Post 7: Book 4 Reflection

                 An epic hero is a protagonist that participates in a cyclical journey or quest, faces adversaries that try to defeat him in his journey, gathers allies along his journey, and returns home significantly transformed by his journey. The epic hero also illustrates traits, performs deeds, and exemplifies certain morals that are valued by the society from which the epic originates. They usually embody cultural and religious beliefs of the people. Epic heroes have no superpowers but they are smart, brave, and have fears but overcome them to protect their friends, families, and countries. The hero is loyal, smart, and brave. In Dan Brown’s Angles and Demons, Robert Langdon is an epic hero who works with the director of a nuclear research company and a dead man’s daughter to solve a murder.

                Despite the fact that Langdon has many flaws, he overcomes them and his fears to assist Dr. Kohler, director of CERN, and Vittoria Vetra, adopted daughter of Leonardo Vetra. Leonardo was murdered and branded with the Illuminati ambigram, the reason Langdon was called to CERN, a nuclear research company. The Vetra pair had recently discovered anti-matter and a way to safely store it, which was very valuable information and knowledge. Dr. Kohler predicts that Vetra was murdered for his eyeball, which was the key to the lad which contained the anti-matter. Langdon uses his vast knowledge of the Illuminati to solve the murder, and eventually save Vatican City.

                In the beginning of the book, Langdon seriously doubts himself because he is in denial about the Illuminati being in existence. He struggles with an internal conflict, but overcomes it and turns to his own morals he was raised with and decides to help Vittoria solve her father’s murder. She was left alone to fly to Rome because Dr. Kohler needed medical attention, so Langdon felt that he could not leave her to fend for herself.

                In Vatican City, cardinals are taken and murdered by the same man who murdered Leonardo Vetra before a new pope could be chosen. Langdon is forty years old, certainly not fit enough to fight a trained assassin, but does it anyway. His ability to take risk to willingly sets him apart from the other characters in the book, since he has no experience in fighting.

                One heavily debated question throughout the entire novel is religion. Lenoardo and Vittoria were working to find a link between religion and science, one of the reasons he was murdered. Langdon is asked many times is he believes in God, and in the beginning of the book he has no answer, but by the end of the book he answers negatively. He represents many things, specifically the fight between religions and the debate of religion.

                Other traits of an epic hero include loyal, brave, and smart. Langdon possesses all of these traits, especially since he manages to solve a murder and save Vatican city, all while staying on the same side. In many other stories, the main character betrays their original opinions or friends, but Langdon remains on the side of CERN and doesn’t do it for any bribes. He is honorable in this way, as well, since he was woken up at 2 am, flown to another country, and given a very hard option to either save Vatican City or go back to the United States and do nothing about it. Many other characters, especially Americans (J), would have wanted a reward or wouldn’t have done anything about it at all.

Post 10: Reading Wishlist

 

 

 

 

 

Post 9: Book 2 Trailer

Post 8: Book Talk Presentation

Post 6: 5 Reasons Alan Grant from Jurassic Park is a hero

5 Reasons Alan Grant from Jurassic Park is a hero

Dr. Alan Grant, protagonist of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, is flown to a Costa Rica island to Jurassic Park by its founder, John Hammond. He uncovers countless problems with the park, but Hammond refuses to acknowledge them. When the tour group ventures into the park, and gets attacked by dinosaurs, Grant is the one to save the day. 

1. He saves children.
            Everyone loves a guy who loves kids, but this guy manages to save them from dinosaur attacks. The founder of the park, John Hammond, decides to fly his grandchildren to the island for a first look at kids' reactions to the park. Obviously, this was a terrible idea, and Grant is constantly looking out for them when Hammond is not. "Tim picked up his goggles as Grant grabbed both the children's hands and began to run" (217). The fact that Grant grabbed their hands clearly shows that he cares and that he wanted to make sure they escaped from the dinosaur attack.

  

2. He kills velociraptors with dinosaur eggs
             When Grant and the kids return to the lodge and control room, there is a pack of raptors waiting for them in the cloning lab. Grant is a paleontologist, so his knowledge of the dinosaurs he encountered was vast. He also sees the deadly toxin that will kill any dinosaurs in the lab, so he decides to inject the toxin into eggs that the raptors will surely eat. "He held the egg carefully while he stuck the needle through the shell, and injected the contents of the syringe" (355). If Grant hadn't killed these vicious raptors, they would have killed everyone else first.

3. He keeps his cool in tough situations
             Obviously getting attacked by dinosaurs can be a little bit stressful, but Grant manages to keep calm when everyone else is freaking out. Without him, the other people in the park would have died. There's always that one person in the story who seems to do everything, and that person is Alan Grant. "The tyrannosaur bellowed angrily, and then the big hind leg came up and crashed down on the roof of the car; the claws slid off with a metal screech, barely missing Grant as he stood there, still unmoving" (190). Despite the T-Rex being within arm's reach of Grant, he doesn't move a muscle. I'm pretty sure most of the human population would run away screaming, not stand there awaiting a sure death.

4. He's the moral compass
              Without Dr. Grant, the many people in Jurassic Park would be dead. He guides them in times of crisis. The other characters have many flaws, such as greed, idiocy, and many more; but Grant brings out the best in people and leads most of them to escape. Their flaws would have led everyone in the park to a sure death, and eventually the dinosaurs would have escaped and took over the world. Obviously, it's a good thing he was there.

                                                    

5. He's the only one with common sense

              I hate to say it, but this is painfully true. Besides Ellie Sattler, his student, Grant seems to be the only one with any shred of concern for the real problems of the park. Hammond is only worried about his money, Lex and every other person there is too busy screaming, and the scientists are too busy being science-y. "'That's it,' Grant said, slapping Tim on the back. 'That's it! You did it!" (Crichton 362). Dr. Grant saved a group of people awaiting their death-by-velociraptor, exterminated the rest of the raptors, and aided Tim in turning the power back on. Without Grant, none of this would have happened.

Post 5: The Question of Non-Fiction

For a book to be considered non-fiction, it must be factual, or at least 80% factual. If the author calls the book a memoir, but changes their life to seem better than they actually are, it bothers me a little bit. I understand that the author is just doing this to spice it up and sell more copies, but it's another thing to go around completely changing your life story. 

I agree with Aimee Bender when she says that she doesn't really care what the genre is, as long as it's interesting. I mostly just read fiction, but I don't care as long as it captures my attention. She also said that it's interesting to see how a writer will represent their thoughts in the book. I agree with her, especially when I am forced to read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It's been labeled as a masterpiece mix of fiction and non-fiction; and through our many discussions during class I have come to agree with that. It's really interesting to see how he displays the murderers in a way that's figurative and still factual. For the time period the book was written, the 1960's, it was a relatively new thing to mix those two genres, and he did it very well. 

I think that David Shields is right in the sense that he wants to break free from the boundaries of genre labels. He has the right intentions; I just don’t think he’s doing it right. On the other hand, I think that genres are just labels that organize the library. It shouldn’t matter what the genre is, but whether it’s truthful or not is something different. Changing the way something happened, even if you aren’t labeling it, is still wrong.

Post 4: Adapting your Book

The Maze Runner has been made into a movie, and I have to say, it was terrible. It strayed from the plot a lot and switched things around and didn't include many different characters and added things that didn't need to be.

One thing that frustrates me is that when Teresa, the only girl in the Glade, comes up from the Box, she sits up and says, "Thomas," the name of the main character. This does not happen in the book and it's annoying that they changed it. In the book, she also comes with a note that says "She's the last one. Ever," as my group so amazingly displayed during class. In the movie, she finds the note in her pocket after she wakes up from her coma and only shows it to Thomas. I think this should be one of the three essential scenes from the book. This scene is important because the arrival of Teresa triggers "The Ending," even though the Gladers don't know what that is or what it means. This is not mentioned in the movie and the Gladers don't get the message to be prepared. In the book, they had the note, and were able to mentally prepare for the events that would unfold later.

Another scene that is important to be included in the movie is when Thomas, Alby, and Minho are stuck in the maze overnight and survive. This is a very big deal to the Gladers because no one had ever done that before. This scene characterizes Thomas very well because it shows how brave and kind he is. Near sunset, Alby and Minho have not returned to the Maze, which is very dangerous. Minho is spotted dragging Alby along the Maze floor in the last seconds before the walls close. They were clearly not going to make it, so Thomas ran into the Maze in an attempt to help them. When the Grievers came, Minho ran away thinking they should split up and leave Alby there. Thomas bravely stayed with Alby, even though he despised him. In the movie, Minho helps Thomas tie Alby in the vines then runs away when the Grievers come. I think this takes away from the characterization of Thomas because even though it was his idea, he has help and doesn't show all this traits as well as the book.

A third scene that should have been in the movie is when Thomas and Minho discover the Griever Hole. This discovery is a big deal to the Gladers because they think the Griever Hole could be their way out of the Maze. The only similarity between the scene in the book and the movie is that the discovery is an accident. In the book, they discover it the night they are trapped in the maze, but in the movie, they go back the next morning and discover it. The discovery happens completely different, as well.

One scene from the book I would cut is when Newt brings Thomas to a window in one of the walls in the Maze to show him a Griever. He wanted to intimidate him to not go in the Maze, but there are so many rules against it, and we all know he'll break them, so what's the point? This part wasn't in the movie, either, and it didn't have any effect.  Contradicting what I said above, I think it would actually be cool to take out the part where Teresa tells Thomas about triggering the Ending. They wouldn't be prepared at all for what would be coming, not that they thought it would happen, and it would portray the cooperation among the Gladers. It could help tie them closer together and show how well, or how bad, they work together in that kind of a situation.

Post 3: Book 1 Project

 

By purchasing the Hollow City Fan Kit, fans will be transported into the world of the peculiar children. Whoever acquires this kit can relive Jacob’s journey of helping Miss Peregrine. The fan kit includes pictures, Jacob’s 21^st century phone, train tickets, a Map of Days, and a few stories from Tales of the Peculiar.

The first item in this fan kit is a collection of old pictures that fans can use to create their own stories. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs is based off of pictures that the author has compiled over many years. Riggs has gone to countless flea markets and garage sales just to find them. When the main character, Jacob, finds Miss Peregrine’s house in the first book, there is an old photo album in one of the rooms filled with creepy pictures of kids doing weird things. Riggs creates the characters and story from the children in these pictures, so I thought it would be fun to recreate the process Riggs went through to create his book. The second item is Jacob’s phone from the 21^st century. This is an important item because when he and the peculiar children are traveling, he feels his phone in his pocket and is reminded of the home he left behind. The phone symbolizes Jacob’s old life and is constantly mentioned throughout the book. The third item in the kit is a few train tickets the children used to travel to London. The fan would have their own ticket, being part of the experience along with the children. The fourth item is a limited edition of the Map of Days, which was a crucial part for the children to get back to shore. This item was one of many that were thrown overboard, but there are still a few in existence. When Millard realized it was gone, he felt like a part of him was left at sea. “’It was of incalculable value! Not to mention it contained years of my personal notes and annotations!’” (31) Millard had made many notes on the document, and was very upset when it washed away. Not only that, but they didn’t have a map to find their way. The fifth and final item contained in the fan kit is a small book with a few important tales from "a three-volume collection of stories called Tales of the Peculiar"(30). This is a gigantic book of tales, mostly made up, the peculiar children carry with them on the journey to London. It is very important to the kids because hidden between the lines of the tale is the entrance of the loop they need to enter. There are many different loops, but they needed to get to one in particular, and the book helped them do that. Also, Miss Peregrine used to read the tales to the younger kids before they went to bed each night, so the book provided a sense of comfort to them when they felt lost. “’At least we still have the Tales of the Peculiar. I can’t get to sleep at night without hearing one’”  (30). The children’s belongings were tossed overboard and one of the few things left was the book full of tales. It was one of two things from their old home, which gave the children the comfort their overseer could not give them.

            Not only will this kit be full of adventure for a person who read the book, but someone who did not read it could also be entertained. A full explanation of each item is included within the package, so they would not be left clueless. After purchasing the kit, they might be very interested in the book and want to read it. This could broaden the audience to visual readers and even readers looking for another good book. 

Post 2: What is a book?

A book is another world hidden in plain sight. Many people say that they are transported to an alternate universe when they read. An author creates a completely different world than ours, and it's amazing to see and experience what they come up with. When I read, it doesn't feel like I'm actually reading. I can see myself in that world with the characters as if I'm in the TV show. I would compare books to music. When I have my headphones in, everything around me drowns out and I get to create for myself what is going on around me. The same is for books: everything around me seems to disappear and the characters' world comes into my mind.

While we read "Scribble" by Victor LaValle in class, I found myself completely disagreeing with his opinion. Sure, books are mass produced, and there is a stereo-typical teenage girl fiction novel that everyone loves. But every book has a different story, with different characters, and with different situations altogether. I also disagree with LaValle when he says that treating a book like a pair of stone tablets is "a pretty Old Testament way of thinking." I think that we should be treating books like a pair of stone tablets. This excerpt and most of the others had a bit in there that said that iPads and Kindles will eventually take over the industry.

I also agree with most of the writers when they say that a book has a certain feel and smell to it. There is something different from reading a book on your tiny little screen and holding the book in your hands. The smell from the books in the thrift store is a little too much, but it reminds me of the real world. I'm always staring at a screen. It's a good change to hold the book in my hands and look at physical words on a page. The other day I was at the store and I saw a copy of Divergent. I begged my mom to buy it because I wanted to have a paper copy of it since I read it on my Kindle app. I'm dreading the day when books rarely printed and e-readers are the most popular way to read.

New York Times Article by Mohsin Hamid here

Post 1: Why I Read

I wouldn't exactly call myself an avid reader, but I do enjoy reading.  I love being transported into another reality and using my imagination to create characters in my mind. Books have the ability to change my perspective on certain topics, for better or worse, and increase comprehension and vocabulary. Another reason I love to read is because some of my fondest memories include reading. When I was younger, my dad and I would read one Berenstain Bears book every night before going to bed. I still have several of the books in my room and every day I look at them and am reminded of those times. My reading goal this school year is to read at least 20 minutes a day and read at least 6 books I thoroughly enjoy.

One reading habit I have is to always have a book I'm reading on my Kindle app on my phone. Whenever I'm bored or don't have my current book with me, I take out my phone and start reading. The book I have been reading has been on my phone for at least a year, and I don't think I'm halfway done yet.