Title: The Namesake
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Pages: 1-72
Chapters: 1-4
SUMMARY: The setting takes place in 1968. Ashima Ganguli was close to her due date and her husband Ashoke was expecting a new family member. They are both from Bengali family in India. Ashoke was a student in MIT and Ashima was taken to the hospital. Ashoke had to go to MIT so Ashima felt lonely in the hospital surrounded by complete strangers although they are there to help her. Ashima starts to have flashback to how she first met Ashoke when their parents were arranging their marriage. In India, almost all of the families live upon the belief of arranged marriage. They were married in Bengali style traditional wedding where the bride is decorated by her aunts and female relatives as she leaves her father's house. At that time Ashoke was in B.E. Institutional college where he was the top of his class. As Ashima was lying on the hospital bed, she thought of how nothing distracted Ashoke. He could read and walk at the same time and spent his childhood with his Grandfather reading books. He was different from his siblings. In October 20, 1961, Ashoke left to see his grandfather who became blind so he was to inherit all of his books. He got into a huge train accident which still haunted him. His traveling partner Ghosh was killed. A baby boy was born and he was given the name Gogol due to the hospitals requirement for a birth certificate name. The name was supposed to be decided by Ashima's grandmother but the letter never came. Gogol was named after Ashoke's favorite Russian author, Nikolai Gogol. Ashoke gets his dream job as a professor and they do a traditional rice feeding for Gogol with other Bengalis. Ashima was strucked by the news that her father recently died after her grandmother was permanently paralyzed in her right side. They go to India and after a while they move to a University area in the suburbs. Surprisingly, Ashima found out that she was pregnant again when Gogol was five years old. Gogol's new name becomes Nikhil, the one who conquers all, according to Ashoke but the school teachers call him Gogol as it was on his birth certificate and he prefers the name.
QUOTATION: "Ashoke's mother was always convinced that her eldest son would be hit by a bus or a train, his nose deep into War and Peace. That he would be reading a book the moment he died" (Lahiri 13).
REACTION: This is definitely a horrid foreshadowing. The writer's style is amazing how she can shift her writing from one time period to another by giving vivid yet very descriptive explanations of characters, objects and situations. It was foreshadowing because the reader knows that Ashoke is the eldest son and he is the only character in the book who loves reading and is very passionate about it. It is going to lead up to the train accident which his mother was aware of. There is another element there, Dramatic Irony.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The Chocolate War (Pages 216-263)
Title: The Chocolate War
Author: Robert Cormier
Pages: 216-263
Chapters: 32-39
SUMMARY: After the harsh beating, Janza was asked by Archie why he involved other kids. According to Janza, he wanted to psychologically hurt Jerry by calling him "Queer" and gang bang him by kids who would beat their grandmothers for quarters. That was very pathetic. Janza worked for Archie because of his black mail picture but Archie divulged that there was no picture. Janza was relieved and proud that he might be recruited to The Vigils. Jerry became invisible and the only friend he had, Goober, was absent. He felt relaxed, as he wasn't bothered by anyone. Nineteen thousand nine hundred fifty boxes of chocolates out of twenty thousand had been sold and the remaining fifty belongs to Jerry. Brother Leon only cared about the result and was looking forward to be the headmaster. Archie sets up a raffle in the school announcing Jerry vs. Janza in the boxing ring. The raffle tickets are all sold out and everyone attended except the Brothers. The raffle shows where Jerry is going to hit and how, same for where Janza will hit Jerry. The fight began and the crowd cheered. Goober was there to see Jerry although he was sick. Janza hit Jerry several times but he lost the bet as Jerry blocked the last punch so Janza knocked Jerry out in anger. Brother Leon had been watching this for the whole time because Archie kept him for The Vigil's protection if the situation gets worse. The Vigils were in the clear as Jerry was sent to the hospital.
QUOTATION: "Of course not. That's why he blew up. If you want to get under a guy's skin, accuse him of being something he isn't. Otherwise, you're only telling him something he knows" (Cormier 222)
REACTION: There you go, one of Archie's genius plans. Archie is real smart in terms of beating people psychologically. He told Janza to call Jerry a "queer," which Jerry was not, so that Jerry would be furious and try to fight Janza. Archie planned this out the whole time. Now it came to my mind that Jerry didn't sell those chocolates so Archie was trying to make him pay for it. First of all, After Archie was challenged by Renault, he sent Janza to beat him up both mentally and physically. Secondly, Jerry was angered so he agreed to fight Janza while Archie took profit of the raffle tickets and added it to the chocolate sale. Thirdly, Archie got Leon in his side so that if Jerry was hurt extremely, Leon will cover for The Vigils because Archie assisted him with the sales. Lastly, Archie reigned supreme simply giving out another message of "Don't mess with Archie Costello." This was a great book, especially for boys because there is a lot of drama and violence that can relate to daily life of teenage students. Mr. Robert Cormier deserves a true Bravo.
Author: Robert Cormier
Pages: 216-263
Chapters: 32-39
SUMMARY: After the harsh beating, Janza was asked by Archie why he involved other kids. According to Janza, he wanted to psychologically hurt Jerry by calling him "Queer" and gang bang him by kids who would beat their grandmothers for quarters. That was very pathetic. Janza worked for Archie because of his black mail picture but Archie divulged that there was no picture. Janza was relieved and proud that he might be recruited to The Vigils. Jerry became invisible and the only friend he had, Goober, was absent. He felt relaxed, as he wasn't bothered by anyone. Nineteen thousand nine hundred fifty boxes of chocolates out of twenty thousand had been sold and the remaining fifty belongs to Jerry. Brother Leon only cared about the result and was looking forward to be the headmaster. Archie sets up a raffle in the school announcing Jerry vs. Janza in the boxing ring. The raffle tickets are all sold out and everyone attended except the Brothers. The raffle shows where Jerry is going to hit and how, same for where Janza will hit Jerry. The fight began and the crowd cheered. Goober was there to see Jerry although he was sick. Janza hit Jerry several times but he lost the bet as Jerry blocked the last punch so Janza knocked Jerry out in anger. Brother Leon had been watching this for the whole time because Archie kept him for The Vigil's protection if the situation gets worse. The Vigils were in the clear as Jerry was sent to the hospital.
QUOTATION: "Of course not. That's why he blew up. If you want to get under a guy's skin, accuse him of being something he isn't. Otherwise, you're only telling him something he knows" (Cormier 222)
REACTION: There you go, one of Archie's genius plans. Archie is real smart in terms of beating people psychologically. He told Janza to call Jerry a "queer," which Jerry was not, so that Jerry would be furious and try to fight Janza. Archie planned this out the whole time. Now it came to my mind that Jerry didn't sell those chocolates so Archie was trying to make him pay for it. First of all, After Archie was challenged by Renault, he sent Janza to beat him up both mentally and physically. Secondly, Jerry was angered so he agreed to fight Janza while Archie took profit of the raffle tickets and added it to the chocolate sale. Thirdly, Archie got Leon in his side so that if Jerry was hurt extremely, Leon will cover for The Vigils because Archie assisted him with the sales. Lastly, Archie reigned supreme simply giving out another message of "Don't mess with Archie Costello." This was a great book, especially for boys because there is a lot of drama and violence that can relate to daily life of teenage students. Mr. Robert Cormier deserves a true Bravo.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The Chocolate War (Pages 172-216)
Title: The Chocolate War
Author: Robert Cormier
Pages: 172-216
Chapters: 25-32
SUMMARY: The Vigils surrounded Jerry as they asked him why he wasn't selling chocolates anymore. Archie tried to intimidate Jerry by calling out random Vigils asking them how many they sold. The numbers were great but it was just a lie to frighten Jerry that there is no secret in the Vigils. The great Archie Costello had to "ask" Jerry to take the assignment. He had never "asked" anyone. Obie was extremely elated inside to see Archie Costello fall down for the first time. A skinny freshman kid has challenged the great Archie Costello. Archie kept cool so he let things pass by. Jerry constantly received prank calls at home. Next day, someone raided his locker and messed up his sneakers. Jerry was in awe that this activity was so immature. He was also attacked in the football field but he didn't know who it was. Brian was the student who kept records of the chocolate sale. Carter bullied him into giving credit to Vigil's members who didn't even sell chocolates. Fifteen thousand chocolates had been sold and Brother Leon was jovial. During roll call, Darcy asked Leon why Jerry wasn't selling any chocolates then the Great Debate occurred and the class went back and forth about Jerry's decision. Surprisingly, Goober stopped selling chocolates as well. He sided up with Jerry's existentialism but his sales record said he sold his fifty boxes. Goober was flabbergasted. Emile Janza and some six kids attacked Jerry until he vomited. They wanted him to sell chocolates but beating wasn't enough to stop Jerry Renault.
QUOTATION: "Blood stung Archie's cheeks and a pulse throbbed dangerously in his temple. No one had ever talked to him that way before" (Cormier 187).
REACTION: While reading this quote, my blood was rushing up and down. To see the great Archie Costello fall down was the ultimate scene. I had a feeling that Jerry's action will stir up the Vigils. People began to question Archie about Jerry, freshman kid who challenged the vigils. Carter had to take action and beat up to guys who asked those questions. Suddenly, Carter became in charge and the guys applauded for him. Archie faded in darkness for a while. Even Carter challenged him that if Archie doesn't do anything about this chocolate sale and Jerry, he is going to collapse. It was the moment of success for Obie to see Archie under pressure but Archie soon took control of the Vigils because he worked faster when he was under pressure. This part was the most intensifying scene so far.
Author: Robert Cormier
Pages: 172-216
Chapters: 25-32
SUMMARY: The Vigils surrounded Jerry as they asked him why he wasn't selling chocolates anymore. Archie tried to intimidate Jerry by calling out random Vigils asking them how many they sold. The numbers were great but it was just a lie to frighten Jerry that there is no secret in the Vigils. The great Archie Costello had to "ask" Jerry to take the assignment. He had never "asked" anyone. Obie was extremely elated inside to see Archie Costello fall down for the first time. A skinny freshman kid has challenged the great Archie Costello. Archie kept cool so he let things pass by. Jerry constantly received prank calls at home. Next day, someone raided his locker and messed up his sneakers. Jerry was in awe that this activity was so immature. He was also attacked in the football field but he didn't know who it was. Brian was the student who kept records of the chocolate sale. Carter bullied him into giving credit to Vigil's members who didn't even sell chocolates. Fifteen thousand chocolates had been sold and Brother Leon was jovial. During roll call, Darcy asked Leon why Jerry wasn't selling any chocolates then the Great Debate occurred and the class went back and forth about Jerry's decision. Surprisingly, Goober stopped selling chocolates as well. He sided up with Jerry's existentialism but his sales record said he sold his fifty boxes. Goober was flabbergasted. Emile Janza and some six kids attacked Jerry until he vomited. They wanted him to sell chocolates but beating wasn't enough to stop Jerry Renault.
QUOTATION: "Blood stung Archie's cheeks and a pulse throbbed dangerously in his temple. No one had ever talked to him that way before" (Cormier 187).
REACTION: While reading this quote, my blood was rushing up and down. To see the great Archie Costello fall down was the ultimate scene. I had a feeling that Jerry's action will stir up the Vigils. People began to question Archie about Jerry, freshman kid who challenged the vigils. Carter had to take action and beat up to guys who asked those questions. Suddenly, Carter became in charge and the guys applauded for him. Archie faded in darkness for a while. Even Carter challenged him that if Archie doesn't do anything about this chocolate sale and Jerry, he is going to collapse. It was the moment of success for Obie to see Archie under pressure but Archie soon took control of the Vigils because he worked faster when he was under pressure. This part was the most intensifying scene so far.
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