Monday, April 30, 2007
Deliver Us From Evie
It looks like some people forgot about the last blog because it has been a while since we posted....so I will start the blog. I am only half way through "Deliver Us From Evie," so I will comment on it thus far. I have enjoyed the book so far. What I really like about it are the different relationships that exist and the realism it portrays. I can see the reality in each character along with the opionions and relationships of each. I think it is neat to see such a strong character such as Evie. Just as the book says she has always known what she was. I like that she is proud of what she is and even though she has outside forces trying to mold her into the stereotypical woman, such as her mother, she never falters from what she feels. "She was trying hard to change evie that fall, trying everything, but it was like trying to change the direction of the wind." (Pg.4) Even when Evie is confronted by her father about being diferent her reply is "i don't give a ding-dong-damn what people say about me! Okay?" (pg.58) I like that different relationships that develop around and with Evie thorought the book, it gives an idea of what it must be like to grow up in such a small town where you are "different" from the rest.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Coraline
So, I am going to just post about the entire Coraline book. I will start off by saying I didn't hate the book but at the same time it wasn't my favorite. As we all know the story is about a young girl who, through a door in her house, travels to an alternate world where her "other" family and surroundings exist. The only thing from the real world that is the same is the black cat. My favorite part of the story is the curosity and strength of such a young girl. When her and the cat are trying to get back to the real world she is the one reassuring and comforting the cat...."You'll be fine," said Coraline, "Everything's going to fine. I'll take you home." (pg. 125) Even though she is very scared and not really sure if everything will be fine she is saying those words to protect the cat. I am not really a fan of fantasy novels, in the beginning I wondered if it would all just end up being a dream. I love how the author made Coraline such a unique character, she is so smart. I thought it was funny how at the end of the book Coraline creates such a great idea as to get the hand of the other mother to fall down the well. I would say it took me far to long as an adult to relize that was her plan...haha. I can honestly say I would not have thought of that. So overall this was a very unique book, the details of such things asthe rock with the hole that protected her and the rat circus are great. Overall how did you guys feel about the book? What were your favorite parts?
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Skellig; first half
There was a lot of things that I really enjoyed about this book, but one of the most intriguing was the theory of wings. Michael's mom says to him on pages 38-39, that, "They say that shoulder blades are where your wings were, when you were an angel They say they're where your wings will grow again one day." I had never heard this before and I don't know if it is something the author created or an actual saying, but I thought it was such a beautiful idea about wings and angels. And Mina comments on it, too. On page 52 she says to Michael, "It's a proven fact, common knowledge. They're where your wings were and where they'll grow again." What a great philosophy.
There were other things that touched on that kind of sweetness throughout the book. Michael checked on his baby sister frequently, feeling her warmth and her heart.
In another vein, on page 49, Mina says, "My mother educates me. We believe that schools inhibit the natural curiosity, creativity, and intelligence of children. The mind neds to be opened out into the world, not shuttered down inside a gloomy classroom." I think that this relates to what Zipes' says about the socialization of children through books. Mina's education is expanded beyond books, and what other people think is important to learn. I'd like to hear what you all think of this book.
There were other things that touched on that kind of sweetness throughout the book. Michael checked on his baby sister frequently, feeling her warmth and her heart.
In another vein, on page 49, Mina says, "My mother educates me. We believe that schools inhibit the natural curiosity, creativity, and intelligence of children. The mind neds to be opened out into the world, not shuttered down inside a gloomy classroom." I think that this relates to what Zipes' says about the socialization of children through books. Mina's education is expanded beyond books, and what other people think is important to learn. I'd like to hear what you all think of this book.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I have seen the movie version of this book many times however, this is my first time actually reading the book. I am not completely finished with the book, but I would have to say up to this point I actually like the book more than the movie. I found it to be a very easy read, and the pictures that accompanied the story were great.
This is a great story because you actually become part of it, your imagination is put to the test. I think it is great because young children view these different characters as real, at least while reading the story. "The Scarecrow, who was never tired, stood up in another corner and waited patiently until morning came." (pg.59) No one before this book ever thought about scarecrows, and whether they get tired or not, it breaks the boundries some people have in their minds.
I think the greatest moral behind this story is everyone is capable of anything, all they need to do is believe....and imagine. "It was easy to make the Scarecrow and the Lion and the Woodman happy, because they imagined I could do anything." (pg.235) I like that all along you see signs that the scarecrow really does have brains, like when he thinks that they could cut the tree down to walk across when no one else can find a solution. Or how the Lion believes he has no courage but he is willing to stand in front of the others all along in the face of danger. All of the characters are able to overcome their shortcomings.....a great story.
This is a great story because you actually become part of it, your imagination is put to the test. I think it is great because young children view these different characters as real, at least while reading the story. "The Scarecrow, who was never tired, stood up in another corner and waited patiently until morning came." (pg.59) No one before this book ever thought about scarecrows, and whether they get tired or not, it breaks the boundries some people have in their minds.
I think the greatest moral behind this story is everyone is capable of anything, all they need to do is believe....and imagine. "It was easy to make the Scarecrow and the Lion and the Woodman happy, because they imagined I could do anything." (pg.235) I like that all along you see signs that the scarecrow really does have brains, like when he thinks that they could cut the tree down to walk across when no one else can find a solution. Or how the Lion believes he has no courage but he is willing to stand in front of the others all along in the face of danger. All of the characters are able to overcome their shortcomings.....a great story.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Alice in Wonderland: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The beginning of the story starts when Alice falls asleep and enters a different world where humans are rare to find and talking animals rule the world. She talks to herself most of the time she's there and "fond of pretending to be two people". (p.12) Alice is one curious child and it's understandable that children are curious beings that want to know everything. They are "little scientist" that would experiment what happends around them and try to understand the world that they live in. So to prove that, Alice would soon drink a bottle that is labeled "Drink Me" (p. 10) She curious about what would happen to her but before that she starts thinking logically about what she should do.
Alice later have an episode where she is confused as to who she is and starts comparing herself with others, but later say that " I must be Mabel after all, and I shall have to go and live in that poky little house, and have next to no toys to play with, and oh, ever so many lessons to learn!" (p. 16) It goes on and on about trying to know who she is and think that she "changed" somehow. In what way does she change besides the physical? Do you know?
What really surprised me in this story is that the Duchess has a "child" that she seems to just toss about like it was nothing and say to Alice that she could "nurse it a bit" (p. 49) and then leaves to play croquet. So Alice's conscience starts kicking in and thinking that she should save the child, which turned into a pig and set free.
Later on, she meets all type of animals and hears all kinds of storys from them. She angers some of them and then her sister woke her up but she soon find that dreaming up stories about adventures and remembering them makes her childhood more loving.
I didn't have such an adventurous childhood so I wouldn't know what Alice went through but I know that it was better than mine. Sure, I talk to myself most of the time and wanted to be a boy when I was younger but that still didn't give me much of an adventure. What about you guys?
Alice later have an episode where she is confused as to who she is and starts comparing herself with others, but later say that " I must be Mabel after all, and I shall have to go and live in that poky little house, and have next to no toys to play with, and oh, ever so many lessons to learn!" (p. 16) It goes on and on about trying to know who she is and think that she "changed" somehow. In what way does she change besides the physical? Do you know?
What really surprised me in this story is that the Duchess has a "child" that she seems to just toss about like it was nothing and say to Alice that she could "nurse it a bit" (p. 49) and then leaves to play croquet. So Alice's conscience starts kicking in and thinking that she should save the child, which turned into a pig and set free.
Later on, she meets all type of animals and hears all kinds of storys from them. She angers some of them and then her sister woke her up but she soon find that dreaming up stories about adventures and remembering them makes her childhood more loving.
I didn't have such an adventurous childhood so I wouldn't know what Alice went through but I know that it was better than mine. Sure, I talk to myself most of the time and wanted to be a boy when I was younger but that still didn't give me much of an adventure. What about you guys?
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Briar Rose-Chapters 11-24
As we all know by now Briar Rose is a retelling of the classic "Sleeping Beauty". The book alternates every chapter between the present and the past in which the Grandmother is telling her story of Briar Rose, in which she is Briar Rose. In Chapters 11-24 Becca, the main character is attempting to keep her promise to her Grandmother, which is to discover her grandmother's past and find the castle she left for her. Becca first travels 6 hours with a coworker and friend to uncover information about her grandmother, which eventually leads her on a trip to Poland to understand where her grandmother came from.
The story of this book is gripping, it is a real life twist on a fairytale we are all familiar with. The Holocaust is a time we all think of with great sadness, this book reminds us of the horrors that took place not so long ago. Becca eventually finds the "Castle", "It was an old castle once. Ruined in World War I," the priest enplaned. "But it was here that the prisoners were brought. The Nazis said it was for baths, for delousing. But it was only for death." (pg.146)
This story is a story of hope in more ways then one.....the grandmother escaped death, the grandchild keeps her promise to the utmost, and there is happiness to be found in even the worst times imaginable. In the chapter where we finish for this posting the telling of the story begins, Becca has found a man that knew her grandmother, knew her back then. "The fairy tale La Belle au Bois Dormant." (pg. 159). I can't wait to see what unfolds in the last chapters, how her grandmother managed to escape Poland with a young child in the middle of the war. Why do you think it is Becca's grandmother chose to keep her past a secret for all those years? Do you think a fairytale is the only way she could handle to speak of her past?
The story of this book is gripping, it is a real life twist on a fairytale we are all familiar with. The Holocaust is a time we all think of with great sadness, this book reminds us of the horrors that took place not so long ago. Becca eventually finds the "Castle", "It was an old castle once. Ruined in World War I," the priest enplaned. "But it was here that the prisoners were brought. The Nazis said it was for baths, for delousing. But it was only for death." (pg.146)
This story is a story of hope in more ways then one.....the grandmother escaped death, the grandchild keeps her promise to the utmost, and there is happiness to be found in even the worst times imaginable. In the chapter where we finish for this posting the telling of the story begins, Becca has found a man that knew her grandmother, knew her back then. "The fairy tale La Belle au Bois Dormant." (pg. 159). I can't wait to see what unfolds in the last chapters, how her grandmother managed to escape Poland with a young child in the middle of the war. Why do you think it is Becca's grandmother chose to keep her past a secret for all those years? Do you think a fairytale is the only way she could handle to speak of her past?
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Zipes, Chapter 6 The Contamination of the Fairy Tale
In reading a chapter on ‘contamination’ I had to keep reminding myself that in this context contamination was not a negative. It is an important topic, though, and although once it’s brought to our attention it makes perfect sense, it is not something readily touched on by most casual fairy tale readers.
It is impossible to find a fairy tale or historical event that has come down through the years that has not been contaminated. This is due to the oral tradition that was the only way of sharing stories, history and events, for so long. The oralists who originally spoke these stories must have added their own touches, flavors or editing based on the topic and the audience. Zipes’ acknowledges the Grimms awareness of this on page 103. “The Grimms recognized this process of narrative transformation carried on by human agents that dates back to ancient times…”
One of the most interesting pieces of information came at the beginning of the chapter. It is interesting not only for the historical content, but also because of the contemporary application. When speaking of the effect of the fairy tales post-WWII, Zipes says: “Moreover, they asserted that the tales had given German children a false impression of the world that had made them susceptible to lies and irrationality.” (Page 100). This reminded me of the arguments that music such as Marilyn Manson or Kurt Cobain perform(ed) can actually cause young people to commit crimes or attempt suicide. I personally don’t believe that the lyrical content of a song can be the sole cause of an individual to contemplate a crime or death, but it is noteworthy that this thought pattern came full circle from another era 60 years prior.
I found Zipes’ attitude much more palatable in this chapter than in the chapter we read previous. I felt that he had said all he had to say in the first three pages and didn’t need the remaining 16 to make his point, but he does seem to like “hearing” (seeing?) himself speak. What do you all think?
It is impossible to find a fairy tale or historical event that has come down through the years that has not been contaminated. This is due to the oral tradition that was the only way of sharing stories, history and events, for so long. The oralists who originally spoke these stories must have added their own touches, flavors or editing based on the topic and the audience. Zipes’ acknowledges the Grimms awareness of this on page 103. “The Grimms recognized this process of narrative transformation carried on by human agents that dates back to ancient times…”
One of the most interesting pieces of information came at the beginning of the chapter. It is interesting not only for the historical content, but also because of the contemporary application. When speaking of the effect of the fairy tales post-WWII, Zipes says: “Moreover, they asserted that the tales had given German children a false impression of the world that had made them susceptible to lies and irrationality.” (Page 100). This reminded me of the arguments that music such as Marilyn Manson or Kurt Cobain perform(ed) can actually cause young people to commit crimes or attempt suicide. I personally don’t believe that the lyrical content of a song can be the sole cause of an individual to contemplate a crime or death, but it is noteworthy that this thought pattern came full circle from another era 60 years prior.
I found Zipes’ attitude much more palatable in this chapter than in the chapter we read previous. I felt that he had said all he had to say in the first three pages and didn’t need the remaining 16 to make his point, but he does seem to like “hearing” (seeing?) himself speak. What do you all think?
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