(Intro)
For my non-fiction book, I was drawn towards the book, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. I decided to go with the story of Chris McCandless because over the years, I have been enthralled by books dealing with surviving in the wild, and just adventures in general. Prior to reading this book, I read Into Thin Air by the same author. From Into Thin Air, I knew that Into the Wild would follow the same path of being a great non-fiction book that takes a biography to a whole new level. From reading the summary, I got a good general idea of Chris's adventure. What I learned was that he decided one day that he was going to give up all of his possessions and basically go from city to city, and one day, go into the wild in the forest of Alaska. However, what I didn't get from the summary were all of the details of his trip. This is why I am excited to read this book. I can't wait for Krakauer to reveal McCandless' expedition.
(Middle)
I am currently halfway through the story, and so far I am not nearly as hooked as I thought I would be. When I started to read the book, I thought that I would be reading about the adventure of Chris surviving in the wilderness, but instead the author provided the reader with his odyssey through the USA, and even in Mexico. At some point, the author would go completely off of topic and began to discuss other men who have gone on journeys, such as Chris, and then related the two people in the next couple of pages. Personally, I wasn't expecting nor did I enjoy those parts of the book.
However, the author did have some great parts in the story, and I definitely he included a few very essential things that all of us can learn by reading this book. One of the themes that I came across in the story was that some things in life aren't necessary to live a happy one. After reading Huck Finn for my first book, I couldn't help but notice how similar the themes are in both of the books. In Huck Finn, he gives up all that he had, which was an education, a house, and a good group of friends. Huck made a choice to give all that up, and sail south with Jim, a runaway slave. It he spent months on the raft, and he was happy. Nothing in the world could beat being on that raft. The same was with Chris McCandless. He leaves his parents and the upper middle-class suburban setting in
which they raised him, and
donates all his savings to charity. Then he eventually abandons his car in the desert, and
actually burns his money on the desert floor.
Throughout the story, Chris writes multiple letters to his family and friends that he met on his odyssey. One of the people he meets in named Ron, who he develops a sincere relationship with. In one of his letters Chris states, "The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for
adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new
experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly
changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun... If you want to get more out of life, Ron, you must lose your inclination
for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that
will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed
to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty" (Krakauer 187). This quote is essence summarizes the entire story and the life of Chris McCandless. It reveals many things about Chris's character and really is the main theme of the story. All of the material possession like a car, phone, T.V., computer, tablet, they all mean nothing. In order to live a happy life, you need to explore, and take advantage of the beautiful things out in the unknown. It's a great theme for everyone to take into account and apply to their lives because most people don't understand the wonders of taking adventures.
(End)
After learning all about the life of Chris McCandless in the biography Into the Wild, I have now realized that Chris, even though he died from starvation, died in a happy place. He might've been suffering from food poisoning, starvation, thirst, or getting mauled by a bear, and McCandless would've died happily. He had such a passion for the adventures and the thrills that he experienced in the wild and just touring around the country. However one thing that did bother me about the story was the arrogance and ignorance that Chris had about going on this odyssey. Throughout the book, it's revealed that Chris believes that he can do whatever he wants, and he won't get hurt. The most significant is when he actually journeys into the Alaskan woods without any way of getting help.
Eventually, as the book progresses, his ignorance begins to fade as he begins his trip in the forests. In a letter he wrote to a friend he made named Wayne Westerberg. Chris wrote, "Please return all mail I receive to the sender. It might be a very long
time before I return South. If this adventure proves fatal and you don’t
ever hear from me again, I want you to know you’re a great man. I now
walk into the wild" (Krakauer 69). This are exact words from Chris right as he is about to take his first step into the wilderness. The fact that he acknowledges the idea of dying, proves me and most other readers wrong when we say that Chris is ignorant and arrogant. It shows that Chris knows very well that he is about to embark on an adventure that could prove fatal.
After some thought about his ignorance, I compared it to Holden in The Catcher in the Rye. In this book, Chris uses his ignorance as a self defense system. If he knew that he was more likely to die than survive, he might've second guessed whether or not to give up everything. That was something he didn't want to do because he wanted this so badly, and he wanted to go and explore what was out their. Holden on the other hand uses his ignorance to protect himself, but in a different way. He doesn't want to grow up into the adult world, so what he does is just ignore the fact that he will one day grow up. Overall, I came around to the book. I'd give it a 3.75 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to people who love books about adventure.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
(Intro)
To start off my reading workshop, I decided to switch things up and read a classic non-fiction book that goes by the name The Adventures of Hucklebery Finn. I decided on this book because I've had a couple of friends talk to me about what a great read it is, and how the content of the story is great as well. Judging from what those friends told me about the book, I can assume that the book takes place in the South, during the time of slavery. Also, that it's about a kid named Huck Finn, who decides to run away from his home to go on the adventure of his life, with a former slave named Jim. For the more specific predictions, I believe that Huck Finn will travel to the north, because of the runaway slave who he travels with, Jim. I also predict that in the end of the story, Huck will return to his home, to go and live with his "sitter" because his dad will have gotten into some serious trouble with the law. From the stories that I've heard, I have high hopes for how good or a read Huck Finn will be.
(Middle)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn definitely exceeded my expectations about how well the book was written. The story opens with Huck introducing the situation he was in. Huck lives in St. Petersburg Missouri during the time of slavery. His father is a drunk, and he lives with Widow Douglas who adopted him. It becomes apparent very quickly that Huck wants to run wild and wants nothing to deal with becoming a well-educated young man. Then he's life gets shaken up when his Pap, the drunk, comes back for him and take Huck under his wing. This is where the conflict begins between Huck and his dad, and leaves Huck no choice but to fake his death and run away to where no one would ever find him. This marks the beginning of Huckleberry Finn's adventures.
All though the book had a great plot, and the adventures that Huck Finn went on were quite intriguing, I would be besides myself to not mention the difficulty of reading this book is. The dialect between and undereducated slave, and a young boy with a heavy southern accent can be very confusing to follow. However, in some cases, I think it adds to the book to really emphasize the difference in dialect from the 1800 to now.
One thing that I did really enjoy from the book is the author's theme that simplicity is key. Throughout the story, Huck Finn mentions how there isn't anything better than being on the raft with Jim. "I hadn’t had a bite to eat since yesterday, so Jim he got out some corn-dodgers and buttermilk, and pork and cabbage and greens—there ain’t nothing in the world so good when it’s cooked right—and whilst I eat my supper we talked and had a good time. . . .We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft (Twain 138). This shows how Huck enjoys the simplest of things. He doesn't like school, or church, or anything fancy. All he needs is a raft, and a close friend to be happy, which can be a very good lesson for people in society today who think money can buy happiness. In reality, Huck seems to have it all figured out, and that's why I appreciate the book.
(End)
After finishing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn I was actually very satisfied by how the book ended. Before reading the ending, I predicted that Huck and Tom Sawyer would free Jim and go sailing of into the world to never return, but instead there was a sort of plot twist. I won't tell you how it ends, because I would really recommend the book to the class, if you're up for a tough read, which was something I came to expect from the beginning of the book, all the way to the last page. I won't say that it disappointed me because it gave me a great look at how our language, and southern dialect have developed throughout the past 100 years. It provided the book with a bit of diversity.
I also appreciated the character development throughout the book. Like I said in my previous post, throughout Huck's adventures, he begins to realize how simple life needs to be in order to be happy. The scene where Huck and Jim are trying to steal Jim away from the shack at Tom's Aunt's house, it really shows the difference between how two main characters think. Huck suggests, "Tom, can't we just lift up the bed and pull the chain out from under the leg?" (Twain 322). To this, Tom replies, "No, that's just two easy Huck. We need to build our own obstacles since there aren't any! (Twain 322) This really shows how to friends can really contradict each other, and how their ideas to free Jim relate to their own outlooks on life. This is a very interesting point in the book because in the beginning, Huck and Tom would both agree to make it as hard as possible to make it thrilling. However, throughout Huck's adventures on the raft has changed how he thinks. He realizes that the simple ways in life are the better way to go because it's relaxing and there isn't as much danger involved. This page is a great scene where Twain show character development. I would no doubt recommend this book to anyone who likes a good classic.
This scene in the movie Huck Finn shows character development, as well as a character vs. self conflict. Huck has always wanted to set Jim free, but after hearing Jim talking about all people being equal, he decided to turn Jim in. However, just as he's about to tell three white folk about Jim, he makes up a lie about who was on the raft to save Jim because Huck realizes that Jim is his only friend right now. Take a look!
To start off my reading workshop, I decided to switch things up and read a classic non-fiction book that goes by the name The Adventures of Hucklebery Finn. I decided on this book because I've had a couple of friends talk to me about what a great read it is, and how the content of the story is great as well. Judging from what those friends told me about the book, I can assume that the book takes place in the South, during the time of slavery. Also, that it's about a kid named Huck Finn, who decides to run away from his home to go on the adventure of his life, with a former slave named Jim. For the more specific predictions, I believe that Huck Finn will travel to the north, because of the runaway slave who he travels with, Jim. I also predict that in the end of the story, Huck will return to his home, to go and live with his "sitter" because his dad will have gotten into some serious trouble with the law. From the stories that I've heard, I have high hopes for how good or a read Huck Finn will be.
(Middle)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn definitely exceeded my expectations about how well the book was written. The story opens with Huck introducing the situation he was in. Huck lives in St. Petersburg Missouri during the time of slavery. His father is a drunk, and he lives with Widow Douglas who adopted him. It becomes apparent very quickly that Huck wants to run wild and wants nothing to deal with becoming a well-educated young man. Then he's life gets shaken up when his Pap, the drunk, comes back for him and take Huck under his wing. This is where the conflict begins between Huck and his dad, and leaves Huck no choice but to fake his death and run away to where no one would ever find him. This marks the beginning of Huckleberry Finn's adventures.
All though the book had a great plot, and the adventures that Huck Finn went on were quite intriguing, I would be besides myself to not mention the difficulty of reading this book is. The dialect between and undereducated slave, and a young boy with a heavy southern accent can be very confusing to follow. However, in some cases, I think it adds to the book to really emphasize the difference in dialect from the 1800 to now.
One thing that I did really enjoy from the book is the author's theme that simplicity is key. Throughout the story, Huck Finn mentions how there isn't anything better than being on the raft with Jim. "I hadn’t had a bite to eat since yesterday, so Jim he got out some corn-dodgers and buttermilk, and pork and cabbage and greens—there ain’t nothing in the world so good when it’s cooked right—and whilst I eat my supper we talked and had a good time. . . .We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft (Twain 138). This shows how Huck enjoys the simplest of things. He doesn't like school, or church, or anything fancy. All he needs is a raft, and a close friend to be happy, which can be a very good lesson for people in society today who think money can buy happiness. In reality, Huck seems to have it all figured out, and that's why I appreciate the book.
(End)
After finishing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn I was actually very satisfied by how the book ended. Before reading the ending, I predicted that Huck and Tom Sawyer would free Jim and go sailing of into the world to never return, but instead there was a sort of plot twist. I won't tell you how it ends, because I would really recommend the book to the class, if you're up for a tough read, which was something I came to expect from the beginning of the book, all the way to the last page. I won't say that it disappointed me because it gave me a great look at how our language, and southern dialect have developed throughout the past 100 years. It provided the book with a bit of diversity.
I also appreciated the character development throughout the book. Like I said in my previous post, throughout Huck's adventures, he begins to realize how simple life needs to be in order to be happy. The scene where Huck and Jim are trying to steal Jim away from the shack at Tom's Aunt's house, it really shows the difference between how two main characters think. Huck suggests, "Tom, can't we just lift up the bed and pull the chain out from under the leg?" (Twain 322). To this, Tom replies, "No, that's just two easy Huck. We need to build our own obstacles since there aren't any! (Twain 322) This really shows how to friends can really contradict each other, and how their ideas to free Jim relate to their own outlooks on life. This is a very interesting point in the book because in the beginning, Huck and Tom would both agree to make it as hard as possible to make it thrilling. However, throughout Huck's adventures on the raft has changed how he thinks. He realizes that the simple ways in life are the better way to go because it's relaxing and there isn't as much danger involved. This page is a great scene where Twain show character development. I would no doubt recommend this book to anyone who likes a good classic.
This scene in the movie Huck Finn shows character development, as well as a character vs. self conflict. Huck has always wanted to set Jim free, but after hearing Jim talking about all people being equal, he decided to turn Jim in. However, just as he's about to tell three white folk about Jim, he makes up a lie about who was on the raft to save Jim because Huck realizes that Jim is his only friend right now. Take a look!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)