Weekly Blog 11/17/14 The Maze Runner

• Do you like what you’re reading? Why or why not?

     In the book The Maze Runner so far I have enjoyed it/reading it because of the detail that the author puts in it. Like for example the boy or Thomas explains what he sees when he first arrives and is out of the elevator, "The floor of the courtyard looked like it was made of huge stone blocks, many of them cracked and filled with long grass and weeds." Further on "A large grove of trees filled the final corner; the closest one looked crippled and close to dying. I like that the author uses detail because it helps me think of what this place could look like. This also helps me think of what the emotions or feelings could have of the place that their in like negative or positive the way the author or the character describes it.

     I also like what I have been reading because I like the way that the author choose the word choice for the guys. Secondly I also like how he scatters similes all around the book, "I told ya, shuck-face, a shrill voice responded. He's a klunk, so he'll be a slopper no doubt about it." Its a bit confusing how they talk but I think further more in the book they will explain. "A few trees surrounded it, their roots like gnarled hands digging into the rock floor for food." I really enjoy reading these similes because it also gives me a mental picture of what they could be saying. 

     Finally, I also enjoy what I'm reading because mainly the main idea of this book. That a mysterious person brings guys to this isolated place where there are doors that lead to a ginormous maze. To me it sounded very interesting and many people said that the movie was great so I thought this was the next best thing (I haven't seen it). This was also the first time I have read any other book other than from the author Laurie Halse Anderson so that was also very exciting to me as well. 

Weekly Blog 11/10/14 Catalyst

     The author uses specific word choice that involves science. The author specifically states in the back of the book that "Kate manages her life by organizing it, as logically as the periodic table." She (Laurie Halse Anderson) makes the main character 'Kate' say instead of just saying that when you die you go to heaven she would be you are being split of from your atoms and those atoms will go on into oblivion. She talks a lot like this. Its a bit difficult to understand but I personally have read two other books from her so I can understand what she means. I think that this affects the mood and tone because it makes her more smart and sophisticated when she talks like this and all of her friends are not so smart but they keep up with her. This also changes the tone because she never talks its more always in her head so we the readers can here what shes saying but the people inside the book like her father, have no clue. Which makes her a type of shy and quite girl. 

     Her mothers death changed Kate a lot. It made her shy and reserved, and she never wants to talk about it. "Is this what it was like when mom died?" Toby asks (Toby is her little brother). I open the freezer slowly. "Don't you remember?" "No". A bit later in the book " I open the freezer door and talk to the skim milk. "Because I wasn't there, okay? You want to know what I remember? I remember running out if the church. I was wearing black patent leather shoes and I ran down the road and I got blisters and I kept running ..." also a bit further... "By the time they found me, Mommy was burred in the ground. I didn't see it happen, I don't remember okay?" This affected her life and gave us more information about her because it shows that she is closed off. She doesn't like talking and I'm guessing expresses her feelings some other way. This made me sad and I can't imagine the pain that her and her dad would be feeling. 
  
     MIT the college she applied to (the only one) rejects her. This reveals information about her because it shows her shes scared, afraid and anxious that her only school rejects her which they later do. In the book it states "I open it badly. A jagged opening. The letter is brief, murder bu stiletto, a thin, sharp blade: "We regret to inform you ... thousands of qualified candidates ... not a reflection on your abilities ... many opportunities elsewhere ... Sincerely ..." The need to vomit vanishes. Dead girls don't puke. My father picks up the letter and envelope from the floor. He says something I can't hear. When I don't answer, he looks in the envelope. Maybe the real letter, the acceptance letter, is hidden in there, written in invisible ink on invisible, space age paper. Or it's a Cheshire cat letter and it will materialize any second now. Somewhere deep in that envelope are my registration instructions, my financial aid package, and a handwritten note from the cross country coach." A bit further ... "I wish I were three feet tall and he could pick me up and he still had a beard and he wore cotton sweaters that felt soft on my cheek and I could cry it all away and I would wipe my tears on his shoulder and I could suck my thumb and suck the end of my ponytail and he wouldn't tell me only babies did that and he would rock me on the front porch with the wind coming clean from the north and he would sing nursery rhymes with made up words like Mom used to and he could teach me the alphabet again and how to walk and how to run and maybe I would do better this time." This means she was very scared that they could reject her and they did. 

     Teri's son, Mickey's death. This revealed information about Kate because after Mickey's death Kate feels sorry for her and tries to spend time with her, she also gets to know her better and they become some what friends. In the book it says that "Here." I hand it to her. "I want you to have this. It fits you better. But I'm keeping the necklace." "You should sell it, get some cash." "I might." "Thanks." Later on... "You can't slack if you're going to work with me." I wont. I promise." This shows us that they both are being kind to each other and that she wants to be friends with Teri who was her nemesis. 

Reflections On Poe

     Poe's life had many tragedies. Hes real mother, brother and foster mother and his wife in later days all died from tuberculosis. He was robbed during the night by his own family (cousin). His father sent him to college without enough money and had to gamble to pay. He even burned his own furniture as a last resort to stay warm. His foster father got remarried and never told him. He left Poe out of his will when he passed away. Rumors has spread that Poe was in a relationship with another married women and all the people kicked him out of the city. He had suffered through a lot, and I feel really bad for him.

     I think that all of his life and his tragedies effected him life because if he didn't have such a hard life maybe his writing could have been more cheerful. Maybe all those events triggered something in him that just made him write such dark things. It could have been a way for him to release all that sadness he doesn't show but puts it into writing instead. With all that had happened to him, I would write about sad and horror like things to. I think we all would in someway release our sadness kind of like how he did. 

        There are many similarities of living in the 19th century vs. the 21st century. One could be that we all live in our own separate homes. Another could be that we all go to school and get an education. Also our basic life style was similar like how we talk dress, where we eat, (of course there a bit different because the 21st century is more advanced). Also, the times are similar because we back then and now had the same type or style of our economy and our government. 

      There are also many differences of living in the 19th century vs. the 21st century. One could be that we have better technology then them, (like the Mac book Airs or Touch screen TVs for example). Also we have more advanced clothing, (before women wore dresses and men suits of such, and now women can wear skinny jeans etc. and men can wear shorts, v necks etc.) Also we have the same concept of our government but it has advanced a lot, (like the first African American president and now also that women are trying for president). The 1800s and the 21st century are both great times and we should appreciate that humanity has made it this far.

Weekly Blog 11/3/14 Catalyst

• Are the characters realistic (do they seem like they could be real people)? Why or why not?

• Summarize what has happened in the book so far.

     

      In the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson many things have happened so far in the book. Kate the main character has recently been rejected from the school she wanted to go into, MIT. Her friends have been worried about her since she doesn't talk to anyone, not after everyone gives her pity stares and they all say to just accept a safety school from your list. The thing is Kate only applied to MIT. Even after she is still in denial and more then anything wishes that MIT would admit they rejected her by mistake. On top of that she has to share her house with the person she dislikes, Teri, the schools bad girl. Teri is making her life miserable. Also in the story you find out that Kate has an addiction for running and now its becoming a bad thing. She sneaks out at nights stays up late because of her insomnia (Its a disease where you can't go to sleep). Thats about how far I've read into the book. 

      I think that the main character 'Kate' from Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson would be considered realistic. I think this because she is just like any other girl frustrated that she did not get accepted into the college that she wanted to go into. She also does not get along with a girl from her school which is very realistic because we have all had that one person we never liked. I think that she is very realistic because it is possible for kids to lose their parents at young age just like she did, she lost her mom when she was only just a kid. She has a group of friends like any kid would have, she also is in a relationship which at the end of high school, most people should have.

      I think that the second main character 'Teri' from Speak also would be very realistic. I think this because some people can be like Teri, the bad one. The one who doesn't care and smokes. Someone who most people would stay away from because people would be afraid. In the book she starts warming up to Kate which should be normal because they do tend to spend a lot of time together now that the Litche's family (Teri's last name) have been living in Kate's house because there house was burned down in a fire and is being rebuilt. Like I said Teri's life could be like someones else out there (not the exact same but you get what I mean).