Jeremy, as a turtle, had a shell he used as his home and fortress. Whenever something happened in the world that he couldn't deal with, he would slip inside his shell and wait it out. It was a good strategy for a while, but soon he grew so used to hiding that he even hid from his friends. His friends understood at first, but when he started to hide from them, they felt he was being rude by ignoring how they felt. They missed Jeremy, but grew to think that they were better off without him in their lives since he was always so inconsiderate towards their feelings.
It took a while, but Jeremy finally realized that his friends no longer came to visit his shell. At first he didn't mind and was content to spend the days in his shell. Eventually he grew lonely and weary of hiding. He decided to seek out his old friends. When he came to the tree they usually gathered under, he peered out from the tall grass and looked upon his friends gathered there. He observed them having fun and enjoying each others' company. All of a sudden, he really wanted to be a part of it. He didn't think he could handle it though, and he turned to leave. As he turned, he heard the rabbit ask, "Has anyone seen Jeremy lately? I miss him coming to our gatherings." The other animals looked sad when the rabbit said that.
Seeing the looks on their faces, Jeremy realised he had been completely rude and self-absorbed. By hiding from the world, he hadn't made things easier and better, he'd only made everyone hurt. It took all his courage, but Jeremy stepped slowly into the clearing and greeted his friends with a timid hello. Jeremy's friends were all glad to see him, and after he apologised for being so inconsiderate, they welcomed him back into their group with open arms. Jeremy was really glad he had apologised to his friends so they could all be happy together again.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Journal #1 Native Americans
The things I know about Native American culture are pretty standard. It bothers me when people call them Native Americans because technically they aren't native to America. They'd been here a long time before the white man showed up, but they had to migrate here like everyone else. I was in the a museum once and saw a sign that said they had most likely migrated from Northern Asia across the Bering Strait when it was still connected.
In some ways, their way of life was a lot less complicated than our lives are today. Many of them were nomadic and traveled around a specific region each year in search of food. They respected the land and tried not do do anything damaging other than what was necessary. They had a fantastic sense of community within the tribe. the leader of the tribe was chosen by the rest of the tribe, and the leader made most of the descions. He could be overruled by the other members of the tribe though. Based on what I've read for my book in A.P. U.S. History, the American Indians' political system sounds a lot better than ours as far as corrupt politicians.
Their lifestyle was also harder than ours today. We don't have to hunt and roam the earth in search of our food most of the time. That's really only a recreational activity now.
I know that women were treated much better in their society than ours were treated at the time. Women were treated with respect in the tribe, and some of them carried quite a lot of weight. I love how if a woman wanted to divorce her husband, all she had to do was put his hunting gear outside their dwelling. I can't remember what tribe that was, but I like it.
I remember from history class that the Native Americans were polytheistic. They had many gods they worshiped and prayed to for any number of things. Even though the European people saw them as heathen people without a religion, they were really a very religious people. They always have very interesting stories about their religion, which are cool even if you don't believe the things they do.
In some ways, their way of life was a lot less complicated than our lives are today. Many of them were nomadic and traveled around a specific region each year in search of food. They respected the land and tried not do do anything damaging other than what was necessary. They had a fantastic sense of community within the tribe. the leader of the tribe was chosen by the rest of the tribe, and the leader made most of the descions. He could be overruled by the other members of the tribe though. Based on what I've read for my book in A.P. U.S. History, the American Indians' political system sounds a lot better than ours as far as corrupt politicians.
Their lifestyle was also harder than ours today. We don't have to hunt and roam the earth in search of our food most of the time. That's really only a recreational activity now.
I know that women were treated much better in their society than ours were treated at the time. Women were treated with respect in the tribe, and some of them carried quite a lot of weight. I love how if a woman wanted to divorce her husband, all she had to do was put his hunting gear outside their dwelling. I can't remember what tribe that was, but I like it.
I remember from history class that the Native Americans were polytheistic. They had many gods they worshiped and prayed to for any number of things. Even though the European people saw them as heathen people without a religion, they were really a very religious people. They always have very interesting stories about their religion, which are cool even if you don't believe the things they do.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Journal
The symbolism at the end of Catcher in the Rye was by far my favorite. Holden and his sister Phoebe are in the zoo, and they see the carousel that they remember riding all the time when they were little. Phoebe is convinced that she's too old for it anymore, but Holden convinces her to go for a ride while he watches. As she rides, Holden becomes extremely happy while out in the rain watching her.
I love the symbolism of that. All throughout the novel, Holden is depressed and angry at the world around him. He thinks everyone is phony. He wants to be the catcher in the rye to save the innocence of children of the world. I think seeing Phoebe so simply happy on the carousel gave him hope that we could revert back to that state of joy. It was related to his dream of the rye field in that he had helped bring a child back from the cliff. If Phoebe had gone with him, she would have fallen off the cliff, but in convincing her to enjoy the carousel, he steered her back toward the rye. To me, the heavy rain that falls when he realises this symbolises the washing away of his way of thinking. The symbolic rain represents a fresh start that Holden can use to keep anyone from feeling the way he did.
I just love that idea. I think we all wish at some point to go back to the easy, carefree happiness we had as small children and would be grateful for Holden to reach out and catch us.
I love the symbolism of that. All throughout the novel, Holden is depressed and angry at the world around him. He thinks everyone is phony. He wants to be the catcher in the rye to save the innocence of children of the world. I think seeing Phoebe so simply happy on the carousel gave him hope that we could revert back to that state of joy. It was related to his dream of the rye field in that he had helped bring a child back from the cliff. If Phoebe had gone with him, she would have fallen off the cliff, but in convincing her to enjoy the carousel, he steered her back toward the rye. To me, the heavy rain that falls when he realises this symbolises the washing away of his way of thinking. The symbolic rain represents a fresh start that Holden can use to keep anyone from feeling the way he did.
I just love that idea. I think we all wish at some point to go back to the easy, carefree happiness we had as small children and would be grateful for Holden to reach out and catch us.
Catcher in the Rye End Thoughts/ Overall Summer Reading View
As a whole, I thought The Catcher in the Rye was a great book. There were some parts that were excellent and some that were not so good, but it never reached the level of terrible. I was compelled by the story of Holden Caulfield to stay up late reading on a school night, which is something I do only very occasionally for the good books.
These books, Catcher in the Rye especially, have changed how I think about some things. I find myself calling people phonies all the time now. I must have picked that up from Holden in Catcher in the Rye. I also get a lot more of the references to these books in other aspects of today's culture.
This summer was actually the first time that I enjoyed reading the books we were supposed to read. I thought Fahrenheit 451 and Catcher in the Rye were both very good books. The Old Man and the Sea and Grapes of Wrath I could have done without, but they were both better than I was expecting them to be.
Not that I have anything against the English department, but I really don't see why we have to read those specific books. There are plenty of other books out there that have the same general theme to them that we could have picked from instead.
This is a completely different topic, but I thought it was weird that in the most recent presidential assassinations, the killers have had a copy of Catcher in the Rye with them. I had never heard that before. It influenced them that much. Even if it didn't, and it was just a huge coincidence, it's still impressive. That's my biggest goal in life: to write something that will have influence over people. Maybe not quite in the way I described earlier, but influential. I want to write something like these books- a classic that will live forever, but one that's actually good.
These books, Catcher in the Rye especially, have changed how I think about some things. I find myself calling people phonies all the time now. I must have picked that up from Holden in Catcher in the Rye. I also get a lot more of the references to these books in other aspects of today's culture.
This summer was actually the first time that I enjoyed reading the books we were supposed to read. I thought Fahrenheit 451 and Catcher in the Rye were both very good books. The Old Man and the Sea and Grapes of Wrath I could have done without, but they were both better than I was expecting them to be.
Not that I have anything against the English department, but I really don't see why we have to read those specific books. There are plenty of other books out there that have the same general theme to them that we could have picked from instead.
This is a completely different topic, but I thought it was weird that in the most recent presidential assassinations, the killers have had a copy of Catcher in the Rye with them. I had never heard that before. It influenced them that much. Even if it didn't, and it was just a huge coincidence, it's still impressive. That's my biggest goal in life: to write something that will have influence over people. Maybe not quite in the way I described earlier, but influential. I want to write something like these books- a classic that will live forever, but one that's actually good.
Catcher in the Rye chapter 23 - the end
These chapters were really good, in my opinion. Not only was I really excited that I finally finished the book, I thought the end scene was amazing. There was just something in it's simplicity that really stood out and grabbed my interest.
That whole thing with Mr. Antolini was weird. He seemed like such a normal guy. Who would have thought he would have maybe been a pervert? It's possible he had other reasons for petting Holden's head while he was asleep, but none come to mind quickly. Holden was absolutely right to get out of there as fast as he could. He regretted leaving later, but it's always better safe than sorry. No matter how annoying that saying is.
I thought it was really sweet when Phoebe decided she was going west with her brother. They really are very close; you can tell. Her joining him was really the only thing that managed to get Holden to stay. In arguing with her, he lost his desire to go, just like that. He really needs to learn to care about things more. If he could pick one thing and be really dedicated to it, I think it would do him a lot of good.
In class the other day, someone said something about Holden being a patient at a mental hospital. I can't believe I missed that. I re-read the beginning of the book just to find out if that was true, and recognized that it was. It makes complete sense. He actually does need mental attention. Hopefully it helps him and doesn't make him even more depressed and screwed up.
His fantasy of hitchhiking to the west sounded like a great idea and a bad idea at the same time. It would be a great idea to get away from all the things that make you angry, depressed, and tired. I think, though, you would start to miss the things you left behind after a while. It would get so monotonous to have to pretend to be a deaf-mute all the time.
That whole thing with Mr. Antolini was weird. He seemed like such a normal guy. Who would have thought he would have maybe been a pervert? It's possible he had other reasons for petting Holden's head while he was asleep, but none come to mind quickly. Holden was absolutely right to get out of there as fast as he could. He regretted leaving later, but it's always better safe than sorry. No matter how annoying that saying is.
I thought it was really sweet when Phoebe decided she was going west with her brother. They really are very close; you can tell. Her joining him was really the only thing that managed to get Holden to stay. In arguing with her, he lost his desire to go, just like that. He really needs to learn to care about things more. If he could pick one thing and be really dedicated to it, I think it would do him a lot of good.
In class the other day, someone said something about Holden being a patient at a mental hospital. I can't believe I missed that. I re-read the beginning of the book just to find out if that was true, and recognized that it was. It makes complete sense. He actually does need mental attention. Hopefully it helps him and doesn't make him even more depressed and screwed up.
His fantasy of hitchhiking to the west sounded like a great idea and a bad idea at the same time. It would be a great idea to get away from all the things that make you angry, depressed, and tired. I think, though, you would start to miss the things you left behind after a while. It would get so monotonous to have to pretend to be a deaf-mute all the time.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Catcher in the Rye chapters 20, 21, and 22
Now I finally get what we were talking about in class earlier. We were talking about close to the ending where Holden gets the poem mixed up. I liked that part. he says he wants to stand in a field of rye where there are a bunch of kids playing, and when one gets too close to the edge of the cliff, he'll be the one to catch them. The catcher in the rye. It's a noble occupation, even looking at it both ways. If you look at it literally, saving kids from falling off cliffs is a very good thing. If you look at it more symbolically, it's still good. I think what he really wants to do, when he says he wants to be the catcher in the rye, is save the kids from themselves and the world around them. He doesn't want them to have to experience the things he did, as he grew up. Facing reality is hard as a kid, and he wants to save them from that. Or it could be that he wants to save them from the depression that he feels accompanies being an adult. When they're running and playing, they are happy, and he wants to save them from falling into that depression. Sometimes I wish he could have caught me.
Because of that little revelation in chapter twenty-three, I finally get the significance of the title. It was starting to bother me because it has nothing to do with anything up until this explanation.
His sister sounds awesome. Any little girl that has blue pajamas with red elephants on them is okay with me. She almost immediately calls Holden on his bluff. She's obviously very observant. I can't believe their parents left her home alone in New York City at night. They probably live in one of the better neighborhoods, but that doesn't really mean anything in New York. You can tell that Holden would get really messed up, even more so than he already is, if anything happened to her. She's one of the few things he actually cares about.
Because of that little revelation in chapter twenty-three, I finally get the significance of the title. It was starting to bother me because it has nothing to do with anything up until this explanation.
His sister sounds awesome. Any little girl that has blue pajamas with red elephants on them is okay with me. She almost immediately calls Holden on his bluff. She's obviously very observant. I can't believe their parents left her home alone in New York City at night. They probably live in one of the better neighborhoods, but that doesn't really mean anything in New York. You can tell that Holden would get really messed up, even more so than he already is, if anything happened to her. She's one of the few things he actually cares about.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Catcher in the Rye chapters 17, 18, and 19
Even though it's late now, I decided I'd finish these blogs. I already spent so much time on the book it seems like a waste to not finish it up. Same with the blogs. If I don't finish them eventually, it'll just drive me crazy.
These were some more good chapters. I really like Holden's view on the world. He sees the fake people and all the crap they pull, and calls them out for it. One thing I don't get, though, is why he goes to movies and does things he can't stand with people he sort of hates. I don't understand why he would put up with stuff like that if all it does is make him angry and depressed.
I loved it when he was telling Sally what he thought of the world and her. It may have been rude, but she totally deserved it. Looks like Holden's not going to decorate the Christmas tree with her this year.
I think it's funny when Holden's talking about boring people. "They don't hurt anybody, most of them, and maybe they're secretly all terrific whistlers or something." If only.
That movie Holden went to see in chapter eighteen sounded pretty ridiculous. Real life is never like that. I can only imagine how especially cheesy it must have been back then. I've said it earlier, but I don't get why Holden does stuff that will only make him depressed. Maybe he really does need to go see Luce's dad, the psychoanalyst. If he thinks Luce is an okay guy, he'll probably think his dad is alright too.
Even if Holden doesn't want to go home right now because of his parents, I really think he should. He even admitted in chapter nineteen that he was "lonesome as hell". If he went home, he could hang out with Jane again instead of having to hang up every time her mother answers the phone instead of her.
These were some more good chapters. I really like Holden's view on the world. He sees the fake people and all the crap they pull, and calls them out for it. One thing I don't get, though, is why he goes to movies and does things he can't stand with people he sort of hates. I don't understand why he would put up with stuff like that if all it does is make him angry and depressed.
I loved it when he was telling Sally what he thought of the world and her. It may have been rude, but she totally deserved it. Looks like Holden's not going to decorate the Christmas tree with her this year.
I think it's funny when Holden's talking about boring people. "They don't hurt anybody, most of them, and maybe they're secretly all terrific whistlers or something." If only.
That movie Holden went to see in chapter eighteen sounded pretty ridiculous. Real life is never like that. I can only imagine how especially cheesy it must have been back then. I've said it earlier, but I don't get why Holden does stuff that will only make him depressed. Maybe he really does need to go see Luce's dad, the psychoanalyst. If he thinks Luce is an okay guy, he'll probably think his dad is alright too.
Even if Holden doesn't want to go home right now because of his parents, I really think he should. He even admitted in chapter nineteen that he was "lonesome as hell". If he went home, he could hang out with Jane again instead of having to hang up every time her mother answers the phone instead of her.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Comparisons of Summer Reading Books
Even though I haven't finished The Catcher in the Rye yet, I thought I'd better do this blog now to make sure I got it in. Just in case I can't finish all of my blogs in the morning, I wanted to make sure this one was done.
Fahrenheit 451 was by far my favorite book this summer. I have always loved books by Ray Bradbury, so this one was practically already my favorite before I even started to read it. I loved the story, and the characters were awesome. There were a few rough patches that I didn't like that much, but they were overshadowed by the rest of the books epic-ness.
The Catcher in the Rye was my second favorite book this summer. I haven't read it all the way through yet, but I like what I've read so far. Especially compared to the other two books I read this summer for class. I've enjoyed this much more than The Grapes of Wrath and The Old Man and the Sea, but I haven't enjoyed it as much as Fahrenheit 451. Hence the second place ranking.
The Grapes of Wrath was an okay book all the way up to the end. The ending just completely ruined it for me. I liked a few of the characters, but the rest of them just annoyed me. The plot and action were okay, but I wasn't too interested in them.
The Old Man and the Sea was awful in my opinion. It totally deserves the fourth and last place in my ranking of the summer books. I thought it was boring and that the characters were boring too. Really the only good thing I can find to say about this book now is that it had a realistic ending. And that it was short and over with quickly.
All in all, the books this summer were definitely collectively better than the past two years I've been in Honors English.
Fahrenheit 451 was by far my favorite book this summer. I have always loved books by Ray Bradbury, so this one was practically already my favorite before I even started to read it. I loved the story, and the characters were awesome. There were a few rough patches that I didn't like that much, but they were overshadowed by the rest of the books epic-ness.
The Catcher in the Rye was my second favorite book this summer. I haven't read it all the way through yet, but I like what I've read so far. Especially compared to the other two books I read this summer for class. I've enjoyed this much more than The Grapes of Wrath and The Old Man and the Sea, but I haven't enjoyed it as much as Fahrenheit 451. Hence the second place ranking.
The Grapes of Wrath was an okay book all the way up to the end. The ending just completely ruined it for me. I liked a few of the characters, but the rest of them just annoyed me. The plot and action were okay, but I wasn't too interested in them.
The Old Man and the Sea was awful in my opinion. It totally deserves the fourth and last place in my ranking of the summer books. I thought it was boring and that the characters were boring too. Really the only good thing I can find to say about this book now is that it had a realistic ending. And that it was short and over with quickly.
All in all, the books this summer were definitely collectively better than the past two years I've been in Honors English.
Vernacular of Catcher in the Rye
I definitely prefer the speech in this book to that of The Grapes of Wrath and The Old Man and the Sea . It still makes the people sound uneducated and lazy, but not nearly as bad as the other two. Fahrenheit 451 was definitely the best about the speech. The Catcher in the Rye comes in second, The Old Man and the Sea comes in third, and The Grapes of Wrath comes in very last.
This book doesn't make me think like a hick, like I really try to avoid, but it does do something else. It makes me want to swear a lot. The Grapes of Wrath made me want to a little bit, but nothing like this. Holden swears a lot, but never really much out loud or around other people. He mainly swears in his thoughts or when he's talking with one of his school mates. He keeps calling everyone "old" even if they are younger than he is. I know he doesn't really mean it as an age indicator, but it still really annoys me. I do like how he calls the people he hates "prince". The sarcasm and irony in that just make me smile every time he does.
He uses the word "goddamn" a lot, which really annoys me. Not for any religious reasons, particularly, even though it is a sin. He can sin if he wants to, it's not my business. He uses it all the time though, and it makes him sound stupid. I always think people sound stupid when they swear, which is why I hardly ever do it. It makes me think they don't have a very big vocabulary or that they're really lazy or both. I also think it's obnoxious.
That's really the only problem I have with the speech in this book. Well other than the old-fashioned words. I can forgive those though, considering they weren't old fashioned when the book was written.
This book doesn't make me think like a hick, like I really try to avoid, but it does do something else. It makes me want to swear a lot. The Grapes of Wrath made me want to a little bit, but nothing like this. Holden swears a lot, but never really much out loud or around other people. He mainly swears in his thoughts or when he's talking with one of his school mates. He keeps calling everyone "old" even if they are younger than he is. I know he doesn't really mean it as an age indicator, but it still really annoys me. I do like how he calls the people he hates "prince". The sarcasm and irony in that just make me smile every time he does.
He uses the word "goddamn" a lot, which really annoys me. Not for any religious reasons, particularly, even though it is a sin. He can sin if he wants to, it's not my business. He uses it all the time though, and it makes him sound stupid. I always think people sound stupid when they swear, which is why I hardly ever do it. It makes me think they don't have a very big vocabulary or that they're really lazy or both. I also think it's obnoxious.
That's really the only problem I have with the speech in this book. Well other than the old-fashioned words. I can forgive those though, considering they weren't old fashioned when the book was written.
Catcher in the Rye chapter 16
This chapter was pretty interesting. Not the most interesting so far, but not the worst either. This chapter is about how Holden kills the time until his date with Sally. He goes to a record store and buys a record for his sister then goes to Central Park and the Museum of Natural History to look for her so he can give it to her. It think it's sweet how much he loves his sister.
Holden gets depressed too easily in my opinion. He'd either agree with me or get angry that I'm poking into his feelings. If he agreed, I suggest he go see a psychologist or someone like that. Only problem with that is he'd probably think they were all phony. Which in my limited contact with them is mostly true. If he disagreed with me, I'd have to tell him to drop it because he's the one who wrote the book in the first place. Since Holden is only a fictional character and not real in any way, it doesn't really matter. I just think of random things like this when I'm reading. That's what makes me such a good reader - I forget the characters aren't real.
I love Holden's description of the Natural History Museum. He feels that some things should be able to be added among the glass displays. That some moments deserve to live forever. He knows that once you've been to a museum before, you don't keep going back because you really want to see the exhibits again. You keep going back for all the memories the displays hold. The atmosphere plays a big part in a museum's success too. Like the auditorium that smells like rain or the feeling of travelling back in time. I've always wanted to go to the Museum of Natural History in New York City, and it was nice to read a description of it that didn't sound like a museum trying to bring in people for profit.
Holden gets depressed too easily in my opinion. He'd either agree with me or get angry that I'm poking into his feelings. If he agreed, I suggest he go see a psychologist or someone like that. Only problem with that is he'd probably think they were all phony. Which in my limited contact with them is mostly true. If he disagreed with me, I'd have to tell him to drop it because he's the one who wrote the book in the first place. Since Holden is only a fictional character and not real in any way, it doesn't really matter. I just think of random things like this when I'm reading. That's what makes me such a good reader - I forget the characters aren't real.
I love Holden's description of the Natural History Museum. He feels that some things should be able to be added among the glass displays. That some moments deserve to live forever. He knows that once you've been to a museum before, you don't keep going back because you really want to see the exhibits again. You keep going back for all the memories the displays hold. The atmosphere plays a big part in a museum's success too. Like the auditorium that smells like rain or the feeling of travelling back in time. I've always wanted to go to the Museum of Natural History in New York City, and it was nice to read a description of it that didn't sound like a museum trying to bring in people for profit.
Catcher in the Rye Halfway Thoughts
Every time I type that title I feel like I'm about to start a Deep Thoughts segment on Saturday Night Live. I don't really know why, but it just feels like that sometimes.
Anyway, I'm getting sick of analyzing this book. I'm usually a very analytical person in other subjects, but I hate analyzing books in English. In order to reach the minimum fifty blogs, I have to analyse basically every chapter. Like I said before, in my recreational reading, I never start to analyze the book until the end. The only time I break that habit is if the book is either really awful or absolutely terrific. If the first I analyze whether it would be worth my time to continue reading the book, or just put it down. If the latter, I analyse it to see if I should be devoting more time to reading it. If it's just another moderately good book like The Catcher in the Rye is, I don't really analyse it until the end of the story. I just follow the story of the book and enjoy it. Only if something really shocking or exciting happens will I analyze it anywhere other than the end. None of these books this summer have had many thrills in them, which is what makes me dislike reading them and analyzing them so much. I'd probably have no quarrel with them if we didn't have to write anything about them.
As for symbolism and politics and such, I've seen none in this book so far. It could be that I don't really care enough about the book to be looking hard enough, that I'm dense and don't pick up on the subtleties of writing, or that there really has been nothing so far. To me it's just a decent story about an average sounding kid that I'm glad I checked out from the library. I don't think I would have wanted to spend fifteen dollars on this, but for free, it's pretty good.
Anyway, I'm getting sick of analyzing this book. I'm usually a very analytical person in other subjects, but I hate analyzing books in English. In order to reach the minimum fifty blogs, I have to analyse basically every chapter. Like I said before, in my recreational reading, I never start to analyze the book until the end. The only time I break that habit is if the book is either really awful or absolutely terrific. If the first I analyze whether it would be worth my time to continue reading the book, or just put it down. If the latter, I analyse it to see if I should be devoting more time to reading it. If it's just another moderately good book like The Catcher in the Rye is, I don't really analyse it until the end of the story. I just follow the story of the book and enjoy it. Only if something really shocking or exciting happens will I analyze it anywhere other than the end. None of these books this summer have had many thrills in them, which is what makes me dislike reading them and analyzing them so much. I'd probably have no quarrel with them if we didn't have to write anything about them.
As for symbolism and politics and such, I've seen none in this book so far. It could be that I don't really care enough about the book to be looking hard enough, that I'm dense and don't pick up on the subtleties of writing, or that there really has been nothing so far. To me it's just a decent story about an average sounding kid that I'm glad I checked out from the library. I don't think I would have wanted to spend fifteen dollars on this, but for free, it's pretty good.
Catcher in the Rye chapter 15
This chapter was a good one. Holden is a weird kid. Part of the reason he's like that is that weird things always happen to him. Not to mention he lives in New York. Those things mess with a person. Anyway, I liked when Holden told of how he hated cheap suitcases. His room mate sound like a real fake. Which is an oxymoron by the way. He's poor, and he hates Holden for being rich. He still asks to borrow Holden's expensive pen and pretends Holden's suitcases are really his. That's ridiculous. I feel kind of sorry for Holden that he's never met very many people who he can really relate to. It's seems like he's always surrounded by losers and posers. No wonder he wants to kill himself sometimes.
The nuns were really nice people in this chapter, which I think is important. Too many books and other aspects of the media make nuns out to be annoyingly dedicated to their religion or the super-strict teachers in Catholic schools. In one book I read, one of the characters were afraid of nuns because they were too perfect. These ones in this book are actually real people. I like how Holden was afraid they were going to ask him if he was Catholic. I hate it when people ask me that too. Not all of them do this, but some just completely shun you if you're not Catholic. Which is true for people of all religions, I guess. It just seems like you hear more about Catholics than the others. Except for the Jehovah's witnesses, you hear a lot about them.
One of the few things I've found about Holden that I don't like is that he smokes a lot. I hate it when people smoke. For old people it's a little better because when they started smoking, they may not have known how stupid and unhealthy it was. When it's a young person however, I kind of just want to hit them. It's completely stupid. You'd think a person with as much sense as Holden would know better.
The nuns were really nice people in this chapter, which I think is important. Too many books and other aspects of the media make nuns out to be annoyingly dedicated to their religion or the super-strict teachers in Catholic schools. In one book I read, one of the characters were afraid of nuns because they were too perfect. These ones in this book are actually real people. I like how Holden was afraid they were going to ask him if he was Catholic. I hate it when people ask me that too. Not all of them do this, but some just completely shun you if you're not Catholic. Which is true for people of all religions, I guess. It just seems like you hear more about Catholics than the others. Except for the Jehovah's witnesses, you hear a lot about them.
One of the few things I've found about Holden that I don't like is that he smokes a lot. I hate it when people smoke. For old people it's a little better because when they started smoking, they may not have known how stupid and unhealthy it was. When it's a young person however, I kind of just want to hit them. It's completely stupid. You'd think a person with as much sense as Holden would know better.
Catcher in the Rye chapters 13 & 14
In these chapters, Holden gets talked into having a prostitute sent to his room. My first reaction was disgust, but then I thought that it should be good for a laugh. He obviously didn't want a girl sent to his room, but the elevator guy, Maurice, is just someone you can't really say no to. Anyway, I'm really glad they didn't end up doing anything because I didn't particularly want to read something like that now. Holden gained a little of my respect in that chapter because he didn't take advantage of that girl even when she was literally right in his lap.
I find the idea that Holden is sort of atheist pretty interesting. I should have expected it, and it does make sense he would feel that way. His reasons for not liking the disciples are interesting too. I don't necessarily agree with him, but I can see where he would be coming from on that.
One thing I like about this book as a whole, and not just these few chapters, is the range of topics. In just these two chapters, the point of focus has gone from sex and prostitution to Jesus and the Disciples. Gotta love the rambling mind of a teenage guy when telling a story. I thought it was funny when he was stumbling to the bathroom after Maurice punched him. Maurice really shouldn't have done that. He did say five dollars at the beginning, but there are some people that are just crooks I guess. Anyway, I love how he has such a great imagination. That would be an awesome scene for a classic spy movie. But he wouldn't want that since he hates movies so much.
Holden's really depressed, and he keeps thinking about suicide. I'm not worried about him killing himself though. He's too sensible and particular to commit suicide. He'd have all these conditions that had to be perfect, but those conditions would never happen all at once, so he'd never actually go through with it. Not to mention the fact that this is a book with him telling his memories, so obviously he stayed alive for that.
I find the idea that Holden is sort of atheist pretty interesting. I should have expected it, and it does make sense he would feel that way. His reasons for not liking the disciples are interesting too. I don't necessarily agree with him, but I can see where he would be coming from on that.
One thing I like about this book as a whole, and not just these few chapters, is the range of topics. In just these two chapters, the point of focus has gone from sex and prostitution to Jesus and the Disciples. Gotta love the rambling mind of a teenage guy when telling a story. I thought it was funny when he was stumbling to the bathroom after Maurice punched him. Maurice really shouldn't have done that. He did say five dollars at the beginning, but there are some people that are just crooks I guess. Anyway, I love how he has such a great imagination. That would be an awesome scene for a classic spy movie. But he wouldn't want that since he hates movies so much.
Holden's really depressed, and he keeps thinking about suicide. I'm not worried about him killing himself though. He's too sensible and particular to commit suicide. He'd have all these conditions that had to be perfect, but those conditions would never happen all at once, so he'd never actually go through with it. Not to mention the fact that this is a book with him telling his memories, so obviously he stayed alive for that.
Catcher in the Rye chapters 11 & 12
These chapters were pretty good. I think I liked these better than most of the others so far. Chapter eleven was cool because Holden gives some childhood memories of him and Jane. Chapter twelve was good because of Holden's thoughts on the phony people in the club.
I really liked in chapter twelve when Holden asks the cab driver about the ducks in Central Park. I think it's funny and kind of cute that he cares so much about where some ducks go for winter. The cab driver's reaction was priceless. It was so obvious that the cab driver didn't know what in the world he was talking about and was trying to cover it up by getting angry and blustering. Then when he switched over to the fish. He actually thought he knew what he was talking about, but he didn't at all. I'm surprised Holden didn't realise the man was a phony right off the bat. To me, he seems like the kind of person who's really good at spotting the phonies.
I love the last line of chapter twelve. "People are always ruining things for you." That's so true. Like Holden, I hate it when I have to leave somewhere because of this one person, even if I don't want to go. I guess it's really your fault for having a problem with the other people in the first place, but there are some people no one can stand.
Reading this book has made me feel kind of sluggish. Not that the book is boring or anything. I like it, but Holden keeps randomly feeling depressed, and that makes me feel that way too. I can imagine his situation and identify him, and that makes me feel what he's feeling to some degree. He does have reason to get depressed, though, being surrounded by all those fake and obnoxious people. It seems like the only other character in this book who isn't either obnoxious or phony is Jane, and she's only in memories right now. Holden should call her so he can stop being depressed.
I really liked in chapter twelve when Holden asks the cab driver about the ducks in Central Park. I think it's funny and kind of cute that he cares so much about where some ducks go for winter. The cab driver's reaction was priceless. It was so obvious that the cab driver didn't know what in the world he was talking about and was trying to cover it up by getting angry and blustering. Then when he switched over to the fish. He actually thought he knew what he was talking about, but he didn't at all. I'm surprised Holden didn't realise the man was a phony right off the bat. To me, he seems like the kind of person who's really good at spotting the phonies.
I love the last line of chapter twelve. "People are always ruining things for you." That's so true. Like Holden, I hate it when I have to leave somewhere because of this one person, even if I don't want to go. I guess it's really your fault for having a problem with the other people in the first place, but there are some people no one can stand.
Reading this book has made me feel kind of sluggish. Not that the book is boring or anything. I like it, but Holden keeps randomly feeling depressed, and that makes me feel that way too. I can imagine his situation and identify him, and that makes me feel what he's feeling to some degree. He does have reason to get depressed, though, being surrounded by all those fake and obnoxious people. It seems like the only other character in this book who isn't either obnoxious or phony is Jane, and she's only in memories right now. Holden should call her so he can stop being depressed.
Catcher in the Rye chapters 9 & 10
These chapters were weird. That's all I have to say. The first one was okay, but nothing really happened. He got a room in a shady hotel. He tried to think of someone he could call because he felt like talking on the phone with someone. It was really late at night though, so the only person he came up with was this one girl who a guy at Pencey knew. Calling up some random girl he didn't even know in the hopes he might get lucky was a bad decision all around. For one, it's never a good idea, and two, he failed completely. I would have felt bad for him if he hadn't have been so stupid in the first place.
The next chapter was pretty good if it was still a little weird. He should have just stayed in his room and read a book. The women he danced with were so rude. They didn't even pay attention to him while he was dancing with them. By the sounds of it, he was a pretty good dancer too. Such a shame. The women he picked where really stupid, like Holden observed. They kept thinking they were going to see some sort of celebrity. Why on earth would they see a celebrity in such a crappy night club at such a crappy hotel? I liked when Holden lied to one of them and said he saw Gary Cooper leaving the room. Like Gary Cooper would be there. And then when she told her friends about it she said she'd seen him too. That's so stupid it's hilarious, but also sad at the same time.
I don't think I particularly had a reaction to these chapters so far other than the mild one of thinking they were kind of weird. I never really react to anything I read until I'm done with it and can look at the book as a whole and form my opinions on it.
The next chapter was pretty good if it was still a little weird. He should have just stayed in his room and read a book. The women he danced with were so rude. They didn't even pay attention to him while he was dancing with them. By the sounds of it, he was a pretty good dancer too. Such a shame. The women he picked where really stupid, like Holden observed. They kept thinking they were going to see some sort of celebrity. Why on earth would they see a celebrity in such a crappy night club at such a crappy hotel? I liked when Holden lied to one of them and said he saw Gary Cooper leaving the room. Like Gary Cooper would be there. And then when she told her friends about it she said she'd seen him too. That's so stupid it's hilarious, but also sad at the same time.
I don't think I particularly had a reaction to these chapters so far other than the mild one of thinking they were kind of weird. I never really react to anything I read until I'm done with it and can look at the book as a whole and form my opinions on it.
Catcher in the Rye chapter 8
I really liked this chapter. I thought it was pretty funny. Holden's lying ability comes out again in full force. He really lays it on thick talking to Mrs. Morrow. I'm kind of surprised she didn't realise he was lying. I guess Holden was right. Mother's can be a little insane when it comes to their children.
I found even more similarities between Holden and myself in this chapter. It's too late to call a cab, so he has to walk to the train station. He doesn't really mind though because he prefers the air. I do that sometimes too. Instead of riding the bus home, I walked because it's kind of nice to just walk somewhere.
Both of us also lie a lot. I don't lie to people I know, like my friends and family, but I do lie to perfect strangers sometimes. I don't do it as often as Holden though. It makes life more interesting. Especially if you have an average life. I like the fact that, since Holden is narrating it, I know right off the bat which statement is a lie and which one isn't. Some of them were easy, like the one where he said he was going home to have an operation for a brain tumor. But some of them weren't so easy, like the lies he told about Morrow. It was funny to read his thoughts compared to what he was actually saying.
I guess I didn't really notice it that much when he first said it, but his hair sounds really weird. He said that half of it was gray on one side. I think that would be interesting to see. I'm kind of wondering how it got to be that way.
I liked Mrs. Morrow in this chapter. She seemed like a really nice mother to have. Based on what Holden has said, it sounds like she deserves a much better child than the boy she has.
I found even more similarities between Holden and myself in this chapter. It's too late to call a cab, so he has to walk to the train station. He doesn't really mind though because he prefers the air. I do that sometimes too. Instead of riding the bus home, I walked because it's kind of nice to just walk somewhere.
Both of us also lie a lot. I don't lie to people I know, like my friends and family, but I do lie to perfect strangers sometimes. I don't do it as often as Holden though. It makes life more interesting. Especially if you have an average life. I like the fact that, since Holden is narrating it, I know right off the bat which statement is a lie and which one isn't. Some of them were easy, like the one where he said he was going home to have an operation for a brain tumor. But some of them weren't so easy, like the lies he told about Morrow. It was funny to read his thoughts compared to what he was actually saying.
I guess I didn't really notice it that much when he first said it, but his hair sounds really weird. He said that half of it was gray on one side. I think that would be interesting to see. I'm kind of wondering how it got to be that way.
I liked Mrs. Morrow in this chapter. She seemed like a really nice mother to have. Based on what Holden has said, it sounds like she deserves a much better child than the boy she has.
Catcher in the Rye chapters 6 & 7
I knew Holden would regret not going down and talking to Jane when he had the chance. He gets into a fight, if you can call it that, and loses with Stradlater over Jane. It was a pretty jerk move to not tell Holden what happened on their date, when anyone could plainly see that Holden wanted to know because he cared about Jane. I don't know for sure yet if he has romantic feelings for her, or if he was looking out for her like a big brother might. Either way, I thought his throwing a punch at Stradlater was entirely justified. Sometimes the only way you can get through to a moron is by hitting them.
If I went to Pencey, I would sure want to leave. I wouldn't have the guts to actually run away like Holden did, though. I love his parting line: "Sleep tight, ya morons!" Beautiful, yet simple, all at the same time. Even though he says he's a moron himself, I don't see it. Academically yes, but otherwise no. He's not fake like some of the other guys at his school, and he's not rude and disgusting like the others.
I hope Holden makes it to New York all right. His plan is to go and get a hotel room and lay low a few days then go home. He doesn't really have any plans after that. It's not a very well thought out plan, and I can see him doing something stupid again. He'd probably get lost in the subway system or get robbed by a pick pocket or something like that.
I'm excited to keep reading now. It seems like the plot is advancing and the action is starting to pick up. I want to know what happens to Holden once he gets to the city and what he does next. It seems like tings could either go really well for him, or things could go really bad. It doesn't sound like there's ever any middle ground for Holden anywhere.
If I went to Pencey, I would sure want to leave. I wouldn't have the guts to actually run away like Holden did, though. I love his parting line: "Sleep tight, ya morons!" Beautiful, yet simple, all at the same time. Even though he says he's a moron himself, I don't see it. Academically yes, but otherwise no. He's not fake like some of the other guys at his school, and he's not rude and disgusting like the others.
I hope Holden makes it to New York all right. His plan is to go and get a hotel room and lay low a few days then go home. He doesn't really have any plans after that. It's not a very well thought out plan, and I can see him doing something stupid again. He'd probably get lost in the subway system or get robbed by a pick pocket or something like that.
I'm excited to keep reading now. It seems like the plot is advancing and the action is starting to pick up. I want to know what happens to Holden once he gets to the city and what he does next. It seems like tings could either go really well for him, or things could go really bad. It doesn't sound like there's ever any middle ground for Holden anywhere.
Catcher in the Rye chapters 5 & 6
These chapters were okay. This whole book has been alright so far. Nothing really important plot-wise happened in these chapters that I could see. Something may turn out to be important once I read further in this book, but nothing has any significance as of yet.
We did get a look into some of Holden's past and family life. He had a little brother named Allie. It's obvious he cared about his little brother a lot. He still carries his fielder's mitt with him, even when he's at school. You can tell he misses having his brother around.
I thought he should have gone down to the Annex to see Jane. If they were that close when they were younger, he really should have. I don't think it's weird that she kept all the kings in checkers in the back row and didn't use any of them. It does look nice, and it makes it harder to win. So if you win with all the kings in the back row, it just proves you're a lot better at checkers than your opponent.
My hastily formed impressions of Stradlater turned out to be correct. He all but makes Holden write a composition for him for English. He doesn't even think that Holden might turn him down. If I was Holden, I wouldn't have written it. My thought would be that he should do it himself. If he got mad at me, it's not like it would last very long. I would be leaving in three days, and I could handle him being mad at me for that long.
Also, if I was Holden, I would have gone to say hello to my old friend. Even if you're not in the mood for it, it's still polite. It's not like he had anything better to do anyway. My bet is that he'll come to regret not going. Especially when Stradlater comes back and inevitably talks about his date with her.
We did get a look into some of Holden's past and family life. He had a little brother named Allie. It's obvious he cared about his little brother a lot. He still carries his fielder's mitt with him, even when he's at school. You can tell he misses having his brother around.
I thought he should have gone down to the Annex to see Jane. If they were that close when they were younger, he really should have. I don't think it's weird that she kept all the kings in checkers in the back row and didn't use any of them. It does look nice, and it makes it harder to win. So if you win with all the kings in the back row, it just proves you're a lot better at checkers than your opponent.
My hastily formed impressions of Stradlater turned out to be correct. He all but makes Holden write a composition for him for English. He doesn't even think that Holden might turn him down. If I was Holden, I wouldn't have written it. My thought would be that he should do it himself. If he got mad at me, it's not like it would last very long. I would be leaving in three days, and I could handle him being mad at me for that long.
Also, if I was Holden, I would have gone to say hello to my old friend. Even if you're not in the mood for it, it's still polite. It's not like he had anything better to do anyway. My bet is that he'll come to regret not going. Especially when Stradlater comes back and inevitably talks about his date with her.
Catcher in the Rye chapter 3
I thought this chapter was pretty good. More characters are introduced. I didn't like either of them really. Ackley is absolutely disgusting and annoying. Stradlater seems like an okay guy, but I still don't like him much. Probably because I don't know much about him. He's only been in the book for a few pages by now.
Holden's fashion sense seems questionable to me. For some reason he bought a red hunting hat and is wearing it in his room this chapter. I didn't quite know what that looked like so I went on Google Images and searched it. In my opinion it shouldn't even be worn by hunters. I'm sure it has a practical use somewhere, but I wouldn't know what that would be. It seems sort of silly to wear, but he thinks it makes him look good, so I guess the reader just has to trust him.
I would hate to have any association whatsoever with Ackley. Holden rightly described him as completely unsociable. He has an unsavory personality to match his appearance. The sad thing is, if he would clean up every once in a while, he would probably be a nicer person. Part of the reason he's so sour is probably because everyone avoid him because he's so disgusting. If he wasn't disgusting people might spend a little more time with him.
Stradlater so far seems like that guy. The one every high school has. He has a nice build and is generally friendly, but sounds prone to being a jerk often. He gets the girls because he's good-looking and he knows it.
Holden is definitely my favorite out of the few characters so far. He tells things like they are. There aren't any frills or embellishments in his speech or narration. I love the fact that he loves to read. That just makes me like him that much more. This book has some potential right now, in my mind, to turn out to be a really good book.
Holden's fashion sense seems questionable to me. For some reason he bought a red hunting hat and is wearing it in his room this chapter. I didn't quite know what that looked like so I went on Google Images and searched it. In my opinion it shouldn't even be worn by hunters. I'm sure it has a practical use somewhere, but I wouldn't know what that would be. It seems sort of silly to wear, but he thinks it makes him look good, so I guess the reader just has to trust him.
I would hate to have any association whatsoever with Ackley. Holden rightly described him as completely unsociable. He has an unsavory personality to match his appearance. The sad thing is, if he would clean up every once in a while, he would probably be a nicer person. Part of the reason he's so sour is probably because everyone avoid him because he's so disgusting. If he wasn't disgusting people might spend a little more time with him.
Stradlater so far seems like that guy. The one every high school has. He has a nice build and is generally friendly, but sounds prone to being a jerk often. He gets the girls because he's good-looking and he knows it.
Holden is definitely my favorite out of the few characters so far. He tells things like they are. There aren't any frills or embellishments in his speech or narration. I love the fact that he loves to read. That just makes me like him that much more. This book has some potential right now, in my mind, to turn out to be a really good book.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Catcher in the Rye Beginning Thoughts + chapters 1 & 2
There are two main reasons I'm reading this book. The first is that I need more of these blogs for class. The second is that I've heard good things about this book from some people I know. It's been on my eventual "To Read" list forever now. This gives me as good a chance as any to read it now.
I like the point-of-view this book is written in. I forget what it's called, but I like the feeling that the narrator is talking to you and only you. I love getting into the character's head, and this type of narration is the most helpful to me in doing that.
Holden Caulfield seems like an okay guy to me. He's a believable character. Again, the narration style really helps bring his character to life. I think we could have been friends if he was actually real and wasn't such a slacker. Other than our drive in school work and stuff like that, we seem to have a lot of things in common.
I wasn't sure I was going to like this book at first. I didn't really know what it was supposed to be about. I hate starting a book that I know nothing about. The lack of information drives me crazy. I have to know what I'm getting into. Despite my oddities, this book seems like it has potential for me to really enjoy it.
At least Holden is honest about the fact that he can be a moron. I mean he did leave the fencing team's equipment on a New York subway. That was pretty stupid, considering the only reason they were there was because they had a match in the city. Though the other team members could have checked to make sure everyone had everything before they got off the subway. That type of thing would be something I could see myself doing. Which is sad, but at least I can relate to the character.
I like the point-of-view this book is written in. I forget what it's called, but I like the feeling that the narrator is talking to you and only you. I love getting into the character's head, and this type of narration is the most helpful to me in doing that.
Holden Caulfield seems like an okay guy to me. He's a believable character. Again, the narration style really helps bring his character to life. I think we could have been friends if he was actually real and wasn't such a slacker. Other than our drive in school work and stuff like that, we seem to have a lot of things in common.
I wasn't sure I was going to like this book at first. I didn't really know what it was supposed to be about. I hate starting a book that I know nothing about. The lack of information drives me crazy. I have to know what I'm getting into. Despite my oddities, this book seems like it has potential for me to really enjoy it.
At least Holden is honest about the fact that he can be a moron. I mean he did leave the fencing team's equipment on a New York subway. That was pretty stupid, considering the only reason they were there was because they had a match in the city. Though the other team members could have checked to make sure everyone had everything before they got off the subway. That type of thing would be something I could see myself doing. Which is sad, but at least I can relate to the character.
Grapes of Wrath Final Thoughts
Overall, I thought this book was pretty good. It was definitely one of the better summer reading books I've read.
The ending of this book just made me angry. My thoughts were: "That's all? That's the worst ending to a book I've ever read". It was so inconclusive. I hate reading books if I think they're going to be a waste of my time, and this one turned out to be such a waste of my time. The reader never even finds out what happens to any of the characters that ran away during the course of the book. You never find out if the Joads manage to find steady work and straighten out their lives. You don't even find out what happens to Tom after he leaves. Since Tom was introduced first in this book, I had it in my head that he was the main character. Then he's hardly spared a thought in the last few chapters after he leaves. I don't like it when I can't find out what happens to my favorite characters.
Don't get me wrong, I did like this book, but the ending just makes me mad. It's such a bad ending for such a decent book. It's almost like Steinbeck got lazy or had to meet a deadline and just cut it off where he did without finishing the rest of the story. I'm sure he had his reasons for stopping where he did, but I'm sure not seeing them.
I really liked the overall feel of this book. I thought it was cool how the book not only focused on the one family, but also focused on the group of migrating people as a whole. Each type of writing helped put the whole time period into perspective for the reader.
Tom was my favorite character from this book. Noah comes in second with Al after him. I think Casy comes next after Al. Other than those people, all the other characters are the same slot because they annoyed me at some time or another. That's pretty much all I have left to say on this book.
The ending of this book just made me angry. My thoughts were: "That's all? That's the worst ending to a book I've ever read". It was so inconclusive. I hate reading books if I think they're going to be a waste of my time, and this one turned out to be such a waste of my time. The reader never even finds out what happens to any of the characters that ran away during the course of the book. You never find out if the Joads manage to find steady work and straighten out their lives. You don't even find out what happens to Tom after he leaves. Since Tom was introduced first in this book, I had it in my head that he was the main character. Then he's hardly spared a thought in the last few chapters after he leaves. I don't like it when I can't find out what happens to my favorite characters.
Don't get me wrong, I did like this book, but the ending just makes me mad. It's such a bad ending for such a decent book. It's almost like Steinbeck got lazy or had to meet a deadline and just cut it off where he did without finishing the rest of the story. I'm sure he had his reasons for stopping where he did, but I'm sure not seeing them.
I really liked the overall feel of this book. I thought it was cool how the book not only focused on the one family, but also focused on the group of migrating people as a whole. Each type of writing helped put the whole time period into perspective for the reader.
Tom was my favorite character from this book. Noah comes in second with Al after him. I think Casy comes next after Al. Other than those people, all the other characters are the same slot because they annoyed me at some time or another. That's pretty much all I have left to say on this book.
Grapes of Wrath chapters 29 & 30
I thought these chapters were somewhat better than a lot of the others. The reason behind that is probably because there was more "action", as it were, in these chapters. My reaction was pretty much like all the other chapters. If these chapters were a person, that person would be the type of person you treat with polite disinterest. I wouldn't be excited to see this person, nor would I dreading seeing this person. I would just see them. And that would pretty much just be it.
Chapter twenty-nine was one of the better in-between chapters. My reaction was disgust at our government. I can't believe that you had to be in California a year before you could get government relief. Those people obviously and desperately needed help right away. I know that sometimes you can't help everyone, but they weren't helping anyone.
Chapter thirty was really good in my opinion. The flood waters from the rain of the previous chapter continue to rise until they flood the car that the Joads and Wainwrights are sharing. I thought it was really sad when that tree fell and toppled the wall the men had made from the mud. That pretty much symbolised their whole lives right there. They try to stop the oncoming flood, but then something bigger than them comes along and destroys all they were working towards.
Rose of Sharon finally has her baby in this chapter. It's a stillbirth. The baby was never alive in the first place. I felt bad for her when she found out. As annoying as she's been this entire novel, she didn't deserve that. Especially since Connie left her and the others. At least something good came out of the whole disaster. She was able to save a little boy's father from starvation by giving him her milk that would have gone to the baby had it lived. I don't get why the family split up again. Their original plan of staying all together failed completely.
Chapter twenty-nine was one of the better in-between chapters. My reaction was disgust at our government. I can't believe that you had to be in California a year before you could get government relief. Those people obviously and desperately needed help right away. I know that sometimes you can't help everyone, but they weren't helping anyone.
Chapter thirty was really good in my opinion. The flood waters from the rain of the previous chapter continue to rise until they flood the car that the Joads and Wainwrights are sharing. I thought it was really sad when that tree fell and toppled the wall the men had made from the mud. That pretty much symbolised their whole lives right there. They try to stop the oncoming flood, but then something bigger than them comes along and destroys all they were working towards.
Rose of Sharon finally has her baby in this chapter. It's a stillbirth. The baby was never alive in the first place. I felt bad for her when she found out. As annoying as she's been this entire novel, she didn't deserve that. Especially since Connie left her and the others. At least something good came out of the whole disaster. She was able to save a little boy's father from starvation by giving him her milk that would have gone to the baby had it lived. I don't get why the family split up again. Their original plan of staying all together failed completely.
Grapes of Wrath chapters 27 & 28
These chapters had parts that I thought were not worth reading at all and parts that were really awesome, so they balanced out into a pretty good couple of chapters.
Chatper 27 wasn't one of my favorites of the in-between chapters so far. It was about picking cotton. That's really all there was to it. My reaction was that it was useful to know because the Joads were going to be picking cotton the next chapter. Then I read the next chapter, and it gave basically the same description. So now I'm wondering what the point of chapter twenty-seven was.
Chapter 28 was an alright chapter. Ruthie is really starting to get on my nerves. She's what? Twelve? She acts like she's five, and she really can't afford to do that because her family needs her help with everything they're going through. She told someone that Tom had killed a man and was hiding out nearby. She just needs to learn to keep her mouth shut. If she hadn't told, Tom wouldn't have had to go away.
When Tom was talking to Ma and telling her about what Casy had said, I thought that was a good part. Like Tom, I had forgotten what Casy had said. I really like his idea that we're all little pieces of one big soul that everybody shares. I just really like the sound of that. I'm glad Tom brought it up again because I had forgotten all about it.
I was kind of surprised when Al announced that he and Aggie Wainwright we going to get married. He doesn't really strike me as the settling down type. One of two things must have happened. Either Al actually loves her, or he got her pregnant. Each one seems likely in its own ways. I don't get Rose of Sharon's reaction to the news. She just goes outside and hides in a bush. I really don't understand what her problem is lately.
Chatper 27 wasn't one of my favorites of the in-between chapters so far. It was about picking cotton. That's really all there was to it. My reaction was that it was useful to know because the Joads were going to be picking cotton the next chapter. Then I read the next chapter, and it gave basically the same description. So now I'm wondering what the point of chapter twenty-seven was.
Chapter 28 was an alright chapter. Ruthie is really starting to get on my nerves. She's what? Twelve? She acts like she's five, and she really can't afford to do that because her family needs her help with everything they're going through. She told someone that Tom had killed a man and was hiding out nearby. She just needs to learn to keep her mouth shut. If she hadn't told, Tom wouldn't have had to go away.
When Tom was talking to Ma and telling her about what Casy had said, I thought that was a good part. Like Tom, I had forgotten what Casy had said. I really like his idea that we're all little pieces of one big soul that everybody shares. I just really like the sound of that. I'm glad Tom brought it up again because I had forgotten all about it.
I was kind of surprised when Al announced that he and Aggie Wainwright we going to get married. He doesn't really strike me as the settling down type. One of two things must have happened. Either Al actually loves her, or he got her pregnant. Each one seems likely in its own ways. I don't get Rose of Sharon's reaction to the news. She just goes outside and hides in a bush. I really don't understand what her problem is lately.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Grapes of Wrath p 370- 405
This is the second part of chapter twenty-six. My reaction to this section was similar to "finally there's some action", but then the action fizzled out and my reaction went back to the detached interest of before.
I was glad when Tom found Casy again by accident. I know I've complained about him in previous blogs, but I kind of missed him. He's the sort of character that grows on a person. So I was pretty happy when he came back in the story. But then he gets killed. My reaction to that was kind of like "Why in the world was that necessary/ essential to the plot?!" Tom avenged him though by killing one of the men who attacked them. He really shouldn't have, but at the same time, he needed to.
This family would be really annoying to be a part of. Not just for the obvious reason that they have no work and no place to live. The men need to man up and start shouldering their responsibility, Rose of Sharon needs to stop thinking the world is out to get her and her baby, and the little kids need to stop acting so stupid. Really the only people who have their heads on straight are Ma and possibly Tom, a little. Ma's wearing out fast. The strain of keeping her family together is taking it's toll on her mind and body.
Tom should just let himself get caught again and put back in jail. He's less of a burden to his family there. They would know where he was at all times, and they wouldn't have to worry about feeding him. That plan would have it's drawbacks of course, but it's the best one I can think up that might help the family rather than hinder it.
I hope the family can get good, steady work at that cotton field they just stopped at when I stopped reading. They deserve it after all the hard work they've been putting in.
I was glad when Tom found Casy again by accident. I know I've complained about him in previous blogs, but I kind of missed him. He's the sort of character that grows on a person. So I was pretty happy when he came back in the story. But then he gets killed. My reaction to that was kind of like "Why in the world was that necessary/ essential to the plot?!" Tom avenged him though by killing one of the men who attacked them. He really shouldn't have, but at the same time, he needed to.
This family would be really annoying to be a part of. Not just for the obvious reason that they have no work and no place to live. The men need to man up and start shouldering their responsibility, Rose of Sharon needs to stop thinking the world is out to get her and her baby, and the little kids need to stop acting so stupid. Really the only people who have their heads on straight are Ma and possibly Tom, a little. Ma's wearing out fast. The strain of keeping her family together is taking it's toll on her mind and body.
Tom should just let himself get caught again and put back in jail. He's less of a burden to his family there. They would know where he was at all times, and they wouldn't have to worry about feeding him. That plan would have it's drawbacks of course, but it's the best one I can think up that might help the family rather than hinder it.
I hope the family can get good, steady work at that cotton field they just stopped at when I stopped reading. They deserve it after all the hard work they've been putting in.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Grapes of Wrath chapter 25 - page 370
Chapter twenty-five is about how the small farmers can't sell their crop. They can't give it to the hungry people either, otherwise that would collapse the local economy. So they just burn the fruits of the land while the hungry people watch. Even if they can't give it to the local people, there are still hungry people other places around the world. Why couldn't they send it to them instead? It's still a crappy way of fixing things, but it's better than what they're doing now. It's such a waste.
In the part of chapter twenty-six that I've read so far, the family decides to move on and look for work other places. Al runs off to say good bye to a girl, and she gets mad at him. Apparently he promised they would get married. The girl tries to leave, but Al stops her using a little force. At first I was disgusted, but then when I read on, I realised he really liked her and didn't want to leave. He told her he would be back soon, probably hoping to spare her feelings, but all he did was hurt her even worse by keeping her hoping.
The family drives a little ways north when they puncture a tire. As they're fixing it, a man asks them if they want work. When they get to the farm specified, they see a bunch of people yelling outside the gates and have to be escorted in by police. I think they're protesters like the ones I keep reading about in my book for history. It's about time the workers started protesting. They deserve to be treated a lot better.
I thought this part of the book was a little less interesting than the rest of the book. Probably because it's been hard for me to relate to the characters. I've never been through anything remotely similar to what they're doing. I can hardly imagine what they must be feeling.
In the part of chapter twenty-six that I've read so far, the family decides to move on and look for work other places. Al runs off to say good bye to a girl, and she gets mad at him. Apparently he promised they would get married. The girl tries to leave, but Al stops her using a little force. At first I was disgusted, but then when I read on, I realised he really liked her and didn't want to leave. He told her he would be back soon, probably hoping to spare her feelings, but all he did was hurt her even worse by keeping her hoping.
The family drives a little ways north when they puncture a tire. As they're fixing it, a man asks them if they want work. When they get to the farm specified, they see a bunch of people yelling outside the gates and have to be escorted in by police. I think they're protesters like the ones I keep reading about in my book for history. It's about time the workers started protesting. They deserve to be treated a lot better.
I thought this part of the book was a little less interesting than the rest of the book. Probably because it's been hard for me to relate to the characters. I've never been through anything remotely similar to what they're doing. I can hardly imagine what they must be feeling.
Grapes of Wrath chapter 24
As I near the end of the book, I'm starting to wonder when the Big Event is going to happen. The Big Event is the one thing that happens in every novel, otherwise called the climax of the story. Nothings really changed yet, so I'm hoping something, anything, happens sometime soon. If nothing big happens, I'm going to feel really disappointed.
Other than my vague sense of disappointment, this chapter was really good. I love how the campers handled the threat to their camp. They really showed those cops who are the better people. A couple of chapters ago, Tom and some acquaintances of his got wind that the police were trying to infiltrate their weekly dance the upcoming Saturday. They told the committee, and the committee came up with a plan which I think is great. They had men watch the perimeter of the camp for anything suspicious and let the man in charge know if the saw anything suspicious. They then rounded them up quickly and quietly and took them to the fence where they were made to leave the camp. Since no body threw a punch, the police had no grounds to enter the camp. It worked really well. I thought for sure someone was going to hit somebody else and things would get out of hand, but they didn't.
Again, these dances sound like a lot of fun. I like the choreographed dances better than freestyle because I'm better at those and don't have to think as much. That could be a reason why the camp people like them too. Even the people who aren't dancing seem to be enjoying themselves. Except for the super-religious among them. I think Steinbeck used the wrong word to describe them. He called them Jesus-lovers. You can love Jesus and still dance like they were. There are better, clearer words to describe those kinds of people. I'm sure they do love Jesus, but they love Him in a more fanatic way than the others.
Other than my vague sense of disappointment, this chapter was really good. I love how the campers handled the threat to their camp. They really showed those cops who are the better people. A couple of chapters ago, Tom and some acquaintances of his got wind that the police were trying to infiltrate their weekly dance the upcoming Saturday. They told the committee, and the committee came up with a plan which I think is great. They had men watch the perimeter of the camp for anything suspicious and let the man in charge know if the saw anything suspicious. They then rounded them up quickly and quietly and took them to the fence where they were made to leave the camp. Since no body threw a punch, the police had no grounds to enter the camp. It worked really well. I thought for sure someone was going to hit somebody else and things would get out of hand, but they didn't.
Again, these dances sound like a lot of fun. I like the choreographed dances better than freestyle because I'm better at those and don't have to think as much. That could be a reason why the camp people like them too. Even the people who aren't dancing seem to be enjoying themselves. Except for the super-religious among them. I think Steinbeck used the wrong word to describe them. He called them Jesus-lovers. You can love Jesus and still dance like they were. There are better, clearer words to describe those kinds of people. I'm sure they do love Jesus, but they love Him in a more fanatic way than the others.
Grapes of Wrath chapter 23
I thought this chapter was really good. I like Steinbeck's simple way of saying important things. He doesn't hide behind metaphor. He just comes out and says what he means to say. He says it eloquently, too. To me, it's how you say things that is very close to being as important as the things you're actually saying. That's probably why I like poetry so much. One phrase I really liked was this, about the storytellers in the camps: "And the people listened, and their faces were quiet listening. The story tellers, gathering attention into their tales, spoke in great rhythms, spoke in great words because the tales were great, and the listeners became great through them." That so completely captures the essence of a storyteller - trying to be a part of something greater and bigger than just you. That's what I wish I could do more than anything.
I really liked the story about the Indian standing on the hill in front of the American regiment. If I had been one of the men there that day, I wouldn't have been able to shoot him, no matter what my officer commanded. It must have taken such bravery to stand up and challenge the army like that.
This chapter talks about what the people in the camps do for entertainment. I find it amazing they can still find so many things to be happy about after everything that's happened to them. That says a lot about their character and what kind of people they are. They deserve their fun more than most people. They work harder than anyone, and can barely make enough to keep their children fed.
Even though I typically don't enjoy listening to bands like the ones they have in the camp, I think one of their dances sounds like a lot of fun. When we learned to square dance in elementary school, I always had a great time. It'd be fun to get together with so many people and do a square dance sometime.
I really liked the story about the Indian standing on the hill in front of the American regiment. If I had been one of the men there that day, I wouldn't have been able to shoot him, no matter what my officer commanded. It must have taken such bravery to stand up and challenge the army like that.
This chapter talks about what the people in the camps do for entertainment. I find it amazing they can still find so many things to be happy about after everything that's happened to them. That says a lot about their character and what kind of people they are. They deserve their fun more than most people. They work harder than anyone, and can barely make enough to keep their children fed.
Even though I typically don't enjoy listening to bands like the ones they have in the camp, I think one of their dances sounds like a lot of fun. When we learned to square dance in elementary school, I always had a great time. It'd be fun to get together with so many people and do a square dance sometime.
Grapes of Wrath chapters 21 & 22
These chapters were as good as the rest, though chapter twenty-two seemed more optimistic than the other chapters. Chapter twenty-one is another one of those chapters that focuses on the whole group of farmers that were displaced, rather than focusing only on the Joad family. It talked about how the anger among the poor farmers was growing. It hinted at some sort of violence in the future in order to hopefully change things for the better. The farmers won't take much more of the disrespect they've been getting for much longer.
In chapter twenty-two, the family arrives at the government camp they heard about a few chapters back. It seems like a paradise on earth for the Joads. If this were my novel, as soon as the Joads get settled in at the camp they'd find out something horrible about it. For example, it's really a colony of aliens from outer space, or the reason no one breaks the rules is because of a gas around the camp that makes everyone more docile. The gas would then beat out the oxygen and people would have to leave or suffocate. Grim, I know, but it'd make for a good story if written properly. Maybe. Steinbeck's version works too, though.
Tom gets a job right away, digging a ditch for a man. He seems really excited about digging - more so than someone else in his position would be. He must like it. While Tom's out digging and everyone else is asleep, Ruthie and Winfield find the public bathroom at the camp. It's funny but also kind of sad that they think they've broken it when all they really did was flush it.
I think Rose of Sharon needs to get over herself. That woman she was talking to was obviously crazy, so she needs to stop worrying about losing her baby just because she danced with someone. She also needs to get over Connie. As Ma put it, there's work to be done, and she needs to do it. Women like that just annoy me.
In chapter twenty-two, the family arrives at the government camp they heard about a few chapters back. It seems like a paradise on earth for the Joads. If this were my novel, as soon as the Joads get settled in at the camp they'd find out something horrible about it. For example, it's really a colony of aliens from outer space, or the reason no one breaks the rules is because of a gas around the camp that makes everyone more docile. The gas would then beat out the oxygen and people would have to leave or suffocate. Grim, I know, but it'd make for a good story if written properly. Maybe. Steinbeck's version works too, though.
Tom gets a job right away, digging a ditch for a man. He seems really excited about digging - more so than someone else in his position would be. He must like it. While Tom's out digging and everyone else is asleep, Ruthie and Winfield find the public bathroom at the camp. It's funny but also kind of sad that they think they've broken it when all they really did was flush it.
I think Rose of Sharon needs to get over herself. That woman she was talking to was obviously crazy, so she needs to stop worrying about losing her baby just because she danced with someone. She also needs to get over Connie. As Ma put it, there's work to be done, and she needs to do it. Women like that just annoy me.
Grapes of Wrath chapters 19 & 20
These chapters were, again, alright. I know I'm sounding repetitive, but this novel has a pretty consistent level of enjoyment for me. Unless some drastic events occurs sometime soon, I'll just continue to say that the chapters of The Grapes of Wrath are merely alright.
Chapter nineteen describes the owners of the large farms of California. It tells about how they start off loving the land, but then when they get more they forget about it and live for the money it brings instead. It's a sad but true fact of life. I don't see how they can be unaware of the resentment growing among the poor workers. I think they know about it but stupidly choose to ignore it. There are better ways to get what you want than using people who don't know any better and have no other choice. Despite how poor they are, I find it cheering to know they still help each other whenever they can. Such as when a baby dies in one of the camps, and the others all pitch in what they can to help the family bury the dead baby.
Chapter twenty was about the same standard as the rest of the chapters that came before it. At least Steinbeck is consistent in his writing. In this chapter, the Joads come to a camp which, like all the others like it, is called Hooversville. Tom gets into a fight with a deputy, but Casy takes the blame so Tom doesn't get arrested. In any other circumstances, this would have been brave, but the preacher would be better off in jail. Still, he did save Tom which is good.
Connie appears to run away in this chapter, to which I say it's about time. He was starting to annoy me, promising all those things to Rose of Sharon that everyone knew he wouldn't be able to do. I do feel bad for Rose of Sharon, though. She's going to have a baby in a world that she doesn't know anything about. That's going to be extremely difficult.
Chapter nineteen describes the owners of the large farms of California. It tells about how they start off loving the land, but then when they get more they forget about it and live for the money it brings instead. It's a sad but true fact of life. I don't see how they can be unaware of the resentment growing among the poor workers. I think they know about it but stupidly choose to ignore it. There are better ways to get what you want than using people who don't know any better and have no other choice. Despite how poor they are, I find it cheering to know they still help each other whenever they can. Such as when a baby dies in one of the camps, and the others all pitch in what they can to help the family bury the dead baby.
Chapter twenty was about the same standard as the rest of the chapters that came before it. At least Steinbeck is consistent in his writing. In this chapter, the Joads come to a camp which, like all the others like it, is called Hooversville. Tom gets into a fight with a deputy, but Casy takes the blame so Tom doesn't get arrested. In any other circumstances, this would have been brave, but the preacher would be better off in jail. Still, he did save Tom which is good.
Connie appears to run away in this chapter, to which I say it's about time. He was starting to annoy me, promising all those things to Rose of Sharon that everyone knew he wouldn't be able to do. I do feel bad for Rose of Sharon, though. She's going to have a baby in a world that she doesn't know anything about. That's going to be extremely difficult.
Grapes of Wrath chapters 17 & 18
These chapters were awesome. At least chapter seventeen was awesome. Chapter eighteen was good, but I didn't think it was as good as seventeen. Seventeen was about the campsites the various families formed at night along the road. It described them as little self-contained worlds. As the night went on, they became family. That's really the only good and constant thing about a journey like the one these people undertook. You're never far from finding family. Steinbeck compares it to something akin to the bond of people in a traveling circus. I think that's exactly right. The constant traveling might wear you down, but you know there's always family close at hand. That's part of what drew me to the circus when I went through my "run away and join the circus" phase. And part of why it was so hard to shake.
In chapter eighteen the family finally reaches the lush land of California that they were headed to when they first started out. Before that, they stop at a steady stream to rest before they tackle the desert that night. Granma's not well, and the family worries. Noah runs of downstream because he knows the rest of the family feels guilty about him being so different. I was kind of surprised at this. It just didn't seem to me like Noah had it in him to defy the family like that and run away. That was probably why the only person he told was Tom. I'm going to miss him. He was probably my second favorite character next to Tom. I hope he survives.
Granma dies in this chapter. I don't really have reaction to this event. It was a long time coming and the surprise wore off a long time ago. At least she gets to be buried in the beautiful California. Ma had a lot of strength, I thought, to stay with Granma's dead body all night, just so she wouldn't worry the rest of the family. It's obvious she loves them very much.
In chapter eighteen the family finally reaches the lush land of California that they were headed to when they first started out. Before that, they stop at a steady stream to rest before they tackle the desert that night. Granma's not well, and the family worries. Noah runs of downstream because he knows the rest of the family feels guilty about him being so different. I was kind of surprised at this. It just didn't seem to me like Noah had it in him to defy the family like that and run away. That was probably why the only person he told was Tom. I'm going to miss him. He was probably my second favorite character next to Tom. I hope he survives.
Granma dies in this chapter. I don't really have reaction to this event. It was a long time coming and the surprise wore off a long time ago. At least she gets to be buried in the beautiful California. Ma had a lot of strength, I thought, to stay with Granma's dead body all night, just so she wouldn't worry the rest of the family. It's obvious she loves them very much.
Grapes of Wrath Halfway Point
I just finished reading chapter sixteen, so I thought it was a good time for a summary blog of what's happened up until this point.
The beginning of the book sees Tom Joad released from prison on parole. We learn later that he was in prison for killing a man during a bar fight. He hitches a ride home with a nosy truck driver. The truck driver drops him pretty close, and Joad starts to walk the rest of the way to his home. Off the side of the road, he runs into a man named Casy that he used to know. Casy was the local preacher, but he says he isn't anymore on account of he realised he didn't know what he was doing. Casy decides to tag along, but when they get to the Joad family home, no one is home. Cotton has been planted in the yard, and the house is falling apart. An old neighbor walks by and explains that they live at Uncle John's now. In the morning, they get to Uncle John's and everyone is really happy to see Tom again.
A few days later they set off for California in a crappy used car they bought recently. Grampa dies a few day into the journey, and without him Granma's looking like shes fixing to do the same. The Joads meet Wilson and Sairy who are also traveling to California. They decide to travel together, on account of the bond forged between them when Granpa died in their tent.
Wilson's car breaks down, so Tom, Al, and Casy stay behind to fix it while the rest of the family stays at a campground a little down the road. They managed to get it fixed in much less time than they expected, and they meet up with the rest of the family.
There are some side chapters included every other chapter or so that are relevant to the time period, but not necessarily the Joads' story. Other than that, that's pretty much all that's happened in this novel so far.
The beginning of the book sees Tom Joad released from prison on parole. We learn later that he was in prison for killing a man during a bar fight. He hitches a ride home with a nosy truck driver. The truck driver drops him pretty close, and Joad starts to walk the rest of the way to his home. Off the side of the road, he runs into a man named Casy that he used to know. Casy was the local preacher, but he says he isn't anymore on account of he realised he didn't know what he was doing. Casy decides to tag along, but when they get to the Joad family home, no one is home. Cotton has been planted in the yard, and the house is falling apart. An old neighbor walks by and explains that they live at Uncle John's now. In the morning, they get to Uncle John's and everyone is really happy to see Tom again.
A few days later they set off for California in a crappy used car they bought recently. Grampa dies a few day into the journey, and without him Granma's looking like shes fixing to do the same. The Joads meet Wilson and Sairy who are also traveling to California. They decide to travel together, on account of the bond forged between them when Granpa died in their tent.
Wilson's car breaks down, so Tom, Al, and Casy stay behind to fix it while the rest of the family stays at a campground a little down the road. They managed to get it fixed in much less time than they expected, and they meet up with the rest of the family.
There are some side chapters included every other chapter or so that are relevant to the time period, but not necessarily the Joads' story. Other than that, that's pretty much all that's happened in this novel so far.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Vernacular of Grapes of Wrath
Whenever there's dialogue in this book, I kind of just want to throw it at a wall. The characters are all from Oklahoma or "Oklahomy" as they like to call it. Whenever they speak, they always have this really prominent southern accent. Which means they leave the G's off the ends of words like thinking and speaking that end in "ing". I've begun to think the way they talk, and that's not good. It makes the characters and me sound like uneducated hicks, which is something I desperately try to avoid.
What really annoys me though is when they say somepin instead of something. As in "I been thinkin' we've got to do somepin about it."
The only thing I don't mind that they say is Rose of Sharon's name. They say it like Rosasharn. Even though Rose of Sharon is prettier, Rosasharn is easier to say and think as you read it in the book.
I found it funny when the Joads are talking to (I think it was) Wilson and they comment on how he speaks a different way than they do, and that's how they could tell he wasn't from nearby. And the Northerners. They do talk funny, it's true, but you can understand them a lot better than the Southerners.
Not only do they speak weird, they also talk a lot. They go on rambling monologues that they don't realise no one is listening to. Hardly any of them are relevant to the things going on around them. Almost every character has had a chance at a monologue buy now.
I realise that this blog has just been one long string of complaints, but we are supposed to let you know our reactions to various things in the book. It just so happens that my way of dealing with/ my reaction to the characters' speech is criticising and complaining about it. Hopefully when they get to California we'll meet some people who talk differently in a good way and I won't have anything to complain about.
What really annoys me though is when they say somepin instead of something. As in "I been thinkin' we've got to do somepin about it."
The only thing I don't mind that they say is Rose of Sharon's name. They say it like Rosasharn. Even though Rose of Sharon is prettier, Rosasharn is easier to say and think as you read it in the book.
I found it funny when the Joads are talking to (I think it was) Wilson and they comment on how he speaks a different way than they do, and that's how they could tell he wasn't from nearby. And the Northerners. They do talk funny, it's true, but you can understand them a lot better than the Southerners.
Not only do they speak weird, they also talk a lot. They go on rambling monologues that they don't realise no one is listening to. Hardly any of them are relevant to the things going on around them. Almost every character has had a chance at a monologue buy now.
I realise that this blog has just been one long string of complaints, but we are supposed to let you know our reactions to various things in the book. It just so happens that my way of dealing with/ my reaction to the characters' speech is criticising and complaining about it. Hopefully when they get to California we'll meet some people who talk differently in a good way and I won't have anything to complain about.
Grapes of Wrath chapter 16
This chapter was okay. It didn't really seem like much important happened, except for the other man dashing all their hopes and dreams. It's kind of starting to reach that point where I begin to lose interest. There's been little to no action in the plot, and nothing in it is even remotely hinting at fantasy, which are the types of book I usually read.
Anyway, Wilson's car breaks down at the beginning of this chapter, so Tom and Al have to fix it. The one-eyed man they meet was kind of random. I don't really see what he had to do with anything other than he gives them things for cheap because he hates his boss for making fun of his missing eye. It was weird to see Tom get angry at someone because I just wrote in my last blog that I don't remember him ever getting angry before.
Towards the end when they're all gathered around the porch of this campground owner, this crazy man in a corner tells Pa and Tom about what California was really like for him. What an idiot. It took him until his wife and two kids died from starvation to leave California. I realise it was hard for him, but still.
Granma isn't looking so good now. Without Granpa around, she just sits there with a dazed look on her face half the time. The other half of the time, she's talking to and yelling at him like he's still alive. She'll probably die soon too. I think that would be best for everyone. That sounds mean and callous, but I have reasons for thinking that. If she didn't have to eat, that would be more food for the rest of the family, and they wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. She also wouldn't have to keep mourning Grampa's death. The only bad thing would be that she wouldn't be able to be buried next to Grampa. And the fact that she would be dead, of course.
Anyway, Wilson's car breaks down at the beginning of this chapter, so Tom and Al have to fix it. The one-eyed man they meet was kind of random. I don't really see what he had to do with anything other than he gives them things for cheap because he hates his boss for making fun of his missing eye. It was weird to see Tom get angry at someone because I just wrote in my last blog that I don't remember him ever getting angry before.
Towards the end when they're all gathered around the porch of this campground owner, this crazy man in a corner tells Pa and Tom about what California was really like for him. What an idiot. It took him until his wife and two kids died from starvation to leave California. I realise it was hard for him, but still.
Granma isn't looking so good now. Without Granpa around, she just sits there with a dazed look on her face half the time. The other half of the time, she's talking to and yelling at him like he's still alive. She'll probably die soon too. I think that would be best for everyone. That sounds mean and callous, but I have reasons for thinking that. If she didn't have to eat, that would be more food for the rest of the family, and they wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. She also wouldn't have to keep mourning Grampa's death. The only bad thing would be that she wouldn't be able to be buried next to Grampa. And the fact that she would be dead, of course.
Charcters at the Halfway Point
Now that I'm halfway through the book, I feel qualified to state my opinions of the characters. As a whole, they seem to me to be a pretty decent bunch who look out for their own. Family is important to them, more important than going to California even. They're a really close group.
Tom is probably my favorite character so far. Even though he's a criminal, and he's about to break his parole, he's an all-around good guy. He's as smart as most people could get with his circumstances, he doesn't brag, and he helps his family without being asked. It seems like he doesn't get offended easily, and he's pretty laid back.
Noah and Al. There's not really much to say about Noah. He sounds alright to me. Al is okay. I think it's funny how much he wants to be like his older brother Tom. He's basically your average teenage boy, though he does get really serious when he's driving the truck.
Ma and Pa would be good parents to have. They're the center of the family and they do a good job of holding so the rest of the family doesn't fall apart.
I like Rose of Sharon and Connie too. They sound like they're really in love. Rose of Sharon's obsessiveness over the baby is kind of annoying, but at least it means she will be a good mother. Connie, even though he's young and doesn't know much about parenting, will be a good father. He sounds like the kind of guy who will help Rose of Sharon out and be there for his small family.
Ruthie and Winfield are just annoying. I know all little kids are supposed to be like them, but I find all little kids annoying, so they are too.
Granma and Grampa are a good match for each other. I don't know what Granma plans to do know that Grampa is dead, but she's strong enough to get through it and move on with her life.
I don't really know about Casy. He talks a lot, but he raises some good points when he does. He is also honest with others and with himself. He knows he's done some wrong things and he goes around trying to help others as a way to make up for it.
Uncle John just needs to get over himself. His wife died, but he needs to know it wasn't really his fault and move on with his life.
That pretty much covers it so far.
Tom is probably my favorite character so far. Even though he's a criminal, and he's about to break his parole, he's an all-around good guy. He's as smart as most people could get with his circumstances, he doesn't brag, and he helps his family without being asked. It seems like he doesn't get offended easily, and he's pretty laid back.
Noah and Al. There's not really much to say about Noah. He sounds alright to me. Al is okay. I think it's funny how much he wants to be like his older brother Tom. He's basically your average teenage boy, though he does get really serious when he's driving the truck.
Ma and Pa would be good parents to have. They're the center of the family and they do a good job of holding so the rest of the family doesn't fall apart.
I like Rose of Sharon and Connie too. They sound like they're really in love. Rose of Sharon's obsessiveness over the baby is kind of annoying, but at least it means she will be a good mother. Connie, even though he's young and doesn't know much about parenting, will be a good father. He sounds like the kind of guy who will help Rose of Sharon out and be there for his small family.
Ruthie and Winfield are just annoying. I know all little kids are supposed to be like them, but I find all little kids annoying, so they are too.
Granma and Grampa are a good match for each other. I don't know what Granma plans to do know that Grampa is dead, but she's strong enough to get through it and move on with her life.
I don't really know about Casy. He talks a lot, but he raises some good points when he does. He is also honest with others and with himself. He knows he's done some wrong things and he goes around trying to help others as a way to make up for it.
Uncle John just needs to get over himself. His wife died, but he needs to know it wasn't really his fault and move on with his life.
That pretty much covers it so far.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Grapes of Wrath chapters 14 and 15
Good chapters, once again. I don't think I really had a reaction to these chapters. It's pretty late now, and I'm really tired, so I barely have the mind power to understand the words I'm reading, much less have a reaction worth 300+ words. LIke in chapter fourteen. I understood the first part of the chapter, but then I didn't really get what it was trying to say to me. The first part was about how everyone wants to be something more than they are. I totally get that. I want that every day, and this chapter said that we are. It phrased it in a way that even I, in my state of insomnia, could comprehend. But after that, the meaning was lost to me.
Chapter fifteen was really good, I thought. It was kind of like a Korean film in the way it described the lives of the people of the world. Korean films hardly ever have a happy ending and are almost always bittersweet, though the stories they tell could be fantastic. This chapter was like that. It sounded good and was a heartwarming tale at the end when the woman let the boys have the candy, but underneath it told of the sadness and weariness that everyone has to face eventually. The people in this chapter just sounded so sad. The family on the move, who had to leave behind everything and couldn't afford anything else, the couple who would never be happy with what they have, and the truckers and diner workers who will never move on to better things in their lives.
I might go crazy if I were Mae at the diner. Scratch that- I would go crazy. I wouldn't be able to stand the boredom and depression that must come with working at such a diner. Mabye it works for her, but I don't think it does. Secretly, I think she's as unhappy as the rest of us.
Chapter fifteen was really good, I thought. It was kind of like a Korean film in the way it described the lives of the people of the world. Korean films hardly ever have a happy ending and are almost always bittersweet, though the stories they tell could be fantastic. This chapter was like that. It sounded good and was a heartwarming tale at the end when the woman let the boys have the candy, but underneath it told of the sadness and weariness that everyone has to face eventually. The people in this chapter just sounded so sad. The family on the move, who had to leave behind everything and couldn't afford anything else, the couple who would never be happy with what they have, and the truckers and diner workers who will never move on to better things in their lives.
I might go crazy if I were Mae at the diner. Scratch that- I would go crazy. I wouldn't be able to stand the boredom and depression that must come with working at such a diner. Mabye it works for her, but I don't think it does. Secretly, I think she's as unhappy as the rest of us.
Grapes of Wrath chapters 11, 12, and 13
A lot happened in these chapters. Well, mostly in chapter thirteen which was really long. I liked these chapters, but I would like them a whole lot more if the only thing I had to worry about was reading them. Writing these blogs sucks all the fun from the reading. Sorry to complain, but it's true.
Chapter eleven was all about describing the vacant houses left behind the people moving to California. I liked the imagery and attention to detail in this chapter. It made me feel kind of sorry for the houses, like they were dogs that were abandoned, waiting for their masters to come back. This chapter was not essential to the plot, but it was good anyway.
Chapter twelve was about the road, where the road goes, and how people got on the road. The oh-so-famous around here Highway 66. It was in the same writing style as some of the previous in-between chapters. I still like it, though I don't think it was really the right style to use for this chapter. The people lost some of their edge, some of their desperation with this style that a more descriptive choice could have captured.
Chapter thirteen was a good one. This may sound awful, but I don't feel bad that Grampa died. He wasn't my favorite character anyway, and it seems like the rest of the family was the same way. the only ones that even showed their sadness were Granma and the little boy Winfield. They don't even get to bury him at home because in this chapter they're on the road in I forget where. At the beginning of the chapter, they drive through Oklahoma City, and Rose of Sharon and Connie start looking around at all the people. They point out the funny looking ones and start laughing so much they can't stop. This really reminds me of one of my friends and I. We've done this before on long car rides and it's a pretty interesting way to pass the time.
Chapter eleven was all about describing the vacant houses left behind the people moving to California. I liked the imagery and attention to detail in this chapter. It made me feel kind of sorry for the houses, like they were dogs that were abandoned, waiting for their masters to come back. This chapter was not essential to the plot, but it was good anyway.
Chapter twelve was about the road, where the road goes, and how people got on the road. The oh-so-famous around here Highway 66. It was in the same writing style as some of the previous in-between chapters. I still like it, though I don't think it was really the right style to use for this chapter. The people lost some of their edge, some of their desperation with this style that a more descriptive choice could have captured.
Chapter thirteen was a good one. This may sound awful, but I don't feel bad that Grampa died. He wasn't my favorite character anyway, and it seems like the rest of the family was the same way. the only ones that even showed their sadness were Granma and the little boy Winfield. They don't even get to bury him at home because in this chapter they're on the road in I forget where. At the beginning of the chapter, they drive through Oklahoma City, and Rose of Sharon and Connie start looking around at all the people. They point out the funny looking ones and start laughing so much they can't stop. This really reminds me of one of my friends and I. We've done this before on long car rides and it's a pretty interesting way to pass the time.
Grapes of Wrath chapter 10
In this chapter, the family finally leaves for California. The characters of Rose of Sharon, Connie, Ruthie, Winfield, and Uncle John are introduced. I love Rose of Sharon's name. In the footnotes in my version of the book, it explained the Scripture verse the family must have seen the name in the first place, and I thought the verse was pretty as well. It seems to fit her character well.
This chapter was pretty good. My reaction to it was sort of like "Finally". I thought this book was supposed to be about their journey to California, but it's the end of chapter ten and they're just now leaving. That's one third of the book gone and they're only starting out. I'm not a very patient person most of the time, especially when it comes to books. Guess it shows.
Steinbeck's attention to detail and the time period aren't under appreciated with me. I love how he describes the family hierarchy as they gather to talk about what they're going to do next. That really helped me to visualize the scene, and it helped me to understand the interior workings and where everybody stands with the rest of the family.
I was really surprised when Grampa decided he wasn't going to California with the rest of the family. I suppose I shouldn't have been, but I didn't see it coming. He seemed so eager to go in the earlier chapters and the beginning of this one. I love how the family decides to make him go with them. It's always funny when a person's own family decides to drug them for their own good.
By now, I'm starting to feel sorry for this family. Tom seems to be the only one who has any idea of what California will actually be like. The rest of the family is under the impression that it's all peaches and grapes and oranges, when they're most likely to find it harder there than the home they just left. I hope things would be different for their sake, but that seems really unlikely.
This chapter was pretty good. My reaction to it was sort of like "Finally". I thought this book was supposed to be about their journey to California, but it's the end of chapter ten and they're just now leaving. That's one third of the book gone and they're only starting out. I'm not a very patient person most of the time, especially when it comes to books. Guess it shows.
Steinbeck's attention to detail and the time period aren't under appreciated with me. I love how he describes the family hierarchy as they gather to talk about what they're going to do next. That really helped me to visualize the scene, and it helped me to understand the interior workings and where everybody stands with the rest of the family.
I was really surprised when Grampa decided he wasn't going to California with the rest of the family. I suppose I shouldn't have been, but I didn't see it coming. He seemed so eager to go in the earlier chapters and the beginning of this one. I love how the family decides to make him go with them. It's always funny when a person's own family decides to drug them for their own good.
By now, I'm starting to feel sorry for this family. Tom seems to be the only one who has any idea of what California will actually be like. The rest of the family is under the impression that it's all peaches and grapes and oranges, when they're most likely to find it harder there than the home they just left. I hope things would be different for their sake, but that seems really unlikely.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Grapes of Wrath page 78- chapter 9
I liked this section of the book. Page seventy-eight through to the beginning of chapter nine is about the rest of Joad's family's reactions. Grampa and Granma seem like good grandparents to have. They're odd and completely crazy, of course, but that's the best kind. It's obvious that they love their family.
I love Al's reaction to finding out his brother's home. No matter how old they get, little brothers always look up to their big brothers and will always want to be like them. Even if they won't admit it.
Noah is my favorite of the family so far, mainly for they reason that he doesn't talk much. There's finally a character in this story that doesn't seem inclined to go off into long, rambling, random memories that have nothing to do with anything they were talking about before. He's spoken one or two sentences and that's it. I like the description Steinbeck gave of him that he's like a person in an empty house looking calmly out the windows at the world outside.
Chapter nine was awesome in my opinion. I love the little chapters that occur every few chapters and don't really have anything to do with Joad's family, but are still relevant to the time period and the setting. This one was one of the best so far. I love how they say that you buy their bitterness along with all their other possessions. It really captures the mood of that time period and puts it into perspective for me. I can almost feel the people's desperation and frustration. This chapter really makes you feel for the people who had to leave and see how reluctant they are to go. Again I also love the style chapter nine was written in.
So far, I'm finding that I am apathetic toward this book. I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would, but I don't know if I would read it again just for fun. Though I do like some of the various writing styles and in-between chapters, the subject matter and the vernacular of the characters are definitely negatives.
I love Al's reaction to finding out his brother's home. No matter how old they get, little brothers always look up to their big brothers and will always want to be like them. Even if they won't admit it.
Noah is my favorite of the family so far, mainly for they reason that he doesn't talk much. There's finally a character in this story that doesn't seem inclined to go off into long, rambling, random memories that have nothing to do with anything they were talking about before. He's spoken one or two sentences and that's it. I like the description Steinbeck gave of him that he's like a person in an empty house looking calmly out the windows at the world outside.
Chapter nine was awesome in my opinion. I love the little chapters that occur every few chapters and don't really have anything to do with Joad's family, but are still relevant to the time period and the setting. This one was one of the best so far. I love how they say that you buy their bitterness along with all their other possessions. It really captures the mood of that time period and puts it into perspective for me. I can almost feel the people's desperation and frustration. This chapter really makes you feel for the people who had to leave and see how reluctant they are to go. Again I also love the style chapter nine was written in.
So far, I'm finding that I am apathetic toward this book. I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would, but I don't know if I would read it again just for fun. Though I do like some of the various writing styles and in-between chapters, the subject matter and the vernacular of the characters are definitely negatives.
Grapes of Wrath chapter 7- page 77
I enjoyed reading this chapter. I don't get what it has to do with the story as of yet, but I liked it. I thought it was interesting to spend a day in the life of a shady used car salesman. I also thought the writing style was interesting. I think it's called stream of consciousness, but I could be confusing that for something else.
I thought this chapter was a nice break from the lonely, depressed tone of the rest of the novel. Now readers get to see someone who is actually doing good (though not necessarily honest) business. The used car dealer is better off because of the foreclosures instead of the other way around. People have to get out of town and go to California, so they have to buy the cars at that lot because they can't go anywhere else.
I thought the guy in this chapter was really bad, even for a car dealer. Everyone knows the dealers are tricky, but this guy is something else entirely. He sold that poor man a car that he bought for thirty five dollars for ninety dollars, two mules and a cart. And then he laughs about it with Joe, who is apparently the lot salesman.
Page 77 was a really random place to stop reading and start a blog, but it was all I had time for. Chapter eight is off to a promising start. I thought the reactions to Joad being home were funny, and I loved how the first question each of Joad's parents ask him is if he broke out of jail. I love how Joad's Pa calls his wife Ma like the rest of the family. There was this one phrase that I really liked. Steinbeck is describing the sounds you hear in the morning as "the secret noises of the dawn". I thought that was a cool way of phrasing it. I don't think he's as good as Bradbury, but Steinbeck's got some flair with word phrasing.
I thought this chapter was a nice break from the lonely, depressed tone of the rest of the novel. Now readers get to see someone who is actually doing good (though not necessarily honest) business. The used car dealer is better off because of the foreclosures instead of the other way around. People have to get out of town and go to California, so they have to buy the cars at that lot because they can't go anywhere else.
I thought the guy in this chapter was really bad, even for a car dealer. Everyone knows the dealers are tricky, but this guy is something else entirely. He sold that poor man a car that he bought for thirty five dollars for ninety dollars, two mules and a cart. And then he laughs about it with Joe, who is apparently the lot salesman.
Page 77 was a really random place to stop reading and start a blog, but it was all I had time for. Chapter eight is off to a promising start. I thought the reactions to Joad being home were funny, and I loved how the first question each of Joad's parents ask him is if he broke out of jail. I love how Joad's Pa calls his wife Ma like the rest of the family. There was this one phrase that I really liked. Steinbeck is describing the sounds you hear in the morning as "the secret noises of the dawn". I thought that was a cool way of phrasing it. I don't think he's as good as Bradbury, but Steinbeck's got some flair with word phrasing.
Grapes of Wrath chapters 5 & 6
I thought these chapters were okay. I don't know if I necessarily had a reaction to these chapters as a whole other than that they were just more chapters to read. There were some specific things in each chapter that I liked and didn't like, but they were pretty average overall.
In chapter five, one of the things I liked was Steinbeck's personification of the bank. He did a really good job of it, and I'm sure that the way he described it is still relevant today. He did the same thing with the tractor, and I think I liked that personification better. I also loved this phrase that Steinbeck used in chapter five: "Soft fingers began to tap the sill of the car window, and hard fingers tightened on restless drawing sticks." It's used when the book describes the bank workers coming to tell the farmers that they'll have to move. I loved the distinction between the city workers and the hard-working farmers. I also liked when Casy and Joad let the turtle go and wonder at where it's heading to.
The main event in chapter five is the banks come to foreclose the houses and plow the land. I understand that the banks needed the money and had to hurt the farmers to get it, but I think the situation could have been handled better.
Chapter six wasn't one of my favorites so far. In this chapter, Joad comes home to an empty house. While he and Jim Casy are looking around, they see one of the neighbors, Muley Graves, walking through the cotton close by. I don't like Muley's character very much. He and the others often talk a lot but never really say anything important. I do like how they hide in the cotton when Willy comes around though. I did also appreciate that this chapter finally explains in detail what Joad did to land himself in prison. Apparently, he accidentally killed a man while drunk at a party.
In chapter five, one of the things I liked was Steinbeck's personification of the bank. He did a really good job of it, and I'm sure that the way he described it is still relevant today. He did the same thing with the tractor, and I think I liked that personification better. I also loved this phrase that Steinbeck used in chapter five: "Soft fingers began to tap the sill of the car window, and hard fingers tightened on restless drawing sticks." It's used when the book describes the bank workers coming to tell the farmers that they'll have to move. I loved the distinction between the city workers and the hard-working farmers. I also liked when Casy and Joad let the turtle go and wonder at where it's heading to.
The main event in chapter five is the banks come to foreclose the houses and plow the land. I understand that the banks needed the money and had to hurt the farmers to get it, but I think the situation could have been handled better.
Chapter six wasn't one of my favorites so far. In this chapter, Joad comes home to an empty house. While he and Jim Casy are looking around, they see one of the neighbors, Muley Graves, walking through the cotton close by. I don't like Muley's character very much. He and the others often talk a lot but never really say anything important. I do like how they hide in the cotton when Willy comes around though. I did also appreciate that this chapter finally explains in detail what Joad did to land himself in prison. Apparently, he accidentally killed a man while drunk at a party.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Return to Fahrenheit 451
I was at the library the other day and saw that there is a movie version of this book, so I went ahead and got it, thinking it would be a nice refresher on the book I just read. It wasn't really. The movie was only vaguely similar to the book. I know books are always better than their movie counterparts, but come on. The technology didn't look at all like it was described in the book. I do understand that this move was made a long time ago (it is on VHS after all), but even then, they could have paid more attention to detail.
Another thing that really bugged me was when Clarisse didn't die. I suppose that would be a good thing in real life, but, in the book, she is supposed to die. When I managed to completely ignore that fact, I rather enjoyed the film's interpretation of the novel. The end where it showed Montag, Clarisse, and all the other books walking around reciting themselves was my favorite part. That scene left a bigger impact with me than the end scene of the book.
One other thing that the movie did that I enjoyed was that they left out the old professor that Montag associates with. He just seemed like such a static character to me. And he always got Montag in trouble. Montag also relied on the old man's help, rather than figuring things out for himself, and I thought that stunted his intellectual development.
I loved the bit of self-promotion for Ray Bradbury in the movie. As Montag and his guide walk around camp and the everyone is introducing themselves, one of the boys introduces himself as The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. Little things like that just make the movie more enjoyable.
I thought it was pretty fun to go through and find all the ways the book was different than the movie. There were a lot of differences, but the movie still stayed true to the essence of the book, which I really appreciated.
Another thing that really bugged me was when Clarisse didn't die. I suppose that would be a good thing in real life, but, in the book, she is supposed to die. When I managed to completely ignore that fact, I rather enjoyed the film's interpretation of the novel. The end where it showed Montag, Clarisse, and all the other books walking around reciting themselves was my favorite part. That scene left a bigger impact with me than the end scene of the book.
One other thing that the movie did that I enjoyed was that they left out the old professor that Montag associates with. He just seemed like such a static character to me. And he always got Montag in trouble. Montag also relied on the old man's help, rather than figuring things out for himself, and I thought that stunted his intellectual development.
I loved the bit of self-promotion for Ray Bradbury in the movie. As Montag and his guide walk around camp and the everyone is introducing themselves, one of the boys introduces himself as The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. Little things like that just make the movie more enjoyable.
I thought it was pretty fun to go through and find all the ways the book was different than the movie. There were a lot of differences, but the movie still stayed true to the essence of the book, which I really appreciated.
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Grapes of Wrath Beginning Thoughts/ch. 1-4
So far, I think Grapes of Wrath is pretty decent. On a scale of one to ten, it would rank somewhere around a five or six with me. I like Steinbeck's writing style because he pays attention to detail without doing too much and boring the reader.
I didn't particularly like the first chapter. I thought there could have been a little less male chauvinism, but I understand that was the way of thought back when this book was written. Even without that, this chapter was as dry as the land it was describing.
I enjoyed the second chapter a lot more than the first. I especially liked when the truck driver would say something along the lines of "I don't mean to pry" or "I mind my own business" even though it was clear that he was prying and not minding his own business.
I didn't really get the point of chapter three. The turtle doesn't even matter until chapter four. Right now, my best guess for why the turtle is important is that it is some sort of metaphor. I think it's supposed to symbolize the land or maybe show how life still goes on by having the turtle plant a seed on accident. Even though I didn't get it, I still thought it was interesting to read a day in the life of a turtle.
Chapter three started to might some sense once I continued to chapter four. Once I read how Joad picked up the turtle to take to the kids at home, I saw how the turtle was actually relevant to the book. When I was reading Joad and Casy describe their religious service, all I could think was "They have a weird way of practising their religion". They would probably think the same thing about my church though, if I could describe it to them. I also liked how Joad's father "stole a house". Even though it sounds completely impossible, I think it would be awesome if his family actually stole half of the house, if only to say they stole half a house.
I didn't particularly like the first chapter. I thought there could have been a little less male chauvinism, but I understand that was the way of thought back when this book was written. Even without that, this chapter was as dry as the land it was describing.
I enjoyed the second chapter a lot more than the first. I especially liked when the truck driver would say something along the lines of "I don't mean to pry" or "I mind my own business" even though it was clear that he was prying and not minding his own business.
I didn't really get the point of chapter three. The turtle doesn't even matter until chapter four. Right now, my best guess for why the turtle is important is that it is some sort of metaphor. I think it's supposed to symbolize the land or maybe show how life still goes on by having the turtle plant a seed on accident. Even though I didn't get it, I still thought it was interesting to read a day in the life of a turtle.
Chapter three started to might some sense once I continued to chapter four. Once I read how Joad picked up the turtle to take to the kids at home, I saw how the turtle was actually relevant to the book. When I was reading Joad and Casy describe their religious service, all I could think was "They have a weird way of practising their religion". They would probably think the same thing about my church though, if I could describe it to them. I also liked how Joad's father "stole a house". Even though it sounds completely impossible, I think it would be awesome if his family actually stole half of the house, if only to say they stole half a house.
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