Mary Rowlandson- Reflection Blog

I think that both of these readings reflect many Puritan qualities, but I think that in Mary Rowlandson's writing called A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson she reveals more Puritan qualities than Anne Bradstreet does in Upon the Burning of Our House. In Mary Rowlandson's story, she recalls about how she was taken along with her three children and held captive by a tribe called the Wampanoag. At one point in this story, I think that Mary Rowlandson reveals a Puritan quality by saying

And my poor girl, I knew not where she was, nor whether she was sick or well, alive or dead. I repaired under these thoughts to my Bible (my great comforter in that time) and that scripture came to my hand. (Rowlandson 85).

I think that this passage from Mary Rowlandson's writing reveals Puritan qualities because the Puritans were very religious. They believe the Bible is words from God, and they encourage education just so that people can read it. Another way Puritan qualities are revealed through Mary Rowlandson's writing is by all the references she makes to either the Bible or God. For example, she says "... O the wonderful power of God that I have seen, and the experiences I have had!" and also she says "Though some are ready to say I speak it for my own credit; but I speak it in the presence of God, and to His glory" (Rowlandson 85). There are many instances in this story where Mary Rowlandson makes some sort of a reference to her religion, which I think is a Puritan quality. Religion is a huge part of a Puritan's life, and by reading this story I think it is safe to say that it also was a huge part of Mary Rowlandson's life. On the other had, in Anne Bradstreet's writing there are also many Puritan qualities. In this poem, Anne tells about the emotions that flooded through her as she seen her house burning down. She makes reference to religion in her poem many times, for example

And to my God did my heart cry, to strengthen me in my distress, and not to leave me succorless (Bradstreet 91).

In this quote, she is asking God to give her strength and not to leave her helpless, and in doing so she reveals a Puritan quality. She also says

And when I could no longer look, I blest His name that gave and took, that laid my goods down in the dust (Bradstreet 91).

I think that Anne Bradstreets writing does not reveal as many Puritan qualities as Mary Rowlandson's does, but it still reflects many Puritan qualities. Also, Puritans used writing to explore their lives to see the workings of God, and I think that both Mary Rowlandson and Anne Bradstreet did this with their writings. Personally, I liked Mary Rowlandson's story better because it was easier to read and also easier to understand. Anne Bradstreet's poem was written in a different style than what I am used to reading so I thought it was a little bit more confusing.

Bibliography

Bradstreet, Anne. "Upon the Burning of Our House." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 89-91. Print.

Rowlandson, Mary. "A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Ms. Mary Rowlandson." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 80-86. Print.

Journal #2- Hospitality

Once upon a time, there was a family of rabbits that lived in Pleasant Plains. They lived in the woods by the Hergenrother's house, and they were a very nice family. The rabbits were known throughout the woods for being very kind to everyone and for being very hospitable. The rabbits let many animals come into their home and offered them a warm, loving environment. One night, a huge thunder storm ravaged through the woods, destroying the home of the beaver family. After the storm, the beaver family was left with no home and no where to go so the rabbits offered to let them stay with them until they could build a new home. The beavers graciously accepted the offer because if not they would be forced to leave the woods and all of their friends behind. The following day, the beavers moved in with the rabbits and they began to look for a new place to build a home. The beavers treated the rabbit family as well as their home with respect by cleaning up after themselves and being very polite. The beavers always helped out the rabbits with the work that needed to be done, and in return the rabbits helped the beavers begin to build a new home. The rabbits provided the beavers with a place to sleep, food to eat, and finally they provided them with a home to live in. The rabbits showed much kindness by letting the beaver family move in with them, and the beaver family showed respect back to the rabbits. By the next summer, the beaver family had built a new home and were scheduled to move in the following week. The rabbit family was very happy that the beaver family was able to build a new home, but they were sad to see them move out. Because of the hospitality of the rabbits and the respectfulness of the beavers, they now have a very strong friendship and a bond that will last a lifetime.

Journal #1 "How the turtle got it's shell"

Once upon a time in a land that is very very far away, there was a turtle. His name was Franklin, and he lived with his family in the Ulrich's pond. The Ulrich's were very nice people and they took very good care of the little family of turtles. The Ulrich's lived in a little cottage located in a forest that housed many animals such as birds, deer, and squirrels. For the most part all of these animals lived together in harmony, but there was an ongoing feud between the turtles and the squirrels. The squirrels lived in an acorn tree that grew right on the edge of the Ulrich's pond, right above where the turtles lived. At first, they were friends but as time went by the squirrels began to dislike the turtles and then their rivalry began. The squirrels began to throw acorns at the turtles and because they did not have any form of protection it was bruising them. The Ulrich's noticed that most of the turtles were leaving their pond because of the squirrels and they decided something needed to be done. The Ulrich's began to think of ways that they could help out their little turtle friends, and then they thought of the perfect idea. They crafted a suit of armor made from wood for the turtles to wear, and over time it became known by many as the turtles shell. From then on out when the squirrels tried to hurt the turtles with acorns, they just bounced off of their backs and sunk to the bottom of the pond. The Ulrich's became known as heroes to the turtles, and from then on the turtles lived happily ever after. Although the problem between the turtles and the squirrels was resolved, there is still a little tension between them and if you listen close enough you can still hear the sound of acorns bouncing off the hard shells of the turtles.

Grapes of Wrath- California

In the novel Grapes of Wrath, many families are going through a lot of suffering in order to get a better life. The one thing that gives many families the hope they need to make it is this: California. All of the families that were forced out of their homes had a choice to make, either stay behind and starve to death or travel and try to find work. In this case, the Joad family decides to travel to California in search of jobs and a better life. I think that many of the families that chose to leave their homes behind saw California as a promise of a better life for them. Many of the families did not even know if there would still be jobs left in California, but it was the only thing they had hope for. I think that the author did a really good job with involving history because I think that if you know the events happened in real life it makes the book so much more realistic. By reading this book people can get a better understanding of what people went through back then. For many families such as the Joad's, California was their only hope. The journey there was hard, but it was what they had to do in order to survive. For many of these families, California represented a fresh start and a new beginning. These people packed up and left everything behind in order to survive, and to them making it to California was the priority. California to many was the only thing they had because they had to leave everything behind and that was the only thing they could look forward to. I know that if I had to leave everything I had ever known behind I would have nothing to look forward to except my next destination. I think that California was a really important part of this book because of the role it played in the lives of many families.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.

Grapes of Wrath- Did I like this book

I really liked the book Grapes of Wrath. I liked this book for many reasons, but my main reason is because of the amount of history included in this novel. History has always been my favorite subject in school, and sometimes I like to read so this book was a combination of two things I like. In this book the author included historical reference to the Dust Bowl, which I thought was very interesting. The Dust Bowl is a huge drought that consisted of dust storms that destroyed farms and houses easily. I have learned about the Dust Bowl before, but by reading this book I got a better understanding of what it did to many people throughout the United States. In this book, the Joad family is forced out of their home and they decide to travel to California in search of a better life. Many families back during this time were forced out of their homes because the drought had killed their crops and they could not afford to stay. I think that the author did a really good job including history throughout this novel because he not only included the Dust Bowl, but also the Great Depression. During the time period this story is set in, the United States was in bad shape. People were starving and could barely afford the little things in life. I think that the bad shape of the United States economy and the Dust Bowl pushed some families out of their homes. I think that it is so sad that these families were forced to leave their homes and everything they had behind so suddenly. I think that out of five stars, I would give this book three because of how much history was incorporated in the story. I think that it is really cool that the author was able to show us how much some people went through during the time period that this book is set in.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Responsibility (Question 8)

In the novel Catcher in the Rye, the author uses his story to show the responsibilities that he believes exist between people of different ages. The main character in this book, Holden, is a sixteen year old who was kicked out of school and who is afraid to grow up. Holden is at the age where you stop depending on your parents as much and you are becoming more of an adult. I am sixteen and I know exactly what Holden is going through during this book. Unlike me, Holden does not want to grow up. Holden wants to stay a child and never change. The author makes it very obvious that Holden does not like change or surprises when we read about his visit to the Museum of Natural History. Holden looks at the statues and realizes that they never change, and that he is the one who changes. Holden does not want to grow up because he thinks that adults are superficial and phony, but I also think it may be because of the responsibilities he will gain as he gets older. When you are an adult, you have to get a job and be able to provide for yourself and for your family, as opposed to when you are a child and you have almost no responsibilities. I think that the author uses this book to show us the different responsibilities that come with getting older. For example, when you turn sixteen you are responsible enough to drive a car, and I think that Holden may not be ready to stop being a child yet. I think that Holden thinks all of the adults are phony because they have so many responsibilities that they lose all of their child like qualities. I think that Holden is afraid of loosing his childhood innocence and of change. I think that the author did a really good job with using this novel to show us the different responsibilities that come with getting older.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Museum of Natural History

In the book Catcher in the Rye, the author includes a very important scene. In this scene, Holden visits the Museum of Natural History and he finds himself studying an exhibit of Indians and Eskimos. The Indians are weaving a blanket and the Eskimos are canoeing on a stream. Holden finds himself in deep though while he is looking at these statues, and he begins to wonder to himself about how their lives are. He notices that no matter how many times you come to the museum and look at this exhibit, they will always be in the same position doing the same thing. Their facial expressions will never change and they will never move. He thinks to himself about how much he would like to live in a world where things never change and where things are always so predictable. I think that this scene is kind of sad because it shows how scared he is of changing and growing into an adult. Holden also notices how every time you come to the museum, you are the one who has changed. He notices that every time you come, you have changed either physically or mentally or changed in both ways. Holden is afraid of growing up and becoming an adult because he views adulthood as being equal to jumping off a cliff. I think this scene is very important to the message in this book because it is like a moment of realization for Holden. He realizes that he is growing up and that there is nothing he can do about it. I think that the author of the novel Catcher in the Rye included this scene because of its importance to the overall message of this book. I am very glad the author included this scene in this novel because it helps me as a reader get a better understanding of how Holden feels about growing up and maturing. This scene enhances the message of the book and gives us a better understanding of how Holden feels.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Why we still read this book

I think that high schools all around the world still force us to read this book because of its message about transitioning from being a child to becoming an adult. I think that having us read this book while we are in high school only adds to the meaning of this books message. Right now, we are at the age where we are in between a child and an adult, just like Holden is during most of this book. We are beginning to mature and grow both physically and emotionally and we are becoming young adults. Everyone has to grow up and transform from a child to an adult at some point in their life, but in Holden's case he really does not want to. I think we still read this because in this novel Holden is afraid to grow up because he thinks that all the adults are phony and he does not want to lose his childhood innocence. I think that the author of this novel does a really good job with describing how scary it can be to stop being a child and become an adult. I know that when I think about growing up I become overwhelmed and nervous, but I am also excited to be out on my own and live life. I think that the message portrayed in this book is a very important message because it is something that everyone has to go through. I think that is another reason why this book is still read throughout the world, because no matter where you are from you still have have to grow up. I think that this is a really good message that we learn about as readers, especially as we are at the age that we are becoming more of adults every day. I am glad we still read this book in high school today because it has a really great message and it is very interesting.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Hero

In the book Catcher in the Rye, the author makes it very obvious that the hero is Holden. I think that Holden is the hero for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is because he is the main character. Holden is very afraid of change and he prefers a life that is very predictable. In one scene from this book we learn about the way Holden views life and change. In this scene, Holden is at the Museum of Natural History and he is admiring the statues of the Indians and the Eskimos. While he is admiring these statues, he is thinking to himself about how these statues never change and how they are so predictable. He wishes he could live in a world where things never change and where things were always the same, like life is for the Indians and the Eskimos. He thinks about how no matter how many times you go visit the Indians and the Eskimos, they are always the same. You are the one who has changed, you have grow up and matured. You have not only changed physically, but you have also changed emotionally. Holden has a fear of change that prevents him from moving forward in his life. I think that Holden is the hero because even though he has a fear of growing up he still tries to push forward and make his life the best he can. Holden does not fit the profile of a normal hero because he does not save the day or defeat the villain, but I think that he still does some pretty amazing things. I think that Holden is so negative to the world because he does not want to grow up and become an adult, so he thinks that if he secludes himself enough he wont have to. I think that the author does not do anything crazy to make Holden seem like the hero in this book, but I think that only makes him seem more heroic.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Causes Gains and Losses

In the book Catcher in the Rye, the author includes many things that add and take away from the conflict of this book. I think that in this particular book the author did a really nice job creating the conflict. The conflict in Catcher in the Rye was an internal conflict. An internal conflict is a conflict that is between one person. Holden is conflicted in this book on whether he should return to school or travel the world. Early in the novel, we learn that Holden was kicked out of school because of his failing grades. Some people may see this as the conflict, but I think the conflict is his decision to travel or return to school. The cause of a conflict is what leads up to the problem in a book. The conflict in this book is caused by Holden being kicked out of school. This was not the first time Holden had been kicked out of school, and it was his fault he was kicked out. Holden did not care to be at school anymore because he did not like the people there and he stopped caring about his grades. As a result to his lack of commitment, Holden was kicked out of his school. The gains of a conflict are the positive things that the characters receives as a result of the conflict. The gains in the Catcher in the Rye are that he gets to return home and be with his family. Because he was kicked out, Holden got to go home and visit his family. I think that this is a very positive thing for Holden because he really loves his sister Phoebe and he really missed her. Holden and Phoebe are very close even though there is a six year age difference between them. I understand the relationship between Holden and Phoebe because I am six years older than my little baby brother. The losses of this conflict are that Holden did not complete school.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Values & Attitudes

In the book Catcher in the Rye, the author reveals many of his values and attitudes through his writing. I think that every author reveals some of their values in their books they write. I think that the author wrote about how some people do not want to transition from childhood to adulthood, like Holden in this book. I think that by writing about this transition this reveals that the author values childhood. In the book Holden imagines himself watching children play in a field of rye and he keeps them from falling off the cliff into adulthood. This shows that Holden did not want to grow up and that he did not want other children to grow up either. Holden thinks that everyone in the adult world loses their child like innocence and gains phoniness. Holden uses the word phoniness to describe how adults are superficial and hypocritical. Holden thinks that the children are more innocent and honest that everyone else in the adult world, and that is why is afraid to grow up. I think that the author writes about this transition because everyone goes through it and some people, like Holden, may not want to grow up. I also think that by writing about the phoniness of the adult world this shows that the author thinks that adults are superficial and hypocritical, just as Holden does. Holden's fear of change and maturing keep him from having any real relationships with anyone besides his sister Phoebe. Every time he tries to cure his loneliness by starting a relationship, he ruins it because of his fear of change and of growing up. I think that in the book Catcher in the Rye the author reveals many of his values and attitudes. I think that when authors use their books to reveal their values and attitudes, it gives the readers a better understanding of the authors. I think the author did a really good job revealing his values and attitudes through his writing.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Grapes of Wrath- Rose of Sharon

In the book Grapes of Wrath, Rose of Sharon is a very important character. She is the one who gives the family hope and helps them keep their heads held high. Rose of Sharon is Ma and Pa Joad's oldest daughter, and she is married to Connie. When we are introduced to Rose of Sharon, she is expecting a baby and her and Connie both share visions of their life together in California. They picture themselves living happily with their little baby, and that all of the struggles they have gone through will be over. Little did she know, California was not going to be what she expected at all. In the middle of this book, Connie abandons Rose of Sharon and their unborn baby. Without Ma Joad there, Rose of Sharon would have left also. I can only imagine how sad Rose of Sharon was when she found out that Connie had left her. All of the visions she had of having a family suddenly vanished. Although her circumstances are grim, she continues with hope that things will get better. The author uses Rose of Sharon's pregnancy as a symbol in this book to represent a new beginning, but when her baby is stillborn, all of those hopes shattered. I felt so bad for Rose of Sharon because being abandoned by your husband is bad, and losing a baby is bad, and she had both of these things happen to her. I can not even imagine how sad she must be. All of her visions of her little family living the life in California we now nonexistent. Even after everything Rose of Sharon went through, she still provided hope for her family and for a man that she nursed by to health. I think that Rose of Sharon plays a very important role in this book because she not only provides hope for her family, but she also symbolizes a new beginning and a new life.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Motifs

In the novel Grapes of Wrath, the author uses motifs to help inform the reader more about the theme of the book. Back in the late nineteen thirties, things were different than they are now. Now, in modern times men and women are more equal than they were back then. For example, now both men and women are providers for their family and they are both involved in the decision making. Back then, the men were the primary providers and they were the decision makers. Everyone looked to the man of the family for leadership and strength. For the Joad family, Pa Joad was that man. He was the provider and the decision maker. However, the stress of traveling and job searching gets to him and then power shifts to Ma Joad. Ma Joad began to make all of the family decisions, and this made Pa Joad man. Pa Joad was so made at one point in this book he threatened to beat Ma Joad, although everyone knew he never would. I think this is really weird because for as long as I can remember, both of my parents have been equal. I can not imagine having only my dad making decisions, but I guess that is how things were back then. We saw a dramatic change in the Joad family structure, and I think they were the beginning of the women getting more power. I think that the author did a great job with including how the power did shift a little bit from the men to the women because that is an important part of history. I think that by the author adding the shift of power between the men and the women this only adds to the historical reference in this book. I think that this book really shows us and helps us learn about the hardships and struggles faced by farmers and their families in this time period. This book contains a lot of history in it.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Symbols

I think that in the book Grapes of Wrath, the author uses many symbols. I think that symbols are very important to the theme of a book and the symbols used in this book are very interesting. The author uses Rose of Sharon's pregnancy as a symbol in this book. Rose of Sharon is Tom's sister and she is pregnant for some of the journey to California. Rose of Sharon's pregnancy symbolizes a new beginning, which is what all of the travelers and farmers are looking for in California. The birth of a baby is the start of a new life, and that is exactly what the Joad family, as well as other families, are looking to do in California. I think that this is a very clever symbol used by the author in this book because it can be linked directly to what all of these families are going through and I think that is pretty cool. I know that in some books the symbols can be kind of hard to notice and to understand, but the symbol of Rose of Sharon's pregnancy was fairly easy to pick up on. Sadly, Rose of Sharon's baby was a stillborn, and it was almost like the promise of a new beginning was broken. Even with the grim circumstances, the Joad family keeps their heads high and continues on with a never dying hope. Another symbol the author uses in this book is the Joad's family dog. Early in their journey to California, they stop for gas and their dog is ran over and left dead in the middle of the road. I think this is in a way foreshadowing the bad things that happen to the Joad family later on in the story. I think that symbols can be a very important part of a story, and if they are used right they can make a book seem so much better. The author does a good job including symbols in this book.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Causes Gains and Losses

In the book Grapes of Wrath, the main conflict faced by all of the farmers is the drought also known as the Dust bowl. Some people think that the cause of the Dust Bowl is because the farmers had over farmed some of the areas and the soil became unhealthy, but I also think that is was just a period when the rain did not come as much as they expected. The Dust Bowl made life for all the farmers very unpleasant, so eventually most of the families decided to pack up and travel to California. Those families who chose to stay behind faced starvation, so to most people the choice was obvious. Because so many families decided to pick up and travel to California in search of jobs, a new problem came to the surface. If everyone that was affected by the Dust Bowl heard about jobs in California, then it only makes sense that they would travel there right? Well you see if that many people are going to be searching for jobs, the jobs will fill up pretty quick. So therefore a lot of the families that came into California hoping to find jobs, were told that there were no more jobs and that they should just go back home. There are many losses associated with the conflict of this book, such as the loss of a home for many people. A large number of the farmers and their families were forced to leave their homes and most of their belongings behind in order to travel to California. Another loss because of the conflict is the loss of loved ones. The journey to California is not an easy one, and with the Joad family the older people could not complete the journey. Not only did old people die, but also any families that stayed behind starved to death. I think that only a few good things came from this conflict, and that is hope and family.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Values and Attitudes

The author reveals a lot of his values and attitudes by writing the Grapes of Wrath. I think that by including historical events it shows that the author values the past and all the events that have brought us to where we are now. the author included major historical events such as the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl in this book, which I think shows us as readers that the author understands what people went through back then. I think that the author knows what people had to go through just to survive because he included so much of that in this book. The Dust Bowl is, in a way, the conflict that poses a problem for many farmers, including the Joad family. The Dust Bowl was a drought that was so long that the farmers were not able to grow any more crops and therefore they had to leave their farms behind and go search for more jobs and a better life elsewhere. Also, this story is told from a third person perspective. I love when books are told from a third person perspective because then we are able to form our own opinions of the characters and the events that occur based on what actually happened, not by what another character in the story is telling us. Even though I like books in third person, I think that this book would have been very interesting if it was told in first person because then we could get a first hand account of all the struggles these people went through. I think that through writing this book, the author reveals that he values history and hard work. I know it must not have been easy for these families to pack up and leave, and the Joad family shows us that staying together is not always easy, but with a little hard work they finally made it to California. The author did a great job including historical events in this book.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Message

I think that there are many reasons why we still read Grapes of Wrath today, but I think the biggest reason is because of its historical importance. This book took place in the late nineteen thirties, during the Great Depression and it is when the Dust Bowl forced many farmers off their farms. I think that we are forced to read this in high school because it has a great deal of history in it, and because it shows us how hard life was at times for the people who lived before us. I think that what is so timeless about the message of this book is that the characters in this book are people, just like me. Sometimes when I read books I have a hard time grasping the idea that sometimes books can represent real people, and in this case the Joad family could represent any family that was forced off their farm. Everybody faces new challenges on a day to day basis, but usually in these modern times it is not a matter of life or death. For example, I am challenged to get all of these blogs done before school starts, but I also know that this is not a matter of life and death like it is in this novel. I think that is one of the reasons why I liked this book, was because I was able to think it over about how some of the events in this book actually happened in real life and that the decision the Joad family made to travel to California was something that real people actually had to do! In this book the author shows us a great deal of hardships, and we can all learn a little bit about history by reading this book. I think the author did a really nice job with including all of these historical events in this book because it made everything that happened seem so much more realistic.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- History

The book Grapes of Wrath relates to history very well. This book was set in the late nineteen thirties in Oklahoma. This is where history comes into this book. In the nineteen thirties, many farmers faced a new challenge against nature that left many of them struggling to survive. This new challenge is often referred to as the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl is a drought that swept through an area that the travelers called the Great American Desert, which consisted mainly of the plains states. The Dust Bowl was a drought that drove many farmers to pack up their families and leave their failing farms behind. Another way that this novel relates to history is with the Great Depression. The Great Depression was already well on its way in the nineteen thirties, and the Dust Bowl only made things worse for America. Just before all of this happened, the farmers were prospering. They were growing crops like crazy and the market was good. This is one of the reasons the Dust Bowl started, because the land was over farmed and the soil was no longer healthy. With the Great Depression going on and all, it is pretty obvious that times were not easy for many people. The Joad family goes through a pretty rough time when Pa Joad has to step down from the leader of their family because he is trying to cope with everything that has happened to them. During this time, Ma Joad steps up to the plate and takes control of the family. The author makes it very clear that Ma Joad's biggest goal is to keep her family together. I think that because the events that happened in real life also took place in this book it makes the book seem so much more realistic. We got to see what some families went through and how much they suffered. I think that the author did a really great job with including some historical events in this book because it made the book that much more realistic.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Setting

I think that the setting in the book Grapes of Wrath has a very important meaning to the books relation with history. This book was set in the late nineteen thirties in Oklahoma and in California. The years in which this story was told in tells us a lot about what these farmers went through. In the nineteen thirties, there was a huge drought that is often referred to as the Dust Bowl. This drought left many farms destroyed and was the reason so many farmers had to pack up their families and head to California in search of better jobs and ultimately a better life for them and their families. One big problem all of the farmers faced on their journey to California was people telling them there were no jobs left and that they should just go back where they came from. I know that this does not seem like it would be much of a problem, but think about it. If you just left your entire life behind to come to California and then when you get there people tell you there are no more jobs left and to go home, you would be pretty upset. I know that if I went through all the trouble to pack up my family and we all made the hard journey there, but then people just tell me to go back home I know that I would be extremely mad. A quote from the book shows how much the Joad family struggled "An' now these her folks been nice to me, been awful nice; an' what's the first thing I do? I go back over the sad things-- that night Grampa died an' we buried him. I was all full up of the road, and bumpin' and movin', an' it wasnt so bad. But I come out here, an' it's worse now. " I think that this quote shows how much this family went through on the journey to California. It is saying that even though the people are nice to them, they always go back to the sad things. Also it says that they come out to California, looking for a better life, but it only got worse for them.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Themes

I think that the theme of a book is very important to the overall message the book is trying to put out. I think the theme in the book Grapes of Wrath is the struggles people were faced with back when this story took place. These struggles could be because of nature, society, or even because of your own family. The farmers back in this time period faced many struggles with nature because there was a long drought that killed their crops. Because of this long drought, the farmers also had to struggle to keep their farms from being taken over by the bank. This book contains a lot of hardships that the Joad family has to overcome. Almost all of the farmers in this book are either forced or chose to pack up their families and head to California. I think that some of the farmers that chose to pack up and leave did this because they knew that their farm was in trouble, and they did not want to fail so they left before they were forced to. I feel really bad for all of these families that have to leave everything they have behind because I know I would have a hard time doing that. It is easy to see that some of the farmers are excited to go to California because they want to get away from all of the struggles back home and get to where they think life will be easy. On the other hand, some farmers did not want to leave their lives back home behind, they loved their farm and they did not want to leave but they realized they had to. By reading this we can tell as readers that the author knows that everybody goes through struggles in their lives, and as portrayed by the Joad family, you have to persevere through them and try to stay together. I think that the theme in this book told us a lot about what the farmers back in this time had to go through just to survive.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Techniques

I think that the author of Grapes of Wrath uses many techniques to make this book more effective, but I think one technique stood out to me, and that is suspense. Throughout this book the Joad family goes through many hardships, from being forced out of their home to struggling to find a job, and through it all I was left wondering "what's next?" It was very suspenseful when they were on their journey and I did not know if they were going to make it all the way to California or if they were going to give up. They had many problems on the way there, but they stayed strong and never gave up. I was wondering when the next bad thing was going to happen to them, or who else is going to leave or die, and that is one of the main points of suspense for me during this book. I think that the author uses suspense to keep the readers engaged in the book, because without the suspense this book would not have been very good. I think that suspense can add so much to a book because it will keep you interested, rather than make you want to fall asleep like a lot of books do. I think that another technique the author uses in this book is symbolism. I think the author uses symbolism to try and enhance the book and to try and make it better. I think that techniques, if you use them right, can make a book ten times better than it was before. The author of this book used suspense and symbolism to make this book better, and he did a great job. I think that without techniques like suspense, mystery, and all the others no books would be enjoyable because they would be so boring. I think that the author lets you get to know the characters before they add the suspense, so that when they do you care about what happens to the characters and you pay more attention to the book.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Hero

I think that the hero in Grapes of Wrath is Tom Joad. When I think of hero, I think of bravery and courage, and that is exactly why I believe Tom Joad is the hero of this book. Tom is the hero because throughout this book he showed that he was brave time after time. For example, I think that making the decision to move to California was very brave and courageous. I think that was a brave move to make because they are risking the lives of their entire family and they are hoping they will be able to find work when they get out there. I think this shows how much things are different now then they were back then. I do not think that anyone nowadays would ever pack up their family and leave without a plan or without having a job lined up already, but back then that is what many families were forced to do because the bank was destroying their farms. I think that Tom knows that there may not be as many jobs in California as they originally thought, but that does not make him change his mind. I liked how even though when some of the family members began to worry about finding jobs, Tom stayed cool and he found ways to make things better. I think that at some points during this book Ma Joad also was a hero in a way, because when the man of the house was failing, she stepped up and became the supporter of the family. I think Ma Joad is a very admirable character because she will do anything she can to keep her family together and she does not hold it against her husband when he has to step down for a little bit. I think that both Ma Joad and Tom Joad are heroes in this book, but for different reasons. I think that they both have a very important role in this book.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Pa Joad

In the book Grapes of Wrath, Pa Joad is the leader. He is the man of the house, and back then that was who everyone looked up to. Pa Joad was a farmer who was forced to give up his farm and he helped make the decision to move the family to California. Pa Joad is a very thoughtful man, and he did not just rush into this trip to California. He carefully considered everything and then decided that is what was best for the whole family. Back in these times, the men of the house were the ones who were always strong and everyone looked to them for answers. I think that when they finally get out to California and are struggling to find work, Pa Joad becomes very upset and the role of the leader moves from him to Ma Joad. I think that at some points in this book he had to look to Ma Joad to find strength and leadership because all of the hardships they went through were just a little to much for him. I can only imagine how Pa Joad must have felt when he was struggling to find work, but I do imagine that he felt like he could not provide for his family anymore. I think that Pa Joad tried his best, but the obstacles they faced on their journey proved to be a little bit to much for him. I think that it is fine that he had to step down, because I know it had to be hard to be the provider and then to not be able to provide for your family. I think that Pa Joad is also a very important character to this story because without him we might not have gotten to understand how much this family went through on their journey to California. I think that he plays an important role in this book, as well as in the lives of all the other characters.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Ma Joad

In the book Grapes of Wrath, Ma Joad is the mother of the Joad clan. I would describe Ma Joad as very determined, but she is also very loving toward her family. As the health of Pa Joad deteriorates we see Ma Joad transform to the center of strength for the entire Joad family. No matter what is thrown her way, Ma Joad's main goal is to keep the family together. As the family travels to California, she shows us her at her best by keeping the family together and keeping the family from going insane. On the long journey, the size of the Joad family becomes smaller, because of both death and people just leaving. Through it all Ma Joad keeps it cool and tries to keep the rest of the family together. I think that we see the best of Ma Joad while they are traveling to California and Ma Joad sits in the back, privately suffering because she knows that Granma is dead. Even though she is going through a really hard time, Ma Joad keeps her head up and stays strong for her family. I think that Ma Joad is a very strong person, because I think if I were to be in the same situation as her I would not be as strong as she was and I would want to give up. That is why the Joad family is still together, because Ma Joad did not give up on them and did not let them give up on each other. I think that without Ma Joad, the family would not have done what they did and gotten through everything they got through. I really liked the way the author portrayed Ma Joad, and I liked how she would stop at nothing to keep her family together. I think that Ma Joad is a very important character in this book because without her the book would not have been as good.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Grapes of Wrath- Tom Joad

In the book Grapes of Wrath, the main character and protagonist is Tom Joad. Tom was in jail for a few years because he killed somebody, but he is still favorited by his parents. Tom is described as a thoughtful, good guy who seems pretty down to earth. After he returns home after being gone from his family for four years, they waste no time and pick up where they left off. He now says that by being in prison for four years, he has changed into a man who lives for the current moment and he wastes no time on regretting the past. It becomes pretty obvious that Tom is the supporter of the rest of the family pretty early on in this book. Tom Joad made the big decision of packing up his entire family and moving to California in search of better jobs. Tom decides to move the family because all of the small farms in their area were being destroyed by the bank, and there is a quote from the book that describes how the farmers felt when their farms were being destroyed "The squatting men raised their eyes to understand. Can't we just hang on? Maybe next year will be a good year. God knows how much cotton next year. And with all the wars--God knows what price cotton will bring. Don't they make explosives out of cotton? And uniforms? Get enough wars and cotton'll hit the ceiling. Next year maybe. They looked up questioningly. We can't depend on it." This quote is saying how the farmers can not stay and wait for next year to roll around because they will not survive. This is why the Joad family left in search of a better life, and it is because they realized they could not survive if they waited for next year. I think that because Tom made such a big decision, this shows that he is very brave and he has the traits of a leader.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

Catcher in the Rye- Symbols (2)

The author of the book Catcher in the Rye, uses a lot of symbols to enhance this book. The author used so many symbols it is going to take me two whole blogs to discuss them all. Another symbol the author uses in this book is the symbol of the Indians and the Eskimos at the Museum of Natural History. Holden loves the statues of the Indians that are weaving a blanket and the Eskimos that are canoeing for one reason, because they never change. Holden reveals early on in this book that he is afraid of maturing and growing into an adult, and that is why he likes these statues so much. Every time you come to see them, they are exactly the same. They do not change or grow up, the only one that has changed is you. I think this is a really cool symbol used by the author because it is so true. The museum is a great representation of the world that Holden wishes he could be a part of, a world where people do not change and where people are predictable. Holden is puzzled by the fact that every time he has come to see them, he has changed and they have remained exactly the same. Finally, the last symbol used by the author in this book is the symbol of the ducks in the pond. The ducks in the pond symbolize many things, so to start off they symbolize that all changes are not permanent. The ducks leave every winter, but they never fail to come back in in the spring. This symbolizes that just because something is different for a little while does not mean it will be like that forever. Secondly, the pond represents the transition that Holden is going through in his life right now. The pond is transitioning from being a liquid to a solid, and Holden is transitioning from a child to an adult. I think the symbols used in this book really make the book a lot more interesting.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Symbols

I think that in the book Catcher in the Rye, the author uses many symbols to help us get a better understanding of the concept of this book. One of the big symbols used by the author in this book is the catcher in the rye. We first hear of the catcher in the rye when Holden sees a young boy walking down the street singing a song titled "Comin' Thro' the Rye". After Holden hears this song, he creates a fantasy of what he wants to do with is life. Holden imagines a field of rye positioned on top of a cliff, where children could run around and play. He imagines that he would watch over the children and catch them if they come to close to the edge of the cliff, and to save their innocence before they learn about the phoniness of the adult world. I think this is one of the biggest symbols the author used in this book because of the title of the book, and because it is a symbol of what Holden thinks childhood should be like. Another symbol the author uses in this book is Holden's red hunting hat. This hat represents Holden's individuality and it is the same color as Phoebe's hair. Some people think that Holden wears a hat the same color as Phoebe's hair because he associates it with the innocence of childhood, but I do not think it has that much of a meaning other than a way to stand out from everyone else. Although it represents Holden's uniqueness, he is embarrassed and very self conscious when he is wearing this hat. I think that it is very silly of Holden to have this hat that he wears so that he can stand out, but then when he wears it he feels embarrassed and self conscious. I know that if I am going to wear something to be different from everyone else, I am going to make sure that I am not to self conscious to wear it around.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Motifs

I think that in the book Catcher in the Rye, one of the big motifs is loneliness. Motifs are reoccurring structures that help develop the books major theme, and I think loneliness does that. Holden is very lonely because he isolates himself from the rest of the world, and he isolates himself because he is afraid of changing and growing up. Any relationship Holden may have had during this book he single handily sabotaged with his rudeness. He purposely destroys any attempts he had to end his loneliness because he wants to keep a certain level of isolation for his own protection. Holden uses isolation as a security blanket, but this also causes him great pain. When Holden tries to end his loneliness by going out on a date with Sally Hayes, he ruins it by behaving badly and by being rude. Holden shows us while he is at the Museum of National History that he would like a world that is never changing, and very predictable. When Holden is presented with new relationships he realizes that people are unpredictable and that scares him right back into his isolation. Holden wishes people were just like the statues of the Indians in the museum and that they would never change and that they would be so predictable, but because they are not Holden continues to isolate himself from everyone in the world. I think deception is another motif from this book that is very important. Holden thinks that deception is represented in the word phoniness and that deception and lying are the most hurtful categories in the word phoniness. Although it is obvious to us that Holden is guilty of being both deceptive and of lying, he still judges other people for being phony. I think motifs are very important in a book because they can help build up and inform the reader about the main theme of the book. I think that the motifs in this book helped me get a better understanding of the theme.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Phoniness

In the book the Catcher in the Rye, there is one word that seems to be used over and over again and it is phoniness. Holden uses the word phoniness to describe the world around him. Holden uses this word to describe the superficiality, hypocrisy, and the shallowness he experiences. He relates all of this back to the adult world his is so afraid of. The word phoniness is almost like a banner for Holden that represents everything that he sees wrong with the world. Holden does not face his fears, but instead isolates himself from the rest of the world and goes into a cynical exile. I think that Holden is right about some of the phoniness of the world, and I can understand why he may be scared but I do not think he is doing the right thing by isolating himself from the world. At some points in this book Holden interacts with other people, but unfortunately these interactions just confuse him and make him retreat further into isolation. I think that phoniness is one of the best know phrases from the book Catcher in the Rye because it represents what Holden fears most about the adult world. We realize that the world is not as simple as Holden would like it to be, and that although he judges other people we learn that he is not as awesome as he would like us to think he is. One quote from this book explains how Holden sees growing up as falling off a cliff "I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff-I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all." This quote is saying that Holden will catch people and save them from plunging into adulthood, which he believes is equal to death.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Themes

Early in the book Catcher in the Rye, we could tell that Holden was afraid of growing up. He did not want to lose the innocence of childhood and he definitely did not want to enter the world of adulthood, which he views as superficial and phony. We can see this fear come to life when Holden visits the Museum of Natural History. Demonstrated through the statues of the Indians he sees, we are shown that Holden is afraid of change. He thinks to himself about how these statues never change, but everyone else does. Everyone becomes wiser and changes both physically and mentally, and the thought of those changes frightens Holden. Although Holden never admits to being afraid of growing up, we can see his fear of maturity through the way he criticizes adults. I do agree with Holden on the way that he thinks the though of growing up is very overwhelming, but I do not agree with the way he is dealing with it. He is protecting himself from this by creating a shield criticism toward the adult world, but by doing this he is only cutting himself off from the outside world. I think the best way the author describes what Holden is looking for in his childhood is when we see Holden's fantasy. He imagines his childhood as a large field of rye that all the children can just run around and play in, and he thinks that adulthood is so bad it is equivalent to death. I think the theme in this book is that going from childhood to adulthood can be a very scary thing, but everyone has to go through it. I know that when I think about leaving my family and all my friends to go off to college I become very overwhelmed and scared, but then I just have to remember that everyone has to do it at some point in life and then it becomes so much less scary.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Phoebe

In the book Catcher in the Rye, Phoebe is Holden's little sister. Phoebe is ten years old and her and Holden get along with each other very well. Phoebe and Holden get along so well because although there is six years between them, Phoebe actually listens to what Holden has to say and because of that she has a better understanding of him. Phoebe displays all of the traits you would expect to come from a ten year old girl, plus a few more. Phoebe is portrayed as intelligent, organized, and very mature. At some points in this book Phoebe is Holden's only true source of happiness. For a girl only ten years old, Phoebe is very mature and often criticizes Holden for being so immature at times. Phoebe helps Holden to realize that growing up is something that you have to do, and she pushes him to do so. When Holden sends the note to Phoebe's school that is telling her that he is leaving their home for good, the author shows to us just how much Phoebe and Holden care about each other. Phoebe goes to meet Holden during her lunch and when she arrives she has a suitcase full of clothes and it soon becomes obvious that she is planning on leaving with Holden. Holden knows that he can not take Phoebe with him, so he tells her that she has to stay behind. When Phoebe finds out that he is not going to take her with him she begins to cry and refuses to talk to him. I know that when I am in a fight with my siblings or one of my friends the first thing I want to do is try and make it better, and that is just what Holden does. He knows Phoebe will follow him, so he leads her to a carousal and buys her a ticket. As he is watching her ride, he becomes so happy he is almost in tears. After this happens, Holden decides that he does not want to leave and he goes home and plans on going to a new school in the fall. This part of the story shows how much Holden loves Phoebe because he did not want to leave her. I can understand how Holden feels because I would never be able to leave my little brother forever.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Catcher in the Rye- Holden

I think that in the book the Catcher in the Rye the main character is Holden Caulfield. I think Holden is the main character because he is the narrator of this book. Throughout the book we see things as Holden sees them and we learn everything through him. When we are introduced to Holden, he is sixteen years old and has been recently kicked out of school. Holden was expelled from school because he failed, but he is still seen as intelligent. The way Holden tells this story is very cynical because he hates the ugliness of the world so much it is intolerable. At some points in this book Holden displays just as much superficiality as everyone in this world that he was originally mad at. Holden has to pick between returning to school and saying goodbye to his sister Phobe to go and travel the world. He faces this conflict for some time before he decides the best thing to do is to return to school. I think that Holden has a very interesting way of viewing things, for example the way he views the museum. When he goes to the museum he notices how nothing ever changes, everything is always the same. He thinks about how the people who go to the museum change every time, but the exhibits are always the same. Every time the people in the canoe are always paddling, but every time you come back you are different. He notices that the people in the canoe were always doing the same thing and that they always looked exactly the same, but when every time you go you look different and you have changed. This reminds me of when I was little and we would take field trips with school to the Lincoln Museum. Every time we went, Abraham Lincoln looked exactly the same but I was the one who had changed. I would have grown up, and changed both physically and emotionally, but good old honest Abe was always the same.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

My Antonia- Values and Attitudes

In the book My Antonia, the author writes from two different perspectives. At the very beginning of this book, the narrator is an unknown character. Soon after the book starts off the narrator changes to Jim Burden and then the rest of the book is written from his first person perspective. I do like it better when the book is written in a third person perspective, but I did not think having the book told by one of its characters in this case was a bad thing. In a book that is written in first person, you read the book as one of the characters see it. In contrast if it is in third person you get to see the books events through the eyes of an unknown person who is not a character in the book at all. I think that this book shows many values that the author, Willa Cather, may have had. The book is set in Nebraska during the times of pioneers, so I think that the author valued pioneers. Pioneers had to live off the land, and they lived a very simple lifestyle. I think that the author values pioneers because of where the setting of the book was. The narrator of this book, Jim Burden, is orphaned and travels across the country to go stay with his grandparents who live on a farm in Nebraska. Jim's grandparents live off the land and have a very hard working lifestyle, which is something else that I think is valued by the author. I think that the author also values self-reliance, which is shown throughout this book. The author shows the Burden families independence many times during this book. The pioneers had to farm or hunt for their food, and they all have a backbone when it comes to hard work. In this book we learn a lot about the lifestyle of the pioneers and the author does a great job with combining literature and history. The author brings the history of the pioneers and writes a book about their lifestyle.

Bibliography

Cather, Willa. My Antonia. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Imagery

In the Old Man and the Sea, they author uses a lot of imagery. I think the author uses imagery the most when the old man sees the marlin for the first time. The author describes the fish in such great detail that the book comes to life and becomes so much more interesting. The author uses words that describe the color, texture, and even the smell throughout the three day struggle the old man had with the marlin. The narrator says "He was bright in the sun and his head and back were dark purple and in the sun the stripes on his sides showed white and a light lavender. " In this quote the narrator is describing the marlin the old man has caught. The author also uses imagery to describe the shack the old man is living in. The narrator tells us that there are only a few things in his shack, a table, a chair, a table, and a bed. The narrator also tells us that there are two pictures in the old mans shack, one of the Sacred Hear of Jesus, and one of the Virgin of Cobre. The narrator also tells us he took down the picture of his wife because it makes him feel to lonely. Another part in this book when imagery is used is when the author describes the way the old man's hands looked after he returned home from his trip. The narrator says his hands are so cut up that they looked like raw meat. I think that imagery in a book is very important because it can help readers get a better understanding of the situation the characters may be in. I also think imagery is important because without imagery this book would be so boring. Ernest Hemmingway does a really good with the imagery in this book because at some points in this book I felt like I could vividly see the fish because he described it in such good detail. I think that if an author does a good enough job with imagery, it can turn a boring book into something more like a picture book because you can see things so clearly.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Tone

I think the tone in the Old Man and the Sea is a very simple, relaxed tone. I think the tone reflects the personality of the old man, who is also very simple and relaxed. I get the feeling that the tone is relaxed because of the way the old man does not become frustrated after not having a single catch for eighty four days. I know I would be extremely frustrated if I went that long without a catch. Also, the old man lives a very simple lifestyle with little material possessions, which I think adds to the simpleness of this book. Even while he is in extreme pain, the old man remains calm as he tries to defeat this massive fish. I think that this calm tone is why some people may love this book, and is why others hate it. I like the relaxed tone of this book because I think it would not be good in any other tone. Even the major events in this book are very simple and nothing extremely exciting, so if the tone was serious I think this book would be really odd. I also think that while the old man is out at sea the tone changes from calm to sad a little bit. I think the tone changes a little bit because the author shows the old man wishing so badly for the young boy and it just made me feel sad for the old man because he had to be out there all by himself. I think that the tone of a book can either interest you in a book, or make you think a book is a bore. For me I think the tone of this book is very appropriate to the actions and events that take place during this book. I think Ernest Hemmingway did a very good job in choosing a tone for this book, and I think the tone he chose for this book is a reflection of the old man.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Irony

In the novel, The Old Man and the Sea, the main character Santiago has gone eighty four days without catching a single fish. The old man is very optimistic about catching a fish and trying to make everyday better. Then one day the old man goes out to sea and catches this huge marlin that is eighteen feet long! Because of the massive size of the fish, it will not fit into the old man's little boat so he has to leave it tied to the side and let it drag beside the boat. On the way back home, the huge marlin is eaten by sharks until all that is left is a skeleton of what once was a beautiful fish. This is ironic because the old man has had such bad luck with fishing recently, then he hooks the biggest fish of his career and it gets eaten by sharks. I felt really bad for the old man after his prize fish gets eaten, because everything he just worked for is gone. I know how the old man felt after his fish got eaten because when I was working on one of these blogs, it deleted before I got to post it and all of my hard work was for nothing. Another thing that I found ironic about this novel was that when he returned to shore after the three day struggle, tourists saw the skeleton and thought it was the skeleton of a shark. I thought this was ironic because it was the sharks that ate this fish down to its bones, and then people thought that it was a shark. If the sharks had not eaten it down to its bones, people would have been able to tell that it was a marlin. This book contains a lot of irony, and I think it made the book seem more realistic because many books have a perfect ending, but in real life you do not always have a happy ending.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- History (Question 5)

During the time period in which the Old Man and the Sea was written, there was one thing that was becoming extremely popular in America. Baseball. Frequently throughout this book the old man makes reference to Joe DiMaggio, to whom he looks up to. The old man often thinks to himself about Joe DiMaggio and wonders "Would the great DiMaggio be proud of me?" We can tell by how much the old man looks up to him he must have been a pretty influential person during this time period. You can tell by reading this book that it was written in the time period that baseball was becoming more and more popular because of how much the old man and the young boy talk about it. They often have conversations about who the best coaches and the best players are. Back when this book was written, people like the old man only made money when they caught fish. It is the same situation with people that are farmers, they only make money off of what they harvest. This is how life was back then, people worked hard for every dollar they made. Nowadays people are millionaires and they work half as hard as the people who are struggling for money. Fishing was the main career for men if you lived near the ocean, and you had to earn all the money you needed to support yourself and your family. I think that the old man proves the saying "hard work pays off". The old man worked hard and suffered for three days and it all paid off because he did what he intended to do. I think the old man gives the term "hard work" a whole new meaning, what he went through had to be the biggest struggle of his life. I think the author, Ernest Hemmingway does a great job including both the behavior and social issues that were happening during this time period.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Universal Themes

In this novel, I think the theme that stands out most to me is distress. I think that the author uses distress to show readers just how much pain some people go through. In this book, the old man goes through so much pain and suffering, and I think the author does a great job describing both vividly. The old man suffers physically in many ways, dealing with exhaustion, hunger, and many cuts and cramps. When I read that at the end of his trip, the old man's hands looked like raw meat it made me realize just how bad the cuts in his hands actually were. This also made me realize the pain he must have went through having that many cuts on his hands and then continuing to pull the line and reel in this fish. The old man also goes through mental distress because he was out in the heat of the sun for three days with very little water, and he resorts to talking to himself. On top of all this, the old man has little food to live off of, so he endures through hunger for three days. Another theme that stuck out to me was determination. The old man shows more determination in this book than any other character has in any other book I have ever read. The old man has his mind set on catching this fish, and he is willing to die to do so. At one point the old man even says "a man can be destroyed, but not defeated." I think the old man is so determined to catch this fish because he is tired of being mocked and laughed at by the other fishermen, and he believes that if he returns with a fish this size he will finally regain their respect. The author shows both the old man and the fish to have a great determination to survive, and that is why the struggle between them goes on for three days.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Did I like this book

When I first started reading this book, I did not really know what to think. I was reading about an old man who was unsuccessful in his career, and I was wondering why we were being forced to read it. In my opinion, the book started off very slow, but it picked up as soon as the old man went out to sea. When the old man was out on his voyage, I quickly realized how much suffering this poor old man chose to endure just for a single catch. This book is definitely different from any book I have ever had to read for class before. It is different from all the other books for many reasons, but one that really stuck out was how simple the plot of this book is. In short, this book is about an old man who catches a fish. To most people catching a fish is not a big deal, but in this book it was a huge accomplishment for this old man. I enjoyed how the author can make such a small accomplishment in reality change into such a huge feat. I really liked how short this book was and how easy it was for me to read. The author told such a simple story, but when you look at it and analyze it, you realize that there is much more to this story than what you originally thought. As much as I enjoyed this book, there were a few things I did not like about this book. I did not like that throughout most of the book the only character we read about was the old man. I like to read about multiple characters and form my opinion of each character based on how they act around the other characters. In this book I only got to see how the old man acts around the young boy and around the marlin. Overall, I think I would give this book four out of five stars.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Day Five

The fifth and final day of the old man's journey has arrived. The young boy returns to the old man's shack once again to see if he had come back yet and the sight of the old man's battered body brings the young boy to tears. The young boy obviously cares a lot for the old man and it hurts him to see him in such a weak condition. The old man's hands were so cut up from the trip that they looked like raw meat. The young boy leaves while the old man is still sleeping to go get him some coffee, while other local fisherman gather around the old man's boat looking at the carcass of the great marlin he caught. The other fisherman measure the huge skeleton and find out it was eighteen feet long. When the old man wakes up, the young boy is sitting beside him with a cup of coffee waiting for him. They old man and the young boy have friendly conversation, and then the young boy tells him that he is going to return to fishing with him, and that he does not care what his parents say. By the young boy saying that, it shows how much the young boy cares about him. The young boy is willing to leave a prosperous fishing boat to return to the old man's boat just so that he will be there to help him if he were to ever need it. After the old man and the young boy talk more about the fish, the young boy tells him that there was a huge search party sent out to look for the old man that involved the coast guard. The author makes it very obvious that the old man is happy to see the young boy again, and likewise for the young boy. The old man not only survives this ordeal, he also returns with this fish. I think that the old man accomplished everything he set out to accomplish three days earlier. He caught a big fish, and he regained the respect from the other fishermen.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Day Four

During the beginning of the fourth day of the old man's fishing expedition, he is suddenly awakened by the line jerking, throwing him face down into the dolphin meat. The old man once again wishes the young boy was there to help him catch this fish, especially when the line further injures his wounded hand. The old man thinks to himself "pain does not matter to man" as he looks at his wounds, then he eats more fish to regain his strength. The old man and the fish struggle against each other, but the old man brings the fish closer and closer to the boat. At one point during this struggle, the old man believes that the marlin is actually killing him and says "I do not care who kills who". I think the old man says this because he is realizing how strong this fish is and how much this fish is weakening him. Also, by saying this I think the old man sees this marlin as his equal and he knows that he is no better than this fish and this fight could go either way. Right when the old man feels his weakest and his vision starts to blur, the fish is close enough to the boat that the old man can stab him in the back with his harpoon. A quote from the book describes the marlin's last moments of life "Then the fish came alive, with death in him, and rose out of the water showing all his great length and width and all his power and beauty." This quote shows how big and powerful this beautiful marlin is, even on the verge of death. The old man had done it, he had defeated the biggest fish he had ever seen, let alone caught. After defeating this fish, the old man wonders to himself if the great Joe DiMaggio would be proud of him for completing such a big accomplishment. Unfortunately, one shark arrives and eats a large portion of meat off of the marlin, which attracts even more sharks.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Day Three

During the third day of the old man's fishing expedition, he endures more suffering and more pain. The old man cuts his left hand with the line and it begins to crap up to the point where it is almost unusable. The old man is very frustrated that his body is so weak, so he decides to eat some of the tuna in hopes that it will give him more strength and heal his left hand. While the old man eats the tuna, he feels like he should feed the marlin also. This shows the strong bond between the old man and the marlin. Sometime later that night, the marlin leaps and shows the old man for the first time its massive size and its beauty. As the night goes on the old man begins to think of one of the things he loves most, baseball. The old man wonders about Joe DiMaggio and how he is a great ball player and very strong. The old man recalls that Joe DiMaggio has a bone spur, but he still plays brilliantly. The old man then wonders if Joe DiMaggio would stay with a fish as long as he has. During this third day the old man shows so much strength as he battles this fish and also shows a lot of determination. The old man admires this marlin, but he is still very determined to defeat this fish. He think to himself about how many people this fish will feed, but then thinks that they are all unworthy of this fish. The old man and this marlin have a special bond with each other, and even though the old man knows he must kill this fish, he respects it. The old man and the fish battle against each other and they both bring out the best in each other. The old man sees the marlin as his friend and I think that is very humble of the old man.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Day Two

During day two of the Old Man and the Sea, the old man is rowing steadily farther and farther out to sea. While doing so he studies the ocean and sees many beautiful creatures, including flying fish, dolphins, and a seabird. The old man sees all of these creatures as his friends and he admires them all. The old man is very wise and decides to follow the seabird out to sea because he knows it is hunting for fish and that it will lead him to where the fish are plentiful. Along the way, the old man catches a tuna that weighs ten pounds and he decides to use it as bait for the huge fish he is hoping to catch. He uses his fresh new bait and waits hoping to catch his dream fish, and then finally the line goes taut and he anxiously waits to see what he has caught. The old man soon realizes that what he has caught is very large, and when he tries to reel it in, it does not move at all. The fish begins to pull the boat farther out to sea, and the old man looks around and notices he can not see the shore anywhere around him. All through the day and the night the fish pulls the old man and the boat behind him, the old man is wishing he had Manolin with him. During the night the old man recalls a story of a pair of marlin, one of which he caught and the other marlin stayed by the boat in mourning of the loss of its mate. It is now the beginning of the next day and the fish is still not tired at all. This is when the author begins to make the story much more suspenseful and much more intense. If the old man pulls to tight the line will snap, and if the hook cuts to far the fish can get away. This was very suspenseful to read because I did not know if all the suffering the old man went through that first night would be thrown away because the line snapped. I think that day two was when the book started to pick up and become more interesting.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- Symbols

In the book the Old Man and the Sea, the author uses many things as symbols. For example, I think one of the biggest symbols in this book is the marlin. The marlin symbolizes the strength of the old man, and also the dedication of him. The old man fought against this fish for three days in the hot sun before he finally defeats this massive fish. I think it would take a lot of strength for anyone to sit out in the sun for three days with little food and water, but for an old man I think it would be ten times harder. The fish also symbolizes an opponent for the old man. The old man believes that everything will kill something, and he is honored that he was able to kill this eighteen foot marlin. By battling this fish, I think the old man's best qualities are brought to the surface. He shows perseverance, strength, and wisdom while he struggles against this fish, and I think it brings some youth back into this old man. Another symbol the author uses in this novel is the sharks that attack the old man's precious marlin. These sharks represent the laws of nature, and they do a very good job of destroying this old man's fish. The marlin is far to big to put on the old man's boat, so he has it tied up to the side. The fish was freshly killed and is leaving behind it a trail of blood in the water, which of course will attract sharks. Sharks are predators, and when predators are hungry they eat. That is one way in which the sharks represent nature. The sharks also represent destruction. Sometimes in life something you love or something close to you can be destroyed. The old man loved this fish and fought for this fish, but then the sharks come along and destroy it without hesitation. All of the symbols used in this book are very important to the underlying theme.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- The Marlin

In the novel the Old Man and the Sea, most of the book takes place out at sea with the old man battling this huge fish. The old man went far out at sea one day in hopes of changing his streak of bad luck, and much to my surprise he did. The old man hooks a large marlin during his one day fishing trip, and that turns it into a three day trip. During this three day period, the old man goes through so much suffering all for this one marlin. The old man admires this fish in a way that I think is very weird. For example, in this passage the old man is describing how he feels about killing this fish "You did not kill the fish only to keep it alive and to sell for food, he thought. You killed him for pride because you are a fisherman. You loved him when and was alive and you loved him after." The fish and the old man struggle for days against each other, similar to a tug of war. The old man pulls the fish a little bit, then the fish pulls the old man. The old man describes the fish as great and beautiful, and over the three days they both form a bond. They formed a bond that was so strong that when they were on the journey back home and the sharks ate at the fish and had completely destroyed it, the old man also felt that he was destroyed. The old man sees this fish as his brother, and this quote describes it perfectly "It is enough to live on the sea and kill our true brothers." The old man is looking for pride, and by capturing this fish he will become a legend in his community and he will no longer be mocked by the other fisherman. This fish plays a very important role in this book, and it changes the old man's life.

Bibliography

Hemmingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner. 1996. Print.