the last section left off with Alice and Jasper surprisingly running away from the Cullen clan. the family questions their whereabouts for Alice has never stayed away from home for this long. Carlisle and Edward decide that it would be best to sniff out the scent of the missing vampires and are joined by the rest of the group. they come to a dead end on the border the the vampire-werewolf territory. Sam reveals that Alice and Jasper asked permission to cross the land to the ocean and that all they left was a note. the note basically told the family not to look for Alice and Jasper, that it was too dangerous.
Bella notices that the note was written on a page from one of her books. So she goes back to their cottage and found the book that Alice ripped the page from. Next to the feathered edge left by the torn page was another note that said "destroy this" with a name and address below. Bella tries to hunt down J. Jenks on the internet without Edward's knowledge. all she can discover is that he is a lawyer in Seattle but his address doesn't match up to the one that Alice had given her.
the Denali clan arrives at the house because Carlisle told them that their family was in trouble. Edward explains that Renesmee is not what Irina thought her to be. That she is in fact half human and half vampire. the young child wins over the hearts of the Denali's with her sweet smile and exquisite storytelling gift. the Denali's agree to be a witness at the Volturi encounter.
the rest of the section describes the supernatural powers of the new vampires and of the Volturi and their reason for coming to Forks. the Denali clan consists of Eleazer, Carmen, Tanya, Kate, and Irina. Eleazer used to be on the Volturi council but voluntarily left. He can sense another vampires special powers and even certain traits in humans. This is how he comes to characterize Bella as a "shield". she is a protector of herself and with some help could possibly protect those around her--including Renesmee. Edward can read minds. Renesmee can show you her thoughts with the touch of her hand. Alice can see the future. Jasper can control the mood setting. Kate can produce a current over her skin so that if someone touches her she can shock them. Now for the Volturi. Jane can cause excruciating pain by focusing on a person. Aro can read a persons mind with the touch of his hand. Demetri can take away as many peoples senses away as he wants--sight, sound, touch, taste, smell--which is very effective during a fight.
Showing posts with label Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiction. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Breaking Dawn pg. 512-553
The beginning of this chapter is fun and light with an arm-wrestling competition between Bella and the strongest vampire of the clan, Emmett. However, because Bella is a newborn vampire, she is supposedly stronger than any other vampire, due to the human blood that remains in her tissues. High stakes are attached to this arm-wrestling match: if Bella wins then Emmett cannot say one more word about Bella's sex life--including allusions and innuendos, and if Emmett wins then he claims it will get a lot worse. You would think that an arm-wrestle would be completely harmless, however, the vampires are so strong that they have to take it, literally, outside to a boulder in order to avoid destroying Esme's favorite antique table. Once the competition begins, Bella lets Emmett sweat a little bit because she enjoys the force of his harm not advancing over hers. She quickly becomes bored and bashes Emmett's arm against the boulder. After Bella realizes her strength, she passes the time crushing the boulder into smithereens. Suddenly, the sun comes out from behind the clouds and Renesmee lavishes at the diamond facets that her mother's skin (and every other vampire's) has become. The young girl places her arm next to her mother's and also discovers the faint shimmer of her milky skin.
The happy day soon takes a turn. While Jake, Renesmee, and Bella are hunting near the open field, Bella notices a shimmering gold and silver figure up on the mountain ridge. She quickly pegged her to be Irina based on her sharp ice blonde hair and stern facial expression. Irina looks down in the woods and notices Jake and Renesmee and soon takes off. Bella's motherly instincts kick in and she runs to her best friend and daughter as she calls Edward to let him know whats going on. Turns out that Irina's partner was Laurent--who was killed by the wolves in the third book. Vampires don't handle vengeance lightly, so Bella just assumed that Irina was back to fight for her destroyed love. However, she and her sisters are friends with the Cullens thus it was unlikely that she would fight them. Irina's actual problem is with Renesmee, the somewhat immortal child. Irina lost her mother because of an immortal child many centuries ago and still feels the need to eliminate any immortal children today. So Alice sees her decision to go to the Volturi and tell them that there is an immortal child still alive and that she must be destroyed. The Volturi agree and plan on meeting the Cullens in about a month to destroy the pretty little girl (who is really only half-immortal) as well as to check on Bella's status. So basically, there's a really big mess about to unfold due to a complete misunderstanding and i predict that lives will be lost.
The happy day soon takes a turn. While Jake, Renesmee, and Bella are hunting near the open field, Bella notices a shimmering gold and silver figure up on the mountain ridge. She quickly pegged her to be Irina based on her sharp ice blonde hair and stern facial expression. Irina looks down in the woods and notices Jake and Renesmee and soon takes off. Bella's motherly instincts kick in and she runs to her best friend and daughter as she calls Edward to let him know whats going on. Turns out that Irina's partner was Laurent--who was killed by the wolves in the third book. Vampires don't handle vengeance lightly, so Bella just assumed that Irina was back to fight for her destroyed love. However, she and her sisters are friends with the Cullens thus it was unlikely that she would fight them. Irina's actual problem is with Renesmee, the somewhat immortal child. Irina lost her mother because of an immortal child many centuries ago and still feels the need to eliminate any immortal children today. So Alice sees her decision to go to the Volturi and tell them that there is an immortal child still alive and that she must be destroyed. The Volturi agree and plan on meeting the Cullens in about a month to destroy the pretty little girl (who is really only half-immortal) as well as to check on Bella's status. So basically, there's a really big mess about to unfold due to a complete misunderstanding and i predict that lives will be lost.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Breaking Dawn pg. 451-511
Not much has happened in the past sixty pages. The Cullen family fixes up a little cottage in the forest for Edward and Bella and Renesmee to live in as a wedding gift. of course it is adorned with a closet the same size as the house thanks to Alice filled with silk and satin gowns--completely impractical for a newborn vampire. really, the highlight of this section has to deal with Jake. he told Charlie (Bella's dad) about pretty much everything, but not really at the same time. He revealed his animal ways to him by phasing, explaining that he is a werewolf. Charlie cringes at the word before Jake can even get it out. Jake continues to explain that Bella was indeed sick and that in order to get better she had to change a little bit too. Bella freaks out when she discovers that Jake told Charlie all of this as she worries for her fathers life. Either she wouldn't be able to control herself around her human father or the Volturi would kill him if based on his insight knowledge. a sigh of relief is expressed when Jake tells the clan that Charlie has asked to know as little as possible about the situation. He just wants to see her daughter. Oh, and Renesmee is supposedly Edwards niece that he and Bella have adopted. However, as soon as Charlie sees the young girl, he can not get over those big brown eyes. Her mother's big brown eyes. His big brown eyes. Only time will tell if Charlie can line up the facts and figure out what is really going on but who knows.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Breaking Dawn 399-451
This has got to be one of the slowest books i've ever read. I'm half way thru it here's all thats really happened:
Bella and Edward got married.
They go on a honeymoon for a long time on some remote island that the Cullen's own.
Bella gets pregnant. By her vampire husband.
They return home and the baby grows at an alarming rate--as it breaks her bones.
Bella has to drink human blood to keep the baby healthy.
Bella gives birth to her baby girl and about dies, therefore Edward has to bite her.
She turns into a vampire.
Okay now that were all caught up, here's the new stuff:
The book switches from Jake's point of view back to Bella's. She wakes up with an acute sense of sight--noticing everything from the grains in the wood to the dust particles stirred up in the air. She becomes even more beautiful than she was before and much more graceful. She is so caught up in her new speed and strength that she almost forgets about her newborn baby. She asks to see her daughter, Renesmee (a combo of her mother Rene and Edward's mother Esme). She is denied this wish because the rest of the vampires know that as a newborn vampire, constantly craving human blood, she could possibly hurt her daughter.
So Bella and Edward go out into the woods on Bella's first hunt. Edward doesn't realize the innocent humans not far from them in the woods which is a major mistake when there is a newborn vampire on the loose. Bella is in mid-hunt of the humans when she suddenly realizes that what she is doing is wrong, so she stops herself. This amount of self control is not common in newborn vampires. Bella has brought forth her innocent nature as a human to her vampire life. She soon enough finds a mountain lion to feed on and some deer here and there. After she is full she asks to see her daughter once more.
Now i've said that this book is really slow so i'll try to speed the next thirty pages up a bit. Bella and Edward race home but are stopped by Jake right before the house. He wants to see how strong Bella really is before he lets her see Renesmee. Bella thinks that Jake is just looking out for her and trying to keep her from doing something she would regret. However, Jake has imprinted on Bella's daughter which is the real reason behind his over-protective behavior. Bella doesn't realize this until after she holds her baby girl and Jake won't let go of her. As soon as Bella understands what is really going on she starts going off on Jake. Although Bella doesnt make any attempt of an attack on Jake (which Carlisle is amazed by) Jake's pack comes to defend him, adjusting themselves on either side of him. Bella can't take it anymore and the chapter ends with, "And she lunged toward his throat."
Bella and Edward got married.
They go on a honeymoon for a long time on some remote island that the Cullen's own.
Bella gets pregnant. By her vampire husband.
They return home and the baby grows at an alarming rate--as it breaks her bones.
Bella has to drink human blood to keep the baby healthy.
Bella gives birth to her baby girl and about dies, therefore Edward has to bite her.
She turns into a vampire.
Okay now that were all caught up, here's the new stuff:
The book switches from Jake's point of view back to Bella's. She wakes up with an acute sense of sight--noticing everything from the grains in the wood to the dust particles stirred up in the air. She becomes even more beautiful than she was before and much more graceful. She is so caught up in her new speed and strength that she almost forgets about her newborn baby. She asks to see her daughter, Renesmee (a combo of her mother Rene and Edward's mother Esme). She is denied this wish because the rest of the vampires know that as a newborn vampire, constantly craving human blood, she could possibly hurt her daughter.
So Bella and Edward go out into the woods on Bella's first hunt. Edward doesn't realize the innocent humans not far from them in the woods which is a major mistake when there is a newborn vampire on the loose. Bella is in mid-hunt of the humans when she suddenly realizes that what she is doing is wrong, so she stops herself. This amount of self control is not common in newborn vampires. Bella has brought forth her innocent nature as a human to her vampire life. She soon enough finds a mountain lion to feed on and some deer here and there. After she is full she asks to see her daughter once more.
Now i've said that this book is really slow so i'll try to speed the next thirty pages up a bit. Bella and Edward race home but are stopped by Jake right before the house. He wants to see how strong Bella really is before he lets her see Renesmee. Bella thinks that Jake is just looking out for her and trying to keep her from doing something she would regret. However, Jake has imprinted on Bella's daughter which is the real reason behind his over-protective behavior. Bella doesn't realize this until after she holds her baby girl and Jake won't let go of her. As soon as Bella understands what is really going on she starts going off on Jake. Although Bella doesnt make any attempt of an attack on Jake (which Carlisle is amazed by) Jake's pack comes to defend him, adjusting themselves on either side of him. Bella can't take it anymore and the chapter ends with, "And she lunged toward his throat."
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Breaking Dawn 185-224
Jake furiously runs to the Cullen residence in order to check in on Bella's condition only to discover that the reason she is sick is because she is pregnant with nobody knows what. Edward speaks to Jake a fair distance away from the house so none of the Cullens could hear the conversation. Jake describes Edward's facial expression and body language of being that of a man burning at the stake, full of pain and anguish. Edward begs Jake to talk Bella out of having the baby that could possibly kill her; he even tells Jake that if a baby is what Bella wants then she can destroy this one and have a baby with Jake. Jake desperately attempts to talk Bella out of going through this pregnancy yet no matter how hard he tries she has made up her mind. Even if it kills her, she is willing to carry the blood-sucking baby. She says that if Edward changes her from a human to a vampire that she has a chance of living, but its not a guarantee. Jake now finds himself wishing that Edward would change her when before he couldn't imagine the act.
Jake returns to the pack to inform them of Bella's condition. Sam ultimately jumps to the conclusion that the baby is a danger to their families along with the rest of the town, and under the vampire/wolf treaty, it is the pack's duty to protect the humans of the dangers of a vampire; even if that means killing Bella and the rest of the Cullen clan--who, to Seth, are people, which would contradict the treaty. This logic does not stop Sam who believes that they must attack that night. This breaks Jakes heart. He is not capable of destroying the love of his life or the kindhearted doctor or the rest of the clan for that matter. And after fighting alongside the vampires last spring, Seth has formed a friendship with the Cullens. With Sam being the Alpha of the pack, Seth and Jake have no choice but to listen to his orders.
However, Jake remembers that Alpha blood runs through his veins. He was the natural born leader of the pack but gave the authority to Sam when the pack was first created. But giving Sam the Alpha position does not mean that Jake loses his natural born right. After realizing this, Jake confronts Sam about what he is doing is wrong and tells him that he doesn't have to fall to Sam's every command. Jake decides to return to the Cullen residence and forewarn them of the attack of the wolves. As he is running, Jake suddenly realizes that it is very quiet. Not physically quiet in the forest but in his head. Because he has left the pack, Jake's thoughts are no longer connected with his brothers. However, not long after this realization, he hears this annoying, non-stopping voice in his head. After listening carefully he discovers that Seth has left Sam's pack to join Jake's pack.
Jake returns to the pack to inform them of Bella's condition. Sam ultimately jumps to the conclusion that the baby is a danger to their families along with the rest of the town, and under the vampire/wolf treaty, it is the pack's duty to protect the humans of the dangers of a vampire; even if that means killing Bella and the rest of the Cullen clan--who, to Seth, are people, which would contradict the treaty. This logic does not stop Sam who believes that they must attack that night. This breaks Jakes heart. He is not capable of destroying the love of his life or the kindhearted doctor or the rest of the clan for that matter. And after fighting alongside the vampires last spring, Seth has formed a friendship with the Cullens. With Sam being the Alpha of the pack, Seth and Jake have no choice but to listen to his orders.
However, Jake remembers that Alpha blood runs through his veins. He was the natural born leader of the pack but gave the authority to Sam when the pack was first created. But giving Sam the Alpha position does not mean that Jake loses his natural born right. After realizing this, Jake confronts Sam about what he is doing is wrong and tells him that he doesn't have to fall to Sam's every command. Jake decides to return to the Cullen residence and forewarn them of the attack of the wolves. As he is running, Jake suddenly realizes that it is very quiet. Not physically quiet in the forest but in his head. Because he has left the pack, Jake's thoughts are no longer connected with his brothers. However, not long after this realization, he hears this annoying, non-stopping voice in his head. After listening carefully he discovers that Seth has left Sam's pack to join Jake's pack.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Breaking Dawn pg. 139-184
I began reading the first part of Book Two: Jacob last night and so far I like it. I like it better than Bella's point of view mainly because its a different, less annoying outlook on the situation this circle of characters are in. The second book of the Twilight Saga, New Moon, provides an insight to the Quileute legends of the wolves of the reasoning behind their existence. I thouroughly enjoyed the legends and I am looking forward to follow Jacob further into his journey of saving Bella from immortality even though I highly doubt he will succeed.
The first part of Jake's book is him describing how he feels about the imprinting going on within the pack. Imprinting is when a wolf lays eyes on the woman of his dreams that was destined for him, no matter what age they are. For example, Quil has imprinted on a toddler girl, Clair. As of right now, they share a father daughter relationship, but once she is older they will assume a romantic relationship. Kind of creepy, I know, but does it sound less creepy that he won't be an old man when she grows up because he wont age? I dont know, I thought that made the circumstances a little better.
Everything is pretty plain until Jake and Quil hear the cry of a wolf coming from the forest. This is a call of order for the pack. Jake races into the forest and waits until he is well hidden from public eye to phase (into a werewolf). The pack phases rather than staying in their human forms because they can hear each other's thoughts while in their wolf form. Jake has been waiting for the news of whether Edward will bring Bella home "dead" (immortal) or not at all (because he killed her). He believes now that he is about to hear the answer to his wonder. Sam, the Alpha leader, reveals that Bella is home and has been quarantined due to a disease she picked up in South America on her honeymoon. Charlie is freaking out because even he is not allowed to see her. Jake of course takes this news as being Bella is now a vampire however he is greatly wrong. Bella is in fact pregnant and Carlisle has to surgically remove the fetus in order to save Bella's life. Lacking the true information, Jake decides that he is going to say goodbye to his father and runaway like he did when he discovered Bella was engaged to Edward.
The first part of Jake's book is him describing how he feels about the imprinting going on within the pack. Imprinting is when a wolf lays eyes on the woman of his dreams that was destined for him, no matter what age they are. For example, Quil has imprinted on a toddler girl, Clair. As of right now, they share a father daughter relationship, but once she is older they will assume a romantic relationship. Kind of creepy, I know, but does it sound less creepy that he won't be an old man when she grows up because he wont age? I dont know, I thought that made the circumstances a little better.
Everything is pretty plain until Jake and Quil hear the cry of a wolf coming from the forest. This is a call of order for the pack. Jake races into the forest and waits until he is well hidden from public eye to phase (into a werewolf). The pack phases rather than staying in their human forms because they can hear each other's thoughts while in their wolf form. Jake has been waiting for the news of whether Edward will bring Bella home "dead" (immortal) or not at all (because he killed her). He believes now that he is about to hear the answer to his wonder. Sam, the Alpha leader, reveals that Bella is home and has been quarantined due to a disease she picked up in South America on her honeymoon. Charlie is freaking out because even he is not allowed to see her. Jake of course takes this news as being Bella is now a vampire however he is greatly wrong. Bella is in fact pregnant and Carlisle has to surgically remove the fetus in order to save Bella's life. Lacking the true information, Jake decides that he is going to say goodbye to his father and runaway like he did when he discovered Bella was engaged to Edward.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Breaking Dawn pg. 98-138
I just completed Book One: Bella. The past forty pages were pretty uneventful. After destroying the down pillows and comforter, Edward has to call in Kaure and Gustavo to clean the lavish house up. The Portuguese housekeepers believe in legends of the vampires however their legend is slightly different from those around the world; their culture believes in the Libishomen--a blood-drinking demon who preys exclusively on beautiful women. It is understandable that the Portuguese woman suspects Edward to be a vampire one, because Edward is a vampire, and two, because he has Bella all alone in this large house on a remote island.
Bella begins to have very realistic dreams every night while on the island. She claims they are vivid and colorful and so realistic that she doesn't even realize she is dreaming until she wakes up. She dreams of this fair-skinned beautiful little boy with green eyes and the Volturi surrounding them. That is all that is revealed about her dreams. Other strange occurrences start to unfold. Bella is constantly sleeping and constantly hungry. One morning she suddenly feels sick to her stomach and pukes multiple times that morning. It's obvious that she is pregnant but the odd thing is that she already has a bump that she refers to as her nudge. She frantically calls Carlisle who determines that she is indeed pregnant. Edward arranges for them to return home immediately so Carlisle could "get that thing" out of her. Bella, frozen and not quite registering the situation, feels heart-broken that Edward would say such a thing.
Before leaving, Edward argues with the Portuguese woman in what seems to be an alien language to Bella. She did understand one thing. The woman placed her hands on Bella's stomach and quietly said, "morte." If you've taken any foreign language its not hard to figure out that that means dead. Bella makes one last phone call before leaving the island. She calls Rosalie, her stand-offish sister-in-law and begs "Please. You have to help me."
Bella begins to have very realistic dreams every night while on the island. She claims they are vivid and colorful and so realistic that she doesn't even realize she is dreaming until she wakes up. She dreams of this fair-skinned beautiful little boy with green eyes and the Volturi surrounding them. That is all that is revealed about her dreams. Other strange occurrences start to unfold. Bella is constantly sleeping and constantly hungry. One morning she suddenly feels sick to her stomach and pukes multiple times that morning. It's obvious that she is pregnant but the odd thing is that she already has a bump that she refers to as her nudge. She frantically calls Carlisle who determines that she is indeed pregnant. Edward arranges for them to return home immediately so Carlisle could "get that thing" out of her. Bella, frozen and not quite registering the situation, feels heart-broken that Edward would say such a thing.
Before leaving, Edward argues with the Portuguese woman in what seems to be an alien language to Bella. She did understand one thing. The woman placed her hands on Bella's stomach and quietly said, "morte." If you've taken any foreign language its not hard to figure out that that means dead. Bella makes one last phone call before leaving the island. She calls Rosalie, her stand-offish sister-in-law and begs "Please. You have to help me."
Breaking Dawn pg. 58-98
Bella and Edward's wedding is quietly interrupted as Edward introduces his surprise wedding gift to his bride. He discreetly leads Bella to the dark shadows of the yard where her best-friend, and best-man Jacob awaits. Edward painfully leaves them alone even though he does not completely trust the werewolf in disguise. Jacob attempts to act happy for Bella but it never fails...he of course gets all upset about how it's wrong for her to be with Edward and become a "blood-sucker" and how "life would as easy as breathing" if she were to choose him. Give it up Jake. She's already married. And rather than just leaving, the situation becomes in need of a vampire and three werewolves to get Jake to leave without causing a big scene. I know he's in love with her and all but really get over it. Jake's already told her that it's her decision and that he'll have to live with whatever she decides. Well I'd say marrying the vampire was a pretty clear decision for a vampire-life but now Jake's not living with it. He continues to fight it which is all he ever does and it gets old.
Anyway, Edward and Bella return to the dance floor as they force themselves to forget the possible catastrophe. It's not long before Alice butts in to drag Bella away from Edward in order to get her changed for the flight to their unknown destination honeymoon. I know Alice is just trying to help, but please, give the couple thirty seconds to themselves without interrupting for once. Bella changes and comes back downstairs to listen to the farewells of her family members before her and Edward drive off to the airport. She says goodbye to her mother and father for the last time; after she becomes a vampire she will not be permitted to see them in fear of killing and eating them. and I though my family had problems haha
The newlyweds arrive in Rio de Janero where Edward drives a speed boat to a solitary island known as Isle Esme--named after his mother. Carlisle, his father, had given the island to his wife as a wedding gift so it was just perfect for Edward and Bella to spend their honeymoon there as well. The wedding night is traditionally the first night that a couple becomes one however I didn't even realize this act happened until i was halfway through Bella and Edwards conversation about it. It was during this conversation that I first felt any sympathy towards Bella. She was just describing how wonderful it felt to wake up next to Edward after the previous night and that she was the happiest she had ever been. But then Edward, the insecure pessimistic creature that he is, had to ruin it all by being depressing and sad because he had left Bella bruised. What did he expect? He's a super-strong vampire. Of course he is going to hurt her. Even after Bella tries to reassure him that she is fine he flips out while beating himself up over nothing. He finally realizes that Bella is indeed okay and finally decides to move on by making her breakfast.
After re-reading this it sounds like I can't stand the characters of this book at all. Which is true. They are all just so extreme and it drives me nuts yet I can't put the book down.
Anyway, Edward and Bella return to the dance floor as they force themselves to forget the possible catastrophe. It's not long before Alice butts in to drag Bella away from Edward in order to get her changed for the flight to their unknown destination honeymoon. I know Alice is just trying to help, but please, give the couple thirty seconds to themselves without interrupting for once. Bella changes and comes back downstairs to listen to the farewells of her family members before her and Edward drive off to the airport. She says goodbye to her mother and father for the last time; after she becomes a vampire she will not be permitted to see them in fear of killing and eating them. and I though my family had problems haha
The newlyweds arrive in Rio de Janero where Edward drives a speed boat to a solitary island known as Isle Esme--named after his mother. Carlisle, his father, had given the island to his wife as a wedding gift so it was just perfect for Edward and Bella to spend their honeymoon there as well. The wedding night is traditionally the first night that a couple becomes one however I didn't even realize this act happened until i was halfway through Bella and Edwards conversation about it. It was during this conversation that I first felt any sympathy towards Bella. She was just describing how wonderful it felt to wake up next to Edward after the previous night and that she was the happiest she had ever been. But then Edward, the insecure pessimistic creature that he is, had to ruin it all by being depressing and sad because he had left Bella bruised. What did he expect? He's a super-strong vampire. Of course he is going to hurt her. Even after Bella tries to reassure him that she is fine he flips out while beating himself up over nothing. He finally realizes that Bella is indeed okay and finally decides to move on by making her breakfast.
After re-reading this it sounds like I can't stand the characters of this book at all. Which is true. They are all just so extreme and it drives me nuts yet I can't put the book down.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Breaking Dawn pg. 39-57
The big day has finally arrived. Alice pampers Bella all day long complete with facials and manicures. Rosalie, Bella's other future sister-in-law who has always had a strained relationship with Bella, even offers to do her hair. Bella is taken back by this little gesture but greatly appreciates it. As Bella awkwardly puts on her wedding dress, her mother gushes over how beautiful she looks and gives her two hair combs with sapphires placed on them: "something blue."
Okay so I have ten minutes until The Bachelor comes on so this is going to be short and sweet. Basically Edward and Bella have a very traditional wedding and reception even though their lifestyle together will be anything but traditional. Kind of ironic. She walks down the aisle clinging to her father's arm because she's too awkward and clumsy to walk (please, come on, get a hold of yourself) as she intently stares at Edward. They say traditional vows finishing with "I do" although they change the "'til death do us part" to a more appropriate "for as long as we both shall live" which if all goes well is forever. The ceremony is followed with a traditional reception complete with all of the greetings of congratulations, eating the wedding cake, and a first dance. I'm excited to see how the wedding is portrayed in the movie coming out this fall mainly because I want to see her dress. I'm a girl and thats all I care about of course.
Well, irrational, dramatic, stupid girls fighting over the marriage proposal from a guy they've known for six weeks is calling my name. The show is unbelievably cheesy yet I love it and can't get enough...much like the Twilight Saga.......
Okay so I have ten minutes until The Bachelor comes on so this is going to be short and sweet. Basically Edward and Bella have a very traditional wedding and reception even though their lifestyle together will be anything but traditional. Kind of ironic. She walks down the aisle clinging to her father's arm because she's too awkward and clumsy to walk (please, come on, get a hold of yourself) as she intently stares at Edward. They say traditional vows finishing with "I do" although they change the "'til death do us part" to a more appropriate "for as long as we both shall live" which if all goes well is forever. The ceremony is followed with a traditional reception complete with all of the greetings of congratulations, eating the wedding cake, and a first dance. I'm excited to see how the wedding is portrayed in the movie coming out this fall mainly because I want to see her dress. I'm a girl and thats all I care about of course.
Well, irrational, dramatic, stupid girls fighting over the marriage proposal from a guy they've known for six weeks is calling my name. The show is unbelievably cheesy yet I love it and can't get enough...much like the Twilight Saga.......
Breaking Dawn pg. 1-38
So I just started the fourth installment of the "Twilight Saga" last week. This is pathetic because I read the first three books one after another and the fourth one, Breaking Dawn, has been sitting on the top of one of my closet shelves for the past two or three years. I loved the first three books but could never bring myself to pick up the last one. If this doesn't tell you how much I dislike reading then I don't know what will.
Breaking Dawn begins like the first three books with Bella talking about death. Imagine that. She finally agreed to marry Edward in the previous book in return for eternal life as a vampire. Alice, her upbeat future sister-in-law, is in charge of the wedding plans of course while Bella dreads it all. Of course. Bella comes home from the gas station to find Charlie, her father, all dressed up in his tux for his final fitting. Charlie, understandably, is not too thrilled about his eighteen-year-old daughter getting married right out of high school. In fact, the only reason he approved the engagement was because he was sure that Bella's mother would greatly disapprove. Little did he know that she would gush with happiness in hearing the good news.
Anyway, if you have read this series you will understand that the characters have not changed one bit; Charlie still keeps to himself as he plunges through the awkwardness between him and his daughter, Alice is still peppy and tries to push Bella into situations she would usually defer from, Edward is still annoying and overly protective of his love, and Bella--Bella is just as annoying and awkward and stubborn and frustrating and clueless as she is in the first three books. These characters lack true depth and I can't stand most of them yet I continue to read the books and fall in love with the movies. I don't know what it is but I can't get enough.
Breaking Dawn begins like the first three books with Bella talking about death. Imagine that. She finally agreed to marry Edward in the previous book in return for eternal life as a vampire. Alice, her upbeat future sister-in-law, is in charge of the wedding plans of course while Bella dreads it all. Of course. Bella comes home from the gas station to find Charlie, her father, all dressed up in his tux for his final fitting. Charlie, understandably, is not too thrilled about his eighteen-year-old daughter getting married right out of high school. In fact, the only reason he approved the engagement was because he was sure that Bella's mother would greatly disapprove. Little did he know that she would gush with happiness in hearing the good news.
Anyway, if you have read this series you will understand that the characters have not changed one bit; Charlie still keeps to himself as he plunges through the awkwardness between him and his daughter, Alice is still peppy and tries to push Bella into situations she would usually defer from, Edward is still annoying and overly protective of his love, and Bella--Bella is just as annoying and awkward and stubborn and frustrating and clueless as she is in the first three books. These characters lack true depth and I can't stand most of them yet I continue to read the books and fall in love with the movies. I don't know what it is but I can't get enough.
Monday, February 7, 2011
All the Pretty Horses pg. 181-217
John Grady and Rawlins are now stranded in a horrid, infested, brutal, and cruel Mexican prison with no sign of how long they will be entrapped there. They spend the first five days fighting for survival and the chance to see daylight one more time. The boys believe that they are being held here until they propose a bribe to the police force because they think the John Grady and Rawlins are rich--which they aren't. Perez, a wealthy prisoner, also asks the two boys for a bribe. When they don't come through--because they can't due to their financial position--Rawlins is knifed in the court yard, taken to the medical ward, and loses contact with John Grady. John Grady goes to Perez a few days later to find out where Rawlins was taken. Perez again asks John Grady to bribe and hints at what will take place if John Grady refuses. Nonetheless, he refuses the bribe and then uses the rest of his money to buy a knife in order to protect himself from the attack that will come at some point or another.
The attack occurs while he is eating in the mess hall. For some dumb reason John Grady thought it would be a good idea to sit with the loner that had black holes for eyes. Good choice John. This creepy guy, who is the assassin, tries to stab John Grady. They fight for a bit and John Grady is greatly injured however he is able to stab the assassin in the heart and break off the blade. As John Grady leaves the mess hall he collapses in the court yard and is taken to the medical ward by none other than Perez's bodyguard. How ironic.
John Grady spends days in the medical ward where he is considered a fasthealer by the doctor. He is released from the hospital with his clothes, an envelop of money, and Rawlins. They later discover that Duena Alfonsa, Alejandra's great-aunt, was the person to bail them out of jail. Pondering their past actions over a meal and coffee, Rawlins--who cries over the death of Blevins--decides that he is going to return home to Texas. John Grady, on the other hand, decides to stay in Mexico in order to reclaim their horses and win over the heart of Alejandra.
I actually enjoyed this section, especially towards the end of it. The action that accumulated in the prison and the brutal outcome of the dangerous events provided an actual entertaining plot. I also liked how Rawlins and John Grady decided to part ways. Yeah they are best friends and partners and crime, but I feel that with Rawlins gone we can focus solely on John Grady and the results of his journey to Mexico. Hopefully John Grady's character is more clearly developed with the absence of Blevins and Rawlins.
The attack occurs while he is eating in the mess hall. For some dumb reason John Grady thought it would be a good idea to sit with the loner that had black holes for eyes. Good choice John. This creepy guy, who is the assassin, tries to stab John Grady. They fight for a bit and John Grady is greatly injured however he is able to stab the assassin in the heart and break off the blade. As John Grady leaves the mess hall he collapses in the court yard and is taken to the medical ward by none other than Perez's bodyguard. How ironic.
John Grady spends days in the medical ward where he is considered a fasthealer by the doctor. He is released from the hospital with his clothes, an envelop of money, and Rawlins. They later discover that Duena Alfonsa, Alejandra's great-aunt, was the person to bail them out of jail. Pondering their past actions over a meal and coffee, Rawlins--who cries over the death of Blevins--decides that he is going to return home to Texas. John Grady, on the other hand, decides to stay in Mexico in order to reclaim their horses and win over the heart of Alejandra.
I actually enjoyed this section, especially towards the end of it. The action that accumulated in the prison and the brutal outcome of the dangerous events provided an actual entertaining plot. I also liked how Rawlins and John Grady decided to part ways. Yeah they are best friends and partners and crime, but I feel that with Rawlins gone we can focus solely on John Grady and the results of his journey to Mexico. Hopefully John Grady's character is more clearly developed with the absence of Blevins and Rawlins.
All the Pretty Horses pg. 133-181
well it has been about a week since I've read this section so my recap might be a tad bit rough but here we go. When returning the black stallion to the stables, John Grady is spotted by Duena Alfonsa, Alejandra's aunt. She asks to meet with him in the house the next day. After a challenging game of chess, the aunt forbids John Grady from being seen with Alejandra. She claims that her niece has a reputation to uphold and that in Mexico that is all a girl has. However, a couple nights later Alejandra meets John Grady at night and they begin to secretly ride the horses throughout the ranch under the stars and even skinny dip a bit.
Scandal begins when John Grady plays pool with Don Hector who informs him that Alejandra is being sent for schooling in France. He and Alejandra had made love numerous times in the week before and John Grady is crushed to hear the news....and even more hurt when he discovers a week later that Alejandra was not in France but being kept in the ranch house. John Grady and Rawlins believe that Don Hector had found out about the affair and was trekking in the woods to hunt John Grady down and kill him. Fortunately this did not happen however a couple days later John Grady and Rawlins were picked up by the five Mexican soldiers who had previously visited the ranch looking for the two American boys.
The boys are taken north to the city of Encantada where they find Blevins stuck in the same prison as them. Instead of escaping once he regained his horse, Blevins went back to the city to reclaim his gun which ended with him killing a man and landing himself a spot in jail. The local police captain later questions Rawlins, accuses him of murder and impersonation, and then tortures him until he confesses to crimes he did not commit. The captain also questions John Grady but does not torture him. A couple days later, while being transferred to the prison in Saltillo, Blevins is shot and killed by the police force.
I found this section much more interesting than the last. This may be because it gave me answers to questions such as what happened to Blevins, and if the two boys would ever find Blevins again, and what Blevins present condition was. Plus, to be honest, I couldn't stand Blevins. I thought he was annoying and immature and was nothing but trouble for John Grady and Rawlins. With that said, I'm glad that he was killed. I've already read the next section, but if I hadn't I would now be saying how hopefully things will start looking up for John Grady and Rawlins with Blevins out of the picture--but who am I kidding? They are on their way to prison....in Mexico. There's no way things are getting better for them at this point.
Scandal begins when John Grady plays pool with Don Hector who informs him that Alejandra is being sent for schooling in France. He and Alejandra had made love numerous times in the week before and John Grady is crushed to hear the news....and even more hurt when he discovers a week later that Alejandra was not in France but being kept in the ranch house. John Grady and Rawlins believe that Don Hector had found out about the affair and was trekking in the woods to hunt John Grady down and kill him. Fortunately this did not happen however a couple days later John Grady and Rawlins were picked up by the five Mexican soldiers who had previously visited the ranch looking for the two American boys.
The boys are taken north to the city of Encantada where they find Blevins stuck in the same prison as them. Instead of escaping once he regained his horse, Blevins went back to the city to reclaim his gun which ended with him killing a man and landing himself a spot in jail. The local police captain later questions Rawlins, accuses him of murder and impersonation, and then tortures him until he confesses to crimes he did not commit. The captain also questions John Grady but does not torture him. A couple days later, while being transferred to the prison in Saltillo, Blevins is shot and killed by the police force.
I found this section much more interesting than the last. This may be because it gave me answers to questions such as what happened to Blevins, and if the two boys would ever find Blevins again, and what Blevins present condition was. Plus, to be honest, I couldn't stand Blevins. I thought he was annoying and immature and was nothing but trouble for John Grady and Rawlins. With that said, I'm glad that he was killed. I've already read the next section, but if I hadn't I would now be saying how hopefully things will start looking up for John Grady and Rawlins with Blevins out of the picture--but who am I kidding? They are on their way to prison....in Mexico. There's no way things are getting better for them at this point.
Monday, January 31, 2011
The Devil in the White City pg. 198-242
The beginning of 1893 was looking to be a promising year for Holmes. His pharmacy scams were taking off, his apartment complexes on the second floor were all set up, he had produced his own pill for curing alcoholism, and he now had two homes. Yeah, it was all looking good until the police started showing up to his drug store more frequently on the accounts of Julia Conner and Emeline Cigard. The parents of these two young women had separately hired "eyes" to dwell in Chicago searching for their beloved daughters. This cause Holmes to fret quite a bit until he pieced together that neither of the families suspected him to have anything to do with the disappearance of their daughters.
With this newly found information, Holmes quickly returned to his old ways. He was falling behind in paperwork and records at the drug store since the unfortunate disappearance of Emeline and was in desperate need of a new secretary. Fortunate enough for him, he knew the perfect girl to contact.
Her name was Minnie Williams. She had inherited what would be around $1.5 to $3 million in today's currency from her uncle after his passing. Unlike Holmes's past interests, Minnie was by no means gorgeous. She was plain and slightly overweight, but she had money...and lots of it. Holmes was able to overlook her appearance as he was driven by the wealth he would inherit if he were to marry her and she were to mysteriously die some time afterwards.
This is exactly what Holmes did. He convinced Minnie to come to Chicago to work for him, they eventually fell in love (well she did at least) and got married. It wasn't too long after their intimate wedding at the court house that Minnie became jealous of all the other younger, more attractive women that would fawn over her husband at the drug store. However, she was so happy to be with him and to have her sister in town that she soon got over her "absurd" feelings. Holmes had charmed Minnie's sister, Annie, by taking the two girls to the World Fair many times a week. The three enjoyed riding their bikes in the White City and admiring the magnificent architecture.
There have been no signs as to how he is going to kill Minnie and Annie or if he is going to kill them at all. I found this section quite interesting mainly because he has kept the two girls around longer than twenty pages or so haha and according to him they aren't even that attractive which goes against his taste. It will be interesting to see how much longer Holmes will keep them around and whether or not he will follow his redundant routine of killing.
With this newly found information, Holmes quickly returned to his old ways. He was falling behind in paperwork and records at the drug store since the unfortunate disappearance of Emeline and was in desperate need of a new secretary. Fortunate enough for him, he knew the perfect girl to contact.
Her name was Minnie Williams. She had inherited what would be around $1.5 to $3 million in today's currency from her uncle after his passing. Unlike Holmes's past interests, Minnie was by no means gorgeous. She was plain and slightly overweight, but she had money...and lots of it. Holmes was able to overlook her appearance as he was driven by the wealth he would inherit if he were to marry her and she were to mysteriously die some time afterwards.
This is exactly what Holmes did. He convinced Minnie to come to Chicago to work for him, they eventually fell in love (well she did at least) and got married. It wasn't too long after their intimate wedding at the court house that Minnie became jealous of all the other younger, more attractive women that would fawn over her husband at the drug store. However, she was so happy to be with him and to have her sister in town that she soon got over her "absurd" feelings. Holmes had charmed Minnie's sister, Annie, by taking the two girls to the World Fair many times a week. The three enjoyed riding their bikes in the White City and admiring the magnificent architecture.
There have been no signs as to how he is going to kill Minnie and Annie or if he is going to kill them at all. I found this section quite interesting mainly because he has kept the two girls around longer than twenty pages or so haha and according to him they aren't even that attractive which goes against his taste. It will be interesting to see how much longer Holmes will keep them around and whether or not he will follow his redundant routine of killing.
The Devil in the White City pg. 162-192
With the absence of Julia Conner, Holmes is in desperate need of a new, attractive, young woman to consume his time and ice-cold, blue gazes. This is where Emeline Cigrand comes into play.
Holmes's assistant Benjamin Pitezel was sent to Dwight, Illinois to take the Keely cure for alcoholism. Upon his return, Pitezel describes Emeline as a young woman of great beauty. This was all Holmes needed to hear before he called her up to offer her a job as a secretary in which she would make twice her earnings at Keely's. It was an offer she could not refuse.
Of course it did not take long for the relationship between her and Holmes to surpass that of an employee and an employer. The spent many hours with each other riding bicycles through the park and observing the World Fair as it was being built. Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence, residents of Holmes apartment complex, soon noticed the loving relationship between him and Emeline and could not deny that they were meant for each other.
However, Mrs. Lawrence, who became good friends with Emeline, soon became suspicious when the young girl brought a Christmas gift to her three weeks in advance. Emeline had claimed that she was going to spend the holidays with her family in Lafayette, Indiana and didn't want to wait to give them the gift. A plausible explanation thought Mrs. Lawrence.
It was not long before the Lawrences had noticed the disappearance of Emeline. Holmes used his wit yet again to cover up another one of his murders by telling the couple that Emeline had run off and gotten married to a man with the name of Robert E. Phelps. In actuality, Holmes had sealed her in the air-tight, soundproof vault. To speed up her suffocation process, Holmes had added a layer of acid to the vault floor which further converted the available oxygen into carbon dioxide. Three years later, police would have discovered the footprint of Emeline engraved on the door as she furiously attempted to open it. They obviously were too late. After her death, Holmes had shipped Emeline to Chappell for her to be converted into an articulate skeleton in which he routinely sold to the college.
Holmes's assistant Benjamin Pitezel was sent to Dwight, Illinois to take the Keely cure for alcoholism. Upon his return, Pitezel describes Emeline as a young woman of great beauty. This was all Holmes needed to hear before he called her up to offer her a job as a secretary in which she would make twice her earnings at Keely's. It was an offer she could not refuse.
Of course it did not take long for the relationship between her and Holmes to surpass that of an employee and an employer. The spent many hours with each other riding bicycles through the park and observing the World Fair as it was being built. Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence, residents of Holmes apartment complex, soon noticed the loving relationship between him and Emeline and could not deny that they were meant for each other.
However, Mrs. Lawrence, who became good friends with Emeline, soon became suspicious when the young girl brought a Christmas gift to her three weeks in advance. Emeline had claimed that she was going to spend the holidays with her family in Lafayette, Indiana and didn't want to wait to give them the gift. A plausible explanation thought Mrs. Lawrence.
It was not long before the Lawrences had noticed the disappearance of Emeline. Holmes used his wit yet again to cover up another one of his murders by telling the couple that Emeline had run off and gotten married to a man with the name of Robert E. Phelps. In actuality, Holmes had sealed her in the air-tight, soundproof vault. To speed up her suffocation process, Holmes had added a layer of acid to the vault floor which further converted the available oxygen into carbon dioxide. Three years later, police would have discovered the footprint of Emeline engraved on the door as she furiously attempted to open it. They obviously were too late. After her death, Holmes had shipped Emeline to Chappell for her to be converted into an articulate skeleton in which he routinely sold to the college.
All the Pretty Horses pg. 100-132
Where to start. I was beginning to get really bored with this book. Like really bored. So bored that I fell asleep reading it during etymology last Thursday (sorry Mr. Hill). I just find the sequence of events concerning John Grady and Rawlins' travels to be redundant and uninteresting. Not to mention I know very little about Mexico and its history let alone the language, therefore I get lost in those passages talking about the mountains and dialogues spoken in the native language. However, it is required of me to log about this section so here we go.
Part II begins with John Grady and Rawlins living Grady's dream of being a cowboy and working on a ranch. John Grady quickly proves himself to be a virtuoso (VOCAB WORD!) horseman as he breaks a total of sixteen horses in only three days. The success of the two boys along with all the attention they bring to the ranch greatly impresses the ranch's foreman, Armondo, and his brother, Antonio. With this success, John Grady is promoted by the ranch owner, Don Hector. His new title is unknown, however with the promotion John Grady is moved into his own room in the stables leading to more time with the owner's daughter, Alejandra.
Alejandra invites John Grady to a dance at the local grange hall where the two teenagers strike up their first in depth conversation. It may not have been much, talking about John Grady's past and what not, but you could tell there was a spark between the two and that there will be future encounters based on Alejandra's closing remarks to the conversation:
The fact that Alejandra plants the idea that Lucia is prettier than she is into John Grady's mind acts as a tool to fish for comments. Its almost like she expected John Grady's response to the judgement of Lucia's appearance. Also, Alejandra warns John Grady to watch what he says to her. What I took from that comment was that either Alejandra is connected with another boy--which is unlikely because wouldn't he be at the dance with her?--or that her father would not accept a relationship between his aristocratic daughter and one of his simple workers. Either way, I found this section of the reading to be the most interesting. It was a nice break from all the ranch and horse talk. It was nice to unfold the beginning of Alejandra and John Grady's relationship.
Alejandra and John Grady meet once again in the stables when she demands to ride the stallion bareback and for John Grady to take her horse back to the stables. John Grady is hesitant at first but is unable to deny the wish of the one he loves. While sneaking Alejandra's horse back into the stables he is observed by a shadowy figure. This mysterious figure is not identified because John Grady refuses to turn around and is determined to get out of there.
Hopefully the next section of reading continues the development of John Grady and Alejandra's relationship because I was instantly bored again once the story deferred away from the two characters.
Part II begins with John Grady and Rawlins living Grady's dream of being a cowboy and working on a ranch. John Grady quickly proves himself to be a virtuoso (VOCAB WORD!) horseman as he breaks a total of sixteen horses in only three days. The success of the two boys along with all the attention they bring to the ranch greatly impresses the ranch's foreman, Armondo, and his brother, Antonio. With this success, John Grady is promoted by the ranch owner, Don Hector. His new title is unknown, however with the promotion John Grady is moved into his own room in the stables leading to more time with the owner's daughter, Alejandra.
Alejandra invites John Grady to a dance at the local grange hall where the two teenagers strike up their first in depth conversation. It may not have been much, talking about John Grady's past and what not, but you could tell there was a spark between the two and that there will be future encounters based on Alejandra's closing remarks to the conversation:
"I will introduce you to my friends. I will introduce you to Lucia. She is very pretty. You will see."
"I bet she aint as pretty as you."
"Oh my. You must be careful what you say. Besides it is not true. She is prettier."
The fact that Alejandra plants the idea that Lucia is prettier than she is into John Grady's mind acts as a tool to fish for comments. Its almost like she expected John Grady's response to the judgement of Lucia's appearance. Also, Alejandra warns John Grady to watch what he says to her. What I took from that comment was that either Alejandra is connected with another boy--which is unlikely because wouldn't he be at the dance with her?--or that her father would not accept a relationship between his aristocratic daughter and one of his simple workers. Either way, I found this section of the reading to be the most interesting. It was a nice break from all the ranch and horse talk. It was nice to unfold the beginning of Alejandra and John Grady's relationship.
Alejandra and John Grady meet once again in the stables when she demands to ride the stallion bareback and for John Grady to take her horse back to the stables. John Grady is hesitant at first but is unable to deny the wish of the one he loves. While sneaking Alejandra's horse back into the stables he is observed by a shadowy figure. This mysterious figure is not identified because John Grady refuses to turn around and is determined to get out of there.
Hopefully the next section of reading continues the development of John Grady and Alejandra's relationship because I was instantly bored again once the story deferred away from the two characters.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
All the Pretty Horses pg. 31-59
Well hello again. It's been a while since I've updated my thoughts on McCarthy's novel "All the Pretty Horses" (It wouldn't let me italicize or anything so I'm sorry). This is really pathetic, but I am just now posting about the section section that we read. I had this section read on time I promise, but I am horrible at keeping up with my posts. Anyway, here it is.
After reading this second section I found myself enjoying the book much more. McCarthy has finally started identifying who is talking and to whom they are talking too. This has made a big difference for me and has really helped me comprehend the story.
I also enjoyed this section because it began to introduce us into the uncivilized west and the "cowboy" personalities of both John Grady and Rawlins. The two boys sleep under the stars, catch their own food, and put up with the other's raillery. I especially enjoy Rawlins comments directed towards Blevins, the thirteen-year-old boy who has been following them on their trail. For example:
I honestly was laughing so hard when I read this and that's because it sounds like some smart ass comment my grandpa would make (he's a farmer if that helps you understand a little better haha).
Anyway, I find Blevins to be an interesting character. He's only a child and can act really immature at times, such as when he fell off the bench during dinner and was too embarrassed to sleep in the Mexican family's home. However, his mysterious manner makes him seem more mature and grown up. But then he pulls a stunt such as waking up the whole village while stealing back his horse. If he was the mature character I sometimes think him to be, you would think he would have been more careful and thought his plan out a bit more. This sudden heroic action of saving his horse does provide and example of his typical western hero side though.
Part I wraps up with John Grady and Rawlins landing their dream job of working on a ranch and settling into their new lives as cowboys, complete with a chica who just happens to be the daughter of the ranch's foreman.
After reading this second section I found myself enjoying the book much more. McCarthy has finally started identifying who is talking and to whom they are talking too. This has made a big difference for me and has really helped me comprehend the story.
I also enjoyed this section because it began to introduce us into the uncivilized west and the "cowboy" personalities of both John Grady and Rawlins. The two boys sleep under the stars, catch their own food, and put up with the other's raillery. I especially enjoy Rawlins comments directed towards Blevins, the thirteen-year-old boy who has been following them on their trail. For example:
Rawlins studied him. Your name ain't Blivet is it?
It's Blevins.
You know what a blivet is?
What.
A blivet is ten pounds of shit in a five pound sack.
I honestly was laughing so hard when I read this and that's because it sounds like some smart ass comment my grandpa would make (he's a farmer if that helps you understand a little better haha).
Anyway, I find Blevins to be an interesting character. He's only a child and can act really immature at times, such as when he fell off the bench during dinner and was too embarrassed to sleep in the Mexican family's home. However, his mysterious manner makes him seem more mature and grown up. But then he pulls a stunt such as waking up the whole village while stealing back his horse. If he was the mature character I sometimes think him to be, you would think he would have been more careful and thought his plan out a bit more. This sudden heroic action of saving his horse does provide and example of his typical western hero side though.
Part I wraps up with John Grady and Rawlins landing their dream job of working on a ranch and settling into their new lives as cowboys, complete with a chica who just happens to be the daughter of the ranch's foreman.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
All the Pretty Horses 20 Questions
SETTING
1. How would the story differ if it took place in the wild west rather than the west in the 1950s?
CHARACTER
2. Describe the relationship between Rawlins and Blevins. What do you think their relationship symbolizes?
3. Which characteristics does Blevins demonstrate of a stereotypical cowboy?
4. What is John Grady's motivation for going to Mexico? What about Rawlins or Blevins?
5. Do you believe Blevins could jeopardize the safety of John Grady and Rawlins by traveling with them?
6. Why does Blevins freak out about the thunderstorm?
7. What does John Grady's love for horses have to do with the story thus far?
8. Do you think that the boys leaving home is a sign of maturity or immaturity? Why or why not?
9. Do you think that Rawlins truly wants to leave Blevins behind? Why or why not?
ACTION
10. How would the boys' adventure be different if John Grady could not speak Spanish?
11. Why do you think Blevins left home again?
12.Do you think that Rawlins' attitude affects the other two boys? Why or why not?
13. What risks do John Grady and Rawlins take by letting Blevins travel with them?
14. How does Blevins loose his clothes?
15. Why does the Mexican man want to buy Blevins?
16. How do you think the boys' families are reacting to their disappearance?
17. In what condition do you think John Grady and Rawlins will find Blevins in? Do you think they will be reunited with him at all?
STYLE
18. How does McCormac's narration style compare and contrast to the narration style of The Lord of the Flies?
19. Which literary techniques does McCormac use to develop his characters?
20. What themes are present in the story thus far?
1. How would the story differ if it took place in the wild west rather than the west in the 1950s?
CHARACTER
2. Describe the relationship between Rawlins and Blevins. What do you think their relationship symbolizes?
3. Which characteristics does Blevins demonstrate of a stereotypical cowboy?
4. What is John Grady's motivation for going to Mexico? What about Rawlins or Blevins?
5. Do you believe Blevins could jeopardize the safety of John Grady and Rawlins by traveling with them?
6. Why does Blevins freak out about the thunderstorm?
7. What does John Grady's love for horses have to do with the story thus far?
8. Do you think that the boys leaving home is a sign of maturity or immaturity? Why or why not?
9. Do you think that Rawlins truly wants to leave Blevins behind? Why or why not?
ACTION
10. How would the boys' adventure be different if John Grady could not speak Spanish?
11. Why do you think Blevins left home again?
12.Do you think that Rawlins' attitude affects the other two boys? Why or why not?
13. What risks do John Grady and Rawlins take by letting Blevins travel with them?
14. How does Blevins loose his clothes?
15. Why does the Mexican man want to buy Blevins?
16. How do you think the boys' families are reacting to their disappearance?
17. In what condition do you think John Grady and Rawlins will find Blevins in? Do you think they will be reunited with him at all?
STYLE
18. How does McCormac's narration style compare and contrast to the narration style of The Lord of the Flies?
19. Which literary techniques does McCormac use to develop his characters?
20. What themes are present in the story thus far?
Sunday, January 9, 2011
All the Pretty Horses pg. 1-30
Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses is a nice break from the poetic and overly-descriptive novels we read during the first semester. The language is simple and easy to understand. The pages are appealing to the eye as they are broken up by short conversations as well as side stories based on different characters and their relationships.
I find this book to be enjoyable so far. In the past I have been intimidated by the books we've read. Sure I say that the long descriptions just bore me, but what I am really saying is that they intimidate me. This is because the extensive vocabulary that is used in literature is hard for me to understand. Going into a new book I try to read for comprehension, but as soon as the author uses words that are not commonly heard in everyday conversation I begin to read for completion. I get intimidated by the work. I feel belittled and therefore not smart when I can't pick up the simple message that the author is trying to convey through the educated text. The straight-forward, simplistic vocabulary that has been used so far in All the Pretty Horses makes me feel better and smarter because I understand what is happening in the novel. I think that McCarthy's language and basic sentence structure makes it easier for his readers to understand the story. It's nice to read a book by an author who doesn't need frilly vocabulary to decorate his work; his lack of frilly vocabulary is what makes the story relatable and appealing to most people.
Having said that, I personally do not like the way McCarthy choses to start All the Pretty Horses. I feel as if I was just thrown into the middle of the novel and I am expected to know who each of the characters are, how they are related to one another, and why their relationships with each other are the way they are. It's confusing and difficult to follow. I caught myself having to go back and re-read pages in order to figure out if I was stilling reading about the father and the son or the mother and the son. Although I hate long descriptive paragraphs of irrelevant subjects such as the furnishings of a room or the season of the year, it would have been nice to have some basic description concerning who the characters were or even the plot of the story. All I got out of reading the first thirty pages was that there is a boy named John Grady Cole who lives in San Angelo, Texas and seems to have an estranged relationship with his father.
As you can see, I have a love-hate relationship so far with this book. I love the basic language but I hate not knowing what I am reading about. I'm lost as to how this story became and where it's going. However, I kind of enjoy that mysterious aspect of it as well. It is too soon to tell if I will like this book or not but it will be interesting how it all plays out and I can't wait for that to happen.
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