Blog Reflection

The blog post that best exemplifies my ability to analyze what I'm reading is my post about the writing style, characters and themes in My Sister's Keeper. The link to this post is below:

http://annasreadingblog1127.blogspot.com/2015/04/my-sisters-keeper-writing-style-analysis.html

In this post, I included an analysis of how Jodi Picoult's writing style affects the reader's perception of each character. I used a quote from the book to demonstrate character development and theme. The quote I provided was just one example of the many instances where the reader's understanding is deepened and we can understand the perspectives and choices of certain characters. I was also able to identify and analyze a theme: how unexpected and seemingly coincidental the connections between people in our lives can be. These are a few quotes from my blog post that demonstrate thorough analysis:

"The reader can understand the reasoning behind each character’s actions, visualizing flashbacks and digging into similarly broken pasts. The following quote is just one example of the extraordinary writing style that gives us a glimpse into why each character acts as he/she does. We begin to understand that Jesse has become a lonely and reckless delinquent because of some insecurities and a lack of fulfillment during his childhood, always being overlooked in the presence of his sisters:"

"The author has perfectly crafted each individual storyline, ripping our hearts and minds in opposite directions, leaving us hopeful for an ending of happiness but also for one of justice. She has intertwined the lives of characters who might not otherwise be connected, if it weren’t for Anna. If it weren’t for Kate. In addition to posing ethical and legal questions, this book illustrates how great an impact one person can have on another person’s life. How connected we all are, even if only by one shared relationship or history."

A few goals I have for myself are to make reading more of a regular habit and to choose books that might be out of my comfort zone, or from a new genre or author. I'd also like to continue blogging and/or journaling about what I read and about topics I'm interested in. I think reflecting and analyzing what we read is very important, as it helps us understand and appreciate the message so much more. I'd like to keep track of how many minutes/pages/books I read per month, setting specific goals for myself in the coming year. Planning to read 2 hours a week, for example, will allow me to hold myself accountable for my reading. I want to work on how much I take away from my reading, what I learn. I think I can also improve my attention to vocabulary. If I make an effort to identify and define new words, I can tremendously widen my horizons, implementing strong word choices in my writing and speaking. I'm very excited for the future and I have a lot of books I'd love to begin reading and analyzing!

The Book Thief (about the author and brief summary)

I'm about 45 pages into The Book Thief, written by bestselling author Markus Zusak. In the novel, Markus intertwines real stories, passed down from his parents about things they witnessed in Austria and Germany during the Holocaust, with fictional writing. This young adult/historical fiction book received numerous awards and honors, including the following, to name a few:

 

National Jewish Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature

Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Children's Literature

Michael L. Printz Honor

Kathleen Mitchell Award (Australia)

Best Book by the School Library Journal and the Young Adult Library Services Association

Editors’ Choice in the Kirkus Review and Booklist

Markus Zusak was born in Sydney, Australia in 1975 and he still lives there today. His parents made education and literature priorities for their family, fueling Markus' interest in fictional writing, which began at an early age. The Book Thief was his fifth book, succeeding The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry and The Messenger.

Sources for information about the author:

http://www.chipublib.org/markus-zusak-biography/

http://www.gradesaver.com/author/markus-zusak

So far in the book, we've been introduced to Liesel Meminger, a ten year-old girl living with foster parents in the outskirts of Munich, Germany. Her mother became too ill to care for Liesel and her brother, who died on the train ride to the foster home. The only thing she can cling to, the last momento of her deceased brother and of her mother who abandoned her, is a book. A book she spotted in the snow. A book that was dropped by the poor boy who was given the unfortunate job of digging her brother's grave. A book that will change her life.

I'm intrigued as to where to book will go from here. Characterization and imagery have already proven to be phenomenal, creating crystal clear images for the reader of the setting and of who the characters are. I've already developed adorations and dislikes for certain characters in the story. The author utilizes side notes -- bolded, separated and spontaneous, but also relevant, thoughts -- to catch the reader's attention. He addresses certain terms that may be uncommon or unfamiliar as well as his personal beliefs about life, spoken through the narrator of the story. I can already begin to relate this book to others I've read, such as Night and Fahrenheit 451. I have no doubt that this book will be filled with many emotional, historical truths and outstanding writing techniques.

Here's a link to the trailer for the movie "The Book Thief" (based on the book)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92EBSmxinus

My Sister's Keeper (writing style & analysis)

With less than 60 pages left of My Sister’s Keeper, I’ve been swept right into the book’s captivating plot and I’m intrigued to find out how Jodi Picoult chooses to conclude this marvelous story. The book spans a time frame of eleven days – the time leading up to and including the trial. The book is broken up between Anna’s perspective and the views of her lawyer, brother and parents for each day. Each of the central, dynamic characters is extremely well developed through the use of these alternating narrative chapters. The reader can understand the reasoning behind each character’s actions, visualizing flashbacks and digging into similarly broken pasts. The following quote is just one example of the extraordinary writing style that gives us a glimpse into why each character acts as he/she does. We begin to understand that Jesse has become a lonely and reckless delinquent because of some insecurities and a lack of fulfillment during his childhood, always being overlooked in the presence of his sisters:

When I was eleven years old I got a skateboard. I never asked for one; it was a guilt gift. Over the years I got quite a few of these big ticket items, usually in conjunction with one of Kate's episodes. My parents would shower her with all kinds of cool s*** whenever she had to have something done to her; and since Anna was usually involved, she got some amazing presents, too, and then a week later my parents would feel bad about the inequality and would buy me some toy to make sure I didn't feel left out (Picoult 244). 

The author has perfectly crafted each individual storyline, ripping our hearts and minds in opposite directions, leaving us hopeful for an ending of happiness but also for one of justice. She has intertwined the lives of characters who might not otherwise be connected, if it weren’t for Anna. If it weren’t for Kate. In addition to posing ethical and legal questions, this book illustrates how great an impact one person can have on another person’s life. How connected we all are, even if only by one shared relationship or history. How complicated the intersection of paths can be. Jodi Picoult brilliantly connected a collection of seemingly random stories to form a tangled web of people, lives and histories. Brian: the loyal father, the firefighter, and his son: the boy who felt invisible, the lost cause, the arsonist. Anna: the girl seeking freedom, the daughter born to save her sister, the shadow, and her mother: the lawyer, the woman being sued by her own daughter, the mom who never meant any harm. Campbell: the attorney fighting for Anna’s rights, the witty, love-struck college kid, and his ex-girlfriend, Julia: Anna’s guardian ad-litem, the insightful and heartbroken outcast, the girl who’s willing to take the risk of giving second chances.

This ending of this book appears that it will go one of two ways: Anna wins or Anna loses. Kate dies with one of her sister’s kidneys or she dies with her own. Anna is miserable in sacrificing her health without a choice or she’s miserable in not saving her sister’s life. Heartbreak seems inevitable, and I have no doubt that the resolution will leave some problems unresolved. That it won’t be a fairytale ending, and it shouldn’t be. The outcome of the book should follow suit with the seriousness of the real-world topics introduced. I’m hoping and counting on a realistic ending, one that stays true to each character and how they’ve all been presented. But I don’t know what that ending consists of. I don’t know which way I want the jurisdiction to be swayed. I hope, for Anna’s sake, that she and Campbell win; I hope that Anna finally feels independent, like she has a purpose outside of feeding her sister’s life. But for the sake of Kate and her mother, I hope Anna loses; I hope Kate doesn’t feel like she’s being abandoned, I hope Sara doesn’t regret the choices she’s made to help her daughter. I'm very excited to finish this book and I look forward to reading more books by Jodi Picoult.

This is a link to some very powerful quotes in the book My Sister's Keeper:

http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1639903-my-sister-s-keeper?page=1

My Sister's Keeper

I've recently begun reading My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult. Although I'm only a quarter of the way through the book, I was intrigued after reading the first few pages. This fictional novel encapsulates so many compelling topics, woven into a very complex plot. Kate has had leukemia since she was a mere two years old. When her parents, Sara and Brian Fitzgerald, found out that their only son, Jesse, wasn't a match for a bone marrow transplant, Anna became their last hope for saving their only daughter. Thirteen year-old Anna Fitzgerald was born for the sole purpose of saving her sister's life. With each hospital visit, treatment, dialysis session and surgery Kate goes through, Anna comes along, endlessly giving for her sister without being given the freedom to make the choice herself. 

The tides turn when Anna takes a stand. When she makes the choice to sue her parents. She knows that Kate's cancer will never stop taking, sucking the life out of both her and her sister. Eventually, she'll have to supply Kate with a kidney and she's not ready to make that step. Anna knows the risks that come with what she's expected to do. And whether her rebellion comes from a place of fear or from her craving for freedom and purpose, Anna's decision is one that her family will not see coming. This book wraps around the legal, medical and emotional aspects of Anna and Kate's story. Each chapter is written in a different perspective, jumping back and forth between each member of the Fitzgerald family and Campbell Alexander, Anna's lawyer.

Anna has grown up with a storm cloud looming over her head. She knows that without Kate's illness, she wouldn't have been born. She's spent her whole life contemplating that fact, and every time she comes up with the same conclusions. She feels invisible in the shadow of her beloved sister. She's never been able to be her own person, using all of her energy to fuel Kate's life. She places her identity on a very unstable platform, constantly feeling alone as she realizes that the only purpose she's ever known could be stripped of her at any moment. Anna's thoughts and fears are verbalized in these lines:

It made me wonder, though, what would have happened if Kate had been healthy. Chances are, I'd still be floating up in Heaven or wherever, waiting to be attached to a body to spend some time on Earth. Certainly I would not be a part of this family. See, unlike the rest of the free world, I didn't get here by accident. And if your parents have you for a reason, then that reason better exist. Because if it's gone, so are you. (Picoult 8).

http://www.jodipicoult.com/my-sisters-keeper.html

The above link displays additional information about Jodi Picoult and My Sister's Keeper as well as an excerpt from the book. 

Satire

The above cartoon is an example of contemporary, Horatian satire. The picture portrays a recently hatched chick using Facebook on a laptop and the surprised reaction from its parent. It mocks how, today, technology is becoming increasingly present in the lives of children. In Horatian satire, the tone is more witty and accepting than in the angry, pessimistic Juvenalian satire.This cartoon is simply making fun of the new generation for its involvement with technology, not deeply scolding or criticizing it. Clearly, because this topic is fairly new and technology with the youth has not been an overarching, timeless problem for humanity, this cartoon is considered contemporary. This example of satire intends to ridicule the youngest members of society, as well as the generation who raised them, for the prominence of social media and technology in their lives. The author wants his or her work to be a call to action. How can children grow and experience the world around them, observing and exploring like the chicks in the background of the cartoon, if they're constantly staring at a computer screen?

Krista Ramsey Column

In Krista Ramsey's column, Song writer helps kids summon courage to stop bullies, she discusses the impact that local songwriter Keenan West is making on countless students across the country. West focuses on inspirational stories, deep messages and fun, interactive demonstrations to get his point across.

The link to the column is provided here:

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/columnists/krista-ramsey/2014/11/29/krista-ramsey-keenan-west/19673489/

The following line from Krista Ramsey's column provides strong examples of syntax and diction, with its effective use of imagery and punctation:

"It's an exercise in risk and public vulnerability that adolescents, used to trying to fit in and not make themselves a target for ridicule or rejection, understand all too well" (Ramsey).

The above excerpt from Krista's column illustrates the theme of Keenan's assemblies -- self expression without worry of exclusion -- by using great diction. Her excellent word choices such as risk, vulnerability, target, ridicule and rejection (bolded and italicized above) demonstrate the prominent idea that students sometimes sacrifice being themselves in order to avoid being bullied. In addition to her word choice being relevant to the column's theme, Ramsey's syntax allowed for further description in the sentence and, therefore, higher understanding. The information separated by the commas would be adequate for a sentence on its own. We would still comprehend the idea that adolescents are familiar with the concept of public vulnerability. However, the details inside the commas provide explanation for the rest of the sentence. With just a few extra details, we're able to understand WHY the statement is true. We know that students understand outside influence because of their insistence on conforming. Clearly, Krista Ramsey is entirely capable of creating excellent diction and syntax in her writing.

In general, Krista Ramsey's writing style uses short, detached paragraphs to display a mix of factual information and opinions. This paragraph, from Ramsey's column on the impact of electronics on vision, incorporates facts provided by a UC professor to support the theme, "'When you use less and less of the peripheral retinal cells, less and less signal gets to the brain from that area and it gets less strong or goes away. So there may be more brain processing power dedicated to a task like watching a computer screen - but it may come at the cost of peripheral vision,' he says" (Ramsey). Additionally, a paragraph from her column on the topic of appropriate dress attire, and a few athletes in particular, illustrates the format Ramsey's writing tends to assume: "The amazing thing isn't that two super jocks know how to dress well, but that they actually seem to want to" (Ramsey). This paragraph is a mere sentence in length and, in contrast to the aspect of her writing style that focuses on facts, it includes Krista's personal opinion. As one last piece of evidence regarding Ramsey's writing style, this paragraph from her column on Keenan West's message (described above) shows her use of facts and short paragraphs: "A statistic he shares with every group: in 57 percent of cases, the bullying ends within 10 seconds of a bystander speaking up" (Ramsey). In reading these three columns, I've come to the following conclusion regarding Ramsey's writing style:

Using separate paragraphs, sometimes comprised of just a sentence or two, Krista Ramsey blends factual and opinionated writing to create the optimal column.

If I were to ask Krista Ramsey a few questions, they would be:

1. What sparked your interest in becoming a columnist?

2. How do you find such unique and fascinating topics? Do you look to other writers for inspiration?

3. Would you ever consider writing a book? If so, what would it be about?

Specials (theme and review)

I finally finished Specials and the Uglies series! I very much liked the ending and it was surprisingly fitting. It perfectly tied all the books together and the futures written for each character were great reflections of his or her traits and choices. Tally's adoration of the wild and her yearning to be free of restrictions and authority were demonstrated superbly in the resolution of Specials. Unlike The Giver and Matched, two books that I've compared this series to, the ending was very satisfactory. There were some unexpected twists and turns in terms of difficulties Tally faced and the actions of characters like Dr. Cable, leader of Special Circumstances and Tally's old city. Surprising acts of bravery and kindness on Dr. Cable's part illustrated her as a dynamic character, becoming more compassionate  by the end of the series, even if some of her choices were lined with selfish ulterior motives. I would definitely say that by the end of the book, the action and suspense picked back up compared to my reading last week.

A few themes and corresponding quote I have uncovered from this series include:

-Getting to know a person will reveal his or her true beauty; outward appearances can be deceitful.

"He peered into her eyes for a longer moment, then sighed and shook his head. 'You just look like Tally to me.' ... 'You just took on five million years of evolution again' (Westerfeld 366-367).

-It can be a mistake to underestimate a person's ability to change who they are.

"Tally blinked, unable to believe her eyes. It was Dr. Cable...'So that's why you're here, Dr. Cable? To blame me for everything?' 'No. I'm here to let you go'" (Westerfeld 354 & 357).

-Letting rules and false standards define you can prove to be a discouraging, uphill battle.

"She was finally free of her cell, of the operating tank, of Dr. Cable. No one would change her against her will, not ever again. There would be no more Special Circumstances" (Westerfeld 359).

I created this collage to represent some important quotes from the trilogy.

I would give the book Specials, and the entire trilogy, a 4 out of 5 stars. The first book, in my opinion, was the best. In Uglies, the setting, plot and characters were new to the reader and were all very well developed. It was fascinating to read about such an abstract society with new technology and corrupted philosophy. But as the books continued, the set-up gradually lost its captivating appeal. Familiarity with the characters gave way to predictability of the events. Sure, there were some unexpected scenes. But overall, the setting and outcome were anticipated. The last book followed the traditional layout of this series but I will give Scott Westerfeld credit for great closure and some brilliant additions to this book. For example, the setting of the New Smoke was revealed, admittedly a surprise. I would recommend this book and this trilogy to anyone who enjoys fiction, particularly science fiction, or reading about dystopian societies. This isn't a series you can quit reading halfway through, simply because there are so many facets to one particular conflict that must be solved, so many questions at any given point. 

The next book I plan to read is The Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank. In this book, Anne Frank depicts the circumstances of her life as a young Jewish girl during the Holocaust. She writes about frightening experiences and her thoughts, hopes and fears. Although this book fits into the category of a genre I wouldn't typically read, it seems very moving, interesting and inspirational. I can't wait to move on to this book as well as others on my "to-read" list soon!

This is a link to the GoodReads page for my next book:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48855.The_Diary_of_a_Young_Girl