All Quiet... ch5-6

1-29-14            All Quiet…                ch5-6

Summary: Himmelstoss pays for all he has done to Paul and the boys. Muller asks the boys what they would be doing if they were back home, most talk about their family. As Himmelstoss comes in the door he is mooned by Tjaden. Himmlater comes back and demands to know where Tjaden ran to so he could punish him. Of course the boys do not tell. When he does find Tjaden, they (Tj, Kropp, and Him.) go to court. The chapter (5) ends with Paul and Kat killing the geese and eating them for themselves. In chapter 6, Paul notices that his friend, Kat is starting to become depressed. That chapter ends with the dropping of many, many bombs. There are only 32 soldiers remaining of the 150 original by the end.

quote:"Kat has lost all his fun since we have been here, which is bad, for Kat is an old front-hog, and can smell what is coming."

sig of quote: The war is changing all the boys, but Paul seems to be specially interested in how its changing Kat.

Reflection: In this chapter, Kat becomes depressed. Along with him always foreshadowing what the future may behold. The reason he may be experiencing depression, is because all the foreshadowing he has been telling has been happening. Whats worse, is that all those events were tragedies. If he were predicting happy events, like the end of WWI, then Kat probably wouldn't be as upset and melancholy. Kat may believe that he could have done something to stop those horrid events from happening; for example, he could have told everyone to find safety cover before the first attack. However, Kat needs to understand that he couldn't have known that his predictions were going to be true. He needs to get over it.

question: Is Kat afraid he might predict his own death?

All Quiet... Ch3-4

1-27-14                All Quiet…                ch3-4

Summary: In chapter 3, we meet a new soldier, Kat; who, with many others, had come to replace those who died. Paul also meets his drill sergeant, Himmelstoss. Paul and his friends plan to confront their sergeant for all the bad decisions he has made them do. In chapter 4, Paul and his friends at Second Company are asked to put up barbed wire around the base. They are distracted when they hear gunshots nearby. They resume work but are then told to take cover and hide as they dodge bomb shells being thrown at them. The chapter ends with Paul going to find any wounded soldiers.

quote:  "If you train a dog to eat potatoes and then afterwards put a piece of meat in front of him, he'll snap at it, it's his nature.  And if you give a man a little bit of authority he behaves just the same way, he snaps at it too"

sig of quote: This is a metaphor for what the soldiers have to be put through. It can be interpreted many different ways  in this situation though. For example, one can train a soldier to kill his enemies and fend for his life, but once he has the chance to think about what he's really doing, he may stop or hesitate. He will forget his training for a brief second, and that will result in his death.

Reflection: In these chapters, along with meeting new characters which will obviously play major roles in the story, we also begin all the action. When Kat said how he thinks the enemies will “bombard” them earlier than expected, everyone changed. Emotions were colder, and the feeling you got while reading was very intense. Like you were just waiting for the bombs to fall, but just didn't know when it would start. When books do that to me I get very freaked out and anxious. Once the bombs did start falling, everyone set into battle mode. All doing the same thing: running, and ducking for cover. Terrified of the giant death traps that they couldn't fight off at all, the only thing they could do was run. When the attack ends, everything slowly goes back how it was. Very slowly did Paul describe his walk to find survivors. Very slowly did Paul end that entry. Well, thats how it felt to me. Everything was slow.

question: Will one of the injured people be one of the characters we have already met?

All Quiet on the Western Front ch1-2

1-27-14            All Quiet…                    CH1-2

Summary: In chapter one we meet the character Paul, and he describes all his friends in the army with him. According to his input, they are all fairly young. They are given extra food because the chef forgot about all the soldiers who just died. Later they gossip about an old schoolteacher whom they hate, and is injured. Unwillingly, they go to see Kammerich on his death bed. In chapter 2, Paul is feeling disconnected from himself and what he used to care for. He finds himself caring for new things, like he lives of those around him. The chapter ends with the death of Kammerich.

Quote: “It is strange to think that at home in the drawer of my writing table there lies the beginning of a play called ‘Saul’ and a bundle of poems.”

Sig. of Quote:  Back in his old life, where he wasn't fighting for his life, Paul was an ordinary boy who loved poetry. Now he doesn't have the time to care for the things he used to be very passionate about, like poetry.

Reflection: Kammerich, I believe, has set the theme for the book. His death is going to be the one of very many; for we are reading a war novel and its bound to happen. What's interesting, is how Kammerich was from the boys’ past. One they had known for a long time, and had once cared for, has died. And in the first chapter, Paul and them were discussing how much they despised Kammerich; however, they decided to see him anyways. And Paul came back! To the  man he claimed he hated, Paul was with him when he died. With the death of their old professor, they must already have been used to deaths of those they knew just by glances and rare “Hello”s. Kammerich was somebody who Paul knew before the war had started. Whats worse, is how a student and his teacher were fighting the same battle.

question: When will the action begin?

ch7

1/14/14 Lord of the Flies ch7

Summary: When Ralph joins the hunters to go catch a boer, they almost succeed, but Ralphs sphere only misses the boars head by a little, grazing its nose. The boys are so happy about this that they start to react the whole thing, having a little boy named Robert play the part of the boar. Of course, Robert end up getting hurt. After that commotion, the clan of boys go on another search but this time for the beast, and instead come across a dead parashooter caught in the creepers.

Quote: “ ‘I hit him,’ said Ralph again, ‘and the spear struck in a bit’

He felt the need of witnesses’’

Sig. of Quote: The key part of that quote is “He felt the need of witnesses”; for, that is showing how he doesnt want to be a leader as much anymore. Now you can assume, as you can tell in this quote, that Ralph wants to fit in with the hunters. He sees the hunters as a leader group in a whole, and together they can get so much more done without the littleuns putting them back.

Reflection: In this chapter the boys progress into becoming more of savage animals, and less of their well mannered selves. Ralph, the leader, is losing his touch, and sometimes will forget that the boys look up to him. When he almost had the boar, he felt the adrenaline, and excitement of killing runthrough his bones; thus, making him want to go and kill anything. That ay be a reason why he “accidentally” hurt Robert. He was too excited about the almost kill of his and wanted to have some fun rather than always being the adult everyone looked up to.

Question: Will Ralph remain the leader of all the island boys, or will he get lured into the hunters and leave the littluns all behind?

Lord of the Flies ch12

1-24-14            Lord of the Flies                ch12

Summary: In this final chapter, Ralph awakes a bloody mess and guarded by hunters. He escapes by them to go confront Jack, and after all the dispute, he sees a big white ship in the distance. A sailor comes ashore and asks Ralph questions about who's died and what happened. The only want Ralph knows how to answer is in tears.

Quote: “ ‘We saw your smoke...’”

Sig. of quote:  Ironically, the rescue came to the fire that Jack created to kill Ralph. The smoke that Ralph knew would rescue them one day; he was right, though he wasnt the one who made the fire this time. It was Jack, who never cared for the fire until then.

Reflection: As Ralph goes to finally confront Jack I this last chapter, it is almost fair to him that they were found before Jack overpowered him. Ralph had always known what was right and wrong, and that's why he hesitated til the last chapter to fight Jack one on one. In the chapter it says how Ralph was considering joining the hunters, but then remembered all the horrible things they had done. They weren't salvation, they were death; Ralph knew what was right and what was wrong. Lucky for him, the resue came before he had to live up to what he thought he had to do with Jack. The helpless wailing I the end aren't just of grief for his mourned friends, but also of joy, for he isnt stuck on that island with a bunch of lunatics anymore.

Question: How was the fire a significant feature in this story, like the conch and the beast?

1-23-14 Lord of the Flies ch11

1-23-14            Lord of the Flies                ch11

summary: After Jacks group ambushes Ralph's and steals Piggys glasses, they are now hopeless. piggy and them all decide to try and retieve the glasses and restore order. they go to Castle Rock just to be beaten senseless by the hunters... And we lose our dear Piggy and the beautiful white conch.

Quote: “ The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist. Piggy , saying nothing, with no time for even a grunt, travelled through the air sideways from the rock, turning over as he went.”

Sig. of Quote: With the brutal death of Piggy and the conch, Ralph lost all hope to regain power. The connection between Piggy and the Conch is shown in this quote as they both vanished together.

Reflection: This chapter is tragic because of the loss of Piggy of corse, but it is also very bad that they lost the conch. Ralph's hope was tied into that conch, and now that it's gone his group with definetaly separate. It may not have shown until now, but Piggy and the conch share similar significances. They both reminded the boys what was important when they seemed to be forgetting- They brought order.

Question: How was Piggys death different from Simons?

Lord of the Flies ch9

1/16/14 Lord of the Flies ch9

Summary: Simon goes close up to “the beast” and finds out it is just a dead man. At the same time, Ralph and Piggy and the rest of their group go to Jacks feast. He recruits most of Ralphs group to be a hunter in his tribe. Then, Simon comes running in and is mistaken as the beast during the crazed tribes dance. The boys dont stop attacking Simon until well after he is dead.

Quote: “The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise, something about a body on the hill.”

Sig. of Quote: The tribe of boys had killed a poor boy within their excitement, a boy who was just about to end their terror and tell the truth of the real beast. They basically killed the one who could save their sanity.

Reflection:  In this chapter the fake beast is set free, and the true beasts are discovered. The tribe of boys are taken over by fun and games that they don't realize that what's fun to them is actually horrible. They are the beast. When they mistaken Simon as the beast, their actions were screaming, striking, biting, and tearing at poor, hopeless Simons small body. When they first got to the island, the beast was just something of their imagination, but the fear ate away at them so much that they became the beast. They are a tribe of terrible beasts.

Question: How couldn't they tell that Simon was a boy and not the terrible beast they mistaken him for?

Lord of the Flies ch8

1/15/14 Lord of the Flies ch8

Summary: The boys are split into two groups: the hunters, with Jack as the leader, and all the rest under the command of Ralph. The hunters kill a boar, and put its head on a stick, as a symbol of their clan. Ralphs group are starting to make way towards Jacks group because of the food they offer. Because of dehydration, all the boys on the island start to suffer from hallucinations and faintness; like Simon, who shared a nice talk with the dead boars head, or “Lord of the Flies”. Ralph is having trouble keeping his mind on track, due to the sudden abandonment of the hunters, but with Piggy by his side he is able to get back on track.

Quote: “ ‘What about my hunters?’

‘Boys armed with sticks’”

Sig. of Quote: Ralph had pointed out what the hunters are: kids. Kids who have the opportunity to kill and hunt, but they aren't the real deal. According to Ralph, they're not as mighty and dangerous as they set out to be. He knows what they really are, as said in the quote, “Boys armed with sticks”.

Reflection: With the new found Lord of the Flies, and the split of boys, Ralph and Simon have also both started to endure changes. Ralphs leadership is starting to fade, for he has lost confidence in himself after the split. His self confidence and high chest are slumping down as Jacks alter ego is going through the roof. All the littluns all want to join Jacks group; for they have the food. Food to a little boy on a deserted island might be the only thing they will want, and they don't understand how important the fire is. The split is the worst thing they could have done.

Simon on the other hand, does not concern himself with the decision of food over fire, for he has his own problems. It may be the dehydration, but Simon is starting to go kinda crazy… Talking to a dead boar is never good, especially if they start having a conversation. The end of the chapter, where Simon is getting swallowed up by the darkness of the boars mouth; that could be foreshadowing of a death in the nearby future.

Lord of the Flies CH 4

1-9-14 Lord of the Flies CH 4

Summary: In this chapter the tribe of boys endure the bad part of being stranded on an island. The blazing sun often burned the children, for they didn't know anything about how strong it was. Later, they see a ship in the distance, and try to get its attention by making a fire. Though they were unsuccessful in that, while Jack was busy finally catching and killing their dinner.

Quote: “‘ For hunting. Like in the war. You know-dazzle paint. Like things trying to look like something else-” He twisted in the urgency of telling, “-Like moths on a tree trunk’”

Significance of Quote: The boys are becoming much more than they arrived as. They arrived as nice, proper school boys who always obeyed the rules, but shown with this quote, they are now painting themselves for hunting. This is a big change, not just in appearance but also in their behavior.

Reflection: Now that the boys have to endure hardships and jobs that they wouldn't normally have to do, they are becoming more rambunctious and cooperative. Their survival is based around teamwork and knowledge that they have to learn on their own now. They will and have made mistakes, but together they will learn from those and soon be matured much faster. These “lost boys” have become the adults of the island, taking care of themselves and others younger, doing what their parents had to do.

Question: Are the changes the boys are going through good one for bad ones? Explain your answer.

Lord of the Flies CH 2-3

1-7-14 Lord of the Flies CH 2-3

Summary: Ralph, Jack, and Simon go on an expedition to see if the island was really an island, and it was. They saw no sign of human life other than their own,and returned this information to the rest of the boys. In these chapters, the bullying towards Piggy progresses. They build a fire so big that it almost sets the whole island afire, and it goes into the next chapter where Ralph and Piggy go on a search for the boy with the marks on his face.

Quote: “ ‘Like kids!’ he said scornfully. ‘Acting like a crowd of kids!’ ”

Significance of Quote: Piggy, being the only sensible boy here, is getting frustrated with his peers. To him, this wreckage is a bad thing, because he knows he is stuck on that island with a bunch of boys who tease him. This quote is his anger taking over, he now only see’s the lost boys as kids.  

Reflection: The way Jack behaves and has changed ever since their arrival at the island, is quite odd. He has remained a leader, however he has become more angry and eager to kill. He and his choir, along with the rest of the boys there, all posses much more mature qualities, for they have all accepted that they have to take care of themselves. Along with that, the boys have all come to bully Piggy much more, though he knows and understands and accepts more than they do.

Question: Why are good looks so important to these little boys?

Lord of the Flies CH 1

1-6-13 Lord of the Flies CH 1

Summary: Two boys, stranger to one another, come across each other in the middle of the jungle. Ralph and Piggy were made acquaintances, though Ralph quickly broke that friendship after he called forth all the other boys wrecked in the crash. Jack and Ralph then become the main leaders of the new “tribe” of little boys.

Quote: “Piggy’s glasses were misted again-this time with humiliation.

‘You told ‘em. After what I said’ His face flushed, his mouth trembled. ‘After I said I didn't want-’ ”  

Significance of Quote: This quote is where Piggys and Ralphs short friendship definitely ended. Through this, the author makes it clear that Ralph broke Piggys heart and trust. Being thrown into a whole new group of strangers, all Piggy wanted was a new start, but Ralph ruined it. And he didnt even feel bad about it.

Reflection: The conch that PIggy found, and Ralph retrieved, is now a symbol of power for the group of boys. When they get rambunctious, Ralph only has to lift up the mighty conch to get them to calm down and respect them. To them, its the only real sign of major power and importance. They haven't any adults there to keep them in order, and now the conch will act as an adult who keeps order on the island.

Question: Will Jack soon pose a threat to Ralphs position as chief?