_entry of my choice

For the entry of my choice, I'm going to connect the books "The Giver" by Lois Lowry and "Fahrenheit 451" since they have both similar themes.

First, I'll tell you about the book "The Giver." "The Giver" is about a boy named Jonas in a "utopian-based" community. Everyone is completly equal, including their hair, outfit, their opportunity of jobs and etc. There's no color, there's no creativity and there's no lust. The young ones go to a school, until their twelfth year. Their jobs are chosen by the elders, depending on their special talents. On Jonas's job ceremony, he gets chosen to be the Receiver, who receives memories about the past from the Giver. Jonas finds out and experiences memories from the past. He realizes choices, colors, feelings brings meaning into life. He becomes different from everybody from the community. He begins to feel different feelings, see colors, and etc. Also, he realizes anyone who is imperfect in his community has to be put to death. He realizes the community he's in is a dystopia. He escapes to a different world, where it is normal. He realizes life is better with feelings, some pain, warmth, family, color, and meaning.

Just like "The Giver," "Fahrenheit 451" has secrets kept in the community. Books are kept away from the people. Sure, people might be happy without books, since there would be no arguments, and stress from books. People have no feelings like The Giver. Montag is curious just as Jonas. Similarily, Montag wants to escape from the world. He runs away from the Mechanical Hounds because he read books to find the meaning of life. These two characters wanted to find the meaning of existence and life. Also, these two books portrayed a community of a utopian concept turned into a dystopia. There are many similarities between the two books.

If you did not like Fahrenheit 451, The Giver is much better. It is easier to read, and I think it has an interesting story line also. Also, although the mood is serious, it is not as serious as Fahrenheit 451.

Memorable Passage

This passage was interesting to me:

"Now let's take up the minorities in our civilization, shall we? Bigger the population, the more minorities. Don't step on the toes of the dog lovers, the cat lovers, doctors, lawyers, merchants, chiefs, Mormons, Baptists, Unitarians, second-generation Chinese, Swedes, Italians, Germans, Texans, Brooklynites, Irishmen, people from Oregon or Mexico. The people in this book, thie play, this TV serial are not meant to represent any actual painters, cartographers, mechanics anywhere. The bigger your market, Montag, The less you handle controversy, remember that! All the minor minor minorities with their navels to be kept clean. Authors, full of evil thoughts, lock up your typewriters. They did. Magazines became a nice blend of vanilla tapioca. Books, so the damned snobbish critics said, were dishwater. No wonder books stopped selling, the critics said, But the public, knowing what it wanted, spinning happily, let the comic books survive. And the three-dimensional sex magazines, of course, There you have it, Montag. It didn't come from the Government down. There was no dictum, no declaration, no censorship, to start with, no! Technology, mass exploitation, and minority pressure carried the trick, thank God. Today, thanks to them, you can stay happy all the time, you are allowed to read comics, the good old confessions, or trade journals."

This was when Beatty was talking to Montag, about how evil writers and books were. It's interesting how evil dictatorship can be, ignoring the minorities. This reminds me of North Korea, where foreign medias are banned. I heard that people who are caught with foreign media are sent to jail.... (Correct me if I'm wrong!) I don't think books make you unhappy. Sure, textsbooks can make the students stressed out. But, having knowledge is important. I believe it can make you happy, through expressing your knowledge to the world. With knowledge, you can discover the horrible, unhappy things in the world like poverty, human trafficking, and etc. People can help each other through the use of knowledge. Like LASA trips, helping and caring others make happiness! Reading unnecessary comic books, inapropriate magazines just bring no point in life. It makes the brain think weirdly. I don't think the world would function properly. People won't think of others that need help out there in the world.

Theme of Fahrenheit 451

..............<3 The theme of Farhenheit 451 is about banning an existence and people's curiosity to find the meaning, in my opinion. I think themes depend upon each readers, in how they portray the book in their minds. In this book, people were banned from books, and had no meaning in their lives. However Montag, Clarisse, and some people like who secretly loved books in Farhenheit 451, were curious about their existence, and the existence of books. They were trying to find meaning in books and their lives. Farhenheit 451 also portrayed people who did not have any meaning in their lives, like Montag's wife. Also, the theme showed that existence of important things like books are never forgotten by some people. Also, existence drives people into curiosity, to identify which kind of existence it is. The theme also shows what can happen to the world when the existence of books gets banned, which showed the dystopian society in the novel. It saddens me to think that people had to snuggle books in order to read them. I definitly think books make life more interesting, creating more knowledge in the world. I think the world would be stupid without them. It's sad that Beatty is spreading the word that books are evil, which are not! I think this theme is important to teenagers. Existence of some of the bad things in the world banned to teenagers drive teenagers into curiosity to find the existence of those certain things!! I guess you can relate the theme in many different ways, but I thought this was a major one. I think when more things are hidden and banned from people, somehow it drives more attention to these things...... For example, the existence of banned drugs are because people say it's bad. However, there are drug addicts that cannot resist from these drugs. Also, it's important for teenagers to know that books are great. Without books, everyone would be stupid, having no meaning in their lives. The theme reveals the truth about the world when books are vanished. If books were to be banned, people would not have knowledge about the past and the future, and in their lives. Societies would not have opposing ideas through books. People would not have the knowledge to make the world a better place. Even though books create controversials, it creates a better, smart world!

Setting of Fahrenheit 451

The setting of this book is really strange. It's set in the future, where everything has changed. People aren't allowed to read books, they have no emotions, no curiosity, and no knowledge about the past. This reminds me of one of my favorite books called, "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. "The Giver" is also set in the future, and it's also a novel based on the dystopian topic. This book also has people with no emotions, and knowledge about the past. It seems like the setting is really dark. I guess it's because the tone of the story is dark too. I thought the people in this world are sad. Everything in the story is robotic and mechanical. I hope it's not like this in the future. Cars move super fast, and advertisements are really long. The setting affects the story because since it is set in the future, people knew what sadness came from. I guess part of stress came from books... it creates envy, and different evil feelings. The setting also created the mood of strangeness. Houses were burned, and it definitly created a new atmosphere of the idea of a dystopian world.

Characters of Fahrenheit 451.

Characters in Fahrenheit 451 are very odd and interesting, I must say! The first character I will introduce to you is...... Montag!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Hahaha.) Montag is a protagonist in the story. He is a firemen who is very curious about the past world (the story is set in the future.) His curiosity draws him into the conflicts in the story. His job is to put a house on fire, where it is stored with books since books aren't allowed at this time anymore. However, as he becomes friends with a seventeen year old girl, he gets curious with the books. He tries to find meanings in literature. It's interesting that firemen in the book have to actually lit houses on fire, rather than preventing them. I thought the author was smart in the use of his ideas. Montag gets really confused and frustrated in the book, but I can agree that I will feel that way if I were him too.

Clarisse is a protagonist in the story also. She is a weird girl, who loves talking, especially about life, literature, nature, and etc, while others in the world don't. She talks to Montag, and draws curiosity to Montag. I guess she would be considered normal in our world, since it's not like people don't have emotions in this world.

Mildred is Montag's wife. She is just as strange as the others in the story's world. She has no emotions, knowledge about the past, and she doesn't read. She becomes an antagonist in the book. She is a tv addict. I don't understand why Montag would marry her. He says he's in love, but I don't think he really was. She is a very sad person, because she commits suicide.

Beatty is the antagonist in the book. Beatty is a firemen also. He gives a speech about the history of the firemen. He says books are weapons, and it brings unhappiness. I think the character was complicated in a way. I thought he was a sad character also because he didn't want to face any sadness in the world. I thought he was selfish also. He can read well but he doesn't let others read. He uses robotic dogs to search for Montag, when Montag gets into trouble. I really did not like Beatty in the book. He seems so stupid because he thinks books are bad!

Professor Faber is the protagonist in the book. He used to be an English professor. He feels bad that he would not speak out to the world that the cause of the stupidness in the world is because books are banned. He really loves books, and he also influences Montag to be interested in literature. He helps out Montag. I think I would feel the same way as Professor Faber. I would be too afraid to speak out because it would be dangerous for me. I can possibly die!

Mood of Fahrenheit 451

The mood of this book is serious. For most books that have a serious mood, I do not like them. However, I thought this book was very interesting, so it kept me reading!!
Also, the mood of this book is very odd and it's full of curiosity and mystery. For instance, in the world of Fahrenheit 451, people weren't allowed to have books. Firemens had to burn them!
Also, people did not have any emotions. They were practically all robotic! However, Montag met this seventeen year old girl, which made him curious about the world. What makes the mood strange is that people don't remember the days back then where they had literature and etc. It was really strange, and it made me realize how bad this society was! There's barely comedy and joy in this book. However, I really loved this book!

Jeje, the Goddess of YOUR WORLD! <3

Hey y'all!

If I could be a goddess, that would be really really a-w-e-s-o-m-e.

If I were to be a goddess, I would want to have the power to read people's minds. Wouldn't it be fun to know what someone's thinking in their heads?

Also, I want to have the power to fly. I can help people reach objectss from places high above their heads and I could look for danger in the bird's eyeview.

Thirdly, I would be able to lift things up by my super-power force, without touching the object.

Fourth, with a swish of my hand, I would be able to make objects appear from my imagination. Through this, I could make people happy through gifts.

By having all of these abilities, I would like to come to the mortals and make them happy when they are sad, or when they have no hope.

For my physical characteristics, I would have feathered wings to fly, and I would have beautiful, long silky hair. I wouldn't want to look like a monster because that would scare the people away. I'm a friendly goddess unlike the Aphrodite. I would rather be a problem solver than a problem maker. My outfit would change depending on the latest trend of fashion because I want to be the goddess of the modern world.

That would be Jeje, the Goddess of YOUR WORLD! :)

Siren

Siren (sī'run)

Siren is one of three sea nymphs, usually represented with the head of a woman and the body of a bird. (Very weird!) They are the daughters of Phorces or of Achelous. They were formerly handmaidens of the goddess Persephone. When the girl was secretly abducted by Haides, Demeter gave them the bodies of birds, and sent to assist in the search (Theoi).

According to Factmonster,The Sirens were on an island surrounded by dangerous rocks. They sang so enchantingly that all who heard were drawn near and shipwrecked. Jason and the Argonauts were saved from them by the music of Orpheus, whose songs were lovelier. Odysseus escaped them by having himself tied securely to a mast and by stopping the ears of his men (Factmonster). The Seirenes were so mad to see a man hear their song and escape. They threw themselves into the sea and drowned(Theoi).

Just like all monsters, even though Sirens attracted sailors, they destroyed the sailors' lives.

http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/ent/A0845391.%20html

http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Seirenes.html

Goddess of Cupid<333

Guess what's everyone's favorite Greek mythological goddess is? You know it, it's Aphrodite<3 !!



According to the source, Theoi Project, Aphrodite was the great Olympian goddess of beauty, love, pleasure and and procreation. (Theoi) According to The Odyssey she was the daughter of Zeus and Dione. Other myths say Aphrodite arose from the foam of the blood of Uranus after Cronus castrated him, and floated on the sea to Greece, where she was met by the Three Charities named Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia, the goddesses of beauty. In addition, Aphorodite originated from Cyprus and Cythera. (Theoi)

When the 3 goddesses, Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, competed for the golden apple, they appealed to Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, to judge which of them was the most beautiful. Paris judged the goddess of beauty to be the loveliest. In return for his verdict, Aphrodite promised Paris the loveliest mortal as wife. Unfortunately, this mortal woman was Helen of Sparta, the wife of Menelaus. Paris took the prize that had been awarded him by Aphrodite anyway, and so started the most famous war in history, that between the Greeks and Trojans. (Crystal links)

1. Ofcourse, there are other stories about Aphrodite.
   It's so funny that all conflicts involved with Aphrodite deals with love affairs! (Ofcourse because she's the goddess of love!)
   Aphrodite has love affairs with SO MANY guys.
   
   Here's the list of immortals: Ares, Dionysos, Hephaistos, Hermes, Nerites, Poseidon, and even her father, Zeus tries to rape her... totally gross!
   
   Mortals: Adonis, Ankhises, Boutes, Phaon, and Phaethon.
   
   Aphrodite is very different from Hercules. First of all, she doesn't have the super strength like Hercules. However, she has a MASSIVE power of attracting guys to fall in love with her because she's so beautiful. Also, she may be a hero for some, because she cursed people to fall in love with a person. However, she might be a bad goddess for some. According to crystal links, in many of the myths involving her, is characterized as vain, ill-tempered and easily offended. She is frequently unfaithful to her husband. Also, her beauty has caused conflicts between the Gods. (Theoi)
   
   Aphrodite is somewhat similar to Hercules because:

• She was very protective of her son fighting in the Trojan war and saved his life.
• Aphrodite helps Hippomenes to win a footrace against Atalanta to win Atalanta's hand in marriage, giving him three golden apples to distract her with. However, when the couple fails to thank Aphrodite, she has them turned into lions. (Crystallinks)

http://www.crystalinks.com/aphrodite.html
http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/grecoromanmyth1/p/Aphrodite.htm
http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Aphrodite.html

Entry of My Choice

Yes, my last entry!!!!!!!!!! :)

This entry will be the entry of who I will recommend this book to.

Girls: Do not read this book unless you would like to see how kids act when they are stranded in an island with no rules, and no adults.

Boys: I think you'll like this book.

Personally, I could not connect with this book much because I believe this book was more for boys. There is too much fighting and violence in this book. The only connection that I can pinpoint was that there is sin everywhere in the world. From my experience of moving to places, and from listening to other people's experiences of traveling, everyone says that there's always something that is going to be evil or discomforting. However, just like Ralph had Piggy by his side, you'll always have a person to rely on.

Also, I do not books that deal with hunting, and living in total wilderness.

If girls were to live in this island, I think girls would cooperate better. Also, they would not cause all this violence. However, I think girls would lack hunting skills so they would all end up starving to death.

The Setting

The setting in this novel is extremely disturbing. This is one of the reason why I do not favor this novel. The shelters were all burning, and the forest in the island were burning up because of the violence that the kids have caused. Also, the island becomes very dirty and bloody. It was very weird that pigs were living in this island. The kids were killing pigs to eat for meat, and for the sacrifice of the monster living in the island. The setting was portrayed as a dystopia. If I were to live in this island, I would be very fearful. The kids in the island believed that there was a beast living in this island. Moreover, there were no grownups in this island, which meant that there were no rules. I believe the island was a symbolism for the world.

Main Characters

I will introduce you four main characters in this novel: Ralph, Piggy, Simon, and Jack.

Ralph was the "chief" of the group of kids stranded in the island in the beginning of the novel. He always uses the conch to get the attention from the kids. He has great leadership of taking charge. While other kids' minds were all in having fun and taking adventures through the forests, Ralph cared about building shelters, getting foods, sanitation, and etc.

I liked Ralph because he knew what was right for them. He was the one who had the closest mind of an adult. Even though there were discouragements to quit being the chief of his group, he maintained to stay put in his hope of being rescued, and to go back to the world where adults were.

Ralph's friend, Piggy, was a weak character. He supports Ralph, and he believes in the world scientifically. I liked Piggy because he supported Ralph straight throughout the book, and he was a true friend to Ralph. It was really sad when Piggy died. Ralph had no one to talk to after Piggy died.

Simon is also a protagonist in the book. Simon is kind also to the littleuns in the island and he is willing to work for the good of the society. I liked Simon because he was the only character who was naturally good straight throughout the book.

Lastly, Jack is the antagonist in the book. Jack leads the group of hunters. I do not like Jack because he liked being powerful, and he made decisions that were not right. He becomes obsessed in killing pigs and painting this face in red. Jack was a total animal, which has lead through many problems in this novel. I am total opposite of Jack since I hate violence and blood.

In this world, there are protagonists and antagonists. The characters in this book symbolized the protagonists and the antagonists. Moreover, the island was symbolized as the world. No matter where you are, there will always be the good and the bad. I believe this is true in my opinion. There is evil everywhere in the world.

Memorable Passage

This passage was very significant in the novel:
"But the island was scorched up like dead wood- Simon was dead- and Jack had.... The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himslef up to them now for the first time on the island; great,sudderingspasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. And in the middle of them, with filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy."
The kids realized that they needed adults to take care of them. They were crying because they had missed being in their homes, where everything was under control. Also, this passage portrayed the importance of Ralph's friendship with Piggy. After all the violence the kids have gone through in the island, the characters knew that it was time to tuck in all their thoughts of violence, and go back being a normal kid.

Moooooooooood

The mood of this novel is serious and violent. The kids are out of control, and there were moments of terror. The two main characters were killed, and there were feelings of fear to survive in this island. Moreover, enemies were formed and kids were fighting over to be the leader of the group. The kids do not know how to control themselves. Also, they killed pigs for meat. The book was very gruesome, which I did not like.

No, the mood does not sadden me. It made me frustrated! The kids are totally out of control and I was frustrated that they were just fussing about being the leader. I was wondering: why can't they just control their emotions and suck it up being total lunatics? I was questioning in the book what the age of the characters were. Also, are all the kids in the island boys?

Major Theme

Hello. I have been reading this "amazing" novel called "The Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. The major theme of this novel is: Kids need adults to take care of them. Without adults, kids will be out of control. I totally agree with this theme. This theme was well portrayed because the kids stranded in the island of nowhere caused total chaos of murder and fights. They always fought about who the leader should be, and there were no rules regardless of doing what is right for them. As time went by in the island, the island became more dangerous and hectic.

This theme is important to a teenager living in 2008 because many teenagers struggle through following the rules of the adults, and many wish they could be independent. I, too, sometimes struggle through these situations. This book portrays that kids should obey and listen to the rules given by the adults because it is for the good of ourselves. Rules help us to do what is right. So, kids listen up: obey your parents. :)