Outside Reading Week 7 - Post B

As my last blog post for the novel, Water For Elephants, I would like to say that this book was AMAZING and that everyone should read it! 

I found the last chapter of the novel to be the most touching. Jacob shares his past of the circus and his family life after it with the circus member he met. He lets the stranger into his life and recalls old circus tales and his life as a husband and father. Like I said in my last blog, he then asks to become a member of the circus and, with Charlie's approval, he becomes one at the end of the novel!! I found this to be a little hard to believe. With an old man missing from a local nursing home and police out looking for Jacob, wouldn't the officer question Charlie and him a little further?? Although a little far fetched, I still found this ending to be extremely touching. Especially with Jacob's last quote of "It's like Charlie told the cop. For this old man, this is home." (331) Jacob feels more at home at the circus then any other place in the world, so I was really happy for him when he got out of his depressing nursing center and went back 'home.'  Although I do wonder what will become of him with this new life.. Will he be able to do any work? Or is he just along for the ride? This last sentence also supports my theme of: A home away from home, because in Jacob's case, that's what the circus is to him. 

Outside Reading Week 7 - Post A

Vocab:

1. formaldehyde (326): a colorless, toxic, potentially carcinogenic, water-soluble gas, derived methyl alcohol by oxidation
2. palpable (327): readily or plainly seen, heard, perceived, etc.

Figurative language:

1. "I'm sitting at a Formica table in the back of an impressively appointed RV sipping an equally impressive single malt-Laphroaig, if I'm not missed taken, and singing like a canary." (326) This is a simile. Jacob is comparing one of the tipsy members' of the Ringling Circus slurring and singing to a canary. 
2. "The sleepless nights, the wailing babies; the days the interior of the house looked like had been hit by a hurricane..."(327) This is an example of imagery. Jacob describes what fatherhood was like for him. This section applies to sight because he so well describes the state of their extremely mess house. 
3. "I snort like a pig with glee." (331) This is also a simile. After Charlie allows Jacob to run away with the circus, Jacob is so excited that he snorts-which he compares to a pig.

Quote: 

"All right. Let's give you something to tell your grand kids about. Or your great-grand kids. Or great-great-grand kids." (331) Charlie tells Jacob that he can stay with him on the circus and Jacob is soo thankful that his eye's begin to mist over. I think that Charlie is so kind to make a huge decision like that after only having known Jacob for a few hours. Jacob is now 'home.'

Theme: 

The theme is still a home away from home. 

Outside Reading Week 6 - Post A

Voab:

1. menagerie (326): a collection of wild or unused animals
2. precedence (314): act or fact of preceding

Figurative Language:

1. "She's dumb as a bag of hammers." (315) This is a simile. The elephant Rosie is being compared to a bag of hammers using the word 'as'.
2. "..leaping from the platform like a gazelle." (316) This is also a simile. Marlena compared to a gazelle using the word 'like'.
3. "Hot dogs jumped from their buns and rolled down the stands." (322) This is personification. The inanimate objects, hot dogs, are given the human characteristic of jumping. 

Quote:

"It's Uncle Al. A makeshift garrote is tightened around his blackened neck." (320) This quote surprised me! I won't have ever thought that the author would have several important characters to die in the fire/stampede. Its important because now Marlena and Jacob are free and able to do and take their relationship where ever they want. 

Theme: A home away from home

Outside Reading Week 6 - Post B

I feel really bad for Jacob! The novel flashes forward to presnt time where Jacob is old and in the nursing home. The day the circus comes has finally rolled around and all the residents are super excited! However, after waiting for almost a hour it becomes clear that Jacob is the only one whose family isn't going to show. I couldn't beleive this! How does a family just forget about someone? Exspecially on an important day like that. Anyway, Jacob is disappointed but he isn't going to let his no show family keep him from going to see the show. So once the nurses aren't looking he sneeks out the door and makes his way toward the giant red and white striped tent. He is in walking distance to the circus show, however it takes him over half an hour to get there due to his bad knees. When Jacob does get there, a working man escourts him to the front of the show after hearing that Jacob too once worked at the circus, and was alive for the great fire. After the show is over the worker asks him to have a drink with him in his car on the train. I thought it was really cute how excited Jacob was and through their conversation I also learned a lot more about the fire and Jacob's life post-circus. Jacob then asks the worker if he could join them on the circus!!!! I thought he was kidding at first, but he was totally serious! I'm really excited to find out what he's going to do! What happens when the nursing home finds out he's missing? Will he really re join the circus???

Outside Reading Week 5 - Post B

Oh my gosh, i can not believe what has happened! There was a huge stampede where all of the circus animals got out. This caused a riot and total chaos! The biggest part of this was when August died. Sure, it's great for Jacob, but he can't stop thinking about him. I wonder what will become of him and Marlena now. Jacob begins to talk to Marlena as his future wife and what their plans for the future hold. They plan on raising their child as well as taking many of the circus animals under their wing. Some animals include the elephant Rosie, Marlena's twelve horses, and the chimp Bobo. I think this is a crazy idea!! First of Jacob has no source of income to support his wife and child, let alone fourteen animals! I understand that they care for them but come on! Also, when I stopped reading, Jacob was just about to call his old college professor. I wonder if he's asking to finish his education and if his teacher will allow him to. I feel really bad for their whole situation, but i feel that because Jacob has been able to make it through so many other hardships, like his parent's death and joining the circus, that he will be able to provide for his family. I am also curious to find out what will happen to the old Jacob. Last I heard from him, his family forgot about him and he was unable to go to the circus with the rest of the people at the nursing home.

Outside Reading Week 5 - Post A

Vocab:

1. belligerent (287): warlike; giving to waging war
2. lithe (308): limber; supple; flexible
   

Figurative Language:

1. "..splits his head in a single clean movement - ponk-..."(309) Ponk is an onomatopoeia because it is describing the sound of the wood plank hitting August's head. 
2. "Marlena's scarf was sent dancing into the wind." (312) This is an example of personification because the scarf is being given the human characteristic of dancing.
3. "I found yellow eyes, like small suns, staring back at me." (318) Jacob is using a simile while comparing the lion's eyes to small suns. 

Quote:

"August's body was found and removed last night, and they're performing an investigation." (313) August died!! I expected him to be seriously hurt after the stampede, but I never thought he would die! I'm excited to find out what happens with Jacob and Marlena now that August is out of the picture. Also, I wonder if since Marlena is now a widow, if she will keep her and Jacob's baby.

Theme:

The theme is still that you can have a home away from home.

Outside Reading Week 4 - Post B

Dear Sara Gruen

Hi, It's me again! I'm writing again to tell you that your book is amazing!!

Holy crap I can't believe Marlena's pregnant. I never saw that coming... I'm really excited to see how that plays out with August and Uncle Al and Jacob. I hope that Marlena and Jacob end up together. Even though August tries to be a nice guy, he's kind of scary, like how he hit his wife and all. Also, I hope that Camel's drop off goes well. I know he's nervous to leave because he did something that he's ashamed of.. Do we ever find out?? Oh and i'm also excited to see what happens to the old Jacob in the nursing home. It was soo sad when his family never showed up. However, I think that this is adding to the theme of family and how Jacob will find a family in all the members of the circus. You do not necessarily have to be related to be considered family. I think that it's touching how Jacob is able to find friends and family in his fellow works. 

I'm having a really hard  not finishing your book right now! I want to keep reading, but I have till through winter break so i'll have to hold off. This book is like fifty times better than my last outside reading book so thank you!! Haha, i'll write again later! By that time i'll have probably finished my book, and will have hopefully have found out the answers to all of my many questions!

Sincerely,

Paige 

Outside Reading Week 4 - Post A

Vocab:

1. flay (234): to strip off the skin or outer covering of.
2. pachyderm(236): any of the think-skinned as the elephant, hippopotamus, and rhinoceros
   

Figurative Language:

1. "Uncle Al is delirious... basking in the coins that rain down on him." (237) This is a metaphor. Coins don't actually 'rain' down, the author is just using the word to emphasize the many coins the circus is earning. 
2. "I sound like I'm breathing through a gas mask." (248) This is a simile because Jacob is comparing his breathing to the sound of a gas mask using the word 'like'.
3. "My whole body feels like lead." (291) This is also a simile because Jacob is comparing his body to lead using the word 'like'. 

Quote:

"She raises her head and turns beat red, 'I think I'm going to have a baby.'"(284) Marlena tells Jacob that she's pregnant shortly after their return to the circus grounds. This is not good at all!! First of all Marlena is married to August and secondly Jacob is supposed to be trying to get them back together. I wonder what Uncle Al will do to them once he finds out...

Theme:

After reading through the climax of the book, I know believe that the theme of the book if that you can have a home away from home, and that you don't have to be related to be considered family. 

articles 2 anit

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poverty-against

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on the waterfront

On the Waterfront
Fantastic, intriguing, and thought provoking are three ways I would choose to describe the 1954 movie, On the Waterfront. This black-and-white classic is not only an enjoyable watch, but also a very effective work of art. The film questions the difference between right and wrong while discussing the important issues of corruption, racketeering, and whistle blowing. While watching Terry and the dilemmas he gets himself into, you begin to question your own morals. You wonder what you would do, or hope you would do, if ever put in his shoes. Overall, I think that On the Waterfront is a highly effective film and definitely worth seeing.
Literary aspects play an important role in On the Waterfront. Characters are an example of this. Terry Malloy, Edie Doyle, and Johnny Friendly are the three main protagonists in the film. Terry Malloy propels the plot forward and commands attention when he sticks to his morals and does what no one would dare; tattles on the mob. Edie Doyle's role is important in that she encourages Terry to do the right thing and stand up for himself, and Johnny Friendly is the leader of the mob and the heart of the conflict. Another aspect is the setting. The movie takes place on New York's oppressive water docks and streets. The neighborhood is mostly poor and deprived with the exception of a few wealthy citizens. The setting helps the viewer to better understand the lives of the characters, set the scene, and emphasize the major conflict of racketeering. Symbolism is used frequently in On the Waterfront. Two symbols that are prominent throughout the film are hooks and the pigeons. The waterfront workers wear the sharp hooks that help them load and empty the crates over their shoulders. These represent the forces of Johnny Friendly's mob members that literally hang over them at the waterfront. The pigeons represent the waterfront workers. The workers are 'caged' in by the mob members and low on the power hierarchy just like the pigeons raised by Terry. Literary aspects like characters, setting, and symbols, help to make the film solid and original.
There are many dramatic aspects that can be found in On The Waterfront. Actors are an example of one. I think that Marlon Brando did an exceptional job at playing the role of Terry Malloy. In the beginning of the movie, Brando would make subtle motions that helped to describe his character. For instance, to show Terry's lack of confidence, Brando would look away when speaking to people, pull up his coat collar, and shrug when asked a question. However, as the film went on and Terry started to stand up for himself, Brando began acting like a tough guy and dropped his nervous habits. Unlike Brando, I think that casting Eva Marie Saint as Edie Doyle was a horrible choice. Saint seemed fake and unemotional. An example of this was when she found out that her brother was killed. Even though Saint was demanding to know about her brother's death and seemed to be distraught, her face told a completely different story. She showed no emotion through her expressions and you could clearly tell that she was acting. I did like Johnny Friendly being played as Lee J. Cobb. When I picture a mob member or gangster, I think of someone who is big and powerful looking. Cobb fits this description to the tee. His deep voice and broad shoulders added to his alpha look. Another dramatic aspect is the use of lighting. I think that the lighting was well used throughout the movie. When scenes were shot at the waterfront, outside it was dark and gloomy which added to the already dreary and miserable feel of the work place. In contrast, when scenes with Edie were shot, the set was usually much lighter. This gave her almost an angelic or good-girl vibe.
Cinematic aspects are essential in all films. An example of one is the film's music. Music can help add to the drama or feel of each scene. For instance, when Terry was fleeing the church basement after the secret meeting, the music was intense and upbeat. This made the viewer fell panicked and alarmed. Another example of this was when Terry was visiting his pigeon coop. The music paralleled the peaceful scene by playing a sweet and slow tune. Another aspect is the film's editing. Similar to the music, editing between shots can also add to the feeling of each scene. Choppy or quick scene changes, like when Terry and Johnny Friendly were fighting, can make the scene feel exciting and exhilarating. In contrast, slow and smooth transitions, like when Terry and Edie were dancing, can add to the calm feeling. Costumes are also important. I think that the costumes worked very well for each character in the movie. Terry and the other poor waterfront workers wore ratty old jackets, while the members of the mafia wore nice leather coats. Edie's outfits also fit her character. She wore girly dresses and shoes that helped to show how feminine she was.
On the Waterfront and Authur Miller's All My Sons have many similarities and differences. The ethical dilemma that appears in both works is one thing they have in common. In On the Waterfront, Terry faces the problem of deciding where his loyalty lies: with the mafia or the waterfront workers. Very similar to this, Keller must also pick where his loyalty lies: with his family or his partner. However, the deciding factors that go into each of their decisions are very different. Terry has only himself to worry about and bases his decision on other's opinions (Edie and Father Barry). Keller, on the other hand, has to look out for his family, which in the end is his first priority. Keller and Terry are also very similar. They both are not thought of very highly in society. Terry is considered a bum who has thrown his life away after his boxing career falls flat, and many people think of Keller as a murder after his faulty parts caused the deaths of twenty-one pilots. Terry and Keller are both strong. In the end Terry is able to stand up to the mafia and walk up to work after being beaten down. Likewise, Keller is able to hold his head high and provide a good life for his family, despite everyone's opinions.
I would definitely recommend this movie! The exciting plot keeps you on the edge of your seat and the round characters make the film extremely fun to watch. On The Waterfront is an enjoyable movie as well as a work of art.

Outside Reading Week 3 - Post B

Dear Sara Gruen,

I'm just writing to tell you that I absolutely LOVE your book! It's so good that I can never put it down and I lose track of time reading it! There are so many unexpected twists, so I'm never able to predict what's coming next. For instance, I never saw it coming when August blew up at Jacob and Marlena after the first show with Rosie and accuses them of being lovers and cheating on him.

The way you write and tell the story it is almost like you were there, or like you're writing from past experience. I also love the pictures you put at the beginning of each of the chapters. They make the book fun to read and help to put some characters with faces.

I'm so excited to keep reading and find out what happens with August and Marlena after she tells him that she is breaking up with him. I think he might go crazy and get really mad at Jacob, even though Jacob had nothing to do with Marlena. I hope that this incident won't lead to Jacob being red lighted or losing his job as the vet to the circus animals. I'm also curious about what will happen with Jacob in the present. The circus is coming to town and he is really excited. However, I have the feeling that something might happen between Jacob and the other resident living at the nursing home.

Outside Reading Week 3 - Post A

Vocab:

1. minimally (201): barely adequate or the least possible
2. menagerie(212): a collection of wild or unusual animals

Figurative Language:

1. "Although the wait is killing Uncle Al..."(218) This is an example of personification. Waiting is being given the human characteristic of killing. 
2. "I break down in the confessional and sob like a baby..."(230) This is a simile. Jacob is comparing his crying to a baby's using 'like'.
3. "He kicked and struggled like a mad man!" (223) This is also a simile. August is being compared to a mad man using 'like'.

Quote:

"I kneel in front of her, searching her face for a signal to stay. After an agonizing wait, I realize I'm not going to find one. I kiss her on the forehead and leave. " (222) Jacob leaves Marlena and swears to himself that he'll leave her for good. I find this very hard to believe since he's in love with her. I don't he will be able to get over her just like that. This is a good idea if Jacob will actually be able to stick to his plan. He needs to get over her asap before he gets into more trouble with August. 

Theme:

The theme of looking out for yourself is defiantly still emerging, and the theme of greed is too.

Outside Reading Week 2 - Post B

Since my last blogging, a lot of stuff has happened! Jacob becomes the circus's vet to all the animals, Uncle Al(the ring master) bought an elephant, and Jacob has gotten himself into a whole lot of trouble! Jacob is really starting to bug me. He finally has his life back on track, or as well is it could be living in the circus, then he does things to screw it up! He kisses Marlena, this giant guy named August's wife, he tells everyone that the Ringling circus(their biggest competitor) is better then them, which is like a major sin, and he gets totally tanked with a ton of the roustabouts. He just doesn't think about his actions! Jacob seems like a nice kid, and I hope he will learn to get his act together before Uncle Al redlights him(throws him off of the train while its moving! Scary!!).

I am also now learning about Jacob's present life at his nursing home. (The novel flashes back and forward a lot) There he gets in fights with one of the other residents about the stories he tells. The man tells everyone that when he was younger he would bring water for elephants at circus. This really upsets Jacob. He calls the man a lier and refuses to speak to him no matter how hard all the nurses try to get him to. I don't get Jacob. I don't know if its because he's old or something, but why does he have all these sudden outbursts? I'm anxious to find out the reason for Jacobs accusations and what will happen next..

Outside Reading Week 2 - Post A

Vocab: 

1. vehemently (124) : zealous; ardent; impassioned
2. roustabouts (141) : a laborer employed for temporary or unskilled jobs

Figurative Language:

1. "Crack! I turned around just in time to see the top of the tent come crashing down." (136) Crack is an onomatopoeia because its mimicking the sound of the tent breaking and falling down.
2. "I push my porridge aside and open my vanity mirror. I should know better by now, but somehow I still expect to see myself. Instead, I find an Appalachian apple doll, withered and spotty, with dewlaps and bags and long floppy ears." (111) This is a metaphor. Jacob is comparing his old self to an Appalachian doll, without using 'like' or 'as'.
3. "Within minutes the bloody stench and piercing shrieks send me lying back to the goat room to press my nose against the mildewed blanket - anything to replace the smell of death." (145) This passage is using imagery. Jacob is describing the sense of the bad smell so well that you can almost picture what it would be like. 

Quote:

"I frown. This is not part of the normal Jacob/nurse repertoire. 'He may be wrong in the details, but he's not lying.' she says. 'He really believes that he carried water for the elephants. He does.' I don't answer." (176) Here again the title is stated. Jacob is flashing forward to present time where he is an old man at a nursing home. He is refusing to eat with another man because he tells stories about how he carried water for elephants. Jacob freaks out saying that he's lying. Why does Jacob care so much? I think that this is foreshadowing something important that has to do with Jacob and Rosie(the elephant).

Theme:

The theme of greed/looking out for number one is still emerging. 

Outside Reading Week 1 - Post B

In the first few pages, a TON of stuff happens! First, Jacob's parents die in a tragic car accident, just before his final test at college to become a vet. Second, Jacob walks out on his final at college because he is too depressed about his parents to finish. After he leaves the classroom, Jacob walks until he doesn't know where he is anymore. It is then when he discovers and jumps a random moving train. There he is greeted by rough looking men who inform him that he has just joined the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.

I can't believe Jacob! He walks out of an Ivy League school during his final test in becoming his dream job and goes a jumps a train? What the heck?? Sure, I would be extremely depressed if my parents died, but come on. Couldn't he just ask his professor for an extension or something? Also throwing yourself on to a moving train? Umm... are you crazy?! It amazes me that he then agrees to joining the circus after seeing the unsanitary and rough life the men live.

Although, Jacob is offered a job as being the circus's vet, so maybe all of his hard work at school won't go to waste. So far he is only looking after the show's horses. Are they going to get elephants, or when do they come into play? Oh, and won't people be looking for him back at home? I really hope that Jacob will be alright. He's a good kid, and I hope that by joining the Benzini Brothers, he isn't throwing his life away.

Outside Reading Quarter 2 Week 1 - Post A

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Vocab:

1. Fetlock (74) : the projection of the leg of a horse behind the joint between the cannon bone and great pastern bone, bearing a tuft of hair
2. Decrepit (77) : weakened by old age; feeble; infirm

Figurative Language:

1. "Canvas tents have popped up like mushrooms..." (34) This is a simile. I can tell because the tents are being compared to mushrooms using the word 'like'.
2. "Laughter ripples through the crowd." (41) This is personification. Laughter, which is inanimate, is being given the characteristic of rippling. 
3. '"You're as strong as a horse!"' (65) This is also a simile. Jacob's strength is being compared to a horse's using the word 'as'.

Quote:

'"You want to carry water for elephants I suppose?' Earl's brow creases, 'But sir we don't have any-' 'Shut up!' shrieks Uncle Al..." (58) This is significant because already in the book, the title has been stated. When Al suggests the job of being water to elephants, Earl objects. Al then freaks out and tells Earl to shut up. Why did he do this? Is Al tricking Jacob?

Theme:

I think that the theme of greed maybe be beginning to emerge. 

Outside Reading - Week 5 Post B

Dear Evelina Chao,

It's me again! I just finished reading your novel, Yeh Yeh's House, and all I can say is wow! Your novel was extremely entertaining and hard to put down.

Your trip to China sounded amazing! I think it would be awesome to go there and see all sights that you did. (Like the Great Wall of China, and taking a boat ride down the Yangtze River) However, I think I'll pass on eating the special cooked turtle dish!

I was really happy to see that you finally made it to your Yeh Yeh's house. For awhile I was doubting that you would ever make it to Beijing. I was also really excited that you and your mother finally worked out your differences. Like you said before, sometimes it takes great lengths like going to the other side of the world, to bring two people together. Have you still stayed close since the trip? 

I'm sorry to hear about your Yeh Yeh's house being torn down, but at least you were able to stay it before it happened. I'm sure he would have wanted you to see it. Also, I think that it's very cute that you planted the same flowers you Yeh Yeh at home, to remind you of China.

I have several questions for you after finishing your novel:

1. Have you ever returned to China?
2. Have you stayed in contact with the relatives you met there?
3. Did you ever choose a scroll from Yeh Yeh's house?

Again your novel was amazing!!

Sincerely, 

Paige

Outside Reading - Week 5 Post A

Vocab:

imperceptible (214) - very slightly, gradually, or subtle

anarchists (222) - a doctrine urging the abolition of government or governmental restraint

Appeals:

1. "...We were traveling due south, directly away from Beijing." (208) This is a logical appeal. After studying a map of China, Evelina discovers that yet again, they are moving further away from her Yeh Yeh's house in Beijing. Evelina is beginning to fear that her and her mother may never reach their destination to see her grandfather's house. 
2. "'I think I'm in trouble!'" (202) This is an emotional appeal. Evelina becomes worried after a Chinese official questions her plans in China. She conveys her problems to the reader and makes them feel panicked as well.
3. "Tears welled up in my eyes from confusion and shame. She had come so far to see me, and already I had forgotten her name." (212) This is also an emotional appeal. Evelina's cousin travels hundreds of miles to come see her, but is only able to stay for an hour. Evelina is touched by how much her cousin cares but then becomes mad at herself for not getting to know her more. 

Quote:

"Perhaps what I was searching for might not be in Beijing, among the ghosts or living relatives there, but much closer at hand. Lying right in front of me."(172) I think that this is a very strong and important quote. Evelina originally came to China to find herself. She thought that her life would be more complete if she knew where her roots came from. However, this passage indicates that since the beginning of her trip, it wasn't China or relatives that she needed to learn about, it was her own mother. Their trip has brought them closer then they have ever been. 

Themes:

There are three main themes that I found in this novel. They are: cultural differences, finding yourself, and acceptance of family. Evelina experiences cultural differences throughout her entire trip of China. Examples of this are how Americans and Chinese differ in clothing, food, and what they think is polite. Evelina begins to understand herself more after coming in touch with her roots and distant family. Finally, Evelina and her mother use their trip to patch up their shaky relationship and gain understanding for one another. 

Outside Reading - Week 4 Post B

In chapter 12 of Yeh Yeh's House, Evelina visits her aunt's apartment in Shanghai, China:

'"How many people share this kitchen?" I said. "Fourteen. Four families. Most Shanghai like this. That's why we apply for new apartment. Everyone want to leave."'(130) 

The novel goes on to further describe the status of the cramped apartment. For instance, the kitchen and the bathroom are together in one room, and how there is only one refrigerator for fourteen people. After reading this section I realized how incredibly lucky I am to live in the house and city that I do. My house has three bathrooms for only five people, where as in Evelina's aunt's apartment, they only have two for fourteen people. In my family we also all have our own bedrooms while in Shanghai they have to make do with only two beds for five people. I think that sometimes I take my life for granted and don't really realize how good I have it. This chapter helped me open my eyes to see how thankful I should be. 

I think that this experience also shocked Evelina. She came to China expecting life to be similar to America and found a completely different culture. She was at first stunned to witness the living conditions of her aunt and began to question her own life. She began to wonder if she could live without all of her possessions that she before would consider a necesasity, such as a microwave or a coffee maker.

The 400 Blows

Paige 
Mrs. Burgess
Enr. English 10
10/16/07
The 400 Blows

The 400 Blows does anything but! The film was certainly an interesting and unique one. Although it’s not normally my kind of movie, I did enjoy it quite a bit! I loved the stereotypical characters such as the gaudy mom, the strict schoolteacher, and the mischievous best friend. I also enjoyed the plot. In some parts I wanted to laugh at the hilarious positions that Antoine gets himself into, and in others I wanted to cry. Because of this I do think that the film is effective. Overall, I think that The 400 Blows is a film worth seeing.
The 400 Blows has a simple plot that unfolds very smoothly. The protagonist, Antoine Doinel, is a troubled adolescent growing up in the city of Paris. His problems start at home with his young, tawdry, mother, who has been divorced, but is now remarried. Her and husband fight constantly and treat Antoine as if he were burden. Antoine’s problems are also transferred into his school life where he receives poor grades and often plays hooky with his best friend René. One day he and René devise a plan to pawn off one of his stepfather’s typewriters that they stole. Unfortunately, their plan fails and Antoine gets caught while trying to return it. His parents chose to send him away to a labor camp. In the end, he escapes through a hole in the fence. The film leaves Antoine finally reaching the ocean. The film is mostly from Antoine’s point of view, letting the viewer see into his life. However, even though this film is intended to be a memoir, it does not thoroughly illustrate any of Antoine’s emotions or feelings. The setting helped to further describe Truffaut’s characters. The Doinel’s small, cramped, apartment helped to show the family’s social status, as well as get a feel for the time period in which they were living in. Literary aspects like plot, point of view, characters, and setting, make the film both solid and creative.
Dramatic aspects also played an important role in the film. Take the actors for instance. Actors can make or break a film, and in this case they surely succeeded. Claire Maurier, who played the mother, did an excellent job being vain and ignorant. Guy Decomble also preformed well as the schoolteacher. He did a good job being strict and looking the part. However, I imagined Julian Doinel a little different. I pictured him to be manlier and butch rather than the almost dorky dad he played. Other dramatic aspects that the film incorporated were the lighting, which helped to set the mood and tone, and the set design, which helped to further describe the life of the Doinel’s.
Many cinematic aspects appeared in The 400 Blows. The camera movement was really cool because I never knew there were so many different angles! The film incorporated a lot variety of shots but was mostly made up of close-ups and voice-overs. An example of this would be when the camera is on Antoine’s face, but we hear his parents arguing in the background. The editing of these shots was usually choppy and consisted of many blackouts. The music was also important to the film. Music in the major key would play when the scene was happy, and would switch to minor when sad. Camera movement, editing, and sound are just a few examples of the cinematic aspects found throughout the film.
Richard Wright’s Black Boy and The 400 Blows share a few similarities and differences. One similarity that they have is that both boys, Richard and Antoine, are looked down upon in their societies. Richard is an African-American boy growing up in a world where blacks are thought to be inferior to whites. Likewise, Antoine is also looked down upon. He is rejected for stealing, not listening to his parents, and not attending school. However, the boys differ in how they fix their problems. Richard fixes his by earning enough money to escape the South and move up North where he can be treated as more of an equal. Antoine, on the other hand, simply runs away from his problems by running away from his home. Richard and Antoine are very much alike, despite a few character aspects.
I would defiantly recommend The 400 Blows. It’s a great one to analyze and point out all the different aspects of film. I also found it very interesting and fun to watch! The 400 Blows is defiantly a work of art.

Outside Reading - Week 4 Post A

Vocab:

antiquity (123) - the quality of being ancient 

malaise (122) - a condition of general bodily weakness or discomfort, often marking the onset of a disease

Appeals:

1. "My mother coughed into her hanker chief, and I began to feel a strange sensation in my chest, as though tiny crabs pinched my lungs." (121) This is a logical appeal. Evelina describes how her mother and her feel after their plane ride to China. Could this be foreshadowing an illness??
2. "Famished, I bit into the chewy dumpling dough, felt the squirt of pork juice and crunch of bamboo shoots and green onion in my mouth." (120) This is an emotional appeal. Evelina was starving after not eating for several hours. She describes how good the first bit of food was, in hopes that you can relate.
3.  "The kitchen, a narrow, dark room with a single grimy window, was on the first floor." (129) This is a logical appeal. Evelina describes the many different rooms in her aunt's apartment. 

Quote:

"'How many people share this kitchen?' I said. 'Fourteen. Four families. Most Shanghai like this. That's why we apply for new apartment. Everyone want to leave.'"(130) Evelina starts to see the living conditions in China. While visiting her aunt, Evelina learns the how crowded the city truly is. She begins to feel guilty for all the luxuries she has at home and starts to gain a better understanding of where her family has come from. 

Theme:

The same three themes are still developing: finding yourself, cultural differences, acceptance of family. 

Outside Reading - Week 3 Post B

Throughout the entire first half of the novel, Evelina and her mother never get along. Her mother always expects more of her and seems to favor her brother over her. Now five years after Evelina's first promise to go visit her family in China, she is finally going through with it. Her mother is thrilled! However, this not only means being away from her job as a member of the Minnesota orchestra and boyfriend for five weeks, but also being stuck with her mother for the longest period of time they have spent together since she was a child. I'm extremely anxious to find out what happens to their relationship throughout their journey of exploring China. Will their relationship be strengthened by the amount of time spent together? Or will it be strained and pushed to the limits? Although Evelina is dreading the experience, I think that it will be good for her and her mother to experience China together. Also, her Da Mama, Da Bobo, and her Aunt Lucy have been looking forward to seeing her and giving her the scroll that her Yeh Yeh has left behind for her. I hope that Evelina and her mother will be able to work out any problems that they have between each other. I also hope that she is finally able to gain closure and understanding by seeing her roots and finding out who she really is. My prediction is that Evelina will value her time spent in China and wonder why she was ever worried about going. 

Outside Reading - Week 3 Post A

Vocab:

cajoling (95) - to persuade by flattery or promises

contortionist (93) - a person who performs gymnastic feats involving contorted postures

Appeals:

1. "But I saw from the way she looked at me that I had balked too long; she had given up on me." (95) This is a logical appeal. Evelina knows that her Chinese tutor has lost her patience with her and that's why she suddenly becomes 'unable to teach' her anymore.
2. "The air was hot, muggy, and filled with the sound of feverish nocturnal insects. The smell was fecund, primeval, and bacterial. I felt as if we had flown not only  halfway around the world, but back several centuries in time as well." (105) This is an emotional appeal. Evelina thoroughly describes the feel and smell of China. She describes it so well that you almost feel like you're there. 
3. "At eleven o'clock in the night, after crossing the Pacific Ocean... Our plane arrived in Shanghai." (105) This is a logical appeal. This is just a fact that is being said. No emotion is trying to be sparked. 

Quote:

"We went along with the other passengers to the customs area, which was divided into three line, one for American tourists, another for returning Chinese citizens, a third for overseas Chinese. I hesitated, confused, scanning for the line that described me, who was none of these. A little evil chime, imposter, began to clang in my head." (106) Evelina feels lost as soon as she arrives in China. She doesn't know what to make of herself. Is she to say that she is from China, although she's this is her first visit? Or just a tourist? Evelina begins to search both her country and her roots to find out who she really is.

Theme:

A third theme that has emerged is the theme of finding yourself out; who you really are.

Outside Reading - Week 2 Post B

Throughout the beginning of the novel, Evelina makes many references to her Aunt Lucy and the Cultural Revolution that took place in China. Aunt Lucy explains that the Chinese government had to pay her back for those years she missed. She says: "After the Cultural Revolution, the government tried to make up for what they did to me by returning all I would have earned during those years. So I am rich, you see!"(34) I didn't really understand what she was talking about because I didn't know much about the events that took place in China, so I decided to research it. This is what I found:

The Cultural Revolution started in 1966, and ended in 1976. China had been helped by Soviet Russia and had planed to construct its country following the same way of Soviet Russia's. However, after the death of Stalin, the relations between the countries deteriorated. Mao Zedong (a Chinese military and political leader and the leader of the Communist Party of China) proceeded excessive policy for socialism, reacting against Soviet and lead China to the Cultural Revolution. After the revolution ended, the Chinese government attempted to pay back it's working citizens with an estimate of what the could have made during those ten years.

source: http://library.thinkquest.org/26469/cultural-revolution/

Outside Reading - Week 2 Post A

Vocab:

Agitation (51) - persistent urging of a political or social cause or theory before the public.

Imperturbability (37) - incapable of being upset or agitated.

Appeals:

1. "She looked at me closely. 'I am Chinese. My home is in China. It is you who must come to China!'" (34) This is a logical appeal. Aunt Lucy finally stops dropping hints to Evelina about wanting her to come to China, and just comes out and says it. 
2. "Suddenly my mother with hand still dripping soapsuds, reached over and switched on the radio next to the sink so that music exploded into the kitchen, drowning out my voice." (46) This is an emotional appeal. Evelina tries over and over to talk to her mother about her problems and conflicts with going to China, but her mother always refuses to listen. Readers begin to feel sorry for Evelina as she is misunderstood by her mother and father. 
3. "When [the food] arrived, we began eating silently. Almost immediately he grimaced." (51) This is a logical appeal. Evelina continues to give examples of how stubborn and hard-headed her traditional father is. 

Quote:

"It wasn't until late in the afternoon that I got up the energy to go into Aunt Lucy's room to

change the sheets on her bed. As soon as I entered the room, I saw the brown bag. It was on her 

bed, neatly folded. Inside was the piece of red-and-green taffeta plaid." (39) Throughout 

Aunt Lucy's stay in America, Evelina tries to buy her something. She wants her aunt to leave 

with something to remember her and the U.S. by. However, Chinese feel that it is a sign of 

weakness if someone buys something for you. Evelina eventually talks her aunt into letting her 

buy her a yard of fabric. It isn't till after she's left that Evelina finds that she left the gift 

behind. This quote further shows the difference in traditions and customs between America 

and China.

Theme:

The theme of cultural differences is still strongly apparent. Another theme of acceptance of family

may also be emerging.

Outside Reading Week 1 - Post B

Dear Evelina Chao,

I am currently reading your novel, Yeh Yeh’s House, and although I’m only a few chapters into it, I’m already hooked! You write in such a way that I feel like I’ve known you forever.

Throughout the first chapter, you recall that as a child you can remember noticing that you looked different from other girls around you. “They tried to help me draw a line on my upper eyelids so I would look like I could see, as Renee put it. Except we discovered that I didn’t have a fold on my upper lid. No matter how far we drew, clear up to my eyebrows, my eyes still looked like little slits.” (15) During teenage years, girls just want to fit in and be like everyone else. Did the fact that you were different ever affect you emotionally?

In the next chapter you talk about being able to play significant pieces of music on your violin by the time you were thirteen. Wow! I’ve been playing the clarinet for over four years now and I don’t even come close to the skill that you were able to develop in only three. Did you still have the same passion for your instrument now that you did when you were little? Or have you found a new passion for writing?

I’m excited to continue reading! I want to hear about your trip to China, as well as how your shaky relationship with your mother turns out.

Sincerely,
Paige

Outside Reading - Week 1 Post A

Yeh Yeh's House by Evelina Chao

Vocab:

Adagio (17) - Music. in a leisurely manner; slowly. 

Subterfuge (25) - an artifice  or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.

Appeals:

1. "This time, at the end of the summer, when I looked for a blue aerogram from him, I was not surprised there was none." (21) This is a logical appeal. Evelina states that her grandfather, Yeh Yeh, did not reply to her letter, as she had suspected he wouldn't. 
2. "I don't know which was more chilling;  the foregone conclusion that we were working so hard to master our skills only to abandon them or that we were perceived as a monolithic cultural type rather than individuals." (20) This is an emotional appeal. Evelina puts the reader in her own shoes to them how hard it is to be different in a world where people judge you depending on your looks. 
3. "I watched her spring away on platform shoes, wishing more then anything that I could be like her." (20) This is also an emotional appeal.  Evelina  yearns to be confident and beautiful like her fellow student. She informs the reader that more then anything she wants to be like everyone else.  

Quote:

"Yeh Yeh is dead." (23). This quote is important because it's when Evelina first learns of her grandfather's passing. He had been asking her to come see him in China, but something had always come up to put-off her plans. Now only a month before her trip to finally see her Yeh Yeh, he passes away in the night. Evelina begins to feel extremely guilty for not going to see him earlier. 

Theme:

A theme that may be emerging in the novel is cultural differences. Evelina talks a lot about how different her family and their traditions are from everyone else's.