I just finished reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani and I enjoyed it alot!
I liked the ending of the book because I got to read more about Priya and Sanjay's marraige and less about Priya's job, yet I did like to see the progress Priya made at her job. She made alot of new friends and eventually made her way to being a red carpet interview anchor. Unfortunately as soon as she got the job, her marraige started falling apart.
Have you ever met someone who is so happy that it makes you question your own happiness? Priya meets Karishma, an Indian woman, who eloped with an American man, Steve, and is very much in love. Priya befriends them and realizes that her home life is incomplete and highly demanding. "She was the kind of woman who, no matter how long I stayed in this country and how pretty my clothes were, I would never become. She was free, and I never would be" (196). Priya goes to counseling withj Steve, a psychotherapist, and tries to get Sanjay to come to a session. Sanjay thinks that it is stupid and claims that there is nothing wrong with their marraige.
Priya ends up asking for a divorce and goes back to her family's home in India. Some are happy to see her, others believe she is a burden. I think it would be awful to feel like you don't belong anywhere. Priya becomes a stronger person and when Sanjay comes back into her life (he does and he had gone to therapy with Steve for her), she is able to have much more say in their relationship. Sanjay bought them their own house so that they don't have to put up with his parents.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Q4 7A
I just finished reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
One large cultural difference between American culture and Indian culture that I noticed in the last part of the book was the way a wife was suppossed to behave. American women are more demanding and independent whereas Priya notes that Indian women are obedient and loyal to their in-laws, especially the women in arranged marraiges. Sanjay accuses Priya of becoming 'more American' when she begins to stand up for herself and when she brings him to a marraige counseling session to talk more about their feelings. When Priya tries to tell Sanjay that she is unhappy with their marraige, he doesn't get it because he thinks only of physical needs and not of emotional needs. "He had probably heard from his American friends that women wanted to have these 'talks'... he evidently believed that Indian men didn't need to have these conversations with their equally Indian wives" (p. 209). When Priya leaves Sanjay, some of her family members seem more upset with her getting divorced than they feel bad for her having been unhappy.
One large cultural difference between American culture and Indian culture that I noticed in the last part of the book was the way a wife was suppossed to behave. American women are more demanding and independent whereas Priya notes that Indian women are obedient and loyal to their in-laws, especially the women in arranged marraiges. Sanjay accuses Priya of becoming 'more American' when she begins to stand up for herself and when she brings him to a marraige counseling session to talk more about their feelings. When Priya tries to tell Sanjay that she is unhappy with their marraige, he doesn't get it because he thinks only of physical needs and not of emotional needs. "He had probably heard from his American friends that women wanted to have these 'talks'... he evidently believed that Indian men didn't need to have these conversations with their equally Indian wives" (p. 209). When Priya leaves Sanjay, some of her family members seem more upset with her getting divorced than they feel bad for her having been unhappy.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Q4 6B
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
The more I read of this book the more I think that it would make a really good movie. It would be a romantic comedy about moving to America and it would present a somewhat deep issue in a light way like the book does. Priya decided to take the promotion and now she reports directly to Crispin Bailey which makes Lynette Dove extremely mad. Priya is slowly making enemies in the workplace as she advances and they don't get to advance because they have been working much harder and longer than her. They also have a lot more schoolong and all of a sudden she shows up and moves up the corporate ladder ahead of them. Many are very jealous of her. Lynette has confronted Priya and told her that she must tell her what she is working on even though Mr. Bailey didn't say this to Priya. I feel like Lynette is going to purposely mess this up for Priya.
I have no idea what is going to happen. Normally I have a pretty good guess about how a book will end, but now I have no idea. The book is starting to focus more on Priya's career (which is very high fashion and high drama now) and is focusing less on her home life. As much as I love to hear how her career is going, I find her home life much more interesting because I can learn about cultural differences. I hope that Priya is able to sort out her life and that I get to learn more about her in-laws.
The more I read of this book the more I think that it would make a really good movie. It would be a romantic comedy about moving to America and it would present a somewhat deep issue in a light way like the book does. Priya decided to take the promotion and now she reports directly to Crispin Bailey which makes Lynette Dove extremely mad. Priya is slowly making enemies in the workplace as she advances and they don't get to advance because they have been working much harder and longer than her. They also have a lot more schoolong and all of a sudden she shows up and moves up the corporate ladder ahead of them. Many are very jealous of her. Lynette has confronted Priya and told her that she must tell her what she is working on even though Mr. Bailey didn't say this to Priya. I feel like Lynette is going to purposely mess this up for Priya.
I have no idea what is going to happen. Normally I have a pretty good guess about how a book will end, but now I have no idea. The book is starting to focus more on Priya's career (which is very high fashion and high drama now) and is focusing less on her home life. As much as I love to hear how her career is going, I find her home life much more interesting because I can learn about cultural differences. I hope that Priya is able to sort out her life and that I get to learn more about her in-laws.
Q4 6A
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
While I was reading this week I noticed how Indian women are more loyal and respectful to their families than American women. To be disrespectful to your in-laws would be one of the most horrific things you could do as an Indian bride. "In America, there is no shame in divorce. In India, there is no shame in living in marital misery" (p. 174). It's depressing how women in India find it better and less shameful to remain in a bad marraige. Priya is having issues trying to balance her family life and her new job as a reporter. She doesn't understand why so much is expected her at work. "I was now sitting squarely in the middle of some of the neediest people on the planet, who evidently expected me to be at their beck and call. And I wasn't even related to them" (135). I thought this was funy because it shows how loyal Priya is to her in-laws.
While I was reading this week I noticed how Indian women are more loyal and respectful to their families than American women. To be disrespectful to your in-laws would be one of the most horrific things you could do as an Indian bride. "In America, there is no shame in divorce. In India, there is no shame in living in marital misery" (p. 174). It's depressing how women in India find it better and less shameful to remain in a bad marraige. Priya is having issues trying to balance her family life and her new job as a reporter. She doesn't understand why so much is expected her at work. "I was now sitting squarely in the middle of some of the neediest people on the planet, who evidently expected me to be at their beck and call. And I wasn't even related to them" (135). I thought this was funy because it shows how loyal Priya is to her in-laws.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Q4 5B
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
Priya was just offered a promotion at her new job from her very high superior, Crispin Bailey. This is exciting because he had no idea who she was until Rex Hauser's publicist recognized Priya for having a lot of poise while handling their situation. Priya was flattered because she had never thought of herself as poised before. Priya doesn't know whether or not she will take the promotion and neither do I. I'd really like to keep reading, but I simply don't have time.
If Priya doesn't take the job, she won't have to hide her career from her family. She has already been hiding her new fashion sense from her family and it would be hard to add the extra stress of hiding a career. She will also have less to leave when she becomes pregnant and will have to tend to her "family duties".
On the other hand, Priya could take the promotion and do what she finds interesting, work as a reporter. She could meet all of the television stars that she thinks are so beautiful and fascinating. If she didn't take the job she would never get to know her full potential, something that I think would help her learn more about herself and grow more as a person.
Even though Priya would have to sneak around and lie to her family, I really hope that she takes the job. It would add stress to her life, but I think it is something that she owes to herself. If she doesn't take the job, she may regret it later on in life.
Q4 5A
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani but I haven't read a lot this week because of AP testing.
Some more cultural differences that I've read about include meals. Indian food usually uses a lot of spices and it is Priya's job to cook the meals. They always eat early, but thats probably just their family and not a cultural difference. Also, married Hindu women wear sindoor in their hair down their part. It is a powder I believe. Ashima in the namesake also wears it. Another difference is in the duties that are expected of a new bride from her in-laws. Priya's in-laws expect her to clean the house and cook for them and because she isn't pregnant, they asked her to get a simple job. If she were areporter, she believes that her family would become very upset. "My in-laws, their faces scowling and voices raised in irritation, flashed through my mind"(115). Priya's in-laws play as large of a role as Priya herself in deciding her career path.
Some more cultural differences that I've read about include meals. Indian food usually uses a lot of spices and it is Priya's job to cook the meals. They always eat early, but thats probably just their family and not a cultural difference. Also, married Hindu women wear sindoor in their hair down their part. It is a powder I believe. Ashima in the namesake also wears it. Another difference is in the duties that are expected of a new bride from her in-laws. Priya's in-laws expect her to clean the house and cook for them and because she isn't pregnant, they asked her to get a simple job. If she were areporter, she believes that her family would become very upset. "My in-laws, their faces scowling and voices raised in irritation, flashed through my mind"(115). Priya's in-laws play as large of a role as Priya herself in deciding her career path.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Q4 4B
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani and it's getting very exciting!!
I read a bit more of my choice book, the namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, and the books deal with the same issue and I am learning so much about life for Indian immigrants in America. Ashima and Ashoke have an arranged marraige much like Sanjay and Priya. Both Sanjay and Ashoke had been living in the United States before they went back to India to find a wife to bring back across the ocean. I feel bad for Priya and Ashima because they are homesick and miss their families a great deal. The main difference between the women however is that Priya has become Americanized and drives, wears Western clothing and has a job whereas Ashima does none of that and stays home all day and takes care of her children. It takes different people different amounts of time to adjust but I also think that the difference in the times/years may account for some of the difference. Priya moved to the United States in present day America and Ashima had immigrated in the 1960s, when there were less immigrants from Asia and many "hippies", as Ashima notes yet doesn't use the term 'hippie'. Both Ashima and Priya see the way that Americans treat them differently when they speak in an accent or wear traditional clothing. Ashima says that being an immigrant recieves the same kind of pity/ respect as women do when they are pregnant. Priya notes that people stare at her traditional Indian clothing for an extra few minutes.
I read a bit more of my choice book, the namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, and the books deal with the same issue and I am learning so much about life for Indian immigrants in America. Ashima and Ashoke have an arranged marraige much like Sanjay and Priya. Both Sanjay and Ashoke had been living in the United States before they went back to India to find a wife to bring back across the ocean. I feel bad for Priya and Ashima because they are homesick and miss their families a great deal. The main difference between the women however is that Priya has become Americanized and drives, wears Western clothing and has a job whereas Ashima does none of that and stays home all day and takes care of her children. It takes different people different amounts of time to adjust but I also think that the difference in the times/years may account for some of the difference. Priya moved to the United States in present day America and Ashima had immigrated in the 1960s, when there were less immigrants from Asia and many "hippies", as Ashima notes yet doesn't use the term 'hippie'. Both Ashima and Priya see the way that Americans treat them differently when they speak in an accent or wear traditional clothing. Ashima says that being an immigrant recieves the same kind of pity/ respect as women do when they are pregnant. Priya notes that people stare at her traditional Indian clothing for an extra few minutes.
Q4 4A
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
Priya's family has accepted her working as a receptionist yet they don't want her doing anything else within The Hollywood Insider. Against her family's wishes, Priya interviews a movie star to cover for her new friend, Shanisse. When he ends up getting drunk and spilling secrets that could damage his public image, he offers Priya money to not release the information from the interview. Being her humble self, she agrees to keep the information private, free of charge. One of Priya's motives for not exploiting the movie star is to keep good karma because she practices Hinduism. When she does something bad, bad karma will come back to her and in her next life (Hindus believe in reincarnation), Pria will be reborn as a cocroach and be even farther from reaching Brahman, the universal soul.
While Priya still clings to her religious beliefs in America, she has stopped dressing traditionally. To make sure that her in-laws don't know that she dresses in a Western style, Prya leaves the house in either traditional dress or her mother-in-law's old, modest, Western clothing and stops by the gym to change into her high fashion clothing for work. Priya has started to live a doub;e life, one where she stays with her traditional Indian roots, and antother where she appears extremely 'American'.
Priya's family has accepted her working as a receptionist yet they don't want her doing anything else within The Hollywood Insider. Against her family's wishes, Priya interviews a movie star to cover for her new friend, Shanisse. When he ends up getting drunk and spilling secrets that could damage his public image, he offers Priya money to not release the information from the interview. Being her humble self, she agrees to keep the information private, free of charge. One of Priya's motives for not exploiting the movie star is to keep good karma because she practices Hinduism. When she does something bad, bad karma will come back to her and in her next life (Hindus believe in reincarnation), Pria will be reborn as a cocroach and be even farther from reaching Brahman, the universal soul.
While Priya still clings to her religious beliefs in America, she has stopped dressing traditionally. To make sure that her in-laws don't know that she dresses in a Western style, Prya leaves the house in either traditional dress or her mother-in-law's old, modest, Western clothing and stops by the gym to change into her high fashion clothing for work. Priya has started to live a doub;e life, one where she stays with her traditional Indian roots, and antother where she appears extremely 'American'.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Q4 3B
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
This book is beginning to remind me of the movie The Devil Wears Prada. Priya just booked a job as a receptionist at a Hollywood celebrity and gossip magazine. She has no experience in the feild whatsoever, but likes it so far. Some people have given her the cold shoulder however because of the way she dresses. Anne Hathaway plays the main role in The Devil Wears Prada and she has a rough start because she isn't as high fashion as the other women. Both Priya and Hathaway are quick learners however and are making their way up. Both of their work offices have a woman who is in charge of things and is the boss, the "dragon lady".
Priya's arranged marriage is going better and she and Sanjay talk a lot more now. It seems like such an odd concept but I have a friend who's parents are in an arranged marraige and they seem really happy together. Personnally I think it would be too weird to have to get to know a person after you marry them, but thats probably just because its a foreign concept to me. I'm sure that overtime you end up growing closer to your spouse. I also think it would be hard to not be able to choose who you are going to marry because in America, its a right, not a privelege. Something I'd really like to know is how divorces work for arranged marraiges in India. I'll look it up and maybe write about it in a later post.
This book is beginning to remind me of the movie The Devil Wears Prada. Priya just booked a job as a receptionist at a Hollywood celebrity and gossip magazine. She has no experience in the feild whatsoever, but likes it so far. Some people have given her the cold shoulder however because of the way she dresses. Anne Hathaway plays the main role in The Devil Wears Prada and she has a rough start because she isn't as high fashion as the other women. Both Priya and Hathaway are quick learners however and are making their way up. Both of their work offices have a woman who is in charge of things and is the boss, the "dragon lady".
Priya's arranged marriage is going better and she and Sanjay talk a lot more now. It seems like such an odd concept but I have a friend who's parents are in an arranged marraige and they seem really happy together. Personnally I think it would be too weird to have to get to know a person after you marry them, but thats probably just because its a foreign concept to me. I'm sure that overtime you end up growing closer to your spouse. I also think it would be hard to not be able to choose who you are going to marry because in America, its a right, not a privelege. Something I'd really like to know is how divorces work for arranged marraiges in India. I'll look it up and maybe write about it in a later post.
Q4 3A
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
This week I read a few more pages and Indian culture and American culture have been clashing for Priya. She got a jod at the Hollywood Insider, a gossip magazine. She feels that she needs to change her clothes so that she doesn't stand out as much. She recently got her license and is scared to drive on the freeway and because of that she takes the side roads and has trouble making it home for dinner so her mother-in-law is helping out more. Her sister-in-law has a pierced belly button and doesn't wear traditional Indian dress, making Priya think that she is a "bad girl".
This week there was also a chapter I read about their arranged marriage. Priya and Sanjay didn't meet until a week before their wedding to exchange vows. The husband's family also gives money and other large gifts to the bride's family called a dowry. In India, women don't take only the husban'd last name, they also often take on his first name as their middle name.
This week I read a few more pages and Indian culture and American culture have been clashing for Priya. She got a jod at the Hollywood Insider, a gossip magazine. She feels that she needs to change her clothes so that she doesn't stand out as much. She recently got her license and is scared to drive on the freeway and because of that she takes the side roads and has trouble making it home for dinner so her mother-in-law is helping out more. Her sister-in-law has a pierced belly button and doesn't wear traditional Indian dress, making Priya think that she is a "bad girl".
This week there was also a chapter I read about their arranged marriage. Priya and Sanjay didn't meet until a week before their wedding to exchange vows. The husband's family also gives money and other large gifts to the bride's family called a dowry. In India, women don't take only the husban'd last name, they also often take on his first name as their middle name.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Q4 2A
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
In the few pages that I read this week, Priya continues talking about how she will be the first woman to ever have a job in her family. Her father had said to her, before she got married, "'No woman in this family has ever worked outside the house-- and, look at your sisters are all at home where they belong'" (p. 26). Priya is slowly deciding that she doesn't agree with him, that all women can be happy working in the house. She is reminded of her favorite magazine, which is extremely modest to American magazines that have articles that she finds 'embarrassing' to read. Priya has been dressing in treditional Indian clothing and is considering not doing so because she feels that she is drawing attention to herself. She wears red powder in her hair, symbolizing that she is a newlywed. Many of the women at the magazine she wants to work at find it odd that she lives with her in-laws. This book covers alot of culture clashing, but I think Priya will assimilate fairly quickly to American culture.
In the few pages that I read this week, Priya continues talking about how she will be the first woman to ever have a job in her family. Her father had said to her, before she got married, "'No woman in this family has ever worked outside the house-- and, look at your sisters are all at home where they belong'" (p. 26). Priya is slowly deciding that she doesn't agree with him, that all women can be happy working in the house. She is reminded of her favorite magazine, which is extremely modest to American magazines that have articles that she finds 'embarrassing' to read. Priya has been dressing in treditional Indian clothing and is considering not doing so because she feels that she is drawing attention to herself. She wears red powder in her hair, symbolizing that she is a newlywed. Many of the women at the magazine she wants to work at find it odd that she lives with her in-laws. This book covers alot of culture clashing, but I think Priya will assimilate fairly quickly to American culture.
Q4 2B
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
Today was my birthday so I took my driver's test, which I passed by the way!! :) But what I found interesting was that everyone waiting in the lobby for various reasons was so open about themselves. In my post 1A I mentioned how Priya comments about people in America being much more open about their personal lives to people that they just met or people who are complete strangers and I just realized how true it is. In the 20 minutes that I waited to take my test, I learned that the man sitting next to me was waiting for his 18 year old daughter to pass her driver's test and it was her second try. He grew up on a farm and started driving when he was 12. He is a painter. He is getting married this Saturday and it is his third marriage. He is a chain smoker and has health issues. In only a few minutes I had heard most of his life story. Another woman was a stay-at-home mom and she quite obviously took a lot of pride in her son as she rambled on abotu his good grades and extra cirriculars. When he walked in and announced that he failed, she erupted like a volcano even though she had seemed so peaceful and gentle. Priya would most likely say that women do not show rage and anger like that in public back in India, but in America, "everyone knows everybody's business."
Today was my birthday so I took my driver's test, which I passed by the way!! :) But what I found interesting was that everyone waiting in the lobby for various reasons was so open about themselves. In my post 1A I mentioned how Priya comments about people in America being much more open about their personal lives to people that they just met or people who are complete strangers and I just realized how true it is. In the 20 minutes that I waited to take my test, I learned that the man sitting next to me was waiting for his 18 year old daughter to pass her driver's test and it was her second try. He grew up on a farm and started driving when he was 12. He is a painter. He is getting married this Saturday and it is his third marriage. He is a chain smoker and has health issues. In only a few minutes I had heard most of his life story. Another woman was a stay-at-home mom and she quite obviously took a lot of pride in her son as she rambled on abotu his good grades and extra cirriculars. When he walked in and announced that he failed, she erupted like a volcano even though she had seemed so peaceful and gentle. Priya would most likely say that women do not show rage and anger like that in public back in India, but in America, "everyone knows everybody's business."
Monday, April 21, 2008
Global Issue
I've decided to do my research on China and Tibet, mostly about the recent crackdowns and what it means for China and its plans to host the Olympics.
Here are my sources:
"Tibet crackdown, 2008" by Human Rights for All
http://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Abuses/China.asp#Tibetcrackdown2008
"Chinese Nationalism Fuels Tibet Crackdown" by the NY times
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/world/asia/31china.html
"Protests Mar China's Grand Plans for Olympic Torch Relay" from SIRS
http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMN0307H-0-4466&artno=0000274954&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Protests%20Mar%20China%27s%20Grand%20Plans%20for%20Olympic%20Torch%20Relay&res=Y&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=N&ic=Y
Here are my sources:
"Tibet crackdown, 2008" by Human Rights for All
http://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Abuses/China.asp#Tibetcrackdown2008
"Chinese Nationalism Fuels Tibet Crackdown" by the NY times
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/world/asia/31china.html
"Protests Mar China's Grand Plans for Olympic Torch Relay" from SIRS
http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMN0307H-0-4466&artno=0000274954&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Protests%20Mar%20China%27s%20Grand%20Plans%20for%20Olympic%20Torch%20Relay&res=Y&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=N&ic=Y
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Q4 1B
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
I can't believe all the changes Priya has gone through in her first two weeks in California! Alot of the differences that Priya points out between American and Indian culture were things I had never thought about. If I were Priya I would be very overwhelmed. Her husband, Sanjay, is a very nice guy, but they have absolutely no romance in their marraige. Priya doesn't have any friends in America either. Her in-laws are extremely critical of her and she isn't exactly sure what they expect of her. No woman in her family has ever had a job. I find this most interesting of all because in American culture today, almost every girl grows up dreaming of the life they will have and that would most likely include a job that you love. It almosts seems that Priya had never considered a job and it seems foriegn to her where to me, it seems like one of the most natural things in the world. In America self-sufficient unwed women are common whereas form Priya's point of view, it seems less common in India and women let their husbands provide for them and their families.
So far I can't decide if I like Priya's character or not. She is doing extremely well for being taken from her old culture and thrown into a completely different one with no friends nearby. I would be an emotional wreck if I were in her place so I admire her courage. The one thing that annoys me however is that she seems way too concerned with what other people think of her. She seems to think that her sole purpose is to please her in-laws and her husband and I really want her to just do something for herself more often.
I can't believe all the changes Priya has gone through in her first two weeks in California! Alot of the differences that Priya points out between American and Indian culture were things I had never thought about. If I were Priya I would be very overwhelmed. Her husband, Sanjay, is a very nice guy, but they have absolutely no romance in their marraige. Priya doesn't have any friends in America either. Her in-laws are extremely critical of her and she isn't exactly sure what they expect of her. No woman in her family has ever had a job. I find this most interesting of all because in American culture today, almost every girl grows up dreaming of the life they will have and that would most likely include a job that you love. It almosts seems that Priya had never considered a job and it seems foriegn to her where to me, it seems like one of the most natural things in the world. In America self-sufficient unwed women are common whereas form Priya's point of view, it seems less common in India and women let their husbands provide for them and their families.
So far I can't decide if I like Priya's character or not. She is doing extremely well for being taken from her old culture and thrown into a completely different one with no friends nearby. I would be an emotional wreck if I were in her place so I admire her courage. The one thing that annoys me however is that she seems way too concerned with what other people think of her. She seems to think that her sole purpose is to please her in-laws and her husband and I really want her to just do something for herself more often.
Q4 1A
I'm reading The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani.
Priya has just moved in with her husband and in-laws in America after an arranged marriage and has been noting all the cultural differences between India and America for the first couple of chapters. Women in her country do not normally work. Their main job in life is to keep the house clean and raise their children, yet Priya is now in search of a job. Another difference between the two cultures is that women are less modest in America, which she notices this after joining a gym. People also are more open about their private lives in America. Priya notes that one person asked another person, a complete stranger, how things were going in a line at the post office. In only a few minutes the man had told his life story, including his recent divorce. Priya also claims that American clothes are smaller and there are many more goods available to the consumer.
Priya has just moved in with her husband and in-laws in America after an arranged marriage and has been noting all the cultural differences between India and America for the first couple of chapters. Women in her country do not normally work. Their main job in life is to keep the house clean and raise their children, yet Priya is now in search of a job. Another difference between the two cultures is that women are less modest in America, which she notices this after joining a gym. People also are more open about their private lives in America. Priya notes that one person asked another person, a complete stranger, how things were going in a line at the post office. In only a few minutes the man had told his life story, including his recent divorce. Priya also claims that American clothes are smaller and there are many more goods available to the consumer.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The Village Bride of Beverly Hills
I chose to read The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani because it caught my eye on the shelf at Barnes and Noble (it's pink!) and the book also happens to sound interesting. :) The main character, Priya, is Indian and has been set up in an arranged marraige, part of her culture that I find interesting. She and her new husband move to Beverly Hills and Priya gets a job at a Hollywood gossip magazine. I think that there will also be a lot of culture clashing since it is her first time in America and everything is so new. I find it interesting how some immigrants become americanized quickly while others tend to keep their culture. The author has lived in many places and was born in Bombay, India and is now living in Los Angeles. Even though this is a work of fiction, the author will most likely have first-hand experiences that she was thinking of while writing this book. I hope I like it!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Q3 Post 7B
I read My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.
WOW!! The ending of the book was so unexpected! I can not believe that Anna died right after she gained medical emancipation from her parents. It seems so unfair. Only five pages earlier I was expecting Kate to die because she didn't recieve the kidney and then it's Anna who dies. This really upset me because Anna turned out to be such a strong character and for her to just die is very dissapointing.
Another big shock was when Anna was on the witness stand and stated that Kate asked her to take the case to court. Two weeks ago in my post B, I wrote about how Kate didn't have a section for their thoughts like everyone else in the novel. Now I understand that she didn't because her thoughts were different than the reader had expected. I didn't really know what Kate thought about the court case, but I definitly didn't think that she had asked Anna to file it.
I wasn't that surprised to learn that Campbell had epilepsy and that his dog was for siezures. I was surprised to find out that that was his reason for leaving Julia however. She loved him so much that she wouldn't care that he had epilepsy yet he thought he would be a drag so he left her and hid his disability. I think that this is interesting because it is like Kate not wanting to hold back Anna from doing the things that she wanted to do like go to hockey camp. Both Kate and Campbell felt that their friends and family would be better off without them and failed to see how much everyone loved them. Overall I think that this book is amazingly written and I enjoyed it a lot.
WOW!! The ending of the book was so unexpected! I can not believe that Anna died right after she gained medical emancipation from her parents. It seems so unfair. Only five pages earlier I was expecting Kate to die because she didn't recieve the kidney and then it's Anna who dies. This really upset me because Anna turned out to be such a strong character and for her to just die is very dissapointing.
Another big shock was when Anna was on the witness stand and stated that Kate asked her to take the case to court. Two weeks ago in my post B, I wrote about how Kate didn't have a section for their thoughts like everyone else in the novel. Now I understand that she didn't because her thoughts were different than the reader had expected. I didn't really know what Kate thought about the court case, but I definitly didn't think that she had asked Anna to file it.
I wasn't that surprised to learn that Campbell had epilepsy and that his dog was for siezures. I was surprised to find out that that was his reason for leaving Julia however. She loved him so much that she wouldn't care that he had epilepsy yet he thought he would be a drag so he left her and hid his disability. I think that this is interesting because it is like Kate not wanting to hold back Anna from doing the things that she wanted to do like go to hockey camp. Both Kate and Campbell felt that their friends and family would be better off without them and failed to see how much everyone loved them. Overall I think that this book is amazingly written and I enjoyed it a lot.
Q3 Post 7A
I just finished reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult and am a bit upset about the ending.
VOCABULARY
1. kilter (380)- good condition (n)
2. proof (388)- the alcoholic strength of a liquor, a number that is twice the percentage of the volume of alcohol present (n).
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "'My hair has its own zip code'"(384). This is a hyperbole exaggerating the size of Julia's hair.
2. "The truck made out better; the smaller BMW is literally bent like a smile around its front end,"(413). Brian is comparing the shape of the car wreck to a smile. I find this comaprison ironic because a car wreck is anything but happy.
3. "I traced the geography of his face: from the cliff of his cheekbone to the whirlpool of his ear to the laugh lines ravined beside his mouth"(370). This is a metaphor where Julia compares Campbell's face to geographical land features.
QUOTE
"I look down at my skirt, pick at a thread. Just maybe I will unravel the whole thing"(376). Even though Anna is talking about her skirt, this is a metaphor for her testimony. I like it and find it very clever. This is the turning point in the court case when Anna decides to tell everyone the truth, that Kate asked her to file the petition.
THEME
A theme in this novel is the unexpected; I had no idea that Anna was going to die in a car crash and end up donating the kidney in the end and that Kate would almost fully regain her health.
VOCABULARY
1. kilter (380)- good condition (n)
2. proof (388)- the alcoholic strength of a liquor, a number that is twice the percentage of the volume of alcohol present (n).
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "'My hair has its own zip code'"(384). This is a hyperbole exaggerating the size of Julia's hair.
2. "The truck made out better; the smaller BMW is literally bent like a smile around its front end,"(413). Brian is comparing the shape of the car wreck to a smile. I find this comaprison ironic because a car wreck is anything but happy.
3. "I traced the geography of his face: from the cliff of his cheekbone to the whirlpool of his ear to the laugh lines ravined beside his mouth"(370). This is a metaphor where Julia compares Campbell's face to geographical land features.
QUOTE
"I look down at my skirt, pick at a thread. Just maybe I will unravel the whole thing"(376). Even though Anna is talking about her skirt, this is a metaphor for her testimony. I like it and find it very clever. This is the turning point in the court case when Anna decides to tell everyone the truth, that Kate asked her to file the petition.
THEME
A theme in this novel is the unexpected; I had no idea that Anna was going to die in a car crash and end up donating the kidney in the end and that Kate would almost fully regain her health.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Q3 Post 6B
I'm reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult :)
For the theme in post A this week I had said indecision. Anna goes back and forth trying to decide if she should go through with the case. I think that this is a very hard decision to make and I don't blame her. As the reader I think that it gets a little annoying because I want a strong main character who stands by her choices. I also want Anna to go through with the trial and win because I am a teenager (therefore I would side with the other teenager against her parents), and I also feel that her parents are valuing Kate's life more than hers even though I can easily see Sara's point of view as well.
Anna has given up a lot and it is clear that she loves her sister very much because she is having a hard time going through with the trial. If she gives up a kidney, it could complicate her life and her doctor would recommend that she doesn't play hockey anymore. Only having one kidney can also mean pregnancy complications. The donations might not stop with the kidney either, Kate will always need something else. However, if she doesn't give up a kidney she will lose her sister who is also her best friend. Do you think Anna should continue with the trial? Do you think that Anna should continue donating to Kate? Does indecision annoy you?
For the theme in post A this week I had said indecision. Anna goes back and forth trying to decide if she should go through with the case. I think that this is a very hard decision to make and I don't blame her. As the reader I think that it gets a little annoying because I want a strong main character who stands by her choices. I also want Anna to go through with the trial and win because I am a teenager (therefore I would side with the other teenager against her parents), and I also feel that her parents are valuing Kate's life more than hers even though I can easily see Sara's point of view as well.
Anna has given up a lot and it is clear that she loves her sister very much because she is having a hard time going through with the trial. If she gives up a kidney, it could complicate her life and her doctor would recommend that she doesn't play hockey anymore. Only having one kidney can also mean pregnancy complications. The donations might not stop with the kidney either, Kate will always need something else. However, if she doesn't give up a kidney she will lose her sister who is also her best friend. Do you think Anna should continue with the trial? Do you think that Anna should continue donating to Kate? Does indecision annoy you?
Q3 Post 6A
VOCABULARY
1. Nepotism (331)- favoritism shown to relatives mostly in business and politics (n)
2. Sequelae (336)- an abnormal condition resulting from a previous disease (n)
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "It is everything I can do not to punch these vultures, who want to rip apart the bleached bones of my family" (327). This is a metaphor where the vultures are the news reporters.
2. "As if the loss of a kid's hero worship can ache like a phantom limb"(332). This is a similie comparing the pain from a child who has lost their hero to a limb in pain.
3. "The sun washes over her milky skin, lights the line of her throat"(339). This is imagery because it gives a lot of detail and applies to visual senses.
QUOTE
"Its hard to be the one always waiting. I mean, there's something to be said for the hero who charges off to battle, but when you get right down to it, there's a whole story in who's left behind" (327). Brian's observations about his role in their family make me think of Penelope in the Odyssey. Both their spouses are out fighting while they struggle with their own issues at home.
THEME
A theme in this novel is indecision; Anna has had a hard time deciding whether or not to go through with the court case.
1. Nepotism (331)- favoritism shown to relatives mostly in business and politics (n)
2. Sequelae (336)- an abnormal condition resulting from a previous disease (n)
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "It is everything I can do not to punch these vultures, who want to rip apart the bleached bones of my family" (327). This is a metaphor where the vultures are the news reporters.
2. "As if the loss of a kid's hero worship can ache like a phantom limb"(332). This is a similie comparing the pain from a child who has lost their hero to a limb in pain.
3. "The sun washes over her milky skin, lights the line of her throat"(339). This is imagery because it gives a lot of detail and applies to visual senses.
QUOTE
"Its hard to be the one always waiting. I mean, there's something to be said for the hero who charges off to battle, but when you get right down to it, there's a whole story in who's left behind" (327). Brian's observations about his role in their family make me think of Penelope in the Odyssey. Both their spouses are out fighting while they struggle with their own issues at home.
THEME
A theme in this novel is indecision; Anna has had a hard time deciding whether or not to go through with the court case.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Q3 Post 5B
I'm reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult and I want to keep reading but I am really tired.
The book jumps around from character to character for each chapter to get different viewpoints. I find this really interesting but also kind of a necessity for writing about such a controversial issue. I also must say that I think Jodi Picoult does a wonderful job at giving each character their own personality through their narration. I doubt its an easy thing to do.
The section that I just read was one written by Sara, Kate and Anna's mother. Her entries are almost always written from the past, describing Kate's earlier life with APL. The thing that I find somewhat annoying is that Kate doesn't have a section for the reader to see her thoughts. I don't know if Jodi Picoult thought that this would be too difficult or maybe she thought it would ruin the story. I wonder what Kate would say? Would she be dissapointed in Anna for not wanting to donate a kidney? Would she be an optimist? or a pessimist?
I think Kate would have a sense of humor. When she is brought up in the narration of her family, she seems to be joyful even when its hard and she seems to almost always be able to find a light in everything. I think she would wonder what it would be like to be normal a lot. I also think that she would enjoy it when people didn't pity her and treated her like she wasn't diagnosed with lukemeia. I think that she would have a hard time dealing with the fact that Anna didn't want to donate a kidney and was suing their parents. She may feel that Anna doesn't love her enough, yet I think she would be able to respect Anna's decision which makes me sad and upset because Kate doesn't deserve to die or to struggle with APl.
The book jumps around from character to character for each chapter to get different viewpoints. I find this really interesting but also kind of a necessity for writing about such a controversial issue. I also must say that I think Jodi Picoult does a wonderful job at giving each character their own personality through their narration. I doubt its an easy thing to do.
The section that I just read was one written by Sara, Kate and Anna's mother. Her entries are almost always written from the past, describing Kate's earlier life with APL. The thing that I find somewhat annoying is that Kate doesn't have a section for the reader to see her thoughts. I don't know if Jodi Picoult thought that this would be too difficult or maybe she thought it would ruin the story. I wonder what Kate would say? Would she be dissapointed in Anna for not wanting to donate a kidney? Would she be an optimist? or a pessimist?
I think Kate would have a sense of humor. When she is brought up in the narration of her family, she seems to be joyful even when its hard and she seems to almost always be able to find a light in everything. I think she would wonder what it would be like to be normal a lot. I also think that she would enjoy it when people didn't pity her and treated her like she wasn't diagnosed with lukemeia. I think that she would have a hard time dealing with the fact that Anna didn't want to donate a kidney and was suing their parents. She may feel that Anna doesn't love her enough, yet I think she would be able to respect Anna's decision which makes me sad and upset because Kate doesn't deserve to die or to struggle with APl.
Q3 Post 5A
I'm reading Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper!
VOCABULARY
1. Cataclysmic (313) - (adj.) pertaining to or resulting from a devastating flood.
2. Aplomb (315)- (n) imperturbable self-possession, poise, or assurance.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Her words falllike boulders between us, cracking the sidewalk" (316). This is a similie comparing the strength of Kate's words to a boulder.
2. "Kate is a vine twined around Taylor" (318). This is a metaphor comparing a vine to Kate dancing with Taylor.
3. "A smile glows slowly across her face, like a firefly caught in a jelly jar" (317). This is a similie comparing the the brightness of Kate's smile to a firefly.
QUOTE
"She turns to me. 'When you caremore if someone else lives than you do about yourself... is that what love's like?'" (310). Kate is simply talking about her feelings about Taylor, but this quote also explains how Sara feels about her daughter. This also contradicts the idea that Anna loves Kate.
THEME
A theme in this novel is courage; it takes a lot of courage from the Fitzgeralds to make it through each and every day.
VOCABULARY
1. Cataclysmic (313) - (adj.) pertaining to or resulting from a devastating flood.
2. Aplomb (315)- (n) imperturbable self-possession, poise, or assurance.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Her words falllike boulders between us, cracking the sidewalk" (316). This is a similie comparing the strength of Kate's words to a boulder.
2. "Kate is a vine twined around Taylor" (318). This is a metaphor comparing a vine to Kate dancing with Taylor.
3. "A smile glows slowly across her face, like a firefly caught in a jelly jar" (317). This is a similie comparing the the brightness of Kate's smile to a firefly.
QUOTE
"She turns to me. 'When you caremore if someone else lives than you do about yourself... is that what love's like?'" (310). Kate is simply talking about her feelings about Taylor, but this quote also explains how Sara feels about her daughter. This also contradicts the idea that Anna loves Kate.
THEME
A theme in this novel is courage; it takes a lot of courage from the Fitzgeralds to make it through each and every day.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Q3 Post 4B
I'm reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult!! I love it!
I think Anna's family is in a really tough situation and if I were Anna's mother I would have no idea how to handle this issue because you can't just stand back and watch your child die. However, right now, I am siding with Anna because I don't think that her parents should be able to control her body and organs. It isn't fair to continuosly ask her to give up body parts for Kate who is likely to die soon anyways. Their family has gotten ripped apart because of this scandal and Anna has had to go live with Julia, a woman assigned to help her with her case. If Anna wins her case, Kate wil die, and if Anna looes her case, her family will never be the same again and have a lot of tension in it.
The idea of being able to design your child scares me a lot and I don't really think its right. Even if you are trying to save a child like Kate by having a daughter like Anna, its like you are choosing one child over the other. Like I said earlier, people may abuse the system and not only use it to help a child with a mental disability but also raise their child's IQ so that they are capable of being the next Einstein, which is so wrong. You could also make your child extremely gorgeous or a star athlete and I just don't think that its natural.
I think Anna's family is in a really tough situation and if I were Anna's mother I would have no idea how to handle this issue because you can't just stand back and watch your child die. However, right now, I am siding with Anna because I don't think that her parents should be able to control her body and organs. It isn't fair to continuosly ask her to give up body parts for Kate who is likely to die soon anyways. Their family has gotten ripped apart because of this scandal and Anna has had to go live with Julia, a woman assigned to help her with her case. If Anna wins her case, Kate wil die, and if Anna looes her case, her family will never be the same again and have a lot of tension in it.
The idea of being able to design your child scares me a lot and I don't really think its right. Even if you are trying to save a child like Kate by having a daughter like Anna, its like you are choosing one child over the other. Like I said earlier, people may abuse the system and not only use it to help a child with a mental disability but also raise their child's IQ so that they are capable of being the next Einstein, which is so wrong. You could also make your child extremely gorgeous or a star athlete and I just don't think that its natural.
Q3 Post 4A
I'm reading Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper!
VOCABULARY
1. zap (149)- to defeat by sudden force.
2. avail (153)- to have value or profit.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Her shoulders hunch, a small cubicle of personal privacy" (153). This is a metaphor comparing hunched shoulders to a cubicle's privacy.
2. "I loved the way he smelled whenever his head dipped close to hear what I was saying--like the sun striking the cheek of a tomato, or soap drying on the hood of a car" (155). These are similies comparing his smell to tomatos and soap, both of which I find more than a little odd.
3. "I didn't answer, just got up on one elbow and kissed him so deep that the ground gave way" (156). This is personification because the ground doesn't just 'give way'.
QUOTE
"What I wanted, at that moment, was to be alone in the living room so that I could throw things, like the TV remote or the glass vase or preferably my sister" (150). Julia doesn't always get a long with her sister and their relationship contrasts that of Anna and Kate.
THEME
An emerging theme in this novel is heartbreak; Julia had her heart broken by Campbell in high school.
VOCABULARY
1. zap (149)- to defeat by sudden force.
2. avail (153)- to have value or profit.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Her shoulders hunch, a small cubicle of personal privacy" (153). This is a metaphor comparing hunched shoulders to a cubicle's privacy.
2. "I loved the way he smelled whenever his head dipped close to hear what I was saying--like the sun striking the cheek of a tomato, or soap drying on the hood of a car" (155). These are similies comparing his smell to tomatos and soap, both of which I find more than a little odd.
3. "I didn't answer, just got up on one elbow and kissed him so deep that the ground gave way" (156). This is personification because the ground doesn't just 'give way'.
QUOTE
"What I wanted, at that moment, was to be alone in the living room so that I could throw things, like the TV remote or the glass vase or preferably my sister" (150). Julia doesn't always get a long with her sister and their relationship contrasts that of Anna and Kate.
THEME
An emerging theme in this novel is heartbreak; Julia had her heart broken by Campbell in high school.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Q3 Post 3B
I'm reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult and LOVE IT!!
Wow!! This book makes me think a lot more than I thought it would, but that's definitly a good thing. I find Jesse, Anna's older brother, to be an interesting character. He has a reputation as being a rebel because he is always on drugs, smokes and drinks alot, is an arsonist, and watches playboy. However, I can't help but like him and feel bad for him. Sometimes I could even see him being a role model for Anna, not necessarily a positive one, but one who helps her through tough times in her life.
Anna decides that she wants to try a cigarette for the first time because she figures that she "might as well". Jesse is surprised and pulls the car off the road and lets her have her first cigarette. Smoking is bad, obviously, yet I think that he has good intentions in letting her try new things and teaching them to her. He also treats Anna like an adult, when she is treated like a child by almost everyone else. Her mother claims that Anna "doesn't know what she wants" yet Jesse thinks Anna is old enought to make her own decisions and he supports them. "'Anna,' he says, 'You're not doing the wrong thing'" (133).
Lastly, Jesse always just wants to help Anna because Anna is his only family member who enjoys his company and isn't absorbed by Kate's cancer. He tries to help her whenever he can whether its giving her a ride or just being a good listener. Anna says "For once, though, someone seems to understand. Jesse stares out the window of the car. 'Leave it to me,' he says" (133).
Wow!! This book makes me think a lot more than I thought it would, but that's definitly a good thing. I find Jesse, Anna's older brother, to be an interesting character. He has a reputation as being a rebel because he is always on drugs, smokes and drinks alot, is an arsonist, and watches playboy. However, I can't help but like him and feel bad for him. Sometimes I could even see him being a role model for Anna, not necessarily a positive one, but one who helps her through tough times in her life.
Anna decides that she wants to try a cigarette for the first time because she figures that she "might as well". Jesse is surprised and pulls the car off the road and lets her have her first cigarette. Smoking is bad, obviously, yet I think that he has good intentions in letting her try new things and teaching them to her. He also treats Anna like an adult, when she is treated like a child by almost everyone else. Her mother claims that Anna "doesn't know what she wants" yet Jesse thinks Anna is old enought to make her own decisions and he supports them. "'Anna,' he says, 'You're not doing the wrong thing'" (133).
Lastly, Jesse always just wants to help Anna because Anna is his only family member who enjoys his company and isn't absorbed by Kate's cancer. He tries to help her whenever he can whether its giving her a ride or just being a good listener. Anna says "For once, though, someone seems to understand. Jesse stares out the window of the car. 'Leave it to me,' he says" (133).
Q3 Post 3A
I'm reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
VOCABULARY
1. canvass (128)- to examine carefully (verb)
2. limbo (130)- an intermediary place of confinement (noun)
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Her hair is longer now, and fine lines bracket her mouth, parentheses around a lifetime of words that I was not around to hear" (117). This is a metaphor comparing Julia's 'mouth wrinkles' to parentheses.
2. "I imagine the door of the station yawning like Aladdin's cave, and the engine screaming out, my father in the passenger seat" (131). This is a similie. Anna is comparing the fire station to Aladdin's cave and the noise of the fire engine to someone screaming.
3. "Kate was the shape of a pixie, all noodle arms and legs; and when she bent to the ground and kicked up her feet, it looked as delicate as a spider walking a wall" (134). Wow, lots of figurative language! It has a lot of imagery and uses a metaphor comparing Kate's limbs to noodles and then it has a similie comparing her movement to a spider.
QUOTE
"'This is a service dog.' When that doesn't seem to ring a bell, I spell it out for him. 'You know. Like Seeing Eye.' 'You don't look blind.' 'I'm a recovering alcoholic,' I tell him. 'The dog gets between me and a beer'" (125). I really want to know what Campbell uses Judge for. He has a different excuse everytime someone tells him that dogs aren't allowed. I think that its interesting that Judge is basically his best friend.
THEME
An emerging theme in this novel is the past and the effects it has on today; Julia has come back into Campbell's life and he still likes her after fifteen years.
VOCABULARY
1. canvass (128)- to examine carefully (verb)
2. limbo (130)- an intermediary place of confinement (noun)
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "Her hair is longer now, and fine lines bracket her mouth, parentheses around a lifetime of words that I was not around to hear" (117). This is a metaphor comparing Julia's 'mouth wrinkles' to parentheses.
2. "I imagine the door of the station yawning like Aladdin's cave, and the engine screaming out, my father in the passenger seat" (131). This is a similie. Anna is comparing the fire station to Aladdin's cave and the noise of the fire engine to someone screaming.
3. "Kate was the shape of a pixie, all noodle arms and legs; and when she bent to the ground and kicked up her feet, it looked as delicate as a spider walking a wall" (134). Wow, lots of figurative language! It has a lot of imagery and uses a metaphor comparing Kate's limbs to noodles and then it has a similie comparing her movement to a spider.
QUOTE
"'This is a service dog.' When that doesn't seem to ring a bell, I spell it out for him. 'You know. Like Seeing Eye.' 'You don't look blind.' 'I'm a recovering alcoholic,' I tell him. 'The dog gets between me and a beer'" (125). I really want to know what Campbell uses Judge for. He has a different excuse everytime someone tells him that dogs aren't allowed. I think that its interesting that Judge is basically his best friend.
THEME
An emerging theme in this novel is the past and the effects it has on today; Julia has come back into Campbell's life and he still likes her after fifteen years.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Q3 Post 2B
I'm reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
People's parenting styles are so different in each family, but thats what makes their children different. Everyone has things they like and dislike about how their parents raised them. Personnally, I can't help but judge other families and how they are run. I think its interesting how different my parents are from my friends' parents and my aunts and uncles.
In My Sister's Keeper Anna's parents had Jesse and Kate and when they learned that Kate had cancer, they had Anna, a perfect DNA match. I dislike Anna's mother because of the way she handles this situation. She was only thinking of Kate and never thought of the moral issues Anna might struggle with during her lifetime. She spends way too much of her time focusing on Kate and basically none on Anna and Jesse. Jesse lives out in the garage and no one seems to care about him.
"My mother closes her eyes. 'Jesse, you know, now would be a good time for you to leave.' 'You don't have to ask me twice,' he says, his voice full of broken glass. We hear the front door open and shut, a whole story" (91).
Anna goes unnoticed in their family as well.
"This is when I realize that Anna has already left the table, and more importantly that nobody noticed" (40).
Jesse is quite the rebel because of his parents' neglect for him and now Anna is rebelling, only she has taken her case to court, trying to get what she wants in a civil way.
People's parenting styles are so different in each family, but thats what makes their children different. Everyone has things they like and dislike about how their parents raised them. Personnally, I can't help but judge other families and how they are run. I think its interesting how different my parents are from my friends' parents and my aunts and uncles.
In My Sister's Keeper Anna's parents had Jesse and Kate and when they learned that Kate had cancer, they had Anna, a perfect DNA match. I dislike Anna's mother because of the way she handles this situation. She was only thinking of Kate and never thought of the moral issues Anna might struggle with during her lifetime. She spends way too much of her time focusing on Kate and basically none on Anna and Jesse. Jesse lives out in the garage and no one seems to care about him.
"My mother closes her eyes. 'Jesse, you know, now would be a good time for you to leave.' 'You don't have to ask me twice,' he says, his voice full of broken glass. We hear the front door open and shut, a whole story" (91).
Anna goes unnoticed in their family as well.
"This is when I realize that Anna has already left the table, and more importantly that nobody noticed" (40).
Jesse is quite the rebel because of his parents' neglect for him and now Anna is rebelling, only she has taken her case to court, trying to get what she wants in a civil way.
Q3 Post 2A
I'm reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
VOCABULARY
1. coxcomb (59)- a cap worn by jesters (noun)
2. leer (75)- to glance sideways with malicious intent (verb)
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "'Leukemic,' I repeat. The word is runny, slippery, like the white of an egg" (33). This is a similie describing the word 'leukemic' as slippery and egg-like.
2. "For every nineteen degrees hotter a fire burns, in doubles in size. This is what I am thinking while I watch sparks shoot out of the incinerator chimney, a thousand new stars" (37). In this metaphor Anna's dad is comparing the sparks to stars because he is a firefighter but loves to study astronomy on the side.
3. "My throat closes like the shutter of a camera, so that any air or excuses must move through a tunnel as thin as a pin" (54). This is a double similie!!! Using 'like' it compares her throat closing to a camera and then it comapres the size of her throat to a pin using 'as'.
QUOTE
"It was an hour later when I finally arrived, and by then he was in high spirits, drinking scotch from the crystal cup he hjad won. 'Here comes your crew, Cam,' a friend called out. My father lifted the victory cup in salute, drank deeply, and then slammed it down so hard on the bar that its handle shattered. 'Oh,' said another sailor. 'That's a shame.' My father never took his eyes off me. 'Isn't it, though,' he said" (81). Campbell Alexander knows what it's like to dissapoint his parents and have them angry with him. This is how he and Anna relate.
THEME
An emerging theme in this book is family destruction; Anna's decision to take her parents to court for medical emancipation is tearing apart her family.
VOCABULARY
1. coxcomb (59)- a cap worn by jesters (noun)
2. leer (75)- to glance sideways with malicious intent (verb)
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "'Leukemic,' I repeat. The word is runny, slippery, like the white of an egg" (33). This is a similie describing the word 'leukemic' as slippery and egg-like.
2. "For every nineteen degrees hotter a fire burns, in doubles in size. This is what I am thinking while I watch sparks shoot out of the incinerator chimney, a thousand new stars" (37). In this metaphor Anna's dad is comparing the sparks to stars because he is a firefighter but loves to study astronomy on the side.
3. "My throat closes like the shutter of a camera, so that any air or excuses must move through a tunnel as thin as a pin" (54). This is a double similie!!! Using 'like' it compares her throat closing to a camera and then it comapres the size of her throat to a pin using 'as'.
QUOTE
"It was an hour later when I finally arrived, and by then he was in high spirits, drinking scotch from the crystal cup he hjad won. 'Here comes your crew, Cam,' a friend called out. My father lifted the victory cup in salute, drank deeply, and then slammed it down so hard on the bar that its handle shattered. 'Oh,' said another sailor. 'That's a shame.' My father never took his eyes off me. 'Isn't it, though,' he said" (81). Campbell Alexander knows what it's like to dissapoint his parents and have them angry with him. This is how he and Anna relate.
THEME
An emerging theme in this book is family destruction; Anna's decision to take her parents to court for medical emancipation is tearing apart her family.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Q3 Post 1B
I'm reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult!!
Wow!! I haven't been able to read that much of this book yet but so far I like it a lot!! It has a very controversial topic and an exciting story line too. I'm glad that I've finally gotten around to reading it. Anna had asked her parents why she was born and they told her how they had made sure she was a perfect match so she could be a donor for her older sister Kate who has leukemia.
"'We loved you even more,' my mother made sure to say, 'because we knew exactly what we were getting'" (8).
First of all, I'm not sure if this quote means that the mother loves Anna more than Kate or if she just loves Anna more than if she had been born without being genetically engineered. Either way, I think its an odd thing to say because they had her to basically be a donor for her sister for her whole life or until Kate died. That is a very hard thing to expect from a kid and I don't doubt that they love Anna, I just think that their actions don't show their love for her.
I also think that it is extremely weird how people can genetically engineer their children and it scares me. If people can create their children how they want they could keep kids from having downsyndrome and other diseases but the problem would be people creating their kids to be perfect, the best at sports, and a genius. I will elaborate on that thought more in a later post probably.
Wow!! I haven't been able to read that much of this book yet but so far I like it a lot!! It has a very controversial topic and an exciting story line too. I'm glad that I've finally gotten around to reading it. Anna had asked her parents why she was born and they told her how they had made sure she was a perfect match so she could be a donor for her older sister Kate who has leukemia.
"'We loved you even more,' my mother made sure to say, 'because we knew exactly what we were getting'" (8).
First of all, I'm not sure if this quote means that the mother loves Anna more than Kate or if she just loves Anna more than if she had been born without being genetically engineered. Either way, I think its an odd thing to say because they had her to basically be a donor for her sister for her whole life or until Kate died. That is a very hard thing to expect from a kid and I don't doubt that they love Anna, I just think that their actions don't show their love for her.
I also think that it is extremely weird how people can genetically engineer their children and it scares me. If people can create their children how they want they could keep kids from having downsyndrome and other diseases but the problem would be people creating their kids to be perfect, the best at sports, and a genius. I will elaborate on that thought more in a later post probably.
Q3 Post 1A
I'm reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult!
VOCABULARY
1. dialysis (12)- the separation of crystalloids from colloids in a solution by diffusion through a membrane. (noun)
2. jimmies (15)- forces open. (verb)
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "An inferno races so fast through my belly and legs I fall back onto the couch" (15). This is a metaphor comparing the feeling in her stomach to a giant fire.
2. "The heart falls on the glass counter in a pool of its own chain" (8). This is descriptive imagery. I really like this sentence. It has a tragic feeling and shows that the locket means a lot to Anna.
3. "-my hand, it just clamps shut like the Jaws of Life" (9). This is a similie comparing the strength of Anna's grasp to the strength of the Jaws of Life, a heavy-duty hydraulic tool used to save people from car wrecks.
QUOTE
"My father, a closet astronomer, has tried to explain black holes to me, how they are so heavy they absorb everything, even light, right into their center. Moments like this are the same kind of vacuum; no matter what you cling to, you wind up being sucked in" (11). I liked this quote comparison alot. Kate is the black hole in the family, she takes up all thier energy and time no matter how hard they try to live a semi-normal life.
THEME
A theme in this novel is love; Anna loves her sister Kate and helps her in every way possible (so far!).
VOCABULARY
1. dialysis (12)- the separation of crystalloids from colloids in a solution by diffusion through a membrane. (noun)
2. jimmies (15)- forces open. (verb)
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1. "An inferno races so fast through my belly and legs I fall back onto the couch" (15). This is a metaphor comparing the feeling in her stomach to a giant fire.
2. "The heart falls on the glass counter in a pool of its own chain" (8). This is descriptive imagery. I really like this sentence. It has a tragic feeling and shows that the locket means a lot to Anna.
3. "-my hand, it just clamps shut like the Jaws of Life" (9). This is a similie comparing the strength of Anna's grasp to the strength of the Jaws of Life, a heavy-duty hydraulic tool used to save people from car wrecks.
QUOTE
"My father, a closet astronomer, has tried to explain black holes to me, how they are so heavy they absorb everything, even light, right into their center. Moments like this are the same kind of vacuum; no matter what you cling to, you wind up being sucked in" (11). I liked this quote comparison alot. Kate is the black hole in the family, she takes up all thier energy and time no matter how hard they try to live a semi-normal life.
THEME
A theme in this novel is love; Anna loves her sister Kate and helps her in every way possible (so far!).
Sunday, February 3, 2008
"White Flag" (Dido)- Penelope
Dido's song "White Flag" relates to Penelope, Odysseus's wife. Penelope is interesting because she refuses to let go of Odysseus even though many say that he is dead. She has many suitors, all of whom would be more than happy to marry her. She claims that she will remarry yet she will not because she continues to undo the progress she has made on her weaving. I don't think that she will ever be able to move on from Odysseus even with people telling her that he is dead and with all of the suitors courting her.
"Well, I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be"
This is the chorus of "White Flag" and it relates to Penelope because it is saying that she will always love Odysseus and won't give up on him. She will continue believing in him despite what people tell her because she loves him so much. She isn't giving up because she hasn't finished her weaving and therefore isn't getting married. Dido wrote the song about her break up with her fiance who she loved. Penelope loved Odyseuss and still does even though he is gone and possibly dead. She is very true to her husband even thought he hasn't returned for over 20 years which proves how devoted and in love she is.
"Well, I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be"
This is the chorus of "White Flag" and it relates to Penelope because it is saying that she will always love Odysseus and won't give up on him. She will continue believing in him despite what people tell her because she loves him so much. She isn't giving up because she hasn't finished her weaving and therefore isn't getting married. Dido wrote the song about her break up with her fiance who she loved. Penelope loved Odyseuss and still does even though he is gone and possibly dead. She is very true to her husband even thought he hasn't returned for over 20 years which proves how devoted and in love she is.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Quarter 2 Post 7B
I just finished Sarah Dessen's Just Listen and I loved it!
I found a quote that relates to almost all the plots throughout the book.
"One weak, one strong. One scared one, one bold. I was beginning to understand, though, that there was no such thing as absolutes, not in life or in people. Like Owen said, it was day by day, if not moment by moment. All you could do was take on as much weight as you can bear. And if you're lucky, there's someone close enough by to shoulder the rest" (356).
This quote relates to Annabel's parents because of where it is placed in the book, but it can relate to almost all of the characters. Annabel used to see her mom as weak, because she suffered from depression, and her father as strong. However in the end of the book she sees that both have their ups and their downs and her mother can be strong and brave when she needed to be. Another example is Annabel's two sisters, Whitney and Kirsten. Whitney was always seen as weak because of her eating disorder and because she kept to herself while Kirsten was seen as bold because she put her feelings out there and was very forward with people. At the end of the book, though, Whitney becomes strong after therapy and is happy and social while Kirsten mellows out and lets others get a word in edgewise. At the end of the book, Annabel's family is closer and stronger than ever, including Annabel, who went from strong, to completely lost and then found once more.
I found a quote that relates to almost all the plots throughout the book.
"One weak, one strong. One scared one, one bold. I was beginning to understand, though, that there was no such thing as absolutes, not in life or in people. Like Owen said, it was day by day, if not moment by moment. All you could do was take on as much weight as you can bear. And if you're lucky, there's someone close enough by to shoulder the rest" (356).
This quote relates to Annabel's parents because of where it is placed in the book, but it can relate to almost all of the characters. Annabel used to see her mom as weak, because she suffered from depression, and her father as strong. However in the end of the book she sees that both have their ups and their downs and her mother can be strong and brave when she needed to be. Another example is Annabel's two sisters, Whitney and Kirsten. Whitney was always seen as weak because of her eating disorder and because she kept to herself while Kirsten was seen as bold because she put her feelings out there and was very forward with people. At the end of the book, though, Whitney becomes strong after therapy and is happy and social while Kirsten mellows out and lets others get a word in edgewise. At the end of the book, Annabel's family is closer and stronger than ever, including Annabel, who went from strong, to completely lost and then found once more.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)