(Pages 236-277 -end-)
SUMMARY
As he petals his bike to town, he felt that it was impossible for him to turn back. He stopped by Russell's house but Russell had disappeared without saying good bye. Now, he has nobody to help him understand what he had to do to grow up and reach manhood. He has nobody but himself to depend on. All of a suddon, when he was riding his bike on a broken road, he crashed in the dark and his bike was no where to be found. He wasn't going to give up, so he ran through a cornfield as voices whispers in his head. It was like he was fighting with himself. One voice says that he can turn back and another voice says that he belongs in the dead cornfield, which is where he belongs and deserve to be in. In the blue moon, a dark storm awaits in the sky. This is when Eddie realizes everything that he did wrong and cried with deep emotion for the first time after his mother died. He steps into manhood with the help of Russell. If it wasn't for Russell appearing in the cornfield with Eddie, Eddie wouldn't have the strength to have faith in himself to step through the storm. The storm represents the life that Eddie had built for himself. To overcome the storm, he needs to step through the storm to the other side. Which is the peaceful side. After all of this had happened, it was just a dream. Eddie just woke up to the smell of pancakes and he was still at his grandparents' house. He had a second chance to cherish what he already has.
QUOTE
"We can wait, Grandpa. Everything I really need is here (Beck 265)."
REACTION
The author ended the story very affectionately. Even though, it all turns out to be a dream, it still shows how Eddie steps into manhood without any hints that it was actually a dream. Also, the author touches up the story so well because he doesn't need any extra or less words for this powelful and emotional story. It was amazing just the way it is. He ended the story by adding his personal life and describes what was true based on his experiences. Instead of only a story, he puts a bit of reality to it. He understands what people has to go through to have the ability to reach into their highest level of life. The representation of the storm in the story was such a incredible motivation.
The quote is said by Eddie when he had woke up from his nightmare and life lesson. Stepping in manhood, he understands that it all depended on him to be happy in life. He realized what he needed to realize before it was too late. Which was the fact that he needs to know how lucky he is already to have a family who loves him and all he needs is what he already has.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
"The Christmas Sweater" POST #4
(pages 184-235)
SUMMARY:
Eddie wasn't going to give up on his so called games. He's blocking his grandparents from his life because he hopes to decrease his possibility of getting hurt again. Eddie is showing anger for his pain inside. He doesn't realize that the his actions and words gives his grandparents pain. Also, he's blinded by what he thinks a family should be like in his perspective that he doesn't see that he still has a family. He took advantage of his grandmother's trust in him and told her that he was going to stay over at Taylor's for a couple of days. The real reason that he wants to live with Taylor instead of with his grandparents. So, Taylor's parents can "spoil" him and he can have the family that he "wanted". He ended up coming back, but then, he's running away to town with the bike that his grandfather had bought him last Christmas. Eddie didn't get to receive it on that day because he was giving his mother a hard time and his grandfather wanted to teach him a lesson. Also, that was when Eddie's mother died in the car accident.
QUOTE:
"We're all made up of two parts. There's a part that thinks and there's a part that feels (Beck 221)."
REACTION:
The author gives the reader contradiction to the main character but also a sense of how hard it is for him to accept what has happened. The words that were quoted in the story describes a great amount of anger and pain from a 13 year old boy. It gives the book more meaning because the words are not just words; They are the reason to every single teardrop that has fallen down from Eddie's grandfather, grandmother, and Eddie himself. So much emotion, and so much misunderstanding from a confused boy. Also, the author makes the reader want to yell at Eddie, when he's just a character in the book. The things that are said and done by Eddie makes it hard not to ask, "How could he do such a thing to hurt his grandparents, including himself?" The quote that was chosen is from Russell. He was trying to help Eddie realize that he needs to think about the happy memories, not the sad ones. Too bad Russell's effort wasn't enough to help Eddie, just yet.
SUMMARY:
Eddie wasn't going to give up on his so called games. He's blocking his grandparents from his life because he hopes to decrease his possibility of getting hurt again. Eddie is showing anger for his pain inside. He doesn't realize that the his actions and words gives his grandparents pain. Also, he's blinded by what he thinks a family should be like in his perspective that he doesn't see that he still has a family. He took advantage of his grandmother's trust in him and told her that he was going to stay over at Taylor's for a couple of days. The real reason that he wants to live with Taylor instead of with his grandparents. So, Taylor's parents can "spoil" him and he can have the family that he "wanted". He ended up coming back, but then, he's running away to town with the bike that his grandfather had bought him last Christmas. Eddie didn't get to receive it on that day because he was giving his mother a hard time and his grandfather wanted to teach him a lesson. Also, that was when Eddie's mother died in the car accident.
QUOTE:
"We're all made up of two parts. There's a part that thinks and there's a part that feels (Beck 221)."
REACTION:
The author gives the reader contradiction to the main character but also a sense of how hard it is for him to accept what has happened. The words that were quoted in the story describes a great amount of anger and pain from a 13 year old boy. It gives the book more meaning because the words are not just words; They are the reason to every single teardrop that has fallen down from Eddie's grandfather, grandmother, and Eddie himself. So much emotion, and so much misunderstanding from a confused boy. Also, the author makes the reader want to yell at Eddie, when he's just a character in the book. The things that are said and done by Eddie makes it hard not to ask, "How could he do such a thing to hurt his grandparents, including himself?" The quote that was chosen is from Russell. He was trying to help Eddie realize that he needs to think about the happy memories, not the sad ones. Too bad Russell's effort wasn't enough to help Eddie, just yet.
Monday, December 6, 2010
"The Christmas Sweater" POST #3
(pages 124-164)
SUMMARY:
After Eddie's mom had past away, it has been a rough patch for him. He's not controlling his feelings properly, which hurts his grandparents. Eddie is growing up, but with a wrong sense of how his life wants to be. He doesn't understand why things had turned out like they did. Anger builds up each day, and its seems that he he wants to do is disrespect his grandparents. However, his anger decreases little by little after he made a new friend named Taylor and a man named Russell. Taylor has the life that Eddie wants because Taylor's family buys him everything he wants and goes out to eat. Russell is the neighbor that wishes to change Eddie's point of view on his life and help him realize that things just happen, just like his mother would if she was still alive.
QUOTE:
"Everyone wants to be loved, but when all you feel is alone it's tough to accomplish anything else (Beck 173)."
REACTION:
The author had placed two important new characters in the picture. Which is Taylor and Russell. They both would help Eddie realize that money doesn't buy love and how great is life is already without material things. Taylor's family is the opposite of Eddie's family. It's interesting when the author gives the story a bit of contradiction. Eddie's family is what Taylor wish his family was like and Taylor's family is what Eddie wish his family was like. One family has no warm connection of a family and one family has the warmth and the love. The quote is when Russell was having a conversation with Eddie. It connects to the story because Russell is trying to say that Eddie is lacking love in his family but if he doesn't realize that there's still people that love him, he'll feels alone and it's challenging for him to go through a rough stage.
SUMMARY:
After Eddie's mom had past away, it has been a rough patch for him. He's not controlling his feelings properly, which hurts his grandparents. Eddie is growing up, but with a wrong sense of how his life wants to be. He doesn't understand why things had turned out like they did. Anger builds up each day, and its seems that he he wants to do is disrespect his grandparents. However, his anger decreases little by little after he made a new friend named Taylor and a man named Russell. Taylor has the life that Eddie wants because Taylor's family buys him everything he wants and goes out to eat. Russell is the neighbor that wishes to change Eddie's point of view on his life and help him realize that things just happen, just like his mother would if she was still alive.
QUOTE:
"Everyone wants to be loved, but when all you feel is alone it's tough to accomplish anything else (Beck 173)."
REACTION:
The author had placed two important new characters in the picture. Which is Taylor and Russell. They both would help Eddie realize that money doesn't buy love and how great is life is already without material things. Taylor's family is the opposite of Eddie's family. It's interesting when the author gives the story a bit of contradiction. Eddie's family is what Taylor wish his family was like and Taylor's family is what Eddie wish his family was like. One family has no warm connection of a family and one family has the warmth and the love. The quote is when Russell was having a conversation with Eddie. It connects to the story because Russell is trying to say that Eddie is lacking love in his family but if he doesn't realize that there's still people that love him, he'll feels alone and it's challenging for him to go through a rough stage.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
The Christmas Sweater POST #2
(pages 60-124)
SUMMARY
It was Christmas morning, and Eddie woke up by the smell of his mother's pancakes. All he was thinking about was getting a bike for a present. Like his friends, he wanted a "real life" and a bike. He had really high hopes without thinking about what is going to happen when he's extremely disappointed. He didn't get a bike because his mother couldn't afford it. Instead, his mother hand-knitted a sweater for him. He called it a "stupid, handmade, ugly sweater". He threw it on the floor like it was trash and he didn't care about his mother's feelings. She has four different jobs and and tried her best to save time for them to spend together. All she wanted from him was to understand how hard it is for her, how much she struggles for the past 2 years, and how much love was put in Eddie's sweater. He was so caught up in his mind games that he ruined his own Christmas Day. No matter how much he blamed it on God or anybody else, he's the one to blame. His mom was exhausted and fell asleep while driving Eddie home from his grandparent's house on that Christmas day. She pasted away.
QUOTE
"I didn't know who let me down more: Mom, for not buying me what i deserved; Dad, for not watching over me like he was suppose to; or God, for ignoring my promise" (Beck 71).
REACTION
The thoughts of a twelve year old boy is very important when there's difficult emotional conflict that is involved in the book. It makes the reader feel what the character is feeling, intensely. However, what's interesting is that the author describes mom's actions and facial expressions instead of her thoughts. The reader can feel mom's pain without needing to know her thoughts. Eddie's mom has a unique personality because she expresses her emotions in her eyes. She actually lectures Eddie with her eyes. Which makes the reader more interested because its boring if you always let the character tell the reader what they are feeling all the time.
SUMMARY
It was Christmas morning, and Eddie woke up by the smell of his mother's pancakes. All he was thinking about was getting a bike for a present. Like his friends, he wanted a "real life" and a bike. He had really high hopes without thinking about what is going to happen when he's extremely disappointed. He didn't get a bike because his mother couldn't afford it. Instead, his mother hand-knitted a sweater for him. He called it a "stupid, handmade, ugly sweater". He threw it on the floor like it was trash and he didn't care about his mother's feelings. She has four different jobs and and tried her best to save time for them to spend together. All she wanted from him was to understand how hard it is for her, how much she struggles for the past 2 years, and how much love was put in Eddie's sweater. He was so caught up in his mind games that he ruined his own Christmas Day. No matter how much he blamed it on God or anybody else, he's the one to blame. His mom was exhausted and fell asleep while driving Eddie home from his grandparent's house on that Christmas day. She pasted away.
QUOTE
"I didn't know who let me down more: Mom, for not buying me what i deserved; Dad, for not watching over me like he was suppose to; or God, for ignoring my promise" (Beck 71).
REACTION
The thoughts of a twelve year old boy is very important when there's difficult emotional conflict that is involved in the book. It makes the reader feel what the character is feeling, intensely. However, what's interesting is that the author describes mom's actions and facial expressions instead of her thoughts. The reader can feel mom's pain without needing to know her thoughts. Eddie's mom has a unique personality because she expresses her emotions in her eyes. She actually lectures Eddie with her eyes. Which makes the reader more interested because its boring if you always let the character tell the reader what they are feeling all the time.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Christmas Sweater Post #1
"The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck (pages 1-60)
SUMMARY
The main character of this book, The Christmas Sweater, is a twelve year old boy named Eddie. It is winter and Christmas day is coming soon. The story starts out by describing Eddie's problems in his family. The main problem is that his family is trying to move on from the death of the man of the family. Which left a huge burden. There was once a warm Christmas, but now since Eddie's dad has past away, it just reminds them that someone is missing. Also, he feels like he's left with no father and no money. Mary, Eddie's mom, is now a widow who's trying to hold up the financial issues in the family. They can't have things that they use to have when Eddie's dad is still alive. According to Eddie, the most important thing to the family right now is money. When his dad was still living, the most important thing was to spend family time together. Eddie is hoping to have a red Huffy bike with a black banana seat for Christmas, even when he knows that money is tight.
QUOTE
"Most times we're so focused on what we think we want that we can't appreciate how happy we already are," she continued. "It's only when we forget about our problems and help others forget theirs that we realize how good we really have it" (Beck 52).
REACTION
The author begins the book by showing Eddie's prayer. Which is really interesting because it tells what the main character is thinking in the moment. Also, he only talks about his mother in the prayer and how he deserves a bike for Christmas. However, he never mentioned about his father. The author immediately makes the reader question why Eddie didn't mention his father in the prayer. Not only has the author gives out a feeling that there's no presence of the father, he also adds in meaningful flashbacks him. Eddie's father in the flashbacks describes what kind of person he was. This is really important because it gives the reader a sense of pain that Eddie is feeling. The quotation connects to the story because Eddie's mom is helping Eddie understand what he's experiencing and he should realize that he doesn't need the things that he wants.
SUMMARY
The main character of this book, The Christmas Sweater, is a twelve year old boy named Eddie. It is winter and Christmas day is coming soon. The story starts out by describing Eddie's problems in his family. The main problem is that his family is trying to move on from the death of the man of the family. Which left a huge burden. There was once a warm Christmas, but now since Eddie's dad has past away, it just reminds them that someone is missing. Also, he feels like he's left with no father and no money. Mary, Eddie's mom, is now a widow who's trying to hold up the financial issues in the family. They can't have things that they use to have when Eddie's dad is still alive. According to Eddie, the most important thing to the family right now is money. When his dad was still living, the most important thing was to spend family time together. Eddie is hoping to have a red Huffy bike with a black banana seat for Christmas, even when he knows that money is tight.
QUOTE
"Most times we're so focused on what we think we want that we can't appreciate how happy we already are," she continued. "It's only when we forget about our problems and help others forget theirs that we realize how good we really have it" (Beck 52).
REACTION
The author begins the book by showing Eddie's prayer. Which is really interesting because it tells what the main character is thinking in the moment. Also, he only talks about his mother in the prayer and how he deserves a bike for Christmas. However, he never mentioned about his father. The author immediately makes the reader question why Eddie didn't mention his father in the prayer. Not only has the author gives out a feeling that there's no presence of the father, he also adds in meaningful flashbacks him. Eddie's father in the flashbacks describes what kind of person he was. This is really important because it gives the reader a sense of pain that Eddie is feeling. The quotation connects to the story because Eddie's mom is helping Eddie understand what he's experiencing and he should realize that he doesn't need the things that he wants.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
"When I Was a Soldier" blog #3
[pages 43-58]
SUMMARY
Valerie is the first one to be able to experience war life for 2 years. Yuria and Rahel goes a little later. So, in the book, tomorow is the endpoint of Valerie's adolescent times. She would never be a kid again and her childhood would disapear in the air of the unknown. Her sister Sonia, actually, left home first and is in the Air Forces. Both sisters in the war. Before she left, friends and family say their goodbyes and good lucks. Which is such an emotional part of the complicated situation of leaving home and return back, being a different person.
QUOTE
"What is this habit people have of not saying who they are on the phone! It really annoys me, I mean it really annoys me! Do they think I've got a videophone implanted in my left hemisphere?"
REACTION
The author points out how the she really feels. She describes her thoughts and actions with clear sense of details and why she had acted in a certain way. Including, describing how she feels in her tone of voice. She is also very sarcastic. For example, it was the last day before she's off to the war and her friends disapeared in thin air. She didn't seem like she was upset until she said that she should of has said to them, "Right, girls, I'm heading off to the army on the 19th of September. If it's not a problem for you, I wouldn't mind if you were around on the 18th. You never know, I might want to have a bit of a chat with you. I mean, if you've got better things to do, don't hesitate, pretend im not here, I certainly wouldn't want to impinge on your freedom, I know how important it is. In less than twenty-four hours I won't have any at all..."
SUMMARY
Valerie is the first one to be able to experience war life for 2 years. Yuria and Rahel goes a little later. So, in the book, tomorow is the endpoint of Valerie's adolescent times. She would never be a kid again and her childhood would disapear in the air of the unknown. Her sister Sonia, actually, left home first and is in the Air Forces. Both sisters in the war. Before she left, friends and family say their goodbyes and good lucks. Which is such an emotional part of the complicated situation of leaving home and return back, being a different person.
QUOTE
"What is this habit people have of not saying who they are on the phone! It really annoys me, I mean it really annoys me! Do they think I've got a videophone implanted in my left hemisphere?"
REACTION
The author points out how the she really feels. She describes her thoughts and actions with clear sense of details and why she had acted in a certain way. Including, describing how she feels in her tone of voice. She is also very sarcastic. For example, it was the last day before she's off to the war and her friends disapeared in thin air. She didn't seem like she was upset until she said that she should of has said to them, "Right, girls, I'm heading off to the army on the 19th of September. If it's not a problem for you, I wouldn't mind if you were around on the 18th. You never know, I might want to have a bit of a chat with you. I mean, if you've got better things to do, don't hesitate, pretend im not here, I certainly wouldn't want to impinge on your freedom, I know how important it is. In less than twenty-four hours I won't have any at all..."
Friday, October 8, 2010
"When I Was a Soldier" blog #2
[pages 28-43]
SUMMARY
Varlerie has a job at the "Extrapharm". She is underpaid upon her hourly rate. As she earns little money for 120 hours per mouth. She kept explaining the results of the 'baccalaureat'. Which is her town's army name. If you found your Mr. Perfect, what's the point of meeting him if you end up having to fight in the war? She begins to question upon her future. Her questions leads to her hoping that the future would be different from the present. Jean-David was the love of her life, until he moved to Jerusalem and never called her. He waited for the day that she had to do an important writen exam at school. He had told her that he met a girl in Jerusalem and he was sorry. Then, after they had said their 'good-byes', she ran to her two best friends, Rahel and Yulia, and as they held her, she let out her cries of her breaking heart.
QUOTE
"- I feel like telling them to f*** off with their words which means nothing to me, which don't get to me, i feel more and more grumpy, unhappy and angry, without really knowing why."
REACTION
The change of thoughts tells the reader how her mood changes. At first, she was excited to be faithful for her town and excited to become a soldier. However, as the days passed and the day she becomes a soldier is coming in her reach, she doesn't feel excited or happy anymore. Varlerie becomes more moody, and even builds up fear. Being a soldier isn't fun and games. It is a serious situation that you can never by-pass. She's starting to realize that she would have to leave her home and be in a strange new place. Where unexpected things waits for her.
SUMMARY
Varlerie has a job at the "Extrapharm". She is underpaid upon her hourly rate. As she earns little money for 120 hours per mouth. She kept explaining the results of the 'baccalaureat'. Which is her town's army name. If you found your Mr. Perfect, what's the point of meeting him if you end up having to fight in the war? She begins to question upon her future. Her questions leads to her hoping that the future would be different from the present. Jean-David was the love of her life, until he moved to Jerusalem and never called her. He waited for the day that she had to do an important writen exam at school. He had told her that he met a girl in Jerusalem and he was sorry. Then, after they had said their 'good-byes', she ran to her two best friends, Rahel and Yulia, and as they held her, she let out her cries of her breaking heart.
QUOTE
"- I feel like telling them to f*** off with their words which means nothing to me, which don't get to me, i feel more and more grumpy, unhappy and angry, without really knowing why."
REACTION
The change of thoughts tells the reader how her mood changes. At first, she was excited to be faithful for her town and excited to become a soldier. However, as the days passed and the day she becomes a soldier is coming in her reach, she doesn't feel excited or happy anymore. Varlerie becomes more moody, and even builds up fear. Being a soldier isn't fun and games. It is a serious situation that you can never by-pass. She's starting to realize that she would have to leave her home and be in a strange new place. Where unexpected things waits for her.
"When I Was a Soldier" blog #1
[pages 13-28]
SUMMARY
Varlerie is the name of the narrator in this chosen book. She was born in Nice, France. Varlerie described how she hated her best friend, Yulia. Hated how she acted and how she has guilty blue eyes. Every where they go, Yulia and Valerie are inseparable. However, when she's not with Yulia, she would be with her other best friend, Rahel. They are basically three best friends that lives in a town called, Beersheva. They are so best of friends, that they plan on to be soldier girls together.
QUOTE
"The same old story! It's always the same old story!" Yulia groans. "Some coke, some vodka, the boys dancing like drunken ducks, the girls getting depressed: you sweat, your make-up runs, you go to the toilet to put another layer on, but who for? Who for?" (Zenatti 16)
REACTION
The author is such a amazing write because she creates constant pictures in your head. Usually, when you pick up a book in the library and you see the word 'soldier' printed on the book, it means boring and typical war. She makes the story's boring subject, a must-read. The author style is full of powelful thoughts from not only her, but her friends also. She also connects to the teenage life, affectively.
SUMMARY
Varlerie is the name of the narrator in this chosen book. She was born in Nice, France. Varlerie described how she hated her best friend, Yulia. Hated how she acted and how she has guilty blue eyes. Every where they go, Yulia and Valerie are inseparable. However, when she's not with Yulia, she would be with her other best friend, Rahel. They are basically three best friends that lives in a town called, Beersheva. They are so best of friends, that they plan on to be soldier girls together.
QUOTE
"The same old story! It's always the same old story!" Yulia groans. "Some coke, some vodka, the boys dancing like drunken ducks, the girls getting depressed: you sweat, your make-up runs, you go to the toilet to put another layer on, but who for? Who for?" (Zenatti 16)
REACTION
The author is such a amazing write because she creates constant pictures in your head. Usually, when you pick up a book in the library and you see the word 'soldier' printed on the book, it means boring and typical war. She makes the story's boring subject, a must-read. The author style is full of powelful thoughts from not only her, but her friends also. She also connects to the teenage life, affectively.
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