The Hunter Games, written by Suzanne Collins, is a story with a theme that criticizes the inequality between different social classes; people treating suffer as a form of entertainment and care a lot about the importance of appearances. Growing up in District 12 of Panem, a country established after the North American governments collapsed, Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of the story and its narrator, is a tough, resourceful 16-year-old girl that is way more mature than her age. After her father lost his life in a mine explosion many years earlier, Katniss’s mother sank into depression and she thus become the breadwinner of the family, including her younger sister Prim as well. At the reaping ceremony of the annual Hunger Games, which is used as a reminder of the Districts’ (used to be 13 districts; it is now 12) defeat by the Capitol many decades ago, Prim was selected to be one of the tributes of District 12, “ ‘I…
Please be prepared to enter the world of Xanth. It is an imaginary land that only exists in Piers Anthony’s mind. In Xanth, there are multiple stories, but none are as unique and original as the fantasy novel, Castle Roogna. This books depicts a young boy’s journey through time as he discovers the elixir of life and the secret of manhood. Castle Roogna is one of many in Anthony’s Xanth series that continues the saga of puns and legends.…
Rather, I admire the magic light of my youngest brother’s eyes as his imagination latches onto each syllable I read. I can almost see the pictures of the characters forming in his mind. As I share the characters’ journey with him, I become amazed that instead of listening to a bedtime story, I am the one reading. It was a moment of clarity, almost as if I had come through the wardrobe myself into this new land of adulthood, capable of taking care of others, able to see the complexities in the stories I had ravenously read as a child. As I explored The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe with a more mature perspective, I searched…
The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls, is a story of an unconventional family trying to make their way in the world. This memoir recounts the struggles the author faced growing up. Problems such as poverty, starvation, illness, homelessness, and addiction surrounded her families lives. None the less, they overcame these conflicts. The Glass Castle has a wide array of ideas, but the themes I found most relevant in this book were unconditional love, self-realization, and positivity.…
The novel “The Spook Who Sat by The Door” written by Sam Greenlee is a satire of civil rights problems in the United States in the late 60s. This book is a direct image of violence, racism and suppression of the African American race in the United States. The novel itself is a revolutionary manual of how to beat the system and maintain the appearance of status quo. It is also a combination of hate, prejudice, passion and humor. These themes are evident in both the novel and in its 1973 film adaptation by Ivan Dixon.…
The book “The Glass Castle” is a nonfiction book about the life story of a women named Jeannette Walls. Jeannette was judged her whole life for always being an outsider, and for not having nice clothes or money. Her memoir “The Glass Castle” shows what Jeannette, and her family went through on an everyday basis, and how others treated not only herself, but her family. How do you think Jeannette was treated throughout her life while being an outsider? Do you think others treated her kind or fair?…
This book makes you think in a way you wouldn't with any other story. This can help students question what tone to read the book in, it may also 4uyjklhelp them question decisions in their own lives. Some students would especially like the fantasy elements of the story which may help inspire them in class to read more. A weakness that is found in the book is how it can be quite bland and uninteresting at times.…
Generations each possess individual values, attitudes, and goals that strike them apart from one another, thus creating a gap. This gap is like a barrier that keeps the different generations distinct. As for the different attitudes of life, the people belonging to the old generation always wonder what has gone wrong with the new generation. They feel that during their time, young boys and girls were better behaved, more obedient and had greater respect for elders. Young people, on the other hand, feel that they are capable enough to learn on their own rather than lean heavily on the older generation for guidance.…
Said to be one of Disney’s best films, Beauty and the Beast is based on a French fairy tale about a beautiful woman who falls in love with a beast. This film sends the message that “it’s what is inside that really matters”. Jeanne Marie- Leprince de Beaumont wrote the timeless tale of “The Beauty and the beast” which has been embraced by the hearts of many for decades.…
In E.B. White’s novel Charlotte’s Web, he uses the natural cycle of life and death to highlight his belief that life is cyclical and not fair, so instead of living in fear of death on should enjoy life’s small pleasures. White uses Wilbur’s life span and his interaction with other characters to showcase the fear and joys of living. When Wilbur is born as the runt of the family, he is chosen to be slaughtered, so from the get go Wilbur’s life is shrouded by death. Life and death are already in contestation, but Fern steps in and stops his father from killing Wilbur. Fern questions Mr. Arble by asking, “‘It’s unfair...…
Can you imagine being in a world with no people? A world filled with only monsters. The only person left is you. You have nothing and no one to keep you company. This reality is displayed in the novel I Am Legend which was written by Richard Matheson in 1954.…
In chapters four through six, the themes of ambition and obsession are common. Frankenstein has ambition for learning and an obsession with philosophy and chemistry. In chapter four, Frankenstein says that he became so “ardent and eager that the stars often disappeared in the light of the morning whilst I was yet engaged in my laboratory”(Shelley 41). Victor was so eager and had so much ambition too work in the lab and create new goals that it soon became his obsession. His obsession with science became his priority in life and he soon achieved his goal.…
Most people who watch films and read stories would say that the movie adaptation is frequently different from the book. The fantasy novel, Howl’s Moving Castle, by British author Diana Wynne Jones, first published in 1986 by Greenwillow Books of New York, is no exception to this statement. Sophie, the main character, is the eldest of three daughters and “In the land of Ingary…it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest,” (Jones 1). Early in the tale, she gets transformed into an old lady by a spell that is cast by the Witch of the Waste.…
Disney Comparison When we think of Disney princess movies, we always remember the happily ever after that happens in the end. But are those ending all true? Unfortunately, Disney puts its own spin on a lot of those tales to make them that way.…
Fear and Trembling is a novel that provides the reader with a view into a different culture. A Belgian girl working in corporate Japan, shows the difference between eastern and western cultures. This is important because it illustrates a new taboo culture to western audiences. In the Japanese culture, the regular person sees themselves as a small being who need to start small and the only way to grow is to have experience while in a western culture, a regular person sees themselves as a large, significant part of society and that you need to have individual traits that set you apart from others to grow. Amelie Nothomb uses characterization, irony, and symbolism to illustrate the differences between cultures throughout her novel, Fear and Trembling.…