Monday, March 14, 2016
Blog Prompt for 3/28
So far in your book club meetings I have asked you to reflect on theme and research. For today, I would like you to go back to the heart of what we began learning about at the beginning of the semester: character and place. How does your writer craft character and scene in the text? Are there characters you feel connected to for certain reasons? Ones you don't? Are there places that you can clearly understand? Others you can't? Why or why not?
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The writer crafts the character through a lot of emotional description. Her emotions and what is going on through her head makes her character come alive. Also the description of the facial expressions makes you picture how she's feeling . The motions of anger and frustration translates into actions like slamming the door or hitting someone helps to put the scene in motion also . I feel connected to the woman of the story because it is clear that they are longing for something they can't have . They are creating hope just so they can get through the days and weeks of their confined lives. Although I have never experienced this lifestyle I can understand their frustration and despair . Not being able to do anything just because you are a woman is unfair and unjust . The amount of injustice they see is overwhelming and the description of these harsh times can make you feel for the characters. I do not understand the men because they seem so cruel and unforgiving . The only justification I can think of for this is the fact that their behavior is passed down and taught therefore they believe it is normal . Other then that the book makes it clear what they are feeling and why they are feeling it .
ReplyDelete-Sherley Sidney
The book that I am reading is Katrina, from what I have read so far there is a lot of racial diversion. It’s just crazy to me, that in the time of tragedy how people still disrespect each other. You would think in a desperate need of help that everyone would put aside their differences and just help each other out. It’s crazy to think that there is still racial diversion in 2016. You would think it would stopped, and how it comes out when there is a tragedy. Even though we are reading two different books its strange how each book has talked about some form of discrimination mine with race and yours with gender.You would think that everyone would be treated equally.
DeleteLaura Hillenbrand, the author of “Unbroken” crafts character and scene in a very efficient way. All of the places and people that play a vital role in the story are easy to connect to. Hillenbrand uses extreme depth and detail that help to paint a picture of every scene that occurs. “Unbroken” is a story that takes place during World War II. All of the agonizing and scary experiences that the soldiers encounter are described so thoroughly that, as a reader, I feel like I truly understand what is happening and what the characters are going through. The sounds, visuals, and thoughts of the character are all very clear. The book also contains old photographs that capture the faces of the actual characters and the places and things they saw. These visual representations play a huge role in helping the reader connect to these characters. Hillenbrand spends a large chunk of time in the beginning of the book describing the background of the main character, Louie, and his family. She also goes on to describe all of the people Louie encounters throughout the book, including his best friend Phil, and the things both of their families go through as they await on the return of their sons. She gives so much detail about the characters’ lives and personalities that it makes it easier to sympathize with what the characters are going through and feel emotionally connected to them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the amount of detail Hillenbrand offers to us as the readers. The photographs are also an integral part of the book to help the readers connect to the past since World War II was so long ago and the only connection our generation has to this era is through history textbooks and stories we hear from older relatives. I do find that the detail provided for each character is thorough, but the amount of characters she writes about can make it slightly confusing.
DeleteThe author crafts the characters in many different ways. He crafts them in a negative and positive way. The characters have some negative qualities to them. They are shown through emotion and how they act towards one another. How they act towards one another is how Louisiana is divided by color of their skin and how they treat other with different color skin. You would think at this day in age it would be all over and everyone would be equal but it’s not. The other shows through the characters that it still exists. The positive qualities of the characters are how some people help each other in desperate times and stick together to keep everyone safe. The author puts a lot of detail into its scene so you can actually feel like you’re in the story and you can visually see all the tragedy Katrina did to Louisiana. I haven’t come across a character that I am really connected to, but I’m sure I will find that one character by the end of the book. Throughout the book I haven’t come across a place I clearly don’t understand. Like I said before the author puts so much detail into the places that every place the author takes me I understand everything about it.
ReplyDeleteKayla-
DeleteWhat really struck me about your post was the fact that authors incorporate many different things in order to craft the characters. Location, and details to scenery also shaped the story that I am reading. However, I have been able to connect to my character because she is dealing with a universal problem. Therefore, characters are really shaped by their location.
In the book my group and I are reading, Bait and Switch, by Barbara Ehrenreich, she is essentially the main character. Told in her own words about her real life experiences, she is telling her readers what she had to go through, endure, face, and experience. With good descriptions of whom she meets, her characters are there to either a) help and guide her to find a job that is suitable for her, and or up to par for her education and degree or b) are those ones who she meets and interviews with to get that prominent job, that usually turn her down. Some of the characters are negative, for they don't want her as an employee because they do not see her fit, or good enough for the job, even though her degree should be well enough for her to do so. But others are there to help her, although she does pay them, and that is what their job description is, they are more of a positive influence on her. I feel like what Barbara is going through is tough and unsettling, especially for me, soon to graduate in a few years and enter the work force. Not being able to find a job with a great degree, a close to perfect resume and good references, it is discouraging. But she handles herself well, and takes this long journey to finally land a job, and actually get a call back/offer. The "real world" is tough, and Barbara is able to depict what she had to go through for the reader to understand and get. Sometimes confusing, but she is able to vividly describe her struggles and meetings and interviews with the next person she meets. I can sympathize with her, being frustrated, because I would be annoyed and frustrated too. Overall I understand what she is going through, I understand how either upset and disappointed she would be and how she would feel like she is good enough for the jobs she goes for, with her education and the help she's received and is paying for.
ReplyDeleteYou defiantly are right with your posting, however, you forgot to write about scene!
Delete- Sarah Despres
In “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand, accurate and thorough recreations of the scenes from Louie Zamperini’s life are key to the telling of this story. Hillenbrand, despite the disturbing material, gives descriptive imagery and detail to recreate scenes from the multiple POW camps where Zamperini was held. She includes the descriptions of the diseases that rampaged the camps and the violence that the guards inflicted upon the POWs. Each scene that she recreated was understandable and easy to imagine in my mind. With the main character, Zamperini, I am extremely attached to because of the extensive background information that was given in the beginning of the book. Although, I find that so many characters are mentioned throughout that my brain gets foggy when recalling who is who. If the author had only chosen to focus on a few substantial characters that it would be easier to remember each one. Despite the numerous characters, I do like reading about the different personalities each of them possessed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the amount of characters she mentions is overwhelming, and mostly because she does not provide sufficient information about all of them, making it hard for them to become significant in my mind. Although a lot of those characters mentioned are irrelevant or play a very small role, it still makes the mind wander and leaves me wanting more information about them.
DeleteKayla Chernecky
My group is reading Bait and Switch, by Barbara Ehrenreich. Although their are characters to the story, she is ultimately the main and most important character. She is writing about herself and her "real" experiences to naturally the focus is going to fall onto herself. However, there are other people mentioned in the book but their aren't any that really stick out, or even stick around, in the story. They all seem to have a supporting role in either a positive way, like helping her find a job, or in a negative way, like the ones who turn her down. I personally don't pay much attention to the scene, but the author is always including it. You don't get lost as your reading the story.
ReplyDelete- Sarah Despres
I have had the same reason with our book in terms of scene. There is so much focus on character that I end up not paying much attention to scene. Our main character is so important like yours that it's hard to think of anything else. In addition, the rest of the characters in both our books seem to play a similar role in terms of our main character. It's funny to think that we are reading such different books but there are a lot of underlying similarities.
DeleteI agree that focus of our book naturally goes on to the author and the others are minor to the whole plot of the story. Also, I agree that the author includes scene in each chapter so it is easy to follow along.
DeleteWith our book “Princess” being told from the first person, character is immensely important our in story. We as the reader get a perspective that is very unique because we see everything from her side and see the world through her eyes. Because of the view we are given, it is almost impossible to not to connect with her because she evokes so much emotion from the reader, you feel compelled to sympathize for her. To be 100% honest, I have no paid too much attention to scene only because I have focused more on the formation of our main character. Our book is filled with so much emotion such as frustration, anger, sadness, and hopelessness that it is hard to look at anything else. She may be royalty but she is treated unlike any other royalty I can think of so it is really hard to connect with anyone else in our book because the men in our story are treated so different in comparison. Our main character is so developed at this point in our book I can see her facial expressions in her face, I can see the frustration in her eyes, and can almost feel the sadness in her heart. Character is so important in our book and the writer achieves this skill so incredibly well.
ReplyDeleteOlivia, I feel the same way regarding scene. I feel that it has been almost irrelevant. Particularly in the face of the strength and boldness of the main character it seems to be a faded backdrop.
DeleteIn "Katrina, the characters are portrayed in good and bad light. Most civilians are portrayed are petrified, anxious, citizens not knowing what else they can expect to occur, as well as good natured people. The powerful people are portrayed as not prepared, and not being able to problem solve during this huge disaster. The author does a phenomenal job of presenting ever detail of the story like a painter who has painted a exquisite masterpiece. Every detail the author includes help the reader clearly visualize the events that unfolded, as well as the diverse personable communities of New Orleans. The author also does not sugarcoat the story and does a fantastic job of exposing racists, who only added to the problem, instead of holding onto the notion that every one helped each other like most people want to believe.
ReplyDeleteSean Burwell
I found the amount of racism still present in South quite unsettling, and think the author did a great job of visualizing scenes where the tension is almost palpable. I also like that there's a bunch of moments where figures of authority are shown unhinged. There's a part where Dick Cheney says "Fuck You" to mayor Nagin for smelling so bad.
DeleteZoe Wyman
ReplyDeleteMy group is reading Katrina: After The Flood by Gary Rivlin. As an author, Rivlin portrays his characters in many different ways. I always knew Louisianna had a bit of a segregation issue when it came to white (privileged) people and colored (less-privaleged) people. However, I didn't expect this out-dated way of living would withstand through a tragedy as devastating as hurricane Katrina. Gary definitely made an effort to portray how racism played a major role during hurricane Katrina. You would think that in this day in age, regardless of your skin tone, that you'd be helped during a catastrophe, but Gary made it clear that in Louisiana, that was not the case. He also paints his characters in lieu of how they reacted during such tragedy- people who were helpful, people who were selfish, people who were distraught and terrified.
My group is reading "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. In this book, Hillenbrand begins by giving thorough background information about many characters in the book. My group and myself agree that this gets us feeling an emotional attachment to specific characters because we are becoming so familiar with some of them. One character I feel a tie to more than anyone else is Louie Zamperini. Louie is the main character of the story, and as we read through Unbroken, many of Louie's friends and allies are killed. This leads to the reader feeling horrible for Louie, and for a split second, we try to imagine how we would react in a situation as awful as Louies. What is inspiring is Louie's ability to jump right back up and move forward in order to continue the job his fallen friends died for. Seeing the personal struggles Louie goes through, and reading the very vivid descriptions of the scenes that Louie is witnessing or living in, created an emotional attachment to Louie as we hope he continues to fight and hope he comes out victorious.
ReplyDeleteDavid Creed
In our Book, "Princess," character plays a major role within the text. Through emotions and actions we see the main character's look on her life in Saudi Arabia. Since everything is from her perspective of what takes place, it gives a reader a sense of sympathy towards everything that is going on and what she feels towards certain situations. If someone else was to tell this story there would be no sense of closeness for the reader to feel or sympathize with. There is so many different emotions that take place that it is almost impossible for you not to sympathize with her. For example, her mother just died and four months later her father remarries someone of her own age, 15. If someone else was telling this part of the story it would not feel as real as it does when she tells us with such emotion. Although she talks much of her large family, I would have to say my main focus is on her, the Princess. Sometimes she is so frustrated she wants to cry and other times she just wants to rebel and do things she knows she is not allowed to do as a women in the Middle East. Scene does not seem to play as an important role in this text as much as character does only because the focus is on her character and what is going on. If we were not in Saudi Arabia though, these things would not be happening and there would be no story because of such a different culture of the world.
ReplyDeleteThe story "Princess," is narrated in the first person, and the role of character comes into major play throughout the story. Actually, a majority of the major emotional and physical elements are revealed throughout the main character's thoughts, verbal interaction, and scenery.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, the place, Saudi Arabia, shapes the character's thoughts, feelings, and overall being. Saudi Arabia is more than a country, it is a lifestyle, which largely shapes the overall characters throughout the novel in every sense. The male characters are connected to the story to reveal the sexism in Saudi Arabia. Overall, the places are very clear, it is just the culture that is hard to define.
In "Katrina", characters are introduced through their appearances and mannerisms. Clothes become a frequent device the writer uses to identify characters, but also the conditions and experiences they possess. For example, Mayor Ray Nagin at one point is described as not having shaved in some time, and also smelling from wearing the same clothes for almost one or two weeks.
ReplyDeleteI personally like mayor Ray Nagin. He's depicted as someone who's overwhelmed by all the events of Hurricane Katrina, and despite him getting angry during interviews with Oprah, and others, he still tries to keep going as best he can.
The writer craft’s Princess Sultana’s character through her actions, often comparing them to the actions of those around her. The author frequently compares Sultana, bold and disobedient, to her sisters and mother who are submissive and compliant as they “should be” in their Saudi Arabian culture. Sultana, for example, takes her rivaled brothers prohibited “treasures” including alcohol and porn magazines. Labeling the items with Ali’s name, she scatters them at the nearest mosque for the elders to find. The punishment for her brother could be severe, including jail time. Through actions such as these we find Sultana is brave and daring, but also guilty of being rash and naive.
ReplyDeleteRegarding scene, we find the author details this through supplying the reader with a layout of the house. We are informed that women have specific quarters, and these quarters are divided among wives. Scene, however, is typically not described in great detail. The reader is often informed of where the family is traveling, whether it be Florence, Italy or Cario, Egypt, but there is not great detail regarding the surroundings.
Often while reading I try to imagine what I would do if I were a woman living in Saudi Arabia, and try and decide which character I am most similar to. I feel most connected to Sultana’s older sister, Sara. Unlike Sultana, constantly getting herself into trouble, Sara agrees with her sister’s opinions, but picks and chooses her battles. I do, however, also feel connected to Sultana in her passion for human rights, especially women’s rights. Most obvious, I feel disconnected to Sultana’s father and men in the Saudi Arabian world as a whole. Having grown up as a female in America with generally liberal views, it is difficult to conceptualize the platform upon which men justify the brutal treatment of women. It is most challenging to put myself in the Saudi Arabian man’s shoes and try and rationalize the lifestyle they lead.
The author, Barbara Ehrenreich, is the main character in the book "Bait and Switch," and the scene varies from chapter to chapter. The story follows Ehrenreich in her point of view as she goes undercover as an individual trying to get a job after obtaining a college degree. The only character that the reader truly feels connected to is Ehrenreich. The others are more of resources to her, and play a very minor role in her attempt to pursue the American dream. The locations that she visits vary, however she is quite descriptive when she is describing the locations. For example, when she goes to a networking convention she states, "The event starts at 9:30 on a rainy January morning, at an impressive address near Dupont Circle, although the actual space turns out to be a dark almost belligerently undecorated basement suite." The locations that she visits in the first four chapters alter from a coffee shop to networking convention. The story and the locations the reader can really picture, and the story of the attempt at success is relatable.
ReplyDelete