Journal #19

In the book Say What You Will, i think that I am most like the girl main character, Amy.

Event hough she is physically disabled, she has a mind that goes a mile a minute. She wonders about the little things in life that most people might not notice. She is kind and funny, but also serious and socially awkward (although that last one could be because of her disability).

I love this character, she makes me wonder who I would be if I was disabled. Would my personality stay the same, or would it ultimately change because of the different environment I would have to know? How would it feel to be able to think so profoundly and not express any of it when I wanted to; having to type everything out using basic vocabulary that misses the extent to which a word needs to be expressed? Would I feel trapped in my own body and grown to resent myself? I don't think that I would be able to do it. I commend Amy.

Amy is a strong character, one that could not be replaced with a "normal" girl. She is integral to the story line and I admire her courage and bravery.

Journal #18

I have been reading a new book called Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern. Like all good stories it starts with a boy and a girl...emailing of course! But, the difference here being that the girl is physically handicapped and can not speak; and surprise, surprise, the boy is socially inept.

These two characters might seem like they have nothing in common on paper, but in this story, they a really the perfect match. I haven't gotten far in the story, but from what I can tell, this is going to be interesting.

It raises some social questions...like, can a girl who can't speak and and can't perform everyday actions easily or by herself be fit to engage in a relationship with a guy who is seemingly normal (besides the intense OCD of course).

I don't know what the right answer is...is there a right answer? But what I do know is that these characters seem so happy when they are together and I can't help but imagine that if this was in real life, it would be okay too.

Journal #17

The book 1984 makes you wonder because all of the stuff Orwell says in his novel is true; if it wasn't then we would not be talking about it in the context that we do. For a TV show to be named using the creative context of "Big Brother" and for us to have to read it in school means that this book has relevance to today in some way, shape, or form.

This quote above talks about the government intervening and changing the past to fit the needs of the future. But, it begs the question, is it true today?

I know that when we recall history (being the past) every country has its own personal account of wars or revolutions or whatever it may be. The expression, "There are three sides to every story: yours, mine, and the truth.", is very relevant to this discussion. Whoever decides what side of the story to tell will influence everyone that hears it. Future generations will make up their mind on how to interpret what was said to them and they will make choices based off of that knowledge.

This is what the 1984 society aims to do; control the decisions of the public by feeding them lies about the stories of the past.

In other words: BRAINWASHING.

Journal #16

1984 by George Orwell is an interesting read.

This book is asking you questions as you read without even knowing it. It is making you think about what you would do if you were to living this world that he has created. It is making you contemplate your stand on some current events in the government today. It is making you notice how close Orwell's predictions were, given the technology we have currently. It makes you wonder if this could still happen to society, or if it is already happening and we just don't notice it.

These are the best kind of questions to ask and wonder about as you are reading this book. Some of your answers you come up with may shock you.

I don't think that I will be able to put this book down!

Journal #15

I am currently reading the book 1984, by  George Orwell. I have just only started reading and from what I can tell, this story is not going to be like most others that I have read. The book starts out slow, but as I delve deeper into the story line I can see that it does have its perks.

The fact that this book was written right after World War II had ended makes me realize some of the connections the author was making as he was writing this novel. After WWII everyone was afraid of dictatorships. No one knew how the world would recover, but it did. What George Orwell did in his novel was he envisioned a futuristic world only 35 years into the future at the time. This alternate world was what everything could be if dictators ruled.

While I commend his imagination, I do wonder if the book could have been even better if someone with a different, more exciting, writing style had written it.

Journal #14

Unbroken is not just a book, but it is also a movie. I have seen the movie adaptation and from what I read and from what I have seen I can tell you that the movie is so much better.

I don't usually agree with this fact, but seeing everything occur in front of you; seeing the action, the fear in peoples eyes, the situations that he was put in; all of it was so much more clear in the movie then when I was reading the book.

I felt more for him and for his story when I saw what he was going through, then when I was reading the words off of the page. There was more emotion put into the movie than what was put into the book.

This was probably because of the fact that the book was not written by the person who actually went through the events stated. If Louis would have written his own story, maybe the book would be more compelling to me, but from where I stand, the movie was the better of the two.

Journal #13

Unbroken is a novel based on a true story. Louis Zamperini is the main character, an olympic runner who survives a plane crash in World War II.

This novel is filled with pages upon pages of information on planes used in the military at that time. Every chapter is a new life and death moment that this man has gone through. You can learn lessons from everything that he does in his life, even if it is just him practicing running.

But, for all the good things in this book, I was just not able to "get into it". Maybe it was the genre; biographies have never appealed to me as much as any other book. Maybe it was the fact that the author went on and on about planes; a subject that can get boring after a whole chapter explaining what functions it all has. Or maybe it was the fact that it took too long to get to the adventure or climax of the story. Whatever it was, I was not able to finish the book.

I would not recommend this book to anyone who is not a history buff or does not like biographies.

Free Blog 5

Reading multiple books at a single time is both a gift and a curse.

On one hand, you get so many stories at once. You bring a different book to any different place you go; you will never be alone :) The stories are so intriguing you just can't stop, but when you do end up switching, you can experience a whole new different set of emotions in a matter of minutes because the story lines are completely different.

But, on the other hand, you get sooo many stories at once. They all end up blending together even when you try to keep them separate. You end up bringing so many books with you wherever you go; you are NEVER alone! The stories are so intriguing that you just don't want to stop, but then you need to because you have to find out what happens in the other books because your mind can't stop racing a mile a minute. Then, when you switch, you experience a whole different set of emotions, it is like a sneak peek into the life of someone who is bi-polar! The story lines are completely different, yet you want to keep reading them all at once, but you are only human.

Books are like any other craving in the world; too much of a good thing, won't be good for long. As they say, "Too much darkness can kill, but too much light can blind." You must find a happy medium.