Books I've Read This Year

Here are the following books I've read this semester:
"Skud" by Dennis Foon
"in Fifty Years We'll all be chicks" by Adam Carolla
"Yellow Line" by Sylvia Olsen
"Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
"Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
"Ancient Wisdom, Modern World" by the Dalai Lama
"the Blind Side" by Michael Lewis

An Inductive Leap too Far

For my last blog post, I'm covering the book "Skud" by Dennis Foon: Foon, Dennis. Skud. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2003. Print. The inductive leap appears when Tommy sees Andy make out with his ex-girlfriend, Sheila, and then talks about it with his best friend Brad. Brad insists that because Andy made out with Sheila, (even though they were just acting for a school play) that a proper punishment would be for them to beat up Andy after school. "You have to draw the line in the sand. Make it very clear to the world that no more trespasses will be tolerated. If you do not, there will be a feeding frenzy. The enemy will pick your bones."(17) This is inductive because just because Andy made out with Sheila for a play, Tommy didn't have to act this way. What Tommy and Brad did to Andy was despicable; as they not only beat him up, but humiliated him in public as well. Luckily Shane came in to help Andy out, or things could've taken a turn for the worse. This part is important because it kick starts Sheila and Tommy's rough times together as a couple, which ends with Tommy going to jail for raping Sheila. I think that it's safe to say that if Tommy and Andy could've just talked things out without violence, it would've been a much better alternative to what happened, for everyone involved.

Blog Post: Style

The book I'm writing about is "Skud" by Dennis Foon: Foon,
 Dennis. Skud. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2003. Print.
A poetic device that I found in this book is Point of View. The point of view is first person, but the Author switches the first person perspective to different characters throughout the story (Brad, Andy, Tommy). "She doesn't look up. She's crying, her face down. I try to kiss her but she turns her head. I see the marks I put on her arms, her neck. Bruises."(147) This is important because it represents the climax of the Tommy's relationship struggles with his ex-girlfriend Sheila. He loves her very much; but after his best friend Brad told him he and Sheila slept together, this pushes Tommy over the edge. He goes to her house and eventually sexually abuses her, "Was I as good?" This is where Tommy has hit rock bottom; as he walks back home, only to be charged and imprisoned shortly thereafter. The author uses his point of view so you can FEEL what he feels as he rapes Sheila, it's almost like you're in the scene as well. The author also uses Brad's point of view so that we can see his motive for lying to Tommy, it was based on jealousy, "I look at my most recent handiwork, the charred smell wafting through my nostrils. And I look at him, the big man of the school, so straight and perfect, everything was so right for him, everything wrong for me."(134)

Blog Post: Social Issues

The book I'm writing about now is called "Skud", by Dennis Foon. Here is a citation for it: Foon, Dennis. Skud. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2003. Print.
The social issue I will be covering in this blog post is jealousy. When Tommy sees his Ex-Girlfriend(Sheila) kissing Andy, he gets insecure and jealous, because he still loves Sheila. Tommy: "But I love you". Sheila: "What does that mean?" Tommy: "Everything we do together. Everything we are. The swings at the park, bonfires at the beach, climbing the Grouse Grind..." "I stop. My words are like .22 bullets against reinforced steel. She's impervious. I can't make a mark on her. My head starts to pound again".(8) This is an important social issue because when Tommy later tells his friend Brad what he saw, Brad insists that Tommy kicks his ass as retribution for Andy's treachery. "This guy's a twig, Tom. Snap him in two." After Tommy agrees, they find Andy after school and beat him up, but not before Shane(leader of the TMR gang) shows up to help Andy. This is a social issue because if Tommy wasn't jealous when he saw Sheila and Andy kissing in a acting scene, he wouldn't have decided to beat up Andy and Shane wouldn't have interfered. This is also important because since it happens at the beginning of the story; it pulls you in, as you want to know how Tommy's problems with Andy and Sheila will be solved. Lastly; this is important because it changes how the reader feels about Shane. At first, you think that he's a thug and a punk. Yet after Shane rushes in to help Andy, you start to feel like Shane is not as bad as you once thought.

Blog Post: Significance

The book I'm currently reading is Yellow Line By Sylvia Olsen. Their are two main points in the story that I feel are very significant to the progression of the plot. The first example is the scene with Vince and the old man in the rain. When Vince talks to the old man, he offers this advice, "Let me tell you something, son. If you're sorry for something then pick up the bat, step up to the plate and play the ball. It ain't going to do you no good walking down a dark road in the rain talking to yourself for the rest of your life."(Page 87)This part of the story is significant because it represents the change in Vince. This old man's advice has helped him become a more confident person, so much so that the day later he sat with the rest of the Indians on the bus, and he would go no where near there earlier in the story. This also helps him because when he sees Raedawn next, he has the confidence to talk to her. Another part of the story that I found significant was when Raedawn and Vince meet in the campsite office. "Her voice, like an electric arc, shoots out and grabs my sopping wet body.You know how you think of something over and over and plan exactly what you are going to do? Then when it happens, you forget everything. I'm finally alone with Raedawn and I'm paralyzed." This is significant because it represents the climax of the story. Raedawn and Vince are finally alone together again, and this time Vince steps up to the plate and plays the ball, leaving all his emotions on the table. This is the climax and the most suspenseful part of the story, when as the reader you are wondering whether Vince and Raedawn will get together, or if she will be unable to forgive him for his friends actions. I'm not going to spoil the ending, you'll have to read the book to find out.

Blog Post #3: Define and Describe a Character

The book I'm currently reading is called yellow line by Sylvia Olsen. Here is a citation for it:
Olsen, Sylvia. Yellow line. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers, 2005. Print.
The character I am focusing on is  Vince. Some of the character traits I would give him is Short-Tempered, Caring, and Unconfident
Short-Tempered: Having a quick, hasty temper; irascible. The reason I would say that he is short tempered is because that he got really angry and left the gym during practice because he was angry that people were making fun of him and calling him chicken legs.  In the story, it says, "I clench the end of the bench and hold on until my knuckles turn white. I'm pumping with a crapload of energy like a freaking maniac. If my hands bust loose, I'd be down the hall in an instant, busting a few heads." This proves that Vince has trouble controlling his temper, as he's a bit of a hothead. (Page 21)
Caring: Feeling and exhibiting concern and empathy for others. The reason I would say Vince is Caring is because even though he was mad that Sherry was acting very rude towards him, he still tried to help her out and talk to her parents about her boyfriend Steve. Vince and Sherry were very good friends; and even if he was a little jealous of Steve, it was great that he helped Sherry out with her problems. "It's okay Sherry," I say. I can't imagine what we would say that would change their minds, but it's all I can think of. "You can't move to town Sherry. I would miss you. That would be crap." (Page 63)
Unconfident: Lacking confidence, being shy or insecure, etc. Vince is very unconfident because when he sees Raedawn in her house while walking on the Indian reserve, he doesn't have the confidence to go up to her and talk to her, even though he really likes her. His lack of confidence may stem from the fact that he gets bullied a lot by the other Indians like Charlie. It takes the wisdom of an old man and the brave actions of Steve to finally convince him to talk to her. "I slow down and start thinking of something to say. Suddenly, the sky explodes and rain starts beating down. I forgot my words, and any confidence I had runs down the road with the rain. (Page 86)

Blog Post #2

This Week, I'm currently reading the book Yellow Line by Sylvia Olsen. Some characteristics that I feel make this book great are:
1.Conflict
2.Plot
3.Setting
4.Suspense
5.Conclusion
I felt that Conflict was the most important part in this story because most of the book is built around the conflicts between the Indians and Whites in the village. The unwritten rule is that the two races stay away from one another, do not date another, and carry a certain prejudice towards one another. This also makes the reader feel pathos because in the story, Vince wants to be with an Indian girl named Raedawn but he's terrified of how his friends or his parents will react to this. Steve, an Indian, wants to be with one of Vince's close friends Sherry, and this also creates more conflict between the White people and the Indians throughout the story.
Page 24: "My fists are clenched like I'm a tough guy. But the truth is, I'm terrified. That's how you feel when you're a pathetic weakling and a gang of tough guys promises to kick your ass. "Keep looking over your shoulder white boy," says one massive guy. "We're ready to beat the crap out of you"." 
This quote describes the conflict in the story perfectly. There is so much racial tension in the two villages, and it feels like it is only a matter of time before something blows up. The fact that an Indian can't even date another because of their skin color and vice versa is really surprising, at least in this day in age. This is a perfect example of conflict because it stops the main protagonist, Vince, from reaching his goal. All he wants is to play basketball, be popular, and be with Raedawn. In this point in the story at least; it seems like those goals will be very hard to achieve.
MLA Citation: Olsen, Sylvia. Yellow line. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers, 2005. Print.