Last Blog of the Year :D

Over the course of this year I've learned a lot about blogs. Personally, I feel that writing in a notebook is limiting, versus a blog. A notebook has lined paper, a certain amount of space and a tendency to have my hand cramped within minutes. The beauty of typing has lead me to not have any cramped hands and the internet has an infinite amount of space, and doesn't look imbecilic when you don't fill up the entire page. Yes, writing in a notebook is old fashioned and you must do it in order to be able to continue to high school, yet in the future there is a very huge chance that no one will be writing by hand, and we will all draft by computers. These assignments from teachers may be changed to the format of a blog.

In what ways can writing online be limiting or liberating? I think that when you have to write online about something that truly is something you don't have any strong feelings about, are not interested in the topic and you just feel forced to do the assignment, is limiting. That specific blog post will not be as impressive as the ones where I truly let myself go with my feelings and knowledge, to truly prove an argument or tell the story. The result of these two blog posts are what causes online to be limiting or liberating as well. For example, someone who sees my very good blog post can comment on it and truly show me that they enjoyed the post and that my feelings mean a lot to the readers, which is a liberating feeling. But when someone sees my mediocre blog post and points it out by writing in the comment section, it's limiting because you just want to delete the post afterwards and not start again, because you're ashamed.

I benefited from this experience in so many ways. When I was younger I always wanted my friends to see my work but not be around me when they were reading the many stories or essays I wrote. This is the perfect answer to that problem and I'm almost always thrilled with the comment section. I also truly was able to keep up with my reading and probably read more than in the past and wrote more because I was truly analyzing all the books I read and, draining them for more information for a blog post.

13 Reasons Why

"13 Reasons Why" by Jay Asher is about a girl named Hannah who committed suicide. Hannah created 13 tapes to be her suicide note, and each tape is dedicated to 1 person. Hannah then sent the tapes to the first person on the series of tapes, and they must pass the package on, in order. Clay, a boy who had an immense crush on Hannah gets the package full of tapes, and the story follows Clay's reactions to the tapes.

I find this book very strange because of the topic the author chose. Yes, suicide is a very uncomfortable topic, and many people struggle with their suicidal thoughts. Why did the author choose to write this book? To make the reader uncomfortable. For example, one tape is about a classmate who once watched Hannah in her bedroom. Hannah then records herself watching the the person through their bedroom window and discusses all the things in their bedroom. This part is very uncomfortable because  you never know if you're being watched and it proves that suicidal thoughts can lead to a complete desire for revenge.

Another reason why this book is very strange is because Hannah created a map. Each time you listen to a tape, the number of the tape will point to a certain spot in their town. Hannah states in the tape that you, "may" go to all these places so you can "experience" what happened. By creating this map Hannah makes all the classmates on the tapes, absolutely obsessed with her death and, who caused what and why. I think that Hannah wanted these people to regret what they did to her and to be angry at other people whom had caused her harm, and also obsess the victims of the tapes.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post 2

*Spoiler alert* *Spolier alert* *Spoiler alert*

"The Miseducation of Cameron Post" by Emily Danforth, is about a girl named Cameron whose parents die as she is starting to discover her sexuality. Cameron ends up truly realizing she is homosexual and truly is afraid that people will find out. As the story continues, Cameron has three lovers (so far); Irene, Lindsay and Coley. Cameron is "kind of dating" Coley, but Coley has a boyfriend. Throughout the summer Coley and Cameron meet and go on dates, have a relationship, but then Coley's boyfriend returns. Once her boyfriends returns, Coley tells her parents that Cameron forced her into the relationship, and in the end Cameron's Grandmother and Aunt become ashamed of her. Cameron is then sent to boarding school for Christians who need to be saved from homosexuality.

I think that this book is a little too harsh for a coming-of-age story. When Cameron first starts to be in a relationship with Irene all is ended when her family becomes rich and wants to send her to a private boarding school. Cameron and Irene talk once before she leaves about how Cameron could go to the boarding school with Irene the next year, but Cameron's Aunt cannot afford it. Irene then goes off to her boarding school and brags to Cameron on how she has a boyfriend. I don't truly know if Irene is trying to show Cameron that she isn't homosexual anymore or trying to show off that she is the one in an actual relationship. Then their relationship is done. Over. Cameron is then forever scarred by the fact that her friend abandoned her.

Coley is the evil girlfriend of the three. I would say so, because she completely abandons Cameron by exposing her true secret, creates a gigantic lie, causing her to be sent away, and having complete abandonment from her Aunt and Grandmother. No girl would possibly tell the parents about their relationship if it is in the Christian faith. There are programs that people can take in their own town or discuss with their families and preach, but certain Christian faiths believe in "Gay Camp" as many people call it. Where people go to fix their sexuality. I think that Danforth really went too far to make Cameron miserable.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

There are many reasons to like this book, and there are many reasons not to. I think this may have to do with the controversial topics that surround this book. "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" is the story of a teenage girl named Cameron who soon realizes she is a lesbian. As if this realization isn't hard enough, considering she lives in such a small town, her parents die in a horrible car crash. Cameron's Aunt comes to live with her, and everything seems to be fine, except for the fact that she is a Born-Again Christian. Not only is the Born-Again faith not part of Cameron's religion, but it is a very homophobic culture. 

I personally like this book because it breaks the boundaries set by normal books. Most books these days are either about romantic love stories between a woman and a man or a girl dealing with normal problems of being a teenager. Both of these main categories are telling the stories of straight girls, and this makes the story unique. The author also loves to go into detail about everything from scenery to the description of the many characters. I find this truly important because in order for me to enjoy a book, I need to be completely immersed in the world that it takes place in. Therefore, by giving me all these details I am truly able to enjoy the story more. 

I dislike this book for only two reasons. One, I find that this book truly points out the problems with the Born-Again faith. For people whom believe and practice this faith, it must be completely unbearable to read. The Aunt is portrayed as an annoying woman who makes Cameron go to services that she doesn't believe in and makes her uncomfortable with the words of homophobic preachers. A small part of my family practice a faith similar to the Born-Again practices and they are completely friendly and wonderful, they don't truly disrespect the religions of others. I also dislike this book because of the heavy amount of kissing scenes or fantasies. Personally, I truly dislike all the kissing scenes in most books because it truly takes away from the story. Yes, if it is the climax of the story, then you can put the kiss in, but it shouldn't be used as a space filler because it will make the teenagers like it more.

I think that this book is a hit-or-miss since there are many people who would feel uncomfortable with the kissing scenes or the portrayal of the Born-Again faith. I find this book sort of interesting though since it breaks the pattern of girls who like to read about love for straight people. I also like this book because the environment and characters are completely realistic, and because I can imagine where the story takes place. This is what "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" is about. 

"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare

“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare tells the story of two teenagers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, who fall in love but cannot be together due to their families having a strong grudge against one another. Being the teenagers they are, they rebel against their parents (which is impulsive since they cannot help but try to defy their parents at their teenage age) and fight to be together. At the end of the play Juliet pretends to be dead by taking a potion that makes her look like a corpse so she can sneak away, but Romeo finds out about her death and commits suicide (a very impulsive act). Once Juliet wakes up she sees Romeo’s dead body and she commits suicide as well. Throughout the play you cannot help but notice how impulsive the two teens are. Romeo and Juliets’ impetuosity leads to their fast-paced meeting, their early marriage and their death. 

The impetuosity of Romeo and Juliets’ love truly started when Romeo courted her intensely at their first engagement. Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin) and Mercutio (Romeo’s friend) tried to help Romeo get over Rosaline. Rosaline was a girl that Romeo was completely devoted to, but she became a nun, so she could not marry Romeo. Benvolio and Mercutio helped Romeo get over Rosaline by sneaking him and the rest of their gang into the Capulet ball. This is completely against the rules since the Montagues and Capulets are sworn enemies, but Mercutio and Benvolio do not think this is a bad idea that could get them killed, which is a completely impetuous act. Mercutio and Benvolio were two teens just trying to have fun and did not think that by sneaking into the house of their sworn enemy they could cause any harm. Anyway, Romeo attends the party and falls instantly in love with Juliet. Romeo kisses Juliet before he is dragged away by Mercutio and Benvolio. Juliet then states, “If he be married/ My grave is like to be my wedding bed” (1.5.148-149). Juliet does not think she can live without Romeo, but this is definitely possible since she just met him. Juliet doesn’t even proclaim how sad she is, like every other teenager would, she states that she would literally die if Romeo turned out to be married. Juliet doesn’t seem to truly think that this is a very daring thing to say about a boy she just met. Romeo does not care about Juliet’s guards and  after the party he sneaks onto her balcony to see her again. Romeo says, “I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes” (2.2.80). This is completely reckless since Romeo could be killed by the guards if they saw him. By doing this folly act he is already risking his life for the girl he just met an hour or so before. Juliet then states something astonishingly regretful “Deny they father and refuse thy name/ And I’ll no longer be a Capulet” (2.2.37+39). Juliet states here that she’ll leave her parents behind so she can be with Romeo. Without her parents Juliet would be without a home or life and she doesn’t seem to be thankful for her family or thoughtful to the fact that her family hates Romeo. Her parents seem to care for her and don’t want her to be so impulsive as to leave her family behind for a teenage boy. 

Besides being courted at such a fast rate, Romeo and Juliet decided to be impetuous and marry at such an early stage in their relationship. While on Juliet’s balcony, on the first day they met, Juliet states “thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow” (2.2.151). These two haven’t even had dinner together, gone on a date or been with each other for more than four hours, and they want to spend the rest of their lives together? This is completely impulsive because Romeo and Juliet are agreeing to something that will change their lives forever. The two teens don’t seem to have any seconds thoughts such as how the marriage will affect their family or if this is a terrible idea. Romeo and Juliet are suffering from the rush of hormones and are not thinking straight. Juliet asks the time she should send the nurse for their early marriage plans and Romeo states the agreement of “At the hour of nine” (2.2.168).  Juliet then manipulates the nurse to trick Juliet’s parents so she can go get married to Romeo. The nurse then says, “Have you got to leave for shrift today?/Then hie you to Friar Lawrence’s cell/There stays a husband to make you a wife” (2.5.71,73+74). Juliet rushes off and does not think of how she may be caught if the plan does not work or that the nurse may lose her job. In this case, Juliet is extremely selfish for risking her caregiver’s job and the nurse’s love for Juliet makes her completely blind to the fact that this plan is fallible. Luckily, Romeo and Juliet were able to get married even though what they did was completely foolish and flawed. 

Romeo and Juliets’ impetuous behavior lead to their untimely death. If Romeo and Juliet had let themselves think before they made these mistakes, Romeo would not have killed Tybalt and caused himself to be banished to Mantua. Juliet then came up with a plan with Friar Lawrence where she would drink a potion that would make her look dead so she could escape. Juliet succeeds with the plan but Romeo then discovers Juliet’s “dead” body. Romeo then said “For fear that I stay with thee/And never from this palace of dim night/Depart again/Thus with a kiss I die” (5.3.106-109+120). Romeo then commits suicide by drinking poison and dies. If Romeo had waited a couple of minutes and thought about his suicidal thoughts instead of being impulsive, he would’ve run away with Juliet to Mantua and lived happily ever after. Juliet then awakes and sees the dead body of Romeo. Just like Romeo, Juliet grabs a dagger and quickly says “O happy dagger/There rust, and let me die” (5.3.174-175). Juliet then stabs herself until she eventually dies. Romeo and Juliet lived without each other for almost their entire lives, it was extremely foolish for them to commit suicide because they could not be together, because they repeatedly thought they could not live without one another. Romeo and Juliet were so spontaneous that it lead to the deaths of Tybalt, Paris, Lady Montague, Mercutio and themselves. Tybalt and Paris were slain by Romeo impulsively because Romeo was enraged about the deaths of his loved ones. Little did Romeo know, that after he recklessly committed suicide, his Mother then passed away from the grief of his death. Romeo and Juliet didn’t think about how their deaths would affect their family or friends, because they didn’t give their actions a second thought. 

In “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare, the two title characters’ impetuosity lead to their fast-paced meeting, their early marriage and their death. Romeo and Juliets’ impetuosity got the better of them since Romeo was almost killed by guards, Juliet threatened to abandon her family and her life, they forced the nurse to lie to her boss to help them get married and they end up causing the deaths of 6 people. Romeo and Juliets’ impetuosity caused the two to do things that were dangerous and very regretful. Shakespeare truly showed that Romeo and Juliet were impetuous and without any sort of second guessing, youths can cause the most harm.  

Tina Fey

I am currently reading "Bossypants" by Tina Fey. After the past couple of months of searching for happy books I found, as what Ms. Rear would say, "a candy book". This book is not for those whom want to learn a lesson about life that they can teach their children or recommend to their grandchildren because it taught them something. This is a book mostly about Tina Fey's life as a child into adulthood and how she got her start. Ms. Fey wrote this book in a particularly interesting way.

Tina Fey wrote this book as if she wants the reader to know her extremely well. She tells embarrassing stories such as when she was desperately in love with some guy, who did not get the hint that she was totally obsessed with him. She even tells the reader about how she climbed the mountain with the guy and how he complained about his girlfriend while they were hiking. The fact that Tina Fey was completely honest about her experiences really makes the reader feel as if they're in on some really private secret. You almost seem to forget that "Bossypants" is a best-seller, so hundreds of people are also in on the secret.

There are other things that she doesn't include though. For example, she could not include the name of her husband, so she continues to change his name throughout the book. She shared intimate details about her honeymoon with Jeff (the name she usually calls her husband), but she doesn't seem to want to explain stuff about her daughter or her husband that she experiences in her daily life. I find this especially strange due to the fact that at the beginning of the book she dedicated an entire chapter to her father. She wrote details about his childhood and how she felt towards him, and the whole time I was completely surprised by her blunt honesty. Why couldn't she include some hilarious story or include her husband's name? It's not like we're going to track him down or go around and tell everyone about him. It probably even says his name on her Wikipedia page.

I met Tina Fey once or twice when I was on Fire Island. She's really cool and she took her newborn baby girl out to a very public parade on the island. I don't truly understand why she would go out in public with her baby, let so many people see her in this intimate setting, yet not include funny things about her child, which would probably be hilarious. I understand that it is definitely her privacy and her choice whether or not to include the information, but I can't hep but feel a slight wall because she withdrew this information. Otherwise, I love this book and it makes me laugh so hard.

A Separate Peace by John Knowles (for some reason it didn't post last week)

I don't like chick flick books about adolescence or romantic comedies. I want to read books that impact my life or actually move me, not just keep me entertained. I had been struggling for awhile to find a book that I would not be able to put down. I kept finding books that were depressing or books that were interesting due to the advance formation of the characters. Then, in the instance of grabbing the first book off the shelf, signing it out of the library and then looking at the cover, did I find "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles. The plot starts simple: two boys, one introverted and one the star, who go to a boarding school during World War II. I thought that for the mean time this was a perfect book since it would be at least slightly entertaining and I could learn a little more about World War II. I didn't know that two days later I would be finishing the book.

"A Separate Peace" was also my first American classic. The classified type of "classics" actually deter me from the section, probably since the writing is incomprehensible and it is usually about subjects I do not understand. I was unaware that I had stepped into a new ball game and soon realized I was reading a classic by the very advanced vocabulary and structure. I quickly pushed away my troubles with the writing and focused on what I could understand. This book is incredible, mostly because the characters are so relatable. Gene, the introverted character, struggles to overcome his jealousy of his friend, Finn who is fantastic at everything he does. Personally, I get jealous of when people are better at things than I am, because I'm human. John Knowles also makes you vert attached to the characters.

For example, in "A Separate Peace" Knowles created a character named Elwin Lepellier or Leper. Leper is a very efemminate male who would rather go cross country skiing to see a beaver dam than play Blitzball (the new school sport). You become very attached to Leper as he is very sweet and doesn't really fight back when people bully him. At one point Leper leaves to join the war and he becomes a sensation at the school. All the kids wanted him to succeed and came up with fantastical stories about his adventures throughout the war, some stories were used to make fun of him and others to celebrate his wonderful personality. It is then discovered that Leper has become very angry and every trace of his wonderful personality is wiped clean. He was changed by the war and everybody is frightened of the stories he tells.

"A Separate Peace" has mixed reviews since the book is very slow for certain people. I think that the book takes time to be understood. From the many reviews I read, they stated they found it boring and nonsensical, but this may have been from a lack of understanding. "A Separate Peace" is an interesting, sad and incredible book that really shows an evil side to adolescence. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a fair American classic.

Books in 8th grade

As an 8th grader who loves to read, I have tried to read as many books as possible throughout this past year. Since I also struggle with the concept of picking out books that I feel would be very interesting and fun to read, I have depended on other peoples' blog posts, the class library and the Goodreads choice list to help me. I've followed all three references and discovered that most books for 8th graders seem to be intense or depressing. You may have either noticed or not noticed the staggering amount of books based upon self harm, depression, losing a loved one, heart wrenching love stories or the completely realistic books about what it is like to go through teenage years (which is definitely not pretty). 

One of the main books I read this year that still haunts my memory is "Looking For Alaska" by John Green. This book is about a bunch of kids who go to a boarding school who soon become obsessed with cigarettes, alcohol and breaking the rules. It seems that the book would not be depressing at all but suddenly one of the characters dies and it changes the entire mood and lesson of the story. When I read this book I cried for about ten minutes because I could not handle the death. I mean, who wants to read a book that makes you uncontrollably sob when you're surrounded by all your peers? Nobody. I obviously became attached to the book and learned a lot, but I'd rather not have been so shocked by what occurred in the story. 

I also tried to read a classified mystery, "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak. I thought reading a book about a man who receives mysterious notes and does good things for people would not find a way to give me a depressing message. Somehow though Markus Zusak was able to slip the message behind the writing that the main character was truly suffering from being poor, alone and actually quite depressed. When I finally got to the climax of the story, I was surprised of course, but my after thought is still a question for why this was suggested as an eighth grade book. We obviously have no experience of not having a good job, not going to college or not being in the relationship with the girl you love. This just puts added pressure on the reader because I was terrified after I read the book that I would turn up all alone as an adult. 

I think that authors are predicting that teenagers are starting to experience some of the emotions they feel at their age. Teenagers only get a slight taste of what it would be like to be an adult when they are going through the changes. By writing books such as the two I listed above, that show emotions and experiences we may not understand leads to a sense of discomfort and fear about growing older. I also feel that the books should be open to grade levels above us because I feel it is unfair to let eighth graders deal with unnecessary pressure. 

John Green

I just finished reading "Looking For Alaska" by John Green. I have also read his books; "Paper Towns" and "The Fault In Our Stars". These three books written by John Green are projected to the similar audience of teenagers, struggling to deal with the sudden rush of hormones they are now experiencing. The three books deal with three separate types of experiences teenagers can have when they are going through the emotional changes. Each book also contains a love story due to the fact that most people have their first love or first relationship as a teen.

In "Looking For Alaska" the story deals with a bunch of "misfits" who are completely addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, love and their status of popularity. The story shines on this boy who a social outcast, yet the kids who are addicted to alcohol, cigarettes and their strategic moves for pranking, invite him to their group. These kids were sent to boarding school and because they don't have to really worry about their parents watching them, they are able to live a life without many boundaries and try things they'll usually later regret. Teens can be introduced to drugs and alcohol and their lives turn sour, just like in "Looking For Alaska".

In "Paper Towns" it tells the story of a boy named Quentin who is completely infatuated with a popular girl Margo, who leaves the state unexpectedly. The story follows the main character, Quentin doing everything in his willpower to follow Margo's clues and find her. This completely describes teen males who struggle with the concept of a social status, so they chase after people, who I would say are "out of their league". The other half of this story tells the experience of Margo's life before she left home and that she was dealing with a lot of problems with her friends, and could not stand her family any longer. Many people deal with problems with their family and friends, and I think John Green wanted to let those people feel included in his story as well.

The last book I read by John Green is called "The Fault In Our Stars". "The Fault In Our Stars" is about a girl named Hazel who suffers from lung cancer and how she met a boy named Augustus who she completely fell in love with. The book is about their romance as she goes through chemotherapy and as she tries to decide what she may do if she has a certain number of months to live. I think that this book really represents people that suffer with an issue such as an illness, a confidence issue or someone with depression, and shows how these people can find love, even in the darkest of places. Teens suffer with being confident, depression and trying to discover who they truly are, and these people shut themselves out of falling in love with others. I think that John Green wrote this book so teens could know that you can find love, even when it seems impossible because of your situation.

I think that John Green may have struggled with serious issues as a teen, especially with the messages represented by his books. I think that by writing these books he is able to truly relive his experiences and help other teens learn from his mistakes. John Green is an incredible writer who is truly inspiring teens to experience life, and show them that they are truly not alone in the world. If you want to learn a powerful message, if you want to enjoy an amazing book, read any one of John Green's books.

Blog Post Review of Sylvie :)

URL for Sylvie's Blog Post on "Blonde Roots": http://thedaffodilgirl.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-01-25T05:09:00-08:00&max-results=7

After reading through at least sixty blogs I decided to write about Sylvie Freedman's blog post on "Blonde Roots" by Bernardine Evaristo. Sylvie first described in great detail all about the book and what I needed to know in order to understand what she had to say. As part of her blog post Sylvie went on to discuss the theme of the story. Her theme became the love for external beauty in this society.  

Sylvie discussed how society thinks that skinny fingers are "ugly as sin", and she found it curious. I definitely agree with Sylvie's point of view because of the society we live in. In today's culture, models are dangerously thin and the rest of society is trying to become as thin as possible. In this society where the Africans enslave the Europeans as slaves the theme that we see today is completely switched around. Maybe this author has a double meaning, and that if we are fat or thin, no matter what, someone in society will judge us. 

Sylvie also discussed how dolls are a symbol of perfection. When the main character, Doris was a child she played with dolls that are the classic blonde and blue eyed dolls we have in today's society. In this twisted world these new European slaves are given dolls that are slightly obese and have "wooly hair" and "bangles". This contradicts everything we see today, and Sylvie wanted to note that so we could understand how we would see things if we were part of Doris's world. Sylvie then went on to discuss the weight people want to be.

In today's lifestyle girls want to be a size zero to two in jeans, but in this society it is a sign of wealth to be overweight. Sylvie described how women love to feast and then show their obesity because it shows that they are on a higher status in society. Sylvie then went on to explain that neither of these techniques work well for the people. Sylvie stated, "I don't really know if either one of these is better than the other. They both hurt their bodies in different ways". 

I really enjoyed Sylvie's analysis of "Blonde Roots" because she truly accentuated the societal difference and it seems that Sylvie really wanted to make a point. Sylvie stated that this was probably the message wanted to send and it's very clear that Sylvie understood the theme of this book right from the start. I truly agreed with everything Sylvie said and I loved the blog post. 

"Cut" by Patricia Mccormick

In the book "Cut" by Patricia Mccormick it tells the story of a catatonic (someone who can no longer speak after a traumatic event) cutter girl named Callie. Throughout the story it gives away hints that her brother suffers from a severe form of asthma that keeps him in the hospital. This results in her father having to work more hours and he cannot spend any time with Callie. This causes Callie to feel some sort of separation from her father, which may have lead to her cutting. I've read about this book in several articles because this book was banned from many school libraries.

I do not agree with the position on banning this specific book. So far in the book you can sense the struggle Callie feels because she wants to tell everybody all about how she feels but cannot. She also shies away from everybody and does not include anybody in her private activities. I feel that people who are suffering from insecurities or any type of borderline personality disorder (such as cutting) find strength in this book. They know that someone out there feels the exact way they do and that hopefully they can get through the addiction.

People ban books like this because they feel that it is promoting the act of self injury when it truly is not. The author would definitely not write a book about promoting suicide, and if she did no one could possibly publish that. There is probably a cliche lesson at the end, you cannot get through this alone or you'll get through it, no matter what. Personally I find that if Callie committed suicide or some terrible act such as this, it would have a more dramatic affect on the audience and make the reader feel that they should stop whatever they are doing since it hurts the people around them.

I feel that they should not ban this book because it is a spread of awareness around the globe of what we need to fix in today's culture. People who may also suffer from Callie's addiction of cutting may also find the ability to connect with her and save themselves. This book is not a ridicule of the others who suffer from other illnesses such as anorexia or trichotillomania, it is to help show that those people are normal, but they were damaged in this terrible way. This is why I feel that "Cut" by Patricia Mccormick should be removed from the banned list.

"Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult 3

The book is about a school shooting caused by one of the high school students, Peter and how the entire town copes with the tragedy. It is a very fascinating book because at the very beginning the plot seems so simple but as you read on you discover the plot is very thick. The author uses a very interesting technique where she brings back a flashback so you can help understand the story. Then you realize how important that flashback is, when it becomes a secret that is a key part of the plot. It's almost like a diary and you keep going back and forth throughout the pages. Using this technique Jodi almost is telling the lesson that things shall come back at you if you keep them hidden, which all the characters do. 

Jodi also uses the technique of changing the point of view at the drop of a hat. It seems that Jodi uses this change of character to keep the plot enticing and exciting. The whole time I want to stay in one certain point of view but then it changes and I want to read more and more so I can find out what exactly occurs with that certain character. Then I'll read the next five to six paragraphs from another character view and then it abruptly ends and the cycle continues. I think that this is a very intelligent technique that will keep the reader reading 438 pages where almost nothing is happening, which is completely true of this novel. 

"Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult 2

In "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult, the plot continues. The book is about students and many other people in a little town who were affected by a mass shooting in a school. Most of the time the author discusses the minds of two victims. Peter Houghton, the shooter and Josie, a patient suffering from PTSD. While reading this book I thought about the victims of the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut and how they are dealing with the tragedy. While reading this I can't help but think about the shooter and how he may have been lead to commit such a crime.

Peter in the story actually suffers from PTSD. While he is being interrogated he explains that he was the victim all along and the people who he shot caused him to feel pain. Peter feels that the people who caused him harm deserved their fate. I wonder if maybe the shooter in Newtown felt that he was a victim of some type of crime and things went downhill from there or if he had some grudge against schools from when he was a teen or child. I feel that people, when they are classified as mentally insane, do these harmful deeds because in their twisted mind it makes sense. In Peter's case he thought that killing all the people who did him harm was the true way to solve the problem, but violence is never the answer.

In Josie's case she is also suffering from PTSD. She doesn't really want to leave the house and is completely devastated and raw from the death of her beloved boyfriend. I feel that this character is a lot like the mothers who were affected in Newtown. Someone who they loved so much was taken away from them on a completely ordinary day and they could not stop or save them. These people can go insane because they somehow feel that the death of their loved one was their fault, but in the end they need to accept that the tragedy happened and that they couldn't have done anything. Josie is struggling with the concept that she didn't save her boyfriend, but I know all wounds must heal, so she will soon be okay.

I think that the author is truly telling the story of a town in crisis after a tragic mistake. From watching the news on Newtown, I feel that Jodi Picoult is trying to show us all the different sides in a tragedy. I think she also wants us to see everyone's perspective and the different ways we all deal with grief. I believe that this is incredibly insightful and such an amazing book. Whomever is reading this needs to read this book.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

"Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult is about a judge named Alex and her daughter Josie who are victims of a mass shooting that occurred at Josie's school.  Josie struggles with self esteem issues, like every teenage girl yet is one of the popular crowd. Josie wants to be perfect so bad that she has lost herself by being friends with this fake group of people. The only person she truly finds comfort in is in her boyfriend, Matt. While this is going on Patrick (from Perfect Match) gets the call and shows up the school too late, as always. Patrick finds himself always too late.

I think the message of "Nineteen Minutes" is to be yourself you have to do what you have to do to make sure you are the person you want to be or are. Josie for example; wants to be herself but has lost herself in the crowd. She has very obvious depression at the beginning of the book and keeps a bag filled with narcotics so she can commit suicide at any point. Yet Josie does not stop and say to herself, "let me be friends with people who actually interest me", instead Josie just goes to her boyfriend for comfort who truly changes her mind. If Josie and her boyfriend breakup she might just go off the edge because she may lose sight of who she truly is.

Patrick is another character who is suffering from doing what he knows is right and being himself. Patrick always has the feeling that he shows up too late and cannot prevent crime, he only corrects it. It seems that all he wants to do is stop one single crime before it becomes worse, which is what he does in the school shooting. The only problem is that Patrick only slightly decreases the amount of fatalities instead of preventing the shooting all together. Patrick did not follow directions and was able to save students, yet he still feels unaccomplished.

I believe that Jodi Picoult wants to teach this specific message through different ages. This way different audiences can engage and feel empathy towards the character that is most like themselves. I think that the author wants to show that Josie is completely helpless without some guide of direction to let her know, it's okay to be yourself. With the character of Patrick she wants to show that you need to follow your own lead in order to commit justice, you just have to trust yourself. This is what I think one of the messages is in "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult.

The Wild Things by Dave Egger

"The Wild Things" is a story loosely based upon the children's book, "Where The Wild Things Are". It tells the story of a boy named Max who has a very distant and unusual relationship with his sister and mother. Max struggles with being normal and he desperately wants his mother to be happy and for his sister to accept him. It seems though that Max may struggle with some sort of ADHD which prohibits him from acting "normal" according to his sister. I really want to focus on his relationship with his sister since that seems to be a very big issue in the book so far.

Max wants his sister to notice him, just like any other little brother would. As his sister, Claire grows up she wants Max to leave her alone so she can just be with her friends. Max does not understand this concept and plays a practical joke on Claire which results in her being extremely furious with Max. Max doesn't seem to realize that what he does to Claire that may be mean or annoying will result in a consequence. It seems that Max may have ADHD because when Claire yells at him he becomes very confused and describes that he cannot organize his thoughts. This may lead to him non-purposefully annoying his sister.

I believe that Max is a complicated character wishing that he could understand his thoughts and understand his relationships with others. I think that if he truly understood what consequences he would always face no matter what he did, he would realize that he is just an annoying little brother and his sister believes she's too cool for him. Max is also a very interesting character because he watches people and observes how they live but never tells anyone if they are doing something wrong. Max is almost a wallflower in this sense. This is Max's relationship with his sister and why he is such a complex character.

I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak

SPOLIER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!!

"I Am The Messenger" by Markuz Zusak is about a man named Ed Kennedy who doesn't really live life until he gets a set of aces. The cards list names and addresses, where he goes and sees the good deeds he must perform in order to make their life better. Soon Ed becomes obsessed with the idea that he is helping other people and cannot wait till he receives the next ace. Ed lives a complicated life with his dog named Doorman, his crush (Audrey) and his two friends Marv and Ritchie. Ed throughout the book expresses his love for Audrey, yet Audrey tells Ed that she doesn't go through longterm relationships.

I found Audrey to be the most interesting character in the book. Audrey suffers from an inability to love. Throughout the story the reader learns of Audrey's persuasive ways to use men for their looks and make sure she doesn't truly have any feelings for him. By using men as toys, Audrey doesn't have to go through heartbreak or guilt when her relationship ends. Audrey knows that Ed has a huge crush on her but she denies his love because she doesn't want to fall for him or make him feel terrible.

As Ed continues his adventure by doing these good deeds, Audrey soon discovers that she is starting to fall for Ed. Ed soon grows to be a very interesting person instead of just watching his life go by without participating. Audrey falls for Ed's curiosity and courage, she soon realizes that she needs to abandon her guard and let herself go. Finally at the very end of the book Audrey tells Ed that she will stay with him forever and the book has a happy ending.

Audrey was such a fun character to read about because she learned a valuable lesson. As I continued to read the story I soon realized that Ed and Audrey learned the same message You should always let your guard down because sometimes that keeps you from living. "I Am The Messenger" was just as amazing as "The Book Thief" except the ending was slightly rushed. I really loved the book and even though you know the story, I recommend that you read it.