Animal Farm ch 5-6

4-24-14 Animal Farm ch 5-6

Summary: Mollie is being troublesome and ends up running off to another farm and never comes back. Also, Napoleon takes over control of all the concerned animals. In chapter 6, the animals of the farm are given a new set of orders, making them check in at certain times to do specific duties. The windmill is destroyed and they have to rebuild it.

 

Quote: “Bravery is not enough,” said Squealer, “Loyalty and obedience are more important…”

 

Sig of Quote: Loyalty and obedience to Animalism is what Squealer means. They want all the animals to act and be a certain way.

 

Reflection: The windmill getting destroyed is somewhat symbolic to this time. With Mollies runaway, and the whole farm starting to become chaotic, its like they are falling apart. Like the mill did. But the fixing of the mill is going to take a long time and will be almost impossible, since the animals don't have opposable thumbs to actually work on a project like that. The mixing and stabilization of their society will be just as difficult. They may even be too late to save it.

 

Question: How are these animals accomplishing so much with such a weak system of order?

 

Animal Farm ch 3-4

4-22-14 Animal Farm ch3-4

Summary: The animals are forced to do the work that the farmers once did to get their food and other necessities. They are having difficulty with some tasks while making others much easier. The pigs are assumed of being selfish for all winter apples and milk were only to the pigs. The word of the rebellion is spread to animals and humans alike, and Jones gathers together a band of men to get his farm back. This battle was named Cowshed.

 

Quote: “And then the human beings listened to it, they secretly trembled, hearing it to be a prophecy to their future doom.”

 

Sig of Quote: The song, “Beasts of England”, acts as a foretelling story. The humans are right to be frightened, since now that the animals are getting wiser and more savage than ever before.

 

Reflection: In no time at all will the animals attract as many followers needed to wipe out the humans. But it seems that some of the animals have different perspectives on the humans than others do. For example, Boxer was devastated when Snowball pronounced the young stable boy dead. He said how its the right thing to do, but Boxer is still guilty. He didnt want to kill, even if it was a human, their “enemy”. The pigs are the ones enforcing this life onto the other animals who aren't as smart as the pigs. Them not being as smart as the pigs is leaving them with no rights, and being treated just as bad as they were when Farmer Jones was still around.

 

Question: When will other animals start to riot and what will happen then?

Animal Farm ch 1-2

 

4/21/14 Animal Farm ch 1-2

Summary: Old Major, the old pig, first calls all the farm animals and gives a speech on how Man are unfair to animals, and how animals should overpower Man. Chapter 2 begins with the death of Old Major, from simply old age, and the birth of a revolution. The animals revolt against the Jones’, and start to build a government of their own.

 

Quote: “Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever.”

 

Sig of Quote: This quote is very accurate. Some people think that Man are the leading cause of many bad things. The animals have the viewpoint from peasants and the poor, overworked people in our world.

 

Reflection: Orwell’s message is clear. He is using these overworked, and underfed animals to portray the poor workers in our world. They had been knocked down, with no say, for nobody cared what they said. As if they were mute. Same goes for these animals. They can't defend themselves, they don't have the freedom of speech that we Americans have. The farmers don't hear what the animals are feeling, so they have to rebel against their leader to be heard. The peasants of the French Rebellion did the same thing. They weren’t being heard, therefore they lashed out to get attention.

 

Question: Will this book be in any way like “Lord of the Flies”, in which the leader goes crazy for power?

Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 85-110

4-9-14 Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 85-110

Summary: Sam and Patrick return home, and they take Charlie to another party. He takes a acid tablet, and has a very “bad trip”. He ends up in the hospital and his parents think that he is starting to go crazy again. So he is getting signed up to see a therapist again. He also gets asked to the Sadie Hawkins dance by Mary-Elizabeth.

Quote: “Charlies wearing a feather boa! Charlies wearing a feather boa!”

Sig of Quote: I love how Patricks and Charlies friendship has grown so much that now they can fool around with each other and pick at each other as best friends do.

Reflection: Its sad because, as much as Charlie is glad he got asked to the Sadie Hawkins dance, he just wishes that it wasnt by Mary Elizabeth. The one who he wanted to get asked by is Sam. The poor guy can't help who he has fallen for, and he can't stop it from happening. His love for her will only grow for as long as they’re friends. But Charlie has so many annoying obstacles in his way. Dave being the biggest threat. I see all these things as threats because Charlie deserves to be happy, and Sam is part of what will make him happy. There's an invisible love triangle between Sam, Charlie, and Dave. Little does Mary Elizabeth know, she just stepped into the triangle, now its even more complicated.

Question: Will Sam be jealous that Charlies going to the Sadie Hawkins dance with Mary Elizabeth?

Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 73-84

4-8-14 Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 73-84

Summary: Sam and Patrick leave for their holiday vacation. Charlie is left at home with his sister who's still angry with him, and his mother whose fussing over his older brothers arrival. After christmas and Charlies birthday, the family goes to his dads old home in Ohio.

Quote: “‘Is it your Aunt Helen?’

Its the way she said it that got me feeling.”

Sig of quote: According to further evidence including this, Charlie’s aunt Helen must have been a very important person in his life. Her death must have been devastating, sending Charlie over the edge.

Reflection: Charlie’s life has been surrounded by disappointment for a long time. First, the death of his favorite aunt die, and believing that it is his fault. Then, the sudden death of his best friend Michael. Later, even after Michael death, his friends from middle school practically abandon him when they step through the high school doors (not literally). However, as seen in these holiday letters, Charlie has a wonderful, supporting family. Some may be difficult to handle or be around, but for the most part they all try to help cheer Charlie up as much as possible. Of corse, they seem to tip toe around him, gingerly making attemps to be let in. Charlie is something of a mystery to me.

Question: Do Charlies siblings try to avoid conversations with him?

Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 61-72

4-7-14 Perks of being a Wallflower      pgs 61-72

Summary: With Christmas near, Charlie is involved in a Secret Santa that Patrick and Sam put on with all their friends. Charlie is Patricks Secret Santa. When th e final exchange is upon them, Charlie gives everyone involved a gift. He gave Sam an old record that meant a lot to him. He reads Patrick a poem about Michael for the final gift.

Quote: “And she kissed my cheek and whispered so nobody could hear.

‘I love you’”

Sig of Quote: Hearing this come out of Sams mouth may have been the best thing that has ever happened to Charlie. Even if it was just in a friendsly way, it still means a lot to him. Now he knows that he has friends who love him.

Reflection: This is an amazing bonding experience for Charlie. Before he met this group of people, he felt as if he had to purpose in life. After the death of his closest friends Michael, he was left completely alone. This is very accurate, for all his old friends have changed since middle school. Sam and Patrick becoming friends with Charlie is the best thing to heal is wounded soul. These great kids have distracted Charlie from his problems, and opened his eyes to new amazing life opportunities.

Question: Did Charlie write that poem he read to Michael?

Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 33-56

4-2-14 Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 33-56

Summary: At the homecoming party, Charlie meets a boy named Bob, who gives him a special brownie. Charlie is stoned for the entire party and it is the funniest thing. The next letters, Charlie tells of the people he has met, like Mary-Elizabeth, and his family. He fixes things with his sister, and then attends a Thanksgiving dinner with his family.

Quote: “And at that moment, I swear we were infinite”

Sig of Quote: This is the most beautiful thing I have ever read. It may be short, but it means so much. Charlie see’s things and feel’s things in deeper ways than others do. The tunnel car-ride was a new experience for him, and the way it makes him feel is too amazing to just use the word “amazing”, and infinite fits just right.

Reflection: As he and his friends are driving through the tunnel and the music is playing, and Charlie says he feels “infinite”, thats when Charlie discovered what he loves. It may not be football like his brother, or “teasing” boys like his sister, but its a love of something real. When he looks back on his freshmen year, he will think of those moments; for they are what made him grin from ear to ear, and what lifted his body from the ground. In reality, his experiences may be even truer and fuller than the football jocks or drama geeks. These moments weren't planned frame by frame, they were improvised. They happened to him, and only he can remember just how he felt, nobody can re-act them or re-play them.

Question: Is there something deeper to his brothers no-show on thanksgiving?

Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 21-32

4-1-14 Perks of being a Wallflower     pgs 21-32

Summary: Charlie told Sam about his dream of her, and in return she tells him that there can never be anything between them. In the next letter, Charlie tells his friend about how he told Bill of his sisters boyfriend slapping her. Then, when he got home later that day, his parents were arguing with his sister about that same thing. His sister is very angry he says. Nearing the end of this section of reading, Sam and Patrick invite Charlie to an after-homecoming party.

Quote: “ ‘He’s my whole world’

‘Dont ever say that, not even about me.’”

Sig of Quote: Charlie’s mother has a clear winning point. This is a lesson to Charlie and his sister, and the audience reading.

Reflection: I understand Sam’s point, for shes a senior and Charlie is a freshmen. If she were to develop feelings for him, then the separation would be horrid. Being “just friends” is whats best for both of them, especially Charlie. More heartbreak upon him may lead to worse problems. He deserves a long lasting love, not one that will only last a year or so. Sam and Charlie could develop a love relationship in the future, like when Charlie graduates. But until then, its best that Sam remains only his friend.

Question: Do Sam and Patrick think of Charlie as one of their best friends as he does them?

 

Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 1-20

3-31-14 Perks of being a Wallflower pgs 1-20

Summary: Charlie, a troubled freshman, tells of his feelings, and of those that mean much to him. He is starting high school alone because his best friend Michael killed himself the year prior, and has to meet new friends as they all think he is a freak. Thankfully, he befriends Patrick and Sam, two free-spirited seniors. However, Charlie admits to being ashamed of dreaming of Sam that same night.

Quote: “They both told me to have a seat, and they both seemed to mean it, so I took a seat.”

Sig of Quote: You can already tell that Charlie has trust issues, or acceptance issues. But Patrick and Sam seem to be genuine and nice people to Charlie. Having anyone tell him to sit down without it being out of charity is a big deal to him.

Reflection: Obviously, Charlie has several mental problems that he hasnt addressed yet. But he does very well with dealing with them. He is such a bring young man who has too many obstacles in his way. He has to deal with so much, plus his mind works in a different way… He interprets everything he see’s. And everyone. We need more people like him, people who really care, and really listen and see.

Question: What happened to Aunt Helen?