Grade 10 - Blog Post Seven

The most recent book I have read is "The Saga Of Larten Crepsley ; Brothers of the Death" by Darren Shan. In this book, the character Larten is a hundred year old vampire who has been through a lot in his time and is still learning as it is. Because of his young spirited and resistant personality he is a difficult character and finds it hard to understand somethings. In the beginning of the book, Larten is found lounging around with his partner Alice, who is watching over her children Gavner and Sylva. The Inductive leap too far is ; "Alice looked much older than him now, but in his eyes she was as beautiful as when they'd first met almost thirty years earlier" (Shan, 2). Larten is in love with Alice, though he is a vampire and she is a human. He wishes to be with her and cannot see the problem in this. The problem with this is how Alice is human, there would be no way their love would last long due to human death. As the scene continues Alicia rolls away from him and into the sun, relaxing. Larten has been hoping for the impossible, "They had met often over the course of those years. Each time he hoped she'd kiss him, declare her love for him, accept him as her husband. He wanted things to be like they were in 1906, when they were engaged and in love." ( 2 ). This could complicate future relationships because of how Alice feels. "But Alicia felt that she was too old to marry again, and if she ever did give her hand to another man, she wanted to give it to a man her own age." ( 2 - 3 ). As Larten forever loves her, and she refuses, things may get awkward for her as the years go on. This could cause Alice to push away from Larten. Also, because of all of the bad guys (Vampaneze) in the novel, they could use Larten's love for Alice against him. Which would create many complications for himself, Alice, Sylva and Gavner. It is not until later on in the book, when Alice is used against Larten to track him down, she is murdered, that he finally understands that he and Alice could never be together. Though it may not say it, he feels at fault for her death and feels terrible."Larten had meant to hide his tears until he was alone, but he wasn't able to stop them from trickling down his cheeks when Gavner cast the accusation at him." ( 82 ). He now realizes the truth between their relationship and decides to get revenge on the killer. With Larten's love for Alice, it set him up for the complications and dangers that lie ahead for him. When he hears about Alice and how she may be in danger, it leads him back to her and he is then set up for the downfall and understanding of their relationship.

Grade 10 - Blog post Six

She's Come Undone
By Wally Lamb

The novel I am still reading this week is "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb. As I progress further in this book, I find out more about Delores. So far, I have read that the girl Delorn es was a happy child all up until her parents divorced. She then moved to her grandmother's with her mother and hasn't seen her father since. At her new school, she tries to fit in as best as she can, but finds that her attitude changes a lot, and she is an outcast. As she gets older, she changes entirely, and continues to build lies to hide herself as she attempts to change who she use to be.

One poetic device I found that was used within the narration of "She's Come Undone" is Personification. Personification is the use of giving nonhuman things human characteristics. For example ; The thunder grumbled like an old man. The poetic device gives the thunder a characteristic of acting like an old man.

"The morning light was weak and gray." (Lamb, 232) Is the quote used in the book that shows personification well.

The purpose of using this device in this scene is to help the reader feel the mood of the scene that the author is trying to show. The significance of using this would also be to link the character's mood with it. It shows that the character is waking up early, to a dull day. Usually when things are gray and dull, people aren't happy. This also helps the story over all because they help the audience connect with the characters and the setting with the way the give things characteristics.

Grade 10 - Blog Post Five

She's Come Undone

By Wally Lamb

The novel I am reading this week is "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb. Though I have not gotten that far into the book, I have read that the girl Delores was a happy child all up until her parents divorced. She then moved to her grandmother's with her mother and hasn't seen her father since. At her new school, she tries to fit in as best as she can, but finds that her attitude changes a lot, and she is an outcast. She becomes rude and different overall.







1) In your blog post this week, describe ONE social issue present in your current novel, prove it exists with direct references to the text and then explain its purpose to the story.

With all of the strange and new changes in Dolores's life, especially changing schools, she finds that she struggles with the social issue of disrespect. In her new school, Dolores starts out fine, all until she meets the kids of the school. " "Hey kid!" Rosalie shouted down to me on my very first trip to Connie's. Her sister hung over the railing, smirking and eating from a bag of potato chips. "You stuck-up or something? Got a broom stuck up your ass?" Behind her, the four seasons wailed in their scratchy falsettos " (Lamb, 42) and " 'That's a good record you're playing. I'm really enjoying it.' Rosalie mimicked back. Both girls brayed like donkeys." (Lamb, 42). This direct quote shows disrespect towards Dolores because on her first day of school, she tries to make friends with a girl named Rosalie and her other friends. Even though they don't know her, they made fun of her for no reason and mimicked her which is showing disrespect. The purpose for having disrespect in this story, I believe is to help develop Dolores into the person she will end up being further on in the story, which will help the plot greatly.

Grade 10 - Blog Post Four

Phantom of The Opera

(Leroux, Gaston, Phantom Of The Opera, HarperPerennial, 1987 )

The newest book I have started on recently is the book "Phantom of the Opera". This book is about an opera "ghost" / phantom, who lives in the basement of the Opera. He takes a liking to the young Christine Dae, and disguises himself as her Angel of Music and tries to help her gain her popularity and love, no matter what it takes. With all of the chaos happening around her, Christine has no idea what to believe. Is she to believe in her angel of music or her childhood friend and lover Raoul?

A. This week I want you to identify two significant elements from the book you are currently reading. You may choose an element of setting, a character, an event, a quotation or really anything 'important' in the text thus far.

From the book I am reading, I am identifying the significance of setting and a character. The first element I am going to start of with is Character. The character I think is significant is Erik, the Phantom of the Opera. I believe he is a significant element from the story because he is something unique and different. Rather than your normal bad guy, he is a genius, mischievous and stunning. The things the phantom does is something questionable and very different. He lives under the Opera, and yet he has everyone at his feet. Fearing him, paying him and maybe even respecting. A quote to support this is "The ghost! Suppose, all the same, it were a ghost who puts the magic envelopes on the table... Who talks in Box five... Who killed Joseph Buquet... Who unhooked the chandeler... and robs us!" (Gaston, 227). The phantom is significant to the story because he is the antagonist of the story, he himself, creates the whole story. He controls how the story is to go since he knows his way around the opera house, and he has everyone pretty much obeying him. Without him, there would be no story and if he weren't trying to win over Christine forcibly or willingly, there would be no conflicts.

I also think the setting is significant to the story because of how many places the Phantom could hide in. He lives in the Opera house and he knows his ways around and can easily plot his attacks and traps. The quote to support this is "You have shown me over the upper part of your empire, Christine, but there are strange stories told of the lower part. Shall we go down?" She caught him in her arms, as though she feared to see him dissapear down the black hole and, in a trembling voice, whispered: "Never! ... I will not have you go there! Besides, it's not mine... everything that is underground belongs to him!"" (Gaston,147). This quote relates because it indirectly explains how the Phantom owns the lower half of the Opera house. They are fearsome of the Phantom. Also, if he wasnt living in the Opera house and say, somewhere more simple, It would be harder to pull tricks and attacks on your victims.

Grade 10 - Blog Post THREE

Autobiography of a Face
(Grealy, Lucy.Autobiography of a Face. Houghton Mifflin Company. 1994.)

The book that I would like to introduce in this blog post is "Autobiography of a Face". I haven't been able to read too far into the book. Though I do know this book is an autobiography on Lucy Grealy's childhood and how she had to grow up with pain and suffering due to the surgery done on her jaw. She finds it hard to deal with everything as it is, since she was bullied, felt unloved and rejected and desperately wanting to be perfect.




1. Describe the character in your novel with three words.

• Self-conscious : The meaning of self-conscious is to be insecure with oneself. Two synonyms are anxious and bashful. Two antonyms are assured and secure.
• Destitue : The meaning of destitute is to be wanting something. Two synonyms are bereft and needy. Two antonyms are lucky and secure.
• Ashamed : The meaning of Ashamed is to regret or to be remorseful. Two synonyms are abashed and distraught. Two antonyms are defiant and shameless.

2. How do you know this character has these qualities?

The way I know the character Lucy Grealy has these character traits is because these of the hints provided within the text. Though it is not provided directly in the text, I can tell Lucy is self - concious because of the quote "I'd expertly turn my own head away, pretending I was only just then aware of something more important off to the side. I'd tilt away at exactly the same angle each time, my hair falling in a perfect sheet of camouflage between me and the camera." (Page 11). This quote explains how Lucy would hide her face from other's so they wouldn't have to stare at her distorted jaw, and because she never liked when people looked at her face. By doing this, she shows that she is bashful about her looks and dislikes when people look at her. This making her self - concious.

I can also tell Lucy is desitute because of the quote "Their approval or disapproval defined everything for me, and I believed with every cell in my body that approval wasn't written into my particular script." (Page 4). This quote explains how Lucy is needy for other's approval. She wants the world to accept her as she is, but she feels rejected by her peers because of her appearance.

By the quote "I took it as a sign to cry, which I did, ashamed of myself, unable to meet my mother's eyes as she began telling me not to, to hold it back" (Page 83) I can tell that Lucy is ashamed of herself. She is ashamed of how she turned out and how others perceive her.

Grade 10 - Blog Post TWO

Winter Girls
The book I would like to introduce is "Wintergirls". This book is a power and touching story. It's about a girl named Lia whose best friend died recently. Lia and her bestfriend Cassie, had gotten into a fight and haven't talked for months. When Lia heard the news, she decided to listen to the voice mails Cassie had left her before she had die. These messages haunted her, and made her feel as if she were the cause of her death. Devestated, Lia finds herself deep into depression and continues to carry on their pledge. Even if it may kill her.

Anderson, Halse Laurie, Wintergirls, New York : Viking, 2009

1.Identify five elements of your novel.

• Conflict
• Plot
• Suspense
• Foreshadowing
• Setting

2. Sort the elements from most important to least. Place your most favorite at the beginning.

1. Suspense.
2. Plot.
3. Setting.
4. Conflict.
5. Foreshadowing.

3. Describe how the element is used.
I believe the element of Suspense is used a numerous of times throughout the whole book. It was effective and It got me hooked. It was used mostly whenever she was depressed or alone. The element of " Plot " has been used quite well in this book. I find that the story was easily to follow because of the plot. The plot of this book is quite interesting, different, and I enjoyed reading it. The element of " Setting " was used wisely. The author chose lots of unique and different areas to give the story the feeling we were all to expect. " Conflict " was used a numerous of times as well. Lia found it was hard to get through life without her friend Cassie. She was depressed, and ran into many problems. The last element is " Foreshadowing ". I noticed that this element occurs mostly when Lia goes to do things that would hurt herself.

4. Use a quote from the book as evidence.


....When I was a real girl, with two parents and one house and no blades flashing, breakfast was granola topped with fresh strawberries, always eaten while reading a book propped up on the fruit bowl. At Cassie's house we'd eat waffles with thin syrup that came from maple trees, not the fake corn syrup stuff, and we'd read the funny pages...

(Page 7)

I chose this quotation to represent Suspense even though it does not seem like it holds much suspense. After reading this book, this book holds alot of meaning once you think about it. To know how much pain and suffering Lia and Cassie had been through. This shows me suspense, as to where you know later on in the story Lia and Cassie are heading into danger.

Grade 10 - Blog Post ONE

Three Qualities I expect from a good book;

Detail within the writing - For a book to be considered good, a detailed story is needed. I love lots and lots of detail in the books I read. It helps set the mood and helps you settle yourself into the story. As if you were there, watching everything happen in the story behind a line.

Relatable Characters - When reading a book, one thing I love about it is when you have that one favorable character that you can relate to. It helps the story get across to the readers, help them feel what they are trying to make them feel.

Proper Puncutation and Grammar - Spelling and grammar is deffinatly important. When I read a book, I expect to see proper Puncutation and grammar. It just makes the whole story a whole lot better and more effective.

From books you have been reading so far throughout this school year (2011-2012), have they contained these qualities? ;

Yes. Out of this whole year, I have read about eight or more books. Most of these books are from the very detailed and brilliant series of "The Vampire Chronicles" by Anne Rice. I have read several books from this series, and now going onto the 8th book. The other one being "Kiss The Rain" by Kevin Brooks. Anne Rice is an excellent author, and she details her books thoroughly. This series contains a numerous amount of characters, all which are quite relatable, also it's grammar and puncutation is swell. As for "Kiss The Rain", the book contains great puncutation and grammar except for the parts of when the author types their words as if they are speaking in their accents, which I find amusing and interesting. The characters like Moo are relatable when it comes to his past issues and personality, and the detail in the writing is well written.

MLA the books from 2.

• Brooks, Kevin. Kiss the Rain. New York: Scholastic Press. 2009. Print.
• Rice, Anne. Interview with the Vampire. New York: Ballantine Books, 1991. Print. (First book of the series)