Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Blog Post #12
I am starting another spy-dectective-murder-mystery novel called The Arctic Event by Ludlum. I think I am in love with his books. They are clearly way more complicated than the Alex Rider books, which many people say are really cliche. It is again about Lieutenant Colonel Jon Smith, who "coincidentally" is also a scientist. He is investigating a remote island in the Arctic that has a plane that dissapeared in World War II. The only twist is, that the plane is carrying 2 metric tons of Anthrax! In a race to save the world, Jon alerts USAMRIID and amid warnings that other nations are quickly sending people after this plane also, their emerges a competition to see who gets their first.
Blog Post #11
I finished All the Pretty Horses and I did not like the ending. It was very despondant and seemed like it the author was ready to end it 20 pages before the actual ending! I don't understand why John Grady acted the way he did. I realize that his life has just fallen apart following, Alajandra's rejection but I didn't forsee this impacting his usual melancholic, affable nature that much. The one thing I really didn't understand was why he heated up the pistol barrel and then put it on his bullet wounds! Maybe there is a good explanation but I can't seem to find any. And also, I thought that the sudden revelation that Grady felt about his dad dying was extremely weird. It felt rushed, as if it was included only to speed up the ending.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Blog Post 10
The book All the Pretty Horses has gotten much better. In the beginning, there was ceratinly too much description, and i hate books with alot of description. However, following their settling on the ranch, Grady and Rawlins have certainly had a lot to deal with.
A good quote from the book is: " The older of the girls said that if his novia truly loved him she would marry him no matter what but the boy was not so encouraging and he said that even in families of the rich a girl could not go against the wishes of her father," (McCarthy 243).
It just shows the thematic idea of gender roles and how from an early age, children knew the unspoken rules of society. The boy is clearly illustrating how families are strictly patricarchal and that a women must please her father and marry whomever he deems best. The older girl suggests that a woman could possibly break free of any restrains if she really wanted to. This kind of resembles the rebel in Alejandra like when she was telling Grady before that she was controlled by her aunt and didn't want to be.
A good quote from the book is: " The older of the girls said that if his novia truly loved him she would marry him no matter what but the boy was not so encouraging and he said that even in families of the rich a girl could not go against the wishes of her father," (McCarthy 243).
It just shows the thematic idea of gender roles and how from an early age, children knew the unspoken rules of society. The boy is clearly illustrating how families are strictly patricarchal and that a women must please her father and marry whomever he deems best. The older girl suggests that a woman could possibly break free of any restrains if she really wanted to. This kind of resembles the rebel in Alejandra like when she was telling Grady before that she was controlled by her aunt and didn't want to be.
Blog Post #9
I finished the Book Thief. It had a really really really despondant ending.
Hans Hubermann returns to the relief of both Rosa and Liesel. However, his reason is one of chance. On one of his missions, his group was sitting in a tank when Reinold Zucker, a very cantankerous young lad demanded that he switch seats with Hans and sit in the front of the tank. Well, as they were riding along, the tank's wheel was punctured and the driver lost control. The vehicle flipped many times and when all was still, the men stood shaken by the crash and all looked at the dead corpse of Reinold. Luckily, Hans only suffered a broken leg and was sent home. Leisel is caught stealing books, however Ilsa Herman, the vitim is extremely kind and has known all along that Liesel was entering the library. There are alot more important things that happen but the saddest most depressing part of the book is at the end when the town of Molching is bombed abruptly without any sirens warning the residents. Liesel happened to be in her basement reading, and this is what saved her. All of her friends and family died, but her. And of course, following the aftermath, she finds Rudy's body and kisses him... finally.
Hans Hubermann returns to the relief of both Rosa and Liesel. However, his reason is one of chance. On one of his missions, his group was sitting in a tank when Reinold Zucker, a very cantankerous young lad demanded that he switch seats with Hans and sit in the front of the tank. Well, as they were riding along, the tank's wheel was punctured and the driver lost control. The vehicle flipped many times and when all was still, the men stood shaken by the crash and all looked at the dead corpse of Reinold. Luckily, Hans only suffered a broken leg and was sent home. Leisel is caught stealing books, however Ilsa Herman, the vitim is extremely kind and has known all along that Liesel was entering the library. There are alot more important things that happen but the saddest most depressing part of the book is at the end when the town of Molching is bombed abruptly without any sirens warning the residents. Liesel happened to be in her basement reading, and this is what saved her. All of her friends and family died, but her. And of course, following the aftermath, she finds Rudy's body and kisses him... finally.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Blog Post #8
In class, we are reading All the pretty horses. It reminds me of my piano piece called All the Pretty little horses. But I really dislike the book. It is extremely boring and laborious to read. In the beginning I was very confused as to where they were and where they were going. The author likes to write conversations without telling the reader who is speaking. However, I am thinking that now that Grady and Rawlins are stationary in a ranch that the plot will get better.
Blog Post #7
I'am almost finished with the Book Thief. It is so sad, yet makes you feel happy. Ironic, i know.
In the book, the town of Molching is now starting to experience the apprehension of bomb sirens. Hans paints all the windows black and inspectors come to check people's basements to see which ones are deep enough. This is scary because Max is being hidden in Liesel's basement, but luckily his hiding place is sufficient enough that he does not get caught. However, Hans Hubermann and Alex Steiner are sent of to war. Hans because he gave food to the Jews who were being marched through town and Alex because he wouldn't send his son Rudy off to war. During this time, Liesel watches her mom experience extreme grief. After Hans's act of sympathy Max is forced to leave. This just about breaks Liesel's heart, as they had become good friends. My favorite parts are about Liesel and Rudy. They seem so opportunistic and light hearted while all around them are signs of danger and death. And also because they have an ongoing tussel between them. They are reallly good friends and Rudy is always asking Liesel for a kiss. But I am making the prediction that Liesel will not kiss Rudy until it is to late...when he is dying.
In the book, the town of Molching is now starting to experience the apprehension of bomb sirens. Hans paints all the windows black and inspectors come to check people's basements to see which ones are deep enough. This is scary because Max is being hidden in Liesel's basement, but luckily his hiding place is sufficient enough that he does not get caught. However, Hans Hubermann and Alex Steiner are sent of to war. Hans because he gave food to the Jews who were being marched through town and Alex because he wouldn't send his son Rudy off to war. During this time, Liesel watches her mom experience extreme grief. After Hans's act of sympathy Max is forced to leave. This just about breaks Liesel's heart, as they had become good friends. My favorite parts are about Liesel and Rudy. They seem so opportunistic and light hearted while all around them are signs of danger and death. And also because they have an ongoing tussel between them. They are reallly good friends and Rudy is always asking Liesel for a kiss. But I am making the prediction that Liesel will not kiss Rudy until it is to late...when he is dying.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Blog #6
We are currently watching O Brother, where art thou? in English, and I love it! It is such an interesting movie. I remember watching like 10 minutes of it like 5 years ago and being extremely bored but now its super enjoyable. There are many connections that I have seen between the movie and the Odyssey, which it is based on. The church congregation and women who enchant the 'brothers' are analogous to the Lotus-Eaters in the Odyssey. George Nelson is similar to Odysseus, who both after great feats, robbing a bank and blinding the Cyclops respectively, vy for attention and call out there names in a vain attempt to gain recognition among the people. Also, the blind african-american man in the beginning of the movie is like Athena giving Odysseus advice on their journey and what they will encounter. I also thought that the cars were like the ships in the Odyssey that take the brothers from one place to another.
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