I really don't keep track of during which advisory I read a book. So far this year I have read Cell by Stephen King, Gone by Lisa Gardner, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Puddn'head Wilson by Mark Twain, Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Meyers, A Name I Can't Read by Claudia Darkins, Under Her Skin edited by Pooja Makhijani,Prospero's Daughter by Elizabeth Nunez and a couple more that I can't remember right now. I am currently reading There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz. So far it's going great. The book is a good read and it really makes you grateful for the small things we take for granted on a daily basis. The book is pretty much about the lives of two brothers and their family living in the projects of Chicago during the 1980s. It chronicles their trials,triumphs, and the deaths of loved ones. I can't put this book down! I'm always so afraid to turn the page, praying nothing happens to Lafayette or Pharoah; but too engrossed in their story to stop reading. I suggest that everyone reads this book, it's truly a great piece of literature.
After I read There Are No Children Here, I plan on reading Crime and Punishment. Can anyone tell me whether or not it's worth my time to read it? It looks like a good book but after all "you can't judge a book by it's cover."
I have not read any of the books discussed above, such as "The Color Purple", "The Catcher in the Rye", or "Their Eyes Were Watching God". I also haven't watched the movie adaptations of these books, but so far I have heard only praise for them and the original books. For this semester I am reading Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein", which is a masterpiece of human nature, fiction, and science carefully blended together. It is a great work, even if Hollywood has mangled it's reputation with countless movies and their spinoffs. I've read the book a few times and each time I have come to appreciate it even more. It is an astounding novel that, I feel, is worthy of the highest praise.
I understand that many of the books, "Catcher in the Rye", "Cry, My Beloved Country" and many others, have influenced how many people think and act in the world. One book, which I am currently writing my book report about and think it has influenced the way I think is "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. "Franenstein" is about the timeless tale of man seeking for eternal life and of man trying to create something living like himself. This is especially true in our modern world where new types of science are emerging almost daily. Even though this book was written almost two hundred years ago, it still carries a powerful and moving message. This is the message of man trying to overcome nature and himself and what happens when he succeeds.
In response to Logan's commment, I think a good message never grows old, just like how old movies can still be enjoyed today. True, there are some books and movies that are more relevant to the time in which they were written, but there are still many timeless stories like "Frankenstein." My favorite book is "The Lord of the Rings" and though it was written 50 years ago, it still holds up today. Truly timeless stories will never grow old. On the issue of books vs. movies, you can't compare the two. They are two completely different art forms. But movies can be helpful after you read the book. For the first advisory, I read Great Expectations. After I read the book, I watched David Lean's 1946 film adaptation of it, which is widely considered to be the best book to film adaptation. It really helped me to understand the book. Izzie, I'm wondering what you think of Prospero's Daughter, if you've finished it. Judging by your comment, you enjoyed it much more than me. I found it to be timid and rather dull, but that's just my opinion.
I too have read "The Color Purple" and "Their Eyes are Watching God". "The Color Purple", I believed to be and excellent work of literature. It had a brilliant story line that many women and men could relate to. I especially enjoyed the fact that they were all letter like "Dear God". It gave the book a more personal touch and allowed the reader to comprehend the main characters thoughts and actions in an in depth way. But of course, the movie was not as good. "Their Eyes are Watching god"-hmmm. Well I think I would have liked it if I did not take AP Language. I thought the book had a great story line, but I would have liked to have seen more refrences to the racial tension that existed at that time. Indeed, its portrayal of a women's liberation was exciting and moving to read. However, I feel like after studying that book so much-I just did not get the point. I believe that everyone should read "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" and not to mention his speeches. I think it gives you a good idea of African American militancy in this country. A lot of times people look at Malcolm X as being to radical. From studying his background, one will be able to understand his motives and why it made sense to turn towards militancy against White Supremacy. Reading this book changed my life and gave me a new pespective on institutionalized racism. The next best book i have ever read was "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe. This book was incredible. It describes a culture that existed in Nigeria and how it was completely demolished by White imperialists/colonizers. The end is riveting and has a sequel "No Longer At Ease"
What do you think is worse: a bad movie or a bad book? I would say a bad book, especially if you have to read it for a class. A bad movie only takes up two hours of your life. A bad book will take a few days or maybe a few weeks. I felt like that reading the book I was reading for this advisory, Prospero's Daughter. Every second that I spent reading it I wanted back. There are several books that I want to read, but I haven't gotten the chance to read them because of that book and several others that I have to read. I felt that the characters were two-dimensional and sometimes completely invisible. There are characters who we are supposed the care about, but we barely know them. The book spends way too much time explaining things. It starts out as a mystery, and then starts explaining things. Mysteries are about uncovering secrets, not explaining them to the reader. Whenever it says, "Let me start at the beginning" right in the middle of the book, that's a bad sign. The author describes the locations very well, but it serves no purpose other than to fill up pages. It does touch upon some good ideas, but doesn't follow through with them. I think when writing a book, the author's number one concern should be writing an interesting story so that people won't put down the book. If I hadn't had to read Prospero's Daughter, I wouldn't have finished it.
I agree with Nicholas on the topic of Prospero's Daughter. I could not classify this story as a mystery because I already know what happens, and I already know what will happen because it is so predictable. Although I agree with Nick that I would not have finished it, something pulled me back into the book. I knew that the entire book was buildup for the last scene, I just wanted to know what the buildup led to exactly. What I did like about the book was that it told the story from different viewpoints, and we had to piece them together to discover the truth. However, the story could have benefited from a few more twists and turns to confuse us and to engage us more.
Over the summer I read a novel by Kurt Vonnegut entitled "Player Piano." In this novel, Vonnegut describes the city of Illium, New York, which is entirely dependent on advanced automated machinery. Because there is no need for manual labor of any sort in Illium, the citizens living there are divided into three major professions, the army, the "Reeks and Wrecks," and the engineers. All those who surpass a certain IQ requirement are made into engineers, while the rest of the working-age population is divided among the other two professions. In the novel, Vonnegut follows Dr. Paul Proteus, the son of an engineer and an engineer himself, who gradually becomes entangled in a movement to return a complete job market to the citizens of Illium. Throughout the novel, Proteus has various psychological conflicts with himself and other characters as he attempts to determine whether the ethics on which the Illium society are based are right. This is an extremely well-written book that provides the reader with many, many topics to think about. I would suggest that everyone read "Player Piano" by Kurt Vonnegut.
I just finished reading "The House of the Scorpion." I thought it was a great book becasue of the thought provoking issues it brings into public life. The main topic it focuses on is that of cloning and stem cell technology. It shows how a clone might live his/her life, and how he/she would possibly be ostracized from the rest of society. This book gives a futuristic account of the world and how it might be; stating that land inbetween Mexico and the United States would be indepently owned by a drug lord. This book demonstrates such a different world in the futur, and makes some bold predictions about what is to come in the world's society. I was able to appreciate the view it gave me, and how I could change it to avoid the seeminyjoily inevitable neggative outcomes it brings.
I would like to discuss a book that a found to be fantastic which i read over the summer. I know a lot of people have probably read it seeing how it is one of the most popular books ever. The book I am referring to is the final installment of the Harry Potter series. It was not a let down. It was as good if not better than expected. Any non Harry Potter fans i recommend you start from book one and begin. There were so many twists, turns and surprises that I could not put the book down. Respond if you enjoyed this book as well.
Hello fellow classmates! One of the good books I have read recently is Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy. It is a young adult fiction book that I highly recommend. It is a good read for teenagers who enjoy adventure and action. The book also has a lot to do with magic. The story centers around two characters, Skulduggery Pleasant, who is a detective that is adept at magic, and Stephanie Edgley, a tweleve-year-old girl who is thrown into a new world and discovers hidden magical talents. It is up to both of them to save the world from Serpine and his dark magic. Oh yeah, and by the way, Skulduggery is a wallking, talking, fire-throwing skeleton.
A book that i really enjoyed reading is called the Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. It is about a young fourteen year old girl who is raped and murdered but the story is told in first person as she watches her family down from heaven. She watches how her death tears apart her parents marriage and how her younger siblings try to understand that she is never coming back. She tries to find her place in heaven but she is so drawn to earth and trying to help her family find the man that killed her. Her whole story is about realization, and what the author perceives happens after death. This book is very compelling and has a lot of depth to it. The story line is very emotional and at times can be upsetting, but it is very well written. I think anyone who enjoys books that have a wide variety of emotions or just enjoy a good mystery type genre should read this book
The book that I am reading for the report is "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway. I am not quite finished with novel as of yet. However, it has been a riveting read so far. The novel tells the story of several Spanish rebels and one American fighting the Fascist Spanish movement for control of Spain in the Spanish Civil War. Thus far, the story has been marked by Hemingway's traditional vivid, at times gory, imagery (reminiscient of "The Old Man and the Sea"). The deep developing of the novel's character's traits and personalities is also another positive aspect of the book.
Hello, I would like to discuss Animal Farm, a book I finally read this summer and found very interesting. Animal Farm, by George Orwell, is a carefully crafted allusion to Soviet history from the Bolshevik Revolution to the reign of Stalin. As the title implies, the book uses the setting of a farm and the characters of farm animals to retell the story of the formation of the Soviet Union in a satirical way. In an amusing metaphor, the great personalities of the Soviet Union are portrayed as pigs. The inspiring thinker, Old Major; the villainous power-hoarder, Napoleon; and the challenger, Snowball, all represent important characters in both Soviet history and Animal Farm. The novel narrates the farm amimals' rebellion and overthrow of their human masters, their establishment of a government based on equality, and the power struggle which follows. Thematically, the ideas of ideological manipulation and corrupt leadership are heavily stressed as the leadership changes. Eventually, the socialistic ideology on which their government is founded is contorted in to a system with the opposite goals through the abuse of power. This novel is highly engrossing, using elements of tension to keep the reader questioning the future of the farm animals. It is extremely interesting to watch the simple and just ideas originally presented by the new leaders of the farm go horribly wrong. It is even more interesting if the allegorical references to the soviet revolution are understood, giving new understanding to historical events. This novel is highly recommended as a historically interesting read.
Over the summer, I read Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. First off, I’d like to say that the book is a long read. It’s around 600 pages and it progresses very slowly. I chose the book for a summer assignment for AP US History, and I must say that although it took a while to read I found the book to be rather enjoyable. A brief summary; Phillip Carey tries to “find himself” through changes in environments, friends, and careers among other things. He finds himself involved with a woman who treats him horribly. She uses him over and over again, and milks him dry. Philip finally figures out what he wants from life and he tells the woman that he wants nothing to do with her and he basically gets on with his life. People may not like this book, for various reasons. Besides the fact that it’s long and it takes a while to get to the ‘good stuff’, Philip Carey, in my opinion, is an unrealistic character. He’s too indecisive, too passive, and too self-conscious. The circumstances that he finds himself in are always brought on through his error. I just think that Carey is not a very believable character and that might be a problem for other readers. Another thing other may not like is the ending of the book. Yes, Philip is better off by the end of the book; however Maugham just ends the book abruptly. Sorry to give away the ending, but, Phillip finds a wife and BOOM that’s the end of the book. Although I didn’t like how the book was set up and I didn’t really relate or like the main character, I must say the overall story really intrigued me and that I do like the book. I’m not sure on whether or not I’d recommend this book. I’ll let you decide.
I would like to share about Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The book was about two men insearch of jobs. They are companions throughout the book but are opposite human beings. Lennie Small is a man of great size but is slightly retarded. His counterpart is George. George is a small but very intelligent man. While insearch for work, Lennie causes trouble for the two of them. The book is an interesting tale about how two opposite men can become the best of friends and so called brothers. I enjoyed reading this book and hope you take the time to read it as well.
Over the summer I read "Cat’s Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut. "Cat’s Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut is not an easily classified book. With touches of sci-fi, mystery, love, and exploration, Cat’s Cradle spans genres. This tale holds great insight about birth, death, and the life that occurs as we race between these two milestones. Vonnegut does not disappoint in this ironic and quirky story. Cat’s Cradle stars a slew of colorful characters, whose stories become astoundingly interwoven. I thoroughly suggest Cat’s Cradle to any reader who enjoys thought provoking literature.
A book that should be read by everyone is Purple Hibiscus, written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This amazing book is about a young girl’s life dealing with her abusive father, colonization of her homeland, and the role that she plays in Africa’s society. This is one of my favorite books because it teaches about the Nigerian culture as well as how much colonization affects a family’s relationship. Purple Hibiscus is a great book to learn from and relate to. The way she and her household family honors her father tells me a lot about their society. Her attending church and visiting family members reminds me of my culture. From Purple Hibiscus, I was able to get a taste of what Africa was like, whether it was the parades that were mentioned or the roles between men and women in Nigeria. This book illustrates the different emotions a young girl goes through with her family as well as friends. I recommend Purple Hibiscus to anyone who loves to learn about different lifestyles and to anyone who loves a bit of drama.
Although I may not be a big fan of reading books, I've read an interesting book last year during the summer. I read The Catcher in the Rye. The book shows the life through the narration of Holden Caulfield who is our main character. Holden makes it clear that he's receiving treatment at a mental hospital. Holden narrates his life throughout the whole book and what led him to where he is now. The used of the word "phony" is used a lot in this book, because Holden is the type of person who wants to show the hypocrisy and ugliness of the world. What kept the book captivating was the fact that the main character was "crazy" which kept it "fun" for the readers. Reading this book, you can relate yourself or understand why Holden is in that type of situation. I recommend this book for those who are interested in reading about a person's life and hardship that they experience while hating the world.
I enjoyed A Daughter’s A daughter by Agatha Christie because it was far from a fairy tale. Most fiction stories I’ve read were interesting, but never touched me; they’ve never made me think or relate them to my own situations. The complex relationship between Sarah and her mother Ann really made me feel that this book was written for me to read. Not because I’ve ruined my mother’s life; or because I’ve fallen in love with the wrong man, and I feel that all my faults are because of my mother but, because it was realistic to the fact that relationships are complex. There is not always an easy way to handle the love you have for someone. Everyone can relate to a person having bitter feelings for a person they’re supposed to have compassion for. Also, everyone can relate to disliking themselves for that bitterness. This melancholy novel, with its exploration through love, and heartbreak, disappointment and redemption was by far the best book I read this summer.
One of the most unique books that I have come accross is Cannery Row. Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck, is a work of fiction without a very deep story line. Instead, it captures the feeling and people of a place, the cannery district of Monterey, California, which is populated by a mix of poor and those who choose for other reasons not to live "up the hill" in the “rich” area of town.The flow of the main plot is presented in vignettes, which are short stories that seemed to describe various aspects of Cannery Row. These vignettes introduce the reader to various people and occurrences of the Row, which come together to make the central story. All in all I think that this is a great read and im sure many will enjoy it!
hey everyone. I must say this summer in particular I did not engage in as much reading as I wanted to but in the past I've read my shares of good books. One of those was called Habibi, a novel by Naomi Shyhab Nye. The name itself is interesting because it's obviously not English. Habibi is the meaning of "darling" in Palestinian. This novel is basically about how people learn how to deal with change, especially in a whole different country that has their own problems going on. It talks about the importance of language just how a character in the novel says " Language is one tiny shiny key!" The whole book has multiple themes that everyone can relate to someway somehow and I enjoyed it alot. I usually don't finish books in one day.
I read Tears of a Tiger in the eighth grade and I would like to share my experience. It is by Sharon Draper. This book is so good, that when you start reading it, you never want to stop. It is about a High School basketball team. This team is so good and has great individual talent. Andy Jackson is the major character and probably one of the best players on the team. They had just won a game with the highest scorers as Andy Jackson and his good friend Robert Washington. They are so excited and begin to drink. Andy volunteers to drive his friends home and they are all drinking including Andy. He is so excited that he begins to drive on the wrong side of the road. I won't give details. To cut long story short, they run into a wall. They all survive except Robert Washington. He was trapped by the door and his friends tried to rescue him, but could only watch him die. This emotional breakdown affects Andy throughout the book. He keeps blaming himself for what happened that night. This is a very good book. If anyone wants to read this book, I have a copy of it at home.
Over the summer I read several different books, which had different styles and were from different historical periods. My favorite would have to be The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper. The Last of the Mohicans is an exciting novel that takes place during the French Indian War, about the numerous adventures of an assorted group of English and Native Americans. In this novel, two daughters of an English military captain travel with several companions, including an army major, a woodsman, and two Mohican Indians, to reach their father. This group faces many dangers from both the French and enemy Native American tribes along their journey. What I liked most about the book was the way that Cooper portrayed the Indians in his novel. Even though the book was written in 1826, he portrayed Native Americans as intelligent, sensitive people, in contrast to other works of that period that portrayed Native Americans as uncivilized. I would definitely recommend this novel, even to people who are afraid of the “classics.” I had a different reaction to another novel I read over the summer, The Rise of Silas Lapham, by William Dean Howells. It was a straightforward account of a self-made millionaire from the late 19th century. It probably was interesting for the time but, unlike The Last of the Mohicans, it loses a little with time. It tells the story of Lapham, who makes and loses his fortune but finds happiness at the end. That is a worthwhile lesson, but the story could have been told a little more dramatically, and a little more quickly. If I had to recommend one book I read this summer it would definitely be The Last of the Mohicans.
A book that I've read again and again (probably the best book on Mr.Igoudjil's list) is The Lord of the Flies. It delves deeply into the heart of human nature when we are left in a society of no rules or regulations. The author, William Golding, uses a significant amount of symbolism in his passages. Golding creates lots of connections to our present-day society hidden throughout passages. Golding also creates a variety of characters, each with a distinct characteristic from the other. This book is also a thriller and keeps the reader gasping for air. Lord of the Flies is a humanities' worthy book. I highly recommend it. Three thumbs up.
The book that I recommend everyone to read is entitled, "Bronx Masquerade". It was written by Nikki Grimes. Instead of taking on the regular task of telling one story that is constant throughout the book, Grimes allows readers to view the lives of different students in a particular high school class. The students, while dealing with the hardships of life like racism, peer pressure, and pregnancy, find relief in poetry. The main idea of the book sends an overall message to many readers, mostly teenagers, that although the struggles of life may weigh you down, there is always an up to anything. I would recommend this book to any high school student that is going through any problems,and even if you are not going through problems, it is still an interesting read.
Over the summer i read a very good book. The title of the book is "The Year of Endless Sorrows" by Adam Rapp. The main character of the book is known by Homon in his circle of friends. He comes from a small town in the midwest with his brother and moves to New York to become a writer. THe book is about what happens to him there and his adventures. I think many people would like this book because it is very funny and easy to relate to. The things that the characters do and encounter many of us have done in our lives and can understand the feeling. This is a very good book that I enjoyed.
A book I have read in recent years and enjoyed was "Remember Me," by Christopher Pike. The book is about a dead girl who tries to find her killer. This book was very discribtive and made me feel like i was right there with the character. I found the book really ineresting and fun to read. I finished the book rather quickly not because it was short and easy, but it was fun to read and the end of each chapter made you want to keep reading. I liked that a lot of modern things were incorperated into the book like song titles.
I read the same book as Alexys and it really was a good book. But i also read another book called Shock Point which was about this boy who is taken away from his home and put into a military boot camp of sorts and he is cut off from his family, friends, and his girlfriend that no one approves of. This book is actually based on facts that have been proven about certain boot camps that most people do not even no of. For instance this book goes along the way with the boot camps where no one knows where you are located except for your parents and even then they do not really know what is going on because the people in charge have the ability to change personal letters or to not send them at all. The thing that caught my attention about this book was the fact that the boy was taken against his will and for crimes that he did not even commit. It is a story filled with different twists and turns until you get to the end and fully realize just what has happened to the boy.
Over the summer, I read the book "The Sonnet Lover" by Carol Goodman. It is a ficiton novel about a women, who teaches literature, at a college in New York City. Her main interest are the sonnets by Shakespeare. Most of the book is about her adventure finding the lost sonnets of Shakespeare, and how it connects to a students sudden suicide at the college. She travels to Italy and England in the book to find the sonnets. Meanwhile the main character is also struggling with completing her tenure and publishing some of her own sonnets. I enjoyed the book and recommend it because of the suppense Goodman creates, what her word chioce. I also enjoyed it because I like figuring out how everything it connected before the author tells you.
Over the summer I read a book called The Tempest. I really enjoyed the book. Overall the mysterious, dreamy, magical tone of the book was what I liked best. The major conflict in the novel is Prospero, the duke of Milan is banished form Italy by is brother Antonio and Alonso, the king of Napes. And now Prospero has to find his way back to the dukedom. And it is because of this conflict that you want to keep on reading.
Imani Banks Over the summer, I read Rules for a Pretty Woman by Suzette Francis. This novel tells a story of a woman who was completely unhappy in a marriage. She lost all respect for herself after getting married, and realized that she would often find herself in situations where she was disrespected while trying to please her husband. After the seperation from her husband, she found a diary that she kept from when she a teenager that had rules of how a respectable, young woman should carry herself. This book influenced my life tremendously. It was filled with affirmations and lessons on having self-respect and confidence. Although the main character was an adult, I felt like I could relate although I am a teenager. I often look around at my peers and see how young women let boys take advantage of them. However, this book teaches girls that they are worth much more than chasing boys. I especially enjoyed this novel, because my mother and I shared our thoughts and opinions about it. It brought us closer. I would recommend this book to girls my age, and I would encourage their mothers to read it with them. In many cases, young black girls do not have much confidence, especially with today’s media. It is vital that we recognize our value and self-worth. If we don’t, who will?
Hi Guys!!!!! Well, the book I read over the summer was "The Moving Finger" by Agatha Christie. It's a Miss Marple mystery about a town where people are being groesomely murdered right and left. The only clues are threatening letters made out of magazine-letter cut outs that the murderer sends to the victims. The book is full of drama,lies, and people who know people they shouldn't. This book is sooooo good for anybody, but especially for people who like murder and mystery. Also, they made it into a movie! It's so good, I own it. -Asha Jordan
Hello to everyone on the forum. I read a book called "Hiroshima." The author of the book is John Hersey. The book discusses the Hiroshima bombing. The book also goes over the lives of different people in a journalistic point of view. The book is great because, it gives you the illusion that you actually witnessed the bombing. Everybody, should read the book because, it discusses a life changing event for a different country other than our own.
During the summer, I read a really good novel titled Letting Go of Lisa written by Lurlene Mcdaniel. Mcdaniel is known for writing romantic novels. When I started reading this novel I thought it was going to have a similar story line as all of her other romantic novels written by her. Her novels are always about, a couple running away together, because they are not allowed to be with each other according to society. This novel was slightly different, and I was wrong. Society was an influence to the story line but not as much as the opinions and feeling of Nathan Malone. Nathan Malone and Lisa are the main characters. This story is seen by the eyes of Nathan. He was been home schooled all of his life. That is until his family members grew in number adding two members to the family and so he was forced to go to a “regular high school” and be a “regular senior”. This is until he meets Lisa. Lisa hides a life or death secrete. In the climax of this novel, I thought about Lisa as a disrespected person, not educated, and not caring about anyone but herself. But I was surprised. All of the expectations that I made while reading this book were all wrong. I expected the expectable. I truly recommend this book to all readers. It includes a little bit of every genre. Enjoy. Read It.
Hola todos!!!The book that I most enjoyed reading during the summer was "Inherit the Wind" by Jerome Lawrence and Rober E. Lee. This is a play about the clashing ideas of evolution and creationism. It is based on the 1925 "Monkey Scopes Trial. A "frightened young man" is on trial for teaching evolution to his class and the legal giants of the century take a side in court in this important case. The entire town are aganist this young man and his lawyer fights to prove his point and his ability to be able to teach "what you believe in." This book is actually really interesting in the sense that the book tries to show how a court case can try to prove what is the right idea, and the book will get you to think about the truth behind biblical literacy vs. scientific reasoning.
Hi everyone! Right now for our first advisory book report, I am reading A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. The book is a compilation of two lectures Woolf gave about the history of women and fiction. She presents the idea that women should have money and "a room of their own" in order to write well. I love Ms. Woolf's writing style because she tends to write in the way she is feeling. For instance, she describes a meal she thouroghly enjoyed, and she describes every detail and brings you into the moment with her. Later, she eats a meal she doesn't like at all and her sentences are very short and her language is choppy and abrupt. I am thouroghly enjoying this book and I would definately recommend it to someone.
Hi everybody! I just want to tell you a bit about a book I read a few months ago, it is called "Esperanza Rising." First I read the Spanish version and I loved it! I think this is a fantastic book...I recommend it to everybody, it's easy to read and undestand (I also read it in English, and I actully understood it. I was surprised!). It is an amazing story about life changes and learning. This book is written by Pam Muñoz Ryan. If anyone gets to read this book, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.
Over the summer I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. To my surprise, it was very interesting. It is not a book that I would usually run straight to in a library, nut my old teacher suggested I try something new. it is a book full of different adventure that a young boy journeys with a runaway slave. It is indeed a page turner. It also touches on the subject of slavery from a different view point that is not much studied. I highly recommend reading if you are into adventure of just want to try a new genre.
During this summer I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to others. Even though I thought some parts were kind of boring, I was able to keep up even though I am not used to old English language. In the book, I personally agree Brutus’s point of view. In the beginning I didn’t like how cunning and mysterious Caeser was being and I agree with Brutus to disagree with Caeser. Even though I would not have killed the man myself, in those times I probably would have if it was the serious. I totally disagreed with Anthony and thought that he should have been set as the evil character in the story. I thought it was disloyal and childish to have all the people in favor of him and against Brutus. I also thought it was unkind of Anthony and his army to kill Brutus and his army in the end of the story. Yes he got one of his best friends killed in the beginning but I don’t think he should have carried the situation like he had. And he hadn’t noticed what Caesar did that was wrong, he only noticed what Brutus and his gang did that was wrong. I would recommend it to adults or teenagers my age and above. I do not think a child would understand the text or think it was very interesting. In all this book was great but somewhat boring.
Julius Caesar was kind of weired in my point of view he was a great person, he was a general and a senator of Rome. The only problem I have with him is that he could not decipher from his life in public and his private life. Another thing about him was that he was very ambitious he denied the crown and people thought that he would go out of hand. The one thing that I connect to with Julius Caesar was that he ignored others peoples thoughts about his life. He believed he was the the eternal one but the day before the “ides of March” his wife warned him that he should not go. If he didn't go the others in the senate might think he was afraid but Julius Caesar would show no fear. So on the day of the “ides of March” he allowed Brutus and others to kill him.
Over the summer we were required to read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I didn't particularly like the play and found it hard to follow some of the old English dialogue. Before I read the book I went to see the play performed at the Washington Shakespeare Company and that made it easier for me to visualize what was going on when I read the book. My favorite character in this book was noble Brutus because he killed Caesar for his country and to protect their democratic government. I didn't like the way Caesar behaved at the beginning of the book but that doesn't mean I would pick up a sword to kill him. I can see why some would want to kill him but then again is there really a noble reason to kill someone? Cassius killed him because he didn't like someone having more power than him. This story was about betrayal and power struggle. Those two things don't particularly interest me unless they are grouped with some other themes. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to someone unless they enjoy Shakespeare's writing.
Romance, adventure, deceit, magic, and revenge; all of these things combined sound like they could make the ultimate book right? Wrong, all of these things were incorporated into The Tempest, yet the book left me disappointed in the end. I think a lot of this disappointment came from me having my own perception of what the book would be like, versus how it really was. In the end of the book I expected Prospero to take revenge on all of those who betrayed him in the beginning, but he didn’t he forgave them all. Don’t get me wrong, it was sweet and all, but I wanted some action. Although the book did not end they way I expected it to I admit some parts did please me; I was so very happy in the end when Ariel gained his freedom from Prospero. Ariel was my favorite character throughout the book, because he was always so loyal and patient towards Prospero no matter what Prospero requested of him. I was also very happy that Miranda and Ferdinand found real love. My favorite scene in the book is when Prospero warns Ferdinand not to have sex with Miranda before their wedding night. This was my favorite scene, because Ferdinand respected Miranda and their love for one another so much that he refused to be sexual with her before their wedding night, and in the end they were blessed by Juno and Ceres.
During the summer I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I think it was a pretty good play although it was harder for me to understand than most books because it was in Elizabethan English. I think that Brutus was a good person, trying to make sure Caesar didn’t become a dictator. But, I think he could have used a different method to get rid of Caesar. I don’t think there was any reason to kill him yet, if at all. I think Mark Antony was also a good person. He seemed kind and was extremely loyal. Caesar, although portrayed as corrupted, didn’t seem particularly bad either. Overall, the play was very dramatic. It had many sad parts, especially at the parts where people died. I think that Brutus, Mark Antony, and most of the other characters were good people. Although I believe some of their methods were not the best options.
Recently I read the book Julius Caesar. Unfortunately I have to say it was one of the most boring books I have ever read. It was very slow and nothing exciting happened in the book. Even when someone died the story had no emphasis. The text would say that a person died then the story would continue. It is like watching a football game and not seeing a single tackle. This book actually bored me to sleep for the first time. In addition to that, you couldn’t even understand the book. The language was very different from modern English in America. Although this book did not interest me, I still have respect for Mr. Shakespeare. He was a great writer but I don’t believe this was one of his best works.
This summer I had the privilege of reading the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. Comparing the language in Julius Caesar to today’s language was very interesting because I noticed how much more thought went into the completion of a sentence. The book was filled with action, revenge, lies, and suspense. Julius Caesar is about a man who was going to become king. Many people were skeptical about him taking the throne. Conspirators Cassius, Brutus, Casca, and others, plotted to kill Caesar by tricking him. There were a lot of things I could relate to in this story. It vividly describes how a person’s friend can be their enemy in a second, which is a lesson I’ve learned the hard way. My favorite character has to be Julius Caesar. His open rebellion was very appealing. The fact that he refused the crown showed great courage. I felt that the conspirators were jealous of Julius Caesar and all of the attention he was getting. I recommend this book to anyone who loves drama and a good read.
I recently read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I also saw the play at Shakespeare Theatre with my 8th grade class. Despite the title, the book is really the story of Brutus, and Julius Caesar dies less than halfway through. I have to say, I’m a giant Shakespeare buff, but this book really didn’t capture my attention. The part of the play that involved Caesar himself was very interesting. Senators including Brutus and Cassius believe that Caesar is getting too powerful, even disrespectful of his own power, and needs to be shut down. Their idea of how to solve this is his immediate death. It only proves Caesar’s disregard for other people when he ignores his wife and the soothsayer’s warnings. Then one spends the rest of the play wondering if he really needed to die, especially as Caesar’s ghost haunts his murderers into death. All this was very intriguing, but after that it just didn’t hold my attention. All in all, a good story, and of course, it’s Shakespeare, so how could the writing not be wonderful?
Sweet romance, adventure, deceit, powerful magic, and revenge; all of these sounds like it should belong in an awesome book right? Well, you are right and wrong. The Tempest includes all of this, but at the same time it doesn’t. Now I have read a lot of books during my time, yet I have never read a book/play where I was a bit disappointed like I was with this one. I mean, Shakespeare is a wonderful writer, just this play was lacking on his lengthy, but wonderful monologues. This play showed passion and love, yet a darker side also. I wanted a least a little violence, but oh well, that’s me. I will say, I loved Ariel, a wondrous character he was, and he was so patient even though his freedom kept being squandered and postponed. It also showed respect and love when the parent(s) threatens a child’s lover with their life. Ferdinand showed he loved Miranda by respecting her father’s wishes of not bedding her until the wedding night. Wonderful play over all though and I will say this. Never in my life will I read a more disappointing, but at the same time wonderful play by William Shakespeare.
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears”, William Shakespeare’s intriguing play, “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”, chronicles the successful roman military leader’s fall, and the conspirators who rebelled against him becoming a godlike tyrant by assassinating him. Caesar had become arrogant in his desire for the crown of Rome. Marcus Brutus, a close friend of Caesar, is scammed into believing that Caesar intends to turn Rome’s government into a monarchy under his own rule. Cassius, a political enemy of Caesar, deviously manipulates Brutus by persuading him that Caesar must be taken down. Brutus joins and leads the conspiracy against Caesar. Cassius is prompted to kill Caesar by jealousy of power and Brutus, mistakenly, kills Caesar for the honor of Rome on the “ides of March”. In the aftermath of Caesar’s demise, battles, suicides, and eulogies, transpired. In my perspective, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar was a fascinating play with unraveling analysis. Of course, at times, the play was dull and unexciting. However, the play illuminates the controversies of that specific era in time. In my view, it was difficult to know who the hero was, and who the villain portrayed. The characters are all complex with their different motivations in the play. This drama has captivated audiences for generations.
I enjoyed Julius Caesar (probably because I was in the play over the summer), even though I thought that some parts of it were slow and unnecessary. It tells a story through history, and is still a work of art.
To me, Julius Caesar is a story of righteousness. I think this because the story revolves around killing Caesar, and the different characters have different motives to kill. For example, Cassius wants to kill Caesar for his own personal gain. Whereas Brutus decides to kill Caesar for the good of Rome, as he says in his speech at Caesar’s funeral, “not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more”. The saying goes that you are defined by your actions, but in this book I think the saying is that you are defined by the reasons behind your actions. Even Antony admits, at the end of Act 5, that Brutus was “the noblest Roman of them all” because the only reason he joined the conspirators was that he thought he was contributing to the common good. Through these scenarios I think Shakespeare was trying to convey that the reason behind your action is what counts. I don’t think he was saying it was O.K. to kill someone (look at how all the conspirators ended up), but I think that he was showing how doing something for a good reason set Brutus apart from the rest.
Though it was written more than sixty years ago, I thought that Margaret Meade’s And Keep Your Powder Dry was perhaps the most relevant to today of all the books we read over the summer. It was written while America was engaged in a war and that is the situation we are in, now. Of course, many things have changed since 1942. World War II was a different war than the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The country itself has changed a great deal. After Vietnam and Watergate, the country would never go back to the way it was. But we still have similar mentalities, like the competitive nature that Meade highlights in her book. I thought that her idea that we need to establish relations with all countries, including our former enemies to build a better world. There was also a point where Meade depicts America as the police of the world in the future. There are many people who believe that America is seen that way. Though people can die, ideas and mentalities never really die.
Over the summer, I had the opportunity to read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare and the book had excitement, adventure, and was just interesting to read all around. Julius Caesar, a Roman general, who Brutus and the other conspirators, believe had become too powerful. The conspirators believed if Caesar shall become ruler of Rome, that the citizens will no longer be free men. Brutus, who greatly respects and honors Caesar, lets Cassius get in his mind and convinces him to kill Caesar. In the end, both Brutus and Cassius kill themselves. I believe this book was full of liars and deceitful individuals. The only person who was continuously loyal to Caesar was Mark Antony. He tricked Brutus, and persistently fought for Caesar and Rome. Brutus should have been more of an independent thinker because Cassius played a big part in Brutus’s thinking to murder Caesar. Overall, I felt the book is a must buy and was full of drama, excitement, comedy, and adventure.
The Tempest was a challenging play to understand. When I first read it, I kept getting the characters confused. I also did not understand where, or which, uninhabited island it took place on. When I read A Different Mirror by Ronald Takaki, I finally understood the exact location of the island, which was Bermuda. Reading the preface definitely helped me in understanding the plot. One of the aspects I liked about The Tempest was Ariel, the airy spirit. He was faithful to Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, and the person who rescued him from a witch. After Prospero raised the storm against his enemies, Ariel set the king’s ship on fire, but made sure that no one aboard the vessel burned and died. The language and dialogue of The Tempest was an aspect of the play that I did not like. Even though it was the language of that time period, and some of the words were clarified at the bottom of the page, I still did not easily grasp the story. After reading it a couple of times, for clarification, I understood it more.
Over the course of the summer students were instructed to read the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. In the beginning I thought the book would be boring, but it turned out that I enjoyed the book. Julius Caesar defeated Pompey and was offered to be king three times and each time he denied the people of Rome. But because of jealousy, Julius Caesar was killed by Brutus (who was a very close friend), Cassius, and some of their friends who felt that Julius Caesar needed to be “taken out”. Antony was also close to Julius Caesar and asked to speak at the funeral; Cassius predicted that this was a bad idea. And it was. Antony and Julius Caesar’s son, Octavius fight Brutus and Cassius in war for revenge. Over the course of the book the characters change. Antony went from being quiet by Julius Caesar’s side to being “the boss” and wanting revenge, Brutus becomes very confused on the reasons why he killed Caesar, and Cassius begins to follow Brutus and becomes the “psychic” in the story. During the war both Cassius and Brutus order their servants to kill them. Cassius orders his servant to stab him and Brutus tells Strato (a friend) to hold a sword while he runs into it. Brutus dies after stating that Caesar could now rest. Octavius receives the news that Brutus is dead and he, Antony, and their armies won the war. Even after what Brutus did, Octavius gives him a formal burial and now Octavius, Antony, and the ghost of Julius Caesar can rest.
Hey Class! The Tempest was a really interesting story. It had a lot of unsuspected twists and turns in the plot, which made the story exciting. In the play, a ship is traveling through a fierce storm that is carrying a royal party and the ship wrecks on a strange and enchanted island. On that ship was Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, Miranda, Prospero’s daughter, Ariel, Prospero’s spiritual servant, Antonio, Prospero’s brother who took away his crown, Alonso, the King of Naples, Ferdinand, Alonso’s son and Miranda’s love interest, Sebastian, Alonso’s brother, Gonzalo, a noble lord, Caliban, Prospero’s monstrous servant, Trinculo, a jester, Stefano, the drunken butler, and Boatswain an accompany to the nobles on the ship. Twelve years ago, Prospero was the Duke of Milan, but his brother stole the position from him. Now they are all stuck on an island and Prospero finds himself in control once again. He seeks reconciliation with his enemies and in doing so he commits evil acts, and takes advantage of some of the other inhabitants on the island, especially Ariel. Prospero has magical powers and uses them to benefit himself. On another end of the island, Antonio, Caliban, and Sebastian plot to kill the King, but their evil plans are interrupted by Ariel who sends spirits in the form of dogs to hunt them down. Prospero agrees to marriage of his daughter Miranda and Ferdinand. At the end Prospero forgives his enemies and they reconcile themselves to Prospero and restore him to his dukedom. The ship is repaired and the party returns home in pleasant weather.
I read the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare over the summer. Through my perspective it was a fine novel, I actually liked it even though I had a hard time understanding the broken English. Brutus was a loyal friend of Julius Caesar but he was turned against him by Cassius. Brutus truly believed Cassius and his remarks that Rome would be better off without Julius Caesar. Brutus was naive to believe cassius but he was blind folded by his loyalty and love he had for Rome. This decision only caused tragedy because it ended with three deaths first Julius Caesar was murdered by the conspirators, second Cassius committed suicide, and third Brutus committed suicide too. From this play I liked Anthony’s role the most; how Anthony persuaded his audience to see his point of view by saying what they want to hear and feeding off on their response. After Brutus spoke at Julius Caesar’s funeral and persuade his audience to understand why they killed Julius Caesar. Anthony went up to speak, he changed their point of view immediately by going against everything Brutus said and by also telling them Julius’s will. which they wanted to hear so much because it involved them receiving money. I would recommend this play to anybody.
The Tempest was very romantic, adventurist, dishonest, wonderful and vengeful. This book left me somewhat disappointed because I thought that Prospero was going to take revenge on the people who gave up on him at the beginning, but he instead for gave them. I know that it was right for him to forgive them but I thought he was going to get back at them. Even though the book ended different then what I expected, I still enjoyed it. I say that because Ariel was free Prospero because he was patient and honest to him no matter what he did or what he asked for. Also Miranda and Ferdinand found true love. Ferdinand was very respectful in the book. Both Miranda and Ferdinand were blessed and the end by Ceres and Juno.
Shakespeare’s play,The Tempest has a very interesting but enjoyable storyline. There were a couple of characters who I did not particularly favor and others who I enjoyed following. The typical character personalities I have found in this play are repeated throughout many of Shakespeare’s works which made the play slightly predictable. The play’s protagonist, Prospero remained fairly consistent regarding his interactions with other characters which kept my understanding of the different events not to difficult to dissect. Towards the end he went down an unexpected path and did not carry out his vengeful plan on the conspirators. Gonzalo, Ferdinand, and Ariel were other interesting characters to follow. Gonzalo seemed stuck in the middle because he did his best to help Prospero when he was a part of the conspirator crew. Ferdinand, I applaud for following his heart that lead toward Miranda, although her father gave him a rough time. Finally Ariel, I never thought would be set free. I felt as though Prospero was simply using him for his magical services judging from the way he responded to his concern of being set free. Overall I enjoyed reading The Tempest by William Shakespeare. This play teaches the life lesson that forgiveness is the most powerful repair mechanism. This book was fantastic!
The Tempest The Tempest I thought was very amusing all of Prospero actions to get back at his brother. The Tempest was a very good book because you see all the different sides to these characters. Prospero was a man who wanted revenge towards what they did to him being overthrown by the people of Milan. This book shows you how a man with thoughts of revenge could then do such a Nobel action, Prospero did not want to hurt the king of Naples just show them a lesson. I thought the book was very good because I never got tired of reading it. While reading it I would laugh at some of Ariel and Prospero’s actions but in the end Prosper gives Ariel his freedom. The book was very funny it showed me what people do to get power how they even betray their own family to get to a certain position. The Tempest was a good play because you learn a lot about all the characters like Miranda who has been in the island scene she was little girl and when she finally meets a boy which she has never met before she falls in love. This play has many points of view from each character which I really liked.
Sister Carrie, by Theodore Dreiser quite surprised me. In terms of summer reading books, I was expecting something more typical, something only for educational purposes, rather for entertainment or enjoyment. However, Sister Carrie was an interesting read because of the colorful plot line, relatable and human characters, as well as lively descriptions, both physical (such as cityscapes) and mental (such as Carries thoughts). Dreiser explores complex topics facing Americans at the time, just after the Industrial Revolution, through the eyes of a young woman. Carrie, I thought, was very personable and relatable, but was still able to grow as a woman in a tough world. She suffered several losses, but always stood up again and continued on. In the beginning of the novel, it was clear that Carrie was not mentally strong enough to survive the work as a factory girl. Her weakness led her to fall into the hands of a wealthy man as first as a crutch, and then as a support system. So, as Dreiser intended, she also fell into the category of “helpless woman”. To the readers’ great pleasure, Carrie later found the inner strength to stand up for herself and determine boundaries, not only for herself, but for those around her. After her increasing popularity as an actress and performer, Carrie’s literal and imagined self worth increased. In this way, I believe Dreiser impersonated in Carrie the American idealism. Following the industrial revolution in America, there was a demand for labor, and large cities soon populated with dreamers and idealists who were accommodated accordingly. Our protagonist embodied this idea to the fullest. Her weekly salary of 4 dollars as a factory girl increased exponentially as a star on stage, and soon she had no more worries of money, of hunger, or of living in unsatisfactory accommodations. Now, Carrie had the self confidence and maturity to live as a woman. Sister Carrie was a very enjoyable read for me, and even the educational factors were so submerged in the story that I finished the book without feeling lectured, or even bored.
The Tempest in my opinion is Shakespeare’s only play that reflected colonization in history presenting it in a humor manner that teaches the reader while entertaining them. Caliban, a native of the island in which Prospero takes over, is thought as a savage with a brute behavior towards his ruler. He is thought as a monster because he is different but I believe the real monsters are the strangers that come ashore. Caliban’s mother Sycorax was murdered by Prospero stealing the island away from Caliban while forcing him to be his servant. Caliban had no intentions of hate at first. He respected Prospero and showed him around his native home thinking he would make an acquaintance with the majestic man and his child. After being deceived by his new neighbors he wanted to condemn them. Learning the language Prospero shared with him gave him the ability to stand up for justice. His curses however were found rude and made him appear more like a sinner. He was accused for an attempt to ravish Prospero’s daughter which was an act of rebellion against their cruel treatment towards him. The washed up strangers that were a victim of Prospero’s scheme of vengeance, acted as insensible as the magician thinking Caliban as a savage. Prospero’s sibling, Antonio, is a monster as well for stabbing his own brother in the back forcing him to Caliban’s island. The nature of all the natives from Naples were atrocious compared to Caliban’s making him the protagonist.
During the summer we were required to read “The Tempest” By William Shakespeare. “The Tempest” is a tale of Revenge, and love. I enjoyed reading and even performing it. While reading the story I never suspected that the story would have concluded the way that it did. The story gives the rider a sense that someone will die. That Prospero, the former duke, was going to seek and get his revenge on the ones who stole his title as duke, Alonso and Antonio. Instead Prospero’s daughter, Miranda, and Alonso’s son, Ferdinand, are wedded. Also Prospero is restored as duke and forgives Alonso and Antonio for their crimes. Why I enjoyed the book I mostly enjoy Shakespeare “tragedy” stores more, some such as “A Mid-summer Night Dream” and also “Macbeth”. Those stories are true tragedies and provide a thrilling climax and a more exciting ending then “The Tempest”. My favorite scene of “The Tempest” was when; Miranda and Ferdinand promised one other they would be wedded. You could just fell the emotion, fell the love coming out of the book, it just made me want to read more and more and more and before I knew it I had finished the story. Overall I recommend this book to any to and all readers, who enjoys Shakespeare stories, or a reader who is looking for an interesting tale with an unpredictable ending.
Shakespeare’s play The Tempest follows the story of Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, who was forced to live on a desolate island after his throne was usurped by his brother Antonio. Antonio was assisted by Alonso, the King of Naples, and Sebastian, who was Alonso’s brother. Gonzalo, a gracious, goodhearted lord, helped Prospero and his daughter Miranda escape unharmed to an island, where they lived in secrecy for many years. While Antonio, Alonso, Sebastian, Gonzalo, and many others were sailing out in the ocean, Prospero used his magic to conjure up a storm that left everyone shipwrecked on the island where he lived. He then used his powers to toy with them and exact his revenge on those who had wronged him in the past. In the beginning, though Prospero is supposedly the “victim,” he is portrayed as being very cruel, constantly terrorizing his slaves. He’s also very decisive and cunning, and his lack of emotion while he was manipulating the shipwrecked crew was startling. Prospero said that what he was doing was in the name of a noble cause, but it seemed that his motives were more about revenge than justice. All of those years on that island had made him bitter, and his “noble” plan to restore himself to the throne was corrupted and turned into a dark scheme, with vengeance being its main goal. In the end, he eventually saw the error of his ways and he forgave everyone who betrayed him in the past.
The Tempest was about a man named Prospero, who was the Duke of Milan. His brother Antonio took away his office and forced him to live on a remote island. Antonio, Alonzo, Gonzalo and Sebastian all formed an alliance in order to complete the mission. Prospero and his daughter Miranda were able to get to the island safely with the help of Gonzalo. They lived there unknown to the world for a long time. Then when the conspirators that knocked him from his position were out at sea, returning to Italy from a wedding, Prospero brought a powerful storm called the tempest. The Storm destroyed their ship and shipwrecked them on the island that he inhabited. From there Prospero was able to cast spells and command his minions to get revenge on those who wronged him. I think that Prospero did the right thing by exacting revenge on those people. At first, he says that he was doing it to bring judgment down on the “villains”. But you can easily see that it was more than that. He is also extremely arrogant; most of the book is full with monologues about how he was wronged, or accomplishments he achieved. Despite his faults, Prospero was sly, intelligent, and showed a lot of leadership. He was also able to see that he was wrong it what he did. Overall, this was a very intriguing book, I am glad that I have read it.
Julius Caesar Over the summer, I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I savored this book from the beginning to the end, simply because of my favorite characters; Brutus and Caesar. I enjoyed watching the jealousy and dishonor come from Brutus because it reminds me of my fellow citizens. Caesar, on the other hand, was confident, narcissistic, and selfish. When you combine two of these kinds of people together, everything leads to disaster. I was entertained by this because Caesar had no idea of what his “friends” were plotting against him; therefore, the climax of the story was exciting and stimulating. Shakespeare, in my opinion, had a knack for interpreting the way people in the world think. I admired his sense of style for capturing the reader’s attention when Caesar was murdered. This event led to another between Antony and Caesar’s rivals. However, I was disappointed when Cassius died; even though he was a backstabber. Cassius was always encouraging towards Brutus and he was very convincing.
The Tempest is a play written by William Shakespear and was a required reading over the summer break. I did not enjoy reading The Tempest. I thought that the plot was too complex. I also believed that there were too many characters. However, I did enjoy the different variety of personalities in the play. Ariel, which happens to be my middle name, was my favorite character whom seemed very coy and gentle. I favored Ferdinand's character as well. Ferdinand fell quickly in love with Miranda and summitted sevitude to Prospero, Miranda's father, to win his approval. I did not like Caliban's character because he was cruel and despiteful. Overall, I would recommend this play to any Shakespear lover ,and to readers who enjoy very dramatic and complex plots.
I found Candide by Voltaire to be a refreshing read. My initial reaction before I ever picked up the book was it would be a difficult and dense piece of literature with a heavy moral plot. However, once I began reading I found it was quite the opposite. Voltaire, an enlightened philosophe, found ways to poke fun at society and his fellow philosophers. He takes the popular idea of the time that “everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds” to the extreme by throwing every possible disaster in our poor hero Candide’s direction. Although this book was written over 200 years ago, I found the main themes of this book to be extremely relevant to today’s society. He uses his writings to criticize some of the most important ideals of life. He mocks religion hinting the idea of corruption in the church. As well as derides wealth, showing Candide’s dissatisfaction when he falls upon fortune in Eldarado. Overall, I enjoyed the book with its humorous plot and relevant themes.
One of Shakespeare’s great plays, The Tempest, is a drama filled with romance. I enjoyed reading this play over the summer because I was able to question some of the topics and compare and contrast them to my individual life. Two major characters whom stood out to me were Miranda and Ariel. I found Miranda’s character quite interesting because she had lived on an island all of her life. The only people who she knew was her father Prospero, and his servant Caliban. Miranda was taken to the island by female servants when she was a baby; therefore, she does not understand how to interact with other humans. This particular situation in The Tempest caught my eye because I cannot imagine being isolated from the entire world and only knowing two people. I found Ariel an important character also because he is basically Prospero’s backbone. Without Ariel’s knowledge and ability to complete certain tasks, Prospero would not get much accomplished. The Tempest is an amazing drama by Shakespeare that everyone should take the time to read.
My first impression of Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez was one of annoyance. I felt that Rodriguez was a self-centered and self-pitying author. I found the writing to sound like he was moaning and complaining. It may have been beautiful writing, but it was very one-dimensional in my view, in the sense that it focused entirely on the negatives of his education, and not on the positives. Throughout the book, my first impression remained the same. Even his arguments on affirmative action and bilingual education seemed to me irrelevant. They were backed on his personal experience as a student, which was not a good one. Yes, his arguments were good and made valid points, but the only evidence used to back them was based upon his negative experiences that were so emphasized throughout the book. Had he strengthened his arguments with experiences of other minority students or some statistics, I would have been more apt to respect his point of view. As it happened, he remained entirely focused on himself, and in doing so lost some of my respect as a reader.
Candide is a witty, droll novel that takes place in the kingdom of Westphalia. Voltaire takes you on a journey through the eyes of a once optimistic man who is kicked out of the castle and is forced to deal with real world situations leading him to realize that the world is in fact, not perfect. Voltaire does an impressive job of taking real world, depressing issues, and satirizing them to make Candide a light, enjoyable read. It is evident that Candide attempts to analyze and address why there is evil in our world which many of our greatest religions have attempted and failed to do so repeatedly. Although religion in itself is a typically serious issue, Voltaire uses this at the foreground of his satire. Candide is a timeless lampoon that perfectly captures the blind optimism of many philosophers of Voltaire’s time. Although this novel was written several hundred years ago, Voltaire’s ideas can be associated with today’s moral and psychological issues.
I will be writing about Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.I am choosing to talk about Brutus because the most important character in the story to me. Brutus holds pride in the fact that he is honorable and noble. However, he is oft naïve and this is what leads to him killing Caesar. He is the only character that commits to living strictly by the moral code. Despite this, he still unconsciously contradicts himself. Something I thought was significant was that Brutus tried to rationalize killing Caesar. He stated it was for the better of the republic when really, Caesar was killed because of Cassius and the other conspirators' jealousy. Brutus thinks that calling the assassination sacrifice makes it okay. However, the people of Rome do not feel the same way. Brutus is guided by his concepts and perceptions of honor. This leads to his demise. He talks to Cassius often about them. He becomes disappointed when certain situations force him to sway away from his principles. Think about when he had a toast with Caesar. He was being two-faced by not exposing his role in the conspiracy. This was a break away from his principles. Ironically, he is spoken of as one of the most honorable men.
After reading Molly K's comment about Hunger of Memory, I felt the need to respond. I agree with Molly to a certain extent, but what she forgot to realize is Rodriguez's use of pathos. It is Rodriguez's focus on himself and personal touch that makes the reader want to agree with him, though, at times, that can be very hard. His "beautiful language" is something to be admired for the profound effects it has on the reader, and its ability to pull them into the story and feel for him.
Also, the tagline of Rodriguez's book is "The Education of Richard Rodriguez." This makes the focus of the book (solely Rodriguez's experiences) valid and acceptable. It would not be an autobiography if it focused on the experience of others. Granted, Rodriguez could have approached bilingual education and affirmative action from a more politically correct standpoint; that was not his purpose of writing.
Throughout the book, Rodriguez expresses himself very strongly, which urges the reader to disagree with him, even hate him at times. However, if you keep an open mind and read what he says after expressing his views, you will succumb to his strategy of pathos and respect his point. Either that, or I’m a complete sucker for emotional persuasion.
Richard Rodriguez's autobiography, Hunger of Memory focuses on the life of a Latino in a Spanish speaking home growing up and trying to fit into an average English speaking American society. Rodriguez discusses the importance of both language and education throughout his autobiography through means of personal experiences and references to great pieces of literature such as The Tempest and the Bible. Throughout Hunger of Memory, education was the equalizer for Rodriguez. It was the way that he could assimilate into American culture and society and it was the way that he could escaped from his Spanish speaking family, his culture, and his native language. Richard Rodriguez was able to accomplish a lot in his career from being a formal public speaker at many conferences to writing literary texts. The irony is that affirmative action created opportunities for him. He was given benefits for being a minority even though he rejected his ethnic background. I believe that his book brought light on an issue in society in a way that it is not usually seen. It made me think about whether someone deserves special benefits from affirmative action simply because of their race or ethnic background when they really haven't been disadvantaged in life. I enjoyed reading this book and although I think it is unfortunate that someone feels such a need to fit in that they will turn their back on their culture, I know that I have benefited from understanding Rodriguez's feelings and pressures.
I had the chance to read Julius Caesar by Willam Shakespeare this summer and i was very pleased with this book. It is a book full of excitement,secrets and action. When I had started reading i was a little bored and didnt think that I would like it but then later into the book it became more interesting to me. Every scene/act left me wanting to read more. It kind of pull me into the story. What i liked the most was how practically everyone secretly hated Caesar because they all thought he was very cruel but he didnt really care. His cruelty actually was the cause of his death because no one felt that he cared about the people, so no one felt that he was right for the place of roman general. Even though he was cruel I still didnt truely understand why they had to use violence as a way of removing some one or as a way of revenge. Besides that Julius Caesar was a very enjoyable book and i would recommend it to anyone. You might think it would be boring and have no point,but you would be very wrong.
The autobiography Hunger of Memory, by Richard Rodriguez, is a strong look against affirmative action and bilingual education. In his autobiography, Richard Rodriguez uses his family life as a primary way to show the effects of these two issues. For this reason, this book really interested me because by using a lot of his family life it was easy to relate to and understand the issues as a reader from the outside. The author, Richard Rodriguez, appreciates the fact that school taught him English and assimilated him into this new culture, even though it tore his family apart. Then, as he uses his autobiography to speak against affirmative action, he tells how he learned his lesson in taking the benefits of being a minority by giving up the unfair offers thrown at him and returning home to his family. Richard Rodriguez’s constant use of family in his autobiography really helped me as a reader understand his purpose and connect with the autobiography.
One of the books I read over the summer was called Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez. When I first got a copy of the book I was very excited to read about a Hispanic immigrant who came to the USA. I myself wasn’t born here. Without reading the book my first thoughts were “wow this man must be proud to be a successful Mexican in the United States.” I found out that was completely untrue after I read the book. Richard Rodriguez seemed to be ashamed of being Mexican. He hid his skin color, wouldn’t speak Spanish, and created a barrier between him and his family. He became so absorbed into the American culture, that he forgot where he came from. When I finally understood that he wasn’t proud to be Hispanic or to speak Spanish I felt extremely annoyed. His writing style was amazing I loved how he divided his book into six different compilations, but I don’t seem to share the same views as him. I believe one shouldn’t absorb another culture to the point were you forget about your own. As a person he lost a lot of respect from me, but as an author this man has an amazing writing ability.
Sister Carrie is an entertaining, enjoyable, and educational novel. Without being too blunt, the concepts of the woman's role in the late 19th and early 20th century are easily conveyed throughout the book. Dreiser does an excellent job with plot twists. The plot line itself is captivating, although the lulls between major events slow the novel down considerably. I can usually finish a book in one or two days, but this took me almost two weeks to complete. The character development was necessary, yes, but there would be pages and pages of character thoughts and inferences that seemed to never end.
I greatly appreciate the fact that Dreiser turns Carrie from a damsel in distress to an independent and successful woman. This makes the novel more accessible to me and the culture that we live in today. I started reading the book warily but finished with an appreciation of Carrie, Hurstwood, and Drouet's hardships in a simple struggle to make it through the demands of life at that time.
Julius Caesar Over the summer, my class was advised to read William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. I was not exceptionally eager to read this play because I believed it would be rather tedious, but in the end it became very clear how wrong I was. This play had themes of loyalty, and jealousy. My favorite character was Brutus because of how loyal he was. Brutus was the only schemer who truly believed killing Caesar was what was best for Caesar and the people. Caesar’s adopted son, Octavius, and friend, Antony, showed loyalty for Caesar as well by fighting for the cause of his death in the battle against the conspirators. Most of the connivers only killed Caesar out of jealousy. Cassius slyly lured people into the plot to kill Caesar because he desired being in his position. I did not care for Cassius because of how manipulative he was and his lack of integrity. I commend Shakespeare for the way he puts emphasis on the cause of Caesar’s death and the aftermath of it all. I enjoyed Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and I would undeniably urge readers who would like a book that will keep them wanting more all the way to the very end to read this play too.
One of the most interesting books that our class read over the summer was Sister Carrie . Sister Carrie is the story of a young women Carrie who moves from the country to a growing city, Chicago. Carrie desiring to achieve a better life for herself choses to live and become the “wife” of Drouet and later Hurstwood. Throughout the book, I believe Carrie is seeking a happy and somewhat glamourous life that she believes the city can give her, however, at the end of the book it is obvious that the city could not fulfill its promises. By the end of the story, Carrie has become a famous actress and has a large income but she no longer has any way to spend it and it makes her bored. Money is obviously very important theme within the book. Carrie desires it to the point that she is willing to be with Drouet and Hurstwood. Hurstwood at the end of the book has become a beggar who has lost all before committing suicide. The book has many small instances where the characters' ideal life which often includes some amount of wealth is shown. I very much enjoyed Sister Carrie and found it an interesting read.
I agree with Molly regarding Richard Rodriguez’s Hunger of Memory, which solely focused on his opinion, typically making cynical references to his bad experiences growing up. He makes good points, of course, in some aspects such as immigrating to this country and his search for identity, but these arguments fall short to nothing less than pessimism. This concept is very relatable to the American society today, no matter who you are or where you come from, but Hunger of Memory illustrates only one way of looking at it. He has the right to express these held opinions he has since it is his life he is writing about, but what I felt caused the book to be slightly ignorant was that he decided to leave all positivity behind. It also seemed that he kept making attempts to connect what he was saying to irrelevant topics and notions. Sister Carrie, on the other hand, intrigued me as soon as I opened it up and started reading. I personally felt the novel Theodore Dreiser wrote was captivating and honest through the eyes of Carrie. It was also a compellingly historical book despite the fact that it is written in a fictional manner. It was skillfully written by balancing the explanation of history without being boring or dreary and conveying fascination from the reader.
The moral of The Picture of Dorian Gray teaches us that one’s beauty can turn a gentleman into the worst of things. The story opens up with Basil Hallward discussing the perfection of his latest portrait he is working on while informing his friend Lord Henry Wotton that he put too much of himself into the work and cannot present it. In the mean time, Basil shares his compassion he has for the young gentleman. To keep his new friend away from Lord Henry’s influence, Basil requests that Lord Henry leave before his idol returns to finish the portrait. Unfortunately the two meet and greatly become acquainted with one of the other. Dorian Gray finishes the dazzling work of art and keeps it to himself. The same day Lord Henry discusses what honor it is to have youth and how dreadful it is to lose it. After hearing this Dorian sells his soul to the beautiful picture that now showed his true age while his youth remained. Throughout the story Lord Henry consults every person with his fast idea and theories of life. He honestly has all the good lines in the story as he reflects his many opinions on his friend’s circumstances. I myself fell under the influence of Lord Henry after reading his many monologues but some were quite disputable as well. Dorian loves to listen to Lord Henry and often times finds that he disagrees with him but still admires him for it.
Over the summer, I've read the book Julius Caesar. at first I didn't know what to come. I knew Shakespeare's work because I had read his book Romeo and Juliet. I thought the modren version was clear than Elizabethan. As I was the reading the fist scene, it was getting interesting. They were plotting to kill Caesar because they believed they were trying to save the commoners and Caesar. I was so surprised that he killed him so soon. I thought it was going to be at the end. The battle was very exciting because it caused a little of suspense. My favorite charcter would be Cassius because he thought the plan through and convinces the conspirator to kill Caesar. I alos respected Antony and Octavius for being loyal to Caesra by stating a battle to defend his death. I would call the book science-fiction because of the Caesar's ghost being at the foot of Brutus bed in camp. I recommend the book to young adult and hope they njoy it.
This summer I read the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I thought it would be very difficult and boring. Turns out two weeks later when I finished the book, it was amazing. The characters in this book were very deceiving and dishonest. Such characters include Brutus and Cassius and their alliance plotting to kill Caesar. The language in the play was poetic and moving. It seems like Shakespeare was so ahead of his time. The way he depicted things was really unique from other writers. His language helped me to understand the time period and the important values of the people. Though many people who are in high school or have been in high school hate reading Shakespeare, I very much enjoyed Julius Caesar. I look forward to reading more of Shakespeare’s plays.
Hello all! I am a first time blogger and I am going to discuss Julius Caesar which I read over the summer. I won’t say it was bad, but it also was not good. I found the original text hard to understand so every time I read a page of the original text I had to also read the modern text to understand it better. I don’t think that the book was very exciting. When Caesar was stabbed I don’t think the reaction of the characters was what I expected. Also when Cassius died the reaction was definitely not what I expected it to be. I think this book was a little bit boring especially at times in which people were just talking or when they were planning to do something. I do not think that this was William Shakespeare’s best works, but it definitely was not one of his best works.
During the summer I read the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. Although it took me a little while to understand the Old English writing style I really enjoyed reading the book. One thing that I liked about the book was that at the end when his good friend Marcus Brutus killed Caesar. I think that detail added some drama to the plot by showing the betrayal of Brutus. It shows that Brutus' character can easily be persuaded, starting when Cassius first brought up the subject of dethroning Caesar. Even though Brutus killed Caesar, I didn't like how afterwards he committed suicide. I thought that Brutus should have lived with his decision because throughout the book he, Cassius and others spent a lot of time planning. I think that it was a waste of a character because he did to much for him to regret his decision. Besides the bad ending I would recommend others to read Julius Caesar , but only to people who are patient enough to take time to understand the meaning of the Old English.
During the summer I read Julius Caesar. I did not choose to read this book, however I am glad I did. At first, I found the language difficult to read and boring. Though at first I was not interested in reading it, I continued reading and I actually began to enjoy it. I think I was able to understand the characters in Julius Caesar and the situations occurring. I was able to empathize with the themes of greed, betrayal, and karma conveyed in the play. It is not because I possess those qualities, rather because I can appreciate how those qualities exist in society. William Shakespeare, the author, chose themes that have existed throughout history. They were relevant hundreds of years ago when the play was written and are equally applicable today. Cassius was jealous of Caesar's political power. He was also a selfish person who used Brutus and turned Brutus against Caesar in his plot to gain power. Though Cassius did succeed in murdering Caesar, he failed in his attempt to replace Caesar as the ruler. When the conspiracy was exposed by Mark Antony, Cassius ended up fleeing Rome and then was defeated by Mark Antony. This shows that greed is a motivation, and that karma does exist. Hopefully you to will want to give Julius Caesar a chance, and enjoy Shakespeare's work just like I did.
I both liked Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, and disliked it. I liked it because all the characters were unique and there was a great storyline. Nonetheless, I did not like any of the characters except Caesar and Mark Antony. All the patricians, from Brutus, to Cassius, to Trebonius, were corrupt and jealous of Caesar. I disliked Brutus and the other characters that helped kill Caesar, because they did it out of greed. I did not believe it at all when Brutus explained why he killed Caesar “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” He obviously tried to deceive everyone that he killed Caesar for the ‘greater good.’ I liked Caesar and Mark Antony because they were innocent. Caesar was a great ruler, and did not deserve to die one bit! Mark Antony was a good person, because he stayed loyal to Caesar. At the end of the story, I did not understand why Brutus, Cassius, and Titinius were so quick to commit suicide. The sole part of Julius Caesar that I did not like was related to how the story was written. I found it very annoying to have to keep looking to the side of the page for every word that I did not know. I also felt like it was difficult to read the play in general, because it was written in play script and in Shakespearean English. But putting that aside, I thought Julius Caesar was a great story.
I read the play Julius Caesar this summer and I was very satisfied with it. The thing I liked about it was how it started off with so much intensity and exciting drama. I want to talk about my favorite part of the play. Act 5, Scene 5, despite all of the erroneous things that Brutus had done to Caesar. In my opinion he had the biggest heart because he knew he was wrong deep down. Brutus knew that jealousy had taken over their relationship as friends. Brutus betrayed Caesar because when he made his speech at the funeral oration, Brutus was saying how much he loved Caesar, but at the same time you have to still remember that he killed one of his best friends. The only reason why I have so much respect for him, and why he’s my favorite character is because he knew his actions and how he felt about Caesar were absolutely preposterous. After Caesar’s death he gained so much more respect for Caesar, that Brutus knew that the only way Julius Caesar would forgive him is if he gave his own life away, and that is what he did. Because of this Julius Caesar is yet on of the best play’s I have read so far.
Julius Caesar is a book that I enjoyed reading. I loved it because the book put you in ancient times in Rome and it let you get into the roman culture. It was about the soon to be king of Rome Julius Caesar being killed by his most trusted associates and friends out jealousy. The main individuals who set out to kill Julius Caesar were Brutes, Cassius, and Casca. They all were going mad with envy over Julius Caesar so they killed him. The only character against Caesar whom I liked was Brutes because he did not murder him out of jealousy but because Cassius convinced him that it was for the greater good of Rome so his intentions were good. Another character I liked besides Brutes was Antony because after they had killed Julius Caesar and tried to explain that it was for a just cause he was not fooled like the rest of the people but he still was loyal to his companion and avenged his death. I also liked the book because of the dramatic scenes that took place such as when Cassius killed himself because he thought they were defeated because his servant Pinduras mistook cheering soldiers for the enemy or the scene of Caesar’s death. The final reason why I enjoyed the book was because of the message of the play which I believe to be to not grow mad with envy of another.
Hello,first time blogger, I will write about Julius Caesar. In my opinion, I didn’t really enjoy the Julius Caesar book. I didn’t really enjoy the book because I didn’t understand it as much as I wanted to. The way they spoke during those times was a bit different from the way we speak now. That was one of the reasons why the book was a bit hard for me to comprehend.
There were parts I liked of Julius Caesar. I liked the overall concept of the play. I also enjoyed the puns, which the cobbler said in the beginning. I loved the character of Mark Antony, because he even treated his enemies with respect, and he was a true friend to Caesar. What I disliked was that Caesar died so early in the story, and he was killed was killed by his so- called “friends”. I had a lot of trouble understanding most of the story because of the classical style. What also bothered me was that Brutus’s wife died, which I thought there was no need for. Overall, it was a pretty deep, and complex story.
During the Summer, I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. When first reading the play, I felt that shakespeare’s language was a little hard to understand. After becoming comfortable with the language, I came to like the play. I especially liked the assassination of Caesar although it came so early in the play, which was very surprising. I think that this key event showed that you can’t take too much for granted. I also liked how Shakespeare showed that words are very powerful. I found this evident when the reaction of the crowd completely shifts when Antony reads Caesar's will. I think that it was very bold for Brutus to kill Caesar, but i didn’t like the fact that later in the play Brutus commits suicide. Overall, i think the play draws in the reader and has a good plot.
This book was good and bad. Good because it is an exciting book that can keep you entertained. I also liked the part when the ghost appeared to Brutus because that got him scared and he committed suicide. But when Caesar died it was sad and crazy because his wife told him not to go to the senate and he did and died. The other thing I liked was that Anthony helped Caesar and he was good friend. The thing I didn’t like about the book was that it gets confusing at some points in the story. The other thing three people died in the story and two committed suicide but why? The one thing that really got confusing was the final battle. I got lost in the middle of it and couldn’t understand it. Overall it was good but a little confusing even while reading the English version.
What is right and wrong? That is an important question throughout Julius Caesar, and in real life. In his work, Shakespeare uses the character of Brutus to portray that theme, but you can look at almost every other character as well, the need to choose between the right answer and a wrong answer. Sometimes, it’s not so easy to tell which is which, like Brutus’s decision to kill Caesar, and whether Brutus and Cassius should wait for Marc Antony’s forces to attack or to attack them first. Brutus’s decision to kill his friend, Caesar, is not an easy one, for he values their friendship, but he feels that the Roman Empire needs him to do the deed, his loyalty to his country outweighs that to his friend, and is convinced that his friend wants to be the sole leader of Rome. Cassius is a lot easier to interprate forward, he is Jealous of Caesar and his power, and he uses strong words and deceitful techniques throughout the play to convince the conspirators that Caesar needs to be killed. Though the main character, Caesar himself plays only a slight role in the events, using situational irony to add foreshadowing to the plot.
Though the language was difficult to understand, I enjoyed reading Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Shakespeare shows through Brutus that the difference between right and wrong isn’t always obvious, and sometimes good people will have to bad things for the greater good. Brutus is Caesar’s friend, and it was hard for him to make the decision to kill him, but Marc Antony and the other conspirators convince him that it is necessary for the greater good of Rome. I also though it was interesting that Caesar’s ghost visits Brutus, and gives him a warning. This some suspence to the play. In the Elizabethan era when Shakespeare was writing, plays were not thought of if they were supposed to be real. Unlike then, the plays were a social commentary, or a metaphor for something else, and the audience understood this. Because of this, it is not out of the ordinary for Caesar’s ghost to appear to Brutus. The ghost appearing highlights Brutus’ choice, by still appearing after the choice had been made, which adds a level of depth to the reading, and made me think, which made me like the reading more.
Hello my name is Jack Pine and over the summer I read Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was a good play especially with the background inferences on betrayal and revenge. I like how William Shakespeare used the fact that Caesar became too powerful and under his rule even his closest allies were against him. The characters Brutus and Mark Antony were really inspiring to me especially Antony, to be truthful who was the only part I actually paid attention to. To be truthful about another thing, though it was a good play it got pretty boring at some parts. The battle scenes and Mark Antony’s revenge really attracted me, especially how he pretended at the beginning to be on the “traitor’s” side. The speech that Antony gave at the beginning to combat Brutus’s speech and bring the city against Caesar’s betrayals and he ended up winning the battle and had every last traitor disposed of. All in all Julius Caesar was a good and well written play, even though it was a little boring it caught my attention a couple of times.
After reading this book I felt confused. I could not seem to understand what the people really had against Julius Cesar, and why everyone started turning from him. Shouldn’t he be allowed to brag and beam about his victories? I also thought it was really idiotic that Brutus switched who he favors at the last minute, because of persuasion by someone who’s only interest in mind was their own. To me this play was a modern day group of unmoral friends. Personally I did not like Julius Cesar. I thought the plot was not really entertaining. I saw the story as being mainly about Julius Cesar denying the crown, and then dying because the people don’t really want him to accept it. Maybe I am just not interpreting what I am reading correctly but all in all I did not enjoy this book. I would never suggest this play to anyone because to me it really had no point.
Over the summer I was assigned to read Julius Caesar. When I first started reading it, I didn’t really understand what was going. I had to get help from my friends, my parents, and Tudors. Even though I didn’t understand the text when I first started reading the more I broke down each part the more I figured out what was going on. Cassius was envious of Caesar and his authority. Cassius did whatever it took to take out Caesar. Cassius murdered Caesar. However, the plan was exposed by Mark Antony. Cassius was eventually beaten by Mark Antony.In this whole process Cassius turned Brutus, a good friend of Caesar, against him. This was a really appealing play, written by William Shakespeare. I am happy that I was assigned this book to read and I would read it again anytime.
This is my first time doing a blog. I am going to express my feelings on the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I really liked the book. At first I thought it was going to be boring because I really didn’t understand what they were referring to. After a while I started understanding and I became more interested. In this book I didn’t have any favorite characters, but I do have different opinions among the different characters. For instance, Cassius was supposed to be Caesar’s friend but he seemed very sneaky and deceiving. I say this because he literally deceived Brutus by killing Caesar just for the sake of Rome. I guess I can kind of call Brutus, Cassius’ reflection, because whatever Cassius does Brutus does the same. Brutus to me seemed gullible and confused. I say this because he believed anything someone told him. I also feel that Brutus was backstabbing because he and Caesar were so called friends but you don’t back down on your friends. Antony to me seemed like a true friend because he stayed by Caesar’s side. Overall the book was very interesting. The one thing I didn’t really understand was why they killed Caesar. I know they thought he was going to try to take over Rome, but Caesar turned down the crown 3 times. And even though the town people wanted Caesar to become King, Cassius, Brutus and conspirators never gave him a chance.
I recently read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I did not choose this book, it was assigned. I do not usually like reading books that are assigned, I prefer to choose them at my leisure. This was an exception, however. One reason that I enjoyed reading Julius Caesar so much was that it is such an old story. It is a timeless classic. Its age is reflected in Shakespeare's language and diction, which are difficult to decipher, yet quite satisfying when done correctly. It is nice to escape the modern world through the open door that is a book. Julius Caesar offered and escape from violence, crime, and problems that plague the modern world, and throw the reader into a universe where the things that matter are loyalty and courage, not money and status. All in all, I would encourage anybody who is not frustrated easily by new words and who sees a book as an opportunity to read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.
This summer I read the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. The play is mostly about death, betrayal, and persuasion. I enjoyed this book because those themes made it very interesting. The death of Julius Caesar is extremely harsh, not only because it was plotted by his friends Brutus and Cassius, but because he was stabbed to death. One part that I thought was eerie but good was the dream that Caesar’s wife Calpurnia has about Caesar’s upcoming death. One part that I disliked about the book was how after Caesar is killed, Antony reads the will to the crowd and gets them angry. I did not like that because even if Antony knew of what Brutus and Cassius had done, it was still not right for him to make the crowd suspicious of their actions. Antony’s actions lead Brutus and Cassius to leave the city because they have been exiled. Their exile leads to a battle and their battle leads to many deaths. This play was not the easiest thing to read or to understand. But I enjoyed the plot overall and I think that I would like to read many other Shakespeare works.
I agree with Molly regarding Richard Rodriguez's Hunger of Memory, which solely focused on his opinion, typically making cynical references to his bad experiences growing up. He makes good points, of course, in some aspects such as immigrating to this country and his search for identity, but these arguments fall short to nothing less than pessimism. This concept is very relatable to the American society today, no matter who you are or where you come from, but Hunger of Memory illustrates only one way of looking at it. He has the right to express these held opinions he has since it is his life he is writing about, but what I felt caused the book to be slightly ignorant was that he decided to leave all positivity behind. It also seemed that he kept making attempts to connect what he was saying to irrelevant topics and notions. Sister Carrie, on the other hand, intrigued me as soon as I opened it up and started reading. I personally felt the novel Theodore Dreiser wrote was captivating and honest through the eyes of Carrie. It was also a compellingly historical book despite the fact that it is written in a fictional manner. It was skillfully written by balancing the explanation of history without being boring or dreary and conveying fascination from the reader.
Julius Caesar is one of the greatest written by Shakespeare. It has something for every one. It combines violence, emotion, and factual evidence excellently. In Julius Caesar Brutus and other conspirators betray Caesar and overthrow him because they believed that he was gaining too much power. Brutus is Caesars best friend and so for him to betray his best friend to do what he thinks is best for his country shows how much he loved his country. What Brutus thought was best for his country ended up being the key element in its down fall. After Caesar was killed a massive civil war broke out and when it ended Rome was no longer Rome, it was separated. In my English class last year we read this play and analyzed it. Then we had the wonderful opportunity of going to see a live production of it.
Over the summer, I read Julius Caesar. I thought that this book was very interesting because each character was suspenseful. One thing I found interesting was that Brutus was one of Caesar’s favorites, but he conspired against Caesar because of his fear that Caesar would become king. I thought that Cassius was an interesting character and factor in Julius Caesar because he persuaded many into joining the rebellion against Caesar’s kingship. It was unusual how Brutus did not admit that he and a number of other people killed Caesar even though they were strongly against him. Another thing I found unusual was how Brutus and Cassius threw accusations at each other before their battle against Antony and Octavius. The language and flow to Julius Caesar was in fact, very beautiful, although many people may disagree. Even though I am not accustomed to the language of Shakespeare, I was entertained by the different style. Overall, I believed that Julius Caesar was an interesting, yet different book.
William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is a witty play between the two marriages that are vowed between the main characters. I love the relationship that Beatrice and Benedick share with their constant bickering from the beginning and how their friends and family members trick them into loving each other. Meanwhile the love Claudio has for Hero is pure and their future together is promised but the evil plan of Don John and his friends break up their wonderful engagement. Don Pedro, prince of Aragon, is betrayed by his brother Don John who abused the affections of one of Don Pedro’s close friends. Claudio, blind from the plot of Don John’s, ruins the good name of Hero having her kill her self. Not aware of her death as a secret, Claudio discovers she was innocent and feels ashamed of not believing her and engages himself to marry Beatrice but the Governor of Mesina and father of Hero, Leonata, tricks him to marry Hero. Much is rejoiced and even when Beatrice and Benedick refuse their love for each other, Claudio and Hero turn them in with letters they found vowing their love for one another. The story ends with the marriages with a great celebration and Don John is caught for his malicious act.
Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite romance novels of the 1800. The story opens up the Bennet family, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, discussing the arrival a new wealthy neighbor to whom they might marry of one of their five daughters too. The opening statement “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife,” is strongly supported by Mrs. Bennet hoping that all her daughters will marry a fine gentleman of wealthy state. The new neighbor, Mr. Bingly, gets attached to the eldest of the sisters, Jane Bennet. To make sure the two would be engaged with one another, Mrs. Bennet puts her daughter at the risk of her health just to be acquainted with the Bingly’s at his mansion. Meanwhile Mr. Bingly’s friend, Mr. Darcy, finds him self attached to the second eldest sister, Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth being prejudice about everybody’s situations and Mr. Darcy being proud of his state make quite a match but the infireity of Miss Bennet’s family makes circumstances between the two difficult. The mother’s effort of being a matchmaker for all her daughters is tiring but Mrs. Bennet never gave up getting them well acquainted. I admire the mother’s determination to keep her family in good name and proud of their own estate. It is not easy to raise five daughters while marrying each one to good suitors.
Over the course of the summer I was instructed, by my previous teacher, to read William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies. The book, in my opinion, started off extremely slow. Therefore, I already knew that I wouldn’t enjoy the book. As I continued to read the book, I found myself confused and frustrated with several parts in the story. In particular, I was confused when I found out that the Lord of the Flies was not an actual beast but was the boys’ fear and evil that came from within them. To this day, I am still unsure about what that means. If I were the author, I would have changed the events that occurred in the book. Since I am a female, I would have included females in the book so that the story could be a lot more interesting. I would have also changed the fact that the two most kind hearted characters were killed. Why couldn’t Jack and Roger get murdered and the good characters stay alive to roam the island? In conclusion, I did not enjoy reading the Lord of the Flies.
During the summer I read Julius Caesar. This book interested me because of the social and political controversies. Nothing was just black and white. The relationship between Brutus and Caesar I think showed that no human relationships are well defined or perfectly stationary. Cassius, however played an unusual player in this scheme, because it was his conspiracy in the first place that inspire Brutus. Also, the fact that Cassius and Brutus, the allies, betrayed each other shows that they were uncomfortable with what they did and lashed out. I think that Brutus felt guilty because of the way he acted after Caesar's death. I thought that this book was full of friendship, betrayal, guilt, and political scandals. I was surprised because I thought the old English would make the story boring, but although it was hard to understand, I took great pleasure in reading it. The controversy of it made it fascinating. Overall, it was a fun book to read.
The story I will write about is To Kill a Mockingbird. The story is narrated by a girl nicknamed Scout. Scout and her brother named Jem, live with their father whose name is Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is important because he is representing Mr. Robinson, a black man on trial. During the setting of this story, discrimination and racism towards black people is very common and culturally accepted. In honesty, I believe that this book is just like those times. Upon close reading, the entire story is somewhat related to the prejudiced views and opinions headed in the south. Overall, I believe that this was a very good book and I encourage others to read it. It gave me a sense of humility and compassion for seeing what my people had to deal with. If you enjoy exciting books, you might like this one. Ironically, killing a mockingbird is a sin, but, in the end, Mr. Robinson is shot.
I recently finished the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinback. Before I started reading it I thought to myself "there is no way I'm going to enjoy this." I hated books that took place in earlier times, until i read this one. I really liked the twisted connection between Lennie and George. Though Lennie got in a lot of trouble that George had to deal with, George continued to take care of him. A couple days after reading the book, I realized that there was a connection between Candy's dog and Lennie. Both the dog and Lennie caused many problems but yet there owners still wanted them. Most would ask: Why keep something thats just going to cause trouble? While reading the book you start to feel the bond of the characters, and realize that it's not that easy to just give something/one up after being with them for so long. I really enjoyed reading this book. Of Mice and Men is now one of my all time favorites.
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, is a dark vision of the future in which genetically bred raise of people serve the ruling order of the nation. The plot of this story reminds me of a reverse version of William Shakespeare’s, The Tempest. A young man known as John, son of Linda who was pregnanted by the Director of the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, are brought back to modern day civilization. Linda was once part of the industrialized civilization but John, who was born and raised on an Indian reservation, found the, “O brave new world that has such people in it,” as he quoted Miranda from The Tempest, a disturbing way of life where individuals drug themselves with soma that diminishes heavy emotions. A young woman named Lenina falls in love with John’s mysterious characteristics such as Miranda fell for Caliban in Shakespeare’s play. Not used to the primitive lifestyle of the modern society, John reacts wildly to Lenina’s actions of trying to sleep with him after he proposed his love for her. Never wanting to see Lenina again, John looses his mother to civilization as Caliban lost his mother, Sycorax. In society, John is known as The Savage such as Caliban was to Prospero and the other man, which are played as civilization. Caliban learned the language of his intruders in which he used to curse is anger towards them. When John was little, he learned how to read by reading a book completed with all of Shakespeare’s works in which he recites quotes from King Lear, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest, to express his anger towards civilization.
Over the summer I read The Red Pony by John Steinback, which I picked up by mistake off of my bookshelf. Ten year old, Jody Tiflin, takes readers on a trip through four different stories. Jody tells us about John Steinback’s childhood memories while living on his father’s California ranch. While reading, I was not aware that there were four stories which caused me a bit of confusion when trying to connect the events together. Many of the events and their motives had symbolism that was used to make connections to John Steinback’s childhood. I found the symbolism hard to decode and baffled the point of the novel. I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would have judging from the cover. The Red Pony did not have many climaxes which made the book’s overall mood monotone. My favorite part of the book would have to be when a worker on the ranch, Billy Buck, has to save Jody’s baby mare from the mare, Nellie, because the labor process did not go as planned. After reading The Red Pony I was so disappointed because I was expecting a bigger connection. In addition, the closing was left open-ended which added to the disappointment. I was interested to know what happened to Jody after the mare he had such a close relationship with, died in labor. I did not enjoy reading The Red Pony, but I will try to read one other book by Steinback and hopefully I will like the story better than this one.
I was browsing the library one day when I came across The Color of Water by James McBride. I intended to use the title for a poem, but as I read the plot summary, I found the book seemed quite interesting. The author James McBride, takes readers on a journey from his childhood to adulthood, explaining how he came to discover the truth about his mother’s hidden background. I really enjoyed reading The Color of Water because McBride’s situation relates to my family also. The writing style was very unique because the author switches back and forth in each chapter, writing from his experience and telling his mother’s story also. Sometimes, I found it difficult to connect the events because I would forget where the events left off in the two stories, but it was easy to found my place again. The plot was so interesting because it passionately conveyed how the missing pieces between McBride and his mother’s relationship affected him as well as his mother. The book was slightly sorrowful because McBride’s fear and confusion causes his definition of family to be baffled. His triumph, as well as his mother’s was very touching and her religious motivation made her a strong, determined, and dedicated mother.
During the early 1900s the progressive movement took place in which many believed that industrialization and colonization was destroying society. To fix these problems, the progressives thought it would be best for the government to pitch in and create reforms to correct all the unfair treatment ordinary people were receiving. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, was one of the books during this movement in which muckrakers, writers who investigated horrible situations making it known to the public, used to help inform the government to make reforms. After reading the novel of a poor Lithuanian family living in Chicago hustling and risking there lives to pay for their home and feed them, greatly alarmed the current President, Theodore Delano Roosevelt. It was not only the horrible lives that poor immigrants had been incarcerated with, but also the nightmare visions of the stockyards in which handled all meat products given across America and to the troops fighting overseas. Roosevelt not believing it true at first, than discovers the same truth of the brutality of slaughtering the animals and using all wastes in other products that Americans use everyday. The deathly lives of the worker who were paid very little as is, almost ending up on the killing bed themselves, were a call of action for the government. In result of the book, The jungle literally inspired for the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act to passed, and also established legislation in the food industry. The topic is gruesome that is expressed in the book which evolves around Jurgis, who experiences the worst taste of reality during the progressive era, but the book itself is a great novel presenting both socialism and capitalism.
In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, three parts are presented. The first is Okonkwo’s history background of how he established his family and how he always wanted to prove himself better than his father he was a great disappointment to their native village in Niger. In the process, their culture unfolds through celebrations of all sorts and their living styles which are looked upon often. After murder is committed, Okonkwo and his family must leave the fatherland to the motherland for seven years in which is what the second part is about. The clash of two different cultures however is introduced in part two as well. White missionaries who teach of God and converting villagers that turn their backs onto their culture and people bring troubled times for Okonkwo when he returns to the fatherland. In part three the missionaries become brutal and the clashing cultures cannot understand each other causing more chaos and discrimination. The dying culture of the villagers leads to a suicidal battle which leaves the two cultures distant of one another and doomed for destruction. People who were once one family turn against each other after being convinced that the “white men’s’ way is better. Things Fall Apart is a great novel in which presents the horrible events that occurs between two different cultures that represent different symbols and rituals.
T.S. Eliot’s best-known drama masterpiece Murder in the Cathedral, is based on the actual event of the death of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the late 1100s. Archbishop Thomas Becket returns to Canterbury which has been left in ruins during the rule of the king. Priests discussed the neglect with Thomas who wants to use his power for the good of the people but doesn't want to turn against the king. The first priest questions the Archbishop while tormenting him with how Thomas will abuse his power. Chorus members sing in the background to inform the reader of the situations discussed. The second act introduces the knights under the name of the king who will determine the faith of the Archbishop. To the reader the knights look as if they are the ones causing mutiny but after their deed they commit they give explanations on their actions. Perhaps it was not murder, instead, it was suicide. The Archbishop had the chance to escape and stay alive but it was his choice to face the knights. Fear of the king’s disappointment in Thomas actions might have been what leads him to his death. Overall the play was a great example of all the conspiracy that might have occurred during the murder of the Archbishop in 1170.
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them,” said by Corsino in William Shakespeare’s play the Twelfth Night. The same phrase is stated again by Feste the fool, the jester of Olivia, in which he purposes that any man or woman can indeed achieve their own greatness. In the play a love triangle is formed when Olivia, who morns for her brother, is the idol for Corsino, who promises he will have Olivia as his, gets acquainted with Viola, who is disguised as a boy to work for Corsino, falls in love with Corsino not realizing Olivia is in love with Viola. Confusion begins to unfold between these lovers as Sebastian, Viola’s lost twin brother who was thought to have drowned in the beginning of the play, appears before Olivia and her family and friends mistaking him for the disguised Viola. However, when all members are present, things fall into place with two great matches breaking the confusing triangle that had been established. Viola is perfectly matched with Corsino and Sebastian is delightfully happy with his charming lady. The course of true love is never an easy matter to undergo. Confusion of mixed emotions such as anger, jealousy, and distrust ruin the relationships we have for each other. The rage building inside or the butterflies that make you fly causes men and women to jump to conclusion such as the people who saw Sebastian for the first time saw him as Viola in her disguise. They don’t even notice the complete difference in character when threatened or addressed. When both of the twins were together it was till than the others realized how blind they we were. Twelfth Night is a great example of how looks can deceive a person when they are not fully paying attention. It is amazing though how Viola with her appearance that resembles her brother so closely gave her the opportunity to roam among individuals without them knowing who she truly is. She became great friends of a great duke who later becomes her match and at the same she gave hope to Olivia’s chancing of finding love from the darkness of depression she was surrounded with. Viola had achieved greatness for these goals she has done without intentionally doing so.
First published in 1816, Emma represented the height of the great writing style of Jane Austen. Emma, being similar to Jane Austen’s other novels by portraying the hard struggle of women who must find a suitor, is more on the comedy side of these situations. The main character Miss Woodhouse, Emma, promises herself to never get involved with matchmaking until she is acquainted with a new friend whom she starts guiding her friend’s attention to certain gentlemen. Emma’s well known friend Mr. Knightly, who used to always be acquainted with her, tries to perfect Emma’s desisions concerning her new friends and her habit she can’t seem to drop of matchmaking. Harriet being the unfortunate soul to have her faith made by Emma falls under the discomfort of loving three men in a single year. However, the end turns well for both ladies, even though Emma never wanted to marry but finds her self in the arms of her dearest friend. It is great to make new friends and share opinions with each other but if you act like Emma towards a friend such as Harriet, you would put someone through the most utter disappointment. Assuming you can control the situations of love is a false conception. Believing someone perfectly matches for each other puts you on the spot and might break the relationships that occur between one another. Emma believed Mr. Elton was the one set for Harriet and proposed using clues that it was evident he loved Harriet back. Unfortunately Emma misunderstood his affections and found that she was set to be Mr. Elton’s idol. Her disappointment causes Mr. Elton such grief that forces him to ignore Harriet and be acquainted with a woman with less good-nature character. Emma realizing the chaos she had created stopped her habit of matchmaking and left Harriet to be engaged to the best suitor who was meant to be with Harriet in the first place. Her lesson of not getting involved with other people’s social status pointed out Emma’s true match for herself.
Since the Nazis invaded Germany with the idea of an Aryan race and the Russians who began spreading communism, questions were raised on how the government would be like in the future. In George Orwell’s frightening tale of the future 1984, which was presented in 1949, readers were greatly impacted with the ideas of the government controlling the people, even their thoughts. Big Brother, the superior leader of Oceania, watches the country with televisions and listens to individual conversations with secretly hidden microphones, searching anyone who opposes his power. Winston, who is one of the victims who get involved with the seriousness of the government, goes through a numerous tests and tortures to which, O’Brian, turns him into one of the drained civilians left with no feelings except for fear, hatred, and only love for Big Brother. The intentions for all this cruel treatment is only for the government to gain complete power over its people, making them latterly numb to human behavior, turning them inhumane or in a sense, turning them sane. What’s a nation in which individuals cannot make their own decisions with personal rights? Breaking into the minds of ordinary people is in fact inhumane, not sane. Discomfort to the mind is the result of reading such tragedy and horrors. Is this to be the faith of future? I believe such situations might erupt but like Winston, I believe they can never change the heart inside. They can change your thoughts, blind you, make you fake, but cannot take the identity that rests inside; human spirit will break up such felony.
The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, is one of those novels in which presented the beautiful scenery of Europe, Spain and France to be more exact. The novel includes a group of American friends who tour the city Paris and head down to Spain to see the great bull fighter which is one of the events occurring during the mass fiesta lasting a whole week. The main two characters are Lady Brett Ashley, always getting involved with some man, and Jake Barnes who is the narrator of the story. The novel is during the post-World War I generation in which the people are now relaxing, enjoying the great excitements of the European culture. During the trip Brett and Jake become close friends till the end they find they are a great match for each other. This journey the reader undergoes is a great example of representing Ernest Hemingway’s creative writing of imagery.
During the 1800s, war broke out towards man of two different races. African Americans were at the point in which they were taking extreme measures to escape the abuse of southern slave owners by running across the United States into northern territory of Canada. Many Americans who witnessed the foul behavior towards African Americans encouraged them to make a stand for them as well. Most of these abolitionists would preach the sin of the heinous crimes towards the black race, while some spoke of action and proceeded to their plans of attack. In Russell Banks Cloudsplitter, the son of the famous John Brown, writes a constant flow of letters to which he describes his whole life experience around his father during his abolition movement. Owen Brown first writes of how his family and father had fallen into poverty but with their sheep business barely kept them alive. Going through short stories of Owen’s connections with his father and his other brothers who roughly around the same age, Owen presents us with a different view of his father in which he was a very religious follower. His father always spoke of doing, “God’s duty,” which was to transport escaped slaves to safety over the northern border and attack the southerners to end slavery. All these stories that go in depth from the sheep business, to the escaping slaves, to the attacks in Kansas, and the event that took place at Harper’s Ferry, is all addressed to a Miss Mayo who, like many other professors, want to learn the real events leading to the death of “John Brown of Kansas.”
Recently, I read the book The Lord of the Flies. I thought it was a really good book and I loved the characters. I especially liked Piggy who seemed kind-hearted and smart. I didn't like Jack because he seemed to power hungry. I was sad when Simon died and sad again after Piggy got hit off of the cliff but I was happy when they were fianlly rescued. Overall, I thought it was a good book and it had many twists and turns in the story.
I recently read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. The 900 page book is long and, at times, slow, but still definitely worth reading. The book tells the stories of several different people all connected to each other by the building of a grand cathedral in Kingsbridge, England. The novel shows how single events affect the lives of many different people in different ways. The story is set in the twelfth century, yet issues like corruption, dishonesty and deception, which are timeless, are addressed. It was an interesting and suspenseful book that I could hardly put down. I am now reading the sequel, World Without End, which similarly, follows the lives of many different people, this time connected by a murder they all witnessed as children. It is set in the same town of Kingsbridge, though two centuries after the first book. I have not finished World Without End, but I definitely recommend The Pillars of the Earth to anyone who likes to read. The book is well written and the characters are all well developed. The plot is dramatic and suspenseful making it hard to ever put the book down.
During WWII Europe had experienced one of the most devastating moment in history. The Holocaust burned many horrifying images in the individuals who were part of it. Eli Wiesel’s Night, is a short novel that present those images through his own perspective. Eli and his father are in danger from the German Nazis and the Hungarian Nyilas. Eli gets separated from all his friends from his old neighborhood, the ghetto the Jews were reduced too, and loses contact with the rest of his family who disappears accept his father. Together, father and son, the two characters battle the hardship of the camps they are forced to slave which is their only ticket for survival. The stress of passing an inspection that determined the future of existence for the prisoners drove them insane, in panic, and turned them into dogs by stealing from their own family and friends. Eli promises himself that he wouldn’t let this deceiving state come between his weak father and him. His father counsels him on ways of surviving among the others during the long journey from traveling camp to camp in the cold winter nights. At certain moments the trip was completely unbearable that Eli was close to abandoning his father but still the love of his father kept him by his side till the end of his days.
There have been several works of literature that has wrapped up all the different experiences during World War II and the after lives of the individuals who were forced to change their identity for the their own sake. Another popular novel from author Eli Wiesel, The Time of the Uprooted takes place during the Holocaust era and after revolving around Gamaliel, who was just a little Jewish boy who escaped with his family from Czechoslovakia to Hungary adopting to a new family and name for his own safety. He is separated from his mother who he never sees again and founds himself growing attached to his new guardian Ilonka. The novel’s current time is after the war in where Gamaliel is trying to discover the identity of a stranger who is in a coma in a hospital. Gamaliel doesn’t know exactly why he is there but he claims the woman in the coma could be the Hungarian singer Ilonka who disappeared in Europe breaking her promise of meeting up Gamaliel after they were separated. Going through a series of flashbacks, Gamaliel’s past his revealed, from his moments with Ilonka to the three relationships that still lives in him. Through his flashbacks he finds clues that could reveal the woman’s identity in the hospital but by the end of the novel Gamaliel discovers who the woman actually is by what was in her bag. The Time of the Uprooted is a unique novel that depicts the Jewish style of literature.
One of the most famous novels describing the poor conditions and treatment of Irish working women is by the famous author Thomas hardy, Tess of the D’Urbervilles. The novel revolves around a maiden known as Tess Durbeyfield who is connected to the great family of the D’Urbervilles who fought alongside King Arthur during his reign. Tess, who has recently killed her father’s horse from not paying attention to the road, repays her father by visiting the famous mansion where she meets the friendly Alec D’Urberville whose intentions are unclear to Tess till she finds herself ill used. After returning home from the misfortune Alec brought upon Tess, she is with child who is named Sorrow for all Tess felt. Unfortunately Sorrow only lived for a few months and does not even receive a proper burial because it was not baptized by the church. As Tess tale turns into a tragedy, her live goes down a peaceful path when she starts working at a dairy farm as a milk maid. She finds herself acquainted with a familiar gentleman whom she shared a gaze within the beginning of the novel. They become attached with each other and soon become entitled to each other but Tess’s past comes back to haunt her as she tries to be honest in her marriage. Her dear Angel Claire is unable to register the horrid words she speaks of and abandons her to go to Brazil to have time to him to think. Tess’s life goes more downhill as she reencounters the devil like Mr. Alec D’Urberville who says he has turned to a cleaner life by preaching in neighborhood churches. After being neglected and tortured for a few years Tess finds herself in the worst of conflicts between the two men. This novel surely portrays the possible tragedies an Irish maiden might face during the time in which the novel was written in. Even though the novel has many negative points and does not end on the positive side it is still one of my favorite novels I ever read.
The jungle has always been a dark place in which the skills of men have been put to the tests. To diseases and the fear of being hunted, the jungle has always swallowed many men alive in its silence in which they were never heard from again. The natives of this darkness are also part of the dangerous scene where they practice such gruesome ceremonies of survival of the fittest. A novel by Joseph Conrad depicts these exact moments of encountering the wild jungle and the horrors that come from within. This novel is known as Heart of Darkness in which revolves around a narrator named Marlow who is retelling his experience on his journey on the Congo River. He speaks of a great explorer named Kurtz who falls ill due to the dark surroundings of the jungle. Unfortunately the jungle takes Kurtz along with many other men who never return to their homes. Marlow shares his story of how danger lingered at every corner of his journey of trying to escape the madness. Natives were of great threat to the explorers such as the men were of a great threat to them as well. Marlow ends his story of returning into the same darkness that threatened his very existence. The jungle is, indeed, not a place for a man who fears darkness.
“Some people don’t want to know the truth, of course,” but good writing is writing honestly. King writes honestly and uncensored, thus his characters are multidimensional and real. In <\i>The Shining, King’s “vulgar lowbrow” writing develops the character of Jack and Danny into believable, multidimensional ones, suggesting that uncensored, honest writing is necessary to create realism. The profanity and vulgarity often used in <\i>The Shining was necessary to develop the characters and the storyline. King’s background also makes it easier for him to write truthfully, further adding to the experience for the reader. King receives criticism for having racist themes in his novels and that he is constantly accused of being “foul mouthed, bigoted.” But without this language, the emotions and intensity of the characters experiences would be diminished. He disregards public opinion and in <\i>The Shining, profane language and themes are necessary to develop the characters of Jack and Danny. King’s honesty in writing creates a more realistic story and complex characters.
“The Real Fidel Castro” is a biography written by the former British ambassador, Leycester Coleman, to Cuba about Fidel Castro. Coleman provides his audiences with an intimate look at the life of the former Cuban president, Fidel Castro. I read this book for a US History class project and I really enjoyed reading it. This book reassured me that Fidel Castro isn't the evil dictator many people portray him as being. He was a man with a goal and a mission. No matter how many times he was thrown in jail or beaten he didn't give up his dream of overthrowing the corrupt government of Cuba. This book starts of from his child hood, talks about his early college days and how he first became interested in politics, his disastrous premature attempts in overthrowing Fulgencio Batista's government, his exile into Mexico, his guerrilla war, his time as president of Cuba, and finally his last couple months in power. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a bad or good perspective on Fidel Castro. It goes into a lot of detail on Castro’s personal life as well as political life.
Long before school became an opportunity for any young man or woman, getting into college was a great deal. The only people who were able to have the privilege of a decent education for a better future were wealthy, or had good connections in the family. Thomas Hardy’s novel, Jude the Obscure, represents the struggle that many eligible people could not always chase the dreams they set for themselves at an early age. As young students we usually plan what we will do in the future and we are provided the opportunity to achieve those goals but that was not the case for Jude Fawley. Jude is not a wealthy young man who dreams of going to the university in Christminster and study Latin and Greek, all the subjects that will allow him to be part of the church. However, the university thinks it is best for him to stick to his steady job of being a sculptor and architect. Jude becomes depressed and gives up studying and reading the books he found to prepare him for school. The novel continues with his depression of being turned down and becomes more complicated as he gets in a relationship with his cousin after being separated from his first wife. Jude the Obscure is one of Thomas Hardy’s best novels that represent the struggle of the lower class in society and how the university impacted individuals.
During the 1940s in the Dominican Republic, a strong leader ruled the government and brought good and bad times for the people. He was known as Trujillo and every man and woman feared him. However, there were many who too stood up against his power, trying to overturn the government with secret missions. They were not very successful unfortunately but they will be remembered for the good tidings they tried to bring back. In Julia Alvarez’s In Time of the Butterflies, four sisters are growing up under this tyranny and together they try to gain justice from all the crimes Trujillo brought upon the people. The story revolves around all for sisters listening to each perspective through diary entries and their own experiences. Each sister lived a healthy life; each developed their own family, but only one would remain to share their struggle. This novel was a great piece of work that explained all the terror that Trujillo caused. It expresses the stress he put on all families that worked beneath him trying to protect their daughters from the “savage dog.” The story of these four sisters is the best depiction of the Dominican struggle with the devilish Trujillo.
The Native American culture is known for their oral history that would be passed down from generation to generation over time. However, oral history doesn’t preserve their culture putting their whole history in danger. Some Native Americans have recorded their own tales and history stories they were passed from their ancestors. One such author includes N. Scott Momaday. His most popular novel is The Way to Rainy Mountain that depicts the Natives culture. His other novel, House Made of Dawn, depicts the modern culture of Native Americans today. Through the story, Abel the protagonist, has been raised on a reservation and encounters his grandfather. Abel reviews his past and present issues as he struggle through the modern problems of a Native American; finding a job, women, drinking, and family ties. The novel is full of sexuality and visionary scenes that best resemble the true scenery of the modern life. Abel learns a lot from his past and from his grandfather who pulls him out of a greater depression.
Othello, written as a play by William Shakespeare, is a dramatic tragedy of forbidden love. The setting of the story takes place in a kingdom in the city of Venice. The main characters, Othello and Desdemona, take on a journey of misunderstandings and confusion that will, in the end, destroy the love between them. Othello is filled with common themes of love, envy, infidelity, and prejudice. When Othello and Desdemona openly reveal their love for each other, mayhem arises. Other characters in the story see their love as incompatible, not only because of the large age gap, but also of their different skin colors. Nevertheless, Othello and Desdemona avoid the details of their age and race to maintain their passionate love. The theme of racism is evident when Desdemona’s father refuses to accept the feelings the two lovers have. Desdemona’s father, Lord Bertrand, said to Othello after the secret marriage, “she will deceive you.” This quote implanted a small seed in Othello’s mind that, with encouragement from Iago, would grow to demolish the two lovers. The antagonist, Iago, conveys the theme of betrayal and jealousy. Iago seeks revenge on Othello for refusing him a promotion in the military defense force, and so he fabricates a web of lies that he intends to lead to Othello’s downfall. Although Iago is the source of both Othello and Desdemona’s death, it is equally Othello’s fault for believing in Iago, and not trusting his own wife. I cannot deny that Othello did not truly love his wife, but love comes with the element of trustworthiness and responsibility. Their love was not enough to defeat the treachery of immorality. Othello is a story that characterizes the human conscience, and how misleading information from a deceitful person can lead to death. In my opinion, it is one of Shakespeare’s most enthralling and captivating plays.
Nabokov was a lover of words and believed that the strong use of language could elevate anything to the level of art. He brilliantly proves that this is true in his novel Lolita. It is filled with sordid themes of pedophilia, rape, murder, and incest, and through the eyes of Humbert Humbert, an enchanting dark tale is told. The reader enters the mind of Humbert, who has an obsession with "nymphets" referring to girls as young as five years old. Humbert is sick,yet he does not believe he is mentally insane. He believes it is merely an uncontrollable obsession, not psychosis. As disturbing as it is, the use of language is remarkable and successfully messes with the readers mind, causing a need for the reader to stop and come back to reality. Lolita attacks the human condition in a way that, in addition to causing a reaction, will change the way people think about love, obsession, and the human mind.
The Sun Also Rises was an excellent novel by Ernest Hemingway depicting the lives of a group of American friends and their experiences in Europe post-World War I. Jake, the narrator, is deeply in love with Brett, but after a wound he received in war, he is unable to have sex, which is why Brett refuses to enter a relationship with him. The story follows Jake, Brett and their group of friends as they travel from Paris to Spain to attend a fiesta, all the while getting drunk and living in aimless relaxation. The story shows the conflicts between the many men who all have infatuations with Brett, and also shows the deeper emotional issues of the characters, who are always drinking alcohol and trying to have a good time but never seem to be truly happy.
The Sun Also Rises was an excellent novel by Ernest Hemingway depicting the lives of a group of American friends and their experiences in Europe post-World War I. Jake, the narrator, is deeply in love with Brett, but after a wound he received in war, he is unable to have sex, which is why Brett refuses to enter a relationship with him. The story follows Jake, Brett and their group of friends as they travel from Paris to Spain to attend a fiesta, all the while getting drunk and living in aimless relaxation. The story shows the conflicts between the many men who all have infatuations with Brett, and also shows the deeper emotional issues of the characters, who are always drinking alcohol and trying to have a good time but never seem to be truly happy.
The Harlem Renaissance was an extremely influential period of time in American history where African-Americans were finding a new identity for themselves through new innovations in art, literature and music. This book, The Harlem Reader by Herb Boyd, is a compilation of narratives, personal accounts, stories, testimonies and short works that, combined, give the reader an overall impression of what life was like in Harlem during the early 20th century in the Unites States. This was a book I originally read for a project in my US History class, and I loved it because it related directly to what we were learning in your class about the Harlem Renaissance. These testimonies come from both well known and not so well known figures in black history, who each give their own unique perspective on the events that they have witnessed and the experiences that they have had in Harlem. Some of the notable figures that were the subjects (and writers) of these short works were Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey, and the subjects touched on some important places and events, such as the Cotton Club, The Apollo Theatre and the creation of the Black Star Line. The Harlem Reader vividly portrays the struggles and achievements of African-Americans during the Harlem Renaissance and the huge advancements they have made in the arts, politics, literature, music, and economics.
The Poor Man’s Son, written by Mouloud Feraoun, is a fictional autobiography that describes the difficult life of French-controlled Algeria by utilizing the protagonist, Fouroulou Menrad, an ambitious schoolteacher. The novel takes place in Algeria in a large village called Tizi in the period of the First World War of 1914. At the time in Algeria, poverty was immense and many lacked food and shelter. It begins with Menrad during his childhood, explaining the reflections of sympathetic tourists who come across the villages and nature of Algeria as wonderful and peace-like; but oversee the meager of the villages. The narrator then gives an abstract view of his copious family and their aspects, how the relatives work together equally to somehow escape poverty. The Kabyle peasant’s family life is depicted as patriarchal and determined by agricultural responsibilities. Two major themes in The Poor Man’s Son is patience and perseverance. It involves the ongoing battle between poverty and a family, and the determination of Menrad to become a dignified schoolteacher under the French regime. With seven people to mind for, Menrad’s father “works like a devil, never losing a day and permitting no one any luxury, including himself.” He single-handedly works and conveys money home for his family. This hardship put the family at stake when Fouroulou Menrad’s father left for France to work. With patience, the father raised enough money for his family and returned home after much struggle. With perseverance, Menrad had to keep going on his ambition to teach. Difficulties of his environment did not stop Fouroulou Menrad from reaching the goal of teaching. Menrad continued on and persevered, unwilling to become a simple shepherd. The Poor Man’s Son is a fascinating autobiography exemplifying how a dominating culture influences the colonized country with poverty and racism.
Haroun and the Sea of Stories is an alluring and imaginative fictional novel written by Salman Rushdie. The story comprises the concept that stories are essential to life, and without them, life is meaningless. This novel portrays the protagonist Haroun Khalifa, seeking to help his father get the gift of storytelling back, while evil forces attempt to destroy the source of all stories. Haroun’s father, Rashid Khalifa the legendary “Shah of Blah,” is a storyteller who becomes depressed when his wife leaves him. Rashid Khalifa is then unable to tell his wonderful stories and share it with others. This is the call to adventure, for Haroun takes a journey to the dreamlike city of Gup, to help his father become the “Ocean of Notions” once again. There are some connections that are similar between Haroun and the Sea of Stories and the world, and some that are not. The society composed in this story is diverse from the real world majorly. Logic is inevitable in the real world, but not in the text. Illogical language and issues in the story are distinctly opposites of worldly situations. But some relations can be made. The importance of dualities in the story pertains to the real world significantly. Dualities in the story, such as light and dark, loud and silent, good and evil, are represented in the world every day. Also Haroun and the Sea of Stories is an allegory because it represents topics and problems of the world that concerned Salman Rushdie. Haroun and the Sea of Stories illustrates the depths of comedy, fantasy, and drama, and is a magical story that holds other universal stories that represent the traditional tale of adventures.
I have read Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible about three times, and each time I grow a stronger disliking for the character Abigail. Arthur Miller wrote the play during the brief dominance of Senator Joseph McCarthy. He believed the U.S. should be pushed into an anti-Communist fervor during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.The Crucible novel is based in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The inhabitants of the town are very religious Puritans who live by strict traditionalist rules of their society. The book starts off with a group of girls who are rebelling in a forest dancing around a fire with a black slave named Tituba. When the girls get caught by one of the girl’s father, Reverend Parris, his daughter supposedly falls ill into a coma state. The profound illness starts talk of witchcraft amongst the Puritan townspeople. Jealousy and hatred contribute to the atmosphere of hysteria. Many people are put on trial, thrown in jail, and accused of conducting witchcraft towards others. John Proctor and Abigail are two main characters in the book. Abigail is responsible for fueling the hysteria of witchcraft, in addition to getting the government involved with accusing innocent people of witchcraft. John Proctor is looking to do anything to terminate the hysteria. He wants to inform everyone aware that Abigail is lying to cover up her wrong doings, and rebelling against the profound religious Puritan society. The story ends with John Proctor refusing to conform to the unreasonable judgments of the government, and he as well as two others are killed.
I was required to read a nonfiction novel called The Art of War by Sun Tzu. I have to admit that this was not the most interesting book to read, but it is very beneficial because Tzu’s philosophies, theories, techniques, and skills can be applied to everyday life. Tzu’s writing style was exceptionally interesting to me because he managed to discuss his theories through an actual war. Throughout the book he discusses preparing, strategizing, and executing for war. In each chapter he discusses important themes that are important when strategizing such as: Strategic Planning And Rational Analysis; Importance Of Information And Related Processing Capability; Importance Of Knowledge, Wisdom, And Understanding; Inherent Advantages And Disadvantages; Opportunistic Flexibility In Adapting Strategies And Tactics To Situation; Ethical Conduct; and Patience, Positioning, And Timing. Although I did not enjoy reading this book it taught me a lot about how important it is to focus on my inner being, and develop ways in which I can contribute, and coexist in the world.
Brenda Maddox’s nonfiction book Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA is an inspiring novel for anyone who wants to become a scientist. Maddox’s writing style was very descriptive and drawn out, but the storyline was very easy to follow. Maddox takes readers through Rosalind’s childhood to open up the story, and then voices Rosalind’s intense love for science. Many of her significant studies were done at Cambridge University, and while she worked as a partner with Francis Crick, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins. During Rosalind’s years, women scientists were barely recognized, or noted for any type of conclusions or studies they made. Maddox tells readers Rosalind’s untold story of being discriminated against, and cheated of recognition for the double-helix DNA structure. Her partners used her studies and findings of the DNA molecule to conclude the DNA structure. The two partners received a Nobel Prize that was primarily based off Rosalind’s findings, but of course they did not share that with anyone. One of Rosalind’s partners James Watson wrote a memoir about “his” findings that completely dismissed Rosalind’s photographic findings of the DNA molecule, and her diligent work for the team. In result of wanting to become a minor in Chemistry, I enjoyed this book because it provided background on women’s position in the field of science.
Malcolm X: The Autobiography is a book I could read over and over again. I absolutely loved this book! The book is a life story of Malcolm X from childhood to adulthood. His mission was to create an organization for all African Americans regardless of their religion. From a street hustler, inmate, and from the streets of Boston readers are informed about his transformation into a motivated Muslim wanting to create an organization for all blacks regardless of their religion. He finally realizes that he was trying to conform to society by looking like white man, “self degradation”. He walks in his father’s footsteps in the light of contributing to the African American community. Malcolm X is the son of a Baptist preacher who supported Garvey’s “back to Africa” movement. His role model Elijah Muhammad heavily impacted his decisions, and actions on how to contribute to society. At the time, some citizens did not adhere to Malcolm’s plan to make change because it was in complete opposition to Dr. Martin Luther King’s plan for integration, and non-violent acts. I really enjoyed reading this book even though it was a while ago. I will probably be reading it again very soon!
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegur was the most difficult reading material I have ever read in my life! When I began reading I had no idea what the author was talking about, and I could not follow the storyline very well at all. Eventually, I picked up the book and tried to read it again, and I finished! Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegur begins with real life experiences of Billy Pilgrim as a prisoner of war, and discusses his travel back to Germany with another inmate named Bernard O'Hare. Throughout the book, Billy experiences being unstuck in time. He time travels to points of his past and future then back to where he was originally. The time travel skip was the main line of confusion to me, and resulted to frustration because it was extremely difficult for me to follow. In chronicling the extraordinary events that happen to Billy, from witnessing the Dresden firebombing to being kidnapped by aliens in Tralfamadore he eventually is killed. The storyline was confusing, but interesting. The book ends with Billy re-living his death before his time. He finds out before hand that he will be shot by a man named Paul Lazzaro, who was sent by a jingoist named Ronald Weary. I will never read this book again, but I will consider watching the movie.
The Black Rose, by Tananarive Due is a novel about a famous African American named Madam C.J. Walker. I have done many projects on Madam C.J. Walker when I was younger, and over the years I have picked up more and more readings about her. Tananarive takes readers on a journey through Walker’s life from being born to her enslaved parents in 1867 to becoming one of the first African American tycoons of her time. Her famous quote “I got my start by giving myself a start,” was what she always told people when she rose to the head of a hugely successful company, and a leading philanthropist. Walker, originally named Sarah Breedlove worked on a plantation with her parents. To escape the epidemic and failing cotton crops, she moved to Vicksburg, and obtained work as a maid. Tananarive discusses the journey through love with Breedlove’s three husbands. Eventually, she gives birth to Lelia, (later known as A'Lelia Walker, a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance). Madam Walker and her husband toured the country promoting their products and training sales agents while Lelia ran a mail-order operation in Denver. Madam C.J began making her wonder-working hair care method that changed her life. She built a marketing empire that enlisted more than twenty thousand African American women to demonstrate, and sell her products door-to-door. The Black Rose is primarily about how she rose to success, but talks a lot about her big break on making her own hair care product called, Wonderful Hair Grower. Madam C.J. Walker heavily supported the NAACP, NACW, YMCA, and YWCA. She also contributed to black schools, organizations, individuals, orphanages, retirement homes. Madam Walker came to be known as the first African American woman millionaire in history.
I loved reading The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger! When I first picked up the book, I had no initial thoughts except that the book was going to lame. I was completely wrong. The book tells the story of a young boy named Holden Caulfield. During his childhood Holden has being performing terribly in the many schools that he has attended, and is being expelled from his fourth school. He does not plan to tell his parents about him being expelled, but he is not planned to return home for a while. He experiences the painfulness of childhood, and the phoniness of adulthood. Salinger allows readers to follow Holden on an interesting short lived journey passing time by before he plans to go home. We are introduced to his roommate Stradlater, which then brings in the character Jane, who reoccurs throughout the book. Jane is a young female who Holden used to date, and still really loves. Holden ends up in New York at a hotel flirting with older females at the club, seeking sex from a woman he barely knows, being denied drinks, and going to Central Park. The whole books revolves around Holden isolating himself as a form of self-protection. The theme reoccurs throughout the novel, and explains a lot about his unstable personality. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I think it would be a great book to analyze in our Humanities III class.
People often wonder what would happen if humans were left to their own devices in a world without rules or consequences. These ideas were explored in William Golding’s book Lord of the Flies. In this story, a group of British school children are stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash and begin to organize themselves in order to find a way to survive. Ralph, the group’s elected leader, tries to keep everything peaceful. Jack, the story’s antagonist, constantly stirs up trouble and repeatedly challenges Ralph’s authority. As time goes on, the group splits in two, with Jack and Ralph each controlling one of the factions. But Jack’s group becomes violent and savage, and before they are all found and rescued, two of the boys are killed and the entire island is burned by fire. This story reveals the darkness in human nature, and how in the heart of the wilderness, many will forget their civilized lives and revert to primitive savagery.
In his book Always Running, author Luis Rodriguez recounts his days as a youth growing up in the Barrios of East L.A. during the 60’s and 70’s. This memoir vividly portrays the world he grew up in, filled with crime, gangs, drugs, sex, violence, and racism, all the while exploring the Latino gang culture of that time. As a child he saw what was happening in the streets around him, and out of fear, he became part of a gang. He was immediately immersed in their world, living the crazy life of a Latino gang member. But after years of this, he became severely depressed with his life, at one point even trying to commit suicide. He eventually found his way out through education and became the award winning author he is today. This book looks at several different issues that a Chicano youth faced in L.A. during the 60’s and 70’s. Rodriguez talks about his experiences in the school system there, where it was total anarchy and the teachers and staff had absolutely no faith in the Latino students, thinking they would not grow up to accomplish anything more than becoming either gang members or blue-collar workers. Rodriguez also discusses the many conflicts between racial groups in L.A. at the time, and the book highlights several important events in history, such as the Watts Rebellion and the East L.A. Riots. I greatly enjoyed this book, where the author gave a highly personal look into the gritty world of Latino gangs without shielding the reader from any of the harsh, unpleasant details of their reality.
During the early nineteenth century, men and women have been accustomed to the few necessities of life that determined their class; education, property, and marriage. Of course men were very much obliged to these criteria but a great number of women during the time period had a lot to compete when trying to gain one of those necessities. A girl known as Jane Eyre tells her life story of how she came around those products of life in society. As an orphan she was raised by her aunt who had no intention to take care of but was requested by her husband to do so before he died. Being bullied by her cousins and her aunt she was very pleased to hear that she was being sent to boarding school where she grew up to become a decent educated young lady. At the age of eighteen she became a governess for a little French girl that was under the care of Mr. Rochester. Mr. Rochester not being the father of the child was stayed distant from the girl but once he returned from one of his long trips away in Europe, he find himself quite delighted to see a woman such as Miss Jane Eyre in his mansion. Jane respects the man who is nearly forty and finds her getting involved with some odd accidents in the mansion caused by an older maid who is quite not quite the average sort of person. Finally falling in Mr. Rochester they become engaged to marry when it turns out the odd woman in the mansion is Mr. Rochester’s wife. Jane leaves right away after this distressing news to start life anew. However, she becomes a beggar for a while till a sweet young man and his two sisters take care of her. The man known as St. John or Mr. Rivers discovers where Jane came from and who she truly is also discovers the true that they are cousins from another uncle of Jane’s. Jane is very happy to hear to have she cousins that treat as family but is even more excited to hear that her remaining uncle recently passed away leaving her his property and good worth of money. Mr. Rivers wants Jane as a missionary’s wife when he goes to India but Jane still can’t forget the one true love that she abandoned about a year ago. At the point of break down she runs back to the old mansion where she lived with Mr. Rochester and finds out his wife has killed herself after a fire broke out and Mr. Rochester became a crippled and blind man. She returns to her lost love to never part him again. They finally marry and live together as they ought to have in the first place. This novel by Charlotte Bronte is truly a masterpiece of the challenges women face in society. Jane Eyre is the voice of every woman who seeks true love.
Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, is an exhilarating fictional book about a boy who struggles to survive, stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a four-hundred and fifty pound Bengal tiger. Piscine Molitar Patel is a young pious boy from Pondicherry, India, who is devoted to three monotheistic religions, Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism. Piscine’s religious views are not accepted by his family, but he stays committed to his belief of Brahma, Allah, and Jesus. As Piscine and his family are traveling through the Pacific on a cargo ship to their new home in Toronto, the ship sinks and Piscine is left on a life-boat with an orangutan named Orange Juice, an injured zebra, an aggressive hyena, and a carnivorous tiger named Richard Parker from his father’s zoo. Piscine’s key motive is to stay alive and tame the tiger, and to do so he must keep Richard Parker fed and healthy, so the ferocious animal would not turn on him for food. For the stressful and life-threatening two-hundred and twenty-seven day voyage, Piscine is accompanied by Richard Parker. Both boy and tiger share a common goal, and that is to survive from the harsh environment of the Ocean. Piscine not only survives from his responsibility of Richard Parker, but from his belief in God. Piscine experiences emotions of optimism and insanity from his time out in the Pacific Ocean. Piscine realizes that maintaining a sense of hope is important to survival when stranded with a tiger. Life of Pi has been one of the most exciting and intriguing novels I have read. The reader can sense the intensity and alarm of being stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. I would recommend this book to all audiences who are interested in facts of zoology, spirituality, and survival.
East, West, written by the notable Salman Rushdie, is a brilliant collection of stories of nine significant short stories that contradict, commend, and, change the world perspective of the east and the west. Salman Rushdie fuses and links two distinctive cultures together to create East, West. This fictional novel signifies the major differences between the east and west. The book is comprised of three chapters, “East”, “West”, and “East, West”. Each of the nine stories pertains to the specific geological area of the east or the west. The chapter of “East” talks of India, the home of the author, and details Indian culture in “Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies.” Religion is also represented in “The Prophet’s Hair.” “West” involves the culture of Europe, and 16th century literature. In “Yorick,” the story follows along Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, only with a twist. The last chapter, “East, West”, is a combination of the east and the west and is a depiction of cultural diffusion. In this chapter, the East meets the West. The characters from the east are westernized into European culture. This is a novel of cultural diversity, with characters that diffuse into different cultures. Although the characters have diverse customs, they all have a common interest in the concept of home. The main aspect of book is the pull of the east and the west, choosing which is truly home. East, West is a connection of culturally diverse regions and expresses the challenges dealing with the east and the west. Allusions and allegories of the world and other prominent books of the west consist in the novel, and it conveys how western culture has merged into that of the east. From my own experiences of my travels to Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, I can relate to the differences and similarities of the east and west.
I read 3 Books over the summer and one of my favorites was Dances With Wolves by Micheal Blake. This book is about a man named John dunbar who cones to his fort and finds noone there. The story goes on with him having an encounter with indians. As the book goes on he becomes more fond of the indians. He marries the girl of his dreams and then the tribe does It’s wnterly move and the whit soldiers come. John dunbar kills them and they live happily ever after. I liked ths book because it intertwined two cultures into one. John dunbar, despite hisamericam backround was able to fit in the indian culture. This book is not only intersting, but it leaves you at the edge of your seat. This was an outstanding book.
During the summer I did a bit of reading. One of the books I read was Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare. I would not put this favorite books list mostly because it was really hard to read. There was a lot of blood involved. The story was pretty good though. I did want to keep reading it mostly because there was a bit of suspense in it. The soothsayer kept on telling Caesar to “beware the Ides of March” and this made me want to find out what would happen on that day. It was a horrible ending. I didn’t actually expect the conspirators to actually murder Caesar but they did. It was a really tragic ending for Caesar especially because his friend Brutus was also a member of the conspirators I wouldn’t have read this book but it was an assignment for Humanities class so I had no choice. I actually took a test about the book and I got an 89% which I am really proud of.
I enjoyed reading Julius Casar because it had politics involved. The reason i didn't love the play is because it did not have much action, especially at the begining. By the ending everyone was just killing themselves or each other. I didn't think the play Julius Caesar was one of his best. Julius Caesar was a fictional play, based on true people and places.
When I usually think of a nice read, a fantasy or adventure book comes to mind. However, when I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, this was quickly disproved. Julius Caesar follows the plan, action, and aftermath of the conspiracy to kill General Caesar. I had to read this book for a summer reading assignment and, quickly, I fell in love with the characters, monologues, and plots. Firstly, my favorite character is Marcus Brutus because of his complicated and distraught personality. He often faces battles with himself that show his weariness on the decision to kill Caesar. It was appealing to know that he still cared for Caesar and was not doing the act out of hate. Secondly, there are some very memorable speeches throughout the play, but at the top of my list is the ‘Honorable Man’ speech made by Mark Antony. This takes place after Caesar’s death, when Antony is speaking to the plebeians of what truly happened. There is a certain undertone to what he is saying that is filled with sarcasm and some bitterness and it was a turning point for his character. Lastly, the conspiracy plays out perfectly as a plot. There are so many different reasons to kill Caesar. Some characters killed with love, some with hate, and some with pure jealousy. I took notice to what the intentions of the conspirators were and this gave the story more depth and interest. Overall, Julius Caesar was a book that was hard to put down and although it was an assignment, it was still an enjoyable read.
For summer reading I read Dances With Wolves by Michael Blake. It is an enthralling tale of a soldier in the 1800s who assimilates into a whole new other culture; the Comanche Indian culture. The soldier, Lt. John Dunbar, gets assigned to a recently deserted fort and after being there for some time, he makes contact with a Comanche Indian. One day, though, he saves a Comanche woman who we later learn speaks English so he is able to speak to the people through her and he begins to grow into their culture and earns the name Dances With Wolves. After helping the Comanche win in a battle against the Pawnee Indians he marries the English speaking Comanche and becomes Comanche himself. I think the message of the story was that often times your perceptions of people are wrong and if you allow yourself to open up to the unfamiliar things around you you’ll find that things are not always what they seem.
In the book, Pudd’n head Wilson Mark Twain shows how different races and cultural backgrounds are perceived and how they impact one another. In this novel the main character Roxy switches her baby with a free baby in order for her child to live the free life. As the book proceeded I began to wonder why Mark Twain included such precise and descriptive detail in the novel that left me curious as a reader. Twain’s use of words made this story easy to follow and very interesting to engage with. He also includes vivid examples of how race and segregation are depicted within the novel. This novel also showed how different races can be similar but not quite the same. If I had a chance to recommend this book I would because I taught me how slaves struggled for freedom and how cultural backgrounds can impact each other in various ways
I for one actually liked and enjoyed the Summer Reading; Shakespeare's: Julius Caesar. This book is about the plot to kill Julius Caesar, the man who is next in line to be the Roman King. People want to kill him because they fear what he will do to the country as leader. The whole idea of a conspiracy was the best part of the book for me, because everybody was trying to kill each other and the characters could really trust no one. The characters were another aspect of the book I really seemed to have liked. They were all so different; some conniving, some funny, some bold, and others untrustworthy. Now that I am finished reading the book, I'm considering reading more of Shakespeare's plays. I've seemed to have taking a liking to them!
Dances with Wolves was the summer reading I was assigned for humanities. The whole “cowboys and Indians” scenario was completely unappealing to me a first and so I put off reading the novel until the very last minute. Once I started Dances with Wolves , I was hooked! I had completely judged this plain, maroon covered ,black binded book by its cover. The plot of dances with wolves is fairly depressing. The Native American Comanche tribe is a peaceful, respectful group that fights only for the protection of it’s village. They live in the American west and can sense a change in the air. The whites are coming to “settle” this beautiful, powerful land and are the polar opposite of these native Americans. The Comanche are distressed, bitter and confused with this sinvasion. On the other side of the river the comanhe tribe is settled on, a lieutenant dunbar has just been deployed to help “settle” the rugged west. By the time he gets there his regiment has fled and he is left alon and stranded. The two cultures collide near this river and leutenat dunbar becomes a sort of interpretor between his white culture and the native American tribe. In this eye opening novel the reader sees the extreme culture clash of the whites and Indians . The total opposition of the violent, conquering, oppressive whites and the regal, respectful the Indians makes for a fascinating and touching novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Julius Caesar is a play written by William Shakespeare. It is about a powerful man who ruled during the Roman Republic. He denied the crown three times and was finally killed. In the beginning, it was boring, but by the third act I was hooked. Shakespeare can write about anything and make it a comedy or a tragedy. The only thing that bothered me was that old English is hard to understand, many things have changed. I love learning about history and reading plays, so it was right up my ally.
As I read Julius Ceasar by William Shakespeare, I realized that his writing is very similar to present-day writing. This short play is about the great Roman Empire ruled by Julius Ceasar and two men that go by the names of Brutus and Cassius, who despised the way that Ceasar ruled. Brutus and Cassius along with others against Caesar plotted to execute him. Once their plan was carried through, many people were upset with them and they had to leave their city in order to settle some of the commotion and participate in a small war, which they lost. I thought that this was a good book, but I did not like it. William Shakespeare is a great writer, but I did not find this book interesting or an attention-grabber. This play took a few scenes to get to the point, and there were too many characters to try and keep up with. All in all, this is a good book, but one that was not my cup of coffee.
Julius Caesar is a famous play written by William Shakespeare. I had to read this play during summer for School Without Walls. To summarize it, there was a group of people against Caesar so they came up with a plan to stop him from being crowned leader of Rome. They then suffer some consequences. I didn't like Julius Caesar because the plot was too bland for me. In addition, the old English made it very difficult to understand.
Julius Caesar was about conspirators planning to kill Julius because he was a tyrant.I enjoyed this book because it was full of suspense. You never knew what was going to happen next. Many things went on between each character, making the book full of action, from Brutus turning people against Caesar, to characters and their personal lives. This book was full of details that I could imagine I was watching the play, such as describing the expressions on the character's face. Because the book was full of drama, I couldn't wait to read what happens next. The book also had the old English and the modern English, making it easier to understand. I recommend this book to other students because it is full of new vocabulary words and reacting an event in history.
Julius Caesar is a script written by William Shakespeare, a famous 16th century English poet and play write. One of his more famous works of literature is Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar is a play about the murder of an ambitious Roman general, who comes back from a victorious battle and is given the crown to be king. He declines three times; however his friends are jealous and murder Caesar with the excuse that great Caesar was ambitious. Mark Antony and Octavius avenge Caesars death, by beating Brutus and Cassius in a great battle; the battle ends when Brutus and Cassius kill themselves in order not to be captured as prisoners. As entertaining as the story was, I strongly believe that Shakespeare wrote his plays to be performed, not read. If I had seen a performance of the play I am sure that I would have understood, and enjoyed the story more.
This book is about the great Roman leader Julius Caesar who was killed because other people thought he was bad for Rome. I kind of liked the book but it wasn’t my favorite. Then thing I really didn’t like about it was that it was in mostly old Shakespearean. I can’t really understand it and it eventually takes my interest away. I thought it had a nice plot and was very dramatic to be based on true events. I think they should have a version in modern English. I think this story has an interesting plot.It really grabs your atttention once you understand what's going on.
Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy telling the story of the death of Julius Caesar and its aftermath. The play begins as Caesar returns from a civil conquest. Next, Brutus, Cassius, and others plot to assassinate Caesar—mostly out of jealousy. After killing Caesar, the conspirators must battle against Antony and Octavius (friends of Caesar) for control of the Roman Empire. I enjoyed reading Julius Caesar; I loved the clever wording that Cassius used to persuade Brutus to join the conspiracy against Caesar and the way Antony turned the crowd against Brutus and Cassius at Caesar’s funeral. Despite the fact that parts of Julius Caesar were extremely sad, there was also comic relief. One example of this is when Cinna the Poet is confused with Cinna the Conspirator and consequently beaten up. Another example is when a poet enters upon Brutus and Cassius while they are talking, utters a rhyme, and is countered with, “Ha, ha, how vilely doth this cynic rhyme.” Overall, Julius Caesar is a book that I would recommend to everyone.
This summer, I read an intriguing book called Dances With Wolves, by Michael Blake. It was a great book about the life of a white man named John J. Dunbar helping an Indian tribe, the Comanche, defeat their enemy, the white soldiers. The main idea of this book was how Lieutenant John J. Dunbar was shipped out to Fort Sedgewick, found an Indian camp, and helped them in their struggle for food and survival. I loved this book because of the way it shows a sworn enemy helping his victim. However, I did not like the way Dunbar’s fellow soldiers treated him simply because he looked like an Indian. Their judgmental actions against him made me strongly consider how the white soldiers probably treated the Comanche Indians, although this was not betrayed in the book.
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare to me was a difficult book to read because this was my first time ever reading a Shakespeare book. It was also difficult for me because even with the translated portion of the text it was still worded weird and also because I just didn’t find it interesting. I did not like Julius Caesar because it is not the typical book I would want to read and the only exciting or thrilling event in the book was the part where Caesar was killed by Brutus Overall besides those interesting parts Julius Caesar was not the best book I ever read.
This summer, the book I had to read was Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was written by one of the most famous playwrights in history, William Shakespeare. This book included themes such as betrayal and had a cast of complex characters. Out of all of the characters in this book, my favorite was Marcus Brutus. He was my favorite character because even though Caesar and him had a deep friendship, Brutus contributed to the death of Caesar for the betterment of Rome. All in all, I enjoy the book, but I did have a bit of trouble reading the old English. The plot and characters were good but my inability to completely comprehend the old English greatly hindered me in enjoying the book.
This summer, I read Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. The book was about the plot to kill Caesar, and the consequences that resulted following his death. People plotted against Caesar for many reasons: for hate, jealousy, and for the love of Rome. I believe that Julius Caesar was interesting. However, the fact that I couldn’t relate to the story made it hard to comprehend. The old English was tiring after just a few minutes. Overall, the book was depressing, and I didn’t enjoy it at all.
This summer, I read Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. The book was about the plot to kill Caesar, and the consequences that resulted following his death. People plotted against Caesar for many reasons: for hate, jealousy, and for the love of Rome. I believe that Julius Caesar was interesting. However, the fact that I couldn’t relate to the story made it hard to comprehend. The old English was tiring after just a few minutes. Overall, the book was depressing, and I didn’t enjoy it at all.
Dances With Wolves is a book by Michael Blake. I think the author is trying to send the message that the general perceptions of people can often be incorrect and that if you are to open yourself to new cultures you can find that people are often different than what society would dictate them to be. Lt. John Dunbar always heard stories of the Indians being hostile towards whites, but when he met the Comanche tribe he learned that these stereotypes were incorrect. I liked the book Dances With Wolves because it showcased the lives of the Indians and their society, something I had never read about before. The story was very interesting, as well as informative, and the transformation Lt. Dunbar made from a white soldier to a Comanche Indian, Dances With Wolves, was a true eye-opener. Dances With Wolves was an enjoyable book that I would recommend to a friend.
The book Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, is mainly about Julius losing his position of emperor. His enemy Cassius and best friend mark Antony joined with the conspirators and stabbed him to death. I enjoyed Julius Caesar, because his fall from the great emperor was interesting. Also I learned more about the ancient roman civilizations which benefits me in class.
During the summer I read the book Pudd’nhead Wilson by Mark Twain. It’s a short book set during the time of slavery; and it has the first uses of fingerprinting. Pudd’nhead Wilson has just moved into the town and collects everyone in, Dawson’s Landings, fingerprints. He ends up discovering all the truths of the town from his fingerprints while helping the twins, Luigi and Antonio. Who are framed by Tom, a very ungrateful man. He also learns Roxy’s secret, a slave to Tom; who throughout the book has been protecting her loved one. This book keeps you on your toes; it has many things that happened weren’t expected and the humor is definitely clever.
This summer, I read Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. This play takes place in Rome, and is about conspirators, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Lepidus, and Decius murdering Caesar. Cassius sends forged letters to Brutus from the citizens of Rome saying that they believe Caesar is becoming too powerful and must die. The conspirators make a plan to murder Caesar at the Capitol; Caesar’s wife, Calphurnia tells Caesar not to go to the Capitol because of the dreams she had, but Decius convinces him to go. Caesar was murders that morning; his body was taken to the public for everybody to see Brutus explains why Caesar had to die and allowed Antony to speak. Octavius, Caesar’s adopted son, Lepidus, and Antony battle Brutus and Cassius. During the battle, Brutus and Cassius’ army is defeated. For me, this play was both bad and good; I didn’t like how everything came off so strong, but the ideas all together made it a very enjoyable play.
The play Julius Caesar was written by the famous Elizabethan play-write William Shakespeare. The entire play is centered around politics and how everything can go wrong, no matter how right you may think you are. This becomes apparent when the murder of Caesar results in war between the conspirators and supporters of Caesar. The war makes everyone question whether they did the right thing, and whether their enemies were as wrong as they thought. I enjoyed reading Julius Caesar very much. It was especially interesting to see how all of the different characters changed their minds as the play progressed. I also liked how simple this play was compared to many of Shakespeare’s other plays. A lot of them have multiple sub- plots, but Julius Caesar was very straight- forward.
In Pudd'nhead Wilson, Mark Twain is trying to convey how identity plays into the role of life. Three people in this story find out their true niche in life by the story’s end. I liked this book because it was humorous and all-knowing. We all knew how the story would play out. But, it also made you think about “what if…” certain things didn’t happen, how would it be? This was a great novel, and Mark Twain did a great job in writing it.
The book I read during the summer was Simply Julius Caesar and the author Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. I think the book is about how everyone wanted the best for Rome. I think that because the book talked about how Brutus joined the conspirators so he could help keep Rome safe. In addition I believe it’s about how Rome was during the rain of Caesar and after the assassination of Caesar, I think that because before he was assassinated the common people of Rome were happy and wanted to make him king. But after he was killed things fell apart, there was a war and things went badly for a while. One reason for not liking this book is because the way it was written, what I mean by that is it wasn’t written like a regular book would be, because it was broken down by the person’s name and what they said. My second reason for not liking this book is because it was quite difficult to understand in old English, because when I first read it in old English I could only understand about half of what the story meant, but when I read it in modern English it made sense.
Over the summer I had to read two mandatory books, Puddn’head Wilson and Dance with Wolves. I enjoyed reading both books but my favorite was Puddn’head Wilson ,written by Mark Twain. Puddn’head Wilson chronicles the citizens of Dawson’s Landing, a town in Missouri during the early 1800s. In the story a slave named Roxy, who is only one-sixteenth black, switches her child with the child of her master. This book was a great read, and captivated all of my attention. In addition I would recommend this book to anyone who isn’t familiar with other Mark Twain works.
Julius Caesar, written by the legendary writer William Shakespeare, is about the conspiracy of the Roman dictator, Julius Caesar. Marcus Brutus is a very close friend of Julius Caesar, though he believes that Caesar plans to receive complete power over Rome. He, Cassius, Casca, and Decius then plot to kill Caesar. The Soothsayer warns Caesar to “beware the Ides of March”, yet Caesar ignores it and he is later assassinated on that day. Caesar’s final words, which are one of the most famous lines in literature, are “Et tu, Brute?” (And you, Brutus?). Mark Antony, another close friend of Caesar, along with Octavius, and Lepidus all want to kill the conspirators to avenge Caesar’s death, which starts a tremendous battle between Brutus and Antony. I believe that Julius Caesar is one of the best books of all time. There is a lot of drama and I liked Brutus’s character, although he killed Caesar. I am glad that we had to read this over the summer.
Julius CaesarWhat I perceived as the meaning or theme of Julius Caesar was that it was teaching you about how William Shakespeare felt towards politics and power. That in politics, people are greedy, cannot be trusted, and are in it for themselves. I think the main theme was that when it comes to power always watch your back. I read over Julius Caesar in modern English and the original text. That helped me understand the plot and made it easier to enjoy the book. I was surprised that I liked Julius Caesar and the way the plot flowed.
This summer, I read Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. The book was about the plot to kill Caesar, and the consequences that resulted following his death. People plotted against Caesar for many reasons: for hate, jealousy, and for the love of Rome. I believe that Julius Caesar was interesting. However, the fact that I couldn’t relate to the story made it hard to comprehend. The old English was tiring after just a few minutes. Overall, the book was depressing, and I didn’t enjoy it at all.
Julius Ceasar The message the author was trying to send, is that political power can be used for both positive and negative, and in the mist betrayal and conflict rises. I enjoyed most of the play, because it can be related to today’s political environment.
When most people think of Mark Twain, they think comedy; The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, or perhaps Huckleberry Finn. In Pudd’nhead Wilson, however, Twain takes a more serious turn, writing about the then – controversial issue of slavery (which is still, of course, a sensitive subject today). That’s not to say, however, that a glimmer of his usual wit does not remain. While telling his tale of two young boys switched at birth – one 1/32nd black, the other “purely” white, the colour lines seem to blend, and it is hard to distinguish ‘black’ from ‘white.’ I loved the sense of irony that Mark Twain embeds, ending it with the former slave boy, who is in all aspects (except for his ancestry) a slave, claiming his “rightful place” as a white man. In addition, he shows how stubborn people will be; calling someone a slave who does not appear to be, and in fact isn’t one, simply because a great – great – great grandparent may have been black. I think people today could bear to take a lesson from Pudd’nhead Wilson: the simple ‘all is not what it seems.’
The No Fear Julius Caesar by Shakespeare I think was very good and very visual. The book was about how Caesar was coming to Rome and how he was killed by Brutus someone who is supposed to be his loyal friend and other conspirators who helped. So, because of this Caesar’s real friend Mark Antony and Caesar’s son Octavius came up with an army and they fought Brutus’s army and won. I liked this book because; it gave great details on what happened and how they felt when this happened. Also, the book gave awesome visual images it described exactly what happened. In, my mind I actually got a picture in my head of what really went on at that certain time.
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks is a tongue-in-cheek book about protection from the undead. The book discusses many ways to protect you from zombies. They discuss the history of zombies, what weapons you should use, and different tactics to use to use when defending or attacking, and a fictional list of zombie attacks set from 60,000 BCE to 2002 CE. In my opinion, this is really entertaining. Even though it’s a fictional guide, the topic that the book is written on helps this book to keep you entertained.
The title of the play is Romeo and Juliet. The author was the famous playwright William Shakespeare. This play is about two forbidden lovers, Romeo of the Montagues and Juliet of the Capulets. Their families, the Montagues and the Capulets, have been at war for a very long time and hate each other with a passion. The story shows how people will die for love. I thought the play was very interesting, and shows how dramatic and treacherous life could have been in olden Europe. It also depicts a magnificent love story.
This summer, I read an intriguing book called Dances With Wolves, by Michael Blake. It was a great book about the life of a white man named John J. Dunbar helping an Indian tribe, the Comanche, defeat their enemy, the white soldiers. The main idea of this book was how Lieutenant John J. Dunbar was shipped out to Fort Sedgewick, found an Indian camp, and helped them in their struggle for food and survival. I loved this book because of the way it shows a sworn enemy helping his victim. However, I did not like the way Dunbar’s fellow soldiers treated him simply because he looked like an Indian. Their judgmental actions against him made me strongly consider how the white soldiers probably treated the Comanche Indians, although this was not betrayed in the book.
Juilus Caesar The book Julius Caesar is about how people turned against Julius Caesar, a Roman leader. The book chronicles from his death and after. It shows who was behind Caesar and who plotted against Caesar. In regards to whether I like the book, I would have to say it was mediocre. I say that because sometimes it was difficult to understand even with the translation. I also say that because normally I don’t like books, plays, etc. that deal with tragedy but somehow this book really caught on to me and that is what kept me reading it.
Over the summer I read Julius Caesar. It is written by William Shakespeare, and it’s about Brutus and other conspirators and their plot to assassinate Julius Caesar. However, when they do, Mark Antony convinces townspeople to go against the conspirators. I liked some things about the book, others not-so-much. There were too many characters that didn’t do much, and sometimes it got kind of boring. However, there were exciting moments where I wanted to know what happens next.
Julius Caesar was a tragic but eventful play written by William Shakespearee in the 14th century. This play shows that you have to make sure people have your best interests in heart. It also shows that jealousy and envy are two of the most powerful feelings. I enjoyed the play because of the suspenseful ness. But, I also thought that the play had too much dialogue leading to the climatic scenes.
Over the summer I had to read two mandatory books, Puddn’head Wilson and Dance with Wolves. I enjoyed reading both books but my favorite was Puddn’head Wilson written by Mark Twain. Puddn’head Wilson chronicles the citizens of Dawson’s Landing, a town in Missouri during the early 1800s. In the story a slave named Roxy, who is only one-sixteenth black, switches her child with the child of her master. This book was a great read, and captivated all of my attention. In addition I would recommend this book to anyone who isn’t familiar with other Mark Twain works.
The title of the summer reading was Julius Caesar. The author was William Shakespeare. Basically, Julius Caesar was about how a group of Romans came together to plan a conspiracy against Caesar, because they thought that he might become a tyrant. However, there was a deeper plot, where some of the conspirators were deceived into joining, and there were a lot of double crossing, cruel intentions, and suicide. I liked this book because unlike some books today, there were layers of the story, so many things could go on at one time, without the reader getting too confused.
The main ideas in Julius Caesar are betrayal and love. The biggest betrayal is Brutus helping the conspirators kill Caesar, because he and Caesar were best friends. Examples of love are Caesar’s and Brutus’s friendship, and Brutus’s and Cassius’s friendship. I enjoyed reading Julius Caesar very much. It was sad and dramatic. I read the modern English version first, and once I understood it, I could appreciate how beautiful the Shakespearean language made the play. The monologues were great. They gave insight into what the character was actually feeling. I also enjoyed reading it because of my favorite character, Cassius. He’s my favorite because at first I didn’t like him, but then I began to sympathize with him. I am happy to say that I understood the play and loved it.
Pudd’nhead Wilson has three different plots going on at once. It has a murder mystery, a baby swap and the story of an eccentric lawyer all going on one after another. Pudd’nhead Wilson is a lawyer who has a hobby of collecting people’s fingerprints. Roxy is the mother of a baby named Chambers. Her master cannot tell them apart so she switches her baby with her mistress’ baby, making Chambers the new heir and Tom a slave. The man born as Chambers goes on to kill his “relative” to frame two foreign brothers. This book started off slow, but when the book gets on track it just doesn’t stop moving. This is the book to read if you like thrillers and are really patients because there are many slow parts in it.
The book I read over the summer Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I found it at first hard to approach due to the old English. But once I had decided to try reading the modern translation I found the book very absorbing. Julius Caesar tells the story of Julius Caeser emperor of the great Roman Empire’s last days. Shakespeare changes view points between Caser and Brutes but the story mostly is centered on Brute, he is a noble wise senator who is approached by Cassius another Roman senator. Cassius persuades him that Caesar wishes to be dictator for life and plays on his sense of honor and dedication to the good of the Roman people. Cassius soon convinces him to join him and a band of senators who plan to assassinate Caesar the next day the Ides of March. Brutue soon joins the band of senators. The next day Caesers wife Calpurnia warns Caeser of the impending doom that she for saw. Caeser nearly stayed home but Brutue now a conspirator against Caeser went and personally got him on that fateful day the senators stabbed Caesar to death. After an inflaming speech by Mark Antony at Casers funeral. In this speech Anthony brilliantly changes the public’s opinion. Before Anthony took to the stage the crowd was clamoring to carry brutes home and he is treated as a hero. After Anthony’s speech is over the citizens of Rome set out to kill all the conspirators. Brutue is then pursued across the Roman Empire and amasses an army to fight Antony. After a series of battles Brute is finally assassinated. Brute is central to the plot because he was the only senator that was not portrayed as stabbing Caesar for power, wealth or personal gain. The overlying message in Julius Caesar is that with power comes trouble if Caesar had been a publican or a low ranking senator this would not have happened.
Pudd’nhead Wilson by Mark Twain is a novel set in pre-emancipation America. This is a story of two children switched at birth, a slave, and a white child. The slave grows up as the heir of the richest man in town, while the true heir lives the life of a slave. I wouldn’t say that I liked or disliked this book. Mark Twain is not one of my favorite authors by far. But I do like his ideas. The writing is a bit difficult for readers who aren’t accustomed to this his style of writing. Twain writes using so many details its almost overwhelming, but when you strip off the layers of details, your left with a comedic parody of present day life. I did not like this book, but I applaud Twain for so cleverly and ironically exploiting this issue.
The book that I had to read this summer was Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. This book is about the tragic down fall of Julius Caesar by his once thought of friends Cinna, Cassius, Brutus, Casca , Trebonius, Caius, Decius, and Metellus. Though, claiming that this was an act that would benefit all Romans only Brutus, his one true friend, killed Caesar not in cold blood but for a better tomorrow for the Roman Empire. Caesar was warned before by a Soothsayer and by his wife though he was more surprised when Brutus, yes noble Brutus attacking him as well with his last breath he cried out “Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar.” This could not be Julius Caesar the roman so loved by his people killed by traitors. His brother Ocatvius Caesar, Marcus Antionus Julius’s most devoted friend, and Lepidus gathered assembled a army to battle Brutus and his new traitorous friends. I find Julius Caesar a very intellectual yet packed with action and suspense. Shakespeare tells the story from an omniscient view you know that the traitors are conspiring against Caesar, but you never know when they will strike. Though when they do the plan backfires and now the people who thought once thought they would be celebrated are now resented by the people they tried to please. I am glad that this summer we got to read Julius Caesar which is a great piece of literature.
Julius Caesar, a famous tragedy, was written by William Shakespeare in 1599 and was one of his first Roman plays. This play told of Caesar’s assassination; how Brutus, Cassius, and other conspirators plotted to kill him. They did this because they wanted the powerful position Caesar held. In the end, none of the conspirators gained the position of emperor, but fought each other till they had all been killed. There is a lot of dialogue throughout the play. I did not especially enjoy this play because I like the books I read to be more action-packed. However, part of the reason I did not get pleasure from reading Julius Caesar is that I am not familiar with the old English style of writing. I would have enjoyed this play more if I had been familiar with Shakespeare’s writings.
My favorite book I read over the summer was Cirque Du Freak: Vampire Prince by Darren Shan. The whole book was about a half vampire who has to prove himself to the vampire counsel. So far he has undergone three tests to prove himself, if he fails one of them he will be excecuted and he will be a sign of ridicule. He has completed the three he was given and he failed his fourth trial, the vampire counsel was torn in two when they found out he failed, they thought he was very strong for a half vampire and thought that he deserved something more than death. The counsel decided to make him a Vampire Prince because Princes didn’t have to be killed for failing a trial, they will just be put into exile. I liked this book because it was very adventurous, and I love adventure books.
269 comments:
1 – 200 of 269 Newer› Newest»I really don't keep track of during which advisory I read a book. So far this year I have read Cell by Stephen King, Gone by Lisa Gardner, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Puddn'head Wilson by Mark Twain, Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Meyers, A Name I Can't Read by Claudia Darkins, Under Her Skin edited by Pooja Makhijani,Prospero's Daughter by Elizabeth Nunez and a couple more that I can't remember right now.
I am currently reading There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz. So far it's going great. The book is a good read and it really makes you grateful for the small things we take for granted on a daily basis. The book is pretty much about the lives of two brothers and their family living in the projects of Chicago during the 1980s. It chronicles their trials,triumphs, and the deaths of loved ones.
I can't put this book down! I'm always so afraid to turn the page, praying nothing happens to Lafayette or Pharoah; but too engrossed in their story to stop reading. I suggest that everyone reads this book, it's truly a great piece of literature.
After I read There Are No Children Here, I plan on reading Crime and Punishment. Can anyone tell me whether or not it's worth my time to read it? It looks like a good book but after all "you can't judge a book by it's cover."
I have not read any of the books discussed above, such as "The Color Purple", "The Catcher in the Rye", or "Their Eyes Were Watching God". I also haven't watched the movie adaptations of these books, but so far I have heard only praise for them and the original books. For this semester I am reading Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein", which is a masterpiece of human nature, fiction, and science carefully blended together. It is a great work, even if Hollywood has mangled it's reputation with countless movies and their spinoffs. I've read the book a few times and each time I have come to appreciate it even more. It is an astounding novel that, I feel, is worthy of the highest praise.
I understand that many of the books, "Catcher in the Rye", "Cry, My Beloved Country" and many others, have influenced how many people think and act in the world. One book, which I am currently writing my book report about and think it has influenced the way I think is "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. "Franenstein" is about the timeless tale of man seeking for eternal life and of man trying to create something living like himself. This is especially true in our modern world where new types of science are emerging almost daily. Even though this book was written almost two hundred years ago, it still carries a powerful and moving message. This is the message of man trying to overcome nature and himself and what happens when he succeeds.
In response to Logan's commment, I think a good message never grows old, just like how old movies can still be enjoyed today.
True, there are some books and movies that are more relevant to the time in which they were written, but there are still many timeless stories like "Frankenstein." My favorite book is "The Lord of the Rings" and though it was written 50 years ago, it still holds up today. Truly timeless stories will never grow old.
On the issue of books vs. movies, you can't compare the two. They are two completely different art forms. But movies can be helpful after you read the book. For the first advisory, I read Great Expectations. After I read the book, I watched David Lean's 1946 film adaptation of it, which is widely considered to be the best book to film adaptation. It really helped me to understand the book.
Izzie, I'm wondering what you think of Prospero's Daughter, if you've finished it. Judging by your comment, you enjoyed it much more than me. I found it to be timid and rather dull, but that's just my opinion.
I too have read "The Color Purple" and "Their Eyes are Watching God". "The Color Purple", I believed to be and excellent work of literature. It had a brilliant story line that many women and men could relate to. I especially enjoyed the fact that they were all letter like "Dear God". It gave the book a more personal touch and allowed the reader to comprehend the main characters thoughts and actions in an in depth way. But of course, the movie was not as good.
"Their Eyes are Watching god"-hmmm. Well I think I would have liked it if I did not take AP Language. I thought the book had a great story line, but I would have liked to have seen more refrences to the racial tension that existed at that time. Indeed, its portrayal of a women's liberation was exciting and moving to read. However, I feel like after studying that book so much-I just did not get the point.
I believe that everyone should read "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" and not to mention his speeches. I think it gives you a good idea of African American militancy in this country. A lot of times people look at Malcolm X as being to radical. From studying his background, one will be able to understand his motives and why it made sense to turn towards militancy against White Supremacy. Reading this book changed my life and gave me a new pespective on institutionalized racism.
The next best book i have ever read was "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe. This book was incredible. It describes a culture that existed in Nigeria and how it was completely demolished by White imperialists/colonizers. The end is riveting and has a sequel "No Longer At Ease"
What do you think is worse: a bad movie or a bad book? I would say a bad book, especially if you have to read it for a class. A bad movie only takes up two hours of your life. A bad book will take a few days or maybe a few weeks.
I felt like that reading the book I was reading for this advisory, Prospero's Daughter. Every second that I spent reading it I wanted back. There are several books that I want to read, but I haven't gotten the chance to read them because of that book and several others that I have to read.
I felt that the characters were two-dimensional and sometimes completely invisible. There are characters who we are supposed the care about, but we barely know them.
The book spends way too much time explaining things. It starts out as a mystery, and then starts explaining things. Mysteries are about uncovering secrets, not explaining them to the reader. Whenever it says, "Let me start at the beginning" right in the middle of the book, that's a bad sign.
The author describes the locations very well, but it serves no purpose other than to fill up pages. It does touch upon some good ideas, but doesn't follow through with them. I think when writing a book, the author's number one concern should be writing an interesting story so that people won't put down the book. If I hadn't had to read Prospero's Daughter, I wouldn't have finished it.
I agree with Nicholas on the topic of Prospero's Daughter. I could not classify this story as a mystery because I already know what happens, and I already know what will happen because it is so predictable. Although I agree with Nick that I would not have finished it, something pulled me back into the book. I knew that the entire book was buildup for the last scene, I just wanted to know what the buildup led to exactly.
What I did like about the book was that it told the story from different viewpoints, and we had to piece them together to discover the truth. However, the story could have benefited from a few more twists and turns to confuse us and to engage us more.
Over the summer I read a novel by Kurt Vonnegut entitled "Player Piano." In this novel, Vonnegut describes the city of Illium, New York, which is entirely dependent on advanced automated machinery. Because there is no need for manual labor of any sort in Illium, the citizens living there are divided into three major professions, the army, the "Reeks and Wrecks," and the engineers. All those who surpass a certain IQ requirement are made into engineers, while the rest of the working-age population is divided among the other two professions. In the novel, Vonnegut follows Dr. Paul Proteus, the son of an engineer and an engineer himself, who gradually becomes entangled in a movement to return a complete job market to the citizens of Illium. Throughout the novel, Proteus has various psychological conflicts with himself and other characters as he attempts to determine whether the ethics on which the Illium society are based are right. This is an extremely well-written book that provides the reader with many, many topics to think about. I would suggest that everyone read "Player Piano" by Kurt Vonnegut.
I just finished reading "The House of the Scorpion." I thought it was a great book becasue of the thought provoking issues it brings into public life. The main topic it focuses on is that of cloning and stem cell technology. It shows how a clone might live his/her life, and how he/she would possibly be ostracized from the rest of society. This book gives a futuristic account of the world and how it might be; stating that land inbetween Mexico and the United States would be indepently owned by a drug lord. This book demonstrates such a different world in the futur, and makes some bold predictions about what is to come in the world's society. I was able to appreciate the view it gave me, and how I could change it to avoid the seeminyjoily inevitable neggative outcomes it brings.
I would like to discuss a book that a found to be fantastic which i read over the summer. I know a lot of people have probably read it seeing how it is one of the most popular books ever. The book I am referring to is the final installment of the Harry Potter series. It was not a let down. It was as good if not better than expected. Any non Harry Potter fans i recommend you start from book one and begin. There were so many twists, turns and surprises that I could not put the book down. Respond if you enjoyed this book as well.
Hello fellow classmates! One of the good books I have read recently is Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy. It is a young adult fiction book that I highly recommend. It is a good read for teenagers who enjoy adventure and action. The book also has a lot to do with magic. The story centers around two characters, Skulduggery Pleasant, who is a detective that is adept at magic, and Stephanie Edgley, a tweleve-year-old girl who is thrown into a new world and discovers hidden magical talents. It is up to both of them to save the world from Serpine and his dark magic. Oh yeah, and by the way, Skulduggery is a wallking, talking, fire-throwing skeleton.
A book that i really enjoyed reading is called the Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. It is about a young fourteen year old girl who is raped and murdered but the story is told in first person as she watches her family down from heaven. She watches how her death tears apart her parents marriage and how her younger siblings try to understand that she is never coming back. She tries to find her place in heaven but she is so drawn to earth and trying to help her family find the man that killed her. Her whole story is about realization, and what the author perceives happens after death. This book is very compelling and has a lot of depth to it. The story line is very emotional and at times can be upsetting, but it is very well written. I think anyone who enjoys books that have a wide variety of emotions or just enjoy a good mystery type genre should read this book
The book that I am reading for the report is "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway. I am not quite finished with novel as of yet. However, it has been a riveting read so far. The novel tells the story of several Spanish rebels and one American fighting the Fascist Spanish movement for control of Spain in the Spanish Civil War. Thus far, the story has been marked by Hemingway's traditional vivid, at times gory, imagery (reminiscient of "The Old Man and the Sea"). The deep developing of the novel's character's traits and personalities is also another positive aspect of the book.
Hello, I would like to discuss Animal Farm, a book I finally read this summer and found very interesting. Animal Farm, by George Orwell, is a carefully crafted allusion to Soviet history from the Bolshevik Revolution to the reign of Stalin. As the title implies, the book uses the setting of a farm and the characters of farm animals to retell the story of the formation of the Soviet Union in a satirical way. In an amusing metaphor, the great personalities of the Soviet Union are portrayed as pigs. The inspiring thinker, Old Major; the villainous power-hoarder, Napoleon; and the challenger, Snowball, all represent important characters in both Soviet history and Animal Farm. The novel narrates the farm amimals' rebellion and overthrow of their human masters, their establishment of a government based on equality, and the power struggle which follows. Thematically, the ideas of ideological manipulation and corrupt leadership are heavily stressed as the leadership changes. Eventually, the socialistic ideology on which their government is founded is contorted in to a system with the opposite goals through the abuse of power. This novel is highly engrossing, using elements of tension to keep the reader questioning the future of the farm animals. It is extremely interesting to watch the simple and just ideas originally presented by the new leaders of the farm go horribly wrong. It is even more interesting if the allegorical references to the soviet revolution are understood, giving new understanding to historical events. This novel is highly recommended as a historically interesting read.
Over the summer, I read Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. First off, I’d like to say that the book is a long read. It’s around 600 pages and it progresses very slowly. I chose the book for a summer assignment for AP US History, and I must say that although it took a while to read I found the book to be rather enjoyable. A brief summary; Phillip Carey tries to “find himself” through changes in environments, friends, and careers among other things. He finds himself involved with a woman who treats him horribly. She uses him over and over again, and milks him dry. Philip finally figures out what he wants from life and he tells the woman that he wants nothing to do with her and he basically gets on with his life. People may not like this book, for various reasons. Besides the fact that it’s long and it takes a while to get to the ‘good stuff’, Philip Carey, in my opinion, is an unrealistic character. He’s too indecisive, too passive, and too self-conscious. The circumstances that he finds himself in are always brought on through his error. I just think that Carey is not a very believable character and that might be a problem for other readers. Another thing other may not like is the ending of the book. Yes, Philip is better off by the end of the book; however Maugham just ends the book abruptly. Sorry to give away the ending, but, Phillip finds a wife and BOOM that’s the end of the book. Although I didn’t like how the book was set up and I didn’t really relate or like the main character, I must say the overall story really intrigued me and that I do like the book. I’m not sure on whether or not I’d recommend this book. I’ll let you decide.
I would like to share about Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The book was about two men insearch of jobs. They are companions throughout the book but are opposite human beings. Lennie Small is a man of great size but is slightly retarded. His counterpart is George. George is a small but very intelligent man. While insearch for work, Lennie causes trouble for the two of them. The book is an interesting tale about how two opposite men can become the best of friends and so called brothers. I enjoyed reading this book and hope you take the time to read it as well.
Over the summer I read "Cat’s Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut. "Cat’s Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut is not an easily classified book. With touches of sci-fi, mystery, love, and exploration, Cat’s Cradle spans genres. This tale holds great insight about birth, death, and the life that occurs as we race between these two milestones. Vonnegut does not disappoint in this ironic and quirky story. Cat’s Cradle stars a slew of colorful characters, whose stories become astoundingly interwoven. I thoroughly suggest Cat’s Cradle to any reader who enjoys thought provoking literature.
A book that should be read by everyone is Purple Hibiscus, written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This amazing book is about a young girl’s life dealing with her abusive father, colonization of her homeland, and the role that she plays in Africa’s society. This is one of my favorite books because it teaches about the Nigerian culture as well as how much colonization affects a family’s relationship. Purple Hibiscus is a great book to learn from and relate to. The way she and her household family honors her father tells me a lot about their society. Her attending church and visiting family members reminds me of my culture. From Purple Hibiscus, I was able to get a taste of what Africa was like, whether it was the parades that were mentioned or the roles between men and women in Nigeria. This book illustrates the different emotions a young girl goes through with her family as well as friends. I recommend Purple Hibiscus to anyone who loves to learn about different lifestyles and to anyone who loves a bit of drama.
Although I may not be a big fan of reading books, I've read an interesting book last year during the summer. I read The Catcher in the Rye. The book shows the life through the narration of Holden Caulfield who is our main character. Holden makes it clear that he's receiving treatment at a mental hospital. Holden narrates his life throughout the whole book and what led him to where he is now. The used of the word "phony" is used a lot in this book, because Holden is the type of person who wants to show the hypocrisy and ugliness of the world. What kept the book captivating was the fact that the main character was "crazy" which kept it "fun" for the readers. Reading this book, you can relate yourself or understand why Holden is in that type of situation. I recommend this book for those who are interested in reading about a person's life and hardship that they experience while hating the world.
I enjoyed A Daughter’s A daughter by Agatha Christie because it was far from a fairy tale. Most fiction stories I’ve read were interesting, but never touched me; they’ve never made me think or relate them to my own situations. The complex relationship between Sarah and her mother Ann really made me feel that this book was written for me to read. Not because I’ve ruined my mother’s life; or because I’ve fallen in love with the wrong man, and I feel that all my faults are because of my mother but, because it was realistic to the fact that relationships are complex. There is not always an easy way to handle the love you have for someone. Everyone can relate to a person having bitter feelings for a person they’re supposed to have compassion for. Also, everyone can relate to disliking themselves for that bitterness. This melancholy novel, with its exploration through love, and heartbreak, disappointment and redemption was by far the best book I read this summer.
One of the most unique books that I have come accross is Cannery Row. Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck, is a work of fiction without a very deep story line. Instead, it captures the feeling and people of a place, the cannery district of Monterey, California, which is populated by a mix of poor and those who choose for other reasons not to live "up the hill" in the “rich” area of town.The flow of the main plot is presented in vignettes, which are short stories that seemed to describe various aspects of Cannery Row. These vignettes introduce the reader to various people and occurrences of the Row, which come together to make the central story. All in all I think that this is a great read and im sure many will enjoy it!
hey everyone. I must say this summer in particular I did not engage in as much reading as I wanted to but in the past I've read my shares of good books. One of those was called Habibi, a novel by Naomi Shyhab Nye. The name itself is interesting because it's obviously not English. Habibi is the meaning of "darling" in Palestinian. This novel is basically about how people learn how to deal with change, especially in a whole different country that has their own problems going on. It talks about the importance of language just how a character in the novel says " Language is one tiny shiny key!" The whole book has multiple themes that everyone can relate to someway somehow and I enjoyed it alot. I usually don't finish books in one day.
I read Tears of a Tiger in the eighth grade and I would like to share my experience. It is by Sharon Draper. This book is so good, that when you start reading it, you never want to stop. It is about a High School basketball team. This team is so good and has great individual talent. Andy Jackson is the major character and probably one of the best players on the team. They had just won a game with the highest scorers as Andy Jackson and his good friend Robert Washington. They are so excited and begin to drink. Andy volunteers to drive his friends home and they are all drinking including Andy. He is so excited that he begins to drive on the wrong side of the road. I won't give details. To cut long story short, they run into a wall. They all survive except Robert Washington. He was trapped by the door and his friends tried to rescue him, but could only watch him die. This emotional breakdown affects Andy throughout the book. He keeps blaming himself for what happened that night. This is a very good book. If anyone wants to read this book, I have a copy of it at home.
Over the summer I read several different books, which had different styles and were from different historical periods. My favorite would have to be The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper. The Last of the Mohicans is an exciting novel that takes place during the French Indian War, about the numerous adventures of an assorted group of English and Native Americans. In this novel, two daughters of an English military captain travel with several companions, including an army major, a woodsman, and two Mohican Indians, to reach their father. This group faces many dangers from both the French and enemy Native American tribes along their journey. What I liked most about the book was the way that Cooper portrayed the Indians in his novel. Even though the book was written in 1826, he portrayed Native Americans as intelligent, sensitive people, in contrast to other works of that period that portrayed Native Americans as uncivilized. I would definitely recommend this novel, even to people who are afraid of the “classics.” I had a different reaction to another novel I read over the summer, The Rise of Silas Lapham, by William Dean Howells. It was a straightforward account of a self-made millionaire from the late 19th century. It probably was interesting for the time but, unlike The Last of the Mohicans, it loses a little with time. It tells the story of Lapham, who makes and loses his fortune but finds happiness at the end. That is a worthwhile lesson, but the story could have been told a little more dramatically, and a little more quickly. If I had to recommend one book I read this summer it would definitely be The Last of the Mohicans.
A book that I've read again and again (probably the best book on Mr.Igoudjil's list) is The Lord of the Flies. It delves deeply into the heart of human nature when we are left in a society of no rules or regulations. The author, William Golding, uses a significant amount of symbolism in his passages. Golding creates lots of connections to our present-day society hidden throughout passages. Golding also creates a variety of characters, each with a distinct characteristic from the other. This book is also a thriller and keeps the reader gasping for air. Lord of the Flies is a humanities' worthy book. I highly recommend it. Three thumbs up.
The book that I recommend everyone to read is entitled, "Bronx Masquerade". It was written by Nikki Grimes. Instead of taking on the regular task of telling one story that is constant throughout the book, Grimes allows readers to view the lives of different students in a particular high school class. The students, while dealing with the hardships of life like racism, peer pressure, and pregnancy, find relief in poetry. The main idea of the book sends an overall message to many readers, mostly teenagers, that although the struggles of life may weigh you down, there is always an up to anything. I would recommend this book to any high school student that is going through any problems,and even if you are not going through problems, it is still an interesting read.
Over the summer i read a very good book. The title of the book is "The Year of Endless Sorrows" by Adam Rapp. The main character of the book is known by Homon in his circle of friends. He comes from a small town in the midwest with his brother and moves to New York to become a writer. THe book is about what happens to him there and his adventures. I think many people would like this book because it is very funny and easy to relate to. The things that the characters do and encounter many of us have done in our lives and can understand the feeling. This is a very good book that I enjoyed.
A book I have read in recent years and enjoyed was "Remember Me," by Christopher Pike. The book is about a dead girl who tries to find her killer. This book was very discribtive and made me feel like i was right there with the character. I found the book really ineresting and fun to read. I finished the book rather quickly not because it was short and easy, but it was fun to read and the end of each chapter made you want to keep reading. I liked that a lot of modern things were incorperated into the book like song titles.
I read the same book as Alexys and it really was a good book. But i also read another book called Shock Point which was about this boy who is taken away from his home and put into a military boot camp of sorts and he is cut off from his family, friends, and his girlfriend that no one approves of. This book is actually based on facts that have been proven about certain boot camps that most people do not even no of. For instance this book goes along the way with the boot camps where no one knows where you are located except for your parents and even then they do not really know what is going on because the people in charge have the ability to change personal letters or to not send them at all. The thing that caught my attention about this book was the fact that the boy was taken against his will and for crimes that he did not even commit. It is a story filled with different twists and turns until you get to the end and fully realize just what has happened to the boy.
Over the summer, I read the book "The Sonnet Lover" by Carol Goodman. It is a ficiton novel about a women, who teaches literature, at a college in New York City. Her main interest are the sonnets by Shakespeare. Most of the book is about her adventure finding the lost sonnets of Shakespeare, and how it connects to a students sudden suicide at the college. She travels to Italy and England in the book to find the sonnets. Meanwhile the main character is also struggling with completing her tenure and publishing some of her own sonnets. I enjoyed the book and recommend it because of the suppense Goodman creates, what her word chioce. I also enjoyed it because I like figuring out how everything it connected before the author tells you.
Over the summer I read a book called The Tempest. I really enjoyed the book. Overall the mysterious, dreamy, magical tone of the book was what I liked best. The major conflict in the novel is Prospero, the duke of Milan is banished form Italy by is brother Antonio and Alonso, the king of Napes. And now Prospero has to find his way back to the dukedom. And it is because of this conflict that you want to keep on reading.
Imani Banks
Over the summer, I read Rules for a Pretty Woman by Suzette Francis. This novel tells a story of a woman who was completely unhappy in a marriage. She lost all respect for herself after getting married, and realized that she would often find herself in situations where she was disrespected while trying to please her husband. After the seperation from her husband, she found a diary that she kept from when she a teenager that had rules of how a respectable, young woman should carry herself. This book influenced my life tremendously. It was filled with affirmations and lessons on having self-respect and confidence. Although the main character was an adult, I felt like I could relate although I am a teenager. I often look around at my peers and see how young women let boys take advantage of them. However, this book teaches girls that they are worth much more than chasing boys. I especially enjoyed this novel, because my mother and I shared our thoughts and opinions about it. It brought us closer. I would recommend this book to girls my age, and I would encourage their mothers to read it with them. In many cases, young black girls do not have much confidence, especially with today’s media. It is vital that we recognize our value and self-worth. If we don’t, who will?
Hi Guys!!!!! Well, the book I read over the summer was "The Moving Finger" by Agatha Christie. It's a Miss Marple mystery about a town where people are being groesomely murdered right and left. The only clues are threatening letters made out of magazine-letter cut outs that the murderer sends to the victims. The book is full of drama,lies, and people who know people they shouldn't. This book is sooooo good for anybody, but especially for people who like murder and mystery. Also, they made it into a movie! It's so good, I own it. -Asha Jordan
Hello to everyone on the forum. I read a book called "Hiroshima." The author of the book is John Hersey. The book discusses the Hiroshima bombing. The book also goes over the lives of different people in a journalistic point of view. The book is great because, it gives you the illusion that you actually witnessed the bombing. Everybody, should read the book because, it discusses a life changing event for a different country other than our own.
During the summer, I read a really good novel titled Letting Go of Lisa written by Lurlene Mcdaniel. Mcdaniel is known for writing romantic novels. When I started reading this novel I thought it was going to have a similar story line as all of her other romantic novels written by her. Her novels are always about, a couple running away together, because they are not allowed to be with each other according to society. This novel was slightly different, and I was wrong. Society was an influence to the story line but not as much as the opinions and feeling of Nathan Malone. Nathan Malone and Lisa are the main characters. This story is seen by the eyes of Nathan. He was been home schooled all of his life. That is until his family members grew in number adding two members to the family and so he was forced to go to a “regular high school” and be a “regular senior”. This is until he meets Lisa. Lisa hides a life or death secrete. In the climax of this novel, I thought about Lisa as a disrespected person, not educated, and not caring about anyone but herself. But I was surprised. All of the expectations that I made while reading this book were all wrong. I expected the expectable. I truly recommend this book to all readers. It includes a little bit of every genre. Enjoy. Read It.
Hola todos!!!The book that I most enjoyed reading during the summer was "Inherit the Wind" by Jerome Lawrence and Rober E. Lee. This is a play about the clashing ideas of evolution and creationism. It is based on the 1925 "Monkey Scopes Trial. A "frightened young man" is on trial for teaching evolution to his class and the legal giants of the century take a side in court in this important case. The entire town are aganist this young man and his lawyer fights to prove his point and his ability to be able to teach "what you believe in."
This book is actually really interesting in the sense that the book tries to show how a court case can try to prove what is the right idea, and the book will get you to think about the truth behind biblical literacy vs. scientific reasoning.
Hi everyone! Right now for our first advisory book report, I am reading A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. The book is a compilation of two lectures Woolf gave about the history of women and fiction. She presents the idea that women should have money and "a room of their own" in order to write well. I love Ms. Woolf's writing style because she tends to write in the way she is feeling. For instance, she describes a meal she thouroghly enjoyed, and she describes every detail and brings you into the moment with her. Later, she eats a meal she doesn't like at all and her sentences are very short and her language is choppy and abrupt. I am thouroghly enjoying this book and I would definately recommend it to someone.
Hi everybody! I just want to tell you a bit about a book I read a few months ago, it is called "Esperanza Rising." First I read the Spanish version and I loved it! I think this is a fantastic book...I recommend it to everybody, it's easy to read and undestand (I also read it in English, and I actully understood it. I was surprised!).
It is an amazing story about life changes and learning.
This book is written by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
If anyone gets to read this book, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.
Over the summer I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. To my surprise, it was very interesting. It is not a book that I would usually run straight to in a library, nut my old teacher suggested I try something new. it is a book full of different adventure that a young boy journeys with a runaway slave. It is indeed a page turner. It also touches on the subject of slavery from a different view point that is not much studied. I highly recommend reading if you are into adventure of just want to try a new genre.
During this summer I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to others. Even though I thought some parts were kind of boring, I was able to keep up even though I am not used to old English language.
In the book, I personally agree Brutus’s point of view. In the beginning I didn’t like how cunning and mysterious Caeser was being and I agree with Brutus to disagree with Caeser. Even though I would not have killed the man myself, in those times I probably would have if it was the serious. I totally disagreed with Anthony and thought that he should have been set as the evil character in the story. I thought it was disloyal and childish to have all the people in favor of him and against Brutus. I also thought it was unkind of Anthony and his army to kill Brutus and his army in the end of the story. Yes he got one of his best friends killed in the beginning but I don’t think he should have carried the situation like he had. And he hadn’t noticed what Caesar did that was wrong, he only noticed what Brutus and his gang did that was wrong.
I would recommend it to adults or teenagers my age and above. I do not think a child would understand the text or think it was very interesting. In all this book was great but somewhat boring.
Julius Caesar was kind of weired in my point of view he was a great person, he was a general and a senator of Rome. The only problem I have with him is that he could not decipher from his life in public and his private life. Another thing about him was that he was very ambitious he denied the crown and people thought that he would go out of hand. The one thing that I connect to with Julius Caesar was that he ignored others peoples thoughts about his life. He believed he was the the eternal one but the day before the “ides of March” his wife warned him that he should not go. If he didn't go the others in the senate might think he was afraid but Julius Caesar would show no fear. So on the day of the “ides of March” he allowed Brutus and others to kill him.
Over the summer we were required to read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I didn't particularly like the play and found it hard to follow some of the old English dialogue. Before I read the book I went to see the play performed at the Washington Shakespeare Company and that made it easier for me to visualize what was going on when I read the book. My favorite character in this book was noble Brutus because he killed Caesar for his country and to protect their democratic government. I didn't like the way Caesar behaved at the beginning of the book but that doesn't mean I would pick up a sword to kill him. I can see why some would want to kill him but then again is there really a noble reason to kill someone? Cassius killed him because he didn't like someone having more power than him. This story was about betrayal and power struggle. Those two things don't particularly interest me unless they are grouped with some other themes. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to someone unless they enjoy Shakespeare's writing.
Romance, adventure, deceit, magic, and revenge; all of these things combined sound like they could make the ultimate book right? Wrong, all of these things were incorporated into The Tempest, yet the book left me disappointed in the end. I think a lot of this disappointment came from me having my own perception of what the book would be like, versus how it really was. In the end of the book I expected Prospero to take revenge on all of those who betrayed him in the beginning, but he didn’t he forgave them all. Don’t get me wrong, it was sweet and all, but I wanted some action. Although the book did not end they way I expected it to I admit some parts did please me; I was so very happy in the end when Ariel gained his freedom from Prospero. Ariel was my favorite character throughout the book, because he was always so loyal and patient towards Prospero no matter what Prospero requested of him. I was also very happy that Miranda and Ferdinand found real love. My favorite scene in the book is when Prospero warns Ferdinand not to have sex with Miranda before their wedding night. This was my favorite scene, because Ferdinand respected Miranda and their love for one another so much that he refused to be sexual with her before their wedding night, and in the end they were blessed by Juno and Ceres.
During the summer I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I think it was a pretty good play although it was harder for me to understand than most books because it was in Elizabethan English.
I think that Brutus was a good person, trying to make sure Caesar didn’t become a dictator. But, I think he could have used a different method to get rid of Caesar. I don’t think there was any reason to kill him yet, if at all. I think Mark Antony was also a good person. He seemed kind and was extremely loyal. Caesar, although portrayed as corrupted, didn’t seem particularly bad either.
Overall, the play was very dramatic. It had many sad parts, especially at the parts where people died. I think that Brutus, Mark Antony, and most of the other characters were good people. Although I believe some of their methods were not the best options.
Recently I read the book Julius Caesar. Unfortunately I have to say it was one of the most boring books I have ever read. It was very slow and nothing exciting happened in the book. Even when someone died the story had no emphasis. The text would say that a person died then the story would continue. It is like watching a football game and not seeing a single tackle. This book actually bored me to sleep for the first time. In addition to that, you couldn’t even understand the book. The language was very different from modern English in America. Although this book did not interest me, I still have respect for Mr. Shakespeare. He was a great writer but I don’t believe this was one of his best works.
This summer I had the privilege of reading the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. Comparing the language in Julius Caesar to today’s language was very interesting because I noticed how much more thought went into the completion of a sentence. The book was filled with action, revenge, lies, and suspense. Julius Caesar is about a man who was going to become king. Many people were skeptical about him taking the throne. Conspirators Cassius, Brutus, Casca, and others, plotted to kill Caesar by tricking him. There were a lot of things I could relate to in this story. It vividly describes how a person’s friend can be their enemy in a second, which is a lesson I’ve learned the hard way. My favorite character has to be Julius Caesar. His open rebellion was very appealing. The fact that he refused the crown showed great courage. I felt that the conspirators were jealous of Julius Caesar and all of the attention he was getting. I recommend this book to anyone who loves drama and a good read.
I recently read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I also saw the play at Shakespeare Theatre with my 8th grade class. Despite the title, the book is really the story of Brutus, and Julius Caesar dies less than halfway through. I have to say, I’m a giant Shakespeare buff, but this book really didn’t capture my attention. The part of the play that involved Caesar himself was very interesting. Senators including Brutus and Cassius believe that Caesar is getting too powerful, even disrespectful of his own power, and needs to be shut down. Their idea of how to solve this is his immediate death. It only proves Caesar’s disregard for other people when he ignores his wife and the soothsayer’s warnings. Then one spends the rest of the play wondering if he really needed to die, especially as Caesar’s ghost haunts his murderers into death. All this was very intriguing, but after that it just didn’t hold my attention. All in all, a good story, and of course, it’s Shakespeare, so how could the writing not be wonderful?
Sweet romance, adventure, deceit, powerful magic, and revenge; all of these sounds like it should belong in an awesome book right? Well, you are right and wrong. The Tempest includes all of this, but at the same time it doesn’t. Now I have read a lot of books during my time, yet I have never read a book/play where I was a bit disappointed like I was with this one. I mean, Shakespeare is a wonderful writer, just this play was lacking on his lengthy, but wonderful monologues. This play showed passion and love, yet a darker side also. I wanted a least a little violence, but oh well, that’s me. I will say, I loved Ariel, a wondrous character he was, and he was so patient even though his freedom kept being squandered and postponed. It also showed respect and love when the parent(s) threatens a child’s lover with their life. Ferdinand showed he loved Miranda by respecting her father’s wishes of not bedding her until the wedding night. Wonderful play over all though and I will say this. Never in my life will I read a more disappointing, but at the same time wonderful play by William Shakespeare.
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
“Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears”, William Shakespeare’s intriguing play, “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”, chronicles the successful roman military leader’s fall, and the conspirators who rebelled against him becoming a godlike tyrant by assassinating him. Caesar had become arrogant in his desire for the crown of Rome. Marcus Brutus, a close friend of Caesar, is scammed into believing that Caesar intends to turn Rome’s government into a monarchy under his own rule. Cassius, a political enemy of Caesar, deviously manipulates Brutus by persuading him that Caesar must be taken down. Brutus joins and leads the conspiracy against Caesar. Cassius is prompted to kill Caesar by jealousy of power and Brutus, mistakenly, kills Caesar for the honor of Rome on the “ides of March”. In the aftermath of Caesar’s demise, battles, suicides, and eulogies, transpired. In my perspective, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar was a fascinating play with unraveling analysis. Of course, at times, the play was dull and unexciting. However, the play illuminates the controversies of that specific era in time. In my view, it was difficult to know who the hero was, and who the villain portrayed. The characters are all complex with their different motivations in the play. This drama has captivated audiences for generations.
I enjoyed Julius Caesar (probably because I was in the play over the summer), even though I thought that some parts of it were slow and unnecessary. It tells a story through history, and is still a work of art.
To me, Julius Caesar is a story of righteousness. I think this because the story revolves around killing Caesar, and the different characters have different motives to kill. For example, Cassius wants to kill Caesar for his own personal gain. Whereas Brutus decides to kill Caesar for the good of Rome, as he says in his speech at Caesar’s funeral, “not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more”. The saying goes that you are defined by your actions, but in this book I think the saying is that you are defined by the reasons behind your actions. Even Antony admits, at the end of Act 5, that Brutus was “the noblest Roman of them all” because the only reason he joined the conspirators was that he thought he was contributing to the common good. Through these scenarios I think Shakespeare was trying to convey that the reason behind your action is what counts. I don’t think he was saying it was O.K. to kill someone (look at how all the conspirators ended up), but I think that he was showing how doing something for a good reason set Brutus apart from the rest.
Though it was written more than sixty years ago, I thought that Margaret Meade’s And Keep Your Powder Dry was perhaps the most relevant to today of all the books we read over the summer. It was written while America was engaged in a war and that is the situation we are in, now. Of course, many things have changed since 1942. World War II was a different war than the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The country itself has changed a great deal. After Vietnam and Watergate, the country would never go back to the way it was. But we still have similar mentalities, like the competitive nature that Meade highlights in her book. I thought that her idea that we need to establish relations with all countries, including our former enemies to build a better world. There was also a point where Meade depicts America as the police of the world in the future. There are many people who believe that America is seen that way. Though people can die, ideas and mentalities never really die.
Over the summer, I had the opportunity to read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare and the book had excitement, adventure, and was just interesting to read all around. Julius Caesar, a Roman general, who Brutus and the other conspirators, believe had become too powerful. The conspirators believed if Caesar shall become ruler of Rome, that the citizens will no longer be free men. Brutus, who greatly respects and honors Caesar, lets Cassius get in his mind and convinces him to kill Caesar. In the end, both Brutus and Cassius kill themselves. I believe this book was full of liars and deceitful individuals. The only person who was continuously loyal to Caesar was Mark Antony. He tricked Brutus, and persistently fought for Caesar and Rome. Brutus should have been more of an independent thinker because Cassius played a big part in Brutus’s thinking to murder Caesar. Overall, I felt the book is a must buy and was full of drama, excitement, comedy, and adventure.
The Tempest was a challenging play to understand. When I first read it, I kept getting the characters confused. I also did not understand where, or which, uninhabited island it took place on. When I read A Different Mirror by Ronald Takaki, I finally understood the exact location of the island, which was Bermuda. Reading the preface definitely helped me in understanding the plot. One of the aspects I liked about The Tempest was Ariel, the airy spirit. He was faithful to Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, and the person who rescued him from a witch. After Prospero raised the storm against his enemies, Ariel set the king’s ship on fire, but made sure that no one aboard the vessel burned and died. The language and dialogue of The Tempest was an aspect of the play that I did not like. Even though it was the language of that time period, and some of the words were clarified at the bottom of the page, I still did not easily grasp the story. After reading it a couple of times, for clarification, I understood it more.
Over the course of the summer students were instructed to read the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. In the beginning I thought the book would be boring, but it turned out that I enjoyed the book. Julius Caesar defeated Pompey and was offered to be king three times and each time he denied the people of Rome. But because of jealousy, Julius Caesar was killed by Brutus (who was a very close friend), Cassius, and some of their friends who felt that Julius Caesar needed to be “taken out”. Antony was also close to Julius Caesar and asked to speak at the funeral; Cassius predicted that this was a bad idea. And it was. Antony and Julius Caesar’s son, Octavius fight Brutus and Cassius in war for revenge. Over the course of the book the characters change. Antony went from being quiet by Julius Caesar’s side to being “the boss” and wanting revenge, Brutus becomes very confused on the reasons why he killed Caesar, and Cassius begins to follow Brutus and becomes the “psychic” in the story. During the war both Cassius and Brutus order their servants to kill them. Cassius orders his servant to stab him and Brutus tells Strato (a friend) to hold a sword while he runs into it. Brutus dies after stating that Caesar could now rest. Octavius receives the news that Brutus is dead and he, Antony, and their armies won the war. Even after what Brutus did, Octavius gives him a formal burial and now Octavius, Antony, and the ghost of Julius Caesar can rest.
Hey Class! The Tempest was a really interesting story. It had a lot of unsuspected twists and turns in the plot, which made the story exciting. In the play, a ship is traveling through a fierce storm that is carrying a royal party and the ship wrecks on a strange and enchanted island. On that ship was Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, Miranda, Prospero’s daughter, Ariel, Prospero’s spiritual servant, Antonio, Prospero’s brother who took away his crown, Alonso, the King of Naples, Ferdinand, Alonso’s son and Miranda’s love interest, Sebastian, Alonso’s brother, Gonzalo, a noble lord, Caliban, Prospero’s monstrous servant, Trinculo, a jester, Stefano, the drunken butler, and Boatswain an accompany to the nobles on the ship. Twelve years ago, Prospero was the Duke of Milan, but his brother stole the position from him. Now they are all stuck on an island and Prospero finds himself in control once again. He seeks reconciliation with his enemies and in doing so he commits evil acts, and takes advantage of some of the other inhabitants on the island, especially Ariel. Prospero has magical powers and uses them to benefit himself. On another end of the island, Antonio, Caliban, and Sebastian plot to kill the King, but their evil plans are interrupted by Ariel who sends spirits in the form of dogs to hunt them down. Prospero agrees to marriage of his daughter Miranda and Ferdinand. At the end Prospero forgives his enemies and they reconcile themselves to Prospero and restore him to his dukedom. The ship is repaired and the party returns home in pleasant weather.
I read the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare over the summer. Through my perspective it was a fine novel, I actually liked it even though I had a hard time understanding the broken English. Brutus was a loyal friend of Julius Caesar but he was turned against him by Cassius. Brutus truly believed Cassius and his remarks that Rome would be better off without Julius Caesar. Brutus was naive to believe cassius but he was blind folded by his loyalty and love he had for Rome. This decision only caused tragedy because it ended with three deaths first Julius Caesar was murdered by the conspirators, second Cassius committed suicide, and third Brutus committed suicide too. From this play I liked Anthony’s role the most; how Anthony persuaded his audience to see his point of view by saying what they want to hear and feeding off on their response. After Brutus spoke at Julius Caesar’s funeral and persuade his audience to understand why they killed Julius Caesar. Anthony went up to speak, he changed their point of view immediately by going against everything Brutus said and by also telling them Julius’s will. which they wanted to hear so much because it involved them receiving money. I would recommend this play to anybody.
The Tempest was very romantic, adventurist, dishonest, wonderful and vengeful. This book left me somewhat disappointed because I thought that Prospero was going to take revenge on the people who gave up on him at the beginning, but he instead for gave them. I know that it was right for him to forgive them but I thought he was going to get back at them. Even though the book ended different then what I expected, I still enjoyed it. I say that because Ariel was free Prospero because he was patient and honest to him no matter what he did or what he asked for. Also Miranda and Ferdinand found true love. Ferdinand was very respectful in the book. Both Miranda and Ferdinand were blessed and the end by Ceres and Juno.
Shakespeare’s play,The Tempest has a very interesting but enjoyable storyline. There were a couple of characters who I did not particularly favor and others who I enjoyed following. The typical character personalities I have found in this play are repeated throughout many of Shakespeare’s works which made the play slightly predictable. The play’s protagonist, Prospero remained fairly consistent regarding his interactions with other characters which kept my understanding of the different events not to difficult to dissect. Towards the end he went down an unexpected path and did not carry out his vengeful plan on the conspirators. Gonzalo, Ferdinand, and Ariel were other interesting characters to follow. Gonzalo seemed stuck in the middle because he did his best to help Prospero when he was a part of the conspirator crew. Ferdinand, I applaud for following his heart that lead toward Miranda, although her father gave him a rough time. Finally Ariel, I never thought would be set free. I felt as though Prospero was simply using him for his magical services judging from the way he responded to his concern of being set free. Overall I enjoyed reading The Tempest by William Shakespeare. This play teaches the life lesson that forgiveness is the most powerful repair mechanism. This book was fantastic!
The Tempest
The Tempest I thought was very amusing all of Prospero actions to get back at his brother. The Tempest was a very good book because you see all the different sides to these characters. Prospero was a man who wanted revenge towards what they did to him being overthrown by the people of Milan. This book shows you how a man with thoughts of revenge could then do such a Nobel action, Prospero did not want to hurt the king of Naples just show them a lesson. I thought the book was very good because I never got tired of reading it. While reading it I would laugh at some of Ariel and Prospero’s actions but in the end Prosper gives Ariel his freedom. The book was very funny it showed me what people do to get power how they even betray their own family to get to a certain position. The Tempest was a good play because you learn a lot about all the characters like Miranda who has been in the island scene she was little girl and when she finally meets a boy which she has never met before she falls in love. This play has many points of view from each character which I really liked.
Sister Carrie
Sister Carrie, by Theodore Dreiser quite surprised me. In terms of summer reading books, I was expecting something more typical, something only for educational purposes, rather for entertainment or enjoyment. However, Sister Carrie was an interesting read because of the colorful plot line, relatable and human characters, as well as lively descriptions, both physical (such as cityscapes) and mental (such as Carries thoughts). Dreiser explores complex topics facing Americans at the time, just after the Industrial Revolution, through the eyes of a young woman. Carrie, I thought, was very personable and relatable, but was still able to grow as a woman in a tough world. She suffered several losses, but always stood up again and continued on. In the beginning of the novel, it was clear that Carrie was not mentally strong enough to survive the work as a factory girl. Her weakness led her to fall into the hands of a wealthy man as first as a crutch, and then as a support system. So, as Dreiser intended, she also fell into the category of “helpless woman”.
To the readers’ great pleasure, Carrie later found the inner strength to stand up for herself and determine boundaries, not only for herself, but for those around her. After her increasing popularity as an actress and performer, Carrie’s literal and imagined self worth increased. In this way, I believe Dreiser impersonated in Carrie the American idealism. Following the industrial revolution in America, there was a demand for labor, and large cities soon populated with dreamers and idealists who were accommodated accordingly. Our protagonist embodied this idea to the fullest. Her weekly salary of 4 dollars as a factory girl increased exponentially as a star on stage, and soon she had no more worries of money, of hunger, or of living in unsatisfactory accommodations. Now, Carrie had the self confidence and maturity to live as a woman.
Sister Carrie was a very enjoyable read for me, and even the educational factors were so submerged in the story that I finished the book without feeling lectured, or even bored.
The Tempest in my opinion is Shakespeare’s only play that reflected colonization in history presenting it in a humor manner that teaches the reader while entertaining them. Caliban, a native of the island in which Prospero takes over, is thought as a savage with a brute behavior towards his ruler. He is thought as a monster because he is different but I believe the real monsters are the strangers that come ashore. Caliban’s mother Sycorax was murdered by Prospero stealing the island away from Caliban while forcing him to be his servant. Caliban had no intentions of hate at first. He respected Prospero and showed him around his native home thinking he would make an acquaintance with the majestic man and his child. After being deceived by his new neighbors he wanted to condemn them. Learning the language Prospero shared with him gave him the ability to stand up for justice. His curses however were found rude and made him appear more like a sinner. He was accused for an attempt to ravish Prospero’s daughter which was an act of rebellion against their cruel treatment towards him. The washed up strangers that were a victim of Prospero’s scheme of vengeance, acted as insensible as the magician thinking Caliban as a savage. Prospero’s sibling, Antonio, is a monster as well for stabbing his own brother in the back forcing him to Caliban’s island. The nature of all the natives from Naples were atrocious compared to Caliban’s making him the protagonist.
During the summer we were required to read “The Tempest” By William Shakespeare. “The Tempest” is a tale of Revenge, and love. I enjoyed reading and even performing it. While reading the story I never suspected that the story would have concluded the way that it did. The story gives the rider a sense that someone will die. That Prospero, the former duke, was going to seek and get his revenge on the ones who stole his title as duke, Alonso and Antonio. Instead Prospero’s daughter, Miranda, and Alonso’s son, Ferdinand, are wedded. Also Prospero is restored as duke and forgives Alonso and Antonio for their crimes. Why I enjoyed the book I mostly enjoy Shakespeare “tragedy” stores more, some such as “A Mid-summer Night Dream” and also “Macbeth”. Those stories are true tragedies and provide a thrilling climax and a more exciting ending then “The Tempest”. My favorite scene of “The Tempest” was when; Miranda and Ferdinand promised one other they would be wedded. You could just fell the emotion, fell the love coming out of the book, it just made me want to read more and more and more and before I knew it I had finished the story. Overall I recommend this book to any to and all readers, who enjoys Shakespeare stories, or a reader who is looking for an interesting tale with an unpredictable ending.
Shakespeare’s play The Tempest follows the story of Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, who was forced to live on a desolate island after his throne was usurped by his brother Antonio. Antonio was assisted by Alonso, the King of Naples, and Sebastian, who was Alonso’s brother. Gonzalo, a gracious, goodhearted lord, helped Prospero and his daughter Miranda escape unharmed to an island, where they lived in secrecy for many years. While Antonio, Alonso, Sebastian, Gonzalo, and many others were sailing out in the ocean, Prospero used his magic to conjure up a storm that left everyone shipwrecked on the island where he lived. He then used his powers to toy with them and exact his revenge on those who had wronged him in the past. In the beginning, though Prospero is supposedly the “victim,” he is portrayed as being very cruel, constantly terrorizing his slaves. He’s also very decisive and cunning, and his lack of emotion while he was manipulating the shipwrecked crew was startling. Prospero said that what he was doing was in the name of a noble cause, but it seemed that his motives were more about revenge than justice. All of those years on that island had made him bitter, and his “noble” plan to restore himself to the throne was corrupted and turned into a dark scheme, with vengeance being its main goal. In the end, he eventually saw the error of his ways and he forgave everyone who betrayed him in the past.
The Tempest was about a man named Prospero, who was the Duke of Milan. His brother Antonio took away his office and forced him to live on a remote island. Antonio, Alonzo, Gonzalo and Sebastian all formed an alliance in order to complete the mission. Prospero and his daughter Miranda were able to get to the island safely with the help of Gonzalo. They lived there unknown to the world for a long time. Then when the conspirators that knocked him from his position were out at sea, returning to Italy from a wedding, Prospero brought a powerful storm called the tempest. The Storm destroyed their ship and shipwrecked them on the island that he inhabited. From there Prospero was able to cast spells and command his minions to get revenge on those who wronged him.
I think that Prospero did the right thing by exacting revenge on those people. At first, he says that he was doing it to bring judgment down on the “villains”. But you can easily see that it was more than that. He is also extremely arrogant; most of the book is full with monologues about how he was wronged, or accomplishments he achieved. Despite his faults, Prospero was sly, intelligent, and showed a lot of leadership. He was also able to see that he was wrong it what he did. Overall, this was a very intriguing book, I am glad that I have read it.
Julius Caesar
Over the summer, I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I savored this book from the beginning to the end, simply because of my favorite characters; Brutus and Caesar. I enjoyed watching the jealousy and dishonor come from Brutus because it reminds me of my fellow citizens. Caesar, on the other hand, was confident, narcissistic, and selfish. When you combine two of these kinds of people together, everything leads to disaster. I was entertained by this because Caesar had no idea of what his “friends” were plotting against him; therefore, the climax of the story was exciting and stimulating. Shakespeare, in my opinion, had a knack for interpreting the way people in the world think. I admired his sense of style for capturing the reader’s attention when Caesar was murdered. This event led to another between Antony and Caesar’s rivals. However, I was disappointed when Cassius died; even though he was a backstabber. Cassius was always encouraging towards Brutus and he was very convincing.
The Tempest is a play written by William Shakespear and was a required reading over the summer break. I did not enjoy reading The Tempest. I thought that the plot was too complex. I also believed that there were too many characters. However, I did enjoy the different variety of personalities in the play. Ariel, which happens to be my middle name, was my favorite character whom seemed very coy and gentle. I favored Ferdinand's character as well. Ferdinand fell quickly in love with Miranda and summitted sevitude to Prospero, Miranda's father, to win his approval. I did not like Caliban's character because he was cruel and despiteful. Overall, I would recommend this play to any Shakespear lover ,and to readers who enjoy very dramatic and complex plots.
I found Candide by Voltaire to be a refreshing read. My initial reaction before I ever picked up the book was it would be a difficult and dense piece of literature with a heavy moral plot. However, once I began reading I found it was quite the opposite. Voltaire, an enlightened philosophe, found ways to poke fun at society and his fellow philosophers. He takes the popular idea of the time that “everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds” to the extreme by throwing every possible disaster in our poor hero Candide’s direction. Although this book was written over 200 years ago, I found the main themes of this book to be extremely relevant to today’s society. He uses his writings to criticize some of the most important ideals of life. He mocks religion hinting the idea of corruption in the church. As well as derides wealth, showing Candide’s dissatisfaction when he falls upon fortune in Eldarado. Overall, I enjoyed the book with its humorous plot and relevant themes.
One of Shakespeare’s great plays, The Tempest, is a drama filled with romance. I enjoyed reading this play over the summer because I was able to question some of the topics and compare and contrast them to my individual life. Two major characters whom stood out to me were Miranda and Ariel. I found Miranda’s character quite interesting because she had lived on an island all of her life. The only people who she knew was her father Prospero, and his servant Caliban. Miranda was taken to the island by female servants when she was a baby; therefore, she does not understand how to interact with other humans. This particular situation in The Tempest caught my eye because I cannot imagine being isolated from the entire world and only knowing two people. I found Ariel an important character also because he is basically Prospero’s backbone. Without Ariel’s knowledge and ability to complete certain tasks, Prospero would not get much accomplished. The Tempest is an amazing drama by Shakespeare that everyone should take the time to read.
My first impression of Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez was one of annoyance. I felt that Rodriguez was a self-centered and self-pitying author. I found the writing to sound like he was moaning and complaining. It may have been beautiful writing, but it was very one-dimensional in my view, in the sense that it focused entirely on the negatives of his education, and not on the positives.
Throughout the book, my first impression remained the same. Even his arguments on affirmative action and bilingual education seemed to me irrelevant. They were backed on his personal experience as a student, which was not a good one. Yes, his arguments were good and made valid points, but the only evidence used to back them was based upon his negative experiences that were so emphasized throughout the book. Had he strengthened his arguments with experiences of other minority students or some statistics, I would have been more apt to respect his point of view. As it happened, he remained entirely focused on himself, and in doing so lost some of my respect as a reader.
Candide is a witty, droll novel that takes place in the kingdom of Westphalia. Voltaire takes you on a journey through the eyes of a once optimistic man who is kicked out of the castle and is forced to deal with real world situations leading him to realize that the world is in fact, not perfect. Voltaire does an impressive job of taking real world, depressing issues, and satirizing them to make Candide a light, enjoyable read. It is evident that Candide attempts to analyze and address why there is evil in our world which many of our greatest religions have attempted and failed to do so repeatedly. Although religion in itself is a typically serious issue, Voltaire uses this at the foreground of his satire. Candide is a timeless lampoon that perfectly captures the blind optimism of many philosophers of Voltaire’s time. Although this novel was written several hundred years ago, Voltaire’s ideas can be associated with today’s moral and psychological issues.
I will be writing about Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.I am choosing to talk about Brutus because the most important character in the story to me. Brutus holds pride in the fact that he is honorable and noble. However, he is oft naïve and this is what leads to him killing Caesar. He is the only character that commits to living strictly by the moral code. Despite this, he still unconsciously contradicts himself. Something I thought was significant was that Brutus tried to rationalize killing Caesar. He stated it was for the better of the republic when really, Caesar was killed because of Cassius and the other conspirators' jealousy. Brutus thinks that calling the assassination sacrifice makes it okay. However, the people of Rome do not feel the same way.
Brutus is guided by his concepts and perceptions of honor. This leads to his demise. He talks to Cassius often about them. He becomes disappointed when certain situations force him to sway away from his principles. Think about when he had a toast with Caesar. He was being two-faced by not exposing his role in the conspiracy. This was a break away from his principles. Ironically, he is spoken of as one of the most honorable men.
After reading Molly K's comment about Hunger of Memory, I felt the need to respond. I agree with Molly to a certain extent, but what she forgot to realize is Rodriguez's use of pathos. It is Rodriguez's focus on himself and personal touch that makes the reader want to agree with him, though, at times, that can be very hard. His "beautiful language" is something to be admired for the profound effects it has on the reader, and its ability to pull them into the story and feel for him.
Also, the tagline of Rodriguez's book is "The Education of Richard Rodriguez." This makes the focus of the book (solely Rodriguez's experiences) valid and acceptable. It would not be an autobiography if it focused on the experience of others. Granted, Rodriguez could have approached bilingual education and affirmative action from a more politically correct standpoint; that was not his purpose of writing.
Throughout the book, Rodriguez expresses himself very strongly, which urges the reader to disagree with him, even hate him at times. However, if you keep an open mind and read what he says after expressing his views, you will succumb to his strategy of pathos and respect his point. Either that, or I’m a complete sucker for emotional persuasion.
Richard Rodriguez's autobiography, Hunger of Memory focuses on the life of a Latino in a Spanish speaking home growing up and trying to fit into an average English speaking American society. Rodriguez discusses the importance of both language and education throughout his autobiography through means of personal experiences and references to great pieces of literature such as The Tempest and the Bible. Throughout Hunger of Memory, education was the equalizer for Rodriguez. It was the way that he could assimilate into American culture and society and it was the way that he could escaped from his Spanish speaking family, his culture, and his native language. Richard Rodriguez was able to accomplish a lot in his career from being a formal public speaker at many conferences to writing literary texts. The irony is that affirmative action created opportunities for him. He was given benefits for being a minority even though he rejected his ethnic background. I believe that his book brought light on an issue in society in a way that it is not usually seen. It made me think about whether someone deserves special benefits from affirmative action simply because of their race or ethnic background when they really haven't been disadvantaged in life. I enjoyed reading this book and although I think it is unfortunate that someone feels such a need to fit in that they will turn their back on their culture, I know that I have benefited from understanding Rodriguez's feelings and pressures.
I had the chance to read Julius Caesar by Willam Shakespeare this summer and i was very pleased with this book. It is a book full of excitement,secrets and action. When I had started reading i was a little bored and didnt think that I would like it but then later into the book it became more interesting to me. Every scene/act left me wanting to read more. It kind of pull me into the story. What i liked the most was how practically everyone secretly hated Caesar because they all thought he was very cruel but he didnt really care. His cruelty actually was the cause of his death because no one felt that he cared about the people, so no one felt that he was right for the place of roman general. Even though he was cruel I still didnt truely understand why they had to use violence as a way of removing some one or as a way of revenge. Besides that Julius Caesar was a very enjoyable book and i would recommend it to anyone. You might think it would be boring and have no point,but you would be very wrong.
The autobiography Hunger of Memory, by Richard Rodriguez, is a strong look against affirmative action and bilingual education. In his autobiography, Richard Rodriguez uses his family life as a primary way to show the effects of these two issues. For this reason, this book really interested me because by using a lot of his family life it was easy to relate to and understand the issues as a reader from the outside. The author, Richard Rodriguez, appreciates the fact that school taught him English and assimilated him into this new culture, even though it tore his family apart. Then, as he uses his autobiography to speak against affirmative action, he tells how he learned his lesson in taking the benefits of being a minority by giving up the unfair offers thrown at him and returning home to his family. Richard Rodriguez’s constant use of family in his autobiography really helped me as a reader understand his purpose and connect with the autobiography.
One of the books I read over the summer was called Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez. When I first got a copy of the book I was very excited to read about a Hispanic immigrant who came to the USA. I myself wasn’t born here. Without reading the book my first thoughts were “wow this man must be proud to be a successful Mexican in the United States.” I found out that was completely untrue after I read the book. Richard Rodriguez seemed to be ashamed of being Mexican. He hid his skin color, wouldn’t speak Spanish, and created a barrier between him and his family. He became so absorbed into the American culture, that he forgot where he came from. When I finally understood that he wasn’t proud to be Hispanic or to speak Spanish I felt extremely annoyed. His writing style was amazing I loved how he divided his book into six different compilations, but I don’t seem to share the same views as him. I believe one shouldn’t absorb another culture to the point were you forget about your own. As a person he lost a lot of respect from me, but as an author this man has an amazing writing ability.
Sister Carrie is an entertaining, enjoyable, and educational novel. Without being too blunt, the concepts of the woman's role in the late 19th and early 20th century are easily conveyed throughout the book. Dreiser does an excellent job with plot twists. The plot line itself is captivating, although the lulls between major events slow the novel down considerably. I can usually finish a book in one or two days, but this took me almost two weeks to complete. The character development was necessary, yes, but there would be pages and pages of character thoughts and inferences that seemed to never end.
I greatly appreciate the fact that Dreiser turns Carrie from a damsel in distress to an independent and successful woman. This makes the novel more accessible to me and the culture that we live in today. I started reading the book warily but finished with an appreciation of Carrie, Hurstwood, and Drouet's hardships in a simple struggle to make it through the demands of life at that time.
Julius Caesar
Over the summer, my class was advised to read William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. I was not exceptionally eager to read this play because I believed it would be rather tedious, but in the end it became very clear how wrong I was. This play had themes of loyalty, and jealousy. My favorite character was Brutus because of how loyal he was. Brutus was the only schemer who truly believed killing Caesar was what was best for Caesar and the people. Caesar’s adopted son, Octavius, and friend, Antony, showed loyalty for Caesar as well by fighting for the cause of his death in the battle against the conspirators. Most of the connivers only killed Caesar out of jealousy. Cassius slyly lured people into the plot to kill Caesar because he desired being in his position. I did not care for Cassius because of how manipulative he was and his lack of integrity. I commend Shakespeare for the way he puts emphasis on the cause of Caesar’s death and the aftermath of it all. I enjoyed Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and I would undeniably urge readers who would like a book that will keep them wanting more all the way to the very end to read this play too.
One of the most interesting books that our class read over the summer was Sister Carrie . Sister Carrie is the story of a young women Carrie who moves from the country to a growing city, Chicago. Carrie desiring to achieve a better life for herself choses to live and become the “wife” of Drouet and later Hurstwood. Throughout the book, I believe Carrie is seeking a happy and somewhat glamourous life that she believes the city can give her, however, at the end of the book it is obvious that the city could not fulfill its promises. By the end of the story, Carrie has become a famous actress and has a large income but she no longer has any way to spend it and it makes her bored. Money is obviously very important theme within the book. Carrie desires it to the point that she is willing to be with Drouet and Hurstwood. Hurstwood at the end of the book has become a beggar who has lost all before committing suicide. The book has many small instances where the characters' ideal life which often includes some amount of wealth is shown. I very much enjoyed Sister Carrie and found it an interesting read.
I agree with Molly regarding Richard Rodriguez’s Hunger of Memory, which solely focused on his opinion, typically making cynical references to his bad experiences growing up. He makes good points, of course, in some aspects such as immigrating to this country and his search for identity, but these arguments fall short to nothing less than pessimism. This concept is very relatable to the American society today, no matter who you are or where you come from, but Hunger of Memory illustrates only one way of looking at it. He has the right to express these held opinions he has since it is his life he is writing about, but what I felt caused the book to be slightly ignorant was that he decided to leave all positivity behind. It also seemed that he kept making attempts to connect what he was saying to irrelevant topics and notions. Sister Carrie, on the other hand, intrigued me as soon as I opened it up and started reading. I personally felt the novel Theodore Dreiser wrote was captivating and honest through the eyes of Carrie. It was also a compellingly historical book despite the fact that it is written in a fictional manner. It was skillfully written by balancing the explanation of history without being boring or dreary and conveying fascination from the reader.
The moral of The Picture of Dorian Gray teaches us that one’s beauty can turn a gentleman into the worst of things. The story opens up with Basil Hallward discussing the perfection of his latest portrait he is working on while informing his friend Lord Henry Wotton that he put too much of himself into the work and cannot present it. In the mean time, Basil shares his compassion he has for the young gentleman. To keep his new friend away from Lord Henry’s influence, Basil requests that Lord Henry leave before his idol returns to finish the portrait. Unfortunately the two meet and greatly become acquainted with one of the other. Dorian Gray finishes the dazzling work of art and keeps it to himself. The same day Lord Henry discusses what honor it is to have youth and how dreadful it is to lose it. After hearing this Dorian sells his soul to the beautiful picture that now showed his true age while his youth remained. Throughout the story Lord Henry consults every person with his fast idea and theories of life. He honestly has all the good lines in the story as he reflects his many opinions on his friend’s circumstances. I myself fell under the influence of Lord Henry after reading his many monologues but some were quite disputable as well. Dorian loves to listen to Lord Henry and often times finds that he disagrees with him but still admires him for it.
Over the summer, I've read the book Julius Caesar. at first I didn't know what to come. I knew Shakespeare's work because I had read his book Romeo and Juliet. I thought the modren version was clear than Elizabethan. As I was the reading the fist scene, it was getting interesting. They were plotting to kill Caesar because they believed they were trying to save the commoners and Caesar. I was so surprised that he killed him so soon. I thought it was going to be at the end. The battle was very exciting because it caused a little of suspense. My favorite charcter would be Cassius because he thought the plan through and convinces the conspirator to kill Caesar. I alos respected Antony and Octavius for being loyal to Caesra by stating a battle to defend his death. I would call the book science-fiction because of the Caesar's ghost being at the foot of Brutus bed in camp. I recommend the book to young adult and hope they njoy it.
This summer I read the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I thought it would be very difficult and boring. Turns out two weeks later when I finished the book, it was amazing. The characters in this book were very deceiving and dishonest. Such characters include Brutus and Cassius and their alliance plotting to kill Caesar. The language in the play was poetic and moving. It seems like Shakespeare was so ahead of his time. The way he depicted things was really unique from other writers. His language helped me to understand the time period and the important values of the people. Though many people who are in high school or have been in high school hate reading Shakespeare, I very much enjoyed Julius Caesar. I look forward to reading more of Shakespeare’s plays.
Hello all! I am a first time blogger and I am going to discuss Julius Caesar which I read over the summer. I won’t say it was bad, but it also was not good. I found the original text hard to understand so every time I read a page of the original text I had to also read the modern text to understand it better. I don’t think that the book was very exciting. When Caesar was stabbed I don’t think the reaction of the characters was what I expected. Also when Cassius died the reaction was definitely not what I expected it to be. I think this book was a little bit boring especially at times in which people were just talking or when they were planning to do something. I do not think that this was William Shakespeare’s best works, but it definitely was not one of his best works.
During the summer I read the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. Although it took me a little while to understand the Old English writing style I really enjoyed reading the book. One thing that I liked about the book was that at the end when his good friend Marcus Brutus killed Caesar. I think that detail added some drama to the plot by showing the betrayal of Brutus. It shows that Brutus' character can easily be persuaded, starting when Cassius first brought up the subject of dethroning Caesar. Even though Brutus killed Caesar, I didn't like how afterwards he committed suicide. I thought that Brutus should have lived with his decision because throughout the book he, Cassius and others spent a lot of time planning. I think that it was a waste of a character because he did to much for him to regret his decision. Besides the bad ending I would recommend others to read Julius Caesar , but only to people who are patient enough to take time to understand the meaning of the Old English.
During the summer I read Julius Caesar. I did not choose to read this book, however I am glad I did. At first, I found the language difficult to read and boring. Though at first I was not interested in reading it, I continued reading and I actually began to enjoy it. I think I was able to understand the characters in Julius Caesar and the situations occurring. I was able to empathize with the themes of greed, betrayal, and karma conveyed in the play. It is not because I possess those qualities, rather because I can appreciate how those qualities exist in society. William Shakespeare, the author, chose themes that have existed throughout history. They were relevant hundreds of years ago when the play was written and are equally applicable today. Cassius was jealous of Caesar's political power. He was also a selfish person who used Brutus and turned Brutus against Caesar in his plot to gain power. Though Cassius did succeed in murdering Caesar, he failed in his attempt to replace Caesar as the ruler. When the conspiracy was exposed by Mark Antony, Cassius ended up fleeing Rome and then was defeated by Mark Antony. This shows that greed is a motivation, and that karma does exist. Hopefully you to will want to give Julius Caesar a chance, and enjoy Shakespeare's work just like I did.
I both liked Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, and disliked it. I liked it because all the characters were unique and there was a great storyline. Nonetheless, I did not like any of the characters except Caesar and Mark Antony. All the patricians, from Brutus, to Cassius, to Trebonius, were corrupt and jealous of Caesar. I disliked Brutus and the other characters that helped kill Caesar, because they did it out of greed. I did not believe it at all when Brutus explained why he killed Caesar “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” He obviously tried to deceive everyone that he killed Caesar for the ‘greater good.’
I liked Caesar and Mark Antony because they were innocent. Caesar was a great ruler, and did not deserve to die one bit! Mark Antony was a good person, because he stayed loyal to Caesar. At the end of the story, I did not understand why Brutus, Cassius, and Titinius were so quick to commit suicide.
The sole part of Julius Caesar that I did not like was related to how the story was written. I found it very annoying to have to keep looking to the side of the page for every word that I did not know. I also felt like it was difficult to read the play in general, because it was written in play script and in Shakespearean English. But putting that aside, I thought Julius Caesar was a great story.
I read the play Julius Caesar this summer and I was very satisfied with it. The thing I liked about it was how it started off with so much intensity and exciting drama. I want to talk about my favorite part of the play. Act 5, Scene 5, despite all of the erroneous things that Brutus had done to Caesar. In my opinion he had the biggest heart because he knew he was wrong deep down. Brutus knew that jealousy had taken over their relationship as friends. Brutus betrayed Caesar because when he made his speech at the funeral oration, Brutus was saying how much he loved Caesar, but at the same time you have to still remember that he killed one of his best friends.
The only reason why I have so much respect for him, and why he’s my favorite character is because he knew his actions and how he felt about Caesar were absolutely preposterous. After Caesar’s death he gained so much more respect for Caesar, that Brutus knew that the only way Julius Caesar would forgive him is if he gave his own life away, and that is what he did. Because of this Julius Caesar is yet on of the best play’s I have read so far.
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar is a book that I enjoyed reading. I loved it because the book put you in ancient times in Rome and it let you get into the roman culture. It was about the soon to be king of Rome Julius Caesar being killed by his most trusted associates and friends out jealousy. The main individuals who set out to kill Julius Caesar were Brutes, Cassius, and Casca. They all were going mad with envy over Julius Caesar so they killed him. The only character against Caesar whom I liked was Brutes because he did not murder him out of jealousy but because Cassius convinced him that it was for the greater good of Rome so his intentions were good. Another character I liked besides Brutes was Antony because after they had killed Julius Caesar and tried to explain that it was for a just cause he was not fooled like the rest of the people but he still was loyal to his companion and avenged his death. I also liked the book because of the dramatic scenes that took place such as when Cassius killed himself because he thought they were defeated because his servant Pinduras mistook cheering soldiers for the enemy or the scene of Caesar’s death. The final reason why I enjoyed the book was because of the message of the play which I believe to be to not grow mad with envy of another.
Hello,first time blogger, I will write about Julius Caesar. In my opinion, I didn’t really enjoy the Julius Caesar book. I didn’t really enjoy the book because I didn’t understand it as much as I wanted to. The way they spoke during those times was a bit different from the way we speak now. That was one of the reasons why the book was a bit hard for me to comprehend.
There were parts I liked of Julius Caesar. I liked the overall concept of the play. I also enjoyed the puns, which the cobbler said in the beginning. I loved the character of Mark Antony, because he even treated his enemies with respect, and he was a true friend to Caesar. What I disliked was that Caesar died so early in the story, and he was killed was killed by his so- called “friends”. I had a lot of trouble understanding most of the story because of the classical style. What also bothered me was that Brutus’s wife died, which I thought there was no need for. Overall, it was a pretty deep, and complex story.
During the Summer, I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. When first reading the play, I felt that shakespeare’s language was a little hard to understand. After becoming comfortable with the language, I came to like the play. I especially liked the assassination of Caesar although it came so early in the play, which was very surprising. I think that this key event showed that you can’t take too much for granted. I also liked how Shakespeare showed that words are very powerful. I found this evident when the reaction of the crowd completely shifts when Antony reads Caesar's will. I think that it was very bold for Brutus to kill Caesar, but i didn’t like the fact that later in the play Brutus commits suicide. Overall, i think the play draws in the reader and has a good plot.
Julius Caesar
This book was good and bad. Good because it is an exciting book that can keep you entertained. I also liked the part when the ghost appeared to Brutus because that got him scared and he committed suicide. But when Caesar died it was sad and crazy because his wife told him not to go to the senate and he did and died. The other thing I liked was that Anthony helped Caesar and he was good friend. The thing I didn’t like about the book was that it gets confusing at some points in the story. The other thing three people died in the story and two committed suicide but why? The one thing that really got confusing was the final battle. I got lost in the middle of it and couldn’t understand it. Overall it was good but a little confusing even while reading the English version.
What is right and wrong? That is an important question throughout Julius Caesar, and in real life. In his work, Shakespeare uses the character of Brutus to portray that theme, but you can look at almost every other character as well, the need to choose between the right answer and a wrong answer. Sometimes, it’s not so easy to tell which is which, like Brutus’s decision to kill Caesar, and whether Brutus and Cassius should wait for Marc Antony’s forces to attack or to attack them first. Brutus’s decision to kill his friend, Caesar, is not an easy one, for he values their friendship, but he feels that the Roman Empire needs him to do the deed, his loyalty to his country outweighs that to his friend, and is convinced that his friend wants to be the sole leader of Rome. Cassius is a lot easier to interprate forward, he is Jealous of Caesar and his power, and he uses strong words and deceitful techniques throughout the play to convince the conspirators that Caesar needs to be killed. Though the main character, Caesar himself plays only a slight role in the events, using situational irony to add foreshadowing to the plot.
Though the language was difficult to understand, I enjoyed reading Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Shakespeare shows through Brutus that the difference between right and wrong isn’t always obvious, and sometimes good people will have to bad things for the greater good. Brutus is Caesar’s friend, and it was hard for him to make the decision to kill him, but Marc Antony and the other conspirators convince him that it is necessary for the greater good of Rome. I also though it was interesting that Caesar’s ghost visits Brutus, and gives him a warning. This some suspence to the play. In the Elizabethan era when Shakespeare was writing, plays were not thought of if they were supposed to be real. Unlike then, the plays were a social commentary, or a metaphor for something else, and the audience understood this. Because of this, it is not out of the ordinary for Caesar’s ghost to appear to Brutus. The ghost appearing highlights Brutus’ choice, by still appearing after the choice had been made, which adds a level of depth to the reading, and made me think, which made me like the reading more.
Hello my name is Jack Pine and over the summer I read Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was a good play especially with the background inferences on betrayal and revenge. I like how William Shakespeare used the fact that Caesar became too powerful and under his rule even his closest allies were against him. The characters Brutus and Mark Antony were really inspiring to me especially Antony, to be truthful who was the only part I actually paid attention to. To be truthful about another thing, though it was a good play it got pretty boring at some parts. The battle scenes and Mark Antony’s revenge really attracted me, especially how he pretended at the beginning to be on the “traitor’s” side. The speech that Antony gave at the beginning to combat Brutus’s speech and bring the city against Caesar’s betrayals and he ended up winning the battle and had every last traitor disposed of. All in all Julius Caesar was a good and well written play, even though it was a little boring it caught my attention a couple of times.
After reading this book I felt confused. I could not seem to understand what the people really had against Julius Cesar, and why everyone started turning from him. Shouldn’t he be allowed to brag and beam about his victories? I also thought it was really idiotic that Brutus switched who he favors at the last minute, because of persuasion by someone who’s only interest in mind was their own. To me this play was a modern day group of unmoral friends. Personally I did not like Julius Cesar. I thought the plot was not really entertaining. I saw the story as being mainly about Julius Cesar denying the crown, and then dying because the people don’t really want him to accept it. Maybe I am just not interpreting what I am reading correctly but all in all I did not enjoy this book. I would never suggest this play to anyone because to me it really had no point.
Over the summer I was assigned to read Julius Caesar. When I first started reading it, I didn’t really understand what was going. I had to get help from my friends, my parents, and Tudors. Even though I didn’t understand the text when I first started reading the more I broke down each part the more I figured out what was going on. Cassius was envious of Caesar and his authority. Cassius did whatever it took to take out Caesar. Cassius murdered Caesar. However, the plan was exposed by Mark Antony. Cassius was eventually beaten by Mark Antony.In this whole process Cassius turned Brutus, a good friend of Caesar, against him. This was a really appealing play, written by William Shakespeare. I am happy that I was assigned this book to read and I would read it again anytime.
This is my first time doing a blog. I am going to express my feelings on the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I really liked the book. At first I thought it was going to be boring because I really didn’t understand what they were referring to. After a while I started understanding and I became more interested. In this book I didn’t have any favorite characters, but I do have different opinions among the different characters. For instance, Cassius was supposed to be Caesar’s friend but he seemed very sneaky and deceiving. I say this because he literally deceived Brutus by killing Caesar just for the sake of Rome. I guess I can kind of call Brutus, Cassius’ reflection, because whatever Cassius does Brutus does the same. Brutus to me seemed gullible and confused. I say this because he believed anything someone told him. I also feel that Brutus was backstabbing because he and Caesar were so called friends but you don’t back down on your friends. Antony to me seemed like a true friend because he stayed by Caesar’s side. Overall the book was very interesting. The one thing I didn’t really understand was why they killed Caesar. I know they thought he was going to try to take over Rome, but Caesar turned down the crown 3 times. And even though the town people wanted Caesar to become King, Cassius, Brutus and conspirators never gave him a chance.
I recently read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I did not choose this book, it was assigned. I do not usually like reading books that are assigned, I prefer to choose them at my leisure. This was an exception, however. One reason that I enjoyed reading Julius Caesar so much was that it is such an old story. It is a timeless classic. Its age is reflected in Shakespeare's language and diction, which are difficult to decipher, yet quite satisfying when done correctly. It is nice to escape the modern world through the open door that is a book. Julius Caesar offered and escape from violence, crime, and problems that plague the modern world, and throw the reader into a universe where the things that matter are loyalty and courage, not money and status. All in all, I would encourage anybody who is not frustrated easily by new words and who sees a book as an opportunity to read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.
This summer I read the book Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. The play is mostly about death, betrayal, and persuasion. I enjoyed this book because those themes made it very interesting. The death of Julius Caesar is extremely harsh, not only because it was plotted by his friends Brutus and Cassius, but because he was stabbed to death. One part that I thought was eerie but good was the dream that Caesar’s wife Calpurnia has about Caesar’s upcoming death. One part that I disliked about the book was how after Caesar is killed, Antony reads the will to the crowd and gets them angry. I did not like that because even if Antony knew of what Brutus and Cassius had done, it was still not right for him to make the crowd suspicious of their actions. Antony’s actions lead Brutus and Cassius to leave the city because they have been exiled. Their exile leads to a battle and their battle leads to many deaths. This play was not the easiest thing to read or to understand. But I enjoyed the plot overall and I think that I would like to read many other Shakespeare works.
I agree with Molly regarding Richard Rodriguez's Hunger of Memory, which solely focused on his opinion, typically making cynical references to his bad experiences growing up. He makes good points, of course, in some aspects such as immigrating to this country and his search for identity, but these arguments fall short to nothing less than pessimism. This concept is very relatable to the American society today, no matter who you are or where you come from, but Hunger of Memory illustrates only one way of looking at it. He has the right to express these held opinions he has since it is his life he is writing about, but what I felt caused the book to be slightly ignorant was that he decided to leave all positivity behind. It also seemed that he kept making attempts to connect what he was saying to irrelevant topics and notions. Sister Carrie, on the other hand, intrigued me as soon as I opened it up and started reading. I personally felt the novel Theodore Dreiser wrote was captivating and honest through the eyes of Carrie. It was also a compellingly historical book despite the fact that it is written in a fictional manner. It was skillfully written by balancing the explanation of history without being boring or dreary and conveying fascination from the reader.
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar is one of the greatest written by Shakespeare. It has something for every one. It combines violence, emotion, and factual evidence excellently. In Julius Caesar Brutus and other conspirators betray Caesar and overthrow him because they believed that he was gaining too much power. Brutus is Caesars best friend and so for him to betray his best friend to do what he thinks is best for his country shows how much he loved his country. What Brutus thought was best for his country ended up being the key element in its down fall. After Caesar was killed a massive civil war broke out and when it ended Rome was no longer Rome, it was separated. In my English class last year we read this play and analyzed it. Then we had the wonderful opportunity of going to see a live production of it.
Over the summer, I read Julius Caesar. I thought that this book was very interesting because each character was suspenseful. One thing I found interesting was that Brutus was one of Caesar’s favorites, but he conspired against Caesar because of his fear that Caesar would become king. I thought that Cassius was an interesting character and factor in Julius Caesar because he persuaded many into joining the rebellion against Caesar’s kingship. It was unusual how Brutus did not admit that he and a number of other people killed Caesar even though they were strongly against him. Another thing I found unusual was how Brutus and Cassius threw accusations at each other before their battle against Antony and Octavius. The language and flow to Julius Caesar was in fact, very beautiful, although many people may disagree. Even though I am not accustomed to the language of Shakespeare, I was entertained by the different style. Overall, I believed that Julius Caesar was an interesting, yet different book.
William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is a witty play between the two marriages that are vowed between the main characters. I love the relationship that Beatrice and Benedick share with their constant bickering from the beginning and how their friends and family members trick them into loving each other. Meanwhile the love Claudio has for Hero is pure and their future together is promised but the evil plan of Don John and his friends break up their wonderful engagement. Don Pedro, prince of Aragon, is betrayed by his brother Don John who abused the affections of one of Don Pedro’s close friends. Claudio, blind from the plot of Don John’s, ruins the good name of Hero having her kill her self. Not aware of her death as a secret, Claudio discovers she was innocent and feels ashamed of not believing her and engages himself to marry Beatrice but the Governor of Mesina and father of Hero, Leonata, tricks him to marry Hero. Much is rejoiced and even when Beatrice and Benedick refuse their love for each other, Claudio and Hero turn them in with letters they found vowing their love for one another. The story ends with the marriages with a great celebration and Don John is caught for his malicious act.
Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite romance novels of the 1800. The story opens up the Bennet family, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, discussing the arrival a new wealthy neighbor to whom they might marry of one of their five daughters too. The opening statement “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife,” is strongly supported by Mrs. Bennet hoping that all her daughters will marry a fine gentleman of wealthy state. The new neighbor, Mr. Bingly, gets attached to the eldest of the sisters, Jane Bennet. To make sure the two would be engaged with one another, Mrs. Bennet puts her daughter at the risk of her health just to be acquainted with the Bingly’s at his mansion. Meanwhile Mr. Bingly’s friend, Mr. Darcy, finds him self attached to the second eldest sister, Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth being prejudice about everybody’s situations and Mr. Darcy being proud of his state make quite a match but the infireity of Miss Bennet’s family makes circumstances between the two difficult. The mother’s effort of being a matchmaker for all her daughters is tiring but Mrs. Bennet never gave up getting them well acquainted. I admire the mother’s determination to keep her family in good name and proud of their own estate. It is not easy to raise five daughters while marrying each one to good suitors.
Over the course of the summer I was instructed, by my previous teacher, to read William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies. The book, in my opinion, started off extremely slow. Therefore, I already knew that I wouldn’t enjoy the book. As I continued to read the book, I found myself confused and frustrated with several parts in the story. In particular, I was confused when I found out that the Lord of the Flies was not an actual beast but was the boys’ fear and evil that came from within them. To this day, I am still unsure about what that means.
If I were the author, I would have changed the events that occurred in the book. Since I am a female, I would have included females in the book so that the story could be a lot more interesting. I would have also changed the fact that the two most kind hearted characters were killed. Why couldn’t Jack and Roger get murdered and the good characters stay alive to roam the island?
In conclusion, I did not enjoy reading the Lord of the Flies.
During the summer I read Julius Caesar. This book interested me because of the social and political controversies. Nothing was just black and white. The relationship between Brutus and Caesar I think showed that no human relationships are well defined or perfectly stationary. Cassius, however played an unusual player in this scheme, because it was his conspiracy in the first place that inspire Brutus. Also, the fact that Cassius and Brutus, the allies, betrayed each other shows that they were uncomfortable with what they did and lashed out. I think that Brutus felt guilty because of the way he acted after Caesar's death. I thought that this book was full of friendship, betrayal, guilt, and political scandals. I was surprised because I thought the old English would make the story boring, but although it was hard to understand, I took great pleasure in reading it. The controversy of it made it fascinating. Overall, it was a fun book to read.
The story I will write about is To Kill a Mockingbird. The story is narrated by a girl nicknamed Scout. Scout and her brother named Jem, live with their father whose name is Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is important because he is representing Mr. Robinson, a black man on trial. During the setting of this story, discrimination and racism towards black people is very common and culturally accepted. In honesty, I believe that this book is just like those times. Upon close reading, the entire story is somewhat related to the prejudiced views and opinions headed in the south. Overall, I believe that this was a very good book and I encourage others to read it. It gave me a sense of humility and compassion for seeing what my people had to deal with. If you enjoy exciting books, you might like this one. Ironically, killing a mockingbird is a sin, but, in the end, Mr. Robinson is shot.
I recently finished the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinback. Before I started reading it I thought to myself "there is no way I'm going to enjoy this." I hated books that took place in earlier times, until i read this one. I really liked the twisted connection between Lennie and George. Though Lennie got in a lot of trouble that George had to deal with, George continued to take care of him. A couple days after reading the book, I realized that there was a connection between Candy's dog and Lennie. Both the dog and Lennie caused many problems but yet there owners still wanted them. Most would ask: Why keep something thats just going to cause trouble? While reading the book you start to feel the bond of the characters, and realize that it's not that easy to just give something/one up after being with them for so long. I really enjoyed reading this book. Of Mice and Men is now one of my all time favorites.
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, is a dark vision of the future in which genetically bred raise of people serve the ruling order of the nation. The plot of this story reminds me of a reverse version of William Shakespeare’s, The Tempest. A young man known as John, son of Linda who was pregnanted by the Director of the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, are brought back to modern day civilization. Linda was once part of the industrialized civilization but John, who was born and raised on an Indian reservation, found the, “O brave new world that has such people in it,” as he quoted Miranda from The Tempest, a disturbing way of life where individuals drug themselves with soma that diminishes heavy emotions. A young woman named Lenina falls in love with John’s mysterious characteristics such as Miranda fell for Caliban in Shakespeare’s play. Not used to the primitive lifestyle of the modern society, John reacts wildly to Lenina’s actions of trying to sleep with him after he proposed his love for her. Never wanting to see Lenina again, John looses his mother to civilization as Caliban lost his mother, Sycorax. In society, John is known as The Savage such as Caliban was to Prospero and the other man, which are played as civilization. Caliban learned the language of his intruders in which he used to curse is anger towards them. When John was little, he learned how to read by reading a book completed with all of Shakespeare’s works in which he recites quotes from King Lear, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest, to express his anger towards civilization.
Over the summer I read The Red Pony by John Steinback, which I picked up by mistake off of my bookshelf. Ten year old, Jody Tiflin, takes readers on a trip through four different stories. Jody tells us about John Steinback’s childhood memories while living on his father’s California ranch. While reading, I was not aware that there were four stories which caused me a bit of confusion when trying to connect the events together. Many of the events and their motives had symbolism that was used to make connections to John Steinback’s childhood. I found the symbolism hard to decode and baffled the point of the novel. I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would have judging from the cover. The Red Pony did not have many climaxes which made the book’s overall mood monotone. My favorite part of the book would have to be when a worker on the ranch, Billy Buck, has to save Jody’s baby mare from the mare, Nellie, because the labor process did not go as planned. After reading The Red Pony I was so disappointed because I was expecting a bigger connection. In addition, the closing was left open-ended which added to the disappointment. I was interested to know what happened to Jody after the mare he had such a close relationship with, died in labor. I did not enjoy reading The Red Pony, but I will try to read one other book by Steinback and hopefully I will like the story better than this one.
I was browsing the library one day when I came across The Color of Water by James McBride. I intended to use the title for a poem, but as I read the plot summary, I found the book seemed quite interesting. The author James McBride, takes readers on a journey from his childhood to adulthood, explaining how he came to discover the truth about his mother’s hidden background. I really enjoyed reading The Color of Water because McBride’s situation relates to my family also. The writing style was very unique because the author switches back and forth in each chapter, writing from his experience and telling his mother’s story also. Sometimes, I found it difficult to connect the events because I would forget where the events left off in the two stories, but it was easy to found my place again. The plot was so interesting because it passionately conveyed how the missing pieces between McBride and his mother’s relationship affected him as well as his mother. The book was slightly sorrowful because McBride’s fear and confusion causes his definition of family to be baffled. His triumph, as well as his mother’s was very touching and her religious motivation made her a strong, determined, and dedicated mother.
During the early 1900s the progressive movement took place in which many believed that industrialization and colonization was destroying society. To fix these problems, the progressives thought it would be best for the government to pitch in and create reforms to correct all the unfair treatment ordinary people were receiving. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, was one of the books during this movement in which muckrakers, writers who investigated horrible situations making it known to the public, used to help inform the government to make reforms. After reading the novel of a poor Lithuanian family living in Chicago hustling and risking there lives to pay for their home and feed them, greatly alarmed the current President, Theodore Delano Roosevelt. It was not only the horrible lives that poor immigrants had been incarcerated with, but also the nightmare visions of the stockyards in which handled all meat products given across America and to the troops fighting overseas. Roosevelt not believing it true at first, than discovers the same truth of the brutality of slaughtering the animals and using all wastes in other products that Americans use everyday. The deathly lives of the worker who were paid very little as is, almost ending up on the killing bed themselves, were a call of action for the government. In result of the book, The jungle literally inspired for the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act to passed, and also established legislation in the food industry. The topic is gruesome that is expressed in the book which evolves around Jurgis, who experiences the worst taste of reality during the progressive era, but the book itself is a great novel presenting both socialism and capitalism.
In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, three parts are presented. The first is Okonkwo’s history background of how he established his family and how he always wanted to prove himself better than his father he was a great disappointment to their native village in Niger. In the process, their culture unfolds through celebrations of all sorts and their living styles which are looked upon often. After murder is committed, Okonkwo and his family must leave the fatherland to the motherland for seven years in which is what the second part is about. The clash of two different cultures however is introduced in part two as well. White missionaries who teach of God and converting villagers that turn their backs onto their culture and people bring troubled times for Okonkwo when he returns to the fatherland. In part three the missionaries become brutal and the clashing cultures cannot understand each other causing more chaos and discrimination. The dying culture of the villagers leads to a suicidal battle which leaves the two cultures distant of one another and doomed for destruction. People who were once one family turn against each other after being convinced that the “white men’s’ way is better. Things Fall Apart is a great novel in which presents the horrible events that occurs between two different cultures that represent different symbols and rituals.
T.S. Eliot’s best-known drama masterpiece Murder in the Cathedral, is based on the actual event of the death of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the late 1100s. Archbishop Thomas Becket returns to Canterbury which has been left in ruins during the rule of the king. Priests discussed the neglect with Thomas who wants to use his power for the good of the people but doesn't want to turn against the king. The first priest questions the Archbishop while tormenting him with how Thomas will abuse his power. Chorus members sing in the background to inform the reader of the situations discussed. The second act introduces the knights under the name of the king who will determine the faith of the Archbishop. To the reader the knights look as if they are the ones causing mutiny but after their deed they commit they give explanations on their actions. Perhaps it was not murder, instead, it was suicide. The Archbishop had the chance to escape and stay alive but it was his choice to face the knights. Fear of the king’s disappointment in Thomas actions might have been what leads him to his death. Overall the play was a great example of all the conspiracy that might have occurred during the murder of the Archbishop in 1170.
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them,” said by Corsino in William Shakespeare’s play the Twelfth Night. The same phrase is stated again by Feste the fool, the jester of Olivia, in which he purposes that any man or woman can indeed achieve their own greatness. In the play a love triangle is formed when Olivia, who morns for her brother, is the idol for Corsino, who promises he will have Olivia as his, gets acquainted with Viola, who is disguised as a boy to work for Corsino, falls in love with Corsino not realizing Olivia is in love with Viola. Confusion begins to unfold between these lovers as Sebastian, Viola’s lost twin brother who was thought to have drowned in the beginning of the play, appears before Olivia and her family and friends mistaking him for the disguised Viola. However, when all members are present, things fall into place with two great matches breaking the confusing triangle that had been established. Viola is perfectly matched with Corsino and Sebastian is delightfully happy with his charming lady. The course of true love is never an easy matter to undergo. Confusion of mixed emotions such as anger, jealousy, and distrust ruin the relationships we have for each other. The rage building inside or the butterflies that make you fly causes men and women to jump to conclusion such as the people who saw Sebastian for the first time saw him as Viola in her disguise. They don’t even notice the complete difference in character when threatened or addressed. When both of the twins were together it was till than the others realized how blind they we were. Twelfth Night is a great example of how looks can deceive a person when they are not fully paying attention. It is amazing though how Viola with her appearance that resembles her brother so closely gave her the opportunity to roam among individuals without them knowing who she truly is. She became great friends of a great duke who later becomes her match and at the same she gave hope to Olivia’s chancing of finding love from the darkness of depression she was surrounded with. Viola had achieved greatness for these goals she has done without intentionally doing so.
First published in 1816, Emma represented the height of the great writing style of Jane Austen. Emma, being similar to Jane Austen’s other novels by portraying the hard struggle of women who must find a suitor, is more on the comedy side of these situations. The main character Miss Woodhouse, Emma, promises herself to never get involved with matchmaking until she is acquainted with a new friend whom she starts guiding her friend’s attention to certain gentlemen. Emma’s well known friend Mr. Knightly, who used to always be acquainted with her, tries to perfect Emma’s desisions concerning her new friends and her habit she can’t seem to drop of matchmaking. Harriet being the unfortunate soul to have her faith made by Emma falls under the discomfort of loving three men in a single year. However, the end turns well for both ladies, even though Emma never wanted to marry but finds her self in the arms of her dearest friend. It is great to make new friends and share opinions with each other but if you act like Emma towards a friend such as Harriet, you would put someone through the most utter disappointment. Assuming you can control the situations of love is a false conception. Believing someone perfectly matches for each other puts you on the spot and might break the relationships that occur between one another. Emma believed Mr. Elton was the one set for Harriet and proposed using clues that it was evident he loved Harriet back. Unfortunately Emma misunderstood his affections and found that she was set to be Mr. Elton’s idol. Her disappointment causes Mr. Elton such grief that forces him to ignore Harriet and be acquainted with a woman with less good-nature character. Emma realizing the chaos she had created stopped her habit of matchmaking and left Harriet to be engaged to the best suitor who was meant to be with Harriet in the first place. Her lesson of not getting involved with other people’s social status pointed out Emma’s true match for herself.
Since the Nazis invaded Germany with the idea of an Aryan race and the Russians who began spreading communism, questions were raised on how the government would be like in the future. In George Orwell’s frightening tale of the future 1984, which was presented in 1949, readers were greatly impacted with the ideas of the government controlling the people, even their thoughts. Big Brother, the superior leader of Oceania, watches the country with televisions and listens to individual conversations with secretly hidden microphones, searching anyone who opposes his power. Winston, who is one of the victims who get involved with the seriousness of the government, goes through a numerous tests and tortures to which, O’Brian, turns him into one of the drained civilians left with no feelings except for fear, hatred, and only love for Big Brother. The intentions for all this cruel treatment is only for the government to gain complete power over its people, making them latterly numb to human behavior, turning them inhumane or in a sense, turning them sane. What’s a nation in which individuals cannot make their own decisions with personal rights? Breaking into the minds of ordinary people is in fact inhumane, not sane. Discomfort to the mind is the result of reading such tragedy and horrors. Is this to be the faith of future? I believe such situations might erupt but like Winston, I believe they can never change the heart inside. They can change your thoughts, blind you, make you fake, but cannot take the identity that rests inside; human spirit will break up such felony.
The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, is one of those novels in which presented the beautiful scenery of Europe, Spain and France to be more exact. The novel includes a group of American friends who tour the city Paris and head down to Spain to see the great bull fighter which is one of the events occurring during the mass fiesta lasting a whole week. The main two characters are Lady Brett Ashley, always getting involved with some man, and Jake Barnes who is the narrator of the story. The novel is during the post-World War I generation in which the people are now relaxing, enjoying the great excitements of the European culture. During the trip Brett and Jake become close friends till the end they find they are a great match for each other. This journey the reader undergoes is a great example of representing Ernest Hemingway’s creative writing of imagery.
During the 1800s, war broke out towards man of two different races. African Americans were at the point in which they were taking extreme measures to escape the abuse of southern slave owners by running across the United States into northern territory of Canada. Many Americans who witnessed the foul behavior towards African Americans encouraged them to make a stand for them as well. Most of these abolitionists would preach the sin of the heinous crimes towards the black race, while some spoke of action and proceeded to their plans of attack. In Russell Banks Cloudsplitter, the son of the famous John Brown, writes a constant flow of letters to which he describes his whole life experience around his father during his abolition movement. Owen Brown first writes of how his family and father had fallen into poverty but with their sheep business barely kept them alive. Going through short stories of Owen’s connections with his father and his other brothers who roughly around the same age, Owen presents us with a different view of his father in which he was a very religious follower. His father always spoke of doing, “God’s duty,” which was to transport escaped slaves to safety over the northern border and attack the southerners to end slavery. All these stories that go in depth from the sheep business, to the escaping slaves, to the attacks in Kansas, and the event that took place at Harper’s Ferry, is all addressed to a Miss Mayo who, like many other professors, want to learn the real events leading to the death of “John Brown of Kansas.”
Recently, I read the book The Lord of the Flies. I thought it was a really good book and I loved the characters. I especially liked Piggy who seemed kind-hearted and smart. I didn't like Jack because he seemed to power hungry. I was sad when Simon died and sad again after Piggy got hit off of the cliff but I was happy when they were fianlly rescued. Overall, I thought it was a good book and it had many twists and turns in the story.
I recently read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. The 900 page book is long and, at times, slow, but still definitely worth reading. The book tells the stories of several different people all connected to each other by the building of a grand cathedral in Kingsbridge, England. The novel shows how single events affect the lives of many different people in different ways. The story is set in the twelfth century, yet issues like corruption, dishonesty and deception, which are timeless, are addressed. It was an interesting and suspenseful book that I could hardly put down.
I am now reading the sequel, World Without End, which similarly, follows the lives of many different people, this time connected by a murder they all witnessed as children. It is set in the same town of Kingsbridge, though two centuries after the first book.
I have not finished World Without End, but I definitely recommend The Pillars of the Earth to anyone who likes to read. The book is well written and the characters are all well developed. The plot is dramatic and suspenseful making it hard to ever put the book down.
During WWII Europe had experienced one of the most devastating moment in history. The Holocaust burned many horrifying images in the individuals who were part of it. Eli Wiesel’s Night, is a short novel that present those images through his own perspective. Eli and his father are in danger from the German Nazis and the Hungarian Nyilas. Eli gets separated from all his friends from his old neighborhood, the ghetto the Jews were reduced too, and loses contact with the rest of his family who disappears accept his father. Together, father and son, the two characters battle the hardship of the camps they are forced to slave which is their only ticket for survival. The stress of passing an inspection that determined the future of existence for the prisoners drove them insane, in panic, and turned them into dogs by stealing from their own family and friends. Eli promises himself that he wouldn’t let this deceiving state come between his weak father and him. His father counsels him on ways of surviving among the others during the long journey from traveling camp to camp in the cold winter nights. At certain moments the trip was completely unbearable that Eli was close to abandoning his father but still the love of his father kept him by his side till the end of his days.
There have been several works of literature that has wrapped up all the different experiences during World War II and the after lives of the individuals who were forced to change their identity for the their own sake. Another popular novel from author Eli Wiesel, The Time of the Uprooted takes place during the Holocaust era and after revolving around Gamaliel, who was just a little Jewish boy who escaped with his family from Czechoslovakia to Hungary adopting to a new family and name for his own safety. He is separated from his mother who he never sees again and founds himself growing attached to his new guardian Ilonka. The novel’s current time is after the war in where Gamaliel is trying to discover the identity of a stranger who is in a coma in a hospital. Gamaliel doesn’t know exactly why he is there but he claims the woman in the coma could be the Hungarian singer Ilonka who disappeared in Europe breaking her promise of meeting up Gamaliel after they were separated. Going through a series of flashbacks, Gamaliel’s past his revealed, from his moments with Ilonka to the three relationships that still lives in him. Through his flashbacks he finds clues that could reveal the woman’s identity in the hospital but by the end of the novel Gamaliel discovers who the woman actually is by what was in her bag. The Time of the Uprooted is a unique novel that depicts the Jewish style of literature.
One of the most famous novels describing the poor conditions and treatment of Irish working women is by the famous author Thomas hardy, Tess of the D’Urbervilles. The novel revolves around a maiden known as Tess Durbeyfield who is connected to the great family of the D’Urbervilles who fought alongside King Arthur during his reign. Tess, who has recently killed her father’s horse from not paying attention to the road, repays her father by visiting the famous mansion where she meets the friendly Alec D’Urberville whose intentions are unclear to Tess till she finds herself ill used. After returning home from the misfortune Alec brought upon Tess, she is with child who is named Sorrow for all Tess felt. Unfortunately Sorrow only lived for a few months and does not even receive a proper burial because it was not baptized by the church. As Tess tale turns into a tragedy, her live goes down a peaceful path when she starts working at a dairy farm as a milk maid. She finds herself acquainted with a familiar gentleman whom she shared a gaze within the beginning of the novel. They become attached with each other and soon become entitled to each other but Tess’s past comes back to haunt her as she tries to be honest in her marriage. Her dear Angel Claire is unable to register the horrid words she speaks of and abandons her to go to Brazil to have time to him to think. Tess’s life goes more downhill as she reencounters the devil like Mr. Alec D’Urberville who says he has turned to a cleaner life by preaching in neighborhood churches. After being neglected and tortured for a few years Tess finds herself in the worst of conflicts between the two men. This novel surely portrays the possible tragedies an Irish maiden might face during the time in which the novel was written in. Even though the novel has many negative points and does not end on the positive side it is still one of my favorite novels I ever read.
The jungle has always been a dark place in which the skills of men have been put to the tests. To diseases and the fear of being hunted, the jungle has always swallowed many men alive in its silence in which they were never heard from again. The natives of this darkness are also part of the dangerous scene where they practice such gruesome ceremonies of survival of the fittest. A novel by Joseph Conrad depicts these exact moments of encountering the wild jungle and the horrors that come from within. This novel is known as Heart of Darkness in which revolves around a narrator named Marlow who is retelling his experience on his journey on the Congo River. He speaks of a great explorer named Kurtz who falls ill due to the dark surroundings of the jungle. Unfortunately the jungle takes Kurtz along with many other men who never return to their homes. Marlow shares his story of how danger lingered at every corner of his journey of trying to escape the madness. Natives were of great threat to the explorers such as the men were of a great threat to them as well. Marlow ends his story of returning into the same darkness that threatened his very existence. The jungle is, indeed, not a place for a man who fears darkness.
“Some people don’t want to know the truth, of course,” but good writing is writing honestly. King writes honestly and uncensored, thus his characters are multidimensional and real. In <\i>The Shining, King’s “vulgar lowbrow” writing develops the character of Jack and Danny into believable, multidimensional ones, suggesting that uncensored, honest writing is necessary to create realism. The profanity and vulgarity often used in <\i>The Shining was necessary to develop the characters and the storyline. King’s background also makes it easier for him to write truthfully, further adding to the experience for the reader. King receives criticism for having racist themes in his novels and that he is constantly accused of being “foul mouthed, bigoted.” But without this language, the emotions and intensity of the characters experiences would be diminished. He disregards public opinion and in <\i>The Shining, profane language and themes are necessary to develop the characters of Jack and Danny. King’s honesty in writing creates a more realistic story and complex characters.
“The Real Fidel Castro” is a biography written by the former British ambassador, Leycester Coleman, to Cuba about Fidel Castro. Coleman provides his audiences with an intimate look at the life of the former Cuban president, Fidel Castro. I read this book for a US History class project and I really enjoyed reading it. This book reassured me that Fidel Castro isn't the evil dictator many people portray him as being. He was a man with a goal and a mission. No matter how many times he was thrown in jail or beaten he didn't give up his dream of overthrowing the corrupt government of Cuba. This book starts of from his child hood, talks about his early college days and how he first became interested in politics, his disastrous premature attempts in overthrowing Fulgencio Batista's government, his exile into Mexico, his guerrilla war, his time as president of Cuba, and finally his last couple months in power. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a bad or good perspective on Fidel Castro. It goes into a lot of detail on Castro’s personal life as well as political life.
Long before school became an opportunity for any young man or woman, getting into college was a great deal. The only people who were able to have the privilege of a decent education for a better future were wealthy, or had good connections in the family. Thomas Hardy’s novel, Jude the Obscure, represents the struggle that many eligible people could not always chase the dreams they set for themselves at an early age. As young students we usually plan what we will do in the future and we are provided the opportunity to achieve those goals but that was not the case for Jude Fawley. Jude is not a wealthy young man who dreams of going to the university in Christminster and study Latin and Greek, all the subjects that will allow him to be part of the church. However, the university thinks it is best for him to stick to his steady job of being a sculptor and architect. Jude becomes depressed and gives up studying and reading the books he found to prepare him for school. The novel continues with his depression of being turned down and becomes more complicated as he gets in a relationship with his cousin after being separated from his first wife. Jude the Obscure is one of Thomas Hardy’s best novels that represent the struggle of the lower class in society and how the university impacted individuals.
During the 1940s in the Dominican Republic, a strong leader ruled the government and brought good and bad times for the people. He was known as Trujillo and every man and woman feared him. However, there were many who too stood up against his power, trying to overturn the government with secret missions. They were not very successful unfortunately but they will be remembered for the good tidings they tried to bring back. In Julia Alvarez’s In Time of the Butterflies, four sisters are growing up under this tyranny and together they try to gain justice from all the crimes Trujillo brought upon the people. The story revolves around all for sisters listening to each perspective through diary entries and their own experiences. Each sister lived a healthy life; each developed their own family, but only one would remain to share their struggle. This novel was a great piece of work that explained all the terror that Trujillo caused. It expresses the stress he put on all families that worked beneath him trying to protect their daughters from the “savage dog.” The story of these four sisters is the best depiction of the Dominican struggle with the devilish Trujillo.
The Native American culture is known for their oral history that would be passed down from generation to generation over time. However, oral history doesn’t preserve their culture putting their whole history in danger. Some Native Americans have recorded their own tales and history stories they were passed from their ancestors. One such author includes N. Scott Momaday. His most popular novel is The Way to Rainy Mountain that depicts the Natives culture. His other novel, House Made of Dawn, depicts the modern culture of Native Americans today. Through the story, Abel the protagonist, has been raised on a reservation and encounters his grandfather. Abel reviews his past and present issues as he struggle through the modern problems of a Native American; finding a job, women, drinking, and family ties. The novel is full of sexuality and visionary scenes that best resemble the true scenery of the modern life. Abel learns a lot from his past and from his grandfather who pulls him out of a greater depression.
Othello, written as a play by William Shakespeare, is a dramatic tragedy of forbidden love. The setting of the story takes place in a kingdom in the city of Venice. The main characters, Othello and Desdemona, take on a journey of misunderstandings and confusion that will, in the end, destroy the love between them. Othello is filled with common themes of love, envy, infidelity, and prejudice. When Othello and Desdemona openly reveal their love for each other, mayhem arises. Other characters in the story see their love as incompatible, not only because of the large age gap, but also of their different skin colors. Nevertheless, Othello and Desdemona avoid the details of their age and race to maintain their passionate love. The theme of racism is evident when Desdemona’s father refuses to accept the feelings the two lovers have. Desdemona’s father, Lord Bertrand, said to Othello after the secret marriage, “she will deceive you.” This quote implanted a small seed in Othello’s mind that, with encouragement from Iago, would grow to demolish the two lovers. The antagonist, Iago, conveys the theme of betrayal and jealousy. Iago seeks revenge on Othello for refusing him a promotion in the military defense force, and so he fabricates a web of lies that he intends to lead to Othello’s downfall. Although Iago is the source of both Othello and Desdemona’s death, it is equally Othello’s fault for believing in Iago, and not trusting his own wife. I cannot deny that Othello did not truly love his wife, but love comes with the element of trustworthiness and responsibility. Their love was not enough to defeat the treachery of immorality. Othello is a story that characterizes the human conscience, and how misleading information from a deceitful person can lead to death. In my opinion, it is one of Shakespeare’s most enthralling and captivating plays.
Nabokov was a lover of words and believed that the strong use of language could elevate anything to the level of art. He brilliantly proves that this is true in his novel Lolita. It is filled with sordid themes of pedophilia, rape, murder, and incest, and through the eyes of Humbert Humbert, an enchanting dark tale is told. The reader enters the mind of Humbert, who has an obsession with "nymphets" referring to girls as young as five years old. Humbert is sick,yet he does not believe he is mentally insane. He believes it is merely an uncontrollable obsession, not psychosis. As disturbing as it is, the use of language is remarkable and successfully messes with the readers mind, causing a need for the reader to stop and come back to reality. Lolita attacks the human condition in a way that, in addition to causing a reaction, will change the way people think about love, obsession, and the human mind.
The Sun Also Rises was an excellent novel by Ernest Hemingway depicting the lives of a group of American friends and their experiences in Europe post-World War I. Jake, the narrator, is deeply in love with Brett, but after a wound he received in war, he is unable to have sex, which is why Brett refuses to enter a relationship with him. The story follows Jake, Brett and their group of friends as they travel from Paris to Spain to attend a fiesta, all the while getting drunk and living in aimless relaxation. The story shows the conflicts between the many men who all have infatuations with Brett, and also shows the deeper emotional issues of the characters, who are always drinking alcohol and trying to have a good time but never seem to be truly happy.
The Sun Also Rises was an excellent novel by Ernest Hemingway depicting the lives of a group of American friends and their experiences in Europe post-World War I. Jake, the narrator, is deeply in love with Brett, but after a wound he received in war, he is unable to have sex, which is why Brett refuses to enter a relationship with him. The story follows Jake, Brett and their group of friends as they travel from Paris to Spain to attend a fiesta, all the while getting drunk and living in aimless relaxation. The story shows the conflicts between the many men who all have infatuations with Brett, and also shows the deeper emotional issues of the characters, who are always drinking alcohol and trying to have a good time but never seem to be truly happy.
The Harlem Renaissance was an extremely influential period of time in American history where African-Americans were finding a new identity for themselves through new innovations in art, literature and music. This book, The Harlem Reader by Herb Boyd, is a compilation of narratives, personal accounts, stories, testimonies and short works that, combined, give the reader an overall impression of what life was like in Harlem during the early 20th century in the Unites States. This was a book I originally read for a project in my US History class, and I loved it because it related directly to what we were learning in your class about the Harlem Renaissance. These testimonies come from both well known and not so well known figures in black history, who each give their own unique perspective on the events that they have witnessed and the experiences that they have had in Harlem. Some of the notable figures that were the subjects (and writers) of these short works were Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey, and the subjects touched on some important places and events, such as the Cotton Club, The Apollo Theatre and the creation of the Black Star Line. The Harlem Reader vividly portrays the struggles and achievements of African-Americans during the Harlem Renaissance and the huge advancements they have made in the arts, politics, literature, music, and economics.
The Poor Man’s Son, written by Mouloud Feraoun, is a fictional autobiography that describes the difficult life of French-controlled Algeria by utilizing the protagonist, Fouroulou Menrad, an ambitious schoolteacher. The novel takes place in Algeria in a large village called Tizi in the period of the First World War of 1914. At the time in Algeria, poverty was immense and many lacked food and shelter. It begins with Menrad during his childhood, explaining the reflections of sympathetic tourists who come across the villages and nature of Algeria as wonderful and peace-like; but oversee the meager of the villages. The narrator then gives an abstract view of his copious family and their aspects, how the relatives work together equally to somehow escape poverty. The Kabyle peasant’s family life is depicted as patriarchal and determined by agricultural responsibilities. Two major themes in The Poor Man’s Son is patience and perseverance. It involves the ongoing battle between poverty and a family, and the determination of Menrad to become a dignified schoolteacher under the French regime. With seven people to mind for, Menrad’s father “works like a devil, never losing a day and permitting no one any luxury, including himself.” He single-handedly works and conveys money home for his family. This hardship put the family at stake when Fouroulou Menrad’s father left for France to work. With patience, the father raised enough money for his family and returned home after much struggle. With perseverance, Menrad had to keep going on his ambition to teach. Difficulties of his environment did not stop Fouroulou Menrad from reaching the goal of teaching. Menrad continued on and persevered, unwilling to become a simple shepherd. The Poor Man’s Son is a fascinating autobiography exemplifying how a dominating culture influences the colonized country with poverty and racism.
Haroun and the Sea of Stories is an alluring and imaginative fictional novel written by Salman Rushdie. The story comprises the concept that stories are essential to life, and without them, life is meaningless. This novel portrays the protagonist Haroun Khalifa, seeking to help his father get the gift of storytelling back, while evil forces attempt to destroy the source of all stories. Haroun’s father, Rashid Khalifa the legendary “Shah of Blah,” is a storyteller who becomes depressed when his wife leaves him. Rashid Khalifa is then unable to tell his wonderful stories and share it with others. This is the call to adventure, for Haroun takes a journey to the dreamlike city of Gup, to help his father become the “Ocean of Notions” once again. There are some connections that are similar between Haroun and the Sea of Stories and the world, and some that are not. The society composed in this story is diverse from the real world majorly. Logic is inevitable in the real world, but not in the text. Illogical language and issues in the story are distinctly opposites of worldly situations. But some relations can be made. The importance of dualities in the story pertains to the real world significantly. Dualities in the story, such as light and dark, loud and silent, good and evil, are represented in the world every day. Also Haroun and the Sea of Stories is an allegory because it represents topics and problems of the world that concerned Salman Rushdie. Haroun and the Sea of Stories illustrates the depths of comedy, fantasy, and drama, and is a magical story that holds other universal stories that represent the traditional tale of adventures.
I have read Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible about three times, and each time I grow a stronger disliking for the character Abigail. Arthur Miller wrote the play during the brief dominance of Senator Joseph McCarthy. He believed the U.S. should be pushed into an anti-Communist fervor during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.The Crucible novel is based in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The inhabitants of the town are very religious Puritans who live by strict traditionalist rules of their society. The book starts off with a group of girls who are rebelling in a forest dancing around a fire with a black slave named Tituba. When the girls get caught by one of the girl’s father, Reverend Parris, his daughter supposedly falls ill into a coma state. The profound illness starts talk of witchcraft amongst the Puritan townspeople. Jealousy and hatred contribute to the atmosphere of hysteria. Many people are put on trial, thrown in jail, and accused of conducting witchcraft towards others. John Proctor and Abigail are two main characters in the book. Abigail is responsible for fueling the hysteria of witchcraft, in addition to getting the government involved with accusing innocent people of witchcraft. John Proctor is looking to do anything to terminate the hysteria. He wants to inform everyone aware that Abigail is lying to cover up her wrong doings, and rebelling against the profound religious Puritan society. The story ends with John Proctor refusing to conform to the unreasonable judgments of the government, and he as well as two others are killed.
I was required to read a nonfiction novel called The Art of War by Sun Tzu. I have to admit that this was not the most interesting book to read, but it is very beneficial because Tzu’s philosophies, theories, techniques, and skills can be applied to everyday life. Tzu’s writing style was exceptionally interesting to me because he managed to discuss his theories through an actual war. Throughout the book he discusses preparing, strategizing, and executing for war. In each chapter he discusses important themes that are important when strategizing such as: Strategic Planning And Rational Analysis; Importance Of Information And Related Processing Capability; Importance Of Knowledge, Wisdom, And Understanding; Inherent Advantages And Disadvantages; Opportunistic Flexibility In Adapting Strategies And Tactics To Situation; Ethical Conduct; and Patience, Positioning, And Timing. Although I did not enjoy reading this book it taught me a lot about how important it is to focus on my inner being, and develop ways in which I can contribute, and coexist in the world.
Brenda Maddox’s nonfiction book Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA is an inspiring novel for anyone who wants to become a scientist. Maddox’s writing style was very descriptive and drawn out, but the storyline was very easy to follow. Maddox takes readers through Rosalind’s childhood to open up the story, and then voices Rosalind’s intense love for science. Many of her significant studies were done at Cambridge University, and while she worked as a partner with Francis Crick, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins. During Rosalind’s years, women scientists were barely recognized, or noted for any type of conclusions or studies they made. Maddox tells readers Rosalind’s untold story of being discriminated against, and cheated of recognition for the double-helix DNA structure. Her partners used her studies and findings of the DNA molecule to conclude the DNA structure. The two partners received a Nobel Prize that was primarily based off Rosalind’s findings, but of course they did not share that with anyone. One of Rosalind’s partners James Watson wrote a memoir about “his” findings that completely dismissed Rosalind’s photographic findings of the DNA molecule, and her diligent work for the team. In result of wanting to become a minor in Chemistry, I enjoyed this book because it provided background on women’s position in the field of science.
Malcolm X: The Autobiography is a book I could read over and over again. I absolutely loved this book! The book is a life story of Malcolm X from childhood to adulthood. His mission was to create an organization for all African Americans regardless of their religion. From a street hustler, inmate, and from the streets of Boston readers are informed about his transformation into a motivated Muslim wanting to create an organization for all blacks regardless of their religion. He finally realizes that he was trying to conform to society by looking like white man, “self degradation”. He walks in his father’s footsteps in the light of contributing to the African American community. Malcolm X is the son of a Baptist preacher who supported Garvey’s “back to Africa” movement. His role model Elijah Muhammad heavily impacted his decisions, and actions on how to contribute to society. At the time, some citizens did not adhere to Malcolm’s plan to make change because it was in complete opposition to Dr. Martin Luther King’s plan for integration, and non-violent acts. I really enjoyed reading this book even though it was a while ago. I will probably be reading it again very soon!
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegur was the most difficult reading material I have ever read in my life! When I began reading I had no idea what the author was talking about, and I could not follow the storyline very well at all. Eventually, I picked up the book and tried to read it again, and I finished! Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegur begins with real life experiences of Billy Pilgrim as a prisoner of war, and discusses his travel back to Germany with another inmate named Bernard O'Hare. Throughout the book, Billy experiences being unstuck in time. He time travels to points of his past and future then back to where he was originally. The time travel skip was the main line of confusion to me, and resulted to frustration because it was extremely difficult for me to follow. In chronicling the extraordinary events that happen to Billy, from witnessing the Dresden firebombing to being kidnapped by aliens in Tralfamadore he eventually is killed. The storyline was confusing, but interesting. The book ends with Billy re-living his death before his time. He finds out before hand that he will be shot by a man named Paul Lazzaro, who was sent by a jingoist named Ronald Weary. I will never read this book again, but I will consider watching the movie.
The Black Rose, by Tananarive Due is a novel about a famous African American named Madam C.J. Walker. I have done many projects on Madam C.J. Walker when I was younger, and over the years I have picked up more and more readings about her. Tananarive takes readers on a journey through Walker’s life from being born to her enslaved parents in 1867 to becoming one of the first African American tycoons of her time. Her famous quote “I got my start by giving myself a start,” was what she always told people when she rose to the head of a hugely successful company, and a leading philanthropist. Walker, originally named Sarah Breedlove worked on a plantation with her parents. To escape the epidemic and failing cotton crops, she moved to Vicksburg, and obtained work as a maid. Tananarive discusses the journey through love with Breedlove’s three husbands. Eventually, she gives birth to Lelia, (later known as A'Lelia Walker, a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance). Madam Walker and her husband toured the country promoting their products and training sales agents while Lelia ran a mail-order operation in Denver. Madam C.J began making her wonder-working hair care method that changed her life. She built a marketing empire that enlisted more than twenty thousand African American women to demonstrate, and sell her products door-to-door. The Black Rose is primarily about how she rose to success, but talks a lot about her big break on making her own hair care product called, Wonderful Hair Grower. Madam C.J. Walker heavily supported the NAACP, NACW, YMCA, and YWCA. She also contributed to black schools, organizations, individuals, orphanages, retirement homes. Madam Walker came to be known as the first African American woman millionaire in history.
I loved reading The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger! When I first picked up the book, I had no initial thoughts except that the book was going to lame. I was completely wrong. The book tells the story of a young boy named Holden Caulfield. During his childhood Holden has being performing terribly in the many schools that he has attended, and is being expelled from his fourth school. He does not plan to tell his parents about him being expelled, but he is not planned to return home for a while. He experiences the painfulness of childhood, and the phoniness of adulthood. Salinger allows readers to follow Holden on an interesting short lived journey passing time by before he plans to go home. We are introduced to his roommate Stradlater, which then brings in the character Jane, who reoccurs throughout the book. Jane is a young female who Holden used to date, and still really loves. Holden ends up in New York at a hotel flirting with older females at the club, seeking sex from a woman he barely knows, being denied drinks, and going to Central Park. The whole books revolves around Holden isolating himself as a form of self-protection. The theme reoccurs throughout the novel, and explains a lot about his unstable personality. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I think it would be a great book to analyze in our Humanities III class.
People often wonder what would happen if humans were left to their own devices in a world without rules or consequences. These ideas were explored in William Golding’s book Lord of the Flies. In this story, a group of British school children are stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash and begin to organize themselves in order to find a way to survive. Ralph, the group’s elected leader, tries to keep everything peaceful. Jack, the story’s antagonist, constantly stirs up trouble and repeatedly challenges Ralph’s authority. As time goes on, the group splits in two, with Jack and Ralph each controlling one of the factions. But Jack’s group becomes violent and savage, and before they are all found and rescued, two of the boys are killed and the entire island is burned by fire. This story reveals the darkness in human nature, and how in the heart of the wilderness, many will forget their civilized lives and revert to primitive savagery.
In his book Always Running, author Luis Rodriguez recounts his days as a youth growing up in the Barrios of East L.A. during the 60’s and 70’s. This memoir vividly portrays the world he grew up in, filled with crime, gangs, drugs, sex, violence, and racism, all the while exploring the Latino gang culture of that time. As a child he saw what was happening in the streets around him, and out of fear, he became part of a gang. He was immediately immersed in their world, living the crazy life of a Latino gang member. But after years of this, he became severely depressed with his life, at one point even trying to commit suicide. He eventually found his way out through education and became the award winning author he is today. This book looks at several different issues that a Chicano youth faced in L.A. during the 60’s and 70’s. Rodriguez talks about his experiences in the school system there, where it was total anarchy and the teachers and staff had absolutely no faith in the Latino students, thinking they would not grow up to accomplish anything more than becoming either gang members or blue-collar workers. Rodriguez also discusses the many conflicts between racial groups in L.A. at the time, and the book highlights several important events in history, such as the Watts Rebellion and the East L.A. Riots. I greatly enjoyed this book, where the author gave a highly personal look into the gritty world of Latino gangs without shielding the reader from any of the harsh, unpleasant details of their reality.
During the early nineteenth century, men and women have been accustomed to the few necessities of life that determined their class; education, property, and marriage. Of course men were very much obliged to these criteria but a great number of women during the time period had a lot to compete when trying to gain one of those necessities. A girl known as Jane Eyre tells her life story of how she came around those products of life in society. As an orphan she was raised by her aunt who had no intention to take care of but was requested by her husband to do so before he died. Being bullied by her cousins and her aunt she was very pleased to hear that she was being sent to boarding school where she grew up to become a decent educated young lady. At the age of eighteen she became a governess for a little French girl that was under the care of Mr. Rochester. Mr. Rochester not being the father of the child was stayed distant from the girl but once he returned from one of his long trips away in Europe, he find himself quite delighted to see a woman such as Miss Jane Eyre in his mansion. Jane respects the man who is nearly forty and finds her getting involved with some odd accidents in the mansion caused by an older maid who is quite not quite the average sort of person. Finally falling in Mr. Rochester they become engaged to marry when it turns out the odd woman in the mansion is Mr. Rochester’s wife. Jane leaves right away after this distressing news to start life anew. However, she becomes a beggar for a while till a sweet young man and his two sisters take care of her. The man known as St. John or Mr. Rivers discovers where Jane came from and who she truly is also discovers the true that they are cousins from another uncle of Jane’s. Jane is very happy to hear to have she cousins that treat as family but is even more excited to hear that her remaining uncle recently passed away leaving her his property and good worth of money. Mr. Rivers wants Jane as a missionary’s wife when he goes to India but Jane still can’t forget the one true love that she abandoned about a year ago. At the point of break down she runs back to the old mansion where she lived with Mr. Rochester and finds out his wife has killed herself after a fire broke out and Mr. Rochester became a crippled and blind man. She returns to her lost love to never part him again. They finally marry and live together as they ought to have in the first place. This novel by Charlotte Bronte is truly a masterpiece of the challenges women face in society. Jane Eyre is the voice of every woman who seeks true love.
Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, is an exhilarating fictional book about a boy who struggles to survive, stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a four-hundred and fifty pound Bengal tiger. Piscine Molitar Patel is a young pious boy from Pondicherry, India, who is devoted to three monotheistic religions, Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism. Piscine’s religious views are not accepted by his family, but he stays committed to his belief of Brahma, Allah, and Jesus. As Piscine and his family are traveling through the Pacific on a cargo ship to their new home in Toronto, the ship sinks and Piscine is left on a life-boat with an orangutan named Orange Juice, an injured zebra, an aggressive hyena, and a carnivorous tiger named Richard Parker from his father’s zoo. Piscine’s key motive is to stay alive and tame the tiger, and to do so he must keep Richard Parker fed and healthy, so the ferocious animal would not turn on him for food. For the stressful and life-threatening two-hundred and twenty-seven day voyage, Piscine is accompanied by Richard Parker. Both boy and tiger share a common goal, and that is to survive from the harsh environment of the Ocean. Piscine not only survives from his responsibility of Richard Parker, but from his belief in God. Piscine experiences emotions of optimism and insanity from his time out in the Pacific Ocean. Piscine realizes that maintaining a sense of hope is important to survival when stranded with a tiger. Life of Pi has been one of the most exciting and intriguing novels I have read. The reader can sense the intensity and alarm of being stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. I would recommend this book to all audiences who are interested in facts of zoology, spirituality, and survival.
East, West, written by the notable Salman Rushdie, is a brilliant collection of stories of nine significant short stories that contradict, commend, and, change the world perspective of the east and the west. Salman Rushdie fuses and links two distinctive cultures together to create East, West. This fictional novel signifies the major differences between the east and west. The book is comprised of three chapters, “East”, “West”, and “East, West”. Each of the nine stories pertains to the specific geological area of the east or the west. The chapter of “East” talks of India, the home of the author, and details Indian culture in “Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies.” Religion is also represented in “The Prophet’s Hair.” “West” involves the culture of Europe, and 16th century literature. In “Yorick,” the story follows along Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, only with a twist. The last chapter, “East, West”, is a combination of the east and the west and is a depiction of cultural diffusion. In this chapter, the East meets the West. The characters from the east are westernized into European culture. This is a novel of cultural diversity, with characters that diffuse into different cultures. Although the characters have diverse customs, they all have a common interest in the concept of home. The main aspect of book is the pull of the east and the west, choosing which is truly home. East, West is a connection of culturally diverse regions and expresses the challenges dealing with the east and the west. Allusions and allegories of the world and other prominent books of the west consist in the novel, and it conveys how western culture has merged into that of the east. From my own experiences of my travels to Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, I can relate to the differences and similarities of the east and west.
I read 3 Books over the summer and one of my favorites was Dances With Wolves by Micheal Blake. This book is about a man named John dunbar who cones to his fort and finds noone there. The story goes on with him having an encounter with indians. As the book goes on he becomes more fond of the indians. He marries the girl of his dreams and then the tribe does It’s wnterly move and the whit soldiers come. John dunbar kills them and they live happily ever after. I liked ths book because it intertwined two cultures into one. John dunbar, despite hisamericam backround was able to fit in the indian culture. This book is not only intersting, but it leaves you at the edge of your seat. This was an outstanding book.
During the summer I did a bit of reading. One of the books I read was Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare. I would not put this favorite books list mostly because it was really hard to read. There was a lot of blood involved. The story was pretty good though. I did want to keep reading it mostly because there was a bit of suspense in it. The soothsayer kept on telling Caesar to “beware the Ides of March” and this made me want to find out what would happen on that day. It was a horrible ending. I didn’t actually expect the conspirators to actually murder Caesar but they did. It was a really tragic ending for Caesar especially because his friend Brutus was also a member of the conspirators I wouldn’t have read this book but it was an assignment for Humanities class so I had no choice. I actually took a test about the book and I got an 89% which I am really proud of.
I enjoyed reading Julius Casar because it had politics involved. The reason i didn't love the play is because it did not have much action, especially at the begining. By the ending everyone was just killing themselves or each other. I didn't think the play Julius Caesar was one of his best. Julius Caesar was a fictional play, based on true people and places.
When I usually think of a nice read, a fantasy or adventure book comes to mind. However, when I read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, this was quickly disproved. Julius Caesar follows the plan, action, and aftermath of the conspiracy to kill General Caesar. I had to read this book for a summer reading assignment and, quickly, I fell in love with the characters, monologues, and plots. Firstly, my favorite character is Marcus Brutus because of his complicated and distraught personality. He often faces battles with himself that show his weariness on the decision to kill Caesar. It was appealing to know that he still cared for Caesar and was not doing the act out of hate. Secondly, there are some very memorable speeches throughout the play, but at the top of my list is the ‘Honorable Man’ speech made by Mark Antony. This takes place after Caesar’s death, when Antony is speaking to the plebeians of what truly happened. There is a certain undertone to what he is saying that is filled with sarcasm and some bitterness and it was a turning point for his character. Lastly, the conspiracy plays out perfectly as a plot. There are so many different reasons to kill Caesar. Some characters killed with love, some with hate, and some with pure jealousy. I took notice to what the intentions of the conspirators were and this gave the story more depth and interest. Overall, Julius Caesar was a book that was hard to put down and although it was an assignment, it was still an enjoyable read.
For summer reading I read Dances With Wolves by Michael Blake. It is an enthralling tale of a soldier in the 1800s who assimilates into a whole new other culture; the Comanche Indian culture. The soldier, Lt. John Dunbar, gets assigned to a recently deserted fort and after being there for some time, he makes contact with a Comanche Indian. One day, though, he saves a Comanche woman who we later learn speaks English so he is able to speak to the people through her and he begins to grow into their culture and earns the name Dances With Wolves. After helping the Comanche win in a battle against the Pawnee Indians he marries the English speaking Comanche and becomes Comanche himself. I think the message of the story was that often times your perceptions of people are wrong and if you allow yourself to open up to the unfamiliar things around you you’ll find that things are not always what they seem.
In the book, Pudd’n head Wilson Mark Twain shows how different races and cultural backgrounds are perceived and how they impact one another. In this novel the main character Roxy switches her baby with a free baby in order for her child to live the free life. As the book proceeded I began to wonder why Mark Twain included such precise and descriptive detail in the novel that left me curious as a reader. Twain’s use of words made this story easy to follow and very interesting to engage with. He also includes vivid examples of how race and segregation are depicted within the novel. This novel also showed how different races can be similar but not quite the same. If I had a chance to recommend this book I would because I taught me how slaves struggled for freedom and how cultural backgrounds can impact each other in various ways
I for one actually liked and enjoyed the Summer Reading; Shakespeare's: Julius Caesar. This book is about the plot to kill Julius Caesar, the man who is next in line to be the Roman King. People want to kill him because they fear what he will do to the country as leader. The whole idea of a conspiracy was the best part of the book for me, because everybody was trying to kill each other and the characters could really trust no one. The characters were another aspect of the book I really seemed to have liked. They were all so different; some conniving, some funny, some bold, and others untrustworthy. Now that I am finished reading the book, I'm considering reading more of Shakespeare's plays. I've seemed to have taking a liking to them!
Dances with Wolves was the summer reading I was assigned for humanities. The whole “cowboys and Indians” scenario was completely unappealing to me a first and so I put off reading the novel until the very last minute. Once I started Dances with Wolves , I was hooked! I had completely judged this plain, maroon covered ,black binded book by its cover. The plot of dances with wolves is fairly depressing. The Native American Comanche tribe is a peaceful, respectful group that fights only for the protection of it’s village. They live in the American west and can sense a change in the air. The whites are coming to “settle” this beautiful, powerful land and are the polar opposite of these native Americans. The Comanche are distressed, bitter and confused with this sinvasion. On the other side of the river the comanhe tribe is settled on, a lieutenant dunbar has just been deployed to help “settle” the rugged west. By the time he gets there his regiment has fled and he is left alon and stranded. The two cultures collide near this river and leutenat dunbar becomes a sort of interpretor between his white culture and the native American tribe. In this eye opening novel the reader sees the extreme culture clash of the whites and Indians . The total opposition of the violent, conquering, oppressive whites and the regal, respectful the Indians makes for a fascinating and touching novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Julius Caesar is a play written by William Shakespeare. It is about a powerful man who ruled during the Roman Republic. He denied the crown three times and was finally killed. In the beginning, it was boring, but by the third act I was hooked. Shakespeare can write about anything and make it a comedy or a tragedy. The only thing that bothered me was that old English is hard to understand, many things have changed. I love learning about history and reading plays, so it was right up my ally.
As I read Julius Ceasar by William Shakespeare, I realized that his writing is very similar to present-day writing. This short play is about the great Roman Empire ruled by Julius Ceasar and two men that go by the names of Brutus and Cassius, who despised the way that Ceasar ruled. Brutus and Cassius along with others against Caesar plotted to execute him. Once their plan was carried through, many people were upset with them and they had to leave their city in order to settle some of the commotion and participate in a small war, which they lost. I thought that this was a good book, but I did not like it. William Shakespeare is a great writer, but I did not find this book interesting or an attention-grabber. This play took a few scenes to get to the point, and there were too many characters to try and keep up with. All in all, this is a good book, but one that was not my cup of coffee.
Julius Caesar is a famous play written by William Shakespeare. I had to read this play during summer for School Without Walls. To summarize it, there was a group of people against Caesar so they came up with a plan to stop him from being crowned leader of Rome. They then suffer some consequences. I didn't like Julius Caesar because the plot was too bland for me. In addition, the old English made it very difficult to understand.
Julius Caesar was about conspirators planning to kill Julius because he was a tyrant.I enjoyed this book because it was full of suspense. You never knew what was going to happen next. Many things went on between each character, making the book full of action, from Brutus turning people against Caesar, to characters and their personal lives. This book was full of details that I could imagine I was watching the play, such as describing the expressions on the character's face. Because the book was full of drama, I couldn't wait to read what happens next. The book also had the old English and the modern English, making it easier to understand. I recommend this book to other students because it is full of new vocabulary words and reacting an event in history.
Julius Caesar is a script written by William Shakespeare, a famous 16th century English poet and play write. One of his more famous works of literature is Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar is a play about the murder of an ambitious Roman general, who comes back from a victorious battle and is given the crown to be king. He declines three times; however his friends are jealous and murder Caesar with the excuse that great Caesar was ambitious. Mark Antony and Octavius avenge Caesars death, by beating Brutus and Cassius in a great battle; the battle ends when Brutus and Cassius kill themselves in order not to be captured as prisoners. As entertaining as the story was, I strongly believe that Shakespeare wrote his plays to be performed, not read. If I had seen a performance of the play I am sure that I would have understood, and enjoyed the story more.
This book is about the great Roman leader Julius Caesar who was killed because other people thought he was bad for Rome. I kind of liked the book but it wasn’t my favorite. Then thing I really didn’t like about it was that it was in mostly old Shakespearean. I can’t really understand it and it eventually takes my interest away. I thought it had a nice plot and was very dramatic to be based on true events. I think they should have a version in modern English. I think this story has an interesting plot.It really grabs your atttention once you understand what's going on.
Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy telling the story of the death of Julius Caesar and its aftermath. The play begins as Caesar returns from a civil conquest. Next, Brutus, Cassius, and others plot to assassinate Caesar—mostly out of jealousy. After killing Caesar, the conspirators must battle against Antony and Octavius (friends of Caesar) for control of the Roman Empire. I enjoyed reading Julius Caesar; I loved the clever wording that Cassius used to persuade Brutus to join the conspiracy against Caesar and the way Antony turned the crowd against Brutus and Cassius at Caesar’s funeral. Despite the fact that parts of Julius Caesar were extremely sad, there was also comic relief. One example of this is when Cinna the Poet is confused with Cinna the Conspirator and consequently beaten up. Another example is when a poet enters upon Brutus and Cassius while they are talking, utters a rhyme, and is countered with, “Ha, ha, how vilely doth this cynic rhyme.” Overall, Julius Caesar is a book that I would recommend to everyone.
This summer, I read an intriguing book called Dances With Wolves, by Michael Blake. It was a great book about the life of a white man named John J. Dunbar helping an Indian tribe, the Comanche, defeat their enemy, the white soldiers. The main idea of this book was how Lieutenant John J. Dunbar was shipped out to Fort Sedgewick, found an Indian camp, and helped them in their struggle for food and survival. I loved this book because of the way it shows a sworn enemy helping his victim. However, I did not like the way Dunbar’s fellow soldiers treated him simply because he looked like an Indian. Their judgmental actions against him made me strongly consider how the white soldiers probably treated the Comanche Indians, although this was not betrayed in the book.
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare to me was a difficult book to read because this was my first time ever reading a Shakespeare book. It was also difficult for me because even with the translated portion of the text it was still worded weird and also because I just didn’t find it interesting. I did not like Julius Caesar because it is not the typical book I would want to read and the only exciting or thrilling event in the book was the part where Caesar was killed by Brutus Overall besides those interesting parts Julius Caesar was not the best book I ever read.
This summer, the book I had to read was Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was written by one of the most famous playwrights in history, William Shakespeare. This book included themes such as betrayal and had a cast of complex characters. Out of all of the characters in this book, my favorite was Marcus Brutus. He was my favorite character because even though Caesar and him had a deep friendship, Brutus contributed to the death of Caesar for the betterment of Rome. All in all, I enjoy the book, but I did have a bit of trouble reading the old English. The plot and characters were good but my inability to completely comprehend the old English greatly hindered me in enjoying the book.
This summer, I read Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. The book was about the plot to kill Caesar, and the consequences that resulted following his death. People plotted against Caesar for many reasons: for hate, jealousy, and for the love of Rome. I believe that Julius Caesar was interesting. However, the fact that I couldn’t relate to the story made it hard to comprehend. The old English was tiring after just a few minutes. Overall, the book was depressing, and I didn’t enjoy it at all.
This summer, I read Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. The book was about the plot to kill Caesar, and the consequences that resulted following his death. People plotted against Caesar for many reasons: for hate, jealousy, and for the love of Rome. I believe that Julius Caesar was interesting. However, the fact that I couldn’t relate to the story made it hard to comprehend. The old English was tiring after just a few minutes. Overall, the book was depressing, and I didn’t enjoy it at all.
Dances With Wolves is a book by Michael Blake. I think the author is trying to send the message that the general perceptions of people can often be incorrect and that if you are to open yourself to new cultures you can find that people are often different than what society would dictate them to be. Lt. John Dunbar always heard stories of the Indians being hostile towards whites, but when he met the Comanche tribe he learned that these stereotypes were incorrect. I liked the book Dances With Wolves because it showcased the lives of the Indians and their society, something I had never read about before. The story was very interesting, as well as informative, and the transformation Lt. Dunbar made from a white soldier to a Comanche Indian, Dances With Wolves, was a true eye-opener. Dances With Wolves was an enjoyable book that I would recommend to a friend.
The book Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, is mainly about Julius losing his position of emperor. His enemy Cassius and best friend mark Antony joined with the conspirators and stabbed him to death. I enjoyed Julius Caesar, because his fall from the great emperor was interesting. Also I learned more about the ancient roman civilizations which benefits me in class.
During the summer I read the book Pudd’nhead Wilson by Mark Twain. It’s a short book set during the time of slavery; and it has the first uses of fingerprinting. Pudd’nhead Wilson has just moved into the town and collects everyone in, Dawson’s Landings, fingerprints. He ends up discovering all the truths of the town from his fingerprints while helping the twins, Luigi and Antonio. Who are framed by Tom, a very ungrateful man. He also learns Roxy’s secret, a slave to Tom; who throughout the book has been protecting her loved one. This book keeps you on your toes; it has many things that happened weren’t expected and the humor is definitely clever.
This summer, I read Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. This play takes place in Rome, and is about conspirators, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Lepidus, and Decius murdering Caesar. Cassius sends forged letters to Brutus from the citizens of Rome saying that they believe Caesar is becoming too powerful and must die. The conspirators make a plan to murder Caesar at the Capitol; Caesar’s wife, Calphurnia tells Caesar not to go to the Capitol because of the dreams she had, but Decius convinces him to go. Caesar was murders that morning; his body was taken to the public for everybody to see Brutus explains why Caesar had to die and allowed Antony to speak. Octavius, Caesar’s adopted son, Lepidus, and Antony battle Brutus and Cassius. During the battle, Brutus and Cassius’ army is defeated. For me, this play was both bad and good; I didn’t like how everything came off so strong, but the ideas all together made it a very enjoyable play.
The play Julius Caesar was written by the famous Elizabethan play-write William Shakespeare. The entire play is centered around politics and how everything can go wrong, no matter how right you may think you are. This becomes apparent when the murder of Caesar results in war between the conspirators and supporters of Caesar. The war makes everyone question whether they did the right thing, and whether their enemies were as wrong as they thought. I enjoyed reading Julius Caesar very much. It was especially interesting to see how all of the different characters changed their minds as the play progressed. I also liked how simple this play was compared to many of Shakespeare’s other plays. A lot of them have multiple sub- plots, but Julius Caesar was very straight- forward.
In Pudd'nhead Wilson, Mark Twain is trying to convey how identity plays into the role of life. Three people in this story find out their true niche in life by the story’s end. I liked this book because it was humorous and all-knowing. We all knew how the story would play out. But, it also made you think about “what if…” certain things didn’t happen, how would it be? This was a great novel, and Mark Twain did a great job in writing it.
The book I read during the summer was Simply Julius Caesar and the author Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. I think the book is about how everyone wanted the best for Rome. I think that because the book talked about how Brutus joined the conspirators so he could help keep Rome safe. In addition I believe it’s about how Rome was during the rain of Caesar and after the assassination of Caesar, I think that because before he was assassinated the common people of Rome were happy and wanted to make him king. But after he was killed things fell apart, there was a war and things went badly for a while. One reason for not liking this book is because the way it was written, what I mean by that is it wasn’t written like a regular book would be, because it was broken down by the person’s name and what they said. My second reason for not liking this book is because it was quite difficult to understand in old English, because when I first read it in old English I could only understand about half of what the story meant, but when I read it in modern English it made sense.
Over the summer I had to read two mandatory books, Puddn’head Wilson and Dance with Wolves. I enjoyed reading both books but my favorite was Puddn’head Wilson ,written by Mark Twain. Puddn’head Wilson chronicles the citizens of Dawson’s Landing, a town in Missouri during the early 1800s. In the story a slave named Roxy, who is only one-sixteenth black, switches her child with the child of her master. This book was a great read, and captivated all of my attention. In addition I would recommend this book to anyone who isn’t familiar with other Mark Twain works.
Julius Caesar, written by the legendary writer William Shakespeare, is about the conspiracy of the Roman dictator, Julius Caesar. Marcus Brutus is a very close friend of Julius Caesar, though he believes that Caesar plans to receive complete power over Rome. He, Cassius, Casca, and Decius then plot to kill Caesar. The Soothsayer warns Caesar to “beware the Ides of March”, yet Caesar ignores it and he is later assassinated on that day. Caesar’s final words, which are one of the most famous lines in literature, are “Et tu, Brute?” (And you, Brutus?). Mark Antony, another close friend of Caesar, along with Octavius, and Lepidus all want to kill the conspirators to avenge Caesar’s death, which starts a tremendous battle between Brutus and Antony. I believe that Julius Caesar is one of the best books of all time. There is a lot of drama and I liked Brutus’s character, although he killed Caesar. I am glad that we had to read this over the summer.
Julius CaesarWhat I perceived as the meaning or theme of Julius Caesar was that it was teaching you about how William Shakespeare felt towards politics and power. That in politics, people are greedy, cannot be trusted, and are in it for themselves. I think the main theme was that when it comes to power always watch your back. I read over Julius Caesar in modern English and the original text. That helped me understand the plot and made it easier to enjoy the book. I was surprised that I liked Julius Caesar and the way the plot flowed.
This summer, I read Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. The book was about the plot to kill Caesar, and the consequences that resulted following his death. People plotted against Caesar for many reasons: for hate, jealousy, and for the love of Rome. I believe that Julius Caesar was interesting. However, the fact that I couldn’t relate to the story made it hard to comprehend. The old English was tiring after just a few minutes. Overall, the book was depressing, and I didn’t enjoy it at all.
Julius Ceasar
The message the author was trying to send, is that political power can be used for both positive and negative, and in the mist betrayal and conflict rises. I enjoyed most of the play, because it can be related to today’s political environment.
When most people think of Mark Twain, they think comedy; The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, or perhaps Huckleberry Finn. In Pudd’nhead Wilson, however, Twain takes a more serious turn, writing about the then – controversial issue of slavery (which is still, of course, a sensitive subject today). That’s not to say, however, that a glimmer of his usual wit does not remain. While telling his tale of two young boys switched at birth – one 1/32nd black, the other “purely” white, the colour lines seem to blend, and it is hard to distinguish ‘black’ from ‘white.’ I loved the sense of irony that Mark Twain embeds, ending it with the former slave boy, who is in all aspects (except for his ancestry) a slave, claiming his “rightful place” as a white man. In addition, he shows how stubborn people will be; calling someone a slave who does not appear to be, and in fact isn’t one, simply because a great – great – great grandparent may have been black. I think people today could bear to take a lesson from Pudd’nhead Wilson: the simple ‘all is not what it seems.’
The No Fear Julius Caesar by Shakespeare I think was very good and very visual. The book was about how Caesar was coming to Rome and how he was killed by Brutus someone who is supposed to be his loyal friend and other conspirators who helped. So, because of this Caesar’s real friend Mark Antony and Caesar’s son Octavius came up with an army and they fought Brutus’s army and won. I liked this book because; it gave great details on what happened and how they felt when this happened. Also, the book gave awesome visual images it described exactly what happened. In, my mind I actually got a picture in my head of what really went on at that certain time.
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks is a tongue-in-cheek book about protection from the undead. The book discusses many ways to protect you from zombies. They discuss the history of zombies, what weapons you should use, and different tactics to use to use when defending or attacking, and a fictional list of zombie attacks set from 60,000 BCE to 2002 CE. In my opinion, this is really entertaining. Even though it’s a fictional guide, the topic that the book is written on helps this book to keep you entertained.
The title of the play is Romeo and Juliet. The author was the famous playwright William Shakespeare. This play is about two forbidden lovers, Romeo of the Montagues and Juliet of the Capulets. Their families, the Montagues and the Capulets, have been at war for a very long time and hate each other with a passion. The story shows how people will die for love. I thought the play was very interesting, and shows how dramatic and treacherous life could have been in olden Europe. It also depicts a magnificent love story.
This summer, I read an intriguing book called Dances With Wolves, by Michael Blake. It was a great book about the life of a white man named John J. Dunbar helping an Indian tribe, the Comanche, defeat their enemy, the white soldiers. The main idea of this book was how Lieutenant John J. Dunbar was shipped out to Fort Sedgewick, found an Indian camp, and helped them in their struggle for food and survival. I loved this book because of the way it shows a sworn enemy helping his victim. However, I did not like the way Dunbar’s fellow soldiers treated him simply because he looked like an Indian. Their judgmental actions against him made me strongly consider how the white soldiers probably treated the Comanche Indians, although this was not betrayed in the book.
Juilus Caesar
The book Julius Caesar is about how people turned against Julius Caesar, a Roman leader. The book chronicles from his death and after. It shows who was behind Caesar and who plotted against Caesar. In regards to whether I like the book, I would have to say it was mediocre. I say that because sometimes it was difficult to understand even with the translation. I also say that because normally I don’t like books, plays, etc. that deal with tragedy but somehow this book really caught on to me and that is what kept me reading it.
Over the summer I read Julius Caesar. It is written by William Shakespeare, and it’s about Brutus and other conspirators and their plot to assassinate Julius Caesar. However, when they do, Mark Antony convinces townspeople to go against the conspirators. I liked some things about the book, others not-so-much. There were too many characters that didn’t do much, and sometimes it got kind of boring. However, there were exciting moments where I wanted to know what happens next.
Julius Caesar was a tragic but eventful play written by William Shakespearee in the 14th century. This play shows that you have to make sure people have your best interests in heart. It also shows that jealousy and envy are two of the most powerful feelings. I enjoyed the play because of the suspenseful ness. But, I also thought that the play had too much dialogue leading to the climatic scenes.
Over the summer I had to read two mandatory books, Puddn’head Wilson and Dance with Wolves. I enjoyed reading both books but my favorite was Puddn’head Wilson written by Mark Twain. Puddn’head Wilson chronicles the citizens of Dawson’s Landing, a town in Missouri during the early 1800s. In the story a slave named Roxy, who is only one-sixteenth black, switches her child with the child of her master. This book was a great read, and captivated all of my attention. In addition I would recommend this book to anyone who isn’t familiar with other Mark Twain works.
The title of the summer reading was Julius Caesar. The author was William Shakespeare. Basically, Julius Caesar was about how a group of Romans came together to plan a conspiracy against Caesar, because they thought that he might become a tyrant. However, there was a deeper plot, where some of the conspirators were deceived into joining, and there were a lot of double crossing, cruel intentions, and suicide. I liked this book because unlike some books today, there were layers of the story, so many things could go on at one time, without the reader getting too confused.
The main ideas in Julius Caesar are betrayal and love. The biggest betrayal is Brutus helping the conspirators kill Caesar, because he and Caesar were best friends. Examples of love are Caesar’s and Brutus’s friendship, and Brutus’s and Cassius’s friendship. I enjoyed reading Julius Caesar very much. It was sad and dramatic. I read the modern English version first, and once I understood it, I could appreciate how beautiful the Shakespearean language made the play. The monologues were great. They gave insight into what the character was actually feeling. I also enjoyed reading it because of my favorite character, Cassius. He’s my favorite because at first I didn’t like him, but then I began to sympathize with him. I am happy to say that I understood the play and loved it.
Pudd'nhead Wilson Review
Pudd’nhead Wilson has three different plots going on at once. It has a murder mystery, a baby swap and the story of an eccentric lawyer all going on one after another. Pudd’nhead Wilson is a lawyer who has a hobby of collecting people’s fingerprints. Roxy is the mother of a baby named Chambers. Her master cannot tell them apart so she switches her baby with her mistress’ baby, making Chambers the new heir and Tom a slave. The man born as Chambers goes on to kill his “relative” to frame two foreign brothers. This book started off slow, but when the book gets on track it just doesn’t stop moving. This is the book to read if you like thrillers and are really patients because there are many slow parts in it.
The book I read over the summer Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. I found it at first hard to approach due to the old English. But once I had decided to try reading the modern translation I found the book very absorbing. Julius Caesar tells the story of Julius Caeser emperor of the great Roman Empire’s last days. Shakespeare changes view points between Caser and Brutes but the story mostly is centered on Brute, he is a noble wise senator who is approached by Cassius another Roman senator. Cassius persuades him that Caesar wishes to be dictator for life and plays on his sense of honor and dedication to the good of the Roman people. Cassius soon convinces him to join him and a band of senators who plan to assassinate Caesar the next day the Ides of March. Brutue soon joins the band of senators. The next day Caesers wife Calpurnia warns Caeser of the impending doom that she for saw. Caeser nearly stayed home but Brutue now a conspirator against Caeser went and personally got him on that fateful day the senators stabbed Caesar to death. After an inflaming speech by Mark Antony at Casers funeral. In this speech Anthony brilliantly changes the public’s opinion. Before Anthony took to the stage the crowd was clamoring to carry brutes home and he is treated as a hero. After Anthony’s speech is over the citizens of Rome set out to kill all the conspirators. Brutue is then pursued across the Roman Empire and amasses an army to fight Antony. After a series of battles Brute is finally assassinated. Brute is central to the plot because he was the only senator that was not portrayed as stabbing Caesar for power, wealth or personal gain. The overlying message in Julius Caesar is that with power comes trouble if Caesar had been a publican or a low ranking senator this would not have happened.
Pudd’nhead Wilson by Mark Twain is a novel set in pre-emancipation America. This is a story of two children switched at birth, a slave, and a white child. The slave grows up as the heir of the richest man in town, while the true heir lives the life of a slave.
I wouldn’t say that I liked or disliked this book. Mark Twain is not one of my favorite authors by far. But I do like his ideas. The writing is a bit difficult for readers who aren’t accustomed to this his style of writing. Twain writes using so many details its almost overwhelming, but when you strip off the layers of details, your left with a comedic parody of present day life. I did not like this book, but I applaud Twain for so cleverly and ironically exploiting this issue.
The book that I had to read this summer was Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. This book is about the tragic down fall of Julius Caesar by his once thought of friends Cinna, Cassius, Brutus, Casca , Trebonius, Caius, Decius, and Metellus. Though, claiming that this was an act that would benefit all Romans only Brutus, his one true friend, killed Caesar not in cold blood but for a better tomorrow for the Roman Empire. Caesar was warned before by a Soothsayer and by his wife though he was more surprised when Brutus, yes noble Brutus attacking him as well with his last breath he cried out “Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar.” This could not be Julius Caesar the roman so loved by his people killed by traitors. His brother Ocatvius Caesar, Marcus Antionus Julius’s most devoted friend, and Lepidus gathered assembled a army to battle Brutus and his new traitorous friends. I find Julius Caesar a very intellectual yet packed with action and suspense. Shakespeare tells the story from an omniscient view you know that the traitors are conspiring against Caesar, but you never know when they will strike. Though when they do the plan backfires and now the people who thought once thought they would be celebrated are now resented by the people they tried to please. I am glad that this summer we got to read Julius Caesar which is a great piece of literature.
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Julius Caesar, a famous tragedy, was written by William Shakespeare in 1599 and was one of his first Roman plays. This play told of Caesar’s assassination; how Brutus, Cassius, and other conspirators plotted to kill him. They did this because they wanted the powerful position Caesar held. In the end, none of the conspirators gained the position of emperor, but fought each other till they had all been killed. There is a lot of dialogue throughout the play. I did not especially enjoy this play because I like the books I read to be more action-packed. However, part of the reason I did not get pleasure from reading Julius Caesar is that I am not familiar with the old English style of writing. I would have enjoyed this play more if I had been familiar with Shakespeare’s writings.
My favorite book I read over the summer was Cirque Du Freak: Vampire Prince by Darren Shan. The whole book was about a half vampire who has to prove himself to the vampire counsel. So far he has undergone three tests to prove himself, if he fails one of them he will be excecuted and he will be a sign of ridicule. He has completed the three he was given and he failed his fourth trial, the vampire counsel was torn in two when they found out he failed, they thought he was very strong for a half vampire and thought that he deserved something more than death. The counsel decided to make him a Vampire Prince because Princes didn’t have to be killed for failing a trial, they will just be put into exile. I liked this book because it was very adventurous, and I love adventure books.
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