Hedges' Frosh 12-13 discussion
4/15 SSR Response
Mod
"I stand and look over the edge. There is a body on the pavement below us; a girl, her arms and legs bent at awkward angles, her hair spread in a fan around her head. My stomach sinks and I stare at the tracks.Not everyone made it. And even the Dauntless aren't safe." (55)
I selected this passage because even though I won't be jumping off a trains anytime soon, I can relate to how frightening it is to make big decisions. This year, I've had to make several major life decisions, and no matter what choices I made, there is danger. People are always afraid to make changes in their lives because change is scary. I'm only in chapter 8 of this book, but I think the character will be glad she made the choice she did, even though it scared the heck out of her. She's a courageous female character, like Katniss in Hunger Games. I think that's why both books appeal to me so much!
One meaningful passage from my book night by eli Wiesel is when he desscribes the horror of being taken away from his family."We couldnt sleep at night, my dad and I would just pretend that it was all a dream" This is meaningful becuase it shows just how much hardships that jews indured during the hollocuast.
I am currently reading (against my will) The Host, by the infamous Stephenie Meyer. During this passage, the main character, Wanderer, and her host (body), Melanie, are stuck in the desert. They had been out there for a few days and were extremely dehydrated and hungry. She has finally collapsed on the desert sand. “We were so tired, past the point of exhaustion and into some deeper, more painful state. Surely we could sleep. All we had to do was not think. We could do that.”
I feel like this passage really describes what it is like going to sleep when you have a lot on your mind. When all you want to do is sleep, but your mind won’t stay still, and you have to put in effort to not think about anything.
Im reading the Hunger Games for the second time because i first read it when i was in 6th grade. 12 different districts have to fight to the death and the winner goes home with food to feed them and their family for a year. They Capitol makes them do this to prove that they have control over all of the districts and rebellion is not an option."but whenever my father sang, all the birds in the area would fall silent and list."(page 43"
This quote in the book actually makes me feel sad. As if katniss were telling me about her father. And i relate to it because certain things make me think about my grandpa who died 4 years ago. I think everybody could relate to this actually. There is at least one thing that makes people think of someone or a time or place. The Hunger Games is by far my favorite book. I constantly feel like this through-out the whole stor, and even into the second book. You feel personally connected to the characters and actually care about what's going to happen to them.
Christopher PaoliniThe world of Alagaesia is engaged in an all out war between the oppressive Empire, and the revolutionary Varden. The Varden needs the support every race in Alagaesia (elves, dwarves, humans, and urgals). The Dwarves are in the process of choosing a new leader (the last one died during the previous battle), and Eragon is on his way to help them pick a leader that is sympathetic to the Varden.
"It was with regret that Eragon left behind the pale sunshine and fresh mountain air for the darkness of the tunnel." This was meaningful to me because i much prefer the open air of mountains, than the enclosed space of a tunnel or cave.
one great message in the book romeo and juilet is that love conquers all in the end and that people that really love eachother, should always be with eachother. but the truth is that i hnestly think that shakespere should of made their love life last more then 4 days!!!! and not them meet dy one, get marride the next day, not see eachother at all day 3 and die day four! its weird but its a really great book so far. i would give it 4/5 stars...
I am reading Night by Elie Wiesel, which is similar to Number The Stars because it's about Jews being forced into camps. Night is more detailed rather than Number the Stars. Both the main characters in both books go through serious pain by the British soliders, beating them. "Listen to me, you son of a swine!" "So much for curiosity. You shall receive five more times more if you dare to tell anyone what you saw! Understood?"
I selected this passage because it shows what lack of respect Germans have for Jews. A Jew caught him sexually abusing a girl. The German decided to hit him with a whip 25 times, over and over. Telling the Jew if he told, he would get 5 times that. 125 whips on his back. I think it's wrong how the Germans treated the Jews, it was decided just like in Number The Stars. Poorly. They barely had enough food to survive. Some died from starvation. The others died from being tortured so much. Working all day to get a piece of bread and hit by a whip. I enjoy reading about this, i'm not sure why. Both these books I enjoy.
In my book Light by Michael Grant my meaningful passage is ..." this is not the last time.", and honestly in the context of the book they are saying it is not the last time they will have sex, but in a deeper, more appropriate meaning they are saying that it will not be the last time they see eachother. the main character, Sam , is about to go hunt a cannibal freak, so him and his girlfriend get it on. this passage was found on page 45.
I am currently reading The Cardinal of the Kremlin. I have not read very much of my book so far but I will attempt to explain this. In this book the Soviet Union and the United States of America are working to make laser weaponry bases for conflict between them. There is a lot of conflict between countries and groups throughout this book."One way or another we all fight for the things we believe in. Doesn't that give us some common ground?"(547)
I decided to pick this passage because of the fact that it applies to everything. All people are similar due to the fact they all fight for what they believe in. People are not so different. This especially applies to the conflict with North Korea at this time.
I am reading Night by Eli Wiesel. This book is about when Hitler ruled Germany and the Holocaust began. Jewish families are taken from there homes unexpectedly and sent to the Ghetto or the concentration camps. A young boy and his father are seperated from his mother and sister and are being forced to work to death with little to no food."To hang a young boy in front of thousands of spectators was no light matter. The head of the camp read the verdict. All eyes were on the child. He was lividly pale, almost calm, biting his lips. The gallows threw its shadow over him" (61).
I chose this passage because it's desrcibing how the Jews feel and how they are direspected. It gives a good visual image of the torturous things the German soldiers did to Jews. I feel like these words express the fear the Jews have and they know everything that's happening to them isn't fair but there is nothing they can do about it.
I am reading "The Rebounder" by Thomas J. Dygard, and it's about a coach and his decent basketball team. The coach has a dream ever season about having a 6'6", unfortunately every year his dream hasn't come true, till this year."They were versatile but hardly mor than average. Both could dribble well enough-but not brilliantly-and both could hit a fair share of their shots but no consistently. Both could pass but nobody would call them unerring- and both could jump-but lacked the height and muschle to dominate".
I selected this paragragh because that's what I feel what coaches think about me in every sport. I'm not tall enough or athletic enough. I still get things done and I consider myself to be decent at sports.
Im currently reading The Fallen and Leviathan by Thomas E. Sniegoski.Its about a boy who is getting to know his true identity, of being an angel. Page 461 "The power I had inside me... I think its gone, Aaron stammered, eyes upon the sea beast. I've tried to communicate with it, but it doesnt answer." Its meaningful to me, because high school is where you get to see who you really are. During that part, Aaron is getting to expirence who he really is. Accepting the fact that he isnt normal.
Currently I am reading the Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It is set in London in the late 1800’s where a beautiful man by the name of Dorian Gray inhabits. He falls madly in love with a lower class actress based purely upon her acting ability and her exquisite beauty. After merely three weeks, they are engaged to be married. “Her flower-like lips touched the withered cheek, and warmed its frost.” (page 73) It is not so much that this specific line has significant meaning to me, but that this was the first line in which I noticed these seemingly random placed scenes of fantasy-like imagery. As I read from there I again noticed a few passages here and there, almost evenly spaced out, which compared a typical scene to that of almost a fairy tale land. Maybe it’s just me, but these little bursts of poetic words intrigue me more than the story itself (though I do enjoy the plot also).
I am reading So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams, the fourth book in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. It is a very satirical, sarcastic series that generally makes fun of everything about the human race while leading Arthur Dent and friends on a magical adventure across the Universe. In this book, however, Arthur is sent back in time before the Earth is destroyed (which occurred in the first book), making this a prequel of sorts. The passage I selected regards the Earth’s problem in that most of the people alive on it were unhappy.“Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn’t the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.” (Pg.1)
I selected this passage because I believe that, even though it is told humourously, it really holds true in the world. As many others have said before, money can’t buy happiness, and I think this was just Adams’ contribution to this philosophy. It just helps illustrate how having a sizable sum of money doesn’t really do much for many people, and how the whole reason of why many humans are so sad (money) was created by humans themselves to fix their unhappiness. It conveys a very serious and well thought out viewpoint in a very comedic sarcastic manner, not unlike my own outlook on life and human nature.
In my book The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold, the story is about a 15 year old girl who gets raped and killed by her neighbor and she shares her expirences in her heaven. Suzy has this experience which really hit me and made me cry, which was at the beggining I knew he was going to kill me. I did not realize then that I was an animal already dying.
"Why don’t you get up?" Mr. Harvey said as he rolled to the side and then crouched over me.
His voice was gentle, encouraging, a lover’s voice on a late morning. A suggestion, not a command.
I could not move. I could not get up.
When I would not — was it only that, only that I would not follow his suggestion? — he leaned to the side and felt over his head, across the ledge where his razor and shaving cream sat. He brought back a knife. Unsheathed, it smiled at me, curving up in a grin. He took the hat from my mouth.
Tell me you love me," he said.
Gently, I did. then the end came
she was killed in such a bad way and the reason it got to me was because one of my friends died on easter, he was shot in the chest at 14
Angie wrote: "I am reading Divergent by Veronica Roth, which is similar to Hunger Games in that it's about a futuristic society that is separated. Instead of being separated into districts, this society is separ..."I am currently reading If We Survive by Andrew Klavan. At the time of the passage, 4 teen American missionaries are being set up to be slaughtered, after helping to rebuild the local school in Costa Verde. They get captured by rebels who overthrow the government and now want to kill all the Americans. The priest has already tried to reason with them and has been shot. Will is being lined up to be shot when he says “ And it was all beautiful and it was all perfect and I wished I could stay forever and see it this way forever because I never would have complained about anything or hated anybody. I would have just been glad to be alive in God’s perfect creation every second of every day”. Page 114 is where this is found. This passage is meaningful to me because not only does it put my life in a whole new light, but I feel this is realistic as to what would run through my mind. I think I would feel angry at everybody because I would have been a few hours from home, and now I’m set up to be slaughtered. I would be full of rage, and I wish I could be as calm and peaceful as Will is in this passage. I would be too scared to try and escape and not be able to succeed at the situation that was at hand for him; to help his friends survive. That is why this is meaningful to me.
In The Maze Runner by: James Dashner. The main character of the book is put into a world called the Glade. He is stuck there and can’t remember anything that has to do with his parents or past life besides that he knew that he had them. “Stop right now, or you aint gonna see tomorrow.” (73) This quote is pretty much the meaning of this book. Everywhere you turn there is action happening and people dying. In this particular quote the main character is being attacked by one of the other boys at the Glade, Ben. Alby is threatening to shoot ben and later does.
I am reading Burning Blue by Paul Griffen. This book is about how a girl name Nicole Castro is squirted in the face with acid. One whole side of her face is completely gone. A boy named Jay Nazarro befriends her while everyone else grows apart from her. They together try and find out who did it to her."I'd always thought of surrender as a giving up. it wasn't. To surrender deeply, truly, was to give in to an idea that hadn't occured me until this kiss: that your admiration for somebody could be as great as your adoration of her. It moved me, her trust in me, her faith in herself, her belief in us." (291)
I chose this because it inspires me to never really give up. You just give in to ideas that leave you happy, and leave other happy.
I am reading A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin. In the book a young man, Jon, is on an expedition into northern lands at the end of fall (pretty much- it's complicated). He has just spent the night under a makeshift tent (his cloak) to keep him dry."He woke to the sight of his own breath misting in the cold morning air. When he moved, his bones ached. Ghost was gone, the fire burnt out. Jon reached to pull aside the cloak he'd hung over the rock, and found it stiff and frozen. He crept beneath it and stood up in a forest turned to crystal.
The pale pink light of dawn sparkled on branch and leaf and stone. Every blade of grass was carved from emerald every drip of water turned to diamond. Flowers and mushrooms alike were coats of glass. Even the mud puddles had a bright brown sheen."
I can relate to this quotation, because I have spent many nights camping, including some with makeshift shelters. Many times I have woken up to everything frozen and still, and just like Martin describes later, the world thaws again as everyone rises and the day begins. Because of my personal experiences, I feel a personal connection to Jon and what he is feeling in this passage.
I am reading Across the Universe. One meaningful passage from this book when she is describing the horror of being trapped "It is the silence that drives me mad, the silence that drives the nightmares to me.
In Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry… the main character Benny finally meets the person he’s been looking for. One the first things he says to her to get her on his side is “Those men took the people we all loved.” (Page 351). This quotation is important to me because friends and family are everything to us. And the time on earth is already short, so why would we want to shorten it. Showing we want to keep and expand our love for each other. (Why shorten the time?)
In your reply, include the title and author of the book. Provide 1-2 sentences to describe your book to set up the passage you include (give me the info I need to understand the quotation). Include the passage (with quotation marks) and the page number(s). The passage can be as short as one sentence, but should not be longer than a paragraph. Then, explain why the passage is meaningful to you! I am reading The Dark Tower: V: Wolves of the Calla.
The quotation I am using is "Do you come for aid and succor?" on page 109. This line speaks to me because it is quite warm but at the same time, has dark implications. This passage is about applying aid in dark times, when supplying this aid causes one to do dark things for it.
I picked this because it applies to a darker, grey side of life. The life where no choice seems completely right. But you just have to attempt to hold on to humanity that we have.
Currently i am reading Seconds Away by:Harlan Coben. there is this kid named Joe whos dad is missing or dean and he doesnt know about it. "you dont remember being shot" (77)
I chosethisqotation because it reminds me of how to many people die. and i dont like it when people die. Th character in this book is very self independent and very trustworthy.
In my Book Jumper by Steven Gould Davy recently finds his mother and talks to her for the very time."she was very different she had changed, for a moment i had been paranoid and actually thought that i was from Aliens actually alieans." the reason i added that passage was because he finally saw his mother and things were different because he can jump and he hasnt seen her since she left.
I just finished reading Gathering Blue byLois Lowry. It is a companion to The Giver. The main character has a tisted leg so she can't really walk. But she is really good at sewing so the government has her doing stuff for them. But she doesn't have any blue thread and her friend has just disappeared. Kira is worried and is asking around for him.The passage is, "Matt, he said that a giftie makes a person like you best of all.
Kira sighed in exasperation. 'No that's not the way it is. A gift--' she gave up. 'Neer mind. Tell us where he went.'
'He be getting you some blue!'
'Blue? What do you mean?'
'Dunno, miss. But Matt, he said it. He be saying they got blue yonder, and he be getting you some."
I chose this because we don't always understand things right now, but later when we've listened to everything, we get it. In Kira's case, a present. And I really like her present too.
I am currently reading "Killing Floor" by Lee Child. The main character, Jack Reacher, is being falsely accused of murdering a man in the small town of Magrave. On pages 51-52, Jack Reacher thinks to himself, "I was worried. I felt like somebody in a kid's book who falls down a hole. Finds himself in a strange world where everything is different and weird." I chose this passage because it explains how humans feel when they find themselves in need of help. I have felt this way many times, but just knowing that it happens to everyone can help motivate you to perservere through the hard times. Make the most of your problems and never give up.
The book that I'm reading is called Moby-Duck by Donovan Hohn. It is a non-fiction book about 28,800 rubber toys that were lost at sea and other unexpected events that occur. It also mentions the yellow rubber duck and how it has evolved to be iconicly yellow and a symbol of childhood."Chldren still existed, of course, but they'd become, in Postman's wod, 'adultified'. I was ten years old when Postman published his book, and in many respects my biography aligns with his unflattering generational portrait. In Postman's opinion the rising divorce rate indicated a 'precipitous falling off in the commitment of adults to the nurturing of chilren.' (page 206)".
This paragraph is meaningful to me because I have a few younger siblings, and I don't want them to become desensitized and adultified when they're young. When Hohn mentions how children can become as miniature adults, I become disappointed in the adults of today. Because they are unwilling to raise their children the right way and more willing to set them in front of age-inappropriate technology, their children will not have as much of a childhood or understanding of how to raise their children in return. I think it's interesting how he mentions Postman's book in his article, mostly because it shows how much a simple plastic spill can change how childhood is thought of.
I just finished a book called The Host by Stephanie meyer. this book is a somewhat post-apocaliptic future in which aliens have taken over everything and everyone. (this book has recently become a movie) my favorite quote is when Wanda, an alien is talking to Ian a human. Ian says this to her,"That's not true at all. It's not the face, but the expressions on it. It's not the voice, but what they say. It's not how you look like in that body, it's what you do with it. You are beautiful."
I love this quote because Wanda is convinced the only reason he loves her is because of how she looks, she knows that he couldnt possibly love an alien. what he is saying is that what he loves about her isnt what she is, but who she is.
In my book, Animal Farm by George Orwell mistreated animals decide to take away the farm from there abusive owner. In the passage I have chosen Old major, a pig had this to say, “What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race!” (9) The reason this was so meaningful to me was that as a teenager I often want more freedom such as the animals did. I gain my freedom by doing chores and working hard at those chores. Although I don’t take my yearning for freedom to that degree I think the two are interchangeable.
I am currently reading Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick, a novel in which the main character, Pat, has suffered from mental illnesses. Due to his issues, he was sent to a hospital and his wife decided to take a break, or “away time” as he likes to put it. Pat’s journey through is followed throughout this book as he is let out of the institution and taken back to his hometown in somewhat of a journal-type manner. I really enjoy reading this because you feel the pain, the confusion, and the overall thought process of Pat as he has different experiences. On pages 15-16 he explains his views on life to his new therapist.“Haven’t you ever noticed that life is like a series of movies? Well you have adventures. All start out with troubles, but then you admit your problems and become a better person by working really hard, which fertilizes the happy ending and allows it to bloom- just like the end of all the Rocky films, which are my favorite films, even though I have sworn off movies until Nikki returns, because now my own life is the movie I will watch, and well, it’s always on.”
In this excerpt from the story, you can tell that Pat is a little different. He tells the counselor that he will not watch any movies until his wife and him are back together which, in his mind, will occur very soon. He doesn’t see things for what they really are, but just wants a happy ending.. A silver lining.
I am reading Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. At this moment the invisible man is trying to get himself a job but really is being set up and someone is trying to help him. ”Oh, damn! What I mean is, do you believe it is possible for us, the two of us to throw off the mask of custom and manners that insulate man from man, and converse in naked honesty and frankness?” This has meaning to me because in the world we live in today there is so much deceiving and lying that you can’t really trust anyone. It has even become one of our customs to lie! This should really change and where we could all trust each other and not have to run and hide from the real truth. STOP MAKING EXCUSES!!!!! If we can open ourselves up and be frank with each other the world would be a lot brighter.
I am currently reading Adolf Hitler by David Nicholls. I am reading this book because I am curious to find out more behind this man that shocked the world with such terrible acts. This book is reminding us of this terrible man's terrible ways."Hitler turned his crazy pipe dreams into the deaths of millions if people and a living nightmare for millions more...one good reason for studying Hitler: he forces us to ask questions about ourselves."
I chose this passage because I love history and I love to learn about big historical figures (including this jerk). I just have no idea how someone could have so much hate and so much anger to do this, but it's important to me because as the quote says, he forces us to ask questions about ourselves. We get angry, but we can't get as angry as this mad man got. We as a generation must learn our world's history so that we do not make the same mistakes.
I just finished this book, but am not far enough in my current book to do this. My SSR book was All These Lives by Sarah Wylie. This was a super eclectic book that fascinated me. Dani and her twin sister Jena have always had a gap between them—Dani is, truthfully, full of herself and sharp-tongued, while Jena is much kinder. Jena also happens to have a very aggressive form of cancer (leukemia, I believe.) Dani has a bizarre notion that she has “nine lives” (like a cat)—her mother told her this when she was young and survived a car accident that she shouldn’t have. She has believed this up into her teenage years (not entirely sure why…it’s a bit weird.) So the book describes Dani’s battles with dealing with the fact that her sister has cancer and will most likely die soon, while she believes that she has nine lives. Her bizarre logic inclines her to “give” her lives to Jena—a.k.a., she tries to commit suicide several times and hopes that that ‘sacrifice’ will give Jena strength. The book also has a really weird love story involving Dani (who believes that she is extremely popular and likable, when in fact, she is the most irritating person in her school) and a nerdy boy named Jack. A very meaningful passage from All These Lives would be this one from page 243: ““There aren't guarantees on anything. I'm sure you've had plenty of time
to think about this, but there are millions of ways to die. Millions and millions. And
at any moment, any- thing could go wrong and it could all be over. For any of us.” Though Dani was a really hard character to like—though I could relate to her--, sometimes she meandered from her egotistical, conceited mindset and said some really deep things such as this. I find this very striking simply because I relate to her. I had a family member taken from me and Dani feels that her sister might be taken from her. She realizes that life is short and nothing is for certain. I have learned that lesson as well, and it is very moving.
The book I am reading is called “the things they carried” by Tim O’Brien Is a book about soldiers in the Vietnam war and I am on page thirty one. The author writes not only about things that happened in the war but what they carried but the emotional baggage they had. The quote I choose was “He felt shame. He hated himself. He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender died, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest on the war.” It is meaningful to me because I have done some stuf that I remembered for a long time and still do. It wasn’t as bad as getting someone killed but I understand what he is feeling I understand what he is going through.
I am currently reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. The book is very similar to Eat, Pray, Love, in that both characters spend a year trying to find happiness. Gretchen Rubin is happy but has a sudden realization that she could be happier and plans out a year worth of resolutions (one for each month) in hopes that by the end of the year she will have achieved all of them." One April day, on a morning just like every other morning, I had a sudden realization: I was in danger of wasting my life. As I stared out the rain-spattered window of a city bus, I saw that the years were slipping by. "What do I want from life, anyway?" I asked myself. " Well... I want to be happy." But I had never thought about what made me happy or how I might be happier."
I really liked this paragraph because it shows how you can be anywhere and realize that you want to make changes in your life. Obviously, I won't be doing a happiness project because I am very happy as is. But, it is very nice to get to see something from someone elses perspective.
I am reading Lies by Michael Grant, which is the third book in series called Gone. The parents mysteriously disappeared seven months ago and the main character, Sam, has been in charge of most the decisions made for the children. He has had to save people and fight his own brother. What he has gone through has changed him so much; to the point where he is ready to kill. “There comes a time when the world no longer needs heroes. And then the true hero knows to walk away.” (11)
I selected this quote because it has stayed in the back of my mind the entire time while I have been reading this book. I feel like I try to do everything I plan and organize and I try to be the “hero” of tough decisions. I think that this really means, sometimes I need to take a step back and let the world do its job and let whatever in store for me happen when it happens because it is out of my control.
"You comin', or what?" the great voice calls from the far, far end of the church. "Boy?!" THe old voice. the boomer. The foghorn. Caesar answers it like a dog, like a little boy. Running running running toward the foghorn. I chose this quote because it examples the relationship between a man and a father without a mother. I'm reading All the Old Haunts by Chris Lynch. It's about a boy who lost his mother, and now lives alone with his alcoholic father.
"Nothing ever seems interesting when it belongs to you--only when it doesnt." I'm reading Tuck Everlasting, written by Natalie Babbitt. This quote is important to me because its true that everything seems more interesting when you don't have it or it isnt 'yours'. I really like this quote because I can relate to it a lot. When you dont have something you're more curious and you really want it, but when you do have something you're eager to know more about it.
I am currently reading the book Unmasked, by Jerry B. Jenkins. In the book the young trib force is trying to rescue their friends out of the GC prison. on page 241 " Vicki said, gripping the steering wheel. she kept the lights off, hoping the GC wouldn't see her in the rain. Vicki's heart raced so fast that she found it hard to breath." I can relate to this because I had to make a big decision like Vicki did in this part of the book, but I wasn't in a car.
I am currently reading Anthem by Ayn Rand. It’s about a man who lives in a society were words like “I” and “mine” don’t exist. Everything they do must be only for the good of mankind, not oneself. Writing and knowing more than others is a crime, but Equality 7-2521 rebels. “It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see. It is base and evil. It is as if we were speaking alone to no ears but our own. And we know well that there is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone. We have broken the laws”. The first paragraph of the book (page 17) is a meaningful passage because it gives you a vague foreshadowing of what the book is about, without giving it away. It gives you an idea of what the language is like, and really makes you think about the setting and plot.
I am reading “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green. I really enjoy this book and I’ve found a lot of things throughout the book that I personally can relate to, and also many teenage girls. The passage I chose is during a conversation between the two main characters, Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters. The pair met at a group counseling session for those who struggle with cancer. The two suddenly became friends and traded their favorite books. “I will withhold judgment until I have finished, but you have to tell me, is the tulip guy a crook? I’m getting a bad vibe.” said Augustus. “No spoilers” I said. (Hazel) “If he is anything other than a gentleman, I’m going to gouge his eyes out.” (Augustus) “So you’re into it?” (Hazel) “Withholding judgment. When can I see you again?” (Augustus) “Certainly not till you finish ‘Imperial Affliction’” I enjoy being coy. “Well then, I better start reading.” (Augustus)Now, the reason I like this passage so much is because Hazel knows she’s strong, she has survived a rare cancer and nothing can stop her. She knows that if Augustus is really into her he will work his butt off to prove it to her. I like that she respects herself.
I am reading white oleander by Janet Fitch.
I have just started this book on friday and I already find it addicting, the wonderful variety of advanced vocab and completely realistic storyline captivates my attention. The passage I have chosen represents the relationship between astrid and her mother.How her mom would always speak in a poetic manner.All though this passage is at the beginning of the book, it still holds signifigance.~
"oleander time" she said. "lovers who kill eachother now will blame it on the wind" she held up her large hand and spread the fingers, let the dryness lick through.My mother was not herself at the time of the Santa Anas I was twelve years old and I was afraid for her.
~
"you should get some sleep," i offered.
"I never sleep" she said.
I sat next to her , and we stared out at the city that hummed and glittered like a computer chip deep in some unknowable machine,holding it's secret like a poker hand. ....Her beauty was like the edge of a very sharp knife.I rested my head on her leg. She smelled like violets. " We are the wands" she said. "We strive for beauty and balance, the sensual over the sentimental."
~
" We recieved our coloring from Norsemen" she said.
" Hairy savages who hacked their gods to pieces and hung the flesh from trees. We are the ones who sacked rome. Fear only feeble old age and death in bed. Don't forget who you are"
" I promise," i said.
~
What I like about this passage is that it shows alot about the relationship between Astrid and Her mother. How her mother majority of the time speaks through poetry.And how reserved Astrid is, especially around her mother.This passage is what made me more interested in this book.
I am currently reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. This book is a nonfiction piece about Greg Mortenson's mission to build a school in Korphe, a small village he found when he got lost after an unsuccessful attempt at climbing K2. A quote from this book that gave me chills is on page 94, "The boy's hand disappeared in Mortenson's grasp. "I am Greg. I am good," he said. "I am Greg. I am good," all of the children repeated as one. "No, I am Greg.What is your name?" he tried again. "No, I am Greg. What is your name," the children repeated, giggling." This quote is meaningful to me because of the complexity of our world. This made me stop and think about what I would do if a stranger came to me and spoke in a foreign language. Currently I am learning a language and I can't help but feel more connected with the world. After Greg realized the children were just going to repeat everything he said he switched to Balti, their native language. When he did this the children became extremely happy and he stayed there for hours talking to the children, pointing out body parts and watching the kids explode in laughter at each new term. This part of the book made me realize the true motivation behind learning a new language and has really inspired me to want to learn more and travel to foreign places.
I just finished reading "a letter to the Christian nation" by "Sam Harris". In this book it gave me a new meaning to life and made me rethink everything I have learned about religion. This book talks about different religions, but mainly focuses on Christianity. A lot of people are mean towards each other because of what religion they are, and this book really explains why and why people believe that there problems will be solved by god. "God gives us a path of life" pg.98. This passage means a lot to me as to why people still believe in god. It has a lot of saying in that passage because I wonder why people believe so strong in god, and this book and quote gave me the answer. The main reason people still beeline strongly in god is because it gives them a reason and something to do and follow in their life and feel like they will never be alone and that's wonderful, but for a person like me and being opened it makes me think clearly about that and read between the lines.
Mod
SO true, Connor! I love that you are tying your reading to current events :)
I am curently reading The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin.In this book a basket ball player's girlfriend was shot and he is trying to find out who did it. He is getting tired of trying so this is my quote "don't give up on me kid". This is meaningful to me cause you should never give up nomatter how tough something gets.
I am currently reading the Speaker of the Dead by Orson Scott Card. This book is a work of fiction about humans trying to get over the aftermath of a terrible war against an alien race only to have found a second alien race and thrust into another war. A quote from the book that grasped my attention is "You have found so much, Plikt,and understood so little." (81) The quote made me think that even if we did find an alien race that had the capability to destroy us, we would have so little knowledge of them and by then it would be to late. This book has inspired me to not just look on the surface of Earth to find something amazing but to look up. Someday we might find an alien race or they might find us, in which case, we can only hope its not to late.
I am currently reading Anthem by Ayn Rand. The book is about a society exists sometime in the future where you aren't aloud to think your own personal thoughts. Words like "I" do not exist, so the book is told as "we" even though there is ONE narrator. My favorite quotes comes from the first paragraph on page one, "It is if we are speaking alone to no ears but our own". This is a meaningful quote because it helps me to appreciate our write to be free and think our own thoughts.
I am currently reading bumped by Megan McCafferty. The book i am reading is about a girl named Melody who is pregnate and meets her twin long lost sister.Pg 29 "come on sister"- Harmony. Melody hates that because they just met each other and it actually creeps her out.
Hedges' Frosh 12-13
Books mentioned in this topic
White Oleander (other topics)Night (other topics)
Brisingr (other topics)
In your reply, include the title and author of the book. Provide 1-2 sentences to describe your book to set up the passage you include (give me the info I need to understand the quotation). Include the passage (with quotation marks) and the page number(s). The passage can be as short as one sentence, but should not be longer than a paragraph. Then, explain why the passage is meaningful to you!