Week 7 Post B

In this last section of reading, I was relieved to find out the ending was comforting, as I had predicted. What happened was that as the Nigerian government was attempting to persuade the English, of Mr. Solaja's supposed murder of his own wife, the media interviewed Sade and Femi. It was then that Sade and Femi told them the whole truth about the situation and after an aricle was published and their interview aired on T.V. their father was released from prison and they were reunited with him.

One theme that was most definetly present in this novel, is the importance of getting the truth across and standing up for it. This was taught to Sade and Femi for their father, who wrote articles about the wrong doings of the Nigerian government. It was this lesson that saved their father from being deported back to Nigeria, where he would have been killed. Sade and Femi were able to get the truth across to the English media, which was even aired on T.V. Not only did that free their father, but it also alerted the world about the atrocities committed by the Nigerian government.

I thought Beverly Naidoo did a great job writng this book and I would thus give this book a rating of 4.5 out of 5. This is due to the fact that it was a quick read and she did a great job of getting all her points across and told about the struggles of a Nigerian family to stand of for what is right, in a fascinating manner that made you want to keep reading on and on.

Week 7 Post A

Once again in this last section of reading their was a specific cultural difference shown between England and Nigeria.

The Nigerian government was increasing their effort to get a hold of Sade and Femi's father, who is known as Mr. Solaja. They found out that he was being held in prison in England and then they were asking for him to be returned to Nigeria, where he would be persecuted for killing his wife. Once again this shows the Nigerian government's recklessness in making Mr. Solaja pay for his work against the government. On the other hand the English government is trying to work things out with the Nigerian government and make sure their claims agains Sade and Femi's father are true.

Another cultural difference between Nigeria and England is the media and the amount of control the government has over it. In Nigeria the government has complete control over it and if you publish what ever you want, then you will find yourself in deep trouble, just like Sade and Femi's father. In England on the other hand their is more freedom of speech, in fact the reason Sade and Femi were finally reunited with their father again, was because of the english newspaper publishing an aritcle about the truth, and the false accusations from the Nigerian government.

Week 6 Post B

The children's lives are finally starting to improve, after all the tragedy they have faced. By chance Sade and Femi's social worker recognizes their description from their father who has entered England illegally and is being held for deportation. They are then reunited with their father in prison. It is a great feeling for Sade and Femi to know their father is alive, but it is frustrating to see him behind bars, for standing up for what is right. The Nigerian government has also contacted England, telling them that he murdered his wife. They are willing to do anything to make his life torture, just because he embarassed them and their egos by writing about the truth.

Although the children's lives aren't quite back to normal and never will be since their mom is dead, the author is foreshadowing them being "fully" reunited with their father. This is shown by them meeting their father, who is behind bars and I believe the author only has him appear behind bars, because it would make the story more interesting. Hopefully this prediction turns out to be true, because I would hate to read about a tragic ending.

Week 6 Post A

In this section of reading an obvious cultural difference, finally became obvious to me. In previous posts I had talked about how the Nigerian government is corrupt and different from many developed countries, and used the U.S. as an example. Beverly Naidoo does a good job of showing this, except uses England's government as an example.

In Nigeria the children had especially feared the Nigerian government, due to their father's involvement in writing the magazine that condemned the actions of the Nigerian government. As a result their mother was murdered, and they had to flee the country.

After arriving in the England, the couple that had smuggled the children into London abandoned the children and the children had to then turn to the English government for help. Unlike the Nigerian government, the children were taken care, which included setting them up with a foster home and enrolling them in school, which also showed England's superior education system.

Week 5 Post B

Sade and Femi keep getting bullied by their classmates at school, but they are doing exceptionally well in terms of their class work. This girl named Marcia is the leader of a group of girls, which are the ones who bully Sade the most. Sade finally finds a friend in a girl named Miriam, who is a refugee from Somalia. They stick together and help each other through the bullying tactics of Marcia and her gang. "Sade hung down her head, wainting. She was aware of the other students taking out their books and she ignored Mariam's nudgings to do the same" (136). This is an example of Marcia trying to get Sade to stand up to one of Marcia's sinister plans to embarass Sade in front of the whole class and the teacher.

It is also depressing to see Sade and Femi have to live in the foster home. Although they are under good care, they are away from their family so they have no way of contacting their father. Hopefully, the children will get a hold of Uncle Dele and then eventually be reunited with their father.

Week 5 Post A

There weren't really new cultural differences in this section of reading, there were just re-occuring differences, which I have already talked about. For example Sade is still getting bullied by her trouble-making classmates, yet she continues to study hard and succeed. "You reckoned I wasn't serious, right? Well, let me tell you, girl, I mean what I say. When I said no one was going to do that homework without my say-so, I was talking about YOU!{...}Whith a flourish Marcia ripped out the first two pages in Sade's book. YOU ar NO ONE. Get it? No one" (134). This is very unfortunate for Sade, especially since she is new to the city and it is bad enough to be that far away from home and it makes it much more difficult for her when her classmates not only don't accept her, but also terrorize and tease her. Hopefully, Sade will be able to keep her head up through all of it.

Week 4 Post B

This last section of reading was very intense, and depressing. The children's father was taking a risk by sending them to London with strangers that Uncle Tunde found in a desperate attempt to get the children safely out of the country. The people appeared to be pleasant and compassionate, when meeting Sade and Femi for the first time at the airport. However, looks can be deceiving, and in this case they were. It turned out that the only reason that they agreed to smuggle the children to London, wasn't because of their warm hearts towards their situation. The only reason they accepted the "deed" was due to the generous amount of money that Uncle Tunde paid for their efforts. When Sade and Femi arrived to the London airport to they were ditched by their caretakers. What I can't believe is how selfish and uncaring those people were, because all they had to do once they arrived in London was drop the children off at their Uncle's home.

The children are now under the care of a foster home and life will be a lot tougher. Hopefully somehow they will be able to find their uncle, but they can't let anyone know their true identity.

Week 4 Post A

This section of reading showed the culture differences between Nigeria and England. Sade and Femi finally arrived safely in London and were surprised and amazed by all the modern buildings, since they are scarce in Nigeria, especially in the countryside.

When Sade and Femi enter school in London they also struggle to find friends. Due to their cultural differences with the english children, they aren't accepted well and many kids disrespect them and bully them. They still appreciate the opportunity to go study and learn in their english school, which is far superior in terms of education to the under-developed schools in Nigeria. Although the learning aspect is there, Sade and Femi miss their friends and classmates back in Nigeria, who treated them much better.

The children also aren't use to certain procedures, which have different meanings in Nigeria than in London. The author describes how uncomfortable Sade is about being fingerprinted. "He is tense because he thinks that fingerprinting is what they do to criminals. These children are in the care of Social Services and Mrs. Appaih from the Refugee Council is also working with them. They are not going to run away. I cannot see the point of putting him through this"(103).

Week 3 Post B

In this section of reading the author spent most of the time desribing the Nigerian airport and the emotions running through the minds of Sade and Femi as they were beginning their depressing journey away from their home and family to seek safety in London, which is a mysterious place to them. The children are still shocked and are stuggling to recover from the death of their mother.

I found it unique and interesting how the author incorporates point of view in her style of writing. She writes in a third person perspective, but describes things in the eyes of whoever she is talking about..."Ahead of them, a woman in a blue uniform was sweeping a thick black rod up and down people who had stepped through a metal door frame. It looked like some magic ritual" (74). This is the author(narrator) describing the scene in a third person point of view, but pretends to be unaware of what exactly the security person was doing, which means she is describing it in the eyes of Sade and Femi.

"It had been one of Sade's dreams to travel on an airplane. Papa and Mama had promised they would take them one day. But it was not meant to be like this. Tonight she was spinning into the darkness of space, let loose from almost everything and everyone she knew, except Femi. And he too was slipping from her fingers" (80).

This displays the misery Sade is suffering. She can't even enjoy the experience of riding an airplane for the first time, but more importantly she is being forced to leave everything behind, including her family and travel to a mysterious place.

Week 3 Post A

"It had been one of Sade's dreams to travel on an airplane. Papa and Mama had promised they would take him one day" (80).

This shows a cultural difference in a sad manner. In the U.S. and most developed countries flying is a popular means of travel, but not so much in Nigeria with their corrupt government. The quote also shows how even though Sade was getting to travel on the airplane, it didn't fulfill his dream.

Another difference to most countries is how close families are and how much time they spend together. Although here people value their families greatly, it isn't to the same extent as in Nigeria. Kids in the U.S. usually hang out with their friends on the weekdays and most of the weekend and then generally spend Sunday together with their family. On the other hand, in Nigeria kids tend to spend more time with their families on a daily basis.

Week 2 Post B

I read up to the part where Sade and Femi are dropped off at the airport to begin their journey to London. It seems like they are in danger at all times, due to the corrupt government and police. When Uncle Tunde was driving them to the airport they had to be put in the back with blankets covering them, to protect them from being recognized by the police. "I'm late, officer. My mother is coming to the airport now. I must be the first one she sets her eyes on. You know how it is with mothers!{...}Oh, it's only rubbish at the back officer"(26)! Uncle Tunde had to pursuade the officers by telling them that he is in a hurry and making himself look innocent. It's crazy that Sade and Femi have to worry about all these kinds of things, when most kids their age can just run around all day and have fun. They must act mature and learn how to handle themselves in scary situations. All of this was brought on them due to their father's actions. But the question is, is it worth telling and writing about the truth? Which connects to the title, "The Other Side of Truth." Sure, it will hopefully bring awareness to all the wrongdoings, but his wife was already killed and the lives of himself and the rest of his family is indanger. I think he's making the right decesion to keep doing what he's doing, since it is important and is something he values and he is also desperately trying to protect his children by sending them to London. Hopefully, the children remain safe and he is able to continue on with his profession.

Week 2 Post A

There hasn't been as much cultural differences displayed in this book so far, as I thought there would be. The main cultural difference though, that has reoccured throughout the book is the government. In the U.S. the government is suppose to help out the people and police officers are there to protect the law and help out people who are in trouble. As shown by Beverley Naidoo, the Nigerian government is corrupt and the people at the top of it only care about having power and wealth for themselves. Also, the police officers are just workers for the government and don't even help the people, even if they are in danger. An example of this is when the author is talking about Sade and Femi's feeling towardst the Nigerian police and how the officers rob civilians at random check points on the road. "Mostly taxi drivers with minibuses full of passengers had to pay up. Usually the policemen stared rudely at Papa, sometimes demanded money. Something in his manner must have warned them. But when Papa had driven on, his anger would erupt as he fumed about the daylight robbery of innocent people"(25). Clearly, the Nigerian police force as well as the government is unhelpful to the people, which is part of the reason Sade and Femi must flee London.

Research Project

I decided to research about aids and how it is affecting people in Africa and what the government should do to help prevent it.

Sites:
http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMN0307H-0-6710&artno=0000269409&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Partnership%20Helps%20Improve%20Laboratory%20Systems%20in%20African%20Nations&res=Y&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=N&ic=Y database

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMN0307H-0-6710&artno=0000268829&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Cutting%20the%20Risk&res=Y&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=N&ic=Y database

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMN0307H-0-6710&artno=0000262509&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Lack%20of%20Medical%20Workers%20in%20Africa%20Stifles%20Efforts%20to%20Combat%20AIDS%2C%20TB&res=Y&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=N&ic=Y newpaper aricle

Week 1 Post B

This book takes place in Nigeria, and is about the lives of two children, Sade and Femi. Their father, Folarin is a reporter who is disliked and seen as a threat to the Nigerian government. He writes freely about controversial issues and also expresses his opinion freely, which is beginning to get him into a lot of trouble. Just recently his wife was murdered while walking home, which was meant to be a warning sign to Folarin to stop what he is doing and a punishment, because he has already croosed the line. Folarin is now trying to escape with his children to London, since he realizes the situation has gone out of control. But as he is about to leave, policemen break into his home and confiscate his passport. However, Uncle Tunde is able to find a woman who is willing to take Sade and Femi with fake passports. Hopefully, the plan works well and Sade and Femi are able to arrive safely to London. It must be tough for them to leave their lives in Nigeria, even though it's for the better, the hardest part for them is that they aren't allowed to tell anyone, not even their closest friends.

Week 1 Post A

"Their father always took chances with what he wrote. He said nothing now, but Sade knew his words. The truth is the truth. How can I write what's unture(8)?

This story takes place in Nigeria, which has a corrupt government. The story is told in third person, but regards manly the lives of two children, Sade and Femi, who's father is a reporter who writes freely about issues in Nigeria. The problem with this is that this makes the govenment officials and the police very angry, since they don't want a revolt or anything to start up that could challenge their authority. Another cultural difference in Nigeria compared to most developed countries is the fact that the police don't help the people and aren't helpful at all. Policeman in Nigeria are just nasty people, who work for the corrupt government and do their dirty deeds for them. An example of this is when policeman barge into Sade and Femi's home without a warrant, and take a way their father's passport. This is completely illegal in the U.S. and most other countries and the government would take action against the police, but in Nigeria the government officials ask for policeman to perform these kinds of tasks for them. Clearly, the Nigerian government is corrupt and makes life worse for the people.

The Other Side of Truth

I chose to read "The Other Side of Truth" by Beverley Naidoo for fourth quarter outside reading. I actually discovered this book on the bookshelf in my room. It seems like an interesting book and is told by a Nigerian women. After reading the back cover i found that this novel tells the story of two siblings who are forced to move from Nigeria to London, after the corrupt Nigerian government kills their mother. I also decided to read this book since it has won several awards and is was an ALA best book for young adults. This seems to be a very powerful book that I surely will enjoy.

Week 7 Post B

I thought this book definetly had its ups and downs, but was mostly pretty fascinating. At the start of the story the book it got a little boring, since the author was just giving descriptions of the setting in London and Oxford University. Then towards the middle and towards the end of the story of the action picks up and the story becomes more interesting. My favorite aspect of the story was the involvement of the altehiometer which is the "golden compass." With this devise Lyra was able to go back into time see into the future and even learn about things in the present.

In the end of this book, Iorek brings Lyra to the mountaintop where her uncle, Lord Asriel has taken Roger, and Lyra battles Lord Asriel for her best friend. She and Roger struggle free from him, but Lord Asriel still manages to seperate Roger from his daemon. The sky is torn open and Lyra can see into another world. Mrs. Coulter then asks Lord Asriel to come to the new world with him, but he is only interested in finding the "Dust" and destroying it. Mrs. Coulter refuses to come, but Lord Asriel decides to walk away into the other world. Lyra decides that if Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter hate Dust, then it must be a good thing, so Pantalaimon and her decide to go and look for the source of Dust. They leave Roger’s body in the snow on the mountaintop and walk into the new world. This ending was a little disappointing, since I wish it ended with Lyra getting rid of Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel. Although the story was fairly good I don't think it should have had this ending, since it leaves room for a sequel. I think the author should have had an ending that was more satisfying and ended all the commotion, not just start the chaos back up again. For this reason and the fact that it was a little boring at the beginning I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars, since I enjoyed the action in the middle and end.

Week 7 Post A

Vocab:

feeble(282): physically weak, as from age or sickness.

abating(283): to reduce in amount; diminish.

Figurative Language:

1. "She heard a noise, something scraping on rock, which sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard"(283). This similie is just used to tell the reader how the scraping on the rock sounded.
2. "The cool breeze was as refreshing as an ice cold class of water"(290). This is also another similie, which is used to say how cooling the breeze felt.
3. "The steep cliffs glared fiercely at Lyra"(293). This quote shows how scary the cliffs were to Lyra, who is afraid of heights.

Quote:

"Behind them lay pain and death and fear; ahead of them lay doubt, and danger, and fathomless mysteries. But they weren't alone"(351). This is the last sentence of the book that wraps it up by Lyra and Pantalaimon walking into the sky, where "Dust" is suppose to be and they figure it is a good thing, since Lord Asriel does not like it.

Theme:

The hero always prevails over the villain.

Week 6 Post B

The book just keeps getting better and better. Lyra meets a man named John Faa, who is the leader of the Gyptians, who are a group that are working against the Gobblers and protecting children from being taken. He tells her that her she was the illegitimate child of Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter. He also goes on to tell her that Ma Costa nursed her as a baby. Lyra is overwhelmed by this thought and is also thankful to Ma Costa. This is a crazy twist to the story, that helps everything make more sense adds to the action. This makes a lot of sense as to why Lord Asriel was so mean to her, not only because he was just in general an evil man, but also because he wanted the Gobblers to take her away and get rid of her, since Lyra is "illegitimate." This also makes sense why Mrs. Coulter was so nice to her, she was part of the whole plan and wanted to draw Lyra in and then let the Gobblers take her.

Lyra is now living with the Gyptians who are working to put an end to the Gobblers. Mrs. Coulter along with the General Oblation Board are searching for Lyra, who is hiding with the Gyptians.

This section of reading ends with Lyra learning how to use the altheiometer, which is the "golden compass" with the help of Fardem Coram. With this device, Lyra is able to predict the future and learn anything about the past and future. If Lyra is able to hold on to this device, the Gyptians should have no problem getting rid of the Gobblers and saving all the innocent lives.

Week 6 Post A

Vocab:

incessant(116): continuing without interruption.

munitions(120): materials used in wars.

Figurative Language:

1. "I hope you en't going to let thoughts of mercy and gentleness hold your hand back from striking and striking hard, and delivering a mighty blow to the heart of that infernal wickedness"(121). This hyperbole is used to exaggerate the action that must take place in against the corrupt masters at Oxford University.


2. "To strike a day too soon is as bad as striking a hundred miles off"(122). This similie is simply used to say that the group must strike right on time otherwise their whole scheme will be ruined.


3. "Sophonax was as sleek and healthy and beautiful as Farder Coram was ravaged and weak"(126). A similie is used here to describe Farder Coram and his daemon's appearances as complete opposites.

Quote:

"But I'm learning how to read the althiometer, too. It's coming clearer every day! You're bound to need that--bound to"(124)! This quote is significant, since the althiometer is the "golden compass" and it is obviously significant in this story and Lyra is now learning how to use it

Theme:

Magic is a powerful utensil.

Week 5 Post B

The last section of reading was a lot more action packed and interesting. I'm starting to actually get into the book, finally. This section started with Lyra having just escaped from the party Mrs. Coulter hosted at Oxford University. She feels free for the first time, but soon realizes that she must face the real world which isn't a walk in the park either for her. The author, Phillip Pullman also portrays society as a whole as corrupt and evil. This reminds me of European history, where Prince Machiavelli shares this belief that it is human nature to think badly of others. I disagree with this theory, since it seems to me that at least in sociey today most people care for others and there aren't as many "bad" people as in Philip Pullman's imaginary society in this story. There are just a handful of people in society today that are "bad" to the extent of Philip Pullman.
Lyra and Pantalaimon meet a friendly man named Tony Costa who helps them by rescuing them by a band of slavers. This is one of the few trustful people that Lyra meets throughout this story. Hopefully, Lyra will continue to run into these good samaritans and her life will continue to improve. Also, i'm still yet to find out about the golden compass.

Week 5 Post A

Vocabulary:

tweed(94): a coarse wool cloth in a variety of weaves and colors.

platoon(96): a small unit of police fore.

Figurative Language:

1. "Before she could go out on deck, the outer door opened and Ma Costa came down, swathed in an old tweed coat on which the damp had settled like a thousand tiny pearls"(94). This similie is used to describe the "tweed coat."


2. "Helping Mrs. Coulter had been all very well, but Pantalaimon was right: she wasn't really doing any work there, she was just a pretty pet"(98). This metaphor is used to say that Lyra had to move on her life and get away from Mrs. Coulter, because it wasn't helping her get any where.


3. "The low island and the Zaal were humped blackly against the light, like the clustered buildings around"(100). This similie is simply used just to describe the setting.
   

Quote:

"What you're most like is marsh fire, that's the place you have in the gyptian scheme; you got witch oil in your soul. Deceptive, that's what you are, child"(100). I just think this quote is interesting, because I picked deception as a theme in the previous blog post and I said that Lyra is needing to become more and more deceptive in order to survive the corrupt society that she lives in.

Theme:

An important theme that is definetly present is innocence and the unfairness of life.

Week 4 Post B

After this section of reading my I found my prediction of Lyra's life improving, was shown to be false. Mrs. Coulter turned out to be another typical, corrupt and evil adult figure in this story. At first Lyra is thoroughly enjoying her new life with Mrs. Coulter. Mrs. Coulter treats her well with great luxury and Lyra's favorite part is all the new clothes Mrs. Coulter buys her. This turns out to just be a plan to draw in Lyra and for her to trust Mrs. Coulter, even though she shouldn't. When Lyra first meets Mrs. Coulter she falsely reads Mrs. Coulter to be a truly warm-hearted kind figure, but Pantalaimon isn't so sure about her daemon, the gold monkey. This is a foreshadow that the author Phillip Pullman uses to show that Mrs. Coulter doesn't mean well to Lyra after all.

Lyra finds out about Mrs. Coulter's true self at a party that Mrs. Coulter organizes for her company friends. Lyra overhears guest talking about Dust and the General Oblation Board, which Lyra finds out is a code name for the Gobblers, who are responsible for the disappearences of various students.

At the end of this section of reading, Lyra runs away from the party and escapes into the city with Pantalaimon, where she feels "free." Hopefully, the "golden compass" can save Lyra from her misery.

Week 4 Post A

Vocabulary:

anathema(95): a person or thing detested or loathed.

emanation(85): an act or instance of oringinating.

Figurative Language:

1. "Mrs. Coulter had given her money like sweets, and although she had spent it lavishly, there were still several sovereigns left, which she put in the pocket of the dark wolfskin coat before tiptoeing to the door"(88). This is a similie that is used just to show that Mrs. Coulter gave Lyra an enormous amount of spending money.


2. "There was a tangle of narrow streets between there and the Royal Artic Institute, which was the only place Lyra was sure of being able to find, and into that dark maze she hurried now"(89). This metaphor is used to describe the "tangle of narrow streets" as a "dark maze." This helps the reader visualize the streets better.


3. "At a crossrods near the corner of a big department store whose windows shone brilliantly over the wet pavement, there was a coffe stall: a little hut on wheels with a counter under the wooden flap that swung up like an awning"(90). This is another similie used to describe how the counder under the wooden flap came out of the hut on wheels.

Quote:

"I told you, he's a murderer. It's his profession. He's doing a job tonight. I got his clean clothes in here, 'cause he's usually all covered in blood when he's finished a job"(95). This is an example of Lyra being deceptive. She encounters a creepy guy when she runs away from Mrs. Coulter and lies to him and says her father is a murderer, so she can get away from the guy. This is also important, because it shows how Lyra must be deceptive, in order to survive this corrupt society.

Theme:

A theme of deception was present in this set of reading.

Week 3 Post B

The section of reading that I just finished was quite dramatic. The craziness that goes on in Oxford University in this story, is beyond actual reality. This is why i'm not that big of a fan of fantasy stories. It's hard for me to appreciate the author's imagination and ideas, since none of this would really happen. The thing that gets to me the most is the daemons, the figures that follow all of the characters around that are meant to express the external expression of their master. It's a cool idea, but it reminds me a lot of "Pinnochio" and Jimmeny Cricket, which makes me think that the author, Phillip Pullman kind of stole that idea. I feel like I would enjoy this story more if it was a movie, instead of a book, or at least if it had pictures to help me visualize what's going on. Nevertheless, i'm going to contiue on this book and hope it gets more interesting, which it should when the "golden compss" comes into play.

In this section of reading, Lyra's best friend, Roger Parslow disappears and is believed to have been taken away from the "Gobblers." The Gobblers are a mysterious group that is believed to be taking chidren away from the University. This reminds me of Argentina, when the government was corrupt and took away thousands of people who were believed to be against the government. Maybe it's the same idea as this and the Gobblers are taking away students who are against the school board.

Week 3 Post A

Vocab:

lorgnette(78): a pair of eyeglasses mounted on a handle.

stolidly(81): acting unemotional; passive.

Figurative Language:

1. "He seemed to become focused at once, in the same way that you could focus the beam of an anbaric lantern"(83). This comparison is used to describe how focused Dr. Grumman was.
   
2. "Lyra had heard enough. She turned away, and moving as quietly as the moth Pantalaimon, she went into her bedroom and closed the door"(85). This similie simply shows how quitely Lyra snuck away from the chaos of the party and went to the bathroom, where she could get away from it all and have some peae.


3. "Mrs. Coulter seemed to be charged with some kind of anbaric force. She even smelled different: a hot smell, like heated metal, came off her body"(81). A similie is used here to compare Mrs. Coulter's heated tempor to a piece of heated metal, to show how angry she was.

Quote:

"I don't know your name but I shall find it out within five minutes, and then you will never work as a journalist again. Now get up quitely, without making a fuss, and leave. I might add that whoever brought you here will also suffer"(81). I found this quote to be significant, because at first I thought Mrs. Coulter was a nice, friendly mentor for Lyra, but she turned out to be the opposite.

Theme:

Don't judge a book by its cover.

Week 2 Post B

It is still weird for me to adapt to a "fantasy" book, since this is the first one is the first book of its genre that I have read for over four years! The most unique part of this book is the fact that all the human characters in this book have daemons, that are little creatures who represent their conscience. This reminds me of Jimmeny Cricket from Pinnochio and i'm guessing Philip Pullman who is the author of "The Golden Compass" got this idea from that.

Lyra's best friend, Roger Parslow is one of the few people she can trust. He is a true friend to her and is pretty much the only person at the college that she can count on. In the section that I just read, Lyla meets a lady named Mrs. Coulter. Lyra is immediately taken away by her young and beautiful look. She immediatley thinks that Mrs. Coulter can be an important, trusted adult figure in her life, unlike her shady uncle, but I think it's too early for her to think that, seeing how crazy and evil most of the adults are at Oxford University. I hope that Mrs. Coulter truly is a good person, so Lyra will have an adult in her life, who she can trust and seek help from.

I am still curious about the title and what exactly the golden compass is, which I hope will come up in the upcoming chapters.

Week 2 Post A

Vocab:

derision(41): ridicule, mockery.

fervent(52): having or showing great warmth; enthusiasm.

Figurative Language:

1. "Like some enormous fungus whose root system extended over acres, Jordan had begun, sometime in the Middle Ages, to spread below the surface"(43). This similie is used to exaggerate how much Jordan had expanded under earth (this isn't actually true since this book is fiction).


2. "At the bedside pointing their bony fingers before throwing back their cowls to show bleeding stumps where their heads should have been"(45). Imagery is used hear to describe Lyra's nightmare.


3. "Fully awake and on fire with puzzlement, Lyra nodded and slipped her bare feet into the shoes Mrs. Lonsdale put down for her"(64) This hyperbole is used to show how supprized and caught offguard Lyra was when Mrs. Lonsdale woke her up and told her she was to see the Master immediately.

Quote:

"Mrs. Coulter smiled, and her daemon bared his white teeth in a grin of implike pleasure. As she passed her on the way to the armchair, Mrs. Coulter touched Lyra's hair briefly, and Lyra felt a current of warmth flow into her, and blushed"(63). This quote is significant, because this hints at Lyra finally finding an adult figure who she can trust, unlike her evil uncle.

Theme:

One needs someone they can trust, in order to be happy in life.

Week 1 Post B

Dear Philip Pullman,

Your book has been pretty interesting so far. However, it has been quite confusing. It is weird how Lyra Jordan, the main character has a daemon, which is the external expression of Lyra's soul. Her daemon is in the form of a moth in the beginning and its name is Pantalaimon. It travels with her everywhere and helps her make conscience decisions. The moth questions every decision she makes which gets on Lyra's nerves sometimes. It is also interesting how Pan, which is what Lyra calls him can change forms into pretty much anything. This indicates that the story is in the fantase genre. I haven't read a fantasy book since elementary school, so I thought it would be interesting to finally read another one. I haven't read very far yet so I have only met a few characters so far. Lyra's uncle, Lord Asriel, seems to be a cruel family member to Lyla and reminds me of Count Olaf from the "Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket. He is very sinister and I couldn't believe they way he acted, when Lyra informed him that the head master of Jordan College was trying to poison him. When he was about to drink the wine, she ran out and grabbed the class from him and it fell to the ground. He then squeezed her wrists until he told her that she only acted the way she did, because he was about to drink poison. Then without thanking her, he tells her to go back in the closet and if she is to come out, she will wish she was dead. This is outrageous behavior and I hope in the chapters to follow Lyra will be able to avoid this abuse from her evil uncle. I'm looking forward to continue reading your novel!

Hamish

Week 1 Post A-The Golden Compass

Vocab:

mahogany(3): the wood of a tropical American tree, much used for making furniture.

emulsion(21): any colloidal suspension of a liquid in another liquid.

Figurative Language:

1. "The three great tables that ran the lenght of the hall were laid already, the silver and the glass catching what little light there was{...}"(3). This is a personification that says the silver and the class were "catching" the light which means they must have shone brightly.


2. "All his movements were large and perfectly balanced, like those of a wild animal, and when he appeared in a room like this, he seemed a wild animal held in a cage too small for it"(12). This similie compares Lord Asriel to a wild animal. Its used to show his personality, which seems to be quite savage.
   
3. "The moonlight bathed everything in the same pallid gleam"(19). This is another personification that just is saying that everything looked the same color, due to the moonlight.

Quote:

"The devil! He knew about the wine, I'm sure of it"(18). This shows that something fishy is going on in Jordan College at Oxford University. The head master tried to poison Lord Asriel, who is Lyra's uncle.

Theme:

A theme for this section of reading could be your past will come back to haunt you.

Soundtrack for Penelope

In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Penelope is the wife of Odysseus. She is also the queen of Ithica and is left with just her son, Telemachus, after Odysseus is imprisoned by Calypso on her island, Ogygia. Calypso is in love with Odysseus, but Odysseus is eager to return home to his wife, Penelope and his son, Telemachus. Penelope is then left on her island to wait and hope for the return of Odysseus. She is pressured by many of the "suitors" to remarry, but she is trying as hard as she can to deny them, and wait for the return of her husband, who most believe is dead. This shows how loyal and loving she is of Odysseus. She comes up with a plan and says that she will pick a husband only when she finishes weaving a "shroud" for her father-in-law, Laertes, but every day she continues to undo the knitting that she has completed from the previous day. "So by day she'd weave at her great and growing web--by night, by the light of the torches set beside her, she would unravel all she'd done"(2.116-118).

The song "Better Together" by Jack Johnson displays Penelope's feeling for her husband, Odysseus, quite well. In the chours of the song it says, "And sometimes life can be deceiving, I'll tell you one thing, its always better when we're together." The line "sometimes life can be deceiving" relates to Penelope, since the suitors constantly try to deceive her into thinking that Odysseus is dead, when he really isn't. The line "its always better when we're together" relates to Penelope in the sense that she feels comfort and "better" when she is with her husband, Odysseus, and is willing to wait as long as it takes for his return.

Week 7 Post B

Overall, I thought this was a great book. It was very sad, but one of the most powerful books I have ever read. The ending I believe was extremely emotional. Not only does Mariam get put to death, having live an unfair life, but also Laila and Tariq, when they move to Herat discovera a package from Jalil. The package contains a Pinnochio tape, which is what Jalil had promised to take Mariam to see, but never did, her family inheritance and a note saying how sorry he is for marrying her off just to make himself look better. This is so depressing, because as the reader you wish Mariam had found a way to return to Herat, early in her marriage and everything would have been alright. But then you realize that if that was to happen, then the story would have been quite cheesy and the whole point of the story was to show the hard life that some unfortunate women if Afghanistan have to live.

I liked Khaled Hosseini's writing style, since it was very easy for me to follow along with and understand, yet the story was still strong and fascinating. I thought he did a great job writing this book, and thought it was neat how he described Mariam and Laila's lives separately before they lived together with Rasheed. That opened the door for the suprise when Laila gets married to Rasheed as well, so Mariam and Laila live together with Rasheed.

I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend this book to anyone looking for a fascinating book, but doesn't mind reading about tragedy.

Week 7 Post A

Vocab:

permeated: to pass into or through every part of.

rife: abundant, plentiful, or numerous.

Figurative Language:

1. "Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. You remember that, Mariam"(323). This is a quote that Mariam remembers Nana once told her. Nana uses a similie to say how men always blame their misfortunes or troubles on woman, which is true of Rasheed.
2. "His smile was patient"(324). This is a personification in which Mariam personifies the judges smile, to describe it as sympathetic.
3. "Only at dusk did the winds die down. And then if a night breeze blew, it did so timidly, as if to atone for the excesses of its daytime siblling"(326). Mariam personifies the wind, by saying that it is "timid" as in it blows lightly, not aggresively.

Quote:

"Though there had been moments of beauty in it, Mariam knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not help but wish for more of it"(328).

To me this quote struck me hard, because it makes you feel for Mariam a lot. She sacrificed her life for the well being of others, but the thing is she doesn't deserve to be punished at all for her actions, and her whole life was unfair.

Theme:

A final theme for this book is how unfair life can be. Clearly, this is shown by Mariam being sentenced to death, having live a completely "unfair" life.