Book Reading Club

"Just Listen" entry #8

2010-05-14T03:57:00.000-07:00

author: Sarah Dessen; published: 2006

This passage is noteworthy because it's of Annabel telling the truth- exactly as it happened that night.

"As I stepped over the threshold into the dark, I had my first prickling sense that something wasn't right. It was just how the room felt, like the entire space around my was unsettled. I stepped back, reaching for the knob, but I couldn't find it, my fingers only touching the wall. 'Nick?' I said. Then, suddenly, I felt something bumb up against my left side. Not furniture, or an object, but something alive. Someone. It's Nick, I told myself. He's drunk. But at the same time I started moving my hand behind me, faster now, searching for the light switch or doorknob. Finally, I felt the knob. Just as I was twisting it, though, I felt my fingers closing over my wrist. 'Hey,' I said, and even though I was trying to act casual, my voice sounded scared. 'What's--?'

'Shhhh, Annabel,' the voice said, and then the fingers were moving up my arm, over my skin, and I felt another hand on my right shoulder. 'It's just me.'

It wasn't Nick. This voice was deeper, and not slurring at all, each syllable enunciated perfectly. As I realized this, I panicked, my hand gripping tighter around the water bottle in my hand. The top popped off, and suddenly I felt cold water seeping into my shirt, only my skin. 'Don't,' I said.

'Shhh,' the voice said again, and then the hands were off me. A second later, they covered my eyes.

I jerked forward, trying to pull away. The water bottle, now half empty, fell from my hands, hitting the carpet with a dull thud, and his hands grabbed my by the shoulders, hard. I kept wriggling, trying to get loose and turn around, toward the door, but my hands were flailing in empty air. It was like the walls had slid back, out of reach; there was nothing to hold on to.

I could hear myself gasping, my breath beginning to sputter as he lock an elbow around my neck, pulling me up against him. My legs came up off the ground and I started kicking them, making contact with the door once- bang!- before he dragged me backwards a couple of steps. Then his other hand was moving around to my stomach, pushing aside my shirt, and thrusting down my jeans."

This is the moment in the book just before and just as Annabel is getting raped. The whole book is about this one, important event that happened in Annabel's life- leading to how she is before she meets Owen- quiet and unable to speak her mind. Because if she speaks her mind then she admits to something horrible, wrong- that she was raped, and that she didn't consent to her then best friend Sophie's boyfriend, Will, to doing this to her. Annabel didn't consent to Will violating her in this way. It's the ultimate part of this book because it's what Annabel tries to hold in the whole time- no body has any idea that Annabel was raped, let alone that Sophie thinks that Annabel willing did this with Will. No body knows anything that Annabel is going through let alone what she's holding in this entire time.

"Just Listen" entry #7

2010-05-14T03:42:00.000-07:00

author: Sarah Dessen; published: 2006

I think Dessen's intended audience is teens or young adults- well not only because I found this book in the young adult section of the library but also because I when I looked up Sarah Dessen I found that she was a famous author who had written a lot of books for young adults. I also figure that the intended audience is young adults because the main character of this book, Annabel is also a young adult- she's a teenager in high school which makes her story easy to relate to seeing as how I'm in still in high school too. I guess the question then becomes- why did Dessen want to write a book that young adults could relate to? What was Dessen's reason? My reasoning is that Dessen wrote a book that young adults could relate to because she had either experienced something similar to what Annabel goes through in this story or she knew someone who did go through something like Annabel. Either that or Dessen just has a really wild imagination.

Dessen overall seems to have a very personal, open relationship with the audience through her main character- Annabel. Eventually Annabel tells you everything that could ever matter about herself- how she can't speak her mind openly about a lot of things, her personality, being raped, dealing with a sister who has an eating disorder- things that you wouldn't normally learn about someone unless you sat down with them and they told you their story. So often you learn things about people from somebody else- say you're all in class but someone is sitting next to you and they're talking about somebody you know- well do you sit there and listen to something you've never heard about this person you know, effectively eavesdropping etc. just learn something about someone you don't really know all that well to begin with?

"Just Listen" entry #6

2010-05-14T03:26:00.000-07:00

author: Sarah Dessen; published: 2006

The author has done a lot to engage me, the reader into this book. Mostly though, Dessen engages the reader by writing in first person. Because Dessen writes the story in first person it makes it easier to relate to what Annabel is going through in the story even though Annabel's story is unusual. But I guess the smaller things about Annabel can make it easier to relate to her- like that she doesn't speak up all that much about what she wants or that her ex-best friend is really mean to her now. Everybody can goes through those kind of things- say your friend moves away and you guys don't talk that much anymore, well if you guys do talk again, it's very easy for some misunderstanding to be born from not seeing someone in awhile. On another note though, because Dessen writes from first person (Annabel's perspective), the story itself becomes more personal and therefore easier to understand and relate to.

Dessen doesn't really make the reason why she wrote this book plain. In fact, Dessen doesn't say why she wrote this book at all. So I guess the reason why Dessen wrote this book is more implicit than anything else. My guess is that the reason why Dessen wrote a story like Annabel's is because she most likely either experienced or saw something like Annabel's story in her own life. I guess that because Dessen could maybe relate to Annabel was going through in this story then the author figured it would make it easier for teens to relate to.

"Just Listen" entry #5

2010-05-14T03:05:00.000-07:00

author: Sarah Dessen; published: 2006

The author wrote this book from a Annabel's perspective. It was almost like I was sitting in a room with Annabel and she was sitting there with me telling me the story. Because Dessen tells the story this way it makes it more personal and easier to relate to. You know how when say you're talking to one of your friends and they had just experienced something you've never experienced before- say their father died or they got to travel the world? Well, if that friend is willing to sit with you for awhile and try to explain how they feel and what they were thinking- it makes it easier for you to try and understand what they are going through. That's the way it is with this book- the story line is unusual in it's self because it's about a girl who is a model and is learning to speak her mind more, but not only that her two sisters were models too!! Because the story line itself is unusual- you think that you wouldn't be able to relate to the story at all, let alone understand what Annabel is going through. But because Dessen writes the story so that it's from Annabel's perspective aka first person perspective, it makes it slightly easier to understand. I mean, here's Annabel who has been raped (although you don't learn this until later in the story), she was friends with the most popular girl who school who is constantly mean to her now (although you don't find out why until later in the book), she's dealing with a sister who has an eating disorder and her mother who still wants Annabel to be a model even though Annabel doesn't want to let alone have the guts to say so out loud.

"Just Listen" entry #4

2010-04-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

author: Sarah Dessen; published: 2006

I chose this book, "Just Listen" because I have read other books by Sarah Dessen before and liked them, so I figured I would like this book too. My expectations were that it would have a little bit of everything in it. That "Just Listen" would have romance, comedy, truth, lies, and all of the in-between. Most of Dessen's books are about teens discovering something about themselves that they had never thought of before or had avoided because they were afraid to face the truth. It's when the teens in Dessen's books face their truths, that they change- usually for the better. Usually the teens or subjects of Dessen's books are going through tough times- parents divorcing, the death of a loved one, a close loved one is sick- the kind of life changing events that especially effect you at that age when you're still living at home. Dessen lived up to my expectations- even surpassed them. After you read several books by one author, you usually get a feel for what the author might right but if they are an especially good writer, they tend to surprise you with unexpected twists and turns. Dessen did this in her book, and even surpassed what I had expected. I guess you could say she's one of those classic authors (or getting there) that I really enjoy- kind of like the type of author most people enjoy including people like Jack London, J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer or J.R.R. Tolkien. Personally, I'm adding Sarah Dessen to my "classic authors/books list", the kind that gets read over and over again.

"Just Listen" entry #3

2010-04-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

author: Sarah Dessen; published: 2006

So far as plot, not much happens within the next 75 pages- except that Annabel goes with Rolly and Owen to breakfast for the first time. Here, Annabel becomes slightly amazed that she is spending time with Owen like this, so natural and relaxed and although she doesn't realize it yet- she starts to fall for him. Owen drives Annabel back to her house, and then leaves just as Annabel realizes that Owen left his jacket with her (the breakfast restaurant had been cold) and she would have returned it to him when school started up again on Monday or Tuesday but she realized that Owen also left his ipod with her. Curious, Annabel turns on the ipod to find a playlist on the ipod with her name on it- slightly intrigued she starts playing the list and as she scrolls she finds that every song that she has ever talked about with Owen is on this playlist that has her name on it. Annabel thinks about how she had always wondered what Owen was listening to all the time (he's the type that always has the ipod earbuds in his ears almost 24/7, playing something all the time), and what he was thinking about as he listened to his ipod but "who would have ever guessed that it might have been me (Dessen 203)?", Annabel finds herself thinking. Its when Annabel goes to take the ipod back to Owen that she finds her sister trying to make dinner in the kitchen. At first Annabel makes a move to leave her sister alone (the sister that had the eating disorder), in the kitchen trying to make herself dinner, but then Annabel realizes it must be very difficult for her sister Whitney, seeing that "[...] Whitney hardly ever cooked for herself. My mother monitored all her meals, fixed her snacks and sandwiches, even the cereal she ate for breakfast. I realized that if this was weird for me to watch, it had to be really strange for her to do. Especially alone (Dessen 204)." So for the first time, Annabel cooks dinner with her middle sister, Whitney, and then leaves shortly after to take the ipod and jacket back to Owen. When she arrives at Owen's house, she finds his sister Mallory having a sleep over and playing model/dress-up and taking tons of pictures. Mallory shows Annabel her room- which is covered with pictures of models in all sorts of attire, including pictures of Annabel. Here Annabel discovers that Owen sees her as different from what they can see in the pictures and later that night they kiss for the first time. As Annabel heads home from the photo op, Mallory hands a stack of pictures to Annabel to take home and shortly after Annabel leaves with a lot on her mind. When Owen tried to explain to Annabel exactly what she was to him at his house, she doesn't really get it but then, "I wanted to ask him to explain further, to say what I was to him, exactly. But then I realized maybe he just had. I already knew he thought of me as honest, direct, even funny- all things I had never thought about myself. Who knew what else I could be, what kind of potential there was in the differences between that girl and the one he saw now. So many possibilities (Dessen 217)." Here, its a major turning point for Annabel: she starts to realize who she had been and the differences between who she is now and who she had been and that's changing, and that the girl who Owen sees her as isn't necessarily the girl who she "thinks" she is. All of this is a major turning point in thinking for Annabel.

"Just Listen" entry #2

2010-04-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

author: Sarah Dessen; published: 2006

Well, probably the most amazing thing at this point in the book is that Annabel meets Owen- or more like the way she met him. At first they would both sit at or on the wall at lunch- because they both didn't really have friends to sit with at school by that point. Annabel was constantly being confronted by Sophie, her ex-best friend who's convinced, we later find out- that Annabel purposefully slept with her boyfriend, Will. Annabel hates confrontations- and every time they happen, Annabel gets sick and starts throwing up. It's after one of these confrontations with Sophie, that Owen spies Annabel throwing up behind the bushes at school and goes to help her. Owen doing this helps to create a lasting relationship. Before they know it- they're catching each other walking home after school just to give the other a ride & then they start talking about music, Owen's obsession. Shortly after Annabel gets her first ride home with Owen, she meets Owen's little sister- Mallory, a girl who's obssessed with fashion and therefore Annabel Green who's a model. Mallory is also like a hyper-active puppy that seems to get into everything. It's when Annabel gets her first ride home with Owen, that she learns about Owen's radio show and one of his good friends, Rolly, who's extremely forgetful but also obsessed (in love with he says) with some girl that we meet later in the book. Here Annabel listens to Owen's radio show for the first time and we also get a feel for Annabel's relationship with Sophie before the fall out. It doesn't look so good- apparently Sophie's one of those moody, self-absorbed, jealous types & even more so because she goes with Will- who constantly has sex with and goes to other places with girls. Then Annabel gives a ride home to Owen- and meets his sister again, but this time while getting a feel of Owen's life and his neighborhood.

"Just Listen" entry #1

2010-04-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

author: Sarah Dessen; published: 2006

So far this book is different from London's "Call of the Wild" where everything is pure fantasy and not necessarily the truth. In "Just Listen" though, things come off differently. You get the feeling as you're reading, that you're reading something akin to a diary or something- that it's the truth and nothing but the truth, or else the truth from how the author views it. Thing is, I don't think the author of this book is Dessen, at least I don't think she wrote it from her point of view so to speak (meaning it's her voice writing or its her diary that I'm reading). Dessen writes this book as if she's the actual main character of the book, Annabel. So far this is what's happened... Annabel has two sisters- both older but completely opposite of each other and she's still in high school, so she still lives her with parents. Supposedly her family is perfect- but then again, not everything is what it seems and that's what Annabel tells the reader, indirectly of course. At first she tells of how her mom acted when her mom found out her mother died- and how although Annabel didn't know it at the time (she was too young to realize what was going on), her mother was depressed and acted so. At times, Annabel's mother wouldn't even get out of the bed and would stay in bed all day, hardly eating anything. She tells of how the whole family tried to act as if everything was ok, fine, perfect and move to take over the things that Annabel's mother left undone. Next Annabel tells of her sister- Whitney of her relationship with their other sister, Kirsten. Mostly they have a rocky relationship because they're complete opposites- Whitney is calm and quiet while Kirsten is loud, talkative and bubbly. When Whitney follows Kirsten to New York to try their luck with modeling (which they've been doing since they were young), things go from bad to worse. For awhile though, the rest of the family don't realize that something is wrong with Whitney, and that she has an eating disorder. Unfortunately though, they won't realize something is terribly wrong with Whitney until Annabel finds her collapsed on the floor of the bathroom early one morning, which then ends up with Whitney in the hospital and everyone acting as they did when Annabel's mother was "sick" that everything is fine- perfectly normal and nothing is wrong.

"The Call of the Wild" entry #3

2010-04-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

author: Jack London; published: 1903 & 2002

When Buck meets John Thornton, his life starts to change completely. London states in relation to Buck that, "[...] Love, genuine passionate love, was his for the first time. This he had never experienced at Judge Miller's down in the sun-kissed Santa Clara Valley. With the Judge's sons, hunting and tramping, it had been a working partnership; with the Judge's grandsons, a sort of pompous guardianship; and with the Judge himself, a stately and dignified friendship. But love that was feverish and burning, that was adoration, that was madness, it had taken John Thornton to arouse (London 140-141)." After stating such, London continues the story with ways that Buck was of service or proved his love to John Thornton. Buck did this in many ways in that he would playfully "bite" John Thornton's hand or in several instances, Buck saved his master's life. Buck saved Thornton's life once by jumping in a river pull him back to shore, or attacking a man that once hit Thornton. It was the last and only time though that Thornton was threatened that Buck wasn't able to save his master. Towards the end of the book, Buck was frequently going on hunting trips on his own into the wild, constantly being drawn to the wild's call. One day when Buck went on one such trip to hunt a huge moose, he came back to the camp in which Thornton had been hunting gold- to find Thornton dead. When Buck found his master dead, he went wild. What happened was that Thornton, his other two dogs and his two friends were attacked at their camp by a tribe of Indians called the Yeehats. The Yeehats killed Thornton and company and as a result, Buck killed many of them. When Buck did killed many of these humans (the Yeehats), it was a huge revelation to him. It was like he was defying the very essence of the law of club & fang. In other words, Buck was stronger than a man- he defeated and killed many men and therefore was stronger than them. The book ends with Buck joining a wolf pack after Thornton dies. In a way, Buck becomes a legend among the Yeehats- for being an evil spirit. True-fully though I don't think Buck was an evil spirit- he was just once again expressing his passionate love for a man (John Thornton) who was killed by the Yeehats- it was just unfortunate that the Yeehats were on the negative, receiving end of that expression of Buck's love.

"The Call of the Wild" entry #2

2010-04-11T23:48:00.000-07:00

Author: Jack London; Published: 1903 & 2002

So far in "The Call of the Wild" we've had an introduction to the main character of the book, Buck. The book starts out with Buck still in his home, in Santa Clara Valley and Buck's view on life there to his life starting out in the North and his transition to becoming accustomed to life there. When Buck starts life out in the North, he doesn't know what hit him- he's starved from food and water for two days before he reaches his final destination, where he's beaten half-to-death by a man with a club and wearing a red sweater. Buck remembers him much farther on into the book- but its here that Buck learns the law of club and fang. After a time Buck is sold from the man in the red sweater to Perrault and Francois. Both men where fair and taught Buck well the law of the land- but its here that Buck becomes the master of the law of club and fang. He learns it well, to the point where after a time, Buck fights the lead dog of the team, Spitz for the leadership of the team. Buck wins- and as all fights that follow the law of club and fang, Spitz dies and Buck becomes the unannounced leader of the sled dog team. Of course Perrault and Francois don't realize this, they only know that Spitz is missing and Buck is trying to take Spitz's place in the traces as lead dog in the front of the line. After awhile (and after being humiliated quite a bit by being able to catch or hit Buck to put him in his proper place in the line) - they grudgingly acknowledge Buck as the leader of the sled dog team and he leads the sled dog team from that point onward. After a time, Buck and his team are sold again- this time to a bunch of mail carriers. Buck is worked hard with these masters and during a short period of time runs over 2,500 miles. When Buck and his team are all tuckered out, they are sold yet again- this time to two men named Hal and Charles and one woman named Mercedes. These two men and one woman know nothing about living on the trail, let alone living in the wilds of Alaska. They are so disorganized that at best they barely make 10 miles a day, which was less than a quarter of what Buck and his team were capable of doing at their best. Of course by this point in time they are worn out and are over-loaded with a top heavy sled, but for some mysterious reason Hal, Charles and Mercedes won't listen to other people's advice and go ahead when the pack ice starts thawing and becoming bad ice to sled on. At one point, Buck lays in this middle of the trail- refusing to get up and its here that Buck meets John Thornton, a kind man that he comes to love for saving his life.

"The Call of the Wild" entry #1

2010-04-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

author: Jack London; published: 1903 & 2002

On one note, I stopped reading Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" because it just proved to be uninteresting to me. I could never get into the book, and several times while reading it in fact (I am ashamed to admit) I feel asleep. Indeed, it's a very difficult book for me to get into. I don't know why, but his other book "A Walk in the Woods" proved much more interesting to me and hilarious. This might be because I've had personal experience hiking in the woods and found it exhausting, memorable, and amazing all in wrapped into one package.

On a different note, I decided to read "The Call of the Wild" as my classic book, which I hope will be ok since it is a fiction book. One thing that I'm noting is that London changes his point of view that he's writing from when writing about the main character of this book, Buck. At first he writes this book from the third person, as if someone is watching the events occur and then is making notes of them as they occur. Then London seems to change his point of view that he's writing from somewhere in the first 75 pages, at first its disconcerting but at the same time it makes it exciting- almost as if you're with Buck himself and experiencing the same things he's experiencing. Mostly the reason why this type of writing is disconcerting is because London switches back and forth between first person and second person- making it difficult to follow at times. Then again, when I think about it- I couldn't see writing about this topic working in any other fashion and making the plot line flow quite as smoothly.

"A Short History of Nearly Everything" entry #4

2010-03-31T21:37:00.000-07:00

pauthor: Bill Bryson; published: 2003 & 2004

Question being considered: what was the point of this book?

The plausible reasons why Bryson wrote this book are many and varied. One of the obvious reasons that Bryson wrote this book is because he must have an interest in science. Well, he must have either an interest in science or the history behind the development of science. This is just me but personally I find the history part more interesting but science?? I know its a huge part of our world today and all- but seriously. Another part I might consider is the psychology part behind it- Bryson's make-up behind it all. Not only would I consider that Bryson might've written this book out of interest in science and history in science but also because he must've had a curiosity in it all. This curiosity drove him to write a book about science and the history of science. Yet another possibility I'm considering is that some part of Bryson's personal history might've sparked Bryson's interest in writing this book- possibly some event that occurred between him and his dad or his mother. Perhaps something in Bryson's recent history caused him to write this book- maybe something with his wife or children (if he has them), an event that caused him to hark back to his days as a child when he used to read his science book just for the fun of it, to find out the scientific history of the world in which he lived. All of these possibilities as possible but perhaps even more possible, as from speaking from personal experience- lately whenever I go online I always see articles about various events occurring all over the world from the latest gossip about tv stars to scientific discoveries. Mostly, perhaps the only time science is even remotely interesting to the point where I'm driven madly curious by it, is when its in these articles (that and a tv show called "Mythbusters"). If my personal experience is like this then its a possibility that Bryson's experience could be similar- after all I check my e-mail on yahoo, which is where I often read such articles. Considering such numerous possibilities, I conclude that Bryson was driven to write this book through his curiosity of science and the history of science through some event his personal life, whether it be recent or have occurred some time during his childhood. This event drove him to write this book.

"A Short History of Nearly Everything" entry #3

2010-03-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

author: Bill Bryson; published: 2003& 2004

The book has strangely become ever more interesting and comical. Well, comical in a kind of dark way. This section is mostly about the workings of the earth, including chemistry. Probably one of the most horrific things described in this section is about a guy named Thomas Midgley, Jr. who discovered that lead could be used to stop the "knocking" of an engine. Unfortunately, he also helped to discover the many other uses of lead including sealing cans, water storage tanks, fruit pesticide, and even part of packaging in toothpaste tubes. It's unfortunate that he discovered these things let alone that it became widely used. Also the company that produced lead for consumer usage, tried everything within their power to keep people unaware of the poisoning effects of lead. Also in this section, Bryson goes into detail about the discovery of the building blocks of matter. Personally it was kind of boring until he started to talk about how scientists thought there might be other dimensions and how on the atomic level, all of the general rules of matter that we know about the bigger world are completely different on this level. Bryson also talks about astroid and their effects that they have and have had on the planet. Probably more comically, he also talks about how most geologists avoided a theory were originally there was land mass (also known as pangea) and that many times throughout history the continents have moved and spinned around almost like a top, and so to avoid this theory geologists came up with land-bridges to explain how ancient fossils of animals ended up across an ocean, or across an ocean but on the other side of the continent facing away from the continent that also contain the ancient fossil. Wow, this is probably the funniest part in that none of the geologists could prove that these land-bridges existed. Bryson also talks about how scientists tried to understand what could have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Scientists guessed that it was caused by a giant meteor and as a result looked for a crater that would have proven to be massive enough to wipe out most of the dinosaurs. Also Bryson talked about the earth and the discovery of tectonic plates, and the layers of the earth. I assume that this topic is probably more interesting to most scientists because scientist have yet to find out exactly what is in the center of the earth or how the different mantles interact.

On a different note about the topic of the book, I am finding it difficult to answer any of the suggested topic questions from the packet- mainly because my book doesn't have a main plot line nor does it have any main characters. The only time it follows any form of a story is when Bryson talks about how a certain scientist discovered something, how and the story behind how the scientist made the discovery. I think I should've come up with better questions on my own.

"A Short History of Nearly Everything" entry #2

2010-03-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

author: Bill Bryson, published: 2003 & 2004

Surprisingly, the pace of the book picked up quite a bit- or maybe its just that because the topic changed, it became a whole lot more interesting. The topic change was that Bryson started talking about more recent scientific undertakings, things that have occurred in the last 200 years or so. Overall, probably the most fascinating thing to me is the more recent history like when Bryson starts talking about how the atom was discovered and Einstein's theories. Besides those things, Bryson also talked about the discovery and naming of dinosaurs, how certain scientists interacted, the founding of chemistry, the modernization of chemistry, radiology, several different discoveries, and radioactivity among several other things. Overall I'm finding, Bryson's audience is probably people that are interested in science and its history, although I'm not too sure about this. I am not sure about this because there are times when he gets really detailed into explaining things, but there are also times that he simplifies things quite a bit to make it easier to understand, which implies that either the people reading this have a good bit of education in science or that they like science a lot but do not necessarily have a good education in science nor do the understand the basic principles of science. Bryson does write though as if he was sitting your living room, talking with you and telling you about the history of science and various funny stories that are related to science in some way or another. Because Bryson writes like this, it draws the reader into the text more.

"A Short History of Nearly Everything" entry #1

2010-03-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

author: Bill Bryson, published: 2003 and 2004

I chose this book because I have read a book by Bill Bryson before, "A Walk in the Woods" and found it utterly amusing and I was under the assumption that this book would be funny too. I expected the book to be slightly more brief and not so dry- but this book is proving to be sleep inducing despite the varying topics that have the possibility of being interesting. Some of the topics that Bryson talks about in themselves are interesting but overall he takes far too long to explain himself and therefore you forget the point that he's trying to make by the end of a chapter because he takes so long just to get to a point. Also what makes his writing even more confusing is that he doesn't always tell you the time period when he's talking about the topic of interest so as to give you an idea of the historical period. On the positive side though, Bryson writes the book in a perspective that makes you feel like as if you are there, and witnessing things as they occur (and that's when his points or his topics prove to be interesting) or that he knew the people that he talks about really well (when you know that he couldn't have known them- because they lived hundreds of years ago).

So far Bryson has been talking about various scientific topics such as stars, how they are formed, the circumference of our planet, the weight of our planet, the possibility of life, the contributions of various scientists throughout the lifetimes, the size of our solar system, the size of our galaxy, the topics that Bryson mentions are endless as well as extremely detailed. Whenever Bryson mentions a new topic, he always goes into detail about that topic no matter how trivial that topic maybe, true fully it's mind-boggling. Bryson does a good job though explaining and simplifying scientific topics extremely well, so I am under the assumption that Bryson is writing to an audience that doesn't normally read scientific texts or journals that go into the topic of interest extensively. Because Bryson writes this way, the topic of interest makes sense in that you know what he's talking about but because he sometimes goes into too much detail, you don't always realize or understand the point he's trying to make.

Final independent book blog for Brisingr

2008-12-13T14:03:00.000-08:00

Comment on the perspective from which the book is told and how the author's choice affects your relationship with the book's content.

The perspective that the book is told from changes constantly throughout the book. Sometimes the book is told from Eragon's point of view and how he feels about stuff or sometimes it's told from another character's point of view, such as Saphira. At times it feels like your a character in the book because you are witnessing things as they happen, as they occur. This makes me feel slightly disoriented. I also feel disoriented when one chapter is being told from Eragon's point of view and he's dealing with one thing on one side of the country away from all of the other characters, but then the next chapter is being told from Saphira's point of view, as she's on the other side of the map with all of the other characters that are on the Varden's side and then she's dealing with all of these different things than what Eragon is dealing with. It can get really confusing. But then again, having to go back through the book to do all of those book blogs made me take notice what was happening in the book and analyze it from a different point of view. So in other words, while I was reading the book it was slightly disorienting to have the point of view changing so much but it helped to go back and analyze the book for the book blogs (doing this helped put things into perspective). After going back and analyzing the text, it makes sense that Paolini would write the book this way. He wrote the book this way so that the reader could know what was going on with the other characters in the book. Thing is whatever is usually going on with the other characters (in other words not the main character, Eragon), is usually not very exciting. Interesting maybe for some cases, such as Saphira, but whenever Paolini would go to another character and tell the story from the point of view of that character, sometimes it would be very boring when compared to Eragon. Wonder if there was another reason he wrote the book this way? Maybe to change up the style or something? Something different?

-katthegreat08

9th Blog Post for Brisingr

2008-12-02T18:01:00.000-08:00

"He fixed his gaze on the flickering depths of the fire. There, in that writhing inferno, he sought to forget his cares and responsibilities. But the constant motion of the flames soon lulled him into a passive state where unrelated fragments of thoughts, sounds, images, and emotions drifted through him like snowflakes falling from a calm winter's sky. And amid that flurry, there appeared the face of the soldier who had begged for his life. Again Eragon saw him crying, and again he heard his desperate pleas, and again he felt how his neck snapped like a wet branch of wood.
Tormented by the memories, Eragon clenched his teeth and breathed hard through flared nostrils. Cold sweat sprang up over his entire body. He shifted in place and strove to dispel the soldier's unfriendly ghost, but to no avail. Go away! he shouted. It wasn't my fault. Galbatorix is the one you should blame, not me. I didn't want to kill you!
Somewhere in the darkness surrounding them, a wolf howled. From various locations across the plains, a score of other wolves answered, raising their voices in a discordant melody. The eerie singing made Eragon's scalp tingle and goosebumps break out on his arms. Then, for a brief moment, the howls coalesced into a single tone that was similar to the battle-cry of a charging Kull.
Eragon shifted, uneasy.
'What's wrong?' asked Arya. 'Is it the wolves? They shall not bother us, you know. They are teaching their pups how to hunt, and they won't allow their younglings near creatures who smell as strangely as we do.'
'It's not the wolves out there,' said Eragon, hugging himself. 'It's the wolves in here.' He tapped the middle of his forehead.
Arya nodded, a sharp, birdlike motion that betrayed the fact she was not human, even though she had assumed the shape of one. 'It is always thus. The monsters of the mind are far worse than those that actually exist. Fear, doubt, and hate have hamstrung more people than beasts ever have.'
'And love,' he pointed out.
'And love,' she admitted. 'Also greed and jealousy and every other obsessive urge the sentient races are susceptible to.'
Eragon thought of Tenga alone, in the ruined elf outpost of Edur Ithindra, hunched over his precious hoards of tomes, searching, always searching, for his elusive 'answer' (Paolini 191-192)."

I think this passage is characterization of Eragon and Arya along with theme. The passage is characterization of Eragon because at the beginning of this passage we are inside Eragon's brain- hearing what he's thinking and feeling as he experiences certain memories over again. It also becomes a characterization of Arya when the author describes her as having "birdlike" movements and as she talks to Eragon, the reader infers that she is very wise. As Arya is talking though, and describing typical human emotions (and emotions that apparently plague other races) what she is saying becomes theme. It is hate and greed that drove Galbatorix to seize power and love is the main emotion driving Eragon- it is what drives him to protect those around him and to keep them from getting killed. I've noticed that throughout this book the author mentions death repeatedly and the affects it has on those around it, whether it be on the killer or on the people who lived around the person that was killed or the impacts death has on the environment- the author finds a way to mention death again and again. In this way, death becomes a major theme with other things playing into it- such as love, family etc. This theme plays back on Eragon as a form of characterization and as an allusion to Eldest where Eragon finds out that his future is plagued with death. In this way, death becomes a part of Eragon's character even though throughout this book and the other two books, Eragon strives to protect life. Contradictory isn't it? At the end of this book it is the death of Eragon's closest mentors- Oromis and the death of the physical body of the dragon, Glaedr, that rouses Eragon into facing the future with the hope that he can defeat Galbatorix. Personally I think it's strange that it is death that does this- the one thing that Eragon tries to avoid at all costs it seems, drives him closer to destroying his enemy. I wonder why though Paolini made such a contradictory character? It seems like whenever something happens, Eragon finds a way to contradict what he stands for. Why would Paolini choose to create such a character? Did Eragon become a contradictory character as Paolini wrote the story or did Paolini purposefully write the story so that in the end Eragon is such a complex character that he has no choice but to contradict himself? Personally, I think that Paolini purposefully set out to write the story in a such a way that Eragon has to contradict himself in order to grow, change and become a more developed character. Also I think that because Eragon is such a contradiction to himself as a character, and as he moves through the story, he represents or shows many different aspects of human nature- one of the main ones being love. Here in this passage, Eragon is talking to the one woman/elf that he loves. Thing is- she doesn't love him. So throughout this book, Eragon is constantly fighting his own emotions for her- trying not to show them but not altogether succeeding. This is one part in the story that Eragon and Arya actually get a long, and where Arya doesn't act so hostile towards Eragon (she had been acting hostile towards Eragon as a result of his advancements towards her)- so it's interesting to see them react to eachother this way. Makes me wonder if anything will happen between them later on.
-katthegreat08

8th post for Brisingr

2008-11-22T18:25:00.000-08:00

"The butcher sat slumped against the left-hand wall, both arms chained to an iron ring above his head.
His ragged clothes barely covered his pale, emaciated body; the corners of his bones stood out in sharp relief underneath his translucent skin. His blue veins were also prominent. Sores had formed on his wrists where the manacles chafed. The ulcers oozed a mixture of clear fluid and blood. What remained of his hair had turned gray or white and hung in lank, greasy ropes over his pockmarked face.
Roused by the clang of Roran's hammer, Sloan lifted his chin toward the light and, in a quavering voice, asked, 'Who is it? Who's there?' His hair parted and slid back, exposing his eye sockets, which had sunk deep into his skull. Where his eyelids should have been, there were now only a few scraps of tattered skin draped over the raw cavities underneath. The area around them was bruised and scabbed.
With a shock, Eragon realized that the Ra'zac had pecked out Sloan's eyes.
What he then should do, Eragon could not decide. The butcher had told the Ra'zac that Eragon had found Saphira's egg. Furthermore, Sloan had murdered the watchman, Byrd, and had betrayed Carvahall to the Empire. If he were brought before his fellow villagers, they would undoubtedly find Sloan guilty and condemn him to death by hanging.
It seemed only right, to Eragon, that the butcher should die for his crimes. That was not the source of his uncertainty. Rather, it arose from the fact that Roran loved Katrina, and Katrina, whatever Sloan had done, must still harbor a certain degree of affection for her father. Watching an arbitrator publicly denounce Sloan's offenses and then hang him would be no easy thing for her or, by extension, Roran. Such hardship might even created enough ill will between them to end their engagement. Either way, Eragon was convinced that taking Sloan back with them would sow discord between him, Roran, Katrina, and the other villagers, and might engender enough anger to distract them from their struggle against the Empire.
The easiest solution, thought Eragon, would be to kill him and say that I found him dead in the cell... His lips trembled, one of the death-words heavy upon his tongue.
'What do you want?' asked Sloan. He turned his head from side to side in an attempt to hear better. 'I already told you everything I know!'
Eragon cursed himself for hesitating. Sloan's guilt was not in dispute; he was a murderer and a traitor. Any lawgiver would sentence him to execution.
Notwithstanding the merit of those arguments, it was Sloan who was curled in front of him, a man Eragon had known his entire life. The butcher might be a despicable person, but the wealth of memories and experiences Eragon shared with him bred a sense of intimacy that troubled Eragon's conscience. To strike down Sloan would be like raising his hand against Horst or Loring or any of the elders of Carvahall.
Again Eragon prepared to utter a fatal word.
An image appeared in his mind's eye: Torkenbrand, the slaver he and Murtagh had encountered during their flight to the Varden, kneeling on the dusty ground and Murtagh striding up to him and beheading him. Eragon remembered how he had objected to Murtagh's deed and how it had troubled him for days afterward.
Have I changed so much, he asked himself, that I can do the same thing now? As Roran said, I have killed, but only in the heat of battle... never like this.
He glanced over his shoulder as Roran broke the last to Katrina's cell door. Dropping his hammer, Roran prepared to charge the door and knock it inward but then appeared to think better of it and tried to lift it free of its frame. The door rose a fraction of an inch, then halted and wobbled in his grip. 'Give me a hand here!' he shouted. 'I won't let it fall on her.'
Eragon looked back at the wretched butcher. He had no more time for mindless wanderings. He had to choose. One way or another, he had to choose...
'Eragon!'
I don't know what's right, realized Eragon. His own uncertainty told him that it would be wrong to kill Sloan or return him to the Varden. He had no idea what he should do instead, except to find a third path, one that was less obvious and less violent (Paolini 54-56)."

I think this passage is an indirect characterization of Eragon. Anytime he finds himself in a difficult situation that involves him having to use his brain power, he always finds a way out. In this passage he creates the "third path" when deciding what to do with Sloan. He ends up scrying the elf queen and asking her permission to set a compulsion on Sloan to send him to Ellesmera- which frees him from killing Sloan and/or taking Sloan back with them to the Varden. Interesting choice. This passage I think will also be important later- in this book and in the fourth book of this series. How it will be important or why, I don't know, but I do know that through this scene it shows that Eragon is still human despite his elvish appearance and the fact that he's a Dragon rider (which gives him a huge amount of responsibilities). It also shows that he has compassion for others which I think will somehow affect his battle against Galbatorix later on (Galbatorix has no compassion for others and so doesn't feel anything when he kills others- on the other hand, Eragon still has a conscience and so avoids this negativity that envelopes Galbatorix when it comes to how others think of him). Thing is, will Eragon being like this affect his battle with Galbatorix for better or for worse? In other words, will Eragon being compassionate towards others somehow hinder him from possibly killing Galbatorix if the chance should present itself? Would Galbatorix somehow use Eragon's compassion against him- thus making Eragon unwilling or incapable of killing anything or anyone else, aka Galbatorix or anyone else that Galbatorix values? It's obvious that Paolini stresses this passage, possibly to point out one of the main characteristics of Eragon- that he doesn't like to kill people or anything else for that matter. In fact, Eragon would rather eat bread, fruits and vegetables than eat meat. This is how devoted Eragon is to this idea! Question is, will Eragon having to lie to Roran and Katrina about Sloan (he told them that Sloan had died, when he was actually still alive) go against him in the long run? In other words- if Roran and Katrina find out about what Eragon did would it somehow affect their relationship with him- possibly turning them against him? Later on, Saphira accepts what he did, along with the humans at the Varden- but not the elves, particularly Arya and Queen Islanzadi. Will Eragon doing this somehow affect his relationship with Arya and Queen Islanzandi later on? Maybe somehow make them see him in a negative light? Both of them disapproved of what Eragon did when they found out mainly because both of them would have killed Sloan in a heart beat, especially after all the crimes he committed against the well-being of Carvahall- despite the connections he has with Eragon. This is the main conflict between Eragon and the elves- they have no trouble handing out punishment where it's due, while he has trouble killing others when it's not in the heat of battle. Will Eragon doing this affect his relationship with Arya? Possibly make her like him less? Or more? It's interesting what happens later between them- Arya comes to help get Eragon back to the Varden safely. On the way back they spend a night or so together. One night while out on the plains- they start talking about what Arya went through while under the captivity of the Durza and how she feels about killing. Eragon ends up making her a flower- she accepts it and puts it in the ground to grow. So I guess in the end, Eragon doing this to Sloan makes Arya more accepting of Eragon. Question is- what will happen between them next?

-katthegreat08

7th post for Brisingr

2008-11-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

"The opening to the cave was an irregular oval, perhaps fifty feet high and sixty feet wide. From there the chamber expanded to twice that size before ending in a good bowshot away in a pile of thick stone slabs that leaned against each other in a confusion of uncertain angles. A mat of scratches defaced the floor, evidence of the many times the Lethrblaka had taken off from, landed on, and walked about its surface. Like mysterious keyholes, five low tunnels pierced the sides of the cave, as did a lancet passageway large enough to accommodate Saphira. Eragon examined the tunnels carefully, but they were pitchblack and appeared vacant, a fact he confirmed with quick trusts of his mind. Strange, disjointed murmurs echoed from within Helgrind's innards, suggesting unknown things scurrying about in the dark, and endlessly dripping water. Adding to the chorus of whispers was the steady rise and fall of Saphira's breathing, which was overloud in the confines of the bare chamber.
The most distinctive feature of the cavern, however, was the mixture of odors that pervaded it. The smell of cold stone dominated, but underneath Eragon discerned whiffs of damp and mold and something far worse: the sickly sweet fetor of rotting meat (Paolini 40-41)."

I think this passage is definitely setting. Here Eragon, Roran and Saphira enter the cave of their enemies- the Ra'zac and their parents, the Lethrblaka. Horrible creatures- both of them. As Eragon, Roran and Saphira enter the cave, Paolini gives a quick description of the surroundings they find themselves in- thus giving a mental picture to the reader of where the "heroes" of the story find themselves in now. I am calling them "heroes" because they're on a rescue mission to save Katrina, Roran's fiancee/bride-to-be. Apparently doing this will also keep Galbatorix from gaining any sort of leverage against Eragon and Roran and therefore the Varden by using Katrina as some sort of hostage, making either Eragon or Roran do something that would undermine everything the Varden stands for. I think it's foolish of them to go into the den of their enemy aka- home turf, but wise also because they're trying to keep Galbatorix from winning this war. Wise but foolish- such a weird pairing for Paolini to make. I wonder why he decides to do this? Maybe to show that Eragon and Saphira are still young and inexperienced and therefore not ready to face Galbatorix, let alone Murtagh- Eragon's half brother? Or to show that they are maturing (by showing the wise side of their thinking when they go to rescue Katrina)? What is the point Paolini is trying to make when he has Eragon, Roran and Saphira go rescue Katrina?

-katthegreat08

6th post for Brisingr

2008-11-17T22:22:00.000-08:00

"A piece of shale cracked under Saphira's weight as she settled into a low crouch and, in a single giddy bound, leaped up to the rim of the gulch, where she balanced for a moment before unfolding her massive wings. The thin membranes thrummed as Saphira raised them toward the sky. Vertical, they looked like two translucent blue sails.
'Not so tight,' grunted Eragon.
'Sorry,' said Roran. He loosened his embrace.
Further speech became impossible as Saphira jumped again. When she reached the pinnacle, she brought her wings down with a mighty whoosh, driving the three of them even higher. With each subsequent flap, they climbed closer to the flat, narrow clouds.
As Saphira angled toward Helgrind, Eragon glanced to his left and discovered that he could see a broad swath of Leona Lake some miles distant. A thick layer of mist, gray and ghostly in the predawn glow, emanated from the water, as if witchfire burned upon the surface of the liquid. Eragon tried, but even with his hawklike vision, he could not make out the far shore, nor the southern reaches of the Spine beyond, which he regretted. It had been too long since he had laid eyes upon the mountain range of his childhood.
To the north stood Dras-Leona, a huge, rambling mass that appeared as a blocky silhouette against the wall of mist that edged its western flank. The one building Eragon could identify was the cathedral where the Ra'zac had attacked him; its flanged spire loomed above the rest of the city, like a barbed spearhead.
And somewhere in the landscape that rushed past below, Eragon knew, were the remnants of the campsite where the Ra'zac had mortally wounded Brom. He allowed all of his anger and grief over the events of that day- as well as Garrow's murder and the destruction of their farm- to surge forth and give him the courage, nay, the desire, to face the Ra'zac in combat.
Eragon, said Saphira. Today we need not guard our minds and keep our thoughts secret from one another, do we?
Not unless another magician should appear.
A fan of golden light flared into existence as the top of the sun crested the horizon. In an instant, the full spectrum of colors enlivened the previously drab world: the mist glowed white, the water became a rich blue, the daubed-mud wall that encircled the center of Dras-Leona revealed its dingy yellow sides, the trees cloaked themselves in every shade of green, and the soil blushed red and orange. Helgrind, however, remained as it always was- black.
The mountain of stone rapidly grew larger as they approached. Even from the air, it was intimidating.
Diving toward the base of Helgrind, Saphira tilted so far to her left, Eragon and Roran would have fallen if they had not already strapped their legs to the saddle. Then she whipped around the apron of scree and over the altar where the priests of Helgrind observed their ceremonies. The lip of Eragon's helm caught the wind from her passage and produced a howl that almost deafened him.
'Well?' shouted Roran. He could not see in front of them.
'The slaves are gone!'
A great weight seemed to press Eragon into his seat as Saphira pulled out of her dive and spiraled up around Helgrind, searching for an entrance to the Ra'zac's hideout.
Not even a hole big enough for a woodrat, she declared. She slowed and hung in place before a ridge that connected the third lowest of the four peaks to the prominence above. The jagged buttress magnified the boom produced by each stroke of her wings until it was as loud as a thunderclap. Eragon's eyes watered as the air pulsed against his skin.
A web of white veins adorned the backside of the crags and pillars, where hoarfrost had collected in the cracks that furrowed the rock. Nothing else disturbed the gloom of Helgrind's inky, windswept ramparts. No trees grew among the slanting stones, nor shrubs, grass, or lichen, nor did eagles dare nest upon the tower's broken ledges. True to its name, Helgrind was a place of death, and stood cloaked in the razor-sharp, sawtooth folds of its scarps and clefts like a bony specter risen to haunt the earth (Paolini 37-39)."

If I had to decide where the spookiest/creepiest passage in Paolini's Brisingr is, I would probably say this is it. Either that or when Eragon faces off with the last of the Ra'zac by himself- you pick. I think this passage is definitely setting, at the same time Paolini is setting the mood for the scene to come. It's scary and terrifying what could happen to Eragon, Roran and Saphira but at the same time they have hope that they will succeed in rescuing Katrina from the depths of Helgrind. In this passage, Paolini is preparing the reader for the battle that's about to ensue between creatures of the day and creatures of the night- almost quite literally a battle between good and evil. The reader would hope that the hero/main character of the story would win the battle and survive, but then again who's to know until you've read the book. Personally, it's very real, very creepy the extent that Paolini takes to describe Helgrind and the surrounding area. I wonder why he uses so much description for this place? Why does he spend so much time describing Helgrind and the area around it? There must be some sort of intention... I also love this scene though, because unlike other sections of this book, Paolini describes more what Eragon sees as he's flying on Saphira and what that must feel like. Paolini's descriptions become very real and humanistic- "the soil blushed red and orange" or "the trees cloaked themselves in every shade of green". Why does Paolini make a connection with the earth being like a human (blushing, cloaking)? Is he trying to drive another point home to the reader?
-katthegreat08

5th post of Brisingr

2008-11-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

"In a quiet voice, Eragon said, 'You really love her, don't you?' It was more a statement of truth and wonder than a question- the answer being self-evident- and one he felt uncertain making. Romance was not a topic Eragon had broached with his cousin before, notwithstanding the many hours they had devoted in years past to debating the relative merits of the young women in and around Carvahall. 'How did it happen?'
'I liked her. She liked me. What importance are the details?'
'Come now,' said Eragon. 'I was too angry to ask before you left for Therinsford, and we have not seen each other again until just four days ago. I'm curious.'
The skin around Roran's eyes pulled and wrinkled as he rubbed his temples. 'There's not much to tell. I've always been partial to her. It meant little before I was a man, but after my rites of passage, I began to wonder whom I would marry and whom I wanted to become the mother of my children. During one of our visits to Carvahall, I saw Katrina stop by the side of Loring's house to pick a moss rose growing in the shade of the eaves. She smiled as she looked at the flower... It was such a tender smile, and so happy, I decided right then that I wanted to make her smile like that again and again and that I wanted to look at that smile until the day I died.' Tears gleamed in Roran's eyes, but they did not fall, and a second later, he blinked and they vanished. 'I fear I have failed in that regard.'
After a respectful pause, Eragon said, 'You courted her, then? Aside from using me to ferry compliments to Katrina, how else did you proceed?'
'You ask like one who seeks instruction.'
'I did not. You're imagining-'
'Come now, yourself,' said Roran. 'I know when you're lying. You get that big foolish grin, and your ears turn red. The elves may have given you a new face, but that part of you hasn't changed. What exists between you and Arya?'
The strength of Roran's perception disturbed Eragon. 'Nothing! The moon has addled your brain.'
'Be honest. You dote upon her words as if each one were a diamond, and your gaze lingers upon her as if you were starving and she a grand feast arrayed an inch beyond your reach.'
A plume of dark gray smoke erupted from Saphira's nostrils as she made a choking-like noise.
Eragon ignored her suppressed merriment and said, 'Arya is an elf.'
'And very beautiful. Pointed ears and slanted eyes are small flaws when compared to her charms. You look like a cat yourself now.'
'Arya is over a hundred years old.'
That particular piece of information caught Roran by surprise; his eyebrows went up, and he said, 'I find that hard to believe! She's in the prime of her youth.'
'It's true.'
'Well, be that as it may, these are reasons you give me, Eragon, and the heart rarely listens to reason. Do you fancy her or not?'
If he fancied her any more, Saphira said to both Eragon and Roran, I'd be trying to kiss Arya myself.
Saphira! Mortified, Eragon swatted her leg.
Roran was prudent enough not to rib Eragon further. 'Then answer my original question and tell me how things stand between you and Arya. Have you spoken with her or her family about this? I have found it's unwise to let such matters fester.'
'Aye,' said Eragon, and stared at the length of polished hawthorn. 'I spoke with her.'
'To what end?' When Eragon did not immediately reply, Roran uttered a frustrated exclamation. 'Getting answers out of you is harder than dragging Birka through the mud.' Eragon chuckled at the mention of Birka, one of their draft horses. 'Saphira, will you solve this puzzle for me? Otherwise, I fear I'll never get a full explanation.'
'To no end. No end at all. She'll not have me.' Eragon spoke dispassionately, as if commenting on a stranger's misfortune, but within him raged a torrent of hurt so deep and wild, he felt Saphira withdraw somewhat from him.
'I'm sorry,' said Roran.
Eragon forced a swallow past the lump in his throat, past the bruise that was his heart, and down to the knotted skein of his stomach. 'It happens.'
'I know it may seem unlikely at the moment,' said Roran, 'but I'm sure you will meet another woman who will make you forget this Arya. There are countless maids- and more than a few married women, I'd wager- who would be delighted to catch the eye of a Rider. You'll have no trouble finding a wife among all the lovelies in Alagaesia.'
'And what would you have done if Katrina had rejected your suit?'
The question struck Roran dumb; it was obvious he could not imagine how he might have reacted.
Eragon continued. 'Contrary to what you, Arya, and everyone else seem to believe, I am aware that other eligible women exist in Alagaesia and that people have been known to fall in love more than once. No doubt, if I spent my days in the company of ladies from King Orrin's court, I might indeed decide that I fancy one. However, my path is not so easy as that. Regardless of whether I can shift my affections to another- and the heart, as you observed, is a notoriously fickle beast- the question remains: should I?'
'Your tongue has grown as twisted as the roots of a fir tree,' said Roran. 'Speak not in riddles.'
'Very well: what human woman can begin to understand who and what I am, or the extent of my powers? Who could share in my life? Few enough, and all of them magicians. And of that select group, or even of women in general, how many are immortal?'
Roran laughed, a rough, hearty bellow that rang loud in the gulch. 'You might as well ask for the sun in your pocket or-' He stopped and tensed as if he were about to spring forward and then became unnaturally still. 'You cannot be.'
'I am.'
Roran struggled to find words. 'Is it a result of your change in Ellesmera, or is it part of being a Rider?'
'Part of being a Rider.'
'That explains why Galbatorix hasn't died.'
'Aye.'
The branch Roran had added to the fire burst asunder with a muted pop as the coals underneath heated the gnarled length of wood to the point where a small cache of water or sap that had somehow evaded the rays of the sun for untold decades exploded into steam.
'The idea is so... vast, it's almost inconceivable,' said Roran. 'Death is part of who we are. It guides us. It shapes us. It drives us to madness. Can you still be human if you have no mortal end?'
'I'm not invincible,' Eragon pointed out. 'I can still be killed with a sword or an arrow. And I can still catch some incurable disease.'
'But if you avoid those dangers, you will live forever.'
'If I do, then yes. Saphira and I will endure.'
'It seems both a blessing and a curse.'
'Aye. I cannot in good conscience marry a woman who will age and die while I remain untouched by time; such an experience would be equally cruel for both of us. On top of that, I find the thought of taking one wife after another throughout the long centuries rather depressing.'
'Can you make someone immortal with magic?' asked Roran.
'You can darken white hair, you can smooth wrinkles and remove cataracts, and if you are willing to go to extraordinary lengths, you can give a sixty-year-old man the body he had at nineteen. However, the elves have never discovered a way to restore a person's mind without destroying his or her memories. And who wants to erase their identity every so many decades in exchange for immortality? It would be a stranger, then, who lived on. An old brain in a young body isn't the answer either, for even with the best of health, that which we humans are made of can only last for a century, perhaps a bit more. Nor can you just stop someone from aging. That causes a whole host of other problems... Oh, elves and men have tried a thousand and one different ways to foil death, but none have proved successful.'
'In other words,' said Roran, 'it's safer for you to love Arya than to leave your heart free for the taking by a human woman.'
'Who else can I marry but an elf? Especially considering how I look now.' Eragon quelled the desire to reach up and finger the curved tips of his ears, a habit he had fallen into. 'When I lived in Ellesmera, it was easy for me to accept how the dragons had changed my appearance. After all, they gave me many gifts besides. Also, the elves were friendlier toward me after the Agaeti Blodhren. It was only when I rejoined the Varden that I realized how different I've become... It bothers me too. I'm no longer just human, and I'm not quite elf. I'm something in between: a mix, a half-breed (Paolini 24-28).' "

There are many themes in this passage. I think the main ones are love, immortality, and the affects of death or war. It's a lot for one passage. One thing I've noticed- it could be because of the plot line or the nature of the characters he's writing about, but Paolini has mentioned a lot so far about the extent of war, love and immortality. Why does he keep mentioning these things over and over again? What is the point that he's trying to drive into the reader's mind? Certainly it's a thought to be able to live forever, or a relatively long time- for hundreds and hundreds of years. What would you do with yourself if you were that way? Eragon has his own thing- being a Dragon Rider and therefore the peace-keeper of all the races, but if we had his immortality and not the restrictions that are placed upon him- what we do with ourselves? Imagine, the effects of many people being immortal in a society such as this one. We would wreck such havoc upon ourselves that we would probably wipe ourselves off the face of this earth in a matter of a few years. Immortality would affect how we loved and how much we were willing to kill let alone wage war. But just how extensive would the effects be? I mean would people wait longer to get married let alone fall in love? Would people be less willing to kill since there might be less of us if we all waited a long time to have children? Or would that only make us more quarrelsome amongst ourselves (being immortal and having less children because of waiting till we were older to have children)? Eragon doesn't really say this outright- but I think there's also a theme or mortality. Being mortal. Eragon speaks somewhat of what it would be like if he took a regular human as a wife, that he would have to remarry many, many times 'throughout the centuries.' There's also a underlying theme of war and the affects it has on human lives- war and Eragon's duties as a Dragon Rider have kept Roran and Eragon apart a lot and only in this book are they able to rejoin and talk about things like family. Both of them are afraid of losing Katrina (the fiancee of Roran) in this war against Galbatorix. And later, Eragon seems afraid of losing Arya. In this battle of the future of humankind- Eragon and Roran seem to hold closer the things that are dear to them.
-katthegrat08

4th blog of 2nd book

2008-11-09T13:21:00.000-08:00

"As he walked back to Saphira, Eragon considered the speed with which they had reacted. His heart still contracted into a hard, painful know with each beat, his hands shook, and he felt like dashing into the wilderness and running several miles without stopping. We wouldn't have jumped like that before, he thought. The reason for their vigilance was no mystery: every one of their fights had chipped away their complacency, leaving behind nothing but raw nerves that twitched at the slightest touch.
Roran must have been entertaining similar thoughts, for he said, 'Do you see them?'
'Who?'
'The men you've killed. Do you see them in your dreams?'
'Sometimes.'
The pulsing glow from the coals lit Roran's face from below, forming thick shadows above his mouth and across his forehead and giving his heavy, half-lidded eyes a baleful aspect. He spoke slowly, as if he found the words difficult. 'I never wanted to be a warrior. I dreamed of blood and glory when I was younger, as every boy does, but the land was what was important to me. That and our family... And now I have killed... I have killed and killed, and you have killed even more.' His gaze focused on some distant place only he could see. 'There were these two men in Narda... Did I tell you this before?'
He had, but Eragon shook his head and remained silent.
'They were guards at the main gate... Two of them, you know, and the man on the right, he had pure white hair. I remember because he couldn't have been more than twenty-four, twenty-five. They wore Galbatorix's sigil but spoke as if they were from Narda. They weren't professional soldiers. They were probably just men who had to decided to help protect their homes from Urgals, pirates, and brigands... We weren't going to lift a finger against them. I swear to you, Eragon, that was never part of our plan. I had no choice, though. They recognized me. I stabbed the white-haired man underneath his chin... It was like when Father cut the throat of a pig. And then the other, I smashed open his skull. I can still feel his bones giving way... I remember every blow I've landed, from the soldiers in Carvahall to the ones on the Burning Plains... You know, when I close my eyes, sometimes I can't sleep because the light from the fire we set in the docks of Teirm is so bright in my mind. I think I'm going mad then.'
Eragon found his hands gripping his staff with such force, his knuckles were white and tendons ridged the insides of his wrists. 'Aye' he said. 'At first it was just Urgals, then it was men and Urgals, and now this last battle... I know what we do is right, but right doesn't mean easy. Because of who we are, the Varden expect Saphira and me to stand at the front of their army and to slaughter entire battalions of soldiers. We do. We have.' His voice caught, and he fell silent.
Turmoil accompanies every great change, said Saphira to both of them. And we have experienced more than our share, for we are agents of that very change. I am a dragon, and I do not regret the deaths of those who endanger us. Killing the guards in Narda may not be a deed worthy of celebration, but neither is it one to feel guilty about. You had to do it. When you must fight, Roran, does not the fierce joy of combat lend wings to your feet? Do you not know the pleasure of pitting yourself against a worthy opponent and the satisfaction of seeing the bodies of your enemies piled before you? Eragon, you have experienced this. Help me explain it to your cousin.
Eragon stared at the coals. She had stated a truth that he was reluctant to acknowledge, lest by agreeing that one could enjoy violence, he would become a man he would despise. So he was mute. Across from him, Roran appeared similarly affected (Paolini 17-18)."

I think this passage is about theme. Throughout the whole series (there's 3 books so far) Eragon struggles with his humanity and how although he doesn't want to kill, he has to, to survive. In this way the passage is also characterization because it's helping to define Eragon as a peace keeper/lover. Strangely, Eragon also struggles with any other sort of killing such killing animals for meat. But this passage is also a theme passage because in an indirect way, through his characters that is, Paolini is asking the human question- just how much are we willing to kill to survive let alone to keep the peace? When can we get away with killing? Is it ok to kill at all? This is obviously something both Eragon and Roran struggle with in this passage and throughout the series. Other races such as the elves, dragons and Urgals don't have so much trouble dealing with their feelings when it comes to killing others like humans. By comparing all of these different races- what is Paolini trying to accomplish or point out? Is he trying to mark the differences in how people feel today when it comes to killing others? Maybe he's comparing what other races would feel compared to humans (if there really are such races out there). Is Paolini indirectly questioning whether we are really the only beings on this planet that have such a thought process let alone in this galaxy or galaxies? What is Paolini's purpose in this passage? In other words- why did Paolini bother to put this passage in the book let alone describe how Eragon, Roran and Saphira feel about killing others (later in the book there's also passages about how the other races- Urgals, dwarfs and elves feel about killing)? Personally I think the author is questioning humanity and whether or not it is really ok to kill others despite the circumstances.
-katthegreat08

3rd post of 2nd book- Brisingr

2008-11-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

Hello all. I think for this blog I'll try to conquer theme or at least attempt it...
"The morning after the massive battle on the Burning Plains- when the Varden were busy regrouping and preparing to march after the Empire's army, which had retreated several leagues up the Jiet River- Eragon had gone to Nasuada and Arya, explained Roran's predicament, and sought their permission to help his cousin. He did not succeed. Both women vehemently opposed what Nasuada described as 'a harebrained scheme that will have catastrophic consequences for everyone in Alagaesia if it goes awry!'
The debate raged on for so long, at last Saphira had interrupted with a roar that shook the walls of the command tent. Then she said, I am sore and tired, and Eragon is doing a poor job of explaining himself. We have better things to do than stand around yammering like jackdaws, no? ... Good, now listen to me.
It was, reflected Eragon, difficult to argue with a dragon.
The details of Saphira's remarks were complex, but the underlying structure of her presentation was straightforward. Saphira supported Eragon because she understood how much the proposed mission meant to him, while Eragon supported Roran because of love and family, and because he knew Roran would pursue Katrina with or without him, and his cousin would never be able to defeat the Ra'zac by himself. Also, so long as the Empire held Katrina captive, Roran- and through him, Eragon- was vulnerable to manipulation by Galbatorix. If the usurper threatened to kill Katrina, Roran would have no choice but to submit to his demands.
It would be best, then, to patch this breach in their defenses before their enemies took advantage of it.
As for timing, it was perfect. Neither Galbatorix nor the Ra'zac would expect a raid in the center of the Empire when the Varden were busy fighting Galbatorix's troops near the border of Surda. Murtagh and Thorn had been seen flying toward Uru'baen- no doubt to be chastised in person- and Nasuada and Arya agreed with Eragon that those two would probably then continue northward to confront Queen Islanzandi and the army under her command once the elves made their first strike and revealed their presence. And if possible, it would be good to eliminate the Ra'zac before they started to terrorize and demoralize the Varden's warriors.
Saphira then pointed out, in the most diplomatic of terms, that if Nasuada asserted her authority as Eragon's liegelord and forbade him from participating in the sortie, it would poison their relationship with the sort of rancor and dissent that could undermine the Varden's cause. But, said Saphira, the choice is yours. Keep Eragon here if you want. However, his commitments are not mine, and I, for one, have decided to accompany Roran. It seems like a fine adventure.
A faint smile touched Eragon's lips as he recalled the scene.
The combined weight of Saphira's declaration and her impregnable logic had convinced Nasuada and Arya to grant their approval, albeit grudgingly.
Afterward, Nasuada had said, 'We are trusting your judgement in this, Eragon, Saphira. For your sake and ours, I hope this expedition goes well.' Her tone left Eragon uncertain whether her words represented a heartfelt wish or a subtle threat (Paolini 13-15)."
In this passage Eragon is remembering a day past where he's trying to go save his soon-to-be-sister-in-law. This passage reveals part of the complex situation Eragon finds himself in. Not only does he have his family to take care of- Roran, Katrina and Saphira; but he also has his promises to the Varden along with fighting his enemy, Galbatorix. The main theme I think of this passage though is family, love and defending those that you love. Eragon seems to kind of be playing the hero here- he wants to go off and rescue his soon-to-be-sister-in-law and help keep Roran from getting killed. I wonder why though Saphira decides to help Eragon convince Nasuada and Arya to let him go? Throughout the book- Saphira rarely speaks to others (besides Eragon of course), so why did she choose then to speak up for Eragon? Of course Eragon gets to go on this adventure- but I wonder what will happen as a result of his adventure?

Questions: How does Eragon deal with his life being so complex? Supposedly, the Dragon Rider is supposed to be a being that's entirely separate from all the races in a sense that he has no particularly close ties with any one particular race. He's a being that supposed to be able to travel among the different races as a sort of peace keeper. I wonder if anything will happen between Eragon and Arya?
-katthegreat08

**Note: certain names such as Alagaesia, Uru'baen, and Islanzandi don't have the exact markings that they do in the book.

2nd post of 2nd book

2008-11-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

"Eragon stared at the dark tower of stone wherein hid the monsters who had murdered his uncle, Garrow.
He was lying on his belly behind the edge of a sandy hill dotted with sparse blades of grass, thornbushes, and small, rosebud-like cactuses. The brittle stems of last year's foliage pricked his palms as he inched forward to gain a better view of Helgrind, which loomed over the surrounding land like a black dagger thrust out from the bowels of the earth.
The evening sun streaked the low hills with shadows long and narrow and- far in the west- illuminated the surface of Leona Lake so the the horizon became a rippling bar of gold.
To his left, Eragon heard the steady breathing of his cousin, Roran who was stretched out beside him. The normal inaudible flow of air seemed preternaturally loud to Eragon with his heightened sense of hearing, one of many such changes wrought by his experience during the Agaeti Blodhren, the elves' Blood-oath Celebration.
He paid little attention to that now as he watched a column of people inch toward the base of Helgrind, apparently having walked from the city of Dras-Leona, some miles away. A contingent of twenty-four men and women, garbed in thick leather robes, occupied the head of the column. This group moved with many strange and varied gaits- they limped and shuffled and humped and wriggled; they swung on crutches or used arms to propel themselves forward of curiously short legs- contortions that were necessary because, as Eragon realized, every one of the twenty-four lacked an arm or a leg or some combination thereof. Their leader sat upright upon a litter borne by six oiled slaves, a pose Eragon regarded as a rather amazing accomplishment, considering that the man or woman- he could not tell which- consisted of nothing more than a torso and head, upon whose brow balanced an ornate leather crest three feet high.
'The priests of Helgrind,' he murmured to Roran (Paolini 1-2)."

I think that this passage is setting because of how the author uses a lot of describing- giving the reader an idea of the place where the main character is and what he's doing, what he's seeing; etc. For the most part, I think Paolini gives an almost constant barrage of information, constantly describing- which makes the story all the more interesting. The pages following this passage are somewhat graphic- the priests and the others attending in the procession come to a halt at an alter and there they drink each other's blood calling upon themselves to become servants of some sort to their 'Great and Terrible Lord (Paolini 4).' The reader assumes that the 'great and terrible Lord' is no other than Galbatorix or someone else that Paolini hasn't introduced the reader to yet that's just as powerful as Galbatorix.

Questions: What would make these people do this? What would make them want to be like this? What is Galbatorix up to? Is humanity really this horrible? Strange that the author uses this as an example of the atrocities that people commit everyday... Wonder why he did that?

Note: For some of the spelling, such as "Agaeti Blodhren" I didn't have the proper keys to put the right enunciation marks where they should be (according to how they're found in the book).
-katthegreat08

1st post- book 2:

2008-11-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

"Unbidden, a series of memories overwhelmed Eragon: A sullen orange and crimson sky swirled around him as Saphira dove in pursuit of the red dragon and his Rider. Wind howled past his ears... His fingers went numb from the jolt of sword striking sword as he dueled that same Rider on the ground... Tearing off his foe's helm in the midst of combat reveal his once friend and traveling companion, Murtagh, whom he had thought dead... The sneer upon Murtagh's face as he took Zar'roc from Eragon, claiming the red sword by right of inheritance as Eragon's elder brother...
Eragon blinked, disoriented as the noise and fury of battle faded and the pleasant aroma of juniper wood replaced the stench of blood. He ran his tongue over his upper teeth, trying to eradicate the taste of bile that filled his mouth.
Murtagh.
The name alone generated a welter of confused emotions in Eragon. On one hand, he liked Murtagh. Murtagh had saved Eragon and Saphira from the Ra'zac after their first, ill-fated visit to Dras-Leona; risked his life to help extricated Eragon from Gil'ead; acquitted himself honorably in the Battle of Farthen Dur; and, despite the torments he no doubt endured as a result, had chosen to interpret his orders from Galbatorix in a way that allowed him to release Eragon and Saphira after the Battle of the Burning Plains instead of taking them captive. It was not Murtagh's fault that the Twins had abducted him; that the red dragon, Thorn, had hatched for him; or that Galbatorix had discovered their true names, with which he extracted oaths of fealty in the ancient language from both Murtagh and Thorn.
None of that could be blamed on Murtagh. He was a victim of fate, and had been since the day he was born.
And yet... Murtagh might serve Galbatorix against his will, and he might abhor the atrocities the king forced him to commit, but some part of him seemed to revel in wielding his newfound power. During the recent engagement between the Varden and the Empire on the Burning Plains, Murtagh had singled out the dwarf king, Hrothgar, and slain him, although Galbatorix had not ordered Murtagh to do so. He had let Eragon and Saphira go, yes, but only after defeating them in a brutal contest of strength and then listening to Eragon plead for their freedom.
And Murtagh had derived entirely too much pleasure from the anguish he inflicted upon Eragon by revealing they were both sons of Morzan- first and last of the thirteen Dragon Riders, the Forsworn, who had betrayed their compatriots to Galbatorix.
Now, four days after the battle, another explanation presented itself to Eragon: Perhaps what Murtagh enjoyed was watching another person shoulder the same terrible burden he had carried his whole life.
Whether or not that was true, Eragon suspected Murtagh had embraced his new role for the same reason that a dog who has been whipped without cause will someday turn and attack his master. Murtagh had been whipped and whipped, and now he had his chance to strike back at a world that had shown him little enough kindness.
Yet no matter what good might still flicker in Murtagh's breast, he and Eragon were doomed to be mortal enemies, for Murtagh's promises in the ancient language bound him to Galbatorix with unbreakable fetters and would forevermore.
If only he hadn't gone with Ajihad to hunt Urgals underneath Farthen Dur. Or if I had just been a little faster, the Twins-
Eragon, said Saphira.
He caught himself and nodded, grateful for her intervention. Eragon did his best to avoid brooding upon Murtagh or their shared parents, but such thoughts often waylaid him when he least expected it.
Drawing and releasing a slow breath to clear his head, Eragon tried to force his mind back to the present but could not (Paolini 11-13)."

I think this passage is an example of characterization of Eragon. Through hearing/listening to his thoughts, we learn more about Eragon as a person. Currently in the story, Eragon had just come back from a scouting mission- Eragon and his cousin Roran are planning to rescue Roran's fiancee, Katrina, who's being held captive in Helgrind (which is a tall black tower of stone) by the Ra'zac. "Unlike their parents, the Ra'zac were roughly the same size and shape as humans. An ebony exoskeleton encased them from top to bottom, although little of it showed, for even in Helgrind, the Ra'zac wore dark robes and cloaks. They advanced with startling swiftness, their movements sharp and jerky like those of an insect (Paolini 43)." The author also goes on to describe the Ra'zac as hissing creatures that have "hard, clacking jaws (Paolini 45)." The story is made even more interesting by the fact that when facing such horrible creatures, Eragon doesn't have much of chance to survive and that all of Alagaesia is depending on one of the last free Dragon Riders to free everyone from the reign of Galbatorix. Through a twist of fate, Eragon is related to one of his mortal enemies- Murtagh!

Note: This is the third book in a series- there are two books before this one called "Eragon" and "Eldest" by Christopher Paolini.

Questions: Why would Eragon risk so much to go to the den of one of his enemies to rescue someone from his family? Why go to so much trouble? How will being related to one of his mortal enemies affect him in future battles?
-katthegreat08

Announcement: 2nd book for Independent Reading Is:

2008-11-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hey all! The book I'm reading for my 2nd independent reading is "Brisingr" by Christopher Paolini.
-katthegreat08

Final Blog Post For "Now You See It..."

2008-10-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

Ok. Here we go.
What do you think is the defining moment or moments for the main
character and/or other major characters in the book?

Passage from book:
"Sometimes, I reminded myself, you just have to let go.
I rubbed the tears away. I would do the right thing, I decided: I would forgive my father for choosing another woman over my mother and me; I would forgive my mother for choosing another man after my father and in addition to me; I would forgive my grandmother for leaving me; and I would forgive myself for not being the person I wanted to be, though I would try harder to be that person."
I think that this passage shows perfectly the moment in which Wendy (the main character) changes or that this is a "defining moment" for Wendy. Up until this point, Wendy has seemed to hold a grudge against everyone for seemingly silly reasons- like Wendy's grandmother who has Alzheimer's and forgets everything or Wendy's dad who apparently wasn't there for her when she was growing up. It took Wendy traveling back in time to meet her grandmother in the 1950's to literally see and meet a positive influence, which in tern affected Wendy to the point where she changes and decides to try and be a better person. -katthegreat08

5th post

2008-09-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

"There was another little stand of trees, and I ran into that, and out the other side a moment later, around the gazebo, headed for some more trees, saw an archway- and lost track of where I was.
Oh, yeah, I thought, those arches the lilac committee put up. I knew it wasn't the one near my house, all the way across the park, but assumed they must have put up a bunch of them, never mind that Highland Park was across the street, not on Westfall Nursing Home grounds.
I sped through the arch- which sure looked like granite, though I knew it couldn't be- and there were a lot more trees on the far side, for which I was grateful. I zigzagged, watching the ground so I wouldn't trip over tree roots, and wondered if now was the time to try hiding. I couldn't hear Julian anymore, so I glanced over my shoulder.
Not a sign of him.
Of course, not a sign of the arch, either.
Or the wall.
Or the nursing home.
And there were a lot of trees.
A whole lot.
Even when I looked over the tops of my lenses.
I was in a forest. Not a wooded yard. Not a park.
A freaking forest (Velde 91-92)."

I think in this passage is about setting. Wendy, the main character, obviously takes her time to explain that there is a change of setting/scene from a suburban neighborhood to a forest- and she's freaked. Wendy describes the setting not with an enormous amount of describing, but just enough so that the reader gets a mental picture.

Questions: Why take the time to describe a forest? Why put the scene that follows in a forest and what does the setting that the scene takes place in have to do with what Wendy learns in the end? Haha- I would be freaked too if I suddenly ended up in a forest out of no where...

Fourth post...

2008-09-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

My passage:
"But I wasn't even on South Avenue or Robinson or any street I recognize. As I fell, my face approaching the pavement- slowly enough to notice things in a surreal way, but too fast to do anything to prevent imminent impact-I glimpsed unusual cars. I mean, I'm not an expert on cars or anything-I classify them by color rather than make- but these were all big and rounded in an old-fashioned kind of way that just screamed, 'Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!'
Yet another wrong thing was the people I caught sight of on my way down. A man in an ugly tweed suit, wearing a hat and carrying a big satchel, turned from the doorbell he was about to ring and gawked at me. And there were several women- all dressed in pastel dresses that were buttoned and formfitting on the top, with really full skirts that came below their knees, not a pair of pants or shorts among them. The women, too, wore hats-not like sun hats or rain hats or winter hats, but these itty-bitty why-bother? hats with flocked netting coming over their foreheads- giving the impression they all had really nasty collections of freckles, warts, and birthmarks. One of the women had a little girl with her, also wearing a hat, and- as she watched my endless fall- the mother grabbed hold of her child and spun her around to protect her from seeing me flattened and/or splattered. Woman and girl were both wearing little white gloves (Velde 116-117)."

I think this passage helps develop setting because as Wendy is about to get hit by a car she is describing the things around her and what she sees, what the people look like, and even the personality or culture of the place she finds herself in. I wonder why though, the author would bother to explain/describe such a short scene in the book? What does this time warp have to do with anything? I guess if you think about it- maybe the author described the setting because she wanted the readers to get a good idea of the culture that Wendy's grandmother is surrounded by. Later in the book- Wendy's grandmother becomes more important to the story line as Wendy wishes more and more that she could be like her grandmother. Another way to look at it might be that the author what the reader to see the culture difference between Wendy and her grandmother's times or maybe because Velde wanted the reader to experience a culture shock.

Questions: Still wondering- is it really possible to make such glasses that let you see things that are normally visible to the human eye? Do other creatures such as that blue trouble-making creature or the "old witch" exist in the real world? Did the author have a reason for writing the book about creatures that supposedly don't exist to make people more thoughtful of their surroundings or others? Is the "lesson learned" of the book supposed to teach the reader to be more respectful of others that are completely different from them, no matter who they are or what they look like?

Third post...

2008-09-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

How and why Wendy matures: Passages...
"I didn't own sunglasses because, in Rochester, there's only about five days in the whole year that you need sunglasses- and the majority of those days are for snow glare rather than actual sunlight. The eye doctore had offereed my a pair of construction-paper-and-plastic-film sunglasses about as classy as the ones you get at the 3-D attractions at Disney World, except without the Disney characters. You'd think for what an eye doctor charges, he could give you glasses that don't look as though they cost about fourteen cents a gross (Velde 6)."
This is Wendy at the beginning of the story- sarcastic, unthoughtful of others, oppionated, etc. One of the typical views people think of when they think of teenagers.
Another passage:
"'She hasn't chosen this,' Julian said. 'Sometimes bravery and strength and goodness just aren't enough.'
It wasn't like I was greedy. It wasn't like I expected she should live forever.
'And I don't know about your father, but I suspect if he's chose a life without you, it was not an easy choice; and it was probably not a choice against you, but for something else.'
Sometimes, I reminded myself, you just have to let go.
I rubbed the tears away. I would do the right thing, I decided: I would forgive my father for choosing another woman over my mother and me; I would forgive my mother for choosing another man after my father and in addition to me; I would forgive my grandmother for leaving me; and I would forgive myself for not being the person I wanted to be, though I would try harder to be that person (Velde 270)."
Now, this is Wendy almost at the very end of the book. Here she sounds forgiving, kindhearted, sincere, loving, etc. She sounds like everything she wasn't in the other passage. In the second passage, Wendy recognizes that everything won't stay the same her whole life and that there is nothing she can do to control other people's choices- when at the beginning of the book she had been the total opposite. She didn't like that her mother had chosen to remarried, she didn't like that her grandmother was dying right in front of her and that for both of these things there was absolutely nothing she could do (in other words she was fighting a losing battle). At the end of the book on the other hand, she realizes that she can't do anything to change what's happening and what's occuring around her except for herself and she accepts that.
-katthegreat08

2nd post...

2008-09-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

My passage:
""We'd better stay disguised, don't you think?" Eleni asked Tiffanie. "In case we run into any other people?"
I wanted to add, you might want to pick a look that's less attention grabbing, but I didn't have a chance.
Eleni continued, "Unless keeping up with the spell tires you or weakens you."
I would have thought of that first part, eventually, but never that last part, proving yet again how much smarter than me my grandmother was. And more considerate. Without even having to stop to think about it. (Velde 204)

This passage has to do with theme because at this point in the story, Wendy is starting to change and realize what she can do to make herself a better person. She does this by being the stereotypical teen and compares herself to her "grandmother" who is coincidentally the same age that she is in the story (Wendy had accidentally traveled back in time and found her grandmother during the 1950s when her grandmother was 16 or 17- around the same age has Wendy). This is the turning point for Wendy where she's realizing who she is now and who she wants to be like (her grandmother).

Ok, I know I shouldn't have done this- but I've read the whole book now... So I guess what I'll do is read more books now and maybe put up another 2 or 3 posts on this book before I start another book. Anyways.

Questions:
What do the glasses and the weirdness with the magical creatures have to do with Wendy becoming a better person? Why in the world would the author choose this kind of setting? Why does Wendy always say demeaning things about herself, or think them?

First post...

2008-09-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

Chosen passage:
"One way to look at what happened is that everything is the fault of my optometrist and his enthusiasm for those miserable eyedrops that make your eyes supersensitive to light. But if I've learned on thing from all this, it's that there's generally more than one way to look at anything.
So, from the beginning, a few points to remember:
1) Without glasses, I can't see farther away than about a goot and a half beyond the tip of my nose.
2)Glasses may improve someone's seeing, but they've never improved anyone's looks.
Sure, parents, grandparents, and eyeglass salesmen will assure you that you're cute as a button with your glasses on- if what you want to look like is a cute button, though that's not my idea of a big selling point. But in any case, what's the first thing a movie director does to a gorgeous actress when he needs her to look plain for a role"(Velde 3)?

I think that this passage helps develop characterization because in this whole passage, it's just the main character talking. That's it. By the time the reader finishes reading the first chapter of the book, Wendy (the main character) lines up to be a typical teenage rebel who doesn't like the looks she's stuck with nor her surrounding family.

Questions from reading: How is it possible for glasses to make someone who's probably legally blind see let alone see wierd creatures, dead people (ghosts), etc? -Personally I think that would be really cool if that was possible and if it was, sign me up! Next question: Does the main character, Wendy, seriously not have anything else besides cute boys on her mind? Is there such a thing as a parallel universe that exists in our world and if so how? How were these glasses created? Whose were they originally?

-katthegreat08

The Official Choice Is:

2008-09-09T05:57:00.000-07:00

I choose "Now You See It..." by Vivian Vande Velde to read. So there.
-katthegreat08