Blog 4C-Analysis Redwall

After reading Redwall it is interesting to me how the character of Matthias compares to the character of Bilbo from the Hobbit.  Both characters are problematic heroes, a theme pronounced in both books.  They seam to be real people with real problems, just like humans.  We humans are not super-heroes given special powers such as, Superman.  Neither is Bilbo or Matthias.  They both show that anyone can become a hero; they just have to do the right thing and try hard. 

In Matthias’ case he is just an ordinary mouse until he is put in the right situation at the right time to become a hero.  However, it is his choice to do the right thing and step up to the plate.   The author shows this when Matthias hears Martin, the great warrior, speaking to him.  The easy way out would have been to run away and ignore it.  Instead, he consulted with other Redwall mice.  Mathias wants to be a hero, and he wants to fight.  I believe he differs from Bilbo in this way because Bilbo grew into becoming a hero.  Matthias was born ready for the day he could become a warrior. 

Matthias also shows his heroism when Father Abbot sends him to take food to a nearby family.  Matthias sees the rats coming, and rushes back to the Abbey to warn everyone.  Although Father Abbot doesn’t want to fight because he believes the Abbey is not like that anymore, Matthias is ready.  When the rats arrive and Father Abbot lets them inside to talk everyone could have been seriously hurt or killed if it wouldn’t have been for Matthias.   He gets rid of the rats before anything bad can happen.  By doing this Matthias is showing bravery, a characteristic of being a hero.  Mathias is saving others lives similar to Bilbo when he saves the dwarves lives from the spiders.  .

When Clooney captures another mouse’s family that lived outside the Abbey, Matthias courageously tries to save their family.   With the help of a Basil Stag Hare, the rabbit, they are able to free the mice family.  This is another example of Matthias doing the right thing and being a hero. This reminds me of in The Hobbit when Bilbo saves the dwarves from the elves before they were killed.  There are many more examples of Matthias showing that he is the hero throughout the book.

I believe this theme of the problematic hero keeps arising in fantasy children’s literature because it is an aspect that we all dream of, especially as a child.  We can relate to a person that isn’t perfect because we as human beings aren’t perfect.  While we might want to do the right thing and become the hero it is a matter of if we are able to make the right decision and try hard.  I believe this is an important message that Brian Jacques is trying to communicate throughout his novel. 

Blog 5A-Anticipating The Pheonix and the Carpet

I have never heard of The Pheonix and The Carpet.  However, I am excited to read this book.  The cover looks very appealing.  It reminds me of Aladdin, the Disney movies.  I read the introduction about Edith Nesbit in our book, and I find her an interesting woman.  I feel as I can relate to her because she was a “mischievous, tomboyish child who grew into an unconventional adult.”  She stood for things as a woman that were socially inappropriate at the time.  I admire that.  Also, the last sentence in the introduction catches my attention and makes me excited to read the book.  “One of her most admired abilities as a writer is the combination – often with more than a pinch of humor – of a real-life situation with elements of magical fantasy.”  This seems to be the type of book I was most anticipating on reading this semester while taking English 360.

Blog 4B: Notable Moment

While reading Redwall, the character of Abbot attracted my attention.  On page 15 Abbot says, “ Listen to what I say, Matthis.  You have been like a son to me, ever since you first came to our gates as an orphaned woodland mouse, begging to be taken in.   Come, sit by me and I will try to explain to you what our Order is all about.”  Abbot seems to play the role as a father figure and a guidance counselor.  In many fantasy books I have noticed there is a character similar to him.  For instance in The Hobbit,  Gandolf was full of knowledge.  He protected the dwarves when he could, and guided them with the best of his ability. In the Harry Potter series, Dumbledore is similar to the character of Abbot.  Dumbledore is the only person Harry can always rely on for advice, and Dumbledore takes him in similar to Abbot and Matthias.  Dumbledore is Harry’s father figure, as Abbot is Matthias’ father figure.  Without the role of the older and wiser man, it would not make these books as interesting.  This ties into children literature because I believe the author is trying to connect to the reader.  The author is assuming that children will relate to the situation of accepting advice from a father figure.  Growing up I questioned my father, and he always gave me advice.  There is something special about the character of Abbot.  I am interested to see if he makes it through the story without passing away.   

Blog 4A Anticipating Redwall

I have never heard of Redwall, or heard anything about it.  I was always told not to judge a book by its cover, but I can't help the negative feelings that arise when I look at it.  On the cover, a mouse is holding a sword and a shield.  I hate mice!  He looks like Robin Hood.  I am hoping this story will not be extreme fantasy, but I am expecting it to be.  When I say extreme fantasy I am meaning in no way could this story ever have been real. 

Blog 3C-Tolkein & The Hobbit: Analysis

After reading The Hobbit, the character of Bilbo most catches my attention of how Tolkein transformed him into a new person throughout the book. In the beginning Bilbo appears to be somewhat of a jerk to the dwarves, Gandolf, and everyone else he comes in contact with. However, by the end of the book Bilbo has obviously changed and is the hero. If Bilbo had stayed as the same person he was at the beginning of the book, I would not have found this book as interesting as it was. I believe that Bilbo serves as a good reminder to all of us that kindness, friendship, and loyalty are always more appealing to those around us than being rude, timid, and untrustworthy. Bilbo also ties into the theme of fantasy that anyone can become a hero, as long as they do the right thing and work hard.


In the beginning Bilbo is rude to Gandolf. He repeatidly tells him “good morning” hoping to get rid of him. Bilbo has no interest in the adventure Gandolf presents him. Even though Gandolf trusts him with such great and heavy responsibility, Bilbo is still lacking the self esteem and interest to go on such an adventure. When the dwarves arrive at his door step, Bilbo does not enjoy hosting them. Just because you are unaware of such a large party of guests coming does not exempt you from common curtsey. However, Bilbo’s attitude towards Gandolf and the dwarves changes as the story progresses.

Bilbo begins to feel the responsibility of taking care of the dwarves, especially after Gandolf leaves. This first occurs in the chapter of “Flies and Spiders.” Bilbo saves the dwarves from the spiders showing a large amount of courage that I was unaware Bilbo had in him. “Bilbo saw that the moment had come when he must do something.”(p.143) Bilbo sang songs to confuse the spiders of where he was, and he freed each dwarf by himself. Tolkein is beginning to tap into theme of becoming a hero as Bilbo’s character is faced with danger time after time. Even though Bilbo would have much rather been in his warm hole drinking hot tea, he choose to help out his friends and save their lives.

Again in the story Bilbo shows true heroism when the elves capture Thorin and the rest of the dwarves. During the “Barrels Out of Bond” chapter Bilbo creates and carries out a master plan to free the dwarves by stuffing them each into barrels and setting them free through a trap door. Although Bilbo wears the ring he received in the goblin’s cave that makes him invisible, he still shows bravery by his actions. Bilbo says, “No time now! You just follow me! We must all keep together and not risk getting separated. All of us must escape or none, and this is our last chance. If this is found out, goodness knows where the king will put you next, with chains on your hands and feet too, I expect. Don’t argue, there’s a good fellow!”(p. 161) By showing the elves his loyalty and commitment in helping them he is becoming a hero.

Tolkin shows the reader through the character of Biblo the possibiltiy of anyone becoming a hero, even if they seem completely unfit and unable. 

Tolkein & The Hobbit: Notable Moment

While reading The Hobbit my notable moment would have to be in the chapter of “Over Hill and Under Hill.” In the beginning of this chapter there are many instances that foreshadow the danger that will come that draws my interest. “He knew that something unexpected might happen, and he hardly dared to hope that they would pass without fearful adventure over those great tall mountains with lonely peaks and valleys. They did not.” (p. 53) During this time Bilbo, Gandalf, the dwarves, and the ponies were crossing over a mountain pass seeking shelter from a thunderstorm. To me this is a sign of foreshadowing bad news. Thunderstorms aren’t comforting, and frankly they scare me to death.


The group decided to stay in a cave that would protect them and keep them from danger. Gandolf showed concern about this cave by saying, “Have you thoroughly explored it? Who knew that caves up in the mountains were seldom unoccupied.” (p. 54) He is hinting that there could be something dangerous in there. Bilbo also did not trust the cave because he did not sleep very well. “For, somehow, he could not go to sleep for a long while; and when he did sleep, he had very nasty dreams. He dreamed that a crack in the wall at the back of the cave got bigger and bigger, and opened wider and wider, and he was very afraid but could not call out or do anything but lie and look. Then he dreamed that the floor of the cave was giving way, and he was slipping-beginning to fall down, down, goodness knows where to.” (p. 55) Both Gandolf’s and Biblo’s feelings of discomfort and horror are portrayed by Tolken that gave me an uneasy feeling that foreshadow the danger coming. I was reading as fast as I could because all of these detailed situations kept my interest.

The climax in this scene was when Bilbo’s horrific dream sort of came true. “A crack had opened at the back of the cave, and was already a wide passage. He was just in time to see the last ponies’ tails disappearing into it. Of course he gave a very loud yell, as loud a yell as a hobbit can give, which is surprising for their size. Out jumped the goblins, big goblins, great ugly-looking goblins, lots of goblins, before you could say rocks and blocks.” (p. 56) My imagination immediatly came to life, and I was on the edge of my seat.

To me all of these instances tell me that maybe one should trust their gut feeling, and pay attention to the details. A valuable lesson we could all use.

Blog 3A-Tolkein & The Hobbit: Preconceived notions

I have mixed feelings about reading this book.  I first attempted to read it in Junior High, but I did not finish it.  At the time I thought it was stupid and boring.  A few years later in High School I read the book a second time because the new Lord of The Rings movies were coming out.  I remember thinking the book was pretty entertaining, but after watching the Lord of The Rings movies I did not understand how the Hobbit fit into the big picture.  I had not read the Lord of The Rings novels before I watched the movies though.  Now that I have read the Lord of The Rings novels, I am hoping that I will have a better understanding of how the Hobbit is the precurser to the other novels.  My aunt is an English teacher, and this is one of her favorite books to teach.  I am looking forward to re-reading this book.

Blog 2 "Resistance"

I am excited to read fantasy.  My favorite books to this day are the Harry Potter series.  I enjoy adventure and using my imagination.  Fantasy literature provides a way of escaping the real world. I feel if one can learn to open their mind they will be very entertained, and perhaps learn something new with fantasy literature.  Important themes to me are good overcoming evil, love conquering all, and friendship.  When I read children's literature, fantasy to be specific, those are the things that come to mind.

Blog 1

1.What associations do you have with reading? Do you have any personal history that makes reading seem more or less pleasurable?
I enjoy reading.  It provides an escape.


2.Why do you read?
Reading provides entertainment, teaches me new ideas, and opens my mind.
3.What has been your best experience in a literature course? (high school or college)
I enjoyed my high school literature class.  We did many projects.  My favorite was over Frankenstein.

4.What has been your worst experience in a literature course? (high school or college)
In the Spring Semester I took an English class at Texas A&M.  It was 19th Century American Lit.  My professor made it miserable.
5.What college-level literature courses have you taken in the English department?
19th Centrury American Literature, 20th Century American Literature, Civil War-to Present American Literature

6.Compared to other literature courses you have taken, what do you expect will be the level of difficulty of this course? Why?
I believe this class will be just as hard as any English class at Texas A&M because they are all hard in their own way.  I believe this class has the potential to be interesting though.

7.What themes do you look for when you read literature for adults?
Adventure, good overcoming evil
8.What are your favorite books written for adults?
Steven King novels

9.How do you determine whether a book you have read is good?
Whether I have learned something new, it kept my attention, and the morale of the story.

10.Do you think it is a good idea to study children’s literature?
Yes

11.Why do you think scholars study children’s literature?
I think they study children's literature to see what is being taught to children in thier society. 

12.When you think of “children’s literature,” what comes to mind?
Fantasy, Adventure, Innocence
13.What do you look for when you search for a children’s book?
A book that has adventure, that can keep my attention, and that I will learn an important life lesson from.

14.Why would you look for children’s books? What do you do with children’s books?
I would look for children's books to read them.  They are enjoyable easy reading.

15.What children’s books do you most admire?
Harry Potter Series.

16.What were your favorite children’s books as a child?
Charolette's Web, The Little Women, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Little House on the Prarie Series, and Harry Potter.

17.In what contexts did you read children’s books as a child?
I read in school and out of school for pleasure.

18.Are there certain themes that interest you in children’s books?
Adventure, good overcoming evil

19.Are there certain types of books that you think children shouldn’t read?
Murder books.

20.How do you judge whether a children’s book is good?
If it keeps my attention, if I learn something new, and if it has a good ending

21.What do you think of when you think of fantasy?
Imagination, dreams
22.Do you like fantasy literature? Why or why not?
Yes, it is an escape from the real world.

23.Explain your reaction when you learned that this course would focus on fantasy.
I was excited.  I enjoy reading fantasy literature.

24.Rank the following from most to least valuable:

◦Nonfiction #3

◦Poetry #8

◦Historical Fiction #4

◦Romance#6

◦Fantasy Fiction #2

◦Science Fiction #7

◦Horror #9

◦Mystery#5

◦Adventure #1

25.Explain your choice for #1 and #9 in your rankings above.
I choose Adventure for the most valuable because every child dreams of adventure.  I choose Fantasy fiction as my second choice because everyone needs to be able to use their imagination.  I choose Non Fiction as number three because non fiction books are interesting and you will learn something new.  I choose Historical Fiction as number four because it is important to know your history inorder to improve the future.  I choose Mystery as number five because mystery books will keep your attention.  I choose Romance as number six because everyone loves a good love story.  I choose Science Fiction for number seven because these are the books that you learn myths such as the locnest monster.  I choose Poetry as number eight because I do not find it that intersting or helpful, unless it is Dr. Suess.  Last I choose Horror as number nine because I can't read a horror book without having nightmares for weeks.