys are in a little league game when Owen swings the bat and hits a foul ball that strikes John’s mother in the temple, killing her instantly. John is not mad at Owen, he knows it was a accident and that Owen loved his mother very much. His mother was a beautiful and kind woman that was liked by the whole community, and it is difficult for John to accept the abrupt change in his life. Owen believes that he is, “God’s instrument,” and that the accident happened for a reason, God’s reason. John then lives with his grandmother and stepfather, Dan Needham. He does not have a father, his mother met a man on a train and conceived him there, and she did not tell John or anyone else who his father was. Throughout the novel after his mother’s death, John and Owen seek to find out more about her life and John’s mysterious unknown father. Owen and John go to the same high school, Gravesend Academy, a prestigious school where Owen excels in his classes and is respected and loved by his peers. The boys enjoy their time there together, and Owen always helps John with his schoolwork. Both of them end up going to the University of New Hampshire, even though Owen has scholarship offers from Yale and Harvard. John and Owen enlist in the army and are enrolled in the university’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Owen desperately wants to go to Vietnam and fight in the war, because he believes his purpose in life is to be a hero. John does not want to go, and to make sure he will not get drafted into the war, Owen cuts off John’s right index finger. In the current time of the 1980s in Toronto, John is a teacher at an all girls school. He is constantly upset by the Ronald Reagan Administration and the current affairs of the US.

Two of the main themes in A Prayer for Owen Meany are religion and fate & free will. Throughout the entire novel, religion plays an important role in the two boy’s lives. The boys grow up in a town that is conservatively Christian. I think the path of the religion in the novel is quite confusing, there are multiple churches in Gravesend and many different individuals follow different branches of Christianity. The boys are always involved in church activities, including annual Christmas pageants. In Toronto, John is a dedicated and devoted Christian. John’s experiences with Owen cultivated his faith in God, and John will always be grateful. Fate and free will is a recurring theme in A Prayer for Owen Meany. Owen believes God placed him on this earth for a reason, described when he says, “GOD HAS TAKEN YOUR MOTHER. MY HANDS WERE THE INSTRUMENT. GOD HAS TAKEN MY HANDS. I AM GOD’S INSTRUMENT.” Owen believes he was destined to kill John’s mother, and he also has a special gift where he is able to, “see” some of the future events in his life through his dreams.

John Irving uses a current setting in Canada and unchronological flashbacks in New Hampshire to piece together the story. In my opinion, there is a lot of unnecessary information in the novel that makes the book drag on a bit, but overall it is a fantastic story that is definitely worth reading. The characters are complex and likeable and Irving’s fragmented flashbacks leave the reader eager for more.

Independent Reading (Bassett)

American Gun by Chris Kyle is a a book about ten guns that Chris Kyle thinks are the gun that carved out the United States. I really enjoyed the book because I really like guns and the history behind them. The book goes into detail about the American Long Rifle, Spencer Repeater, Colt 45. Pistol, Winchester 1873 Rifle, Springfield M1903 Rifle, M1911 Pistol, Thompson Sub Machine Gun, 38. Police Special and the M16 rifle.  I really enjoyed learning about the Spencer Repeater because the Spencer was the first repeater. The Spencer was first introduced in The Civil War and was a great success. Abraham Lincoln was a big fan of the Spencer. He shot the Spencer many times at his personnel gun range on the White House Lawn. The Spencer was so special because in the Civil War the black powder muzzle loaders they used to a long time to reload. The Spencer was equipped with a lever action style lower receiver. You just move the lever down to eject the fired shell then pull the lever up to chamber the new round.  The Spencer held seven rounds in the stock and fired many more rounds per minute than the muzzle loaders. This is a great book for anyone who enjoys guns and history. I really recommend this book.

Renkenberger - The Selection

Sydney Renkenberger

Mrs. Arnold

English 10

17 May 2015

The Selection

The Selection by Kiera Cass was a fictional young adult and dystopian book. This book reminded me of the show The Bachelor, which is one of my favorite shows, so I enjoyed this book very much. This book was written in the future after the United States was taken over by China. The Chinese then got defeated by a man named Gregory Illéa and so the country was named Illéa after him. The Selection happened in Illéa when the prince became old enough to get married. His name was Maxon and 35 women were chosen to join him in the castle so he could pick who he'll marry. Along the way there were mean gangs that invaded the castle and scared some girls out. America was the strongest girl there. She had not asked to go home at all. Right when things started going well between her and Maxon, someone from her hometown that she left came to be a guard in the castle. America had no idea who she should love more. America was my favorite character because she was honest. At first she was only in The Selection to provide food for her family, but then she grew attached to Maxon. They had a special relationship. I recommend this book to girls because it's a romantic book.

http://www.bookshelfery.com/review-the-selection-by-kiera-cass/

Anthem- Khaos Rannels

Imagine a time when the individual is lost and the word "I" is forbidden. Ayn Rand does a great job describing this society in, Anthem. In her novel, Ayn describes a falsified utopia, somewhat like 1984 by George Orwell. In this society, all notions of individuals have been eradicated. There are no names, no values, or no independence. Everything is done in the name of "we" and for the greater good of the brothers. All traces of the "unmentionable times" have been lost or forgotten. All of the medical advances and technology destroyed. Equality 7-2521 knew there had to be more to life than just serving his brothers. In Anthem, Equality 7-2521 was the only man who dared veer off from the mindless society, and for that he was punished. The story follows Equality 7-2521 deep into his ultimate discovery and his life there after. I would strongly recommend this book to all those who strongly believe in the idea of Individualism. Anthem truly was a great read, that a really enjoyed. 
Anthem link 

Poisonwood Bible//Charlotte Finn

Charlotte Finn

The Poisonwood Bible is a historical fiction novel written by Barbara Kingsolver. This novel is the story of the Orleanna Price and her daughters as they follow Nathan Price, a local baptist preacher who takes his family all the way to the Congo to bring the Word of the Lord to the Africans. The general theme of the novel is gender roles and the role of missionaries in the Global South.

I enjoyed reading the book, and the underlying message of how the author felt about missionaries. Reading it was basically like reading a long sarcastic rant. It made me think about why Africans can be so hostile towards Americans. What right do Christians have to come to a foreign place and force their beliefs down other peoples’ throats and call it a good deed? I am very against trying forcing your own culture into a different place where it’s not wanted. Every human and society has its fundamental right to believe whatever it wants. No one should tell anyone else what to do. What disgusted me the most was seeing how Nathan Price thought of the Congolese. He thought they were simply too stupid to be saved by his God. He truly believed that God made poor and placed them in the Congo for a reason, because these people didn’t deserve anything better. This was difficult for me to read considering how opinionated I am.

The Price family couldn’t survive in the Congo. During the 1950s (the setting of the book), Congo saw a separation from Belgium and became its own independent state. This was a bad thing for the Americans in the Congo because officially Africans were in charge. Despite all warnings from other missionaries in the Congo, the Price family stayed even after they were no longer being sent money. The youngest daughter, Ruth May, gets bitten by a snake and passes away. This leaves Orleanna guilt ridden and terribly depressed. This event is so crucial to the plot because every single member of the family is completely changed by her death. Orleanna never forgives her husband for the rest of their unsuccessful marriage. The rest of the girls shape their lives around losing their sister. Ruth May is buried in Congolese soil. Nathan Price dies without ever converting anyone in the Congo.

My favorite character was Adah Price. She’s a twin who suffers from various birth defects. It turns out that against all odds, she’s actually a child genius. She dedicates herself to education and I admire for that. Her father is constantly putting her down and expressing his beliefs on how girls don’t deserve an education. The way she processes her thoughts is so unique to her and I enjoyed whenever the chapter was in her perspective.

Barbara Kingsolver wrote this novel using five different points of view, the perspective of Orleanna and her four daughters. Since the Price family is from Georgia, lots of southern slang is used. Since the family is in the Congo, lots of the local language is used.

I think this book is worth reading if you are interested in world views especially on Christian Americans. I happen to interested on the views of Americans in foreign lands. I would recommend this book because of how beautifully written it was.  

As I Lay Dying

Mary Ann Neale

Mrs. Arnold

Honors English 10

17 May 2015

As I Lay Dying

As I Lay Dying is a fiction novel by William Faulkner that tells the story of the death of Addie Bundren and the journey her family takes across Mississippi to bury her body, told from the perspective of each family member. The story takes place in a time where there appears to be a system of classes, based on wealth. In their early 1900s society, the wealthy reside in the town, while the less affluent reside on farms or outside of town. The Bundren family are not wealthy and live outside of town with several children and neighbors. The story revolves around the death of the mother of the family, Addie, and her wish to be buried in a cemetery in Jefferson, not alongside those of her family. The father, Anse, decides to honor her wish and, with the help of his children, take her body to Jefferson. In the beginning, the story of Addie’s death is described, a funeral is held for her, and the family prepares for the journey. The remaining sections of the book tell the account of the family’s trek to Jefferson with their mother’s dead body and coffin.  

Personally, I found the novel hard to read. One hundred percent of my attention was required at all times. Although it was hard to comprehend, I enjoyed reading a novel of difficulty because I had to piece together the plot, the characters, and the backstories in my head in order to understand the novel. For example, throughout the novel, each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character, allowing you to meet each family member and discover their view on the situation. The characters referred to the people around them as he or she, not with names, so it was my job to put together who they were talking to or who they were talking about. Also, the family was quite large, and Faulkner doesn't tell you who is related to whom, married couples, or genders of the characters, so that was my job to figure out as well. Another thing that I liked was the variety of the characters. Each had a different personality and outlook on the situation. Not one stood out to me, but through the thoughts of the characters, a vivid identity was developed for each of the family members.

Overall, I would not recommend this book to everyone, only those who are willing to put the effort into the plot and characters. Although it is a difficult read, I found it worth the effort to be exposed to a classic author's work.
Nobel Prize Winner

The Color Purple (Gaby)

Gaby Ruiz

Mrs. Arnold

English 10

16 May 2015

The Color Purple

Themes: Racism, gender roles

Author: Alice WalkeR

Title: The Color Purple

Genre: Fiction 

This novel had a large impact on me while reading it. I had never really thought about what the lives of African American women was like growing up in the South during the 1930s. Reading the book made me realize how difficult it was especially during a time where racism was a very common factor in people’s lives. 

In the fictional novel The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, Celie is a young African American girl living in the American South in the 1930s. She tells her story through a series of letters written to God. Celie lives with Alphonso, whom she believes is her father, despite the fact that he abuses and rapes her. Early on, it is revealed that Celie had given birth to a by girl, but Alphonso took her daughter away after birth and Celie has not seen her since then. In addition to her daughter, Alphonso also took away Celie’s son. Celie has a younger sister named Nettie, whom is arranged to marry a man simply known as Mister, but later ends up wanting to marry Celie. Then, Celie moves into Mister’s house where his children treat her very poorly. After Nettie runs away from Alphonso, she runs to Mister’s house to seek Celie, but is forced to leave but promises her sister that she will write. Time goes on and without a word from Nettie leading Celie to believe that Nettie has died. For years to come, Celie wonders about her sister and the children she never got to see and raise. 

Even though it may be sort of stereotypical to like the protagonist of a novel the most, I found myself to admiring Celie. She was a very brave and selfless woman despite the incredible hardships and difficult situations she has to endure in her life. It amazed me how she was able to move past her extremely hard past and become a confident individual.

Alice Walker wrote The Color Purple in a series of letters written by Celie. This form of writing really allowed the reader to sense how the protagonist truly felt about different situations. I enjoyed seeing the story in the eyes of a character who was actually experiencing the story.   

Since the story is set in the South in the 1930s, abuse was a real conflict for young African American girls. In the book, Celie’s sole male figure abuses her and one can sense the fear Celie experiences towards Alphonso. The fear disallows her to fight back because of his power over her.

This novel is definitely worth reading because it will make people realize the struggles of the era and the hardships of African American women at the same time. Also, it was a very touching story overall and there were never really any boring moments. In the end, it was an eye opening read for myself and I am sure it would be for anyone who decides to read the novel.

www.en.wikipedia.org