Literature
Of Mice and men by john steinbeck
Of Mice and Men, is a novella that tells a tragic tell about two displaced migrant ranch workers, George Milton and Lennie Small. This story takes place during the Great Depression in California, USA. In the beginning, George Milton an intelligent but uneducated man and Lennie Small, a big man with plenty of muscle and strength but limited mental disabilities, head their way to Soledad looking for work. Lennie has a history of doing "bad things" because of his past they have to constantly move from town to town, when they reach the ranch in Soledad George specifically explains to Lennie to not do anything bad. As the novella continues and readers are greeted by new characters, drama begins to increase.
This book also surprised me because I had attempted to read it a year before and didn't like it that much. But after going through the symbolism with my teacher and actually going through the whole book I figured out that I actually really enjoyed and think that it is one of my favorites this year. John Steinbeck goes crazy with his writing making sure there isn't one detail left out, not one rock un-described and although it is continuous and somewhat annoying at first, you come to appreciate it in the end. I highly recommend this book.
This book also surprised me because I had attempted to read it a year before and didn't like it that much. But after going through the symbolism with my teacher and actually going through the whole book I figured out that I actually really enjoyed and think that it is one of my favorites this year. John Steinbeck goes crazy with his writing making sure there isn't one detail left out, not one rock un-described and although it is continuous and somewhat annoying at first, you come to appreciate it in the end. I highly recommend this book.
My sisters keeper by jody picoult
My sisters keeper tells of a girl named Andromeda, Anna for short. Anna was born specifically to be a blood donor for her sister Kate who has APL, a rare form of Leukemia. As the years go on Anna is made to donate more and more until finally Her mom asks her to donate a kidney and Anna decides that she has had enough! So she goes out in search of a lawyer, Campbell Alexander, and the legal war over the right to Anna's body begins. Throughout the book, Anna is dealing with emotional as well as physical pain surrounding the trial but in the end, wins and is granted emancipation and the right to decide what to legally do with her body. It is only after she and Campbell end up in a car accident where she loses all brain activity and later gives up her kidney just because she herself couldn't use it anymore that her parents finally give her the gratitude she deserved.
I'm going to be honest, this book was not my favorite. The idea was brilliant, the story fantastic but the writing it self left me very bored. I couldn't continue reading without a headache sprouting. Everything was very cause and effect, nothing really letting me connect with charactors. Not until I got to Julia and Jesse and I only decided I liked Campbell and Anna at the very end too. I would suggest reading this book just for the sake of the story because it is absolutely brilliant and who knows, maybe you'll connect with it more than I do.
I'm going to be honest, this book was not my favorite. The idea was brilliant, the story fantastic but the writing it self left me very bored. I couldn't continue reading without a headache sprouting. Everything was very cause and effect, nothing really letting me connect with charactors. Not until I got to Julia and Jesse and I only decided I liked Campbell and Anna at the very end too. I would suggest reading this book just for the sake of the story because it is absolutely brilliant and who knows, maybe you'll connect with it more than I do.
Dear zoe by philip beard
Dear Zoe is the tragic story of a young girl, Tess DeNuzio, after she witnessed her sister, Zoe's death in a car crash. The date in question was none other than September 11, 2001 and yet, the were miles, even whole states away from DC as well as New York. Tess begins writing a letter to her sister, telling in detail how her life is continuing on without her baby sister. She tells about her mother's depression and her younger sister, Emily's, solitude and her relationship with her new boyfriend. As the book continues Tess gets stronger and stronger letting go the idea that she had killed her baby sis, and not the man in the car who had been adjusting his radio when Zoe ran into the street. By the end of the book, Tess has finally excepted her sisters death and, even though she is still hurt by Zoe's absence, she is finally able to let go.
This book surprised me. Sometimes writing can be predictable, like when guessing the barber in a story was the murderer or how the reason this character was so depressed was because he loved her or, in this case, we weren't going to get the actual story of Zoe's death until the end of the book with subtle little hints throughout the book. I thought that the book wouldn't effect me but I was intrigued when it came to that part of the story.... excited even. I definitely suggest reading this book.
This book surprised me. Sometimes writing can be predictable, like when guessing the barber in a story was the murderer or how the reason this character was so depressed was because he loved her or, in this case, we weren't going to get the actual story of Zoe's death until the end of the book with subtle little hints throughout the book. I thought that the book wouldn't effect me but I was intrigued when it came to that part of the story.... excited even. I definitely suggest reading this book.
Romeo and Juliet By William SHAKESPEARE
Romeo and Juliet, is a tragic love story about a young man, Romeo and a young girl, Juliet. Two forbidden lovers going against many obstacles including, old history, family duels, distance and death. The story begins with a war between the Capulet and Montague families being stopped by the Prince who explains to the whole town that if another fight occurs, the punishment will be death. As the story continues, Lord Capulet hosts a big feast inviting all guests including, the Montague boys. At the party Romeo runs into Juliet, both of them clearly stricken by each others beauty and easily fooled they have their first kiss. When the party ends, Romeo sneaks to her balcony where they express their undying love to each other planning to get married the next day. But as the wedding comes near, Lord Capulet surprises Juliet with an arranged meeting with Paris (one of the Prince's kings men). As the story continues, Romeo & Juliet have to fight together against all of life's obstacles.
After reading the script, I was surprised to deduce that, in the end, Romeo and Juliet did not actually have that, "young love" that everyone refers to as magical and perfect. In reality, ROmeo is just bewildered by Juliet's beauty and obsessed with the idea of falling in love whereas Juliet, also in love with only good looks, snatches at a chance to stop a wedding with Paris. If they really loved each other as everyone says, Juliet would have jumped at the chance to leave Ventura for Romeo when her father threatened to disown and Romeo wouldn't have claimed to love the young maiden Roseline the day before. It's a beautiful story and I highly recommend this read but everyone's interpretations of the book are just so far from the truth.
After reading the script, I was surprised to deduce that, in the end, Romeo and Juliet did not actually have that, "young love" that everyone refers to as magical and perfect. In reality, ROmeo is just bewildered by Juliet's beauty and obsessed with the idea of falling in love whereas Juliet, also in love with only good looks, snatches at a chance to stop a wedding with Paris. If they really loved each other as everyone says, Juliet would have jumped at the chance to leave Ventura for Romeo when her father threatened to disown and Romeo wouldn't have claimed to love the young maiden Roseline the day before. It's a beautiful story and I highly recommend this read but everyone's interpretations of the book are just so far from the truth.
The house on mango street By Sandra cisneros
The House on Mango Street is a novella about a young girl, Esperanza, and her life in a barrio in Chicago. During her time there, she lives in a crumbly old house on Mango Street and is ashamed of how the house effects others opinions of herself. She knows she is smart and strong but despite this fact, people still judge her based on her gender, ethnicity and poverty. We begin to see, through growth and maturity, her gain confidence and realize that only she can break free of her prison of judgment and that she is the only one to, "help those who cannot out." (Cisneros 110)
While reading the novella I found it astonishing that Sandra Cinseros would try to publish it as a children's book. Not only does it discuss topics that younger generations would not understand, but the beautiful symbolism was hard for even me to find. In the end, I would definitely reread this book because the descriptions just transport you into another world where you cheer on Esperanza through her many struggles and jump with excitement when she finally finds her way out.
While reading the novella I found it astonishing that Sandra Cinseros would try to publish it as a children's book. Not only does it discuss topics that younger generations would not understand, but the beautiful symbolism was hard for even me to find. In the end, I would definitely reread this book because the descriptions just transport you into another world where you cheer on Esperanza through her many struggles and jump with excitement when she finally finds her way out.
Sammy and juliana in hollywood by benjamin alire saenz
In the book, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, a young boy starting his senior year in high school in a barrio located in New Mexico, has just lost the love of his life, Juliana who has been brutally murdered by her father. Sammy spends his last year of school yearning over her death and experiencing other tragedies that put him through misery. His best friend, Pifas, gets drafted, another friend, Jamie gets beat up after being found as gay, and his father gets into an accident and, because of the this, Sammy's chance at Berkeley gets thrown out the window. As time progresses, Sammy slowly creeps out of his shell again and watches as his friends go off to make their dreams come true from the window of his still in Hollywood house. His father passes away and he must stay home to take care of his sister but we get a glimpse of good fortune after he goes to New Mexico State and gets attention from a slightly attractive girl, letting us know that he could possibly have a good future after all.
This book, for me at least, made conflict with my emotions. I loved the writing, pure, young love and innocence. But, sometimes I don't want to be sad. I want to be happy and intrigued differently from just raw sorrow for a character whose life is going south. Sometimes, I like the happy ending. This book at first glance did not show me a happy ending, like in The House on Mango Street. Instead, Sammy was forced to quit his dream and stay home to take care of a soon to die father, little sister and her friend (read the book to find out what happened to the sister's, friend's mom). After evaluation I guess I could see a bit more happiness but it still made me sad that Sammy, the smartest kid in Hollywood, would not get to go soar to where he wanted to go. Don't take my disappointment with the ending as a bad sign, I just wanted a happy ending. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who asked me about it.
This book, for me at least, made conflict with my emotions. I loved the writing, pure, young love and innocence. But, sometimes I don't want to be sad. I want to be happy and intrigued differently from just raw sorrow for a character whose life is going south. Sometimes, I like the happy ending. This book at first glance did not show me a happy ending, like in The House on Mango Street. Instead, Sammy was forced to quit his dream and stay home to take care of a soon to die father, little sister and her friend (read the book to find out what happened to the sister's, friend's mom). After evaluation I guess I could see a bit more happiness but it still made me sad that Sammy, the smartest kid in Hollywood, would not get to go soar to where he wanted to go. Don't take my disappointment with the ending as a bad sign, I just wanted a happy ending. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who asked me about it.
Antigone by sophocles
In class, we read the script of the play Antigone, a classic Ancient Greek play written by one of the greatest tragedy writers, Sophocles. The story of Antigone begins like this..... The city of Thebes has just appointed a new king, Creon, after the previous one Eteocles was murdered by his brother, Polynieces. Now don't start making assumptions yet because Polynieces isn't such a bad guy, in fact, I would agree with him more than his brother because the king before them, and their father Oedipus, told them they must share the land of Thebes. To carry out their father's wishes, the two brothers decide to trade off running the kingdom, and Eteocles started. By the time his reign was over, Eteocles did not want to give up the crown so Polynieces attacked the city and both brothers were killed in combat. Now the new king, Creon and the boys uncle, decided that since Polynieces attacked the city of Thebes, their city, that he should be punished and so decreed that the brother should not be buried which in that time meant that his spirit would never lay to rest but wander helplessly in a world alone in mourning. Now the boys loving sister, Antigone, felt that she could not bare to have her brother endure the punishment so she went behind her uncle's back and buried poor Polynieces. The king soon found out and, not wanting to show weakness in front of his new city, threw her in a stone fortress for her to rot. By the time Tiresias, a prophet, convinces the king to free her, Antigone had killed herself. Creon's son, Haemon, then kills himself out of love for Antigone and his mother then follows out of grief. As the play comes to an end, Creon is left alone and heartbroken to live out the rest of his days in sad solitude.
I love Ancient Greek stories. Their imagination is so intriguing and always keeps me on my toes. I know I mentioned before that sad stories were not for me but I really enjoyed the way this one showed more courageous characters and how, in the end no matter how many people suffered in the process, Creon got what was coming for him. I definitely suggest this to people and would like to go see the actual play now.
I love Ancient Greek stories. Their imagination is so intriguing and always keeps me on my toes. I know I mentioned before that sad stories were not for me but I really enjoyed the way this one showed more courageous characters and how, in the end no matter how many people suffered in the process, Creon got what was coming for him. I definitely suggest this to people and would like to go see the actual play now.