Tess is a newlywed

The novel has only gotten more interesting. A lot happened in the beginning and i found it hard to believe that there could be any more drama. Tess runs into Angel once again, and to me he seems like a really great guy.
For me Tess really struggles with herself in this section of the novel. She is dealing with the guilt of loosing her child Sorrow, and at the same time is dealing with falling in love with Angel. Not only is there guilt from loosing her child, but she also is dealing with the perception that Angel has of her. Tess is hiding the fact that she lost her purity to Alec and Angel is lead to believe that Tess is really still a virgin. On Tess' defense i think that it is not really her fault what has happened to her between Alec and the child. I think she is too hard on herself and should trust herself with Angel. I think it is really unfortunate that Angel is disappointed with her especially since Angel does not have the cleanest past either.
I really hope the newly weds can work out their problem. To me Angel seems like a great guy. After all, all the girls on the farm were in love with him. Maybe Angels name has some significance. Maybe he is Tess' Angel and will help her through her hard times.
Over all I am sure the novel is guaranteed to get even more interesting, with more twists and turns.

The Lost Integrity

The second section of this novel shows the extreme change in our protagonist, Amir. He has undergone an extremely life changing event: his decision to not help Hassan in that alley. Because of this decision, his life is turned upside down.
This is obviously something that bothers Hassan as well. Ali tells young Amir, “’Lately, it seems all he [Hassan] wants to do is sleep’” (Hosseini 81). This, to me, shows a young man who is understandably affected, adversely at that, by what has happened to him.
The guilt of knowing what he did affects Amir as well. Amir and Hassan go up to their pomegranate tree and Amir laments, “the words I’d carved on the tree trunk with Ali’s kitchen knife, Amir and Hassan: The Sultans of Kabul…I couldn’t stand looking at them now” (Hosseini 87).
I really cannot imagine trying to live with having made the decision that Amir made. He knows that he has lost all shred of integrity that he may have once had. His life from that moment on was shaped by that decision. More than that, he knows that something that he had done, or not done, had changed the life of Hassan forever. He knew that he saw so much of Assef in himself.

Response: Angel Clare

Angel Clare was the first character I took a liking to in this novel. When he first appeared in phase the first, Angel really interested me. I enjoyed the idea of him and his brothers just passing through Marlott as they traveled. As Angel leaves, Tess and him have an unspoken moment, Angel regrets not dancing with her and the mysterious boy intrigues Tess. Immediately after I read of this would be encounter I sensed foreshadowing of them having a future together. However as I read further, I began to think maybe I would never hear of Angel again. Fortunately, this is not the case, and in fact, in phase the third, entitled, "The Rally", they begin to build quite a fancy for each other. Within the first description of Angel I felt he was superior to Alec, in a way, his replacement. The passage, "Beneath it was something educated, reserved, subtle, sad, differing."(87), was the first to give me this idea. In addition, an entire chapter was dedicated to informing the reader of Angel's past, and reasons for residing at Talbothays Dairy. This alone is a testament to how Angel is going to be a more significant and ethiclly sound character than Alec. Another reason Angel appeals to me as a character is how he lives and his way of thinking. Angel's desire to pursue agriculture rather than what his father wishes he would pursue also highly interests me, considering the time this novel takes place. I look forward to see how Angel and Tess's relationship builds and progresses.

Stand Up

In the novel "The Kite Runner" written by Hosseini, Khaled, Iam currently on Chapter eighteen. Although I am further ahead in the book I would like to go back to chapter 7 and 8. In the book "The Kite Runner" these are the most important chapter thus far. Although 8 is more significant than chapter 7. This is where all the shame comes from in the book. Amir does nothing and does not stand up for Hassan his life long friend. Although he runs away and comes back acting like nothing happened. Hassan said nothing. Amir feels so much guilt he is torn and feels hate towards Hassan. When Amir and Baba are in the garden Amir says "Baba, have you ever thought about getting new servants" (Hosseini pg.89). Of course his Baba gets very upset and wonders why. He assumes that is a fight between the boys, but he is wrong it is that Amir can't stand the thought of looking at Hassan. He know that day Hassan got raped he should have sticked up for him. Amir tried to get Hassan to fight with him, but he doesn't. After Amir tried to sabotage Hassan more he tells his father that Hassan stole from him. Baba goes to Hassan to ask him, Hassan says "Yes"(Hosseini pg. 105). That is the moment that Amir knew that Hassan new that he had seen what had happened. He new if he had said no that Amir would have gotten blamed, because Baba would have believed him. These two chapters are striking and explain all of the regret that Amir has on that day. He had let down his life long friend and brother of all people. Amir not standing up was the biggest mistake of his life losing a friend and having his Baba lose a son.

Truth Shall Set You Free

            I am now on page 165 for Kite Runner and at this point I am very disgusted and appalled at Amir. How could he subject his “best friend” and “brother” and someone who shared the same breast as him to such lies? Why would he want to get rid of Hassan and Ali and break his father’s heart? The father’s heart break is quite obvious when Amir notes, “Then I saw Baba do something I had never seen him do before: He cried,” (Hosseini 107). Amir talks about how his father forgives Hassan, “… When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth,” (Hosseini 106) and he was reacting with shock as if he couldn’t believe his own father would forgive Hassan yet Amir was a thief himself; he stole Hassan’s right to the truth, so why should he be anyone special? He was nothing but a total hypocrite, especially when he said he loved Hassan more than anything in that moment when Hassan confirmed that he stole the money and the watch. He loved him for not revealing Amir in his true colors, “…he was rescuing me once again, maybe for the last time,” (Hosseini 105). So why couldn’t he apply the same concept to himself – he would love himself more if he was there for Hassan or at least confess to the lies that he told.
            I am also kind of disappointed in Hassan… I would think after everything Hassan had done for Amir, that moment when he confirmed himself to have stolen the watch and the money should have been the moment where he spoke out, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.” But then, after pondering this part in the story, I realize that he did say “enough is enough” because it was then Hassan and Ali had decided to leave regardless of Baba’s protesting and pleading. I found that very sad because I couldn’t imagine myself like Amir who were withholding such truth and going through with more lies, and not only that but continuing to be selfish. I still don’t understand why it is so hard for Amir to just admit to Hassan that he was a coward and that he couldn’t be there for Hassan in the way that he wanted to be. Sure, it would be difficult but you know the common saying of, “Truth shall set you free.”
            I guess “truth” did set someone free… it was Hassan, because now he would never have to deal with the burden of being so damn loyal to Amir "agha".

After The Last Kite Fell....The Kite Runner.

Amir is growing from his youthful ways into adulthood. Amir has gone from poking fun at Hassan to courtship. I believe this is a key prospective in the story. In the beginning of the story Amir was childish in his ways. " I had abandoned the text altogether, taken over the story, and made up my own, Hassan, of course, was oblivious to this" (Hosseini 30). Amir has developed his character. He is now a young man and has strayed away from this. He's now ready for commitment and for his life to begin. "That summer of 1983, I graduated from High school..." (Hosseini 131). This was a mile stone for Amir to cross. He now had an education and was learning the civilized ways of America. He was making his Baba proud.
Now comes Amir's final jump into adulthood. His Soraya he had finally found. Amir has now found, what is to him, his life's partner. "My heart stuttered at the thought of her. Soraya Thaheri. My swap meet princess" (Hosseini 142). Amir continued to grow quite fond of Soraya which developed into much more. Amir decided that he was mature enough that he was ready to pursue his life long partner. After his father becomes ill he has one more thing to ask his Baba. "i want you to go khastegari. I want you to ask General Taheri for his daughter's hand" (Hosseini 161). This is the peek of Amir's growth in to adulthood. I believe that Amir's growth is essential to the story, and he is finally starting to grow.

Jason Brown

The Story Kite Runner Blog C

Amir and Hassan aren’t every good friends anymore or not friends at all. It seems that Amir is done with helping Hassan now. The last time they went up to the hill Amir hit Hassan “Hit me back!” I snapped. Hassan looked from the stain on his chest to me” (92). Right there I felt that they have lost of what happens to many friendships and wouldn’t be the same after that. “ What am I going to do with you Hassan? What am I going to do with you”(93). Amir just wants to worry about himself and not to worried about both Hassan and himself so Amir decides to let Hassan go as a friend and moves on. Later on in the book when you read you see that Amir has been interested in someone.
In Chapter 12 you see that Amir is looking at Soraya which Amir finds very interesting and wants to be with her. When Baba and Amir are in the flea market Amir runs off to get them a coke, and amir stops to see Soraya. “Salaam,” I said “I’m sorry to be mozahem, I didn’t mean to disturb you”(145). After that moment at the flea market Amir wanted Soraya more.
When Baba got sick he didn’t want to go to the doctor at all and wasn’t worried about getting sick or even dying. Amir gets worried about his father Baba and makes him go to the doctor but Baba won’t go see any doctor at all, he doesn’t want to see an American doctor. “Baba, I read Dr. Schneider’s biography in the waiting room. He was born in Michigan. Michigan! He’s American, a lot more American than you and I will ever be!”(145). Soon after this Amir wants to get married and looks to Baba for help. “I want you to go Khastegari, I want you to ask General Taheri for his daughter’s hand”(161). After Baba talks with general Taheri, Amir finds out that they will be getting married.

"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"

            The way the author, Joyce Oates, wrote about Arnold Friend, she made him sound like an illusion, almost like he wasn’t a real man but a devil. For example, when I read this, “One of his boots was at a strange angle, as if his foot wasn’t in it,” (Oates 518). It reminded me of the physique of the devil. The devil is short and ugly.
            The fact of how he knew everything about Connie and where everyone was, it is almost like he has God-like powers, the ability to see “down” on people and know exactly what they are doing and who they are struck me as odd. Granted he might have been asking around but it didn’t seem like he ever bothered to ask around, he just simply “knew”. If he was asking Betty about Connie, Betty would tell Connie about the creep that was asking about her, wouldn’t she?
            The next thing that I found really convincing that he might be the actual devil, trying to pass off as a human being was when he said in the story, “'But why lock it,'” … “'It’s just a screen door. It’s just nothing,'” (Oates 518). It sounded like he was stating that he could go through it with no problem, just like a ghost could pass through a door. He probably realized this and he was about to blow his cover so he hastily spoke, “’I mean, anybody can break through a screen door…’” He also stated he could just as easily set the house on fire (Oates 518) and we all know what main component Hell is made from – fire.
            Lastly but not the least, he seemed to have the power to “hypnotize” someone as it seemed to show when the girl tried to pick up the phone but “something roared in her ear … she could do nothing but listen… “(Oates 520). By then I was definitely convinced that Arnold Friend was definitely not a friend, much less a human being but a devil. How could he send such terror with something as simple as roaring noise in the ear and STILL be standing outside the house like the story implicated him to be, the story also never implicated that Arnold Friend made the noise at all yet it was obvious it was him.

"A&P"

At the beginning of the story the cashier sounds like a guy who doesn't have a lot to do and these chicks walk in and catch his eye. To the first two chicks don't really interest him but the third chick he seems to be very interested, like he has never seen a lady like this at which point seems to be very very interested more.
When you read on in the story you see that they don't like the girls in the store because the way they are dressed. "Girls, this isn't the beach" (222). The manager of the store which gave me the idea that he disproved of what they were wearing in the A&P story.
At the end you can see how Sammy felt about what the manager did to the girls. "I quit" (223). Sammy said this to be some type of hero for the girls in the store, but the girls just walked out. After Sammy quit he walked out of the store and when we walked out and didn't find the girls he maybe felt some type of regret for quitting and maybe wanted his job back.

A & P

The story “A & P” is a well written story with excellent detail. While reading this story I felt that John Updike had done an amazing job of describing everything to create a vivid mental picture. The detail that Updike uses in describing the three girls like “She was a chunky kid, with a good tan and a sweet bread soft-looking can with those two crescents of white just under it” (Updike, 1) is probably the most detail I’ve ever seen or heard to describe a girls rear. At first because of the great detail Updike uses in describing the three girls I started to form the opinion that “Sammy” (Updike,20) and even Updike himself is kind of a pervert. Then I found that Updike goes into great detail in describing a lot of things like how he describes the aisle “they come around out of the far aisle, around the light bulbs, records at discount of the Caribbean Six or Tony Martin Sings or some such gunk you wonder they waste the wax on, sixpacks of candy bars, and plastic toys done up in cellophane that will fall apart when a kid looks at them anyway.” (Updike, 12) reminds me of a small town grocery store that I’ve been to. The way Updike uses detail made me feel like I was in the “A & P” with Sammy and the three girls.

Doe Season

I think that there are a lot of girls that could relate to the "Doe Season" in some way or another.
Andy was a confused girl who was trying to figure out who she was becoming. The relationship she has with her father is one that girls die to have. She wants so much to be excepted for who she is and not for what she is. I think this is why she tries so hard to be one of the guys. The trip that she took with her father, Charlie, and Max would be the turning point on understanding who she really was. She was teasted about being such a tomboy. ""well, which do you like? Andy or Andrea?"'(463) Her fathers comments, made her think that she was more of a girl than she had thought. Shutting the deer effected her in a way that she wasnt confortable with. She didnt like hunting like her father did."Andy was running from them, back to the field and across, scattering the crows who cawed and circled angirly."(467) Max cutting the deer was too much form Andy to handle. She tried so hard to be someone that her dad would love that she never had the chance to figure out who she was, until the hunting trip!

Dos Season (Journal #4)

In this piece of literature I feel the author David Micheal Kaplan was very sexist. We still to this day assoicate certain sprots and activites with male or female genders. Although i feel there was a stronger association twenty years ago. As he continoulsy picks her gender apart through out the story. Charlie said in the very begining "I dont understand why shes comming." She was also picked apart by her name not being a typical female name. "Well, which do you like? andy or andera?" As if her name had a strong tie to her gender and changed who she was or how she should act. It seemed as if from ther very begining when Andy first stepped in the vehicle she had to try and fit in and prove to these "MEN" that she could hunt as well as they did. Its a story about acceptance of her fateher and the realtionship with him. I almost felt as she went along more for him then she did herself. I was also very surprised and grossed out by the way charlie dared to talk to a nine year old girl about seeing a pecker and penis. It seemed unnessary to the story as it nad no other point or draw into the stroy except to draw you away from him as a character. Over all i think this story was very good and a very easy read that encouaged you to continue to read as it continued to get intersting.

Journal # 3

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

The Kite Runner
This navel written by Khaled Hosseini that takes place in Afganistan in in about the 1970's. The time period and author is very improtant to this story. The author is the narrator and does a very good job with describiton and introducing the characters i really liked the way that he introduced himself in the story. He did not let you know his name until the end of chapter two but did not just say his name but the signifacant of his name came along with it it was Hassens first werid Amir his name. I think that was signifacant to how much time they spent together and how loyal Hassen was to his friend Amir is proved over and over in the story but it begins as early as his first werid. I also see alot of sybolizim in this story the smoking room is a major one through out the story again and again we see Amir dragging Hassen along to sit and listen outside the smoking room where Amirs fathere spent most his time. This symbolizes the wall between Amir and his father as wel as how badly he seeks approvel although over and over again he his told to run along and play and ends up sitting out side the smoking room for hours on end. This is a very warming navel soo far on friendship and how far you will go for a friend. If was to give it theme to this point that would have to be the theme friendship as Hassen goes as far as getting raped for his friend. I think by the end of the story all the charcters will have somewhat of a dynamic change.

Journal #2

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

"The Crysanthemums"
This story starts out very dry and takes a while to pick up. In the very begining John Stienbeck does nothing but describe the farm land and the garden and Elisa. Which helps us be able to put our self in the situation but was hard to keep attention until the story line accutally picked up. There is alot of repeition in this story which makes you constintly try and find a reason or some kinda of sybolizim for it. "Elisa took off her gloves and stuffed them in the apron pocket with the sissors." Even after class discussion i can not figure out why that phrase has any importance in the story. However we can sybolize the Crysanthemums as her life, happiness and peace. Elisa inside seemed very depressed not satisfied or happy with her life although behind the Crysanthemum she found her joy and her happiness as if they were her kids. When the sales man or the man in the wagon appared and began to talk to her she seemed friendly as his talk became more pushey on his sales then she began to get annoyed but, when his interst became in her flowers its as if her intrest grow for him. In my opinion we dont technicaly know what happend between them which could start a whole other converstation about what really went on before he left. I dont feel she was very happy in her marital situation thats why she spent soo much time in the garden with her "children" perfecting them. Over all i feel this was a very well written story. Was not confusing and comming from a whole bunch of differnt narrators or using hard words to understand. Alhtought it did make you think and tie things together in order to keep the read a interesting one.

"Doe Season"

In the story "Doe Season" by David Kaplan I thought it stood for a journey of life that reminds me of my life. I feel as though you must go through many choices in your life and for Andy it was a very difficult one. The story first starts out with criticism from Mac and Charlie. Just because she was a female they didn't see why she should come. Although they did respect her, her father looked at her with the up most respect. It is the typical journey in life many people are going to put you down and judge you by first impressions. You are going to have to push through that and listen to people who are supportive. Although Andy's dad was very proud, respectful, and believed in her, some people aren't that lucky. Some people may not have anyone to believe in them. Also in the story when Andy runs away from them, I don't think she was necessarily running away from them I believe she was running from reality. She felt terrible that she shot that deer. There are sometimes things in life that you may have done that you are not proud of and you just try to forget about it and move on with your life. This is a good story in the sense it will remind you of life goals, choices, and consequences. Great story to give you a little reality check, and can really relate to anybody, even people who don't hunt!

Get Off My Back Mac

In the story “Doe Season” by David Michael Kaplan the main character Andy has a strong desire to please and show that she belongs in that type of setting. One the first day when Charlie Spoon instructed his son to gather some fire wood Andy jumped in and said “I’ll do it” (460). Even more so, after Andy had spotted deer for the second time and her father said “Andy spotted it, let her shoot it” (463) she said “I can’t” (464). Her father even asked her if she wanted to shoot it and she said that she would even though inside her head she was wishing that the deer would run away. Her desire to please and belong is most evident by her actually pulling the trigger. She could have just missed on purpose and the deer would have run away but then she would have to face Charlie Spoon and Mac. Those two would never have let her live it down. So in her desire to please her father and to show that she belongs out there she did something that she did not want to do.

A & P blog

I thought the short story "A & P" was both good and bad. I did not really get the point of the story, but i did really like like the feeling it gave me about summer, and being carefree.
I was not in class for the group discussion, and those really help me get a deeper meaning of the stories. From my own view point I felt bad for Sammy. It seemed to me like he was trying to impress the girls by quitting work only to find them gone and himself alone. It seems like he was trying to fit into a group he was not part of, sort of like his infactuation with the girls is what caused him to quit working at the supermarket. I am sure there is a deeper meaning in the story but i wasn't understading it.
One thing i really liked about the story was the way that John Updike describes the charachters. It really gives you a feeling of time the story takes place and the feeling the charachters had. The way he describes the girls in their bathing suits such as, " the dirty pink - beige maybe...bathing suit.. with a little nuble over it and the straps were down." or " There was this chunky one, with the two piece--it was brigh tgreen and the seams on the bra were still sharp and her belly was still pretty pale..." (220). By going into depth about the girls Updike not only gives you a good idea of what they look like, but also the feeling of a being carefree in the summer. Another thing i like about the story is how it takes place in around the 1960's. And to me life seemed to me like it would be much simpilar. People were not always in a hurry and trying to get things done.
Over all I am sure Sammy had other motiaves for the reasons he quit, and maybe the girls were just the final straw, maybe he wasnts to feel the freedom the girls have on their summer vacation, whatever it was it really wasnt clear to me, and i felt like the story just sort of stopped.

"Doe Season"

After class discussion on this story I gained a better idea of what this story was really about. I saw this story as a journey for Andy from childhood into adulthood/adolescence. I believe that Andy's character changed significantly. When they first set off for the the woods she was just a nine year old, but when she came out she was much more. " 'So ---nine. What's the difference? She'll just add to the noise and get tired besides' " (Kaplan 457). Andy, in the beginning of the story, is innocent and is like a good luck charm to her dad. " ' And she'll bring good luck, you'll see.' " (Kaplan 457). This brings out the youth traits in Andy, she is still following her dad. It's towards the middle of the story that Andy starts to change. "It trembled, still straining to keep its head high, as if that alone would save it; failing, it collapsed, shuddered, and lay still" (Kaplan 465). This was the point of no return. Andy had now taken a life, and you cannot return from that. At that instant she had grown up, whether or not she was ready, it happened. " But that wasn't her name, she would no longer be called that" (Kaplan 467). This was the final barrier to cross. She no longer wished to be Andy. With killing the deer it made her realize that wasn't the person she wanted to be. From now on she was going to be known as Andrea. She has made the jump into her beginning years of female adolescense.

-Jason Brown-

Where are you going, Where have you been

I thought Arnold had to be a social path. Honestly how can Arnold

know so much about Connie. He only meet her once yet he new about her

parents being gone. Arnold also new exactly where her parents were.

(Joyce Carol Oates pg.517) "He ain't coming. He's at a barbecue." Arnold

enjoyed taunting Connie by saying that if she were to call the cops that he

would come in her house after her. Arnold talked smooth and in a low

tone, almost seductive like. With the mental state Connie is in, it seems

that she is lured in by him. Connie wants to stand tall and not be intriged

by Arnold, but she finds it hard to do.(Oates pg 514)"Now she rememered

him even better, back at the restaurant, and her cheeks warmed at the of

how she sucked in her breath just at the moment she passed him-how she

must of looked to him." Throuh out the story Arnold keeps on talking

about how he wants Connie to come with him and Ellie. He is telling her

basically that she has nothing to loose.Connie keeps on saying that Arnold

is crazy.(Oates pg.517) "Shut up! You're crazy!" But how is it that being

told this does not deter Arnold. Any normal brained indivual it would.

Arnold goes on and on calling Connie names only people dating would

call each other.(Oates pg. 519) "Huh? What're you saying, honey?" Slowly

Connie decides towards the end of the story to give up and just to go with

Arnold. Maybe in fear of her own life or of fear that Arnold might hurt

her family.What the hell Connie is thinking know one will ever know.

1st journal

"The storm" writtin in 3rd person is very confusing as it starts out talking about many differnt people. With out really decribing each persons charcter in the story. The dialog was hard to follow as it jumped around alot. Although the story did a really good job at discribion and painting a visualize picture of the charters looks. "she was a little fuller of figure than five years before when she married; her blue eyes still retained their melting quality and her yellow hair, dishvelled by the wind and rain." Very well understaning of how the charcter may look. There is also good describtion on what the storm was like and how bad it really was. "It shook the wooden storen and seemed to be ripping great furrowas in the distant field." Some where it stated they had not had a storm this bad in years. This is a story where the conflict is man verses nature. These images helped me visualize the storm, its as if you were there. The setting is sourthen and ancient by the describtion of them riding in on horses and the dialog used. The story overal intesting and ending very classic like many others "happy every after." In happiness as the storm has passed.

Where are you going, where have you been.

I found this story to be quite layered, with many different appealing aspects. One aspect to look at is the fact that this could be a warning to young girls who are learning about their own sexual possesions and how men respond to these, showing them that flirting and acting sexually an attract a negative reaction. In the story Arnold will not go into the house but demands for connie to come out to him this part story demonstrates how young girls fall to the head games and hasty persuasion that males tend to have. Young girls can be easily controlled because their adolescent minds and not quite logical as most adult women would be, not always reconizing danger. I also like the real life connection of this story. The connection to Charles joseph schmid who in the same me period of this story, lured unkowing females in to his rad car and killed possibly raped in abandened fields. Smitty as he was refered to by the youth locals at the time was convicted of three muders including two sisters. Another aspect is the biblical notion it tends to preach. Showing how the evils of vanity and greed can distort the soul that is why arnold becomes more and more uglier to connie as the conversation progresses, giving connie a glimpse of what she might become if she continues to selfish and vain. Once again i also think this story shows light on how as we become adults and face new challenges we tend to do things we would never do like connie going with arnold after he threatens her family showing that in the worst possible situation she starts to grow up and relize the sacrifices adults have to make. Maybe thats why her mothers looks went down hill because she now had a family to look after disregarding her own up keep

Yellow Wallpaper

Here's a story about a woman whose experiencing post partum depression. The hardest part

is Jane is not really getting any support through it. Her husband John(he's a physican) feels that

his wife has a nervous condition. Pg.369 " Such a dear baby! And yet I cannot be with him

makes me nervous." Pg.372 " It is getting to be a great effort for me to think straight."

How can anyone not be depressed when your locked away in a nursery, with hideous

wallpaper. As a new mother Jane cant' even see her son, because shes nervous. This wallpaper

has different shapes, ripped up and just faded. Pg.368 "Stripped off paper- in great patches."

pg.368"Unclean yellow faded by slow turning sunlight."

From what Jane found out was no matter how hard you don't let your mind wonder. It

can still happen when there is know interaction with others. This wallpaper has a way of

putting you in a mind tripping spell. All Jane has is the four walls in this nursery and old

wallpaper. Pg.368 " I am sitting by the window now up in this atrocious nursery." Pg.368

" Stripped off paper-in great patches." Pg.368 " Unclear yellow faded by slow turning sunlight."

Pg.373 " On a pattern like this, by daylight, there is a lack of sequence, a defiance of law,

that is a constant irritant to a normal mind."

Kite Runner

I didn't think i was going to like the book Kite Runner when i first started to read. As i read through each chapter i enjoyed the book more and more. Its was interesting to me that Hassan is not able to read and loved to listen to Amir jan. For some reason i enjoyed the part in the book where Amir jan reads to Hassan and then stops reading from the book and makes up his own story and Hassan really enjoyed what Amir read to him, which then made Amir start to write his own short story.
Amir jan father seems to me that he blames Amir for the death of this wife, Amir mother because she died giving birth to Amir and thoughout the book you can tell that by what his father says about him. His father wishes that Amir would stand up for himself and do things like play soccer and interact with more people then just Hassan. His father thinks it is not right that a young boy/man should write stories or poems but that's what Amir jan enjoys the most in the book. It also seems that Baba is maybe afraid that the way his son act's is not going to be good for the business and he will not be able to pass the business on to his son.
I think this book is going to end well and i'm excited for the ending.

Who is Amir?

The Kite Runner is an excellent novel. I really felt that it has been easy to read, but it still has many layers to it. One of those layers, the one I really have focused on, is the layer of human nature.
Human nature seems to be a fickle thing. So many works of fiction are about this very topic. It is an almost obsessive topic because it applies to us, every one of us.
The Kite Runner has a layer to it where we see a little boy asking himself who he is. I found the first 79 pages of the novel were him trying to answer this question. Rahim Khan is speaking with Amir's father and telling him that Amir does not have a mean streak. Amir thinks to himself, "Rahim Khan had been wrong about that mean streak thing" (Hosseini 23). He was so much different than his father, so who was he?
Exploration and discovery, however, are usually not without cost. This cost seems to not only affect him for the rest of his life, but his servant Hassan, too. After Hassan finds a plot hole in Amir's story, Amir thinks to himself, "What does he know, that illiterate Hazara? He'll never be anything but a cook. How dare he criticize you?" (Hosseini 34).
Hassan gives up so much, but he always keeps his integrity. I believe it is this integrity that drives Amir for the rest of his life. He is always seeking to regain that lost integrity.

The Kite Runner

            I am fascinated by this story thus far. It is something new to me, not only is it new because it is a new book but I am also new with the location the book is based on. Whenever I read a book, it is most likely based in a location that is familiar to me – such as Boston, Massachusetts. Or maybe it is based in Hollywood, California. Or even Seattle, Washington. This story is based in the Middle East and that is not familiar to me so it is really interesting.
            The other interesting thing about this novel is the names used. I learned that there is a word that you use all the time to refer to any older male as Kaka or any older female as Khala which is basically “uncle” and “aunt” (Hosseini, 83). I just find that a little different because we don’t call every grown man “Uncle” or grown woman, “Aunt” here in America. There is also the difference in how they use the term of “mister.” They don’t say “Mr. Amir” they say “Amir agha” as Hassan always calls him. “Amir jan” is more of an affectionate way of referring to someone as it obviously shows when Amir stated in the book, “Baba hardly ever used the term of endearment jan when he addressed me,” (Hosseini, 31).
            Another reason why I really like the book thus far is because it is so similar to the American way of life – they work just like we do, they live their lives just like we do, there are bullies over there just as there are bullies here and there are bullies that have raped here in America so it struck a chord in me that made me think, “just because we are different in ethnicity, race, religion, socially, it doesn’t mean we don’t go through the same type of experiences in life.” I’m sure there are people who have been through experiences of wanting a father’s affection, or having a “servant” for a friend and not wanting to admit it, or being bullied. We are all similar more than we will think, or sometimes even admit.

Novel Blog

I thought the novel i started reading is really good. It is sort of hard to understand at first. For times sake i am going to refer to the novel as "Tess". Overall the story is sort of complicated to get since it was written long ago and takes place in the late 1800's. There are many details and little things to catch. Right away in the story i resented Tess' parents, i felt as though they are lazy, and just want to make a buck of their own child. Tess seems really responsible, and level headed, however i do think she is batteling with herself and her own issues. Some people say she may have been seduced, but i think she was raped by alec. To me this is really sad because before it happens i see the author adding details of how pure Tess is. After she goes home and quits working i feel like her mom wants her to marry Alec just for status reasons. After the baby dies i really feel bad for Tess and what she must be going through. Esecially since she is giving birth not only really young but in a time where its unacceptable to give birth back then and is still today is looked at as deviant.
So far i really enjoy the book. I am not that far into the book and so much has happend! The author does a good joob of getting the reader hooked right away. There are so many events in the first part that im excited to see what possibly could happen next!

Teh Kite Runner

In class today, when we discussed the story I felt that there was a wall up between Amir and his father. All he wanted was for his dad to except him as his son. I think that the smoke room represented that wall. He would sit outside the door and listen to his dad talking. Amir's friendship with Hassan was hard to except because he was envious of him. Hassan had a better relationship with Baba(Amirs father) than Amir did. For Hassan being a servant to Amir he never seemed to have any bad felling for not having the things Amir had. He was a loyal friend to Amir. Hassan would have to be the character that keeps me reading. With in the first 79 pages of the book, Hassan has been threw more any young boy. I am excited to keep reading!

The Kite Runner

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book or not when I started reading it, but now that I'm into it I really enjoy it. It is a very powerful piece of literature and is very moving, and eye opening. It really gives you a glimps of how life is through anothers eyes. The settings of the story, I beleive, are essential to this story. Some of the main ones are: Kabul, the pomegranate tree, the study, and many more. The begining is about two young boys, Amir and Hassan. Hassan is on of the servants to the Amir and his father. Hassan is a Hazara. I believe that this is an important parta nd aspect of the story. "People called Hazaras mice eating, flat-nosed, load carrying donkeys." ( Hosseini 9). The Hazara people are seen as slaves and have had everything stripped from them in the past by the Pashtuns. This, I believe, is important because Hassan, the Hazaras, are looked down on for being slaves, and illiterate. This is an issue because Amir and Hassan are so close. They do everything together, "Hassan and I fed from the same breast" (Hosseini 11). This just goes to show that they have been close from the very begining. Amir was even the first word Hassan said. Even though this close Amir makes mockeries towards Hassan and his illiteracy. With this in mind I ask is Hassan a friend or a servent? For example how could a friend just stand by while his friend was raped? "I ran because I was a coward" (Hosseini 77). For all the times that Hassen stuck up for Amir and all he's done for Amir, Amir did nothing. He ran away when he could have stuck up for Hassen. After all Hassen is getting raped for Amir. So which is it, servent or slave. I hope that with further reading it will become clear.

Jason Brown

Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Immediately I was aware that in order to understand this novel I would have to record my thoughts and take note of significant rising actions throughout the story. What caused this idea was the difficulty I had in understanding the language the characters use. Some definitions are provided for the reader, although some passages remain confusing for me. "...and in constructing his family tree on the new basis was duly reasonable in framing this intermarriages and aristocratic links, never inserting a single title above a rank of strict moderation." This passage in particular was especially difficult for me to grasp, even after reading it a second time. The only way I see this problem being solved is reading the text next to a dictionary, and simply removing myself form the modern day lingo I am used to and placing my mind in an 1800's environment. Although my knowledge of this era is quite scarce, removing myself from the modern day has come second nature to me though the years. Aside from the language being difficult to understand, it is also very interesting as well. The style of language Alec uses strikes me as well mannered and educated, (although his intentions are quite the opposite) and this continues to make the story engaging for me. Personally I love the endless use of words one has to choose from to get their point across, and reading such a different style than what I hear everyday is something I love to experience. In this aspect, along with others, "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" promises to be a interesting and insightful experience.

"The Chrysanthemums"

I did not really like this story too much, I thought that Elisa should had left like she wanted to . But instead she stuck to her role of little o'housewife which sucks. She wanted to spread her wings and go out into the world but instead she stayed with the traditional role that society expected her to do. Elisa had a expert knack in growing plants she could have used that out in the world. But all she did was stay in marriage with a man she cannot communicate with or that understands her. she just continues a nameless and boring existence hindered by her own fear. of the world. She can barely take pride in herself she gets all weird and emotional when her husband complements her and instead of admtting she wanted to go to a fight she just hushed herself and looked into the open field where she pondered where the road could take her. know wonder she wanted to drink wine maybe then she could forget about how crappy she felt.

"The Chrysanthemums"

On the surface “The Chrysanthemums” seems to be a rather odd tale. The ending, without a doubt, is quite strange. Yet, after having the class discussion, I think there really is an underlying story somewhere in “The Chrysanthemums.”
The real message for me is one of a woman who is not content with her position in life. She is the wife of a rancher and her husband seems to be nice enough. He encourages her and compliments her abilities as a gardener saying, “’you’ve got a gift with things’” (Steinbeck 633). He seems to want to make her happy when he suggests a night out.
I think we see her lack of contentment when a traveling repairman seems to get under her skin. After having heard of his nomadic lifestyle, our protagonist says, “’I wish women could do such things’” (Steinbeck 637). The repairman tells her that “’it ain’t the right kind of a life for a woman’” (Steinbeck 637) and she is obviously not pleased “her upper lip raised a little, showing her teeth” (Steinbeck 637).
Later, when she gets into a little tiff with Henry, Elisa tells him (really, it seems, she’s more telling herself), “’I’m strong…I never knew before how strong” (Steinbeck 638). Here she shows her insecurity and tries to reaffirm, in her own mind, that she has self worth.

BLOG 2

The Chrysanthemums
I think that this story was about a young woman that really didn't of much and did'nt care to meet other people. She loved her garden and that's where she spent most of her time. She didn't really want to go into town to eat dinner or go to a movie because i think she was afraid of the people or to meet new people. When the guy came up to her when she was working in the garden she didn't really know what to do i thought until they started to talk about Chrysanthemums. When she starts talking about those it was like she was in control of the her world and was happy. She loved Chrysanthemums like there which part of the family and would care for them like they were her kids.