12A: The City of Ember: Notable Moment

My notable moment for the City of Ember comes from chapter 7: A message full of holes.  Lina has just found the directions out of ember, however she does not yet realize what she contains.  She returns home to discover her sister chewing on some of it while tearing up other parts.  Lina quickly recovers what she can from Poppy and hides it from her grandma.  After laying out all the pieces she can fit together, even though some of the words are missing, she is able to tell it is directions for something.

“Her heart began knocking at her chest like a fist at a door.  She had found something.  She had found something strange and important: instructions for something.  But for what? And how terrible that Poppy had found it first and ruined it!”

“It occurred to Lina that this might be what her grandmother had been talking about for so long.  Perhaps this was the thing that was lost.”

This passage intrigues me because it leaves the reader with dispense.  Neither the reader or Lina can understand the letter but both experience the sense of a mystery and the exciting feelings that come along with it.  It is a clue that Lina must figure out and the author is inviting, and encouraging the reader without the reader even really realizing how they are being pulled in.  The reader almost feels that they are present in the story trying to unsolve the riddle that feels more like a mystery.  This type of suspense kept me flipping from page to page from here on out.  I was unable to put the book down because of the author-reader connection.

13:James and the Giant Peach: Rhetorical Reflectiong, Notable Moment, and Analysis

James and the Giant Peach is a story of rags to richs.  Personally I am drawn to the idea presented of an orphan that seems nothing can go right for and is constantly presented with bad luck, however their luck always turns around.  I am intrigued of the idea of this in this book because not only does Dahl choose to play on this idea he blows everything up and twists it. 

My favorite example of Dahl’ work comes in chapter three.  At this point James’s parents have been killed by a rhinoceros, he has been  forced to live with his evil aunts who isolate him from other children, and they make him work like a slave.  Everything in life has caught up with James in this moment.  He suddenly breaks down crying and runs away from his aunts despite their threats. I can’t help but feel pity for James.

 Dahl writes, “It was at this point that the first of all rather peculiar thing that led to so many other much more peculiar things, happened to him.”… “James stared into the bad, and sure enough there was a faint rustling sound coming up from inside it, and then he noticed that all the thousands of little green things were slowly, very very slowly stirring about and moving over each other as though they were alive.

“There’s more power and magic in those things in there than in all the rest of the world put together,” the old man said softly.

 I love how he is grabbing the readers attention, and giving them hope that James will finally catch a break! This is a clear example of foreshadowing the changes that are to come, and how James luck will change.  Dahl’s view on communicating morality throughout the book could be question though.  The reader can’t help but be happy when James’s evil anuts are ran over by the giant peach!  Everyone knows that could not happen, but you are entertained by the idea that bad people die.  He is not trying to teach you anything real about the world.   This is a completely different aspect than we have talked about in any other children’s literature book.

The only expierence I have with this Roald Dahl is from watching the movies based on his books, James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Personally, I hated the movies as a kid.  I thought they were weird and obserd.  Now that I have read James and the Giant Peach I can see some of the humor Dahl is trying to communicate that I was blind to before.  This does surprise me though because children seem to pick up on humor more than adults.  I suppose I now realize how ridiculous and over blown the stories are therefore I am more open to it.

11B-The Giver and Amond the Hidden: Analysis

Among theHidden and The Giver are both classified as dystopia books.  While both books take place in a toliterian society and live under a population control law, I preferred reading Among the Hidden because love exists.  If I were a teacher trying to open my student’s imagination to a new community, completely opposite than any one on earth now, this would be the book I would choose.

I preferred the attitude and mindset in Among the Hidden of the people, versus The Giver.  The families seemed to actually love their children.  Luke’s parents did everything they could to keep him and protect him.  Despite knowing that they were committing a crime by having a third child they kept and loved him anyway. In The Giver all citizens take pills to control and eliminate their sexual desires and children are assigned to each family unit instead of created by the parents like in Among the Hidden.  I feel if this were to somehow accidently happen in The Giver the third child would be released with no question about it.  At one point in the story of The Giver  Jonas’ mother is asked if she loves her child.  She says love is too strong of a word.  She does not even know how to love.  Luke’s parents, on the other hand, loved him enough to let him leave when he was offered a new identity. They realized he would never be fully happy.   Even though they knew they would never see him again, Luke’s father assures Luke’s mother that this is the only way he will ever a life.  I feel this aspect makes the book feel more real compared to The Giver.   The reader would get the sense that maybe this could happen. 

Although both books deal with complex issues that young child may not fully understand, I feel Among the Hidden is a better dystopia book.  I feel that I would read the next book in The Shadow Children series, unlike the next book in Lois Lowry’s series.  

11A-Among the Hidden Notable Moment

“I didn’t come here to harp at you.  This is dangerous, and no one should go unwillingly.  I was too hard on you the other day.  I just wanted to say-you’ve been a good friend.  I’ll miss you.”  “But you’ll be back,” Luke said.  “Tomorrow-or the next day-after the rally.  I’ll be over to visit.  If your rally works, I’ll be walking in the front door.”  “We can hope,” Jen said softly.

When I read this segment of the book in Among the Hidden I knew this would be my notable moment. It is the night before the rally.  I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did because it seems similar to The Giver.  Once I got into this book I couldn’t lay it down, unlike The Giver that I had to force myself to even pick it up.  In this story two children, Jen and Luke, share a common bond, they are both shadow children. Their friendship is what touched my heart and kept my attention. I can’t help but get the feeling in this passage that Jen knew something bad was going to happen at the rally.  Even though before this moment she has never showed any sign of it. 

She warns Luke by saying, “This is dangerous and no one should go unwillingly.”  She also appears to be telling her friend good bye forever, not just until she gets back.  To me the words, “We can hope”, express an amount of uncertainty.  I think Jen knew she was going to die.  This breaks my heart, but what courage Jen possessed!  This entire segment is foreshadowing the murders that will happen at the rally.

10C Mrs. Frisby: Analysis

In the beginning of this book, I thought it was just going to be a sweet story of a mother trying to save her child’s life.  How wrong I was!  Don’t get me wrong Mrs. Frisby is an amazing mother, but darker issues arose.  The longer I read the book the more evident the issues that O’Brien is communicating came out.  I now view animal testing and technology in a completely different light.

 I used to think animal testing was okay.  I was afraid of using a product if it hadn’t been tested on anything before, but now I wonder if the animals they tested had a weird side affect like the Rats of NIMH.  What if rats tested in real life did develop intelligence?  I am from the country.  I frequently see some big rats running around our barn.  If those rats that I’ve seen back home could learn to read and speak, how different our farm would be!  I also felt sorry for the rats.  They were kidnapped and taken from their families.  It reminded me of jail because they were separated into different groups, locked in cages, and “the diet was same for all.”  They were constantly watched and had no freedom.  I do not think animal testing and the use of technology is such a good idea after reading this book.

10B-Mrs. Frisby: Notable Moment

My notable moment for Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMP comes from the end of the chapter Mr. Fitzgibbon’s Plow.  Mrs. Frisby has just talked to the shrew about moving day and when the farmer would begin to plow the land.  She is worrying about her son Timothy when suddenly she remembers something her husband would say: “All doors are hard to unlock until you have the key.”

I like this quote because it is saying keep trying, don’t give up, and anything is possible.  I feel bad for Mrs. Frisby that she is left alone to raise their children because Mr. Frisby was killed.  However, at least she has the memories of advice he would give her.  It is almost like he is speaking to her even though he is dead.  When Mrs. Frisby remembers what her husband would say it gives her motivation.  She realizes she must keep trying even though the task seems impossible.  I believe these memories need to stay alive within Mrs. Frisby because they are a source of strength.  I think we should all remember the advice loved ones give us because that is who you can trust.

10A-Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMP: Anticipating

I am looking forward to reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMP.  Although I have never read it, I have heard great things about it.  Everyone I have spoken with has said it has some deeper issues within the book.  I am looking forward to seeing what they mean by this.  I see on the front that it won the John Newberry Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.  I believe this will be an interesting and fun book to read.  Robert O’ Brien’s style of writing seems to flow and keep the reader engaged.  This seems to be a family book.  Family is an important part of my life therefore, I like the idea a story of a family of mice trying to survive with the help of their neighbors, the rats.  Overall, I am excited to this light hearted read.