Blog#5

The actions of the characters seemed very plausible because the way they acted when a problem came about. When Neil and Sharon were kidnapped Neil dad's was very worried they wouldn't live and he didn't want anything to happen to them. What person doesn't worry and hopes nothing happen to their family. Right off the bat that's how any person would react. Anyone would immediately start worrying and would be very scared for their family's life. Neil and Sharon also were very worried because they didn't know what was going to happen to them. They thought they were going to die. I would have thought I was going to die if someone kidnapped me. So all these things are just instant thoughts or reactions.

Blog #4

If I could ask the character any question I would probably ask her what's her inspiration to write the book "fly girl". In the story she's an author as I've said before and she has a very different kind of out look on life and she expressed it in her book. I can tell that she has been through alot and have done alot and I would like to what exactly she would say is her inspiration to come up with in the things she has written. Why was it important for her to write the things down in a book? What's the reason to actually publish the book? I feel that these question are important because as a writer people looks up to her and I want to know is that one of the reasons for writing the book. Is the thought of her audience really important to her or is she just writing the book because it's just something she wants to do? I would also ask the author of this novel "for the love of money" the same questions because I'm sometimes interested in the person outside of the book as far as there believes, and is it an good idea of reading there books.

Blog 4

In the novel A Stranger Is Watching by Mary Higgins Clark, all the characters in the story seem very realistic. Most of the characters in the story have many predicaments. I can relate to the predicaments that are going on in the story because there are many issues going on today about abducting in the U.S. and even over seas. In my novel it's about a woman, Sharon and a little boy named Neil. They both got abducted. All these kidnappings are happening because of money issues. It may be an illegal thing or something that happened legally went wrong. This story reminds me of one of my old friends. Her name is Desire. She was abducted by her father's friend. He abducted her because her father and his friend were gambling illegally and Desire's father refused to give him the money when he lost. So the man thought he could get his money back by abducting Desire and having Desire's father pay the ransom. Well all in the end Desire's father paid the ransom but later on the abductor was caught a couple of days later.

The Allure of the West

<i>Into the Wild</i>, Jon Krakauer, pgs 144-207 (end)

<i>Death of a Salesman</i>, Arthur Miller, pgs 1-97

So, I finished <i>Into the Wild</i> and started rereading a book that I'm studying with my AP Literature class.  As I read the first act of the play I was struck by the similarity between Chris McCandless and many of the characters from <i>Death of a Salesman</i>.  The main character of this story, Willy Loman frets over a missed opportunity to accompany his older brother to Alaska to make money. Instead he is 60 and stuck in a dead end sales job.  Interestingly enough, Willy's father abandoned <i>him</i> as a child to also seek fortune in Alaska.  In a weird twist, Willy is disappointed in his son Biff because he is constantly seeking work outside of the norm of the day.  He's worked on cattle farms and other jobs that Willy does not respect.  Biff explains that he likes these jobs because he's not stuck inside at a desk and can be out in the open air.

In American culture the west has always been symbolic of the open frontier, a vast unexplored wilderness where a man could make his living outside of the realm of laws and societal constraints.  It's interesting that these two books, written 50 years apart, have such similar themes.

Does anyone else know of any characters who seek a life outside of society?  Anyone have a friend or family member who constantly wants to go out on the open road?  What do you think drives a person to feel like this?

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<b>Dear Blogger:</b>  This is not a spam post.  I am mailing to publish this on all of my student's blogs in order to provide a sample and to engage in discussions.  Please call off the spambots.

The Outsiders Pages 1-72

I believe that I wouldn't have made the same decision that Ponyboy made. He made a decision to runaway from home because of his older brother hitting him. Now he thinks that it was a bad decision because he is in even more trouble. When he and his friend Johnny decided to runaway, they ran into their rival gang The Socs. When The Socs started beating up Ponyboy and Johnny, Johnny pulled out a switch blade and stabbed one of The Socs. When all the other Socs ran Ponyboy and Johnny realized that the boy was dead.

They knew now they couldn't stay around, so they went to Dally's house who was apart of their gang. When they got there they told Dally the whole story, and he helped them out. He helped them by giving them some money, a gun, and he told them a hideout they can go to. I wouldn't have made the same choice as Ponyboy because if my older brother hit me i whould've just hit him back, I wouldn't have ranaway like a baby because of my older brother hitting me.

Blog 3

One of the main characters in the novel, Sharon Martin has many experiences that cause her to grow. Sharon Martin was dating this man named Steve. Her and Steve were not really getting along like they were supposed to be because of Steve's son Neil. Neil really didn't like his father dating ever since his mother passed. Well anyways when Sharon was kidnapped Steve was very worried. Sharon on the other hand was to. She was missing for three days. For those three days that she went missing she had time to sit and realize that she really loved Steve and his son even though he didn't approve of her. She grow into another person. After she was rescued she changed her ways and tried everything she could to make Neil like her. She convinced him now Neil and Sharon are getting along. Steve is very happy because he wants Neil to have a mother in his life.

Blog #3

The main character Tracy seems very real to me. She relates very much to me because of her personally and the way she carries and relate to herself. She is a very independent and a little out spoken African American like myself. She says exactly whats on her mind at any giving time. I relate to her very much not only because of her race and where she come from but because she inspires those around her that's much younger to her. I feel as if I am a role model to those that are younger then me and that's actually what she is, even though she isn't a real person being that the book is fiction, in my eyes she's just as real as me that's why I relate to her very much.