Newest book 6

So far, Xeones has held up despite his crippled form, and has been able to tell most of his story of the childhood that he survived only to come at the hands of the Persian army. He has showed the characteristics of the Spartan warrior that he told before, but i feel that he has in a way betrayed his people. While he is telling his peoples story, he is not being true to the future that he wanted. He wanted to die on the field of battle, and be a part of the fight for justice and for Greece. I feel that if i was is mother, i would be neither mad nor happy, because he is talking to the very people that he so wished to kill before in his life. This way of opening himslf up to the Persains is saying alot about his trueness to the Spartan ideals. I think that if i was in his place, i wouldve fought till i couldnt stand anymore, or ask for death. I am just suprised at his actions now that his people are gone.

Newest Book 5

So far, Xeones has told us of his childhoodlife and his tasks as a kid, such as wrestling his friends and getting whipped to become stronger. This story has many elements that distinguish from others. First, the I have to remember that it is been translated by a translator of a king and then back into greek. I am suprised at the way that the story is told because you would think that the man would be sad that all of his men had died and that he would feel anger toward the Persians, but it rarely shows up. Many cultural tensions should be evident in the text but they are nowhere to be found. I am also suprised at the way that the king takes all of this. I can understand that they both hate eachother, but this is more information about the tactics of the Greeks than a personal conversation.

Newest Book 4

In the book, there is much concentration on the life of the Spartan warrior, but not a lot of time spent on the female. The female, or the mother is the most important part of the picture, for she is the column that the Soldier stands apon. She raises him, and everytime he goes into battle, she is forced to give him up for the cause, and thus everytime he comes back she is reborn. This process happens many times in her life, and she is forced to live in the fear. Soon, there is no more fear of death, and the woman is considered more important than her son on the battlefield. The spartan woman is enphasized a lot in the story, and is given most credit for the army and the raising of the soldiers. I am sure that there will be a conflict between the Islamic Persains and the Spartans over the importance of the woman in the army and in life.

So far, the Spartan Xeones showed the upmost humility in the presence of the King, and now will begin his story of Sparta. Xeones starts out by telling about his training, and the life of a Spartan, starting with the birth. All Spartan babies are taken away on the first night of birth by the Spiritual leader, and is taken the the mountain cliff. If the spiritual man doesnt think that the child is fit to be a Spartan Soldier(the best in the Medeterranain)then he tosses the child to the rocks below. this first act allows only the best to even start the path towards a Soldier, and makes the competition even stiffer. He speaks of the activities that both the boys and girls participated in, such as sports and play fighting, preparing the mind for battle. He talks about the days without water and food, where he would be beat up by soldiers, and made black with bruises. All of this for one cause, Sparta. this tradition is what made Sparta so great compared to the other Greek states. They didnt need a congress, because their skill on the battlefield determined the leader. The Spartans were the simple folk, the men of the sword. This gave them an edge that even Persia, the world superpower of the time, couldnt handle well.

Newest Book 2

So far in the book, the Spartan, identified as Xeones, has told the King that he is only an infantryman, and cannot give a full recound of the story of the Spartans. He states that yes, 300 spartan soldiers killed over 20,000 of Xerxes best troops in three days, and that yes, he knows that Sparta has lost their war, but he feels that he would like to let the people of Greece know that the Spartans didnt die in vian, and that they all were fighting for Greece as a whole, and that the fought even though no other Greeks came to help them. He is not ashamed of his heritage, but has the humility to respect that the Kings's surgeuns saved his life, when he was so sure that he would die with the rest of his comrades on the plain of battle. He lets Xerxes know that the Spartans chose this thin mountain pass as a way to keep the whole strength of the Kings army at bay, and to only allow a few at a time pass. At the time, everyone thought that this would be the best idea, but the found out the hard way the mistake that they had made.

Newest Book

I started a new book, called the Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield. This book is about the battle of Thermopylae, a battle in which the Persians, led by Xerxes fight against the last greek army, the Spartans. This book tells the story of the Spartans, traveling through Greece to the pass of Thermopolyae in which only a few Persian Immortals(specialized soldiers) can pass at a time. This is the same story told in the movie, 300, but in a different perspective. The story starts out from the perspective of a Persian translator, who is talking about a Spartan soldier who has survived the Persian onslaught, and wants to tell the story of the Spartans to the rest of the world. He is led forward to speak to His Majesty, Xerxes, but is instructed to speak to the officers, and not directly to the King.

new book 6

From this book i have been able to study the descisions that people make when their life is at stake. This book is a kind of psychological dictionary that gives us instances where the mind will think anything it needs to in order to feel safe. When the crew realizes their mistake in staying of the plane, they make the decision to strike out, which in this case, seems to be a very bad idea. No matter the odds, the characters choose to go with their gut over the facts, and would rather not believe than give up all hope. The author has shown us the clear weakness of the human mind and the thin pane of glass that keeps us from going over the edge, no pun intended.

new book 5

The characters have come to terms with their situation and have decided to venture out of their plane rather than die of starvation. This decision shows the maturity that they have come to know after their friends and family have died. They have not given up hope, but in making this decision, they show a lack of reality. They would rather think that there is a tiny hope for life by acting rather than thinking about death and how they would die if they did not act. By leaving, they are leaving all that they know and venturing into the land of the unknown. They think of it as going from the sand box to the street, where anything can happen. I feel that this decision shows immaturity and a naive attitude from the companions.

new book 4

So far, the characters have realized what position that they are in and are beginning to come to terms with the fact that they have little chance to live. At first, they fight back and find inventive ways to survive, but now, they have all been hardened. Before, people were put into jobs and given orders on what to do and how to help the group, but since they have not had any contact with the outside world, they have lost track of their want for life and love. Before the crash, they were all innocent boys looking for the good things in life, and didnt care for the subtle things that effect everything. Now, after being hardened by the cold, they have come to miss and regret the descisions that they have made in the past.

new book 3

I have found that the author has a different way of descibing the situation of the ground than other authors. He has chosen to not only give me a sense of the literal meaning behind the story, but has also given me a look at how the characters feel about it. He has done a good job at giving me many angles in which to think about the descisions that the characters make and why they make them. I can not only understand why the characters make the descisions, but i can also understand why they have chosen not to go another way. I have found that the people that i would expect to take control and lead have not been the people that have shone in the story as leaders so far. The extremes of the weather and the pain of death has changed the characters view of life and how fragile they are compared to mother nature. this has been a wake up call for everyone.

new book 2

So far the author has given me information on why and how the teams plane crashes. He has said that the Christian Brothers have started a rugby match on their time off and that rugby has grown popular throughout the town. He has also said that the school is gaining a lot of attention for their team because the team has slowly got better and better. The coaches want to take the team to a game and have to fly a plane over the Andes which is not that big of a deal. The boys buy all kinds of chocolate and goodies at the airport, and are given lots of love from their parents of the way out. They are in the air for a short time when the plane goes into a cloud and is hit by the wind when they run into a mountain and slide down the slope. Both the pilots are dead, and others in theplane are searching for the living. So far, the people that seem to be the most directive in the story have not taken as much control over the group as the others that arent that distinguished.

new book

Ive started the book, Alive by Piers Paul Read which is the story of a group of Rugby players that are in a plane crash in the Andes Mountains. This book starts off with a brief description of the geography that the story will be taking place in and gives us a slight idea of the conditions that the characters will be enduring. It starts off with a story of the Christian Brothers, a group of Irish Missionaries that went to Montivideo to start a Christian school for the boys in the town. The author does a good job describing the conditions that the brothers were in when coming to Latin America and the differences in culture. I am sure that there will be subtle similarities and differences in the lives of the players and that those subtle things will determine their future.

hank hasnt written much either, but i will be ready to scrutinize his thoughts

stephanie has done just about as much as hank and ian. i am waiting.

i like how kelsea put the story into her own context and the relation drawn between the american author and the american story told by him. i agree completely.

well ian hasnt written much about the story so far, but i will be on my toes for a response to his thoughts

huck 7

so far, i have enjoyed the simplicity of the story and its plot. i really like how the author makes a simple country boys life complex and interesting enough to keep me reading. the events so far in the story such as evading Jim in the woods and forming the band of robbers have been everyday events in the lives of many young boys throughout history. if anything i have heard this story before, but in different context, but even so, the structure of the story makes new and interesting. another aspect of the story that i like is the way that the narrator describes his experiances and the people in them. when desctibing hucks father, who the group of boys havent seen since he was drunk in a pig sty, the huck and tom give him characteristics that are relatable and common. this allows me to connect with both of them and understand the character in my own context. so far this story has showed me the simple, yet appealing life of a country bumkin, and has definitely made me want to read more.

huck 6

Aw reely lake how teh othor youses dialect as a gateway to describe da characters life. he uses many differnt words dat mean teh same thing ta illustrate how huckfin an' tom lived. when teh othor talks 'bout their travels on da river, he uses misspellins and a rural flaver to keep you interpretin the words on teh page. dis style, while inconsistent with da english language, is consistent with itself and its usage.

huck 5

dialect is a very big part of this book, not only essential to the interpretation of the reader, but the flavor that the words show about the time period, culture, and status of the speaker. in huckfin, the author is consistent when using what today we would call inappropriate english, and he makes sure that when he does use this twisted language, he clearly illustrates the sound of the word rather than the proper spelling. god(the religious one) would be spelled "gawd" because that is how huck and tom would be saying it. the author also shows the different vocabulary of huckfin and tom by using words like "vittlins" rather than "food."

huck 4

after reading the first 2 chapters, i think that this book will not only give me insight on the living conditions of a teenager during these times. i can already make assumptions about tom sawyer and his effect on huck. (huck really wants to be a robber, and tom is just having fun) i can also see how hucks lack of family will effect the outcome of the story seeing as ever since the second chapter he has shown a clear dislike for his father, while not liking his guardians at the moment. huck has shown a need for freedom, and it seems that from the reading so far, everyone wants to take that away from him. i think that in the end, this nececity will influence his descisions for the worse. this story reminds me of the simple freedoms of childhood, and makes me think about my life and my descisions so far.

huck 3

i will be writing in bad english cause thats how the book sounds

i think that the first chapter is a gateway or opener to the life of huck fin. the author obviously wants to give himself some room to make some stuff up by emphasizing the fictitious nature of the story. the first chapter is a taste of what is to come, it gets the reader used to the nature of the speaker, and introduces us to the speech and background of the speaker as well as their experiances so far in life. the second chapter gives us a first hand account of the life of huck, and gives us a feeling about how the rest of the story is going to play out.

huck 2

You don't know about me, without you have read a book by the name of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," but that ain't no matter. This first sentence is the authors way to tell us where the character is from and how he lives. Accents are noticed right after you meet a person, and you can make many assumptions about somebody by just listening to how they talk. The way that the sentence is structured, you can already assume that the speaker doesn't have much schooling, or is not very proper when vocalizing his/her thoughts. I think that this lets the reader have their own thoughts about the story to make predictions about the rest of the book. If the sentence was in perfect english, i might think that the speaker was very well educated and informed. we often associate the way people speak with social and economic status, and the author might be opening our eyes to a new way of thinking of people.

first huckfin blog

After reading only a few chapters of this book, I have become aware of the change in linguistics in America from the time that Twain wrote the book to modern times. I can connect this use of written slang with Malcolm X during his time in New York as a drug dealer. I am fascinated with the intricacies of the language because while the slang is very different and some call it "improper," the language is very consistent.
I liked The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the same language was used, so i think that I will enjoy the simple yet crazy life of Huck fin.

i finished the book

I have come to the end of Sweet Thursday, and as with all Steinbeck books, the end leaves your mind sad and yet content. When I left off, Suzy was distraught and angry that she had been taken advantage of by her so called friends, and in that anger she moved out of the Bear Flag and into the empty boiler.
She soon realizes that what she did was selfish and childish, as she has done before. While Suzy is confused, Hazel, one of Macks' friends, is acting simply crazy, with his crazed actions, he breaks Docs' arm. Mack feels really bad for what Hazel has done, not only because of Docs arm, but because it is keeping Doc away from what he likes most, the sea and science. But as usual, Mack pulls the rabbit out of the hat and comes up with a plan that will awe even the most sophisticated of readers. He proposes that they teach Suzy to drive a car so that she can be with Doc alone, and that Doc can do his work at the beach. Everything works out, and Suzy and Doc drive into the distance to the sea.
This ending made me think of the saying that "everything happens for a reason." every action and every word that Steinbeck put down was essential for the end. It couldn't have been written any better because he makes the story have a deeper meaning. He made me think that no matter what I do, or what I say, I will always have control of my future. He is saying that anybody, even a young and confused hooker surrounded by drunks and pervert scientists, has control of their future. Simply put this book is great.

sweet thursday blog #2

Back in Monterrey, the Fauna and the boys have arranged for the party to happen, and everybody in Cannery Row has been invited and given a costume assignment. They have really tried hard to make Doc and Suzy a couple. The play will have a Romeo and Juliet theme, with a wedding and all kinds of suggestions for the two to get together. Suzy has been going and hanging out with Doc, and he has been secretly enjoying her company.

Old Jingle, one of Doc's older friends has started to visit Doc frequently. They drink together, and think of old times. So far, everything was going great for the party, but it flops, and all the work that Fauna did to make Suzy one of her Golden Girls is lost. (girls that she has helped graduate from the Bear Flag to a husband) Suzy, very upset to know that she was set up with Doc up and leaves the Bear Flag.

With nowhere to go she stays in one of the empty boilers, and with no place to make money, she takes a position at the Golden Poppy. (I think that Steinbeck is emphasizing gold with "gold girls" and the "golden poppy" because gold is a symbol of quality and wealth. He is showing that though Suzy did not become a wedded woman, she took the opportunity to be independent)

Sweet thursday blog (independent reading)

Before I start by summary of the first half of Sweet Thursday, by John Steinbeck, I want to inform the reader that I am a great fan of all literature by Steinbeck, including Cannery Row, The Grapes of Wrath, and Of Mice and Men. I like these books because they are for the universal audience, meaning that anyone, no matter their social stature or cultural background, can appreciate the simplicity of life in Monterrey. These books showed me that you don't need to have all kinds of literary complexity to make a great read. Steinbeck uses only the essential words to shape a scene, and by the time that I have read the first page, I cannot wait to read another.

Sweet Thursday is a book about the life of Doc, the resident scientist/biologist that works at Western Biological Laboratories, in Monterrey. He collects all kinds of oceanic life, and doesn't have many friends. Every evening, he goes over to the local grocery store, and buys a six-pack of beer. He doesn’t have any hobbies except for drinking, and sometimes, paying an expensive hooker to come into his apartment and listen to opera music. While his story is being told, another story of a lonely girl coming to Monterrey is taking place too. This new girl is kind of lost, and she is very mysterious. Her name is Suzy, and she comes into town to stay at the Bear Flag, the local prostitute house. At the house, we learn that Dora, the leader/caretaker of the establishment has a sister, and that sister, names Fauna starts an etiquette process that makes it possible for the prostitutes to get married easier because they will be able to be presentable to the future husbands and the future families.

The Boys that have lived in the Palace Flophouse with the help of Fauna want to arrange a date with Suzy and Doc because the Boys wrecked his Lab and want to make it up to him in the only means that they know of, women.

This is as far as I have gotten in the book, and there are a lot of specifics that I will cover in the next blog about the arranging of Doc and Suzy.(the idea, the plan, the events leading up to the arrangement)