Quarter 2 OR Week 7 Post B

Unfortunately, this is my last post for Water for Elephants. It was a spectacular book and I will never forget it.

The story of Water for Elephants is set during both the Great Depression and the present day. It depicts the life of one man: Jacob Jankowski. The book begins with Jacob at the age of 90 or 93 in a nursing home. The circus is there for the weekend and lots of the old folks are receiving visitors. During the period of less than a week, Jacob recounts his entire experience of 3 1/2 months with the Benzini Brother's Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a train circus running in the Depression era. It all started one day at Cornell University, where Jacob was training to be a vet. His parents died in a fatal car crash and Jacob's world crumbled around him. Not knowing what to do, he ends up jumping a train, a circus train, to be exact, the Benzini Brother's train. There he begins his experience as a vet for all the animals on a circus, meeting quite a few interesting characters on the way. These include a working man named Camel- who secured Jacob a spot on the circus, Earl- the friendly security guard, a couple of helpful working men including Diamond Joe, Grady, Bill, and Pete, Walter (aka Kinko)- a stubborn, but quite friendly clown, once you got to know him, August- a crazy equestrian director who caused some of Jacob's most hated times in his life, Uncle Al- the ringmaster who was an irrational and inhumane man, and lastly Marlena- the love of Jacob's life.

The storyline shifts back and forth between young Jacob and old Jacob. We learn of Jacob's hard times in the nursing home, and how he's never been able to let go of the secrets from his time spent on the circus. He is fortunate enough to meet a nice nurse by the name of Rosemary. She is the only one who understands him and eventually learns a little about his previous life. He is a little loopy at times, not remembering where he is- a side effect of a concussion, but overall Jacob seems to be in good shape. He's a lively man with centuries of stories to be told yet no one to tell. Gruen carefully incorporates the ignorance of our society through the mistreatment of Jacob.

**CAUTION: SPOILER ALERT! The following paragraphs contain spoilers of the book.**

As the plot thickens, we continue to travel with Jacob from stop to stop, from show to show. The Benzini Brother's seem to be thriving during one of the darkest periods of American History. In no time at all, they get themselves an elephant (the inspiration for the title?) and with it, an elephant show. The money continues to rain in, but it is still short despite appearances. Before long, the success of the show begins to decline and everything starts falling apart once again for Jacob. Two of his closest friends get redlighted and it's likely they didn't survive. In the entire time he is with the circus, Jacob isn't paid even once, and that goes for the working men and eventually for the performers. Slowly, the stability of the circus disintegrates and the nets of lies start to come down. Everything unravels in one-fell-swoop as the animals stampede out of the menagerie in one chaotic show. This is the beginning of the end.

Soon it's all over and workers and performers alike are all out of a job. Both Uncle Al and August have been murdered along with countless other workers who were redlighted. The politics and secrets of the circus are revealed, but not all of them. There is one secret that Jacob has kept with him for 70 years, unable to tell and no one to tell it to. Rosie's heroic act is safe with him.

**END OF SPOILERS**

Even as an old man, Jacob misses the circus. It's been his life ever since the fateful day of his parents death. The end of his career is bittersweet, which is what Gruen's novel truly is. There are moments of pure delight where it feels like nothing bad can happen and nothing can touch us. Moments of true ignorant bliss. But there are other times, times when happiness seems so far away. Times where politics, secrets, and lies dominant our inner being, and there's no escape, no matter where we turn. But that's life. Regardless of the fanatical world Gruen creates, it feels all so real. There's no doubt in my mind that some of these events may have actually happened. The story Gruen depicts pulls us in like a vortex, wanting to stay within reality, but unable to resist the pull of a whole other world. And as the circus is an escape for Jacob, Water for Elephants is an escape for the rest of us, away from the horrors of reality, into a different time. Like all good fiction, Water for Elephants draws us into the world and life of another, of Jacob Jankowski, who taught us that when everything feels right, then we are truly home.

Quarter 2 OR Week 7 Post A

Vocab:
querulously (323)- full of complaints; complaining
halcyon (327)- peaceful; happy; carefree; prosperous

Figurative Language:
"Behind us, a wall of badgers. In front of us, a dozen alligators. I wake up in a cold sweat. The situation is entirely untenable, and I know it" (281). Gruen uses a dream Jacob has as a metaphor for the predicament he is in. In the dream, Jacob and Walter's dog, Queenie, are blocked from the train by alligators, and stopped from going backward by badgers. In his life, Jacob has landed himself in a similar situation, with hiding Camel and his affair with Marlena. He can neither go back nor go forward. No matter what he does, it's not going to be pretty.

"My brain rolls in my head. I think it's been shaken loose" (291). Jacob's brain hasn't been literally shaken loose and is probably not literally rolling around in his head. This is kind of like a combination of a hyperbole and personification. He is exaggerating to describe how horrible he feels (hyperbole part). Also, brains don't literally roll, that's something humans or animals or objects do, not body organs (personification). In reality, he is describing the effects of a concussion.

"She lifts the stake as though it weighs nothing and splits his head in a single clean movement- ponk- like cracking a hardboiled egg" (309). This quote has multiple figurative language applications in it. The first is a simile: "like cracking a hardboiled egg." This comparing Rosie's splitting of August's head with the cracking of a hardboiled egg using the term "like" which make it a simile. Second, an onomatopoeia is also present. The word "ponk" sounds exactly like the sound it was meant to represent. In one sentence, Gruen incorporates two uses of figurative language, stressing the description of the horrid act.

Quote:
"In Poughkeepsie, we are raided...And then we are run out of town. In Hartford, a handful of patrons take serious exception to Rosie's non performance...And then we are run out of town. The following morning is payday, and...For the first time in the show's history, there is no money for performers" (282). The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth is on the decline. Things go from bad to worse and from worse to disaster. Their show is taking a dive and therefore so are the paychecks. They don't have the luxuries that were once available to them and slowly yet surely, the Benzini Brother's show is becoming one of the shows that they themselves had once chased after: shows who fall apart and get picked to pieces by the surviving ones. This is the beginning of the end for the Benzini Brother's Most Spectacular Show on Earth.

Theme:
If there's something you want to do, just do it. Like Jacob says, "So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and my guilty conscience, why the hell shouldn't I run away with the circus?" (331).

Quarter 2 OR Week 6 Post B

Relationships are in important aspect of life and definitely so in Water for Elephants. Jacob, the main character, meets many people throughout the novel and the relationships he develops with them shape both him and his new acquaintance. Relationships can also shape the lives of the people in addition to their personalities. For example, Jacob's positive relationship with Camel saved him from getting redlighted (thrown off the train), and because Camel helped Jacob when he was in need, Jacob was the one to get Camel a doctor when he wasn't feeling too well. There are many relationships in this story that help change the life of Jacob.

The first would be between old Jacob and a nurse named Rosemary. Jacob, at the age of 90 or 93, is at a nursing home where he feels malcontent and unappreciated. The rest of the nurses and doctors treat him like a cranky old man, but Rosemary treats him like an actual person. This positive relationship that develops keeps Jacob from going over the edge. By knowing someone actually wants him around, Jacob is able to maintain a little more sanity than what he may have had before. This quote said by Jacob shows how unusual it is for him to feel like an actual person: "I'm so used to being scolded and herded and managed and handled that I'm no longer sure how to react when someone treats me like a real person" (176). It gives us insight on why Jacob must be so grumpy all the time, or may seem unpleasant, but now we know the truth. There just aren't many people who treat him like a real person, which is probably true for many of the elderly. But with Rosemary, Jacob is able to make progress and feel and act like a real person again.

This relationship is shared between younger Jacob and Walter (or Kinko the clown). Walter is definitely a friend to Jacob, despite his original dislike of him. Unlike the other circus performers, Walter treats Jacob equally even though he is a working man. Both men are outcasts because Jacob is a worker on the verge of being treated like a performer and Walter is a performer on the verge of being treated like a worker. They find comfort within each other and they look out for each other. When sometimes it feels like no one is being friendly to Jacob, he always has Walter. Workers are worked like animals in the circus and it must be nice for Jacob to have a real friend who isn't either a) jealous of his status within the performers, b) resenting him for his ability or c) looking down at him.

The last point deals with the relationship between Jacob and August. August is the equestrian director of the circus and must think Jacob has a lower rank than he does. But sometimes, Jacob is more logical and knows how to handle things better than August, which ticks him off. It's a complicated relationship. At times, August is kind to Jacob, treating him like an equal and a friend. But other times, Jacob is the source of release for August's anger. It's unwise to upset or undermine August. You never know where you'll find yourself in the morning. Although August may seem like a friend, he is really just Jacob's boss.

Lastly, there is the relationship between Jacob and Marlena. Marlena is August's wife which means she has spent quite a bit of time with Jacob (he gets invited to outings). But regardless of Marlena being married, Jacob still has feelings for her and manages to kiss her too. Of course it would be easier of Marlena didn't like Jacob back but even she admits that she has some feelings for him. "I hardly know what to think anymore. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you" (195). This makes their relationship a lot more complicated than it has to be. If they ignore their feelings, it is likely that they will drift away from each other. But if they act on them, then August might just end of murdering both of them.

These four examples display how relationships can change someone and the life they will lead. This can be applied in real life as well. It's wise to carefully choose the people that you allow to affect your life because sometimes the friends we have end up shaping who we are, in spite of what we actually want to be.

Quarter 2 OR Week 6 Post A

Vocab:
exertion (152)- vigorous action or effort
dervish (153)- a member of various Muslim ascetic orders, some of which carry on ecstatic behaviors such as twirling or energetic dancing.

Figurative Language:
"And then she's gone again, unwinding herself like a ribbon" (152). Jacob compares Marlena's dancing , when she twirls away from him, like that of a ribbon unwinding itself. This is a simile because it uses the word "like".

"Rosemary appears from a side hall like an angel from heaven" (174). This is also a simile. It is comparing Rosemary with an angel using the word "like".

"I'm so used to being scolded and herded and managed and handled that I'm no longer sure how to react when someone treats me like a real person" (176). I think this is a metaphor because Jacob is implying that he is being compared to an animal with the actions others do to him.

Quote:
"I have just remembered the small bottle of brackish liquid Camel offered me my first day on the show. 'I'm okay. Thank God.'" (184). This quote has many different implications. First, it gives us another idea of the setting and the time era. We are more aware that this is during the depression and prohibition because alcoholic beverages are outlawed, hence the reason Camel was drinking jake. Second, the book has gone pretty far into the plot and it's hard to remember what exactly happened in the beginning. This was a good strategy for the author to use to relate back to Jacob's first day at the Circus. And lastly, we become even more aware of the cruelty of the times. There have been moments where it feels like Jacob's life at the circus isn't that bad, but by knowing what might have happened to Jacob if he had taken a drink, we remember the horrors of the Circus.

Theme:
For everything you do, there's always a consequence.

Quarter 2 OR Week 5 Post B

Jacob's life at the circus has enveloped most of the book. We learn little about his life before the circus except that he was training to be a vet at Cornell University and that his parents died in a tragic accident. "'So, what's your story, anyway?' says Kinko. The sunlight flashes like knives through the slats behind him. I cover my eyes and grimace. 'No, I mean it. Where'd you come from?' 'Nowhere,' I say" (144). Jacob tries to erase his past and start a new life. It makes me wonder, when he talks about his wife as an old man, if she even knew his past. If he ever told his children about his life, or if anyone even knows. This avoidance reminds me of a movie we watched in Spanish class called La Historia Oficial. It's the story of a woman living during the time of The Dirty War in Argentina. During that time, the government is ruled through a military regime kind of like an oligarchy. They are in control of everything and anyone who upsets the government disappears. The woman, Alicia, has a daughter named Gaby who is adopted. No one knows where she comes from and who her mother was, or even if her mother was willing to give Gaby up or if Gaby was just taken away from her mother. Gaby and Jacob are similar in the way that their pasts are being erased, but Jacob is erasing his own past and Gaby's past has been erased for her. I don't understand why Jacob denies everything that's happened to him leading up to the circus, but maybe that's the way for a lot of people working with the Benzini Brother's Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Maybe it's a place people have gone to run away from their past and make a new life for them. Maybe being on the move has helped them from establishing roots anywhere or getting to attached to anything. After all, isn't that what Jacob has done? After the death of his parents, he ran away from everything he knew so he could start over. He didn't have cent to his name or anything else but his name. Maybe by keeping his past in denial, Jacob is able to avoid the pain that his parents' death has caused him, and being so young, maybe Jacob just doesn't know who to deal with the pain. The circus was his escape, and he took it.

Quarter 2 OR Week 5 Post A

Vocab:
emaciated(140)- marked by abnormal thinness either caused by lack of nutrition or disease
stewing(144)- [informal] to be in a state of anxiety or agitation

Figurative Language:
"--anything to replace the smell of death"(145). This is kind of like personification, giving an inanimate object or idea, like death, a characteristic of a human, smell. It's also imagery- appealing to the sense of smell. Jacob probably can't literally smell death, but it gives the reader a good picture of what the place was like.

"A love for these animals wells up in me suddenly, a flash flood"(145-146). Jacob is comparing the feeling of love for the animals with a flash flood by using a metaphor. He doesn't use the word "like" or "as" which means the comparison cannot be a simile.

"...and there it is, solid as an obelisk and viscous like water"(145). This simile is a comparison of Jacob's realization- that he needs to protect the animals in the circus- and an obelisk or water. It's a simile because "as" is used.

Quote: "A pause. 'Kinko?' 'Yeah?' 'I appreciate the offer.' 'Sure.' A longer pause. 'Jacob?' 'Yeah?' 'You can call me Walter if you want.'"(144-145). Although this may not seem to be a really significant quote, I think it actually is. In the beginning of the book, when Jacob first meets Kinko the clown, their relationship is a disaster from the start. Kinko even told Jacob that only his friends are allowed to call him Walter (Kinko's real name). But at this point, Jacob has truly made a friend. Although August may appear to welcome him, I really think August resents Jacob's success and his knowledge. Besides Marlena, Jacob doesn't really have any other friends at the circus. All the performers think he is below them, all the workers are jealous of his special treatment. At this point, Jacob has made an unlikely friend, but he's a real friend.


Theme:
First impressions aren't always true and everything isn't always what it seems.

Quarter 2 OR Week 4 Post B

How many people have been to a circus before? How many people know what it's like to experience on of its spectacular performances? Sure, there are things about a circus that we do know, but after reading almost half of Water for Elephants, I realized that there is also a lot of stuff I don't know.

A circus, like many other areas of business, is run with a hierarchy. You've got the alpha male, the ringmaster most likely, who makes all the important decisions and runs the circus, but he does most of the talking while everyone else does the work. As for the other people, they are separated into two groups: performers and working men. Under the working men, you've got the "managers" so to speak. They are in charge of what I would call "project leaders". The "project leaders" are in charge of a different section, whether that be setting up tents, cleaning up the animal cages, helping prepare the meals, etc. Under each different section, there are the lowest group of workers, usually newbies or people who don't have a significant amount of talent doing managing work or even people who are just good at physical labor and are most beneficial when they stay where they are. Within the performers, there are people who are given the task of coming up with acts in the show. These are people like August, who are in charge of specific acts: animals, magic, freaks, acrobats, etc. And the people who take direction from them, are the performers themselves, but they still have their own importance and influence, so it isn't as much of a hierarchy system of management like the one with the working men. In the performers, the system is more of importance and how much the audience likes them. And lastly, the performers are clearly above the working men, but there are occasional overlaps among "managers" and less significant performers. A person can always find their social status by where they sleep on the train. The further towards the front they are, they less important they are (working men are in the front half of the train), which means that further back they are, the more important (performers, and Uncle Al himself). Jacob, being a vet, means he is technically considered a working man. But he shares a train car with a clown called Kinko (real name is Walter), who is obviously a performer. This shows Jacob's importance in the circus, and possibly also Kinko's insignificance.

I was rather surprised to learn about all this. I just thought a circus was a show performance. It's almost like a business, government, community/ society, or even a clique. There are unspoken rules about social status, who is the queen bee and who are the workers. Favorites are clearly rewarded, and interest of act plays a role as well. To make matters worse, there are always people who try and make other people's lives harder, like August does to Kinko. Not only is Kinko in one of the farthest forward performing cars, he makes Kinko share a car with Jacob, who is considered a working man. A circus has many things in common with all groups. There is corruption, favoritism, unfairness, and when you're at the bottom, there's nothing you can do about any of it.

Quarter 2 OR Week 4 Post A

Vocab:
pablum(105)- A trademark used for a bland soft cereal for infants.
bowdlerizing(109)- To remove material that is considered offensive or objective, usually from a book or other written work.

Figurative Language:
"She opens the shampoo and squeezes a few drops onto my palm. It's all I need. I've only got about a dozen hairs left" (107). Although I'm not quite sure the exact name for this figurative device, the closest I can get is to call it a hyperbole since Jacob is exaggerating the truth. He probably has more than 12 hairs on his head. Plus hairs are usually too thin to be able to count, so he really wouldn't know. This is just used here to exemplify his old age.

A simile is illustrated in the following quote as Jacob talks about his aging days and how his children made him feel. He uses the term "like" in the comparison which signifies that it's a simile. "I felt like a toddler whose tantrum was being allowed to run its course"(108).

"I should know better by now, but somehow I still expect to see myself. Instead, I find an Appalachian apple doll, withered and spotty, with dewlaps and bags and long floppy ears"(111). Jacob uses a metaphor to compare himself in his old age to an Appalachian apple doll. I know this is a metaphor because it is a comparison not using "like" or "as".

Quote:
"Mustn't upset Grandpa, you know. Why? That's what I want to know. I hate this bizarre policy of protective exclusion...It's a protective mechanism for them, a way of buffering themselves against my future death...I knew it wasn't her fault--it was programmed into her"(109). Jacob is talking about how he is constantly left out of the loop when it comes to his kids. This shows his age, and how at a certain point, old people become hard to deal with. This also reflects on society's views of the elderly: when they reach a certain age, they are too old to help themselves so they should get assisted living. Jacob's age can also be displayed by how much he knows. The elderly are usually wiser than the youth because they've had time to mull things over, and Jacob definitely has.

Theme:
Although age brings disrespect from others, it also brings wiseness to oneself.

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMN0307H-0-802&artno=0000211199&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&res=Y&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=Y&ic=N

This isn't exactly a link for affirmative or negative. It actually deals with the United States government consideration of using alternative energy sources (opposed to fossil fuels). I thought it might be helpful to both cases. It might be an interesting topic to look at, and we probably want to consider researching the consumption, pollution, and cost of fossil fuels.

Lastly, do you guys want to exchange emails or not? Because if we keep using the blog, it's probably a good idea to check the blog almost everyday.

Affirmative for Fossil Fuels

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMN0307-0-466&artno=0000156822&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&res=Y&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=Y&ic=N

On the Waterfront Review

Moral decisions are made almost on a daily basis. Most times, they are not as epic as the decisions that Terry Malloy faces in On the Waterfront. A film about doing the right thing, On the Waterfront, directed by Elia Kazan, was enjoyable but not fantastic. In my personal opinion, it couldn’t compare with the Oscar nominated films of today, even if it did win a few Oscar’s itself. At times, the movie possessed many important morals and themes, but these magnificent scenes were shadowed by the almost musical-like music and far too dramatic moments between the characters, namely Terry and Edie Doyle. Although Kazan does a decent job getting into the action, there are times when I wish to just sink into my seat and disappear out of embarrassment. On the Waterfront was a fine choice for an English class movie because there were many controversial decisions worth discussing, but overall, it was just a bit too dramatic for my tastes.

A key aspect that might have contributed to my dislike of the film was possibly the unrealistic characters. The use of Terry as an underdog was quite clever because it is common for the viewer to cheer on the underdog as he takes on the bully. Even if what happens to Terry may not seem real, giving him the disadvantage makes his character easiest to sympathize and even at times, empathize with. Although Terry was a pleasant character to watch, other characters were not as believable. One such person would be Edie Doyle. Edie, an idealist, is unaware of many things that go down on the waterfront. She believes it’s easy to rat out on the mob instead of playing D and D like most of the workers do. I wonder if her view would be the same if she was a waterfront worker; I doubt it would be. Although it does take someone to first stand up before a revolution can begin, I felt as if Edie Doyle was just a talker. All she really did was speak about what she could do, or what others could do, but she never once went out and did it herself. Glover was another character I found to be implausible. For one, what little kid would strangle a whole bunch of pigeons just to get back at Terry? Not only was the act unsettling, but it also felt like a form of hazing the mob was likely to do. I find it quite disconcerting that a boy so young would practice such acts, and quite unrealistic.

Character development was just one literary aspect that I found didn’t work for me, but the theme of On the Waterfront, doing the right thing, caught my attention. How many films or stories throughout the generations contain that theme? I know I’ve read and seen plenty. It’s the same idea of the main character facing a conflict of choosing one decision over the other: one is morally right but is the harder choice, and the other is morally wrong and the easier choice. Even though the theme is a cliché, one can’t help but fall right into the literary trap, engaged in the story until the very end. Even I don’t know why, but I suppose it has to do with the believable options of choosing a path that are so evident in a person’s life. Every time I watch a film like this, I always end up asking myself what I would if put in this situation, and I presume it’s safe to bet the $10 in my pocket that this thought crosses the mind of viewers alike.

Point of view, sometimes best known as bias, was, although somewhat hidden, still apparent in this film. Movies are commonly made in a 3^rd person point of view, but that doesn’t mean the viewer, or the director, is completely unbiased. Kazan cleverly crafts the camera work and storyline to follow the feelings and emotions of Terry Malloy. So when watching On the Waterfront, it’s most likely uncommon for the viewer to be cheering for Johnny Friendly as he bedraggles Terry at the end of the film. This technique, used frequently in film, can also show insight into the director, producer, or writer, like the point of view of a book can demonstrate the feelings of the author.

The acting was superb despite the characters themselves being somewhat fanatical, which may have affected the acting capacity. Karl Malden portrayed Father Barry as well as the character could allow. He was a rather controversial priest who both smoked and drank. Malden gave Barry a sense of ferocity not seen in most church figures and brought the character to life. Barry became easier to relate to once the viewer learned of his imperfect qualities; he even became humorous. Not many actors would be able to pull of the priest’s twisted humor and inappropriate timing without ruining the already set mood. Marlon Brando played lovable Terry Malloy. Terry’s character was already set up to be the one that viewers would sympathize with the most, but Brando’s Oscar-worthy acting made Terry an even more believable character than he already was. Because of his charismatic personality and Brando’s magnificent portrayal, everyone will be cheering for Terry to get up and make the walk at the end of the film. Edie Doyle’s character was another story. While Eva Marie Saint might have done her best, it was not enough to stop Edie from appearing whiny and nauseating. Perhaps the role was written that way, and if so, than Saint depicted her perfectly. Saint’s interpretation of Edie was like a conscience, nagging at everything you do, a Jiminy Cricket to Terry. And I suppose that was her purpose, to sway Terry into ratting on the mob, and she accomplished her intention without even breaking a nail.

Many dramatic aspects were present in the film, but I thought the costumes complemented the story the best. Each character had a specific look: Edie with her delicate clothes that she wears with the sisters, Terry’s plaid jacket, the workers’ torn clothes, and the mob’s well dressed suits. The outfits were particular to each person’s disposition. It gave the untold story of each character’s history and a sense of places they’ve been to. For example, Edie’s nice, conservative clothing represents her time spent training to be a nun. Terry’s one worn out plaid jacket signifies the rough days he spent as a boxer and his position as a bum. The costumes also enhanced the time period and social classes are established, the mob being the highest up, clearly with the best clothes. We become aware of the poverty of the times when we see the state of the workers’ clothing, evident in the scene when Pop gives Joey’s nice jacket to a worker with a depleted one, and realize that the mob isn’t making things any better.

After watching a clip from The Royal Tenenbaums, where the editing was full of cuts, the smoother transitions in On the Waterfront seemed refreshing and worked for this cinematic drama. And when, if in some case, quick cuts were used, it was clear that panic was trying to be portrayed. The wonderful editing helped set the atmosphere for the forthcoming scene, whether it is a continuing storyline or a new one that needed to be linked with a transition, the editing added to the film as a whole. Camera angles enhanced the film by furthering the development of characters, particularly in the opening scene when Joey Doyle is thrown off the roof. The mob members are shot from a low angle, giving them a look of power, while Terry is shown from a high angle, displaying his insignificance. A flat angle also gets the viewer into the action. During the scene at the Friendly bar, a flat angle was used to make the viewer feel like they were a part of the mob, an equal. The last cinematic aspect that I must consider is the music, and unlike the other two mentioned, it was a tad too much. Although Leonard Bernstein’s compositions in West Side Story are beyond perfect, they are much too overpowering for On the Waterfront. At times, the music even envelops the dialogue, making it hard to understand the point the actors are trying to get at. Other times, I feel like the characters are about to burst out into song and dance, specifically when the music reached its climactic points. Now, for a musical, this is perfectly acceptable. For a drama like On the Waterfront, I don’t find it to be a very good idea. So, while the editing and camera angles used complemented the film, the music clashes with the rest of secretive and fearful mood.

On the Waterfront has many similarities with Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. The main parallel that caught my eye were the protagonists. In On the Waterfront, there are Edie Doyle and Terry Malloy. Their views are similar to those of Chris and Joe Keller in All My Sons. Both Edie and Chris have idealistic point of views. They believe that it is better to put others ahead of yourself and your own wellbeing. Joe and Terry, both at first, believe that their own family and happiness is more important than that of strangers. They both have to make a moral decision. Terry, eventually, chooses the waterfront workers and townspeople over Johnny and the mob. That is similar to Joe’s dilemma of his family (Johnny and the mob) versus strangers in the war (the waterfront workers). But unlike Terry, Joe decides to choose his family over others serving in the war. Both decisions have severe consequences. Terry is unable to work at the waterfront and Joe is condemned by his community and even his family. In the end, Terry’s decision, the one of self-sacrifice, paid off more, because the workers eventually sided with him, than Joe’s, whose son killed himself after learning what his father did, the one of selfishness.

On the Waterfront, when considered as a whole, was a satisfactory film. It wasn’t phenomenal, but I believe it accomplished its purpose of teaching the world what it means to do the right thing. Is it a film worth watching? I’m not sure I can answer that question for everyone. In my opinion, it was a well-done movie. There are likely to be critics out there who absolutely fall in love with it and claim this film to be “a classic for generations to come”, but there will also be others who absolutely loathed the film and will call it “a lackluster piece of nothingness not worth half a penny.” My personal take on this film was somewhere in between the radical extremes, but I presume one must watch it and decide for themselves.

Quarter 2 OR Week 3 Post B

The characters in Water for Elephants are a lot like the many members (animals included) of a circus. They are as different as each performer is another. Jacob, clearly new to the circus, comes from a sheltered world. He attended Cornell University in hopes of achieving a veterinarian degree but ended up jumping a circus train after the death of his parents. He believes in the general good of people, but after less than a week with the circus, he's views have changed. Sure he's met nice people like Camel, who helped get him a job on the show, and Diamond Joe, who gave Jacob some advice on how to survive circus life. But there were others like Kinko who showed Jacob no kindness whatsoever. "'That's Kinko to you, pal. Only my friends call my Walter'"(82). Not to mention August, who appears kind at first, "' Nonsense,' he says. 'You're the show's vet. Come with me'"(76), but at others, clearly doesn't like Jacob as much as he acts like he does, "'August's a funny one, and I don't mean funny ha-ha. You be careful'"(87). The other circus workers know about August's quirks. Jacob realizes a little too late, after the lion incident, that August isn't someone to mess with. Of course, there is also the ringmaster, Uncle Al. Uncle Al is what I would call a wacko. We haven't learned much about him except that he loves circus freaks. Personally, he kind of creeps me out, and I think Jacob would agree with me when I say he's not a man to cross. Lastly, there's Marlena. She's a performer and she clearly loves the animals she performs with. But she's also married to August, who, as I mentioned before, is a little crazy, so it's hard to tell how much of an influence he's had on her. As for now, she seems normal and a very nice person. But at such an early stage in the book, it's hard to tell about anyone, even Jacob himself could be a madman and I wouldn't know if from what I've read so far. The characters may be hard to find in real life, but they're interesting to read about. Different, and a little odd. But as they say, to each his own.

Quarter 2 OR Week 3 Post A

Vocab:
roustabouts(65)- a laborer employed for temporary or unskilled jobs; a circus laborer.
percherons (66)- any of a breed of gray or black draft horses.

Appeals:
"I'm like a piece of meat unearthed from the back of the fridge" (64). Here, Jacob is comparing himself to a piece of meat, as he gets poked and prodded every morning by the nurses, using the term "like". This shows that this statement is a simile.

"It's a beautiful day, with the sun streaming down between puffy clouds" (65). This quote displays imagery because the descriptions relate to one of the five senses. Mostly, it relates to sight. I can almost see the beams of sunlight and clouds full of texture. "Puffy clouds" thought, could also relate to touch. I know, or at least can imagine, what puffy clouds feel like.

Another example of a simile is when Jacob is describing how he can't hold onto his anger and how "It slips away, like a wave from shore" (69).

Quote:
"Within seconds, I am a Jell-O eating sheep. Well, a sheep at any rate...I realize that if someone brought pockmarked Jell-O right now and told me to eat it, I would. What have they done to me?" (69). This quote shows Jacob's vulnerability and his increasing lack of defense as his age increases. When he was younger, he couldn't be taken advantage of. He had a personality and a stubbornness about him that got him into the circus. He didn't let people stop him when he wanted to do something. Now, he's old and these nurses are able to take him down with a single drug. It makes me think, is this how we, as society, treat the elderly? That they are just worthless pieces of history that we say we need to respect, but in reality disrespect with our so called "kindness"?

Theme:
Defy what you have to if that's the only way to get your freedom. (In the case of Jacob at his retirement/ treatment center. They force him to take pills, eat food, and do things he doesn't want to. He's not happy.)

Quarter 2 OR Week 2 Post B

"And then I'm...I'm...I'm blubbering like an ancient fool I am, that's what. I guess I was asleep. I could have sworn that just a few seconds ago I was twenty-three" (63-64). This is the first time Jacob has come back to his 90 or 93 year old self after the first chapter. The transition was seamless and very smooth. As Jacob woke up from his dream, I felt like I did too. It was like being pulled out of a Pensieve in Harry Potter. This book has many descriptions and wonderful word choice. Every moment of it feels like I'm actually there, experiencing exactly what Jacob did. And after he woke up from his dream, it felt like I was pulled back into reality from this fantasy. The way this story is written, the reader feels like they are Jacob. It's their story to tell, and no one else's. The emotions that I get from reading Water for Elephants is almost indescribable. One almost has to read it themselves to understand the feelings that are piqued during the story. There's not really much more I can say in words. It's just...well...it's...amazing! The transitions are smooth. The story has a plot. The word choice is incredible. The organization is flawless. Basically, this book is perfect. Gruen could not be doing anything better.

Quarter 2 OR Week 2 Post A

Vocab:
menagerie(30)- a collection of wild or unusual animals or a place where they are kept
lasciviously(46)- inclined to lustfulness

Figurative Language:
" The big top still stands, glowing like a ghostly coliseum" (49). This is a simile because the world "like" is used to compare the big top and a ghostly coliseum.

"...and pulsing with the sound of the band" (49). A continuation from the previous quote, this is a display of imagery because it pertains to both sight and sound. You can almost see the big top moving from the tremendous sound emanating from the circus band, behaving like a heart as it pumps blood.

"'Happy as a clam, that's me'" (53). Camel is comparing his happiness with that of a clam by using a simile. This is a simile because he used the word "as" in the comparison.

Quote:
"'I studied veterinary sciences.' His mien changes instantly, utterly. "Vet school? You're a vet?'"(59). Those words are what changes Jacob's life. Although jumping on the train after his parents death definitely played a role, he still wasn't a part of the show. Uncle Al actually considered throwing him off the train, but when August found out he was a vet, Jacob was saved, at least for now. He had work, a place to stay, and plenty of food, which was good enough.

Theme:
Never underestimate your abilities. You never know what they can do for you.

Quarter 2 OR Week 1 Post B

For this week's Post B, I've decided to write a letter to the AUTHOR. Just to make this clear that the person I'm writing to is NOT the main character of the book.

Dear Sara,
I must say I'm thoroughly impressed with your book Water for Elephants. When I was first deciding what book to read, I wasn't really sure I wanted to read it. No offense or anything, but you're book seemed a little depressing when I read the synopsis. But I also heard from a very reliable source that it was a fantastic book. After a long and gruesome search, I decided to give it a try, and I'm very glad that I did.
Not only is the plot for Water for Elephants captivating, but the word choice is absolutely amazing! Complemented with wonderful, fun, and even slightly disturbing characters, I've definitely been trapped and can't wait to read more.

There was one quote that I really wanted to comment on in my blog that I couldn't because it didn't quite relate, so I think I'll touch on it here. This quote, in my opinion, was really well written, and I just found it entertaining. It was also a magnificent transition from old Jacob to young Jacob.

"But there's nothing to be done about it. All I can do is put in time waiting for the inevitable, observing as the ghosts of my past rattle around my vacuous present. They crash and bang and make themselves at home, mostly because there's no competition. I've stopped fighting them. They're crashing and banging around in there now. Make yourselves at home, boys. Stay awhile. Oh sorry--I see you already have. Damn ghosts"(13).

This quote is significant for many different reasons. First of all, it's extremely well written. Not only is it clearly displaying good word choice (vacuous, rattle), imagery (they crash and bang and make themselves at home), but it shows a theme as well. Plus I just thought it was a fun little paragraph. I especially like the ending, which adds a lot to Jacob's character. We can now tell that he's a blunt person who's let go of the past and is unafraid to confront it or share it. That also has to do with the theme. I think the theme present is that you shouldn't suppress your past. The best way to deal with it is to confront it or even welcome it.

Of course you should correct me if I'm wrong with my interpretation, but that's what I got out of that paragraph. Anyway, overall, from the three chapters that I've read, I'd just like to say that I really enjoy your book. It's quite an interesting read and I can't wait to find out what happens to Jacob. Keep up the good work!

Sincerely,
Amy

Synopsis for Water for Elephants

I remember when we first did these blogs, I was looking at Sarah's blog and I had no idea what her book was about. I then asked her to post a summary of the book which ended up being very helpful. I was able to understand what she was talking about more easily, so I've decided to take that idea and apply it to my blog too. Thanks for the idea Sarah!

Synopsis
As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.
*courtesy of barnesandnoble.com which is a great resource if anyone's looking for a good read or book information.

Quarter 2 OR Week 1 Post A

Vocab:
masticating (8)- to chew (food)
tchotchke (13)- an inexpensive souvenir, trinket, or ornament

Figurative Language:
"Particularly when I remember that I'm one of the ancient dusty people, filed away like some worthless tchotchke" (13). This is a simile. The author is comparing the main character to a tchotchke (see above for definition) using the word "like".

"I am, as far as I can tell, the oldest male virgin on the face of the earth" (15). A hyperbole is demonstrated in this quote. Jacob says that he is the oldest male virgin on the face of the earth. This isn't too be taken literally. He really isn't in the entire world, but this phrase is used to exaggerate his point.

"Death is all over them" (18). Jacob describes what his parents look like. In the process he personifies death, which usually can't be over someone. A person, can be "all over someone", but not death, at least not literally.

Quote:
"This morning, I had parents. This morning, they ate breakfast. I fall to my knees, right there on the back stoop, howling into splayed hands" (19). The death of Jacob's parents sends his whole life awry and it is the reason he ends up joining the circus. That one event sends his life into motion.

Theme:
I don't really think there is much of a theme right now. The best I can get is: Don't suppress your past. The only way to move on is to welcome it.

Outisde Reading Week 5 Part B- The Final Post

I'm sad to report that this is my final post for my outside reading project. I have just recently finished October Sky and for my last thoughts on the book, I've decided to write a review type thing.

October Sky by Homer Hickam
Homer is a simple boy from Coalwood, West Virginia whose destiny has always been the mine. His dad is the superintendent and it seems perfectly natural for Homer to go down beneath the earth where he belongs, where any Coalwood boy belongs. But everything changes when Sputnik is launched. For the first time in Coalwood history, there are people who care more about something else rather than high school football and the mine. From that, the Rocket Boys are born. Even though people had little hope in them at first, the Rocket Boys proved everyone wrong and became a sensation in the dreary town of Coalwood when it seemed nothing would be the same again. The Rocket Boys kept the town together through the troubles of the mine and proved to everyone that just because they are from West Virginia, it doesn't mean they can't accomplish something. They showed the people of Coalwood that there are other ways to live life besides breathing in coal dust and getting a football scholarship. They brought joy and hope to Coalwood and influenced others to help them in their journey. There was Miss Riley, their science teacher who first inspired the Rocket Boys to entire the science fair. Mr Caton, their main machinists who built and manufactured the many rockets the boys launched. Elsie Hickam, Homer's mom, who always wished for her son to find a way out of Coalwood. Mr. Turner, the principal of Big Creek High School, who gave the Rocket Boys a chance and in turn, they brought Big Creek fame and respect. And lastly, Homer's dad, who may have had a rocky relationship with his son, but who also knew that it was Homer's rocket building that kept the town, and even their family, together at the most dire of times. Each Rocket Boy went on to leave the dying town of Coalwood and attend college. They achieved their dreams of not only winning the science fair, but of going into space as well. As their rockets raced across the sky, it took with them not only the dreams and hopes of the Rocket Boys, but of Coalwood, of McDowell County, and of those that join Homer in his journey to show the world that anyone is capable of reaching their dreams, even a boy from Coalwood, West Virginia.

Outside Reading Week 5 Part A

Vocab:
guile (273)- crafty or artful deception

adiabatic (248)- occuring without gain or loss of heat

Appeals:
"If Dad didn't let me have the materials I needed, I'd still get them, one way or another, no matter what it took-guile, tricks, or outright theft. I didn't need Dad. I let every juicy morsel of anger and bitterness well up inside me, making no attempt to stanch any of it. Instead of hating the feeling, I gloried in it. I was becoming tough, just like him" (273). This to me is an emotional appeal because it shows Homer's growing independence and his still existing ignorance, which is common among most teenagers in any era. Homer may think he is becoming tough and independent like his dad, but I think the truth is that he has reached a breaking point, where all he wants to do now is rebel. The style with which this phrase is written is almost reflective. Homer chooses very descriptive words to convey his feelings and his tone is even a little shameful of himself.

"...I felt my soul curl up and die, and then all the blood that was in my body drained completely to my feet. I was numb and in exquisite pain at the same moment" (280). I thought this was also an emotional appeal. The word choice is clearly used to express an emotion that Homer is feeling, and maybe even to relate to the audience. The words are intense and very strong, but they would probably match the feelings of someone getting their heart broken. When I actually stop to analyze the situation, I realize that Homer kind of had it coming and that it's probably not as big of a deal as he makes it. But because of the word choice, I can understand his side of the story and feel exactly what he felt at that moment.

"I looked and knew the reason for the failure when I saw a deep rent right at the nearly invisible strip of weld. A butt weld was where the two ends of the steel sheet that made the tube were simply pushed together and welded" (272). Homer describes the type of weld that had held the rocket together. Because this phrase is merely a description that paints a picture and helps the reader decipher between the different types of welds, it is a logical appeal.

Quote:
"My whole life, I had always been busy with some scheme to make things go my way. Now I knew there was nothing I could do to make things right, not now, not ever....The worst thing I had ever felt in my life had taken control of me. I felt: nothing" (292). I wish that I could write down this entire paragraph because it's a very strong quote, but I think this little bit will have to suffice. After the accident at the mine, Mr. Bykovski's death, and his dad's injury, Homer feels like his whole world is crashing around him. He believes that Mr. Bykovski's death was his fault and he probably wishes that he were nicer to his dad, who could've died that day. A realization hits him that although his future is at stake, not everyone has to sacrifice themselves to get him there. Even though Coalwood is dying, it is still functioning. And even if Homer has his eyes set up into the sky, there is still life occurring beneath him down in the mines. Being a naturally well-meaning person, Homer wants, more than anything right now, to help fix the problem, to take back what he's done, but he knows that he can't. It seems the dangers of the mine has finally made an impact on him, and I think that Homer has come to realize that the real world is not a friendly place. Accidents happen and there will be nothing he can do to stop them. His problems with Dorothy and fight against his Dad mean nothing in the real world. He might think he's tough and independent but it seems he's come to realize that he's not. There is so much more Homer can learn before really growing up.

Theme:
You can't control the world, but make a difference with what you're given.

The 400 Blows Review

Languages are barriers throughout most worlds, including the cinematic one. I’ve never been a big fan of foreign films, and it doesn’t help that I have no idea what the heck the actors are saying. Of course, there are some languages that I happen to understand, but unfortunately, French, is no such language. Yet I found The 400 Blows to be quite refreshing compared to the other foreign films I’ve watched. It was humorous in an almost disturbing way, mocking yet insightful. I won’t deny that it was just plain wacky and awkward at times, but I found it to be a film that people can sympathize and relate to. François Truffaut’s style of directing is unique and hard to find within the mainstream blockbuster films commonly shown in the United States, which makes this film different and, in my opinion, quite a cinematic treat.

Told through the eyes of a third person observing, we are introduced to Antoine Doinel and his pathetic existence. Antoine is a simple French boy living in the city of Paris with his mother and step-father. He goes to school, does chores, and often wanders the city streets with his best friend René. Our story begins in a classroom with Antoine in trouble with the stereotypical mean teacher. From there, the snowball continues to roll and Antoine’s troubles not only increase, but gradually grow in size. After his disastrous day in school, Antoine and René decide to be truants and take to the wonderful city of Paris. It seems that only in those moments when Antoine is free, out on the city streets, that he is truly happy. At home, he is suppressed by his parents and their inconsistent techniques. They punish him, they praise him, they bribe him, and they ignore him. It’s clear that Antoine isn’t wanted at home and the longer he stays, the more neglected he feels. Not only is there conflict occurring between Antoine and his parents, but his mom and step-father are constantly yelling, the only constant thing in his household. Money is always an issue, but when Antoine catches his mother cheating on his step-father, it’s evident that there is more than money tearing his family apart. Antoine’s mother is a tawdry person who seems to care more about appearances than anything else. Meanwhile, his step-father is just trying to get by, but can be very irrational. At first, it seems that his step-father is the kind one, while his mother is an angry cumulous nimbus cloud hovering over Antoine’s head, but all that can change with the snap of a finger. They’ve had tough times and sometimes, it seems Antoine is actually the one who takes the hit. Antoine himself isn’t exactly a prize-winning child either. He’s sneaky and a mastered liar, but he also seems to have much potential that is wasted. The day after he played hooky, Antoine returns to school and gives his teacher the excuse that his mother has died. René, a crafty child as well, had given Antoine the idea. Once it is discovered that this was a lie, Antoine decides to run away. He is determined to make money and live out on his own and in turn, steals his father’s typewriter. Unfortunately for Antoine, he gets caught and is later sent to an “observation center.” From there, Antoine escapes and goes to the ocean, the one place he’s always wanted to go, and the place where he feels freedom and possibility, the only things he’s ever wanted.

Enhancing the already complex and intriguing plot are the dramatic aspects of the film. The actors are fittingly chosen and play the part quite well. Patrick Auffay portrays upbeat and clever René with enthusiasm and believability. He adds a good portion of humor to the film that makes it lighthearted, even in the most desperate of times. Guy Decomble plays the French teacher. Although the part requires some physical activity and lots of yelling, Decomble pulls it off with poise and ridiculousness. He’s an easy character to relate to, as we’ve all had teachers like that, which makes the story more believable and enjoyable to watch. The French teacher is the character that I love to hate more than anyone else in the film. Lastly, there is Jean-Pierre Léaud who plays none other than our Antoine Doinel. Léaud accents and adds to Doinel’s personality. He brings Doinel, who is a representation of the director himself, to life. Even though the story is told through a third person perspective, I am able to feel his hardships, his joy, his sorrow, and his desire. The costumes and set design also add to the dramatic aspects of the film. The costumes enhance the characters’ personalities. For example, Antoine’s mom, Gilberte, doesn’t have a lot of money but enjoys wearing fancy clothes anyway. It shows how much she cares about how she looks to others. Also, the costumes distinguish between social class and wealth. René’s clothes are much tidier and more gentlemen like than Antoine’s. Their costumes show the social class difference between the two best friends. Set design and lighting play important roles in augmenting the story. The drearier settings in the film are usually bland and poorly lit, like the school and Antoine’s room, while the happier places are well lit and beautiful, like the Parisian streets and the beach. The dramatic elements are just another plus in this wonderfully recounted story.

Another fantastic part of this movie is the cinematography. A great plot and dramatic elements are good, but a great movie is made with excellent cinematic aspects as well, and The 400 Blows definitely had cinematography working for it. Truffaut clearly made many stylistic choices in his memoir movie; the first of which is his camera work. There are a variety of shots that he uses. In the best of times, the happy and free moments, Truffaut tends to use wide shots that emanate from the subject and expands to reveal a wide downward angle that shows not only the actor, but his or her surroundings, giving us a sense of freedom and even flight. In the worst of times, the camera is usually focused on his subject. Truffaut zooms in on Antoine many times to catch his expression after a significant event occurs, like when his parents are yelling in the next room when Antoine is pretending to asleep, or when his parents discovered he told his teacher his mom was dead. And even other times, the camera moves along with the action, especially in all the escape scenes, when Antoine is running around town and when he escapes from the juvenile detention center. Besides the camera shots, there is also editing and music to consider. The score of the movie is basically the same melody repeated over and over again, only varying in tones and keys depending on the feelings of the scene. The music was more upbeat and in a major key when Antoine and his friend René went to an amusement park after ditching school. The music became sullen and in a minor key when Antoine was traveling in the back of the police car, his fate unknown. And it was hopeful at the end, when Antoine finally escaped and found his way to the ocean. The only cinematic element I didn’t like was the editing. It was very choppy and clearly an attempt at a stylistic choice. The scenes weren’t even that resolute. They just sort of ended and Truffaut would go on to focus on another subject. They also tended to skip around. One time, Antoine would be running around town, then the next he’d be back in his apartment. Although the editing was full of cuts, I still found the cinematic aspects to be quite enticing. For a film fanatic like myself, I appreciated the many stylistic choices Truffaut made, and those choices made an already wonderful movie even better.

There are many memoirs, whether they are movies or books, which share similar qualities to Truffaut’s The 400 Blows, including Richard Wright’s Black Boy. Although the two stories are set in completely different places, one in Paris and the other in Southern USA, there are many similarities between the two protagonists. None of those similarities are physical. Antoine is a French boy who is not officially discriminated against, while Richard is a black boy living in a white dominant south where the law basically condemns him. But both boys want love from their families. Antoine has always seemed a burden for the Doinel family. He’s been moved back and forth, from his grandmother’s to his own home, but it never seems that his mother actually wants him. All Antoine wants is a little love and affection from his mother, not just the fake kind he gets so to keep him from running away, but the real kind, the kind that your mother is supposed to give you. Richard is also held back by his family’s dislike of him. His grandmother disapproves of his “sinning” ways and like Antoine, most of his relatives find him to be a burden. Once again, he just wants to be accepted and he tries, but without their cooperation, it never ends up happening. The main difference between Richard and Antoine’s turmoil in their families is that Richard still loves his mother and she loves him back. She is the reason he tries to head north. He does what he can to better her life as well as his. The other thing that Antoine and Richard have in common is their desire to escape and be free. Antoine is suppressed by the people around him including his parents and his teacher. They don’t understand him and in order to cope, he escapes to the movie theater where he feels like he truly belongs. Richard finds solace in the creative arts as well. He finds his escape in books. But for both of them, neither the movie theater nor the novels are a permanent answer. For Antoine, it will be the ocean. He runs there at the end and it can be inferred that he began a new life. For Richard, it was the north, where he took his mother and brother. There too, he started over.

As Antoine’s face stays emblazoned on the screen, the credits begin to roll and our journey is brought to a close. A creatively crafted movie memoir, The 400 Blows is not your average foreign film. The language barriers still exist, but I know subtitles were made for a reason. Touching, moving, and full of hope, this movie leaves you with a joyous feeling inside your heart. Even if it does have its weird moments and even if some stylistic choices might not be pleasing to everyone, it’s a movie well worth your time. It follows the common theme of struggle within most memoirs, but differs from most memoirs because of the protagonist, Antoine Doinel. A clever and doomed child, Antoine learns to shed his ignorant shield of innocence and embrace the reality of life. Truffaut captures the emotions that come with coming of age and helps us understand Antoine’s many struggles from his teacher to his parents to the time he spent in the observation center. Although this film doesn’t exhibit the movie magic and technology of today, this simple black and white story emotionally touches most that watch it. I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who wants to give it a try. It might seem trivial compared to the multimillion dollar action films of the 21^st century, but The 400 Blows contains something that those movies will never have: essence.

Outside Reading Week 4 Part B

Homer's relationship with his family is something that constantly changes. There is almost absolutely no consistency, unless you argue that their fighting is consistent. Last week, everything seemed fine. The Rocket Boys were getting along, they were making progress, Coalwood was supporting them, and Homer's dad seemed to have finally realized how much potential he has. But I think I was mistaken. Homer's dad is a manipulator. He pulls tricks on people to try and get them to do things his way. "' You're my boy,' he said... 'I was born to lead men in the profession of mining coal. Maybe you were too.' You're my boy. In the dark, I could savor the words without embarrassment" (202). Homer must have felt real pride and happiness to see that his dad really does care about him, but I don't think it's true. Homer Sr.'s life is the mine. His family is the mine. The only thing he cares about is the mine. If one of his sons can help benefit the mine than he'll most likely show preference to them, like he did with Homer. But it's clear that he knows nothing about his son. There's a huge difference between being a mine engineer and being a rocket engineer. Working for the mine means that Homer will be like his father, and anyone can see that they are completely different. "'A mining engineer?' he pressed. He had me. I had no choice but to tell him the truth. 'I want to go to work for Dr. von Braun, Dad.' He didn't hide his disappointment (203). It's very clear here that Homer's dad doesn't understand his son and he doesn't try to. For some reason, he thinks that just because Homer wants to be an engineer, he has to be a mine engineer. He doesn't consider that fact that Homer doesn't want that. He doesn't even think about how Homer might want a different life. Homer wants to explore space, to look up, not down, and I don't understand why it's so difficult for his dad to grasp the concept.

Another important character in this family drama is Homer's mom, Elsie Hickam. Homer Sr. doesn't even seem to love his wife more than he loves the mine. Like I mentioned before, the mine is his life and the one thing he loves more than anything else. He doesn't understand his family. He doesn't understand Homer's needs of being accepted and embraced by his father. He doesn't understand how much it hurts his wife when he picks the mine over her. "You always wanted diamonds, but these are the best I can do. I wish they were real. The next morning, waiting for him on the table was Mom's note of reply: I never wanted diamonds. I only wanted a little of your time. That's still all I want" (198). And more importantly, he doesn't understand how the mine is tearing his family apart, or even how it's tearing him apart. "She pulled back. 'This mine's killed you, but it's not going to kill my boys!' "(205).

There is a lot of sad realization that happens within this chapter. I think Homer has always known that his parents don't get along, but never has such a public display occurred. It just pains me, and even surprises me, that Homer's dad can be so oblivious and stubborn. That he doesn't understand what's important in life. That he would throw away his family, the people that are always unconditionally there for you, for something like the mine that would only want Homer Sr. as long as they thought him useful. I'm really close to my family and it's hard to imagine someone like that. I guess he truly is a company man through and through.

Outside Reading Week 4 Part A

Vocab:
laquered (169)- to give a sleek, glossy finish to.

coalescing (170)- to grow together; to unite; to blend; to come together.

Appeals:
"One morning, dad plunked bread slices in the old toaster...the handle on the toaster was still down, but nothing was happening. He discovered the heating element was gone, mainly because I had taken it to see if my plans for an electrical-ignition system would work" (171-172). Although I couldn't fit the entire quote here, I found it to be a rather humorous one. I thought it was both a logical and emotional appeal. The logical portion comes from Homer describing the events that happened on that particular morning while the emotional comes from the tone of voice. Instead of saying that he took the heating element so his dad's bread couldn't be toasted, he found a way to make it more interesting by saying that the toaster wouldn't work and then adding, "oh yeah...by the way, i took the heating element." It makes the passage more enjoyable to read and shows off Homer's writing style.

"No teacher had ever confided in me anything about anything to do with her personal life the way Ms. Riley had just done, almost as if I were her equal. She kept smiling at me, and I felt at that moment like I was the most important person to her in the world" (179). In my opinion, this demonstrated an emotional appeal. Homer is describing his experience with an important teacher in his life. For most people who have attended school, or are attending, this is something that can be easily related to. It's almost a guarantee that there has been at least one teacher we have met that has changed our lives somehow. And with that, he is evoking a feeling and connection with us as the reader.

" 'Attaboy,' he said, and then kept going. Startled, I turned and watched him go up the steps. Attaboy?" (181). This quote kind of a confused me a little. Homer's dad asked him if his propellant exploded, how high it would go. Homer told him about 1 to 2 feet and he responded "attaboy." That one word has so many different meanings to it and it's hard to tell exactly which one it is. Even Homer is confused. Those two points make this an emotional appeal. Maybe his dad has turned around and decided to support Homer's experiments or maybe he just liked the fact that the propellant could blow up the house. I don't know if we'll ever find out. Maybe, it's all up for interpretation.

Quote:
"Someday, I was convinced, we could go there. Not just mankind, but us, the boys on that roof....That's why I decided, up there on that roof, that we would melt saltpeter and sugar" (184). I liked this quote because I thought it was really inspirational. Throughout the book, it can sometimes seem that Homer and the Rocket Boys are just building rockets to be rebels, but through this quote, it's clear they have a goal. And because they have a goal, they are able to sum up courage and travel into the unknown to try and reach it.

Theme:
A theme that I think was evident in this section is, in order to reach your goal, sometimes you have to try something that is outside the box.

Outside Reading Week 3 Part B

There haven't been as many issues for the Rocket Boys since my last post. A lot of changes have been happening in Coalwood, "Big Creek High School, Mr. Turner said in his shrill voice, had been placed on football suspension for the 1958 season" (131), and "A more challenging academic curriculum was to be installed" (132). It looks like a shift has occurred in Coalwood. Now, instead of the town worrying about whether or not their football team was going to make it to state, they were going to worry about whether or not the Rocket Boys could get their rockets to fly.

Things have been improving for Homer and his friends. They were able to find a place to launch their rockets and dubbed it Cape Coalwood. Not only were they allowed to launch rockets, Homer's dad granted them some scrap materials to build a blockhouse and launch pad. It seems that Homer Sr. feelings towards his son have changed and in turn my feelings about him have changed as well. Last week, I thought him to be a tyrant to some degree. He wouldn't let Homer build his rockets and ended up reassigning the man that helped him. He wasn't able to support his son's decision or be proud that Homer is trying something different. He couldn't quite grasp the fact that Homer deserved better and could do better. But now he's trying to help. "There, beside the locked door to the fan controls, sat four bags of cement. They hadn't been rained on at all. There was also a pile of sand and gravel, equally intact" (151). Homer's dad had gotten all of this just for his son. Although he hasn't admitted it openly, I think Homer Sr. wants his youngest son to succeed. Maybe he just didn't want him to face disappointment or maybe he wanted at least one son to take the mine over when he was gone. I'm not sure what exactly it was that caused Homer's dad to be so against his rocket building, but clearly the wall has fallen away. I suppose family is family and they're here to support you no matter what happens.

Outside Reading Week 3 Part A

Vocab:
galvanize (152)- to coat with rust-resistant zinc.

entropy (160)- inevitable and steady deterioration of a system or society.

Appeals:
"Another traditional miners' vacation spot was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. At Mom's insistence, that's where we went. It was the one time of the year she got Dad off to herself and out of the mountains....Mom cried when we loaded up the Buick to come home" (157). The miners of Coalwood usually got two weeks off in early July for a vacation. Homer's family went to Myrtle Beach, his mom's favorite place. This is an emotional appeal because Homer connects to the reader by talking about his family life. Not only do we learn more about his home life, we also know or can imagine what it would be like if our parents never talked or got along. Besides building rockets, I think Myrtle Beach must have invoked happy memories from Homer's childhood when things were simple and easy.

"He smiled. 'Because even though I know it to be true, I don't want it to be true. I hate that it's true. I just can't imagine," he concluded heading back inside his office, "what God was thinking.'" (160). The thing that Homer's dad is talking about in this quote is entropy which he goes onto explain is that no matter how perfect something is, it will all be destroyed eventually. This gives the reader a lot to think about. Is the fact that Homer Sr. knows about entropy the reason he has such a bland outlook in life? Is that the reason why he didn't originally support Homer's rocket building or the reason he decided to support it anyway? Is this the reason that causes him to become such a "company-man" and somewhat doom his marriage because of his work? Although it might not seem like it, this quote reveals a lot about Homer's dad and the reason why he lives his life the way he does.

"I thought how ironic that Jake's telescope could see stars a million light-years away, but not the town it was in. Maybe I was that way myself. I had a clear vision of my future in space, but the life I led in Coalwood sometimes seemed to blur" (162). Being a teenager I can definitely relate to what Homer says here. Most of our lives are dedicated in living in the present. We don't always think about our future or reflect on the past. It's not always clear to us what we want to do or what we've been doing, but there have always been those moments when we realize exactly what has been happening. For Homer, this is one of these moments and it makes a great emotional appeal. There are always those times in one's life where we feel lost, but occasionally, we're able to find ourselves.

Quote:
"I considered the implication of what O'Dell was saying. Was Dad helping us?" (152). Homer's father had let him have some cement for his launch pad at Cape Coalwood. He had said it was ruined, but when O'Dell and Homer discovered the cement, it wasn't ruined at all and there had been exactly four bags, the amount Homer thought he needed. Even though Homer Sr. has never shown any open support towards his son's rocket building, it seems that he is beginning to turn around. Maybe he's just interested in seeing what Homer Jr. can accomplish. Or maybe he wants to know that someone can beat the Russians. Or maybe, he wants to support his son.

Theme:
A theme that's becoming more evident in my memoir is that of teamwork and friendships. The Rocket Boys couldn't have done what they managed to accomplish if they hadn't worked together. Building a rocket is one thing, but to build a team of people who can work together and accomplish a task is another. "One by one Sherman, O'Dell, Roy Lee, and Quentin placed their hands on top of mine. 'Rocket Boys,' I said. 'Rocket Boys forever!'" (156).

Outside Reading Week 2 Part B

Dear Homer,

I would just like to say that I admire everything you've done so far. I know that it must be difficult living in Coalwood where everything is about the mine and football, and not being able to contribute much to either. But that doesn't mean you don't have potential or that you can't help your town. None of that means anything if you can find something that you are good at, like building rockets.

At one point you claimed that you didn't know why you should build rockets and leave Coalwood, "'How do you know I don't belong here too?' I wondered....'Anybody raised here belongs here. You can't belong anywhere else.' ... 'Then I don't understand why I'm supposed to leave!'"(81). When you asked Mr. Dubonnet about this, he said that the mine is dying and so is the town. There will be nothing left for your generation, but I think there's more to that. Coalwood isn't good enough for you. You can do better and you deserve better. I know you want to go to college and I'm betting that your dream job isn't to run the mine. And since there are so few things that can get someone out of Coalwood (mainly just football), building rockets is something that can help. There's so much more to life and it's all out there, but first, you have to get out of Coalwood to see it.

The second thing I wanted to comment on is your determination. I'm glad that despite your father's disapproval, you have continued to build rockets. Although it wasn't exactly the best idea for you to launch the rockets so near the mine, it was still extremely unreasonable for your father to dump all your stuff down the river and to reassign Mr. Bykovski to the mine. There's another reason you should continue building rockets, for Mr. Bykovski. That would mean that his work wasn't done in vain. I just hope that no matter what happens, you won't let your father sway you. The entire town, minus all the "company men" and possibly the football players, are rooting for you, but they don't matter. "Company men" and football players already get enough attention and have ranks in this town. It's about time someone showed them there was more to life than coal and football. Maybe they don't want you to succeed because then it would uproot all the values in Coalwood, but I think it's time for change. How could anyone possibly think Coalwood or even the world would stay the same, especially after the launching of Sputnik. It's clearly unreasonable.

I guess all I'm trying to say is don't give up. Even if you fail, keep trying. Your entire future depends on whether you succeed or not. Maybe that doesn't really matter to you right now, but at least do it to prove all the nonbelievers wrong. Make a statement and secure a spot for yourself in Coalwood history. Just remember, everyone is cheering for the rocket boys!

Sincerely,
Amy

Outside Reading Week 2 Part A

Vocab:
pseudo (71)- false; trying to be; almost; approaching; not actually but having the appearance of

salacious (76)- lustful or lecherous; obscene

Appeals:
"I, on the other hand, was all alone. That's why I decided, like it or not, I had to talk to Quentin" (70). Homer is clearly desperate and in need of help. His mother wants him to build a rocket, and he basically has to otherwise the entire town will ridicule him. This is an emotional appeal because it shows Homer's thoughts and feelings and how he is willing to do anything to build his rocket. Talking to Quentin was his last futile attempt.

"In 1957 southern West Virginia, you wouldn't likely starve if you didn't have any money. There was always bread and commodity cheese you could get from the government. But that was about all there was" (75). This states the fact that in 1957, starvation wasn't usually a way of death which makes it a logical appeal. It reassures the fact that if a mine were to close down, people would still have enough to eat. But this could also be considered an emotional appeal because the reader is able to realize the terrible predicament these miners and their families are in and why it's so important to leave Coalwood if possible.

"There was a company-store system in most of the towns in southern West Virginia....The big store had just about everything anybody in Coalwood needed, but would it have rocket fuel?" (79). This paragraph (or multiple paragraphs) is a logical appeal. Homer clearly states some facts and a little bit of trivia about company stores and the company-store system in Coalwood. It's also a great example of writing style. Homer Hickam starts the paragraph with what could be considered a lead-in before he gets to his point. We learn a bit more about his life and Coalwood through this technique and although some people find it unnecessary, I enjoy learning more about my author/ narrator.

Quote:
"'Oh, hi, Sonny!' she said brightly and then slipped past me, to join her future date on a stroll up the aisle. I stood there, my heart sinking to my toes" (87). Homer Hickam is very bright for his age and seems to have given his future quite a bit of thought. While most of his friends wish or talk about how they are going to get out of Coalwood, it's pretty much evident they won't. Homer actually tries to do something to help his chances of leaving, even if he doesn't know why he should leave. He seems much more mature then most people during their teenage years and may seem too sophisticated to relate to, but this quote shows his normality as a teenage boy. He still cares about such things as girls and these teenage feelings and aspects are still important to him even though he has much bigger things to deal with, like rocket building. By showing his vulnerability and averageness, Homer allows the reader to relate to him.

Theme:
Failure isn't something to be ashamed of; it's something to learn from. Homer learns this from Quentin and his "book of knowledge."

Funny Quote

I know this is kind of random and really has nothing to do with the posts I'm supposed to be blogging about, but I really liked this quote and I wanted to share it.

This was the first time Homer and his friends tried to build a rocket and this quote displays the end result of their so called launch:
"There was an eyewitness, a miner waiting for a ride at the gas station across the street. For the edification of the fence gossipers, he would later describe what he had seen. There was, he reported, a huge flash in the Hickam's yard and a sound like God Himself had clapped His hands. There an arc of fire lifted up and up into the darkness, turning and cartwheeling and spewing bright sparks. The way the man told it, our rocket was a beautiful and glorious sight, and I guess he was right as far as it went. The only problem was, it wasn't our rocket that streaked into that dark, cold, clear, and starry night. It was my mother's rose-garden fence"(43-44).

Outside Reading Week 1 Part B

Even from the very beginning of the book, it’s clear that Homer isn’t like the other residents of Coalwood. He never quite fits in with the other boys for numerous reasons. First, he could never be a football player because he’s small, near-sighted and just not tough enough, which according to his brother, makes him a sissy. Second, he’s never able to please his father because there’s nothing in Coalwood that Homer can really do well. His life is meant to be outside of the mine, not in. And lastly, Sputnik interests Homer much more than anything else that he’s ever encountered in Coalwood, “I had never seen anything so marvelous in my life (39). It was as if being a rocket engineer was his calling and it took one event to set his entire life in motion.

But there was one obstacle that almost prevented Homer from being the person he is: his dad. While his mother supported him, his father never seemed to understand how important rocket building was to Homer. Like the other people of Coalwood, mining and high school football were Homer Hickam Senior’s life. He could support Jim because Jim was a huge football star, but he couldn’t support his second son’s hobby. I don’t understand why Homer’s dad is so blind and oblivious to him. Even I, as an outsider can see the potential Homer possesses while his father cannot. I don’t think it’s fair that just because his dad’s life is mining, he believes Homer’s life has to be about mining too. Being a Coalwood boy doesn’t seem to be enough for Homer Hickam, there is always something more.

Outside Reading Week 1 Part A

The memoir I'm currently reading is October Sky aka Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam Jr.

Vocab:
bituminous (1)- resembling or containing any of various substances as asphalt, maltha, or gilsonite, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons.

pulpit (5)- a platform or raised structure in a church, from which the sermon is delivered or the service is conducted.

Appeals:
"He called to my dad on the other side of the room, 'Homer, he's just like you!'"(15). These are very loaded words and are also an emotional appeal. Homer's grandfather has commented on how much Homer is like his father. In most cases, this would be a compliment, but to his mother, and even to Homer who has never wanted to be like his dad, this is an insult. This expression is used to display the differences within the Hickam household and it makes us wonder how their family relationship will be affected later on.

"No you're not. No you're not. All through my growing up years , she kept singing it, one way or another. It was only when I was in high school and began to build rockets that I finally understood why" (16). This is definitely an emotional appeal. Homer's mom is telling him that he isn't like his dad, and when he states that he doesn't find out why until high school, it makes us as the reader want to know why and read on.

"I guess it's fair to say there were two distinct phases to my life in West Virginia: everything that happened before October 5, 1957 and everything that happened afterward" (18). I would consider this a logical appeal though I suppose it is a bit emotional as well. October 5, 1957 was the day that the Russian satellite Sputnik was launched into space, a very true fact. This is the day that changed Homer Hickam's life forever.

Quote:
"Talk on the church steps afterward was mostly about the football team and its undefeated season. It was taking a while for Sputnik to sink in, at least in Coalwood" (20). Coalwood was a small town that was mainly focused on mining and could probably care less about what happened outside of their community, in the rest of the world. This quote displays the simple life that most Coalwood miners and their families lead. Unlike Homer, most people aren't interested in the field of science and it foreshadows the difficulties that lie ahead for him when it comes to building rockets.

Theme: At the current moment there isn't very much about theme. The story is still being set up, but if I had to say what I think the theme is, then it would be something like: there's nothing wrong with being different, but if you are, you should embrace the qualities that make you special.