A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court #4

Author: Mark Twain

Pages read: 310/328

Genre: Classic Novel

Classic Novel is a novel that is judged over a certain period of time to be at its highest quality. This novel is a classic novel because it was written in 19th century and it the main character goes back in past in the time of king Arthur. This novel is relevant to 21st century society because people there and now wanted to be at the top, and tried variety of the things to get to that position as in the book Yankee tricking people into being magician. This novel is irrelevant to 21st century society because people had different lifestyle in 6th century, where now everyone is familiar with new technology. I would recommend this book because even if its classic its more of and adventure, and also its really fun to read and there are also funny moments happening in the story.

Where the Red Fern Grows #4

Title: Where The Red Fern Grows
Author: Wilson Rawls
Genre: Classic
Number of pages read: 200/245


1. Classic novels should say something of value, drawing attention to human problems, condemn or applaud certain points of view.

2. Even though my novel was written long time ago, it is still read by many people today, and that is why my novel is a classic one.

3. Since the author is constantly showing us the bond between the boy and his animals (specifically dogs), I think that the bond between a human being and an animal is still very common in 21st century.

4. The book is irrelevant to 21st century society  because we are able to see how different people used to leave in different environments earlier and unfortunately, there are many factors that completely changed our society today (like technology for example)

5. Even though I'm not an animal lover I really enjoyed this book and I find it very emotional and interesting to read, and that is exactly why I would recommend it to all of my friends.

blog post 4

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austin

Classic

240/320

The definition of a classic novel would be a novel of perfection that never loses it's qualities throughout the years. 

The reason my novel is a classic is because it was written a long time ago and almost everyone has read it and learned useful things in life from it.

The reason this novel is so valuable today is because it still teaches each one of us important lessons in life and things we need to face

The reason that is novel might be a little irrelevant for today is because it is outdated and some people might find it unusual how things have been handled, mostly looking a marriage. 

I wouldn't really recommend it to any of my friends because it is hard to understand and could be boring at times, but it's a great novel and definitely the one that has to be read in a lifetime. 

The Great Gatsby #4

The Great Gatsby

F scott Fitzgerald

Classic Novel

100%

A classic novel is a book judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind. I think that the Great Gatsby is a classic novel because it is a very great story and it was one of the most popular books of the 20th century. I think the novel is relevant in some ways to the 21st century because many of the problems in the book still happen in this time. I think that it is also irrelevant in some ways to our century because the way people acted and dressed and also spoke is very different from today. I would recommend this book to a friend because the storyline is great, the details are just right and the characters are all really different and it isn't a very difficult book to read.  

To Kill A Mockingbird Blog #4

To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Classic / Historical Fiction
281/281

A classic novel is a novel that has a lasting influence long after it was written, it is often considered a must-read, often uses somewhat poetic language, and it is before anything a model. My novel is a classic novel because it does use very poetic language, it is well known and has a great influence on people who read it, including myself. My novel, to Kill A Mockingbird is relevant to today's society because it teaches lessons of respect, patience, and not being judgmental, also it taught me that you cannot love or hate something until you truly understand it. However, it is also irrelevant to today's society because the way the characters live their lives is very different from people today, and the way people view each other; with racism, strict social classes and all that, which sometimes made me angry at how little the characters actually know. I would recommend my novel to anyone who has patience while reading a book and doesn't give up too quickly, if you give it a chance I think anyone could love it, and it teaches many great lessons that could help you in your everyday life.

blog post 4

Title: Chronicle of the Death Foretold
Author: Gabriel Garacia Marquez 


1st sentence: Provide a definition of the term classic novel?
A classic novel is a book that has influence and quality even after a longer period of time.

2nd sentence: Explain why your novel is a classic novel.
The book I'm reading is a classic novel, because it thought and shows the consequences of a certain problem, that people can still have today

3rd sent ace: How is your novel relevant for todays 21st Century society?
My novel is still relevant to todays 21 century society because of the way people acted toward the main character of my book

4th sentence: How is your novel irrelevant to todays 21 Century Society?
My novel is irrelevant to the 21 century society because of the consequences in the book. If a murderer or anything similar happened in the 21st century, the punishment would be much different.

5th sentence: Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
This book is a bit complicated and tough to understand because the beginning of the book starts with the end, but apart from that, the book is good, and I would recommend it :)

Blog Post #4 - The Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers - JRR Tolkien - Jared Rogerson

I have finished reading the Classic Novel; The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien.


A classic novel is a book that is widely accepted as being important and noteworthy. The reason why this novel is a classic novel is because it shows views of the real world through a fictional world, as well as is a huge inspiration to a lot of people. This book is relevant to 21st century society because it shows views of society and different societies that still exist today. One way that this book is irrelevant to todays society is the lack of technology, as well as how the book is a fantasy novel and couldn't really happen in real life. I would recommend this book to a friend, because it is interesting and full of action, as well as it was an influence for a lot of things today. 

Blog Post #4: The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Genre: Classic

Pages: 233/233 pages 

A classic novel is a novel/chapter book that has been listed as exemplary or of the highest quality. I think that The Great Gatsby is now considered a classic first of all because of the quality of the language and text, and last of all it is a book that is all reality and these things might have actually happened. My novel, The Great Gatsby, in my opinion, is relevant for today's 21st Century Society because these incidents/problems still happen everywhere in the world. It is, however, also irrelevant for today's 21st Century Society because back then people did not get divorces nowadays and it happens all the time. When you got married you were stuck with them. I'm not too sure I would recommend this book to a friend because I found it very hard to get into the story and the language it gets a little complicated at times. It is however a book that I would challenge people to read because of its quality.

Blogpost #4

Emma
Jane Austen
Classical
482/482

Provide a definition for the term "classic novel."

A classical novel is a novel that has been around for a,long time and still remains poppular till this day and many people know about it or learn about it in school. Explain why your novel is a classic novel. 

My book is set in the nineteenth century and published in 1816 and still remains a popular book that is enjoyable even today. How is your novel relevant for today's 21st Century Society?

One this that is relevant till this day that also occurs in Emma is that it is very common for rich people to act snobby and rude to poorer people, and this still happens today.

How is your novel irrelevant for today's 21st Century Society?

The book is set in the ____ so they did not have similar technology like we do today. They have no advanced technology such as computers or phones. They have no cars and travel by walking or with carriage & horse. All the women wear dresses and everyone tries to look and act elegant.  Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, I would recommend this to some of my friends because it is a very interesting and quite funny book, it is about matchmaking which is seen as a very odd duty in the past and even now days. The book has difficult language and is probably for higher level readers. I would mostly recommend the book for females because it is in the point of view of Emma who is a very elegant and witty young lady. 

Where the Red Fern Grows #4

Title: Where The Red Fern Grows

Author: Wilson Rawls

Genre: Classic

Number of pages read: 245/245

A classic novel would be a book that was written a long time ago but still remained popular throughout the time period. I think that my novel is a classic novel because it is very eel known even though it was written a long time ago it is still read by people across the world today. My book is relevant to the 21st century because of the bond between humans and animals (in this case dogs) has not changed throughout time. The novel is not relevant to this time period because of the "fast paced lifestyle" we live in today. I would recommend this book to everyone because it has a great moral and it really is an amazing story!

Quarter 3 Post 4 ~ Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte
334/334
Historic fiction/Gothic fiction

A classic novel is a novel that has remained popular for a long period of time after publication. Wuthering Heights was published in 1847, and is still read, and has stayed a novel of significance. In this novel, there are thoroughly unpleasant people who meet terrible ends, and it shows the darkness of a certain time period, and it also shows how we, as people who are supposed to be better than they were, should not act. This novel is not relevant to today's society in the way that, in today's UK (where this novel is set), things like locking a girl in a house and forcing her to marry her cousin. I would recommend this book to a friend (if they are up to reading it, as this book has difficult language) because it has a complex story line and really interesting characters.

If you Come Softly #4

If You Come Softly
Jacqueline Woodson
Realistic Fiction
181/181

1. Classic novels are novels that have remained popular throughout time, no matter how long they have been around.
2. My novel is a classic novel because it has remained somewhat popular throughout the years, due to its reality and connections to the real world.
3. My novel is relevant to today's 21 Century Society because the issues presented throughout the book are also present in today's society, such as racism.
4. My novel is irrelevant to today's 21 Century Society because some of the things the characters in the book do are very different to what people would do today.
5. I would definitely recommend this novel to a friend because, especially for athletes (both boys and girls), it is easy to connect to and understand the book.

Blog post #4

Blog Post #4
The War of the Worlds
H.G. Wells
Si-fi
35/week (250/250)

• 1st sentence:classics are novels of literary significance that have withstood the test of time and remained popular years after their publication

• 2nd sentence: My novel is a classic novel because it stayed popular years later after the publication.
• 3rd sentence: The novel in my opinion has nothing relavent for todays society.
• 4th sentence: My novel is irrelavent for todays society because it mostly about surviving, fighting and hiding from the invaders from space.
• 5th sentence: I would recommend this book to a friend because it is fun to read it and it is very interesting to go through the book with the main character togeather.

The Swiss Family Robinson #4

The Swiss Family Robinson

Johann David Wyss

Classic

256/256

• "Classics are novels of literary significance that have withstood the test of time and remained popular years after their publication." -http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-classic-novels.htm

• "The Swiss Family Robinson" is a classic because it was first published in 1812 and it still remains popular and many people read it today.

• This book is relevant to the 21 century because people can still be shipwrecked on uninhabited islands and by reading this book they would find out a lot about creating tools for survival, shelter and what to do in case they encounter wild animals.

• The novel might be irrelevant to the 21 century because we have more technology today and so if someone was to be shipwrecked on an island they would probably quickly get rescued and possibly if they had advanced tools with them already would survive on the island very easily.

• Yes, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading about adventure and survival, with lots of description. 

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Jules Verne
Science Fiction, Classic
278/278

"A classic book is a book accepted as being exemplary or noteworthy, either through an imprimatur such as being listed in any of the Western canons or through a reader's own personal opinion." 20,000 Leagues under the sea is a classical novel because it has stood the test of time and is still being read today and it provides an important message. My novel is relevant to the 21st century because it teaches people about the world and what it was like in the 19th century (there were no submarines of course). It is irrelevant to the 21st century because makes no important discoveries that we don't already have. I would recommend this book to everybody because it is a very intriguing story and it should be read because of general knowledge.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_book

The Hobbit

8/3/14
English Mrs. Nelson
Richard 8B
J.R.R Tolkien

As the 14 companions continue their journey it began to rain so they went to a empty cave where they let the ponies rest and clothes dry. They also noticed that thunder came & saw some giant monster called golems throwing stones (for some reason). As they all went to sleep, Bilbo had a nightmare that the crack at the back of the cave got wider & wider that he fell into it. Soon when he woke up he then realized that it was no nightmare! The crack at the back of the cave even wider & out came goblins! They caught every draft except Gandalf who escaped by using his magic & dissapeared into the shadows. Soon the dwarfs were taken down into the mountain where they saw tons & tons goblins around. Soon they saw Bolg the goblin king. He was going to break them thinking that they were trespassing. Until then Gandalf came to action and killed Bolg & blinding the goblins. While our heroes went down the path they could hear the angry army or mob of goblins going after them. But then Bilbo was hit by a rock & was knocked out cold.

This chapter was at least better than the last one. It had more action & adventure so I guess that I enjoyed it. I cant wait to see what will happen in the next one.

Quarter 3 Post 3 ~ Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte
Historic fiction/Gothic fiction
219/334

One cultural/social norm that I found in the text that I wish was present in 2014 is that people typically speak very politely and respectfully. One of the social norms that the main character, Heathcliff, likes is that a man's estate goes to his son. A norm that Heathcliff would be shocked by is that it is illegal for guardians to beat their children, because he was beaten by his brother a lot out of jealousy and contempt. Heathcliff would readily embrace the cultural/social norm that we have today of people not normally being racist or prejudiced against people of colour, because Heathcliff has dark skin and he was always shunned by his adoptive siblings because of it and so he would feel more welcome in our society today. A cultural/social norm present in both my classic and today is that rich and/or great families are waited on by numerous servants. 

The Swiss Family Robinson #3

The Swiss Family Robinson

Johann David Wyss

Classic

125/250

• Since the setting of the book is on an uninhabited by other people island, the Robinson family doesn't really have to follow any cultural or social norms that are present in a society that is inhabited with people, however one norm that I liked about the family on the island is that the only food they could eat is what they found, and on the island there was only natural and healthy food which is why they could survive over a period of a very long time on the island.

• I think that a social norm on the island that the main character likes is how he is treated by his family because they are very kind and respectful towards him just as they would be if they were not stranded on an uninhabited island. If the children stopped respecting and listening to the main character (their father) then the family would fall apart.

• I think that if the main character(s) would be transported to present time they probably wouldn't have used a ship to get to a certain destination but would rather use a plane so there would be a much less chance that they would crash and end up stranded on the island. I think that the main character would find extremely shocking the ways of transportation that we use today.

•  I think that one social norm from the present (2014) that the main character would enjoy is having cell phones because then they might be able to communicate with other family members on the island or even call someone to rescue them.

• One of the social norms present in the book and still present today is treating your family members, especially your parents, with respect and kindness. 

Blogpost #3

War of the Worlds
H.G.Wells
Si-fi, Adventure
35/week(215/215)

• 1st sentence: I just like the fact that goes by so fast and the days are finished before u know, I would and wouldn't like this because it would speed up the time in school etc. But it would also speed up your life.
• 2nd sentence: The main character likes bieng alone and having only his thoughts and that is shoen by the way takes care of his kids in the beggining.
• 3rd sentence: My character would be shocked how much more advanteg he would have his philosophies.
• 4th sentence: My character would embrace the social norm being around people more than usual.
• 5th sentence: There is still a thought and belief that aliens exist and in our time and in the book of course they do exist.

Blog Post #3 By:Thomas Wallman

Robinson Crusoe

Daniel Defoe

Historical Fiction

69% read

I this section of my reading I have learned that there are savages coming to the island because the main character of my novel, Robinson Crusoe, finds a footprint in the sand in a place he doesn’t normally go.  This affects Robinson Crusoe because he gets really paranoid about their being cannibals on the island and he is afraid and build a barrier of trees to protect himself with a wall of guns to protect himself if they come near.  Also, some years later during a bad storm he hears the sound of cannons and he lights a signal fire with all the dry wood he can find.  He hopes that the ship will come and rescue him from the island but in the morning he finds that the ship is wrecked on the rocks.  He hopes he sees a ship in the distance and hopes that there will be a survivor that could be someone to talk to.  He takes his homemade canoe and rows to the wreck to see what he can scavenge and who he might save.  Unfortunately he sees two drowned men and the only living thing is a half-starved dog which he takes on board and saves.  Now, Robinson is feeling sad, desperately lonely and is dissatisfied with life on the island.  One day, Robinson Crusoe sees through his looking glass savages with their canoes unloading their victims, murdering them, cooking them, feasting and dancing. He sees a prisoner escape from the savages and run away towards his habitation.  He decides to help the prisoner escape from the savages and knocks down one of the savages and shoots the other dead.  Together the men kill the pursuers and the prisoner is eternally grateful and vows to serve Robinson all his life. 

I think this story is well-written and very well put together.  I think that because the book put me on the end of my seat when I was reading it.  It was very exciting to read about how the prisoner escaped from the savages and was saved by Robinson Crusoe.  I was surprised that Robinson Crusoe treat the man he saved as a servant.  He called him “Friday” and told him to call him “Master”.  I thought it was mean and unfair.  However, the two become best friends and I think that Friday is going take Robinson to the mainland to see where the Spaniards are so he can return to England and visit his mom and dad. 

“But to return to my new companion:  I was greatly delighted with him and made it my business to teach him everything that was proper to make him useful, handy, and helpful; but especially to make him speak and understand me when I spake; and he was the aptest scholar that eve was, and particularly was so merry, so constantly diligent, and so pleased when he could but understand me or make me understand him that it was very pleasant to me to talk to him. And now my life began to be so easy that I began to say to myself that could I but have been safe from more savages, I cared not if I was never to remove form the place while I lived.” Chapter 24 Page 19 of 38

This passage shows how Robinson is happy with the work that Friday is doing and how well he is excelling with his language and chores and duties.  Robinson finally has a companion he can talk to and socialize with.  He hasn’t heard a human voice for 25 years – only the voice of his parrot.  When I read this passage I could understand the joy it must have brought Robinson Crusoe, after being alone for so many years.  

Blog post #3

Title: Island of the Blue Dolphins

Author: Scot O’Dell

Genre: Fiction 

Number of pages: 119/200

• 1st sentence: Select one cultural/social norm from your text that you like/love and wish was present in 2014. Explain why.

Persistence is a norm that is presented in my book and I like it because in Island of the Blue Dolphins my main character never gives up and always has a plan and knows how to improvise (in other words she is open minded) while today nobody knows how to 'think outside the box' and usually people give up easily if they don't get any pay off. 

• 2nd sentence: Identify one cultural/social norm from your text that your main character really likes/loves and why. (For example, a female character from the Regency Era in the UK (1811-1820) might really enjoy attending balls because it is an opportunity to find a husband and speak with friends.)

As I said in the first sentence, persistence is a norm that my protagonist likes and shows the readers that even though she lost her people, her brother, her village and has no shelter on the island that is surrounded by water, she never gives up and always thinks positively and hopes that her people will return for her. 

• 3rd sentence: Your character has been transported to present day, 2014. Describe one cultural/social norm that he/she would find extremely shocking and why. (For example, Jane Austen's character Elizabeth Bennett (Pride & Prejudice), might be shocked to discover that anyone, male or female, may inherit a house, since in her time, once her father, Mr. Bennett, dies, their family home can only be passed on to a male relative, not his female blood relatives.)

If Karana was transported to present day she would be surprised by how advanced the world is compared to hers for example the weapons that she has to make by herself (the bow and arrow)and how people in present days have big houses and have builders to build the houses for them and use advanced materials, not just mud and straw. 

• 4th sentence: What one cultural/social norm do you think your character would embrace from 2014? Why?

In Island of the Blue Dolphins there is a rule that says that women are not allowed to make weapons and Karana feels so guilty whenever she is forced to make weapons so that she can defend herself so I think that Karana would like the fact that in today's days women can also make weapons and defend themselves. 

• 5th sentence: What one cultural/social norm is present in your classic and in 2014?

One social norm that is still present today is the connection between the members of the family, for example Karana is very close with her brother and her people and when her brother is killed by the dogs she promises herself that she will one day kill all of them and also when her people leave the island without her Karana mentions them very often and I take this as some kind of a sign that tells us that Karana hopes for her people to return for her one day just as people today hope about many important things in life. 

To Kill A Mockingbird Blog #3

To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Classic / Historical Fiction
281/281

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee it is common for children and teenagers to go outside as much as possible and read books when inside instead of going online all the time, and I really like this and would want it to appear more in present times because I love going outside and reading, and I think it would be nice if the rest of society did too. Scout, the main character, loves being around boys and doing boyish things because she feels she doesn't belong with other girls; she thinks it is boring. I think if Scout traveled to present day, 2014, she would find it extremely shocking and strange that most teenagers and children are on their laptops all day, and don't read much or go outside anymore because she doesn't even know computers exist, let alone sitting still doing nothing all day. I think, since Scout supports Negroes (the novel was set in the early 1900's, so racism was very common, and the word "negro" or "nigger" was used to describe black people) and most of society doesn't, she would find it truly amazing that today, most people are against racism, and she would feel relieved and accomplished because things eventually turned out the way she wanted them to; all people have equal rights and are treated equally. In the novel, men were considered much more valuable than women, and had much more rights, and I think that this is still somewhat present today, for example, if a man and a woman have the exact same job, the man will still earn more money, and men are still considered better businessmen, managers, and other high level jobs, which is not exactly the truth in my opinion.

Blog Post #3 - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - JRR Tokien - Jared Rogerson

I have completed reading the book The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien for my classic novel outside reading.


One cultural norm in this book that I like and wish was present in 2014 is greeting people of all races with kindness and respect, instead of all the racism and bias there is towards certain people today. One cultural norm that not just the main character, but all hobbits, like is all the parties and get together's hobbits have. A cultural norm that I think Frodo Baggins would find shocking would be that nowadays we don't have as much physical communication as they do in the book, because getting together and having parties and such is a huge part of Hobbit culture. One cultural norm that I think Frodo would enjoy from nowadays would be that we travel around the world a lot, which would make it a whole lot easier for Frodo on his adventures. Finally, a cultural norm from the book that is present today is that we socialize in a similar way, even though in the book it is usually more respectful then it is today.   

Where the Red Fern Grows #3

Title: Where The Red Fern GrowsAuthor: Wilson RawlsGenre: ClassicNumber of pages read: 183/245

One social norm from the book that I like is that all of the people from the town know each other, I would like that because then you would have many people to count on. One cultural  norm from the book that the main character likes is hunting, that is his one and only major passion in life. Billy would find extremely shocking how everyones life now is on the computers, since he is very active and can't stand still not even for a second. I think he would enjoy the vary of people that live in the surrounding, because he likes to learn from everyone and that would allow him to get different perspectives on situations. One social norm that is still present in 2014 is how the family functions and how families are still as close as they were then. 

The Stranger - Albert Camus (Blog Post No. 3)

The Stranger

Albert Camus

Genre: Existential novel, crime drama

Pages read: 123/123

The cultural/social norm I wish existed and was widespread today is always being on your friend's side and protecting your friendship at all costs. My character is a person with no emotions, a psychopath, who does not express any feelings towards cultural/social norms or other characters. If my character was transported to the present day, he would not get shocked by any norms, for he shows a great adaptability throughout the book and understanding for all the rules without questioning the cause or morality. My character would probably embrace all of the social/cultural norms in his environment today, for he would adapt to them easily and would not question if they are right or wrong. A social/cultural norm that today's society shares with my book is that everyone who violates a rule/law, has to suffer the punishment. 

The Great Gatsby #3 post

The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Classic
147/180

1st Sentence.

When Gatsby lived everything was different from nowadays. People used to look different, dress different and talk different and something that I love from the classic that I wish could stay the same today is the people, and the way they looked and the way they spoke and just to be like they did in Gatsby's life period.  

2nd Sentence.

Gatsby lived at the other side of town where every rich person lived and he loved to throw his big parties every saturday, because very often he felt alone in his gigantic mansion.

3rd Sentence.

I think that if Jay was to be transported to present day, he would be shocked by the fact of how kids and adults function better with the huge amount of technology.

4th Sentence.

Big parties and celebrations happen often in this time period and I think that Gatsby would embrace that, knowing that old party traditions never stopped.

5th Sentence.

In my classic novel, Gatsby is doing everything he can to meet again with his one true love Daisy and he would do anything for her, people today still have affairs like they did and people would still do anything for love. 

Blog Post #3

Emma
Jane Austen
Classic
239/487

• 1st sentence: A norm in Emma that I really like is that the lower classes respect the people in the higher classes and that the high class has the right to be snobby and pretty much boss the lower classes around. It is very interesting to read because the higher classes make a huge deal out of grace and elegance and everything they say must be said in the most complicated words and they must not betray feelings. 
• 2nd sentence: Emma, the main character, really likes the norm that everyone respects her because she is in the high class so she can convince other people to do most things. She also likes being very elegant and graceful.
• 3rd sentence: Emma would be shocked by the lack of grace and elegance we have today. She would find us uneducated and disgusted by our lack of proper language. 
• 4th sentence: I think that Emma would embrace the norm that women are allowed to inherit houses after their fathers, she would like this because sh really loves their mansion in Heartfield and would probably never let it go. 
• 5th sentence: One norm that is still present today is that everyone trise to look their best and always wants to impress others with their beautiful looks.  

Ender's Game blog post #3

Ender's game

Orson Scott Card

Science Fiction

324/324

Since the technology is more advanced in the book than today, Battle School, the school that Ender attends is in space and can control gravity hence having no-gravity training rooms which I would love to play in.

Ender prefers living apart from his family in Battle School, because he can forget about the fact that he is a "Third" and be acknowledged and recognized as himself and achieve higher status with his excellence.

In the book, being a "Third" child like Ender means being a burden on his family and having to live with the status of a "Third" you were born as which is a culture not present in reality today so if Ender were to be transported to the present day, he would find this very shocking.

He would gladly embrace the equality that exists today in 2014 because there will be no discrimination towards a "Third" or Ender himself therefore releasing him from the restraint of his status as a "Third".

One cultural/social norm that the book and the world today shares is the hierarchy based on one's ability or greater status based on one's capacity to accomplish certain things.

• 1st sentence: Select one cultural/social norm from your text that you like/love and wish was present in 2014. Explain why.
• 2nd sentence: Identify one cultural/social norm from your text that your main character really likes/loves and why. (For example, a female character from the Regency Era in the UK (1811-1820) might really enjoy attending balls because it is an opportunity to find a husband and speak with friends.)
• 3rd sentence: Your character has been transported to present day, 2014. Describe one cultural/social norm that he/she would find extremely shocking and why. (For example, Jane Austen's character Elizabeth Bennett (Pride & Prejudice), might be shocked to discover that anyone, male or female, may inherit a house, since in her time, once her father, Mr. Bennett, dies, their family home can only be passed on to a male relative, not his female blood relatives.)
• 4th sentence: What one cultural/social norm do you think your character would embrace from 2014? Why?
• 5th sentence: What one cultural/social norm is present in your classic and in 2014?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Classic

One of the obvious social norm's that I would like to present nowadays in The Great Gatsby, is definitely Gatsby throwing a party every Saturday which everyone pretty much goes to and is invited to. Using the same example, Gatsby loves throwing his big parties on the weekend, because it gives him hope that maybe that weekend will be the one where he gets to meet and fall in love with Daisy all over again. I think that Gatsby would find the immense use of technology and how we rely on it to get through everyday life, because back then they didn't have such advanced technology. I think that he would appreciate the fact that socializing between people and throwing big parties still happens and is pretty common. The fact that most rich people still look down on the poor and they are looked at as lesser human beings, is something that is demonstrated in both The Great Gatsby and is still happening in real life. 

Where the Red Fern Grows #3

Title: Where The Red Fern Grows
Author: Wilson Rawls
Genre: Classic
Number of pages read: 169/245

• 1st sentence: 

One social from that is always appearing constantly in this book is the boy's will to train his dogs and never giving up even when the time gets hard, and i specifically like it because it keeps setting high expectations for us in order to teach us to never keep trying with someone who we truly love. 

•  2nd sentence:

Billy, the main character, likes the norm of never giving up with someone who means to you, and keeps (not) doing it throughout the novel. 

• 3rd sentence: 

If Billy was transported to 2014, he would be shocked on how easy people decide to give up without even thinking about all the consequences.

• 4th sentence: 

I think that Billy would embrace different people's willing to help others when in need, because it never really happened to him besides the help he received from his closest family. 

• 5th sentence:

A norm that is presented in this book and today as well is loving and respecting your family numbers, and accepting them with all strengths and weaknesses they have.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court #3

Author: Mark Twain

Pages read: 150/3 328

Genre: Classic

Norm from the book that i wish is still present today is that people respected higher social groups and even though people were gossiping ,unlike from today, they respected and were scared from the people in the higher classes. Yankee really likes being at the top after the king, even though he fells bad for the nobles that wanted that position their whole life, he likes how people admire him and want to see him. If main character transports to Serbia at present day, and he becomes a president of Serbia or something lower than that he would find shocking how people would hate him and try to embarrass him all the time, some people would even try to kill him. From 2014 main character would embrace that everyone has technology to help them, because it would help Yankee a lot in his life.  Cultural norm from my classic is that people respect the king and people in higher classes while in 2014 they wish all the worst for the president and people in higher classes.

The Hobbit #3

The Hobbit
J.R.R Tolkien
Fantasy,Fiction
201/389

1. One of the cultural norms that i wish was present from J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit is the culture and style of life of hobbits, In The Hobbit hobbits have a very friendly and happy way of living, and are kind to all people, and have plenty of time to relax and enjoy life.

2.In The Hobbit, Bilbo, a hobbit who lives in the Shire goes on a quest, after he has left his hometown he becomes home sick and wishes he stayed at home, Bilbo also longs to be back in the safety of his home where he can relax and not have to worry about anything.

3. If Bilbo was to be brought to present day, a social norm that would baffle him would be that not every body has the same interests as him, which are sitting in the garden and blowing his pipe, harvesting fruits and vegetables from his garden, and staying indoors away from other people.

4.I think that Bilbo would be satisfied knowing that in 2014 there are still people who like to relax and stay indoors, but also that there still feasts,parties, and social get togethers.

5.Both in present day and Middle Earth people still like to enjoy the company of others, for example Bilbo enjoys going to parties in the Shire, as do modern day people enjoy socializing with others.

If You Come Softly #3

If You Come Softly
Jacqueline Woodson
Realistic Fiction
129/181

1. Brotherhood is a social norm present in my book that I like because wherever you go, you always have someone to help you, but today everyone is split into groups.
2. Jeremiah also likes the norm of brotherhood for the same reasons I do.
3. If Jeremiah were transported to 2014, he would be surprised by how open minded people are, in contrast to the characters in the book.
4. Jeremiah would embrace open mindedness of people today because in the book it is hard for him to be in a relationship with a white girl otherwise people will look at him funny.
5. A social norm that is present in the book and in 2014 is education, because it is taken seriously in both settings.

Count of Monte Cristo #3

Title: The Count of Monte Cristo
Author: Alex Dumas
Genre: Classic, Historical Novel, Adventure 
Percent Read: 67/100

1st sentence:

One social norm that was present during this period of history was that political prisoners would be forgotten in prison and would simply spend the rest of their life in prison. This was a product of a poor law and judicial system.

2nd sentence:

One norm that Dantes really liked was that there where many ships sailing in open water because after he escaped from prison he was rescued by a smuggling ship.

3rd sentence:

I think Dantes would be very shocked to find that people communicate over phones and such because the only way to communicate over long distances back then was by letter.

4th sentence:

I  think Dantes would exploit modern day businesses and technology and the way we communicate with each other in order to get his revenge on those who put him in prison.

 

5th sentence:

One norm that is present in the novel and in 2014 is that people are still put in prison as political prisoners or in some cases they are put in prison as enemies of the state.

 

The Hobbit

Richard 8B
English Mrs. Nelson
2/3/14
The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

At the beginning, everyone seemed unhappy because nobody was singing any happy songs or even talking. They were lead by Gandalf because he was leading them to a person called Elrond. Soon they came up to a forest where they heard elves singing in the trees, telling them that they should walk on foot until they get to the bridge because they said that it is dangerous for some reason. Soon they got to Elrond's place where they rested for a bit (especially the ponies). He helped them on their journey on what lies in the valley of the mountains and how they should be careful. He gave the some food supplies as well for their journey. Soon when everyone left the house, they were all happy again and sang songs. while they went to the valley of mountains where danger lurked at every corner.
This chapter was good but boring. I know that they are all getting ready for the big adventure but I know that there will be some fighting and killing or also running. I cant wait to see what happens next.

pride and prejudice blog post 3

Blog Post #3: Title, author, genre, number of pages/week (150/200)
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austin
Classic 
216/329
One social norm that is constant in "Pride and Prejudice is woman's reputation and the expectancy for them to behave in a certain way, which could be a really good thing because manners and education is very important in life especially for a woman. 
In Pride and Prejudice, Miss. Bingley never excepts when a woman shows up in a dirty skirt and when her manners are not always perfect. 
If Miss Bingley was transported to 2014 she would find other woman shocking because of their rude use of words, inappropriate clothes and many other manners that were never present in the 19th century. 
A different character Elizabeth Bennet would be shocked with our society but I think that she would embrace in the social norm of spending time with family on certain holidays, which I think she will love. 
A norm that is mostly present in the 21st century and definitely was in the late 19th century, is respecting family members. 

20,000 Miles Under the Sea-#3

20,000 Miles Under the Sea
Jules Verne
212/279
Science Fiction, Classic

  A cultural norm, present in the book but not present or very rarely present in today's world, is privacy and while in the late 1800's you could construct a submarine and sail the world without having anyone know, today you can't log in to your computer without a government agency knowing. Prof. Aronnax enjoys traveling the world and discovering its many beauties and it doesn't matter to him in which way he does it, by cruise ship or by submarine. If we transported Prof. Aronnax to 2014 he would be very shocked by modern travel, we have airplanes that go faster than the speed of light, unsinkable boats, cars that go over 250 mph, back in his time there were only ships and hot air balloons. He would embrace the internet because that is the absolute best place to study on, he has access to every book ever written by mankind and millions of articles on any subject he wants, as an author this would be heaven on Earth for him. A cultural norm present in the story and in 2014 is harpooning, the book starts of with a harpooning expedition to kill a great narwhal, today it is slowly being outlawed but it still exists in international waters where there is no law. 

Blog Post #3: The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Genre: Classic

Pages: 188/233 pages 

In Gatsby's time at first all the poor people lived in one area, the newly rich in another and the ones who were rich all along lived in three different areas then, slowly, everyone came together and the newly rich and the already rich lived together and even sometimes a few poor came between. Nowadays the rich live in "compounds", the poor don't really have homes and the lower class live in another "compound" so it would be nice for all of us to interact. Jay Gatsby loves throwing parties because he gets very lonely in his huge mansion. I think Gatsby would find it shocking that people from different religions, people from different backgrounds and black and white people can marry. I think that Gatsby would be able to take in the fact that we can be friends with anyone no matter where they come from and that he would fit in quiet well because he is used to trowing big parties and not really "socializing" be he has met quiet a few people. In my classic Gatsby and Daisy have an affair and nowadays this still happens.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, adapted by Mitsu Yamamoto

Title of the Book: The Count of Monte Cristo

Author: Alexandre Dumas, adapted by Mitsu Yamamoto

Genre: Classic

Number of Pages/Week: 237/60

1st Sentence:

The main character of the book, who was treated in a really bad and unfair way and didn't deserve it because he was a great man, finally find the way to "escape" from his unfair life and go back to the life he used to have and liked. I would like this to take place in our world now, in 2014 because many people have a life they don't deserve, a really unfair life and I wish they could have a much easier and better life because they really deserve it. And that's one of the biggest problems in our real life these years.

2nd Sentence:

A norm that the main character of my book, Edmond really liked was that after having a terrible life he managed to escape from prison, become rich and in the end take revenge of the people who destroyed his life.

3rd Sentence:

I think that Edmond would find that how people still treat each other in a terrible way many times shocking, because maybe he would thought that people and life is becoming better from time to time and everything would ave changed from the time he was living in the book to the present.

4th Sentence:

During the book we saw that Edmond was really smart, could be the captain of a ship and in the end he managed to become rich by also having a bank and other businesses. Because of that, I think he would really like that there are many different businesses and he could have done even more things in his life or could choose something better to do.

5th Sentence:

A really important thing that happens in the book and in 2014 is how people treat each other many times in a bad, mean and sad way. I think that this is something that will never change because all people will have things that they will disagree on and this might make them fight and treat each other in a bad way.

The Great Gatsby #3

The Great Gatsby 

F, Scott Fitzgerald

Classic novel

In the time of the book Gatsby and his neighbors are all rich from the start and on the other side of the lake are the newly rich and the middle class live one another part of town so basically all these people live in different places depending on how rich they are, nowadays rich people live together around in the same places and it doesn't matter how long they have been rich for and even sometimes rich people live in the same places as lower class people. Gatsby loves throwing giant parties and having people around his house because sometimes he gets lonely in his giant mansion. I think that if Gatsby was transported to 2014 he would definable be very shocked by the fact that interracial and same sex marriage, because in that time it would be very shocking and was extremely rare. I think that Gatsby would embrace the norm that people from different classes can hang out together and live in the same neighborhood because that is something that makes his relationship with daisy even harder. Well one very main social norm in the Great Gatsby is how people from the upper class attend a party every weekend at his house this does exist in the present like how people go partying on the weekends. 

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes#2

Blog post 2

The Adventures of Sherlock Homes

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

30/365

Sherlock is faced with a man vs man conflict where a woman has been taking some photos of the King of Bohemia while in their relationship to use against the King if he leaves her and he wants Sherlock to find them.

Sherlock is excited by this conflict. Sherlock is a strange man who loves a good mystery; to him this is like playing a game.

This is a type of conflict that exists in real life because it’s really a form of blackmail and bullying and you do see that in everyday life.

If I was in this situation I don’t know how I would react. If I were asked to solve a mystery I would tell them they should go find someone else who knows how to solve mysteries.

I would react this way because I would just be hopeless and I would never find their photos.

To Kill A Mockingbird - Blog #2

To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Classic
112/281

The main conflict that Scout (Jean Louise Finch) faces so far in the novel is Man vs. Society; she is different from other people, doesn't really fit in, and has a lot of questions about everything. Scout copes with this by reading by herself, or thinking about things because she doesn't really feel like she belongs. This is indeed a type of conflict that exists in modern society because there are still outsiders who don't belong, there is judgement and misunderstandings between people because we don't listen, and we don't want change. If I was in the same situation as Scout I would probably react a little differently; I would keep to myself, but I wouldn't remain peaceful, I would get angry because people don't understand me or my thinking, and I would wonder why. I think I would react this way because I like being by myself; that's how I figure things out, that's how I think, and also because I am not very patient with people who don't understand, or don't want to understand.

The Great Gatsby #2

The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Classic

In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is the main character, he is constantly fighting himself because he is in love with Daisy and will never stop loving her even though he knows that it is almost impossible to be with her since she is married and has made her own life. He is trying to find Daisy again, so he is throwing parties every weekend, hoping that she will show up and they will fall madly in love with each other again. Yes this type of conflict does exist in reality, but I honestly don't think it's dealt with the same way as Gatsby did. If I was in Gatsby's position, I would have let the person go if I knew that they were happy and already had moved on and made a life without me. If I really loved a person as much as Gatsby loves Daisy, I would want them to be happy, and if that meant letting them live their own life without me, I would let them even if it made me upset. 

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Blog Post #2 - Jared Rogerson

The book I am continuing to read is the classic fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien.


The main conflict in this book is Frodo trying to destroy the Ring of Power, while the Ring of Power is influencing his thoughts. Frodo is brave while going on the quest to get rid of the rings, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for him because the Ring is starting to influence his thoughts. This conflict sort of exists today: we don't have a physical ring we must destroy, but there is still temptation to do evil things in the world. If it were me in this situation I would probably freak out and end up not going on the quest, because I prefer staying at home and relaxing rather then doing dangerous quests and stuff. I would react this way because I personally am not a very adventurous person, and I get scared of things that aren't even remotely as scary as this. 

The great Gatsby #2

The great gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

chapter 4/9

Classic

The conflict can be seen as Man VS Himself because Gatsby is in love with Daisy but his mysterious past is in the way of them being together also the fact that daisy is already married, to be together he has to open himself up and win her back. In order for Gatsby to get daisy to like him he makes nick set up a date for them.Yes, this conflict does exist in the present because sometimes people don't show their true colors and this can effect their relationships with the people they love. If I were in a similar situation as Gatsby i would try to be as honest as possible and get a mutual friend to help me. I think that it's sad that gatsby wasn't able to marry daisy earlier because he didn't have money and now that he does she has moved on, i think it's also really sweet how he has been searching for her ever since he got out of the war but at the same time if he managed to get Daisy to fall in love with him that would be cheating so maybe it isn't the best idea. 

The Great Gatsby #2

The Great Gatsby
F.Scott Fitzgerald
Classic
97/180

1st Sentence:

 Gatsby wants something he can't have and thats Daisy, Nicks cousin, she used to be Jays lover in his mysterious past, but now he wants her back, but she is already married to a wealthy man called Tom Buchanan. 

2nd Sentence:

Years have gone by and Gatsby has been heartbroken from leaving Daisy, and he has been throwing all those big parties just to find her, and since he never had a close friend, now he found Nick as his new best friend and by getting close to him he was hoping to come in contact with Daisy again.  

3rd Sentence:

Conflicts like this in the present day do happen, but they aren't as hard to resolve and people are capable of more things today then they were back in the day, like for example finding contact with someone they haven't been in touch for ages.

4th Sentence: 

If I was looking for the love of my life just like Gatsby,I would probably do the same as Gatsby and find a friend who would be able to help me. 

5th Sentence:

When I first read that Gatsby was going through all this trouble to find Daisy I thought that it was the most romantic thing I have ever read, and I also figured out that this whole book is actually based on him and his love for Daisy and what all his parties where for and why he became friends with Nick which made this book even more interesting for me to read. 

Quarter 3 Post 2 ~ Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte
Gothic fiction
97/334

1. One of the main characters that is facing conflict is Heathcliff, a boy who was adopted into a rich family; his conflict (Man vs. Man) is with his older brother, Hindley, who abuses him and treats him as a servant, and his sister Catherine and her husband.
2. Heathcliff, as a young boy, was really violent and swore revenge on his sister's husband for making a cutting remark; he also ran away from home as a result of constant abuse from his brother and finally remarks from his sister that shouldn't have reached his ears.
3. I believe that this conflict could exist these days, as there are too many dysfunctional families, with abused children and conflict.
4. If I was in this situation, I would probably have left much earlier, and not been able to stay for Catherine until she married; however it would be very hard to get away because they lived in the middle of the country, so I might confront Catherine and talk to her like Heathcliff couldn't because of his resentful and violent nature.
5. I wouldn't be able to handle the abuse- I would have to get out and far away before something worse happened to me or Catherine.

Emma Blog Post #2

Emma
Jane Austen
Classic
100/487

Describe the type of conflict facing your main character in your book. (Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Himself)

The main character in my book (Emma) is not faced with any major conflicts but since she has declared herself a match-maker she faces a lot of conflicts due to how humans can be unpredictable and people interfere in her plans without realizing it since she refuses to tell anyone. This would be a Man vs. Man conflict.

 How is your main character coping with the conflict? (What is his/her reaction to the conflict?)

Emma gets slightly frustrated when things do not go as planned but it is not very often since she seems to always have a backup plan. She avoids most conflicts with her intelligence and her special talent in persuading people. She is very wealthy and has good connections so there are not many that would oppose her.

 Is this a type of conflict that exists in present day? Explain why or why not.

It is very possible that these conflicts occur today if there are others that decide to take on the challenges of being a match mater, or if a person simply want to give their friend a push into a relationship. 

How would you react to this type of conflict? Same as character? Another way?

My reaction to this type of conflicts would probably be very similar to how Emma reacts though I would probably be more frustrated and work harder to get things to go the way I want them to. 

 Explain your reaction to this type of conflict conflict. (Why would you react the way you do?)

I would obviously be frustrated because I would have put all my energy and time and worked so hard to accomplish a match, but it could all be destroyed if another person interferes and would be unknowing that they are destroying my plans, it would really make me mad.  Though I would, of course, have a backup plan since there could be a big chance that things do not go the way I want.