This book is very sad. But it also beautifully crafted. I really cannot being in the place of the main character, Billie Jo. She has had so many hard times. And she's been trough so much loss. She lost her mother, her little baby brother, and the beautiful hands she couldn't play the piano with were now burned, so she lost her hands too. And in a way, she kind of lost her father also.
First she lost her mother. How can any girl survive without a mother's love? A mom is there to be there for you. To show you the way of the world. To teach you important things. It would be so hard to just lose you mother. I feel that Billie Jo feels very guilty that she couldn't even bring her dying mother a glass of water. But she actually couldn't because her father went and took all the money and spent it on alcohol. I think when a person loses someone who is very important to them, they will feel guilty even when they shouldn't' be.
After, that Billie Jo loses her little baby brother. But I think that this really didn't affect her as hard as it could have because he died when he was just born. She probably imagined how much she could do with a baby brother. But what is worse is that her father has always tried really hard to get a son but then when he finally gets a son, the little boy dies. That must have hit her father pretty hard. But then again, it also hurt him to think that his wife and little baby died at the same time.
Billie Jo lost her hands in a way. She burned them. Before she could play the piano beautifully but now, no way. She feels so horrible now that she can't even do anything. I think that she thinks that having the hands that she has in this condition is worse than having no hands at all. I would feel as if my hands were a burden if they were all burned and there was nothing to do about it. But then again, Billie Jo lives in the country so she doesn't have enough money to get actual treatment for her hands.
Last, she, in a way, lost her father. After her mother died, her dad sort of caved in and became a hermit. Her and her father hardly talked. I think that's what death does to a person. Sort of change them and morph their feelings into a cold, feeling less mush. You don't really feel anything for a while because you are trying so hard to bring back that person you lost.
I feel that people have to give it their all to cope with the loss of people they truly love. No one said it was easy. Because it is anything but that. But I think it's the thought that counts. If you try to store their memories in your heart somewhere, that would be a step toward change.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Tuck Everlasting (old favorite)
I have always loved this book. Always. It holds so many meanings. One of them is definitely how humans always want more and more. They cannot be happy with what they have. But it's only natural right? Yes, in most cases. To want more is one thing, but to be selfish? That's a whole other thing.
In Tuck Everlasting, drinking from the spring was a burden for the Tuck family. But then this man comes along and he decides to uncover the spring to the whole world just to make money. He doesn't realize that people will get tired of living for an eternity. They will regret it.
There are some benefits to living forever. If you get shot, nothing will happen to you. You do not have to worry about dying. But what happens when people realize that you are not getting any older? They will not have an answer that will be believable.
Back to what I was saying before, I feel that humans always want more. They don't really feel gratified that they aren't starving or in a a state where they have no home. I admit it, I also sometimes want more. It's hard to be grateful for what we have when we haven't really felt what it feels like to not have a home, food, and clothes. But that's not really an excuse for wanting more.
Sometimes, some people get to the point where they are selfish. They do not care about their actions as long as they get what they want. And that's not good. You shouldn't be at a point where you have no care for the rest of the world. You shouldn't be in a state where you put others in danger for the better of yourself.
It's hard to be grateful because we see so many other people who have more than us and we can't help feeling jealous. That's only human right? But it's so wrong to be standing and thinking about how better off you would be if you had this and then you put others in peril. Too much of a good thing is not a good thing. It's very cliche but it's true. The man wanted the whole spring so that he could sell it so people could drink it and become immortal. He's so wrapped up in his own greed, he doesn't think about the damage it can cause.
Humans always want more but that doesn't mean they can become selfish. They should be considerate of others and what they are getting themselves into.
In Tuck Everlasting, drinking from the spring was a burden for the Tuck family. But then this man comes along and he decides to uncover the spring to the whole world just to make money. He doesn't realize that people will get tired of living for an eternity. They will regret it.
There are some benefits to living forever. If you get shot, nothing will happen to you. You do not have to worry about dying. But what happens when people realize that you are not getting any older? They will not have an answer that will be believable.
Back to what I was saying before, I feel that humans always want more. They don't really feel gratified that they aren't starving or in a a state where they have no home. I admit it, I also sometimes want more. It's hard to be grateful for what we have when we haven't really felt what it feels like to not have a home, food, and clothes. But that's not really an excuse for wanting more.
Sometimes, some people get to the point where they are selfish. They do not care about their actions as long as they get what they want. And that's not good. You shouldn't be at a point where you have no care for the rest of the world. You shouldn't be in a state where you put others in danger for the better of yourself.
It's hard to be grateful because we see so many other people who have more than us and we can't help feeling jealous. That's only human right? But it's so wrong to be standing and thinking about how better off you would be if you had this and then you put others in peril. Too much of a good thing is not a good thing. It's very cliche but it's true. The man wanted the whole spring so that he could sell it so people could drink it and become immortal. He's so wrapped up in his own greed, he doesn't think about the damage it can cause.
Humans always want more but that doesn't mean they can become selfish. They should be considerate of others and what they are getting themselves into.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Gregor the Overlander
Gregor the Overlander is a very...capturing book. It goes by very quickly but throughout the book there are all these tiny messages woven into it. One of them would definitely be to sort of take in stride what is thrown at you when you least expect it.
In Gregor's case, he is told that he is a warrior. He is named in the prophecy saying that he must go on a quest and defeat the evil in the underland. And he does. But before he does all that, he must accept that he is the warrior.
I feel that the author is trying to tell us to do exactly what Gregor must do. It's important for people to try to accept things even when they don't think it's right. Even when they feel doubt about what they are told. I think it's almost like an obstacle. But obstacles are things you must overcome. But you can turn an obstacle into the opposite by keeping your hopes up and believing in yourself.
Gregor portrays that he is able to do just that. At first he is almost unsure that he will not be able to accomplish his quest. But then he realizes what he actually has in him. He discovered he had had more in him than he thought.
I'm not sure but I think that maybe every person has to take things in stride or only one thing. It really magnifies who you are. A lot of things magnify who you are. It doesn't mean that you realize it until a certain point where you HAVE to realize it.
In Gregor's case, he is told that he is a warrior. He is named in the prophecy saying that he must go on a quest and defeat the evil in the underland. And he does. But before he does all that, he must accept that he is the warrior.
I feel that the author is trying to tell us to do exactly what Gregor must do. It's important for people to try to accept things even when they don't think it's right. Even when they feel doubt about what they are told. I think it's almost like an obstacle. But obstacles are things you must overcome. But you can turn an obstacle into the opposite by keeping your hopes up and believing in yourself.
Gregor portrays that he is able to do just that. At first he is almost unsure that he will not be able to accomplish his quest. But then he realizes what he actually has in him. He discovered he had had more in him than he thought.
I'm not sure but I think that maybe every person has to take things in stride or only one thing. It really magnifies who you are. A lot of things magnify who you are. It doesn't mean that you realize it until a certain point where you HAVE to realize it.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Girl in Translation
The book Girl in Translation is so touching. I haven't finished it but so far I learned a whole lot of things. It is about this girl who has immigrated from Hong Kong to the U.S.A. with her mother. Turns out, her aunt found her and her mom an apartment. But Kimberly, the main character, doesn't realize that her home is in the projects. They don't even have a bed. They just sleep on a mattress. It just really hurts to think of people living in these kind of conditions.
I know that Kimberly tries so very hard at school. But it's so hard for her given that her teacher pretty much makes fun of her and her accent and trouble with English. I find it unbelievable that a teacher would just cease to respect a student. How does it feel to be humiliated by a teacher when you know you are trying your best. I think sometimes, people don't really care whether someone is trying or not. They just see what they want to see. Kimberly's teacher just sees a girl who cannot speak fluent English and assumes she is stupid. But really, if he only took the time to help her out, she could go above and beyond and succeed to her fullest. I mean, Kimberly mentions many times how in Hong Kong, she was the smartest student and she won many awards and prizes for being such an amazing student. But here she is in america and she's failing all the classes she cannot make sense of. If only people tried to help those who are struggling. Then Kimberly would not feel like an idiot.
I feel that Kimberly's aunt is probably the most two-faced character I have ever read about in my whole life. She is Kimberly's mom's sister and yet, she acts as though she wants Kimberly and her mom to live this horrible life. It's like she want Kimberly and her mom to regret ever even dreaming of coming to America. What kind of a sister dumps her younger sister in an apartment in the projects? It's just so sickening to like, think about someone being so selfish. I know that no matter how annoying I find my little brother, I would never want him to be in a situation where he feels threatened. I just don't have it in me to wish sorrow or pain to someone. It's such an animal thing to do. And I am not an animal. Kimberly's aunt? Now her, I don't even know if she's animal or human. She acts nice to everyone, but then she says these little things and she implies things that I feel like no one but me realizes are bad. This is the worst part. Kimberly and her mom actually trust her aunt. Trust is such a big thing. It defines who you have faith in. It's hard to think sometimes those people don't deserve that faith and trust.
I know that in my heart that at the end of the book, Kimberly will mature in a great way and in a way, so will her ever so trusting mother. I think that they will realize that Aunt Paula is nothing but a bad person who has let money overcome love.
I know that Kimberly tries so very hard at school. But it's so hard for her given that her teacher pretty much makes fun of her and her accent and trouble with English. I find it unbelievable that a teacher would just cease to respect a student. How does it feel to be humiliated by a teacher when you know you are trying your best. I think sometimes, people don't really care whether someone is trying or not. They just see what they want to see. Kimberly's teacher just sees a girl who cannot speak fluent English and assumes she is stupid. But really, if he only took the time to help her out, she could go above and beyond and succeed to her fullest. I mean, Kimberly mentions many times how in Hong Kong, she was the smartest student and she won many awards and prizes for being such an amazing student. But here she is in america and she's failing all the classes she cannot make sense of. If only people tried to help those who are struggling. Then Kimberly would not feel like an idiot.
I feel that Kimberly's aunt is probably the most two-faced character I have ever read about in my whole life. She is Kimberly's mom's sister and yet, she acts as though she wants Kimberly and her mom to live this horrible life. It's like she want Kimberly and her mom to regret ever even dreaming of coming to America. What kind of a sister dumps her younger sister in an apartment in the projects? It's just so sickening to like, think about someone being so selfish. I know that no matter how annoying I find my little brother, I would never want him to be in a situation where he feels threatened. I just don't have it in me to wish sorrow or pain to someone. It's such an animal thing to do. And I am not an animal. Kimberly's aunt? Now her, I don't even know if she's animal or human. She acts nice to everyone, but then she says these little things and she implies things that I feel like no one but me realizes are bad. This is the worst part. Kimberly and her mom actually trust her aunt. Trust is such a big thing. It defines who you have faith in. It's hard to think sometimes those people don't deserve that faith and trust.
I know that in my heart that at the end of the book, Kimberly will mature in a great way and in a way, so will her ever so trusting mother. I think that they will realize that Aunt Paula is nothing but a bad person who has let money overcome love.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Resisting the Text
In the book Cruel and Unusual, there are so many parts where I find myself resisting the text. There are many parts parts where I feel kind of disgusted but even then, I can't stop myself from continuing to read. These parts pop up a lot, especially because this book is all about murder and investigation. The criminal that the story is mostly based upon burglarized a lady's house and then murdered her after she walked in on him.
Her murder was so brutal it's unbelievable. What's even worse is that he made her suffer. How can a person do that? He was supposedly stoned at the time he murdered the women. Yeah, it's a pretty legit excuse for his brutality, but it's just not enough for me. It's not okay for a person to kill a women with no emotion. I just hate it when poor innocent people die. Like they can't do anything to help themselves. They just can't. They're so helpless. Their life is taken away in a second, faster than it take for a drop of water to reach the ground. But when a drop of water hits the ground, it slowly evaporates. When a human hits the ground, the impact is much worse. They don't evaporate though. When a person hits the ground, their memories are still there. Their accomplishments are still there. Their smiles, their laughter, their tears, everything is still there. Nothing really changes. Except the fact that you don't really get to physically see that person anymore.
When I was reading all the details of the murder, I was so horrified. I couldn't think of that actually happening in the world. But it does. I guess these scenarios are very foreign to me. I mean, I'm aware that there is murder everyday, everywhere in the world. But to imagine it being painful to the victim is just horrible. But the thing is that you just can't stop yourself from continuing to read. You can't help yourself from turning the page. I think that is what makes it much more interesting.
I think resisting the text is something that should mean a lot to the reader. It shows that the text is affecting you in some way. It shows me that there are ideas in this world that you don't really understand until you are at a certain maturity level. It would be irresponsible to shove something like this murder text at someone who's like,7 years old. They couldn't take all of it in. It would be overwhelming for them. This is why I think that the people who can turn really complicated ideas into simple but intricate stories are quite smart. Resisting the text is important because it really makes you think deeper about the idea. It just adds one more thing to the ever growing list of ideas in your head that you never even knew existed. Most of the time, these ideas are things that you almost don't want to exist. That's what makes them so powerful. Because it screams HEY I EXIST! like someone who can't fathom why he murdered another person screams HEY I'M A KILLER.
Her murder was so brutal it's unbelievable. What's even worse is that he made her suffer. How can a person do that? He was supposedly stoned at the time he murdered the women. Yeah, it's a pretty legit excuse for his brutality, but it's just not enough for me. It's not okay for a person to kill a women with no emotion. I just hate it when poor innocent people die. Like they can't do anything to help themselves. They just can't. They're so helpless. Their life is taken away in a second, faster than it take for a drop of water to reach the ground. But when a drop of water hits the ground, it slowly evaporates. When a human hits the ground, the impact is much worse. They don't evaporate though. When a person hits the ground, their memories are still there. Their accomplishments are still there. Their smiles, their laughter, their tears, everything is still there. Nothing really changes. Except the fact that you don't really get to physically see that person anymore.
When I was reading all the details of the murder, I was so horrified. I couldn't think of that actually happening in the world. But it does. I guess these scenarios are very foreign to me. I mean, I'm aware that there is murder everyday, everywhere in the world. But to imagine it being painful to the victim is just horrible. But the thing is that you just can't stop yourself from continuing to read. You can't help yourself from turning the page. I think that is what makes it much more interesting.
I think resisting the text is something that should mean a lot to the reader. It shows that the text is affecting you in some way. It shows me that there are ideas in this world that you don't really understand until you are at a certain maturity level. It would be irresponsible to shove something like this murder text at someone who's like,7 years old. They couldn't take all of it in. It would be overwhelming for them. This is why I think that the people who can turn really complicated ideas into simple but intricate stories are quite smart. Resisting the text is important because it really makes you think deeper about the idea. It just adds one more thing to the ever growing list of ideas in your head that you never even knew existed. Most of the time, these ideas are things that you almost don't want to exist. That's what makes them so powerful. Because it screams HEY I EXIST! like someone who can't fathom why he murdered another person screams HEY I'M A KILLER.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Whose Perspective is Missing?
So in this book called Looking for Alaska, Alaska is this really amazing person who ends up dying at such a young age. Nobody really knows why she died. Did she kill herself by suicide? Or was it just fate that she was really drunk and just happened to crash into a cop cruiser? So many unanswered questions. But really, throughout the book, the one person who you really want to hear about is just not there. Like, Alaska will be talking and I would kind of understand her personality but where are her thoughts? I crave to know what she thinks. What she feels. What she needs. What she's been through. What her emotions are. Who she really is.
If someone dies out of the blue, it truly makes you wonder why. I know it made me wonder what she was thinking right before she died. Even though she was sort of drunk while she was making out with Pudge, it made me wonder what she was thinking while she doing that. She was the one who decided to do that. She has a boyfriend. I feel that she didn't want to face the facts that even though she had a boyfriend, she was actually in love with this scrawny stick of a boy. Sometimes we do things even when we can't really explain why we're doing them. Like, you just think of things at the moment and you're just like, hey wait, I have to do that. Like your instincts are pulling at your sleeve and leading you into unknown territory. But you can't really stop yourself. It's like a huge wall is blocking you way of going in the other direction.
When the whole gang is just smoking and drinking and chilling at their secret hideaway, I wondered if Alaska thought that she was ruining her life. But what was really like, weird was that she said something that means a lot though it's just a few words. She said "you guys smoke for fun. I smoke to die." That sticks out to me so much considering that that line is so emotional that it can be interpreted in so many ways. One my interpretations is that she must have had something serious happen to her in her childhood that made her to distant and emotional. And I was right. Her mother died in front of her eyes. To have to see you own mother dying in front you is freaking sick. And what's even worse is that she blames herself because she didn't think to call 911 when her mother was dying. To have to live with that guilt is like slowly being killed inside. Like something evil and indestructible is just eating away at you. And there's nothing to stop its hunger.
The presence of Alaska is so strong in this book. She's like a flame that will never blow out. Even when she is dead, her presence is in every corner of very room. She is not a memory, but a light that has sneaked it's way into your soul.
If someone dies out of the blue, it truly makes you wonder why. I know it made me wonder what she was thinking right before she died. Even though she was sort of drunk while she was making out with Pudge, it made me wonder what she was thinking while she doing that. She was the one who decided to do that. She has a boyfriend. I feel that she didn't want to face the facts that even though she had a boyfriend, she was actually in love with this scrawny stick of a boy. Sometimes we do things even when we can't really explain why we're doing them. Like, you just think of things at the moment and you're just like, hey wait, I have to do that. Like your instincts are pulling at your sleeve and leading you into unknown territory. But you can't really stop yourself. It's like a huge wall is blocking you way of going in the other direction.
When the whole gang is just smoking and drinking and chilling at their secret hideaway, I wondered if Alaska thought that she was ruining her life. But what was really like, weird was that she said something that means a lot though it's just a few words. She said "you guys smoke for fun. I smoke to die." That sticks out to me so much considering that that line is so emotional that it can be interpreted in so many ways. One my interpretations is that she must have had something serious happen to her in her childhood that made her to distant and emotional. And I was right. Her mother died in front of her eyes. To have to see you own mother dying in front you is freaking sick. And what's even worse is that she blames herself because she didn't think to call 911 when her mother was dying. To have to live with that guilt is like slowly being killed inside. Like something evil and indestructible is just eating away at you. And there's nothing to stop its hunger.
The presence of Alaska is so strong in this book. She's like a flame that will never blow out. Even when she is dead, her presence is in every corner of very room. She is not a memory, but a light that has sneaked it's way into your soul.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Sarah's Key: what hard things are going on?
In the book Sarah's Key, there are so many hard things going on. One main hard thing is the coping of the war (World War 2). It's so horribly what happened to poor little Sarah. The French police came to take away her whole family and take them to a camp. She left her little brother in their hiding place, a hidden cupboard in the wall. He died in that cupboard.
To have your brother die like that. It would break my heart. I myself have a little brother. It makes you want to cry to think that you'll never get to hug that little body, or ruffle their hair. How did Sarah feel? She wanted to die. That's how she felt. First she loses her parents then she loses her brother. That must make her feel like the most lonely person in the world. To have nobody to hug or talk to to. To have nobody to love her.
I can't imagine how guilty Sarah must have felt after she discovered her baby brother dead in the cupboard. She felt it was all her fault that she left her poor little brother to die all by himself. It's like giving away a piece of your life. A piece of your heart.
This is what turned Sarah's heart to stone. She no longer felt emotions. Emotions were probably a foreign concept to her after her whole family died. She no longer knew how to smile. How to laugh. How to live. She turned into a robot. She only did what she had to do to stay alive. She did not find it important to go out and have some fun. It changed her forever.
It makes you want to comfort her you know? To show her that she actually has something to live for. But apparently she didn't think so. She could not deal with the pain. The sorrow. The guilt. The memories. The tears. The hate.
She killed herself by driving straight into a tree. Now all that pain, sorrow, guilt, memories, tears, and hate is buried with her. But not the realization of how everything about that war was so undeniably wrong.
Everything.
To have your brother die like that. It would break my heart. I myself have a little brother. It makes you want to cry to think that you'll never get to hug that little body, or ruffle their hair. How did Sarah feel? She wanted to die. That's how she felt. First she loses her parents then she loses her brother. That must make her feel like the most lonely person in the world. To have nobody to hug or talk to to. To have nobody to love her.
I can't imagine how guilty Sarah must have felt after she discovered her baby brother dead in the cupboard. She felt it was all her fault that she left her poor little brother to die all by himself. It's like giving away a piece of your life. A piece of your heart.
This is what turned Sarah's heart to stone. She no longer felt emotions. Emotions were probably a foreign concept to her after her whole family died. She no longer knew how to smile. How to laugh. How to live. She turned into a robot. She only did what she had to do to stay alive. She did not find it important to go out and have some fun. It changed her forever.
It makes you want to comfort her you know? To show her that she actually has something to live for. But apparently she didn't think so. She could not deal with the pain. The sorrow. The guilt. The memories. The tears. The hate.
She killed herself by driving straight into a tree. Now all that pain, sorrow, guilt, memories, tears, and hate is buried with her. But not the realization of how everything about that war was so undeniably wrong.
Everything.
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