Chains #6

Chains
Laurie Halse Anderson
Historical Fiction
300/300 pages read

In this part of the book Isabel is sent to the market with Sarah and is almost caught talking to Captain Morse, then Sarah also tells her that Madam plans to forbid her to go to the water pump. Isabel tells her that she doesn't mind doing the chore and likes being outside so Sarah allows her to continue because it lets her have less work to do. Soon Isabel find out from Madam Seymour that she had wanted to buy her as soon as she came to work for Madam and this is why their argument began. Also, there was soon to be a ball in honor of the Queen's birthday in ten days and Madam wanted to be as prepared as she could. She spent hours talking to the hairdresser about which hairstyle would suit her most and what she would wear. On the day of the ball however day as Isabel arrived back to the Lockton household however, Madam was very angry at her, a friend of hers has told her that she saw Isabel talking to a rebel officer. She also knew that Isabel had a note to deliver and wanted to see what it says but Isabel threw it into the fire. After this Madam tells her that she still owns Ruth because no one had wanted to buy her and that she lives in Charleston. Then, she ordered for Isabel to be locked up in the potato bin. Isabel thought about Ruth who wasn't as far away as she thought she was, in a town she could walk to and decided that she would find the way out of the potato bin. Finally she found a few boards that have grown loose from the dampness and finally got out. Then she decided that the only choice she had left was to run. But something made her stop when she recognized the place where she would usually turn to go visit the prison, and knew that she had to take Curzon along with her. However Curzon was very ill and could barely walk so it was very hard to get past the guards without getting noticed. They found a rowboat and found themselves on the other side of the river next morning, which means that they were now set free.

This was a really great book and I really enjoyed how the book ended because Isabel's dream finally came true, she was free, but since there are two more sequels to this book she will probably go looking for Ruth and they will be free together. I really liked that no matter what obstacles and hardships were on her way Isabel achieved her dream anyway and she treated everyone fairly even though some people treated her more like an object then a person because she was a slave. This book did meet all of my expectations because it was interesting to read and I learned a lot of new things about people's lives during this time period and about the Revolutionary War. 

Lovely Bones 6

Lovely Bones

Alice Sebold

Mystery, thriller

328/328

I finally finished the book and this is what has happened in the last section. At the beginning Susie watches Ray and Ruth (her friends) at the sinkhole (where her body was dumped after the murder). They wonder if her Susie’s body was dumped there. She watches Fenerman (police man) go to the hospital and give her family the charm bracelet she wore on the day of the murder. That was the only evidence they had of the murder but it didn’t really help much. He tells them that after some years they finally could connect other murders to him and finally Abigail realizes that Mr. Harvey was the murderer.  Susie then watches Mr. Harvey, he had forgotten about the women/girls he had murdered but lately they have been coming back to him. She sees him driving towards her house but then when he approaches the neighborhood a policeman asks him to leave. After he left he decides to go to the sinkhole and he finally remembers that he had thrown a body there (Susie’s body). Ruth then passes out as she sees all the women he killed (she could see that because she has a special connection to the dead). As she passes out Susie takes ahold of her body as Ruth goes to heaven. Ray helps Susie stand up they kiss but he still doesn’t know that he is kissing Susie not Ruth. They go to the bike shop (Hal’s and Samuel’s bike shop) they fall asleep next to each other. Susie and Ray wake up later and she tells him to read Ruth’s journal (where she has kept track of different murders). Susie then leaves Ruth’s body and goes back to heaven. Ray listened to Susie (even though he doesn’t know its her) he read Ruth’s journal and read about the murders she wrote about. Everyone is waiting at home for Jack to come from the hospital. When he comes home they celebrate with champagne. When Abigail (Susie’s mom) gets home she immediately goes to Susie’s room so she can tell her she loves her and then goes down stairs to celebrate with everyone. Ray and Ruana join them as Samuel talks about renovating the old Victorian house with Lindsey. Then finally Susie stops watching from heaven.  I haven’t learned much in the recent reading but I have learned that the finally in a way let go of Susie’s murder, they moved on in a way and that is why Susie stopped watching. She stopped watching because she knew her family will be well and they have finally let go.  This development had affected the characters a lot in a way because they all after many years have found a way to move on, and in the last chapter of the book most of the characters in the book are all together smiling and happy for the future.

I am amazed by what I have read. I am surprised by the ending the most. I did not expect the book to end like this what so ever. I think that even though the murder didn’t get the punishment he deserved the book ended well. It is not one of those books where the author leaves you hanging at the end of the book. When you get to the end of the book you really feel the book has ended well. My recent reading has fulfilled my expectations even though I didn’t know that this would happen. In a way this is the last thing I thought would happen at the end of the book but I am glad it ended the way that it did. Since I have finished the book I don’t have expectations but I am curious what the other books will be about from the same author and I am exited to read the prologue for the next book. I am very satisfied with what I have read and I am really glad that the book has ended the way that it did even though I wanted the murder to get what he deserves for what he did I prefer this ending to the one I had planed in my head. I think that is so because the ending that I had made up is expected, but this ending is better because it is something most wouldn’t expect at the end of the book and that is why I liked it so much.

To my surprise for the first time when I finished the book I don’t have any questions. Usually when I finish book I have many questions about the end but this time that is not the case.

“And I was gone.” (Sebold 322)

This in fact is one of my favorite quotes in the book. It is the very last four words in the book. I love that quote because it represents Susie and her family finally moving on. She now let go of her family because she knows that they are all together, she will now go on to another type of heaven with no worries. Her family has let go and learnt how to finally deal with the absence of their loved one, they will now finally be able to move on with their life.

Da Vinci Code-Nemanja #5

Nemanja Besevic

8/12/13

Dan Brown

Da Vinci Code

Conspiracy, detective fiction, thriller

                This week I finished reading “The Da Vinci Code”. I was very satisfied with the ending and the events that led up to it. Langdon, Sophie, Sir Teabing, Remy and Silas landed in Teabings hangar. The police checked Teabings plane to see if Langdon, Sophie and Silas were on board, they found nothing. The three of them had run into the limo before the police arrived. They went to a temple church to try and find their next clue. When they had gotten there Remy turned out to work with the “teacher” like Silas did. Silas and Remy attacked Langdon and Sophie and took the cryptex and Teabing as a hostage. Teabing was actually the teacher but no one except Remy knew that. Silas went to the Opus Dei headquarters in London to pray. Teabing killed Remy and tipped of the police about where Silas was. He entered the actual building the clue led to and tried figuring it out. Langdon and Sophie searched the web for a knight whose funeral a pope attended. They found out that it was Sir Isaac Newton’s tomb and they went there. Teabing held them at gun point once he found them in the tomb. He told them about his plan to find the Holy Grail. He then requested that they join him but Sophie did not agree. Langdon received the cryptex and started thinking about which side he should be on. He threw the cryptex in the air, Teabing ran for it and caught it. The vinegar inside had already disintegrated whatever was inside. Langdon held the map that was in the cryptex in his hands, he had opened the cryptex and took it out before. They followed the clue and it led to Roslyn a church in Scotland. Sophie found out that her grandmother and younger brother were still alive and they lived near the church. She was reunited with her family. Langdon was puzzled because he could not find out where the grail was. He spoke to Sophie’s Grandma and she told him that one day it will dawn on him. He later found out it was hidden in a secret area of the Louvre.

                I was very satisfied with the ending of the book. Sophie was reunited with her family and Langdon knew where the grail was. When Langdon threw the cryptex I thought that it was over, they would never find the grail and I was very sad. Then Langdon pulled out the paper from his pocket and I knew that they would find the grail. 

Da Vinci Code- Nemanja #4

Nemanja Besevic

1/12/13

Jennifer Nelson

8A English

Da Vinci Code

Dan Brown

Mystery, Detective, Conspiracy fiction, thriller

287-412/589

This week I read about how Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveau escaped with the armored truck. Langdon had the idea that they should visit his friend Sir Teabing; a Holy Grail expert. They talked to Teabing and he explained the story to Sophie of how Jesus had a family and the Holy Grail is actually Mary Magdalene and not a cup Jesus drank from. Langdon showed Teabing the box that they had found. While they were trying to open the thing inside the box Silas was spying on them. He entered and told them to give him the box, Teabing and Sophie beat up and tied Silas while Langdon was unconscious because he got hit. The police surrounded the house because they used a GPS to locate the armored vehicle. Teabing, Sophie, Langdon, Teabings Butler and Silas escaped in a Range Rover. They got to Teabings jet and started a course for Britain.

                I enjoyed reading this week. I found the book very interesting because there were a lot of hidden meanings and new things that I learned. Before this week I never would have thought that Mary Magdalene was the Holy Grail. I predict that by the end of the book they will find the Grail and escape the police or make the police not want them anymore; show that they are innocent. Once they open the item inside the box I think it will be a riddle that is a map or shows the location of a map, but I am sure that it won’t be a simple map.

Da Vinci Code- Nemanja #3

Nemanja

20/11/13

The Da Vinci Code

Dan Brown

Mystery, conspiracy, detective fiction

pg 194-287/589

  This week I read about how Sophie and Langdon combined their genius and escaped the police. While Sophie was driving Langdon looked at the golden key Sophie had found behind a painting, he spotted an address on it. The address was of a Swiss bank, when they arrived they spoke to the man behind the counter. He sent them to an elevator that led them to a vault, he then called the police. Langdon and Sophie arrived to their vault level and inserted their key into the hole in the wall and they got a box, they opened it and found a smaller box inside. The manager of the bank came and told them they must leave because he didnt want an arrest in the bank. He locked Langdon and Sophie up in the armored trucks and they left from the. The manager led them far from Paris and wanted to leave them there and take the box. Langdon hit the man and got in the truck and drove away.

  I am happy with what I have read so far. The book has been very interesting and has kept me up late reading it many times. It has fulfilled all my expectations and so far it is true what Ive been told many times that this is the best Dan Brown book. While reading I always try thinking about what will happen next and every time Im wrong. If I were to sit down and think about what will happen next and what something is I would probably still get it wrong.

The Secret Garden blog post #5

Title: The Secret Garden
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Genre: Historical Fiction
Number of pages: 280/311

Report Section: In the secret garden the three children speak in Yorkshire accent. Mary and Dickon show Colin all the treasures in the garden when they suddenly find a big gray tree. Dickon however says that the roses will soon grow up and will cover that tree. Mrs. Sowerby, Dickon's mother, suspects that Colin's mother is somehow still in the secret garden, still watching over her son, and that it is her influence that has brought the three children to the garden. While the children are playing Ben  Weatherstaff over the garden wall and sees the children.  In his shock at seeing Colin, Ben calls him "the poor cripple" and asks if he has crooked legs and a crooked back. Colin is incensed, and, with surprising strength, suddenly rises from his wheeled chair and commands the old man to look at him. Then the children invite Ben to join them in the garden. Ben tells the children stories about a magic that could help Colin stand up and start walking. He says that the only thing that they have to do is repeat their wish. As the time passes, the children take in seriously the idea of the magic. Mary starts noticing how Colin becomes healthier, and is always in a good mood. Colin and Dickon notice that Mary is now prettier than she was at the beginning and they think that the reason for this is the secret garden. 

Response Section: And again I wasn't impressed from what I read. Basically there was nothing new in those chapters except the story about magic. I expect that Colin will get better soon but I wish if something more than that is going to happen like is somebody going to die or is the secret garden just a simple garden or is it something else? 

Passage Section: "Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing. Everything is made out of Magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers, and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us. In this garden- in all the places. The Magic in this garden has made me stand up and know I am going to live to be a man."

Basically this is pretty much what the magic thing is about. This short passage shows how Colin believes in himself and how due to his hard work he will get better. 

People of the Wolf Blog-Post #5

People of the Wolf

W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear

Per-historical fiction 
353/435

Report Section
Wolf Dreamer and his group are heading through the dark and deep ghost tunnel under the ice. The group is shivering in fear as they enter the long darkness. The tunnel is only wide enough for a single filed line. There is water up to the ankles at the begging but there are deeper areas and one slip could cause a fatal injury on the sharp and slippery stone. Though that was not what they feared most. What they feared was the eerie calls of the ghosts in the passage. The ghosts could take anyone and bring them to the eternal darkness. It anyone died under ground they would not be able to leave to father sun and would be stuck down in the endless dark. Though all the way Wolf dreamer reassured them as his warnings about deep water or slippery pools was passed on through the line. He was holding a little light which gave the whole group hope. They walked for days and nights in the tunnels loosing track of time. Though finally one day Wolf  Dreamer calls back as he sees the first hint of light. As they walk out of the dark passage they see beautiful fields of grass and frost. There were dozens of tall rich trees touching the sky, there was game (prey: caribou, buffalo, mammoth) everywhere and they did not even react to the people, as if though they had never seen a hunter before. Though the biggest relief was that there were no other people here to chase them away. No people of the others or the Glacier Clan. One Who cries thought it was finally over with the starvation when Wolf Dreamer tells him and Singing Wolf that the tree of them must return to convince the rest of the People, that where scattered over the little land that was still remaining, that they must also pass through the underground passage and to this paradise. The problem was that soon the Great dark came and during the Great Dark the water would rise and block the passage. The Great Dark was very near and the passage could fill up any day. Wolf Dreamer, Singing Wolf, and One Who Cries say farewell to the rest of the group and go back into the dark tunnel again. Later that night a woman called Moon Water that the group had take hostage from the Others escaped into the tunnels at night alone. The group was chocked that she would dare to walk into the tunnels alone and without a light. Dancing Fox knows that Moon Water would return to the Others and tell them about this wonderful place and that there was a big chance that they might come after the People through the underground tunnel. Dancing Fox decides to pursuit Moon water and plans to kill her before she reached the Others, she enters the tunnels alone with no light. While traveling through the tunnels   she meets Three Falls. He had manage to escape raven Hunter's group of warriors in the Great Dark and had met Dreaming Wolf who told him the directions to the tunnels and since he had no other place to go he decided to take the chance. Dancing Fox convinces Three falls to go and help her to catch Moon Water. Raven Hunter knew that his group would not be willing to fight due to the renewal coming up soon. Though he also knows that if they retreat now the Others could easily take back the territory Raven Hunter and his group have take over. He tried to convince the group of young warriors that they should attack the Others because they also have a renewal ceremony an would be weak then. Though he realizes no one is with him and to keep is good reputation he decides they will travel further south to were the renewal will be held. He is not impressed by the choice of the place for the renewal, Herons camp. At the renewal Raven Hunter meets Wolf Dreamer, Raven Hunter argues that no one is going to believe Wolf dreamer and that the people will believe Crow caller who follow everything Raven Hunter tells him to. In the cave that Heron Lived in Wolf Dreamer takes the same chance Heron did, he eats the poisonous mushrooms to dream the future of he People and to convince them to come with him. Heron tried doing this but to connect to the leader o the Others (Ice Fire) though she was interrupted by her love for the long dead man called White Bear and then she died as she lost concentration. Thought just as the Renewal is about to start and Raven Hunter and others are trying to get into the cave with Singing Wolf trying to defend it Wolf Dreamer comes out with dreaming light in his eyes. He goes up to the fire that everyone was gathered around. He tells them about the place on the other side of the ice and that the must go there. Though Crow Caller steps up telling the People that Wolf Dreamer is dark and evil, though Crow Caller tried to curse Wolf Dreamer, Wolf Dreamer tells crow Caller that he is rotten and dark inside bu that it is still not too late for him to come back to the light if he just lets go of the fears and lies. Though crow Caller refuses and suddenly weakens greatly and starts to die. Wolf Dreamer orders One Who Cries to carry Crow Caller to one of the tents and make Crow Callers death comfortable. As Wolf Dreamer tells the People that the water in the tunnel will sink when the great Dark is over and how they have to hold out until then One Who Cries steps out of the tent and suddenly see movement on top of the hills surrounding the shelter. One Who Cries feels something is wrong and screams warnings at the crow though they are too distracted by Wolf Dream to hear. He climbed up boulders just to be met by Raven Hunters legs. One Who Cries gets hit by Raven Hunter continuously with a sharp arrow injuring his face and head. With no weapon and as he sees that Raven Hunter in aiming the arrow at Wolf Dreamer, One Who Cries bites as hard as he can into Rave Hunters leg, though it was too late. The arrow had been fired though luckily it had been tilted slightly off. Instead of hitting Wolf Dreamer it hit a young boy who was standing near Wolf Dreamer. The crow was in chock and just that moment Raven Hunter hits One Who Cries really hard in the head and he starts to bleed a lot and everything goes grey for One Who Cries. When Wolf Dreamer and everyone else reach them Singing Wolf (One Who Cried cousin) realized that One Who Cries is luckily still alive. the elder Four Teeth says that the punishment for killing one of the People in the way Raven Hunter did was death though Wolf Dreamer says that Raven Hunter is just lost and Wolf Dreamer tells raven Hunter to leave and come back when he has lost himself so he can find himself again.     

Response Section
What do you think about what you have read?

I think that things are getting very close t the climax and that it seems like every action in what i have read this week is an action to prepare for the climax.Has your recent reading fulfilled your expectations?

Yes, I expected that Raven Hunter and Wolf Dreamer would finally meet and that Wolf dream and crow Caller would have a sort of stand off. 

What do you expect for your continued reading?

I expect that the People will prepare for the great Dark and try to survive it without being killed by the Others.How satisfied are you with what you have read?

I read as much as I planned to read for this week. 

Passage Section

"Gray. The world has turned gray for all of us. Color is gone. Only desperation remains. Ice and rock ahead of us, around us. Behind comes painful death of the Others. Is this the way? Truly? Isn't there life and joy and happiness anymore? I don't want to go in there. not into the darkness with the ghosts." (page 289)  I chose this passage because it si the thoughts of One Who Cries before he follows Wolf Dreamer into the dark tunnel and it most likely reflects the thoughts of most of the People following Wolf Dresmer, and maybe the other clans.  

Dragon Road Blog Post #5

Author: Laurence Yep

Pages Read: 240/288

Genre: Historical Fiction

Report Section

Dragons do not have any money, but even though they don't have it, they go to the restaurant expecting that they will recognize them and give the some free food. When they cam into the restaurant, the chef showed them the sign saying NO INDIANS ALLOWED. They explained him that they are not Indians, but Chinese, and as soon as they told him that, he recognized them from the posters that were around the city, so he gave them a free meal. When they finished their meal, they slept in the car. The next morning they headed for their next game. They were playing the Chinese for the first time, and Calvin thought that the team they were playing was their reflection. He saw the chef in the crowd. Their best player, the guard was unstoppable. But even though Calvin tried to pull of the same thing when he insulted the guard when they played against the Davis Brothers, but their guard did not pay attention. It was one minute until the end of the game, when Jack called for the timeout. That was the only way for the Dragons to catch some breath. Timeout finished and Dragons went in the game. Professor passed the ball to Calvin, and Calvin started drilling. He got double teamed, but his quickness allowed him to protect the ball from the opponent's's guard. He wanted to pass the ball to Hollywood, but the guard was expecting that and jumped for the ball. Dragons were leading by one, but there was only 10 seconds left until the end, and the guard was heading for an open basket, when Calvin jumped for the ball, and the guard fell and twisted his ankle so bad;y he had to go to the hospital. When Calvin stood up, he asked Jack if they won, when he saw his teammates cheering, so he already knew the situation. They've won. When Dragons started heading for the next game, Annie had a flat tire. Barney and Alphonse changed, but it wasn't good enough. Jack started arguing with the rest of the team. Topper and rest of the team, except me got angry on him that he did not receive any money, and they are still playing games, so Jack emptied the trunk and invited Calvin to go with him alone back in San Francisco, but Calvin stayed with the team, and Jack left, alone walking. Professor wanted to fix the car, but then Calvin got sick of everyone, even Barney, and he left the team. Calvin left towards the city. When he got in the city, it remained him on San Francisco, but as soon as he heard basketball, he knew it was the Chinatown of that city. Ah Chen saw Calvin on the street and invited him in his restaurant with his two friends, Ah Sam, and Ah Bing. They recognized him from the flier, and asked him what is celebrity doing here. They told him that they know Grandpa Joe and that he is report, which Calvin did not know. 

Response Section

Finally some drama happened out of basketball. It really surprised me when Jack left the team, and then it even more surprised me when Calvin left. I wonder what is going to happen to Topper and the rest of the team, but especially Barney. I like that Dragons played another Chinese, and even beat them by one point, but I feel bad for the guard that he got injured, and he will never be able to play basketball again. Calvin got surprised when he founded out Grandpa Joe is a reporter, but then realized that he was always tired every morning, probably from writing the story for the newspaper. I am really satisfied of what I read. When Calvin left the team, it seemed like a dream, because I never expected for Calvin to say that he was sick of everything, but especially himself. And Ah Chen, Ah Sam, and Ah Bing seem like unreal persons, like a fairy. I don't know what is going to happen next, this really shocked me., but maybe Topper will somehow find Calvin, by leaving the rest of the team, or maybe Barney will do the same, who knows. My recent reading has fulfilled my expectations.

Passage Section

"Suddenly I was as sick of them as I was of Jack. I needed to be alone. You'd be lucky to get two dimes for this heap. I'm not waiting around for anymore empty promises."

That was the moment when Calvin got sick of all of them, but especially of himself, and when he left alone towards the city light.

Quarter 2 Post 5 ~ Troy

Troy
Adele Geras
Historic Fiction
292/358

Summary

            Paris is shot by the bow of Herakles. It isn't a terrible wound, but the arrow is spiked with poison. It soon kills him. Afterwards, not a day after he has died, his brothers are fighting over Helen. Everyone gets together, and Priam decides that Helen is to be wed to Deiphobus, Paris's brother. Helen and Marpessa move into Deiphobus's palace, bringing all Helen's things with them, but Helen gives an order not to unpack anything. Helen and Marpessa speak, and Helen flies into a rage, telling Marpessa that she would gladly help the Greeks take over the city. She doesn't care anymore.
            Marpessa goes to the market. There, she meets Alastor, who tells her to meet him in the ruins where they normally meet because he needs to tell her something important. Marpessa agrees, but after Alastor has left, Marpessa thinks to herself and realizes that she's pregnant. She makes it a point to tell Alastor when they meet.
           That night, at the ruins, Marpessa and Alastor meet. Alastor tells Marpessa that he is to be married to a girl from the country. He tells her that he does not wish to be married. He describes his feelings for her like a fire that burns in his body. Marpessa quickly identifies that the feelings that Alastor has for her are nothing more than desire. She tells him to go ahead and marry the girl; that she doesn't care anymore. After she has left, she goes to Mother Poison, a woman who deals in poisons. There, she gets a potion that will kill the baby inside of her before it is born.
           Polyxena and Xanthe sit in Andromache's garden with Astyanax. Polyxena finally bring up the courage to tell Xanthe of Iason's message; that he loves her and wishes to marry her. Xanthe tells Polyxena to tell Iason that she will consider it.
         The Singer wakes in the middle of the night, waking Polyxena along with him, and looks out the window. He finds that there is nothing out on the plain; not a single watch fire. He and Polyxena go down to the wall, where they find that all the Greeks have left. There are no tents, no camp and no ships in the bay. What they do see, though, is a giant horse. It is a giant horse made of wood, with flower garlands around its neck and body, like a gift. Soon people come down to the wall, and call the horse a gift to appease the goddess Athena, for the statue of the goddess was stolen earlier on, probably by the Greeks, and that the horse is an offering left so that the goddess will let them leave swiftly. The Trojans drag the horse into the city, and the watchmen are told that, since there is no impending threat from the Greeks, they have no reason to be on duty.

Response
         I know the story of Troy, and how the Greeks hid inside the horse so they could attack from inside, so it is getting very suspenseful for me. I'm afraid of what might happen to Xanthe, Marpessa, Polyxena, Iason and all the other characters. I want there to be a happy ending, but seeing what happened in reality... It seems like it is nearing the climax, and it's getting very exciting.

Passage
         "'No more enemies on the Plain, lads,' said their captain. 'So no more duty until I tell you different'.
          'What about the Gate?' said one of the men.
           'Shut it,' said the captain. he was a tidy man, and liked the look of everything closed up safely for the night, whatever the state of hostilities might be."

This passage is very interesting for me, because I know that, because the Gate is shut, no one can escape as the Greeks attack from the horse. It seems like foreshadowing, and it makes me want to yell at the men for being so stupid. 

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas 

John Boyne 

Historical Fiction 

# of pages read this week: 66/216

Summary 

Bruno's father's birthday was coming up. His mother was planning a birthday party for him along with the assistance of Lieutenant Kotler. Of course, Bruno had to make up a million reasons as to why he hated him. Bruno mentions that Lieutenant Kotler never smiles, Gretel flirts with him, when his father is not around he acts like he is in charge of everything. One shocking this that Bruno witnessed Kotler do was shoot a barking dog outside. Overall, he claims Kotler is not a very likable person. Bruno was reading his book and Kotler came and snatched his book away and refused to return it to Bruno. He was only able to get it back when Kotler heard Bruno's mother coming. She didn't realize that Bruno was there and started to talk to Kotler she said she had some free time. She then told Bruno to leave once she had noticed he was there because she said she needed a private word with Lieutenant Kotler. He went to the kitchen and he wasn't ready for what he was about to see. His best friend Shmuel was sitting at the table. It's been around a year since Bruno and his family have been at Out-With. His grandma dies and they return to Berlin for her funeral. Bruno's father was especially forlorn because the last time he had seen her before her death he had argued with her. Once Bruno goes back home from the funeral he really realizes that Out-With is his new home and that things have drastically improved in a good way. He says that the best thing about it is his new friend Shmuel. Bruno and Gretel's mother finds out that they have lice and is terribly unhappy about it. It has made her re-think whether she likes living in Out-With. Once thing that hasn't changed is that Bruno still looks forward to his afternoons with Shmuel. One afternoon Bruno goes to meet Shmuel at their usual place but Shmuel isn't there. He is worried and wonders why he is missing. 3 Days after that Shmuel turns up, Bruno asked where he had been and Shmuel explained that something very bad had happened and his father went missing.They change the subject and Bruno tells Shmuel he will be returning to Berlin and he thinks that it will be forever. Before Bruno is supposed to leave to go to Berlin it rains and he is worried he won't be able to see Shmuel before he departs. The weather gets better and he is happy and goes for what might be his last visit to see Shmuel. This time their meeting was different. Shmuel lifts up the fence just enough so that Bruno can squeeze underneath it and get to the other side. He manages to get muddy on the way though. The reason he has made his way underneath the fence was so that he could help Shmuel find his father, Bruno insists it's not a good idea and wants to leave to go back to Out-With. He stays though because Shmuel reminds him that after all he did promise to search for his father. They look around for around an hour and a half but there is no luck. As they are running back to the fence they hear a loud whistle and they found themselves surrounded by soldiers. After what had happened that day on the other side of the fence Bruno is never seen or heard from again by anyone. His mother and father are terrified and end up staying at Out-With for several more months to keep looking for Bruno and hope to here something. Bruno's father goes to the place at which Bruno always met Shmuel and finds his clothes in a pile. He then notices the tiny gap that Bruno went through to get to the other side of the fence. He then realizes the tragedy that took place that afternoon and falls to the ground. This news is horrible for the whole family. A few months later Bruno's father is removed from Out-With and no one cares what he has been through. 

Response 

These few last chapters were very hard to read because of what had happened to Bruno. It was very emotional and it truly shows the life that most families had back then. Bruno was only young when the incident had happened. I think that the friendship was so strong between Bruno and Shmuel and it shows how much they both cared for each other and what a true friendship really means. I feel so sorry for Bruno's family and him because of what they had to go through and what Bruno and Shmuel experienced. The soldiers must have been extremely cruel in order to do what they did. No one deserves to die or go through what both Shmuel and Bruno went through and all the other men and boys behind that fence. 

Passage 

"Nothing ever more was heard of Bruno after that" (Boyne 214). 

I chose this passage this week because that is basically the defining point of when we realize that Bruno is most likely gone forever. We realize what probably happened that evening and it is a shock but also somewhat predictable. I did think that this was coming and that something devastating would happen to Bruno and it made me sad. I also felt bad for his best friend Shmuel because he too had to go through the same experience. I think that this book shows what a true friendship really is and also the things that people had to go through in that time even at such a young age. 

Cold Mountain Blog Post #5

Cold Mountain Blog Post #5

 

Title: Cold Mountain
Author: Charles Frazier
 Genres: Historical Fiction/ Adventure
 Percent read: 86/100

 Summary:

 

The fifth section of my reading begins through the eyes of Ada. As Ada and Ruby continue to bond through conversation and work, Ada and Ruby notice someone inside their property. Ruby takes charge and marches outside to confront the intruder. Strangely the intruder is found to be Ruby’s father, a man named Stobrod, whom Ruby has already told Ada about. Ruby claims he is a deadbeat whom abandoned her and abused her. Also she says he is also a confederate deserter. Furthermore Stobrod stays with them along with his companions Pangle, and Georgia.

 

After a mere day Stobrod and his friends leave and set up camp farther away. Later the Confederate homeguard, led by a man named Teague tracks down Stobrod and his friends and Teague shoots them. However Georgia escapes and runs off to tell Ruby and Ada. Concerned the three of them rush off to the camp and they fined Stobrod barely alive. They stay with him to help him recover and make camp there.

 

  Response:

 

  To me the section I read was very interesting because there was a lot of excitement and action. It was also interesting that even though Ruby sees her father as such a problem in her life she still willingly feeds and shelters him.

 

   As the story becomes closer to its end I predict that Inman is going to meet up with Ada and everyone else very soon, and they will have a conflict with the homegaurd.

 

  Passage:

 

 “They call this war a cloud over the land. But they made the weather and then they stand in the rain and say 'Shit, it's raining!”

 

  This quote was spoken by Ruby, when she sees her father nearly dead. She is extremely mad at him for deserting, the war, and the homegaurd. All of this prompts her to say such an interesting statement.

 

A Christmas Carol #5

Title: A Christmas Carol
Author: Charles Dickens
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 126/126

In the last pages of the book, there have been little, yet very important events. When Scrooge wakes up, he begins to scream "Merry Christmas!" He dances while he shaves and as he is getting dressed. When he exits his home, he calls the first boy he sees, gives him money, and tells him to deliver a turkey to Bob Cratchit's house. Then, while walking along the streets of London, he meets and old man, who he had yelled at the previous morning because he didn't want to donate any money for Christmas. He apologizes, and promises to donate money to the poor. He goes to Fred's Christmas party, and has lots of fun. The next morning, Scrooge goes to work early. He is delighted to see Bob, and gives him some great news. He has decided to give him a raise and to help him with his family's needs. Over time, Scrooge takes care of the family, especially Tiny Tim. From these events I, just like Scrooge, have learned the true meaning of Christmas. These developments have affected Bob Cratchit's family because now they have enough money to live a good life.
I think that what I have read has been very good. My recent reading has fulfilled my expectations, because everything that I thought would happen, did happen and proved my ideas were correct. I have finished my book, so I don't have any expectations for my "continued" reading. I am very satisfied with the book that I chose to read.
"And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us. Every One!" (Dickens 126). This passage shows us unity. It shows us how in the world, everyone works together to make each other happy. It shows us how everyone in the book cares about Tiny Tim, and how important he was for the out turn of events. This passage delights me as a reader because it really makes me happy to see that in the end, everyone does live happily ever after. 

The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas #5

• Title: The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas 
• Author: John Boyne 
• Genre: Historical Fiction
• Number of pages read: 175/215

• Report Section 

At this point of my reading, the author discovers a lot about Bruno and his new friend, Shmuel. 

With each day that passed, Bruno began to get used to being at Out-With and stopped feeling quite so unhappy about his new life. 

It wasn't like he didn't have to talk to anyone anymore. Every single day after his classes finished, he took a long walk along the fence and at and talked to his new friend, Shmuel. The author describes Shmuel as a skinny boy with grey skin, so Bruno could have guessed that Shmuel needed some food. Every time that Bruno came to see Shmuel, he brought many different foods with him. They talked about many various things and covered a lot of topics, even though they were only nine year old boys. Unlike Bruno, Shmuel lived in one room with eleven other people, and he wasn't still complaining about it. 

In this section of reading, I have discovered a lot about Bruno as a character. He betrayed his friend Shmuel one time, when Shmuel got into a trouble (because of Bruno) and a solider asked him if Bruno knew him before. Bruno told the solider that he never saw Shmuel in his life, which was of course, a big lie. After that, he regretted a lot, and in the end, Shmuel forgave Bruno for his mistake. Honestly, I never expected from Bruno to do anything alike betray, but I guess that everything is possible, even the most unexpected things. 

•  Response Section 

The part that I have read this week was very confusing for me. Whenever Bruno asked someone (Shmuel) an important question, the answer was revealed in the next chapter of the book, not right after the question was asked, which I found very confusing and it made no sense to me. 

My recent reading has fulfilled my expectations and I liked the author's word choice that he used throughout these several chapters. Other than the confusing part, I think that the author made a great connection with the book and a real life, and I especially liked that he on some way forced us to create an image of what we were reading in our minds. 

For my continued reading, I expect something exciting to happen with Shmuel and Bruno. At the end of the last chapter that I read (chapter 15), they touched for the first time and that means that they basically became very close at that point. I think that Bruno's sister, Gretel, is going to be involved in some of the highlights of the book as well. 

I am very satisfied with what I have read, and can't wait to continue and finish this book!!! 

• Passage Section 

''He lifted the bottom of the fence up like he did whenever Bruno brought him food, but this time he reached his hand out and held it there, waiting until Bruno did the same, and then the two boys shook hands and smiled at each other. It was the first time they had ever touched.'' (page 175- chapter 15)

I think that this passage reveals a lot about the further reading, and it is the thing that we should be focused on. I think that when they touched for the first time, it represented the beginning of their real friendship. 

Blog Post 5

Night Soldiers

Alan Furts

80 pages

This week I finished reading my book. It went by my plan that I made before I started reading the book. The book was not as I imagined it but it was good. Towards the ending of the book World War II was finishing and Khristo was still in Paris doing his job as a waiter in ne of the restaurants.  But one of the ex spies of the Soviet Union Ilya Goldman was in Utiny Gold Fields, Siberia because he was fallen from favor of the Soviet Secret Service.  He was ones one of the best spies that the Service had to offer but after he made a mistake not following the order he got he was kicked out of the Secret Service. But after he got the new job from the Soviets he finally got back to being one of the best Spies they had.

“Thank you for bringing me here!” Khristo said.

This quote I really liked because that was right before Khristo was leaving Trieste and going to pick up some barge load of iron in Belgrade, which was after going to be used to finish a train station in Romania. He thanked a man called Kulic who helped him through Trieste and his job that he had there. I am pretty happy with what I have done in the past few weeks with this book, even if it was a bit harder to understand I finished with a good understanding of what happened till the end.