My final blog post for quarter 2! Wouldn't it be nice if I had finished "Water for Elephants" in time for this momentous occasion? Unfortunately, I still have 100 pages left, but I did read about 200 pages this week. This is by far one of the best book I've read in a long time, and I've been trying to figure out why I like it so much. Here's what I've come up with so far:
Past and Present
Like in "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close", tales of the past and of the present are intertwined. However, unlike EL&IC, in this book both stories are captivating. I find the stories about Jacob's past in the circus fascinating, but I also get a good laugh reading about his strong will and attitude in his present-day life at a nursing home.
Reality?
Jacob now lives in a nursing home, and he is getting old. However, since he still has such vivid memories of his youth in the circus, he can't handle the thought of getting old, or 'slipping', as he puts it. He burst into tears when he is told that he has been babbling for minutes, but he has absolutely no recollection of speaking at all. This is when he realizes that he is slipping. He has lost his memory, with exemption of his circus stories, and he can't keep track of his grandchildren. He doesn't even recognize them when they come to visit. Jacob wanted to keep his 'sanity' a little longer, and the fact that he is an old man is hard to bear. I like this, because I've never quite agreed that every single person is at peace with being old and dependent on other people. I think this different perspective is a breath of fresh air.
Plot
Though perhaps not the most creative, "Water for Elephants" has an interesting plot with lots of twists. The fact that the story takes place on a traveling circus is also bound to make things more interesting. In essence, Jacob is in love with Marylena, who is married to Jacob's boss August. August has a good side, and a quite evil side. Is Jacob going to end up with Marylena? Also, Marylena kills someone in the prologue? Who? Is it August? The plot is nothing out of the ordinary, but it is very captivating.
I love this book, and I think these are some of the reasons why. Then again, maybe I just really like historical fiction?
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Q2: Blog9
I finished the second and third chapters of "Water for Elephants". I am continuing to enjoy this book.
Chapter two is where the story really starts. The main character, Jacob, is at an Ivy League school studying to become a veterinarian and join his father's practice. His parents both die in a fatal car accident, and Jacob is left without a place. His parents were in debt, due to a loan they had taken out to pay for Jacob's schooling, so there is absolutely nothing left for him.
Jacob returns to school after a brief return home to deal with his parents' affairs. However, there is only one week left in the semester, and Jacob is soon lost. He hops a random train, and it ends up to be a circus train, where he is given a job. This is the part that surprised me. I envisioned him ending up in the circus after being homeless or out of options. He was perhaps out of options, but he just fell into the circus. I may just be leaning back on stereotypes, but i was very surprised that he got a job in the circus while being educated, and still well dressed and well fed.
Chapter three basically consisted of Jacob's life in the circus. He starts to learn the lingo, rules, and splendors of the circus. In many ways, this book plays into the pictures I have in my mind of circuses in that time period. The red and white awnings are described, as well as the schemes to earn more money, convincing men and women that "there is something in that tent you don't want to miss, for only 25 cents!"
I really like this book, let's hope it gets even better...
Chapter two is where the story really starts. The main character, Jacob, is at an Ivy League school studying to become a veterinarian and join his father's practice. His parents both die in a fatal car accident, and Jacob is left without a place. His parents were in debt, due to a loan they had taken out to pay for Jacob's schooling, so there is absolutely nothing left for him.
Jacob returns to school after a brief return home to deal with his parents' affairs. However, there is only one week left in the semester, and Jacob is soon lost. He hops a random train, and it ends up to be a circus train, where he is given a job. This is the part that surprised me. I envisioned him ending up in the circus after being homeless or out of options. He was perhaps out of options, but he just fell into the circus. I may just be leaning back on stereotypes, but i was very surprised that he got a job in the circus while being educated, and still well dressed and well fed.
Chapter three basically consisted of Jacob's life in the circus. He starts to learn the lingo, rules, and splendors of the circus. In many ways, this book plays into the pictures I have in my mind of circuses in that time period. The red and white awnings are described, as well as the schemes to earn more money, convincing men and women that "there is something in that tent you don't want to miss, for only 25 cents!"
I really like this book, let's hope it gets even better...
Friday, January 2, 2009
Q2: Blog8
I read another chapter of "Water for Elephants" today. This chapter focused on the narrator, who is now 90 or 93 and in a nursing home. Much of the chapter is about aging, as age has taken it's toll on the narrator. He no longer remembers his age, or what year it is, and to him it doesn't really matter.
The plot picks up when all the people at the nursing home watch a circus that is coming to town, with most people planning on attending the circus the upcoming weekend. The narrator makes no mention of his time in the circus, as he never does. However, when a man claims that he carried water for elephants, the narrator almost blows his cover. He simply can't help himself, he gets so angry. He calls the man a liar, knowing that elephants drink more water than anyone can carry. they get into a very aggravated conversation before the nurses intervene. While the narrator doesn't tell the other man about his time in the circus, he does slip up to a nurse, but then refuses to give any more information.
The reason for the name of the book is revealed, as there is an argument about water for elephants. This chapter shows the life of a sad old man. He talks about how he sometimes would choose death over his misery, and about how he is glad his wive died first so that she doesn't have to deal with what he is dealing with. I continue to like this book because I appreciate the compassion of the old man and others, as well as the very real depictions of the circus and the past.
The plot picks up when all the people at the nursing home watch a circus that is coming to town, with most people planning on attending the circus the upcoming weekend. The narrator makes no mention of his time in the circus, as he never does. However, when a man claims that he carried water for elephants, the narrator almost blows his cover. He simply can't help himself, he gets so angry. He calls the man a liar, knowing that elephants drink more water than anyone can carry. they get into a very aggravated conversation before the nurses intervene. While the narrator doesn't tell the other man about his time in the circus, he does slip up to a nurse, but then refuses to give any more information.
The reason for the name of the book is revealed, as there is an argument about water for elephants. This chapter shows the life of a sad old man. He talks about how he sometimes would choose death over his misery, and about how he is glad his wive died first so that she doesn't have to deal with what he is dealing with. I continue to like this book because I appreciate the compassion of the old man and others, as well as the very real depictions of the circus and the past.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Q2: Blog7
I started reading "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. I read the first paragraph of the prologue and was immediately hooked. The prologue starts with:
"Only three people were left under the red and white awning of the grease joint: Grady, me, and the fry cook. Grady and I sat at a bettered wooden table, each facing a burger on a dented plate." (Gruen, 1).
I felt like I was at a circus reading that first passage. And the book only got better. In the prologue, the action immediately sets in. Disaster strikes. The band starts playing "Starts and Stripes Forever" which is a code saying that disaster has struck. All the animals have been let loose. All the circus workers jump into action, trying to corral all the strange animals keep at the circus.
The narrator of this story searches frantically for a woman, Marlena. He finds her fairly quickly, but of course it seemed like forever. However, as soon as he finds her he sees her grabbing an iron stake and killing someone. How's that for drama in the prologue? The prologue ends with the narrator saying that that day still haunts him, and that he never mentions his time in the circuses despite the fact the he spent seven years there. I've always loved historical fiction, so this book seemed like a good choice for me. Hopefully I'll enjoy the rest of the book as much as I've enjoyed the beginning.
"Only three people were left under the red and white awning of the grease joint: Grady, me, and the fry cook. Grady and I sat at a bettered wooden table, each facing a burger on a dented plate." (Gruen, 1).
I felt like I was at a circus reading that first passage. And the book only got better. In the prologue, the action immediately sets in. Disaster strikes. The band starts playing "Starts and Stripes Forever" which is a code saying that disaster has struck. All the animals have been let loose. All the circus workers jump into action, trying to corral all the strange animals keep at the circus.
The narrator of this story searches frantically for a woman, Marlena. He finds her fairly quickly, but of course it seemed like forever. However, as soon as he finds her he sees her grabbing an iron stake and killing someone. How's that for drama in the prologue? The prologue ends with the narrator saying that that day still haunts him, and that he never mentions his time in the circuses despite the fact the he spent seven years there. I've always loved historical fiction, so this book seemed like a good choice for me. Hopefully I'll enjoy the rest of the book as much as I've enjoyed the beginning.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Q2: Blog6
I DID IT!!!!!
That's right, I finished Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. It took me forever, but I'm finally done. So yay!! Now onto my analysis/ opinions on the book.
It would help if you could completely ignore my last post. I was wrong. Oskar's father did die. I guess I knew something was funny and couldn't quite figure out what it was, so I made a slightly ridiculous guess. The 'Thomas Schell' who wrote his name all over the pads of paper at the art store is actually Oskar's grandfather, who has the same name. That makes a lot more sense.
And Oskar's mom knew that he was going to the Blacks' houses. She actually called them before he went over there to warn them. Which explains another thing. I was always curious as to how Oskar's mother never questioned him being out for so long, and why Oskar's french teacher never made a phone call to Oskar's mother wondering why he got a note saying Oskar quit taking french lessons, but he would still be paid. Personally, I would be curious about a situation like that.
As for the key, Oskar found it's owner. Abby Black, who Oskar had talked to second, called to say that the key belonged to her ex-husband. To make a long story short, he had mistakenly sold the blue vase with the key in it to Oskar's dad. So Oskar really had no connection to the key after all, which was disappointing for him.
The book ended with a scene of Oskar and his mother crying together, a sweet ending to a book where Oskar and his mother seem to have no connection to each other, especially concerning Oskar's father's death.
That's right, I finished Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. It took me forever, but I'm finally done. So yay!! Now onto my analysis/ opinions on the book.
It would help if you could completely ignore my last post. I was wrong. Oskar's father did die. I guess I knew something was funny and couldn't quite figure out what it was, so I made a slightly ridiculous guess. The 'Thomas Schell' who wrote his name all over the pads of paper at the art store is actually Oskar's grandfather, who has the same name. That makes a lot more sense.
And Oskar's mom knew that he was going to the Blacks' houses. She actually called them before he went over there to warn them. Which explains another thing. I was always curious as to how Oskar's mother never questioned him being out for so long, and why Oskar's french teacher never made a phone call to Oskar's mother wondering why he got a note saying Oskar quit taking french lessons, but he would still be paid. Personally, I would be curious about a situation like that.
As for the key, Oskar found it's owner. Abby Black, who Oskar had talked to second, called to say that the key belonged to her ex-husband. To make a long story short, he had mistakenly sold the blue vase with the key in it to Oskar's dad. So Oskar really had no connection to the key after all, which was disappointing for him.
The book ended with a scene of Oskar and his mother crying together, a sweet ending to a book where Oskar and his mother seem to have no connection to each other, especially concerning Oskar's father's death.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Q2: Blog5
I'm making very slow progress with EL&IC, but progress none the less. I enjoy parts of this book, but when the story transfers into letters sent by grandparents to Oskar, I quickly lose interest. What I especially like, however, is when there is a part of the story that seems to be a mystery, and I get to try to figure it out. For example, there are multiple messages from Oskar's dad the day of 9/11. A new one came up on page 207, his fourth message. He gave small bits of information about what was going on, mentioning some sort of evacuation plan. I have come to the conclusion, however, that Oskar's dad isn't actually dead. I decided this because Oskar's dad's name appeared on the pads that you test pens on at the arts store, after he was supposed to have died. It is possible that someone else wrote it, but I doubt it.
If Oskar's father really isn't dead, then what do the messages mean? And if he really was at the World Trade Center on 9/11, then how did he have time to call and leave four messages? These are all questions that hopefully either I will figure out or the book will explain to me in the next couple of weeks. I'm almost finished, I just need to encourage myself to keep reading.
If Oskar's father really isn't dead, then what do the messages mean? And if he really was at the World Trade Center on 9/11, then how did he have time to call and leave four messages? These are all questions that hopefully either I will figure out or the book will explain to me in the next couple of weeks. I'm almost finished, I just need to encourage myself to keep reading.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Q2: Blog4
Wow. It doesn't seem like it's been a week since the last time I blogged. I guess that's what breaks do. I didn't get in quite as much reading as I had hoped over break, but I still got farther into the story. I was sick on Sunday, and after realizing that they was nothing on TV, it was back to EL&IC. I made it to page 208 this week. The part of this section that struck me is when Oskar and his mother are at a psychiatrist. Oskar shares his feelings with the psychiatrist, who seems quite concerned with Oskar's intense feelings. While Oskar's feelings are intense, the part that really surprised me was his suggestion that Oskar should go to a hospital. His mother, of course, refused. Oskar, however, had a good point. After your dad dies in a horrible accident, wouldn't it be more worrying if you didn't have some strong emotions going on. While Oskar is a strange boy with strange feelings, I had always taken his feelings at face level. They change often, and even though they may seem frightening, they aren't strong feelings for Oskar. Oskar quickly goes from having 'heavy boots' to 'light boots' to 'very heavy boots'. I feel like the psychiatrist is overreacting to Oskar's emotions, but then again I may just not be taking Oskar completely serious, he is a bit of a strange character.
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