A Stolen Life Reading Letter #2

Jaycee Dugard is a brave soul to let her secret life out to the public. It takes a lot of courage to come out and to say the horrible things that has happened to her for eighteen years of her life. Also how she had to deal with living in an unknown backyard and having to live with strangers and the father of her children who were conceived through rape. Stories like this help to open the reader’s eyes so that they could get a sense of what goes on in the world that we may not notice.

As the story progresses on, Jaycee in the end is returned to her mom, sister and Aunt. A reason for her escape is because of Phillip himself. He went down to the sheriff’s office and told the police that he has kidnapped her and was later on sentenced for life in jail because of his confession. Phillip’s wife got off on easier terms and the children left with Jaycee unharmed. Back at home Jaycee had to get accustomed to many struggles that she will have to face in life thereafter. One of them being, trying to keep her children’s personal lives out of the media and keep them safe so that they won’t get frazzled by the situation. Along with doing that her as well as her family members go to see a therapist named Rebecca who comforts Jaycee on her struggles. Rebecca also makes exercises for Jaycee and her two daughters with caring for Rebecca’s horse so that they are able to worry about their past life less and less.

Before Jaycee and her children were discovered, Phillip was becoming more mental. And he especially believes that he could hear angles talking to him. Every time something major or bad happens he would always say that the angels are sending him a sign.

In my opinion Jaycee is a brave soul to get through all that she has been through. On top of that Jaycee was able to build up the courage to write a story about it. This is a great book and it personally opened my eyes to what goes on and how cruel complete strangers could be against some innocent little girl. This book is also good to raise awareness to some that may not be aware of things that may even take place in their own neighborhood and them not having a clue about it.

A Stolen Life Reading Letter #2

By A Stolen Life being in first person it gives the reader the opportunity to really see how the victim felt about the situation. The author and narrator of the story’s name is Jaycee Dugard and she explains that she was abducted in the summer of 1991. The things she talks about in her story are very disturbing to know that one man can cause so much pain to this adolescent. In the beginning Jaycee wrote out all of the things that happened to her point-by-point. So it did take a while before the plot was able to develop. The things that disturbed me the most was when she talked about Phillip (the man that kidnapped her) and how he would often come to one of the buildings built in his backyard and have sex with her.

Later on in the story she has an even bigger obstacle to overcome and that is when she found out that she was going to be expecting a baby. Throughout the story I have been paying close attention to how Jaycee reacts to her surroundings. For instance, when Phillip comes in and tells her to fulfill his sexual needs, she doesn’t complain or begin to act up, but she listens and does what he says. A reason she may do that is because she has been feeding off of Phillip’s personality and what buttons not to push with him. Over the years Jaycee has slowly been forgetting about her family and at one particular moment she even said that the image that she had of her mother in her head is slowly fading away.

This book has truly opened my eyes so that I could see what pain the victims have to endure when being kidnapped. By reading this book I can only feel very little of the pain that Jaycee has to endure every day for those 18 years of her life. I’m sure that in my opinion as well as many others, Jaycee is a brave soul to come out and explain all that she went through without leaving out any detail.

What I would really like to find out or look more into is what specific things that go on in the males and females worldwide that could conjure up the guts to even do half of the things Phillip did to Jaycee. As I read the book I also wonder why for so long nobody was able to find her due to the fact that she was hidden in a backyard but also in a populated neighborhood.

I am still puzzled that this actually happened in real life and that a married man would choose a child that he would lock up in his backyard for 18 years. Also without Phillip having any regards to how her family would feel about missing their child for such a long period of time. In my opinion the overall view of the book is to raise awareness to those who may not have known about her being kidnapped. I am also happy for all of those recommendations that I got from many of my peers last year to read this book because I am enjoying it. Books like these make me very curious to go and find out more behind each character and their background to see if how they were growing up had a great affect on how they acted towards others.

Work Cited

Dugard, Jaycee. A Stolen Life. U.S.A.: Jacket, 2011. Print.

Glass Castle #2

I believe that the Glass Castle will still be a good novel even if it wasn’t a memoir. A reason for it still being a good novel is how the author writes the story. In my opinion; it is still getting its point across about dysfunctional families and the struggles each family member has to go through. Also before I read it, I in fact did not know that it was a memoir and after finding that out, my opinions toward how I felt about the book did not change.  In the end I finished reading this book with a better thought about people going through similar situations just like Jeanette’s family.

Along with her father being a drunk, her mother didn’t like having responsibilities for her own children. Jeanette’s mother states, “‘Why do I always have to be the one who earns money?’… ‘You can earn money… I’ve got more important thing to do’” (Walls 218). From the mother’s perspective she doesn’t necessarily believe that she should be doing all of the work when she has children who should provide for themselves. Along with being irresponsible, Jeanette’s mother is also stubborn. She is stubborn because when Jeanette announces that she will be moving to N.Y., instead of being excited or emotional her mom says, “‘I’m upset because you get to go to New York and I’m stuck here. It’s not fair’” (Walls 237).  This shows how jealous her mother could be, so much to where she would rather see her children fail instead of hoping the best for them.

This book in particular was interesting because it wasn’t one that I could relate to as much or compare to my own life. That was good for me because it was nice to be able to “look” into others lives and see how they have be raised so differently than I have but yet could push past the negativity and make something great out of their lives. The author may have wanted the reader to understand how she had to grow up living with an alcoholic as a dad.  Because of that there was added pressure put on her by being one of the oldest and having to look out for her younger siblings. A reason she may have brought that subject us so much is because often times that is what she may have had to learn to cope with. Also she is showing how strong of a person she was to get through it. So mainly I believe the message of this book is that even when you do have obstacles in your life there are still ways to get around it. Also that there are two routes that the author is saying the reader could take: you could let the problems amongst your family stop in the way of your dream or you could make something of your life. In which case, Jeanette became a journalist, was happily married and was able to own her own house.

Work Cited

Walls, Jeannette. The Glass Castle. New York: Scribner, 2006. Print.

The Glass Castle #1

The Glass Castle so far is a good read and in the beginning the story opened in exposition. The narrator of the story is a lady who seems to be telling the reader about her childhood. As the reader gets deeper into the story the narrator begins to talk about her family and how they would often have to move from house to house. Whenever her dad got fired, quit or either found odd jobs elsewhere, they would have to pack up their belongings and move, starting their life all over again.  Her mother did not work and she also had two other siblings, a brother and sister.

Despite his lack of being able to keep a job, her dad really cares about them and always express how it is important to him to make sure that his children have all of the resources that they would ever need. Even though her father is caring and has a good relationship with his children, whenever he got drunk his personality changed. Whenever he got drunk, he threw around furniture and threatened to beat up anyone who got in his way, even if one of the people were his children (Walls 23). Another good character trait about the narrator’s father is that it takes a lot for him to get frustrated. The narrator says, “Dad kicked in most of the wall and pulled Brian out coughing. I thought dad would be furious, but he wasn’t. He was sort of quiet” (Walls 61). This shows that even in the worst situations her dad can stay calm and collected. From reading this quote the reader is also able to detect that his children can burn down a building and still not get in trouble. So if they could do something as bad as that then the reader could almost imagine how much more the children are able to get by with.

The environment that the children have been growing up in is not the best. One of their teachers has gotten fired. The reason is because she carried around a loaded rifle and her reason for carrying a gun was to “motivate her students to do their homework” (Walls 73). So far the book is good and it really shows you how other people who are not as privileged may have lived. It also is nice to get the first person point of view. That way the reader is getting the story from the person who went through all of the experiences their selves and that could be better than getting second or third person, when the story may not have all of the specific facts. I look forward to reading on to see what type of people the narrator and her family members become as they still move and are able to get away with things that typically would not go unpunished.

Work Cited

Walls, Jeannette. The Glass Castle. New York: Scribner, 2006. Print.

In Cold Blood Reading Letter #2

I really enjoyed reading “In Cold Blood” and what made it just that must better of a read was that it was nonfiction. It did disturb me that the book was nonfiction and to hear all of the terrible things two middle aged men could do to a hospitable and innocent family. But at the same time by it being a real life story it made the reader want to continue on reading just that much more to find out what was going to happen next. For instance, if they’ll get caught, how will the murderers respond to the situation, how tough will the consequences be?

Three fourths into the book, the detectives begin to get leads on where the murderers are and that then helped them to catch up with Dick and Perry. The detectives then find them in Las Vegas right after they have picked up their belongings from the post office and one of the items being the shoes they wore to the Clutter’s house right before they murdered them. Mainly the murderers play it cool and at first their story seemed to be pretty straightforward without revealing any evidence that they were at the Clutter’s house on the night of the murder. After witnesses began to confess as well as Perry saying that he killed all of the family members, the jury and well as the friends and family members of the Clutter family now are able to see who killed the four family members.

After around three years of still trying to piece the case together to make sure that they have enough evidence, Kansas State comes to the conclusion that on April 14, 1965 Dick and Perry will be hanged between midnight and 2:00am. One of the main reasons it took many years is because some believed that there was a bias within the court since Dick and Perry were taken to court in Kansas which is the hometown of the Clutter family and many people had different views on if the two men should be hanged or serve a life sentence.

This is a great book that I would recommend to my peers and isn’t a hard read. The reason I would probably recommended this book is because some people may enjoy reading the book that has to deal with cases being solved and so that they could see how the detective’s jobs are so that they could make sure they are one step ahead of the criminals. Also many may want to read it just because this is the type of genre they would typically read or perhaps they just want to try something new.

Work Cited

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. New York: Random House, 1993. Print.

In Cold Blood #1

The first chapter is mainly describing the surroundings of Holcomb and the beginning of the book also starts off with the killing of the four family members and works its way back to solving the mystery. The town that the Cutter family lives in really doesn’t have much activity mainly has dirt roads, post offices that are no longer open and a dance studio that has been closed for several years (Capote 4). This quote gives enough information so that the reader has an idea of the environment and the living conditions the family is in. Also it shows you that there aren’t that many people therefore the stores weren’t getting many sales and may be the reason for them closing. The town of Holcomb is very small and everyone knew each other and ever since the gunshots went off one night every neighbor treated each other like strangers and began to lock their doors.

In my opinion I have a feeling that the killers could possibly be Dick and Perry. The reason is because in the book it explains how they go out to stores and buys guns and even tries to get black stockings from the nuns so that they could disguise themselves. A quote that really drew me to believing this is when Dick says, “There’s him. Her. The kid and the girl. And maybe the other two. But it’s Saturday. They might have guests” (Capote 37). In this quote it seems that Dick is talking about Mr. and Mrs. Cutter, Kenyon, Nancy and the other two children that don’t live with them.

Dick and Perry seem to know a lot about the family. That makes me think that at some point they have both been family friends or something of that relation to the Cutter family. Also I believe that Dick and Perry are the ones who murdered the family because the author explains that they have both been in jail and also they have been in accidents that have permanently scared their bodies (Capote 31).

I really enjoy reading this book and I love the way the author set up the story so that it starts in exposition and then you go back and read over each family members last day. Right now it seems that the story is on third person objective and all of the characters so far are round characters so that the reader knows a lot about each of them.

Work Cited

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. New York: Random House, 1993. Print.

Ethan Frome Reading Letter 2

Ultimately the author wants the reader to side with Ethan Frome and Mattie’s relationship. Edith Wharton puts in details that make the reader begin to have sympathy for Mattie. An example is that the reason Mattie is living with them is because her parents had died and the only money she receives is the fifty dollars she gets from selling her piano (Wharton 31). After her parents die she is also left with nowhere to stay. The author has sour feelings towards Zeena and makes the reader feel that she is stubborn. Zeena lets her cousin stay with them but eventually grows tired of the guest and rushes her out of the house so that the hired girl can move in.

Early in the story Ethan realizes that the only reason he marries Zeena is because at the time she seems like a woman who takes care of herself and others and is even there for his mother when she is sick. Since that seems to be the reason he marries her it is almost as if he isn’t really in love with her and is obligated to marry Zeena because of all that she goes through with his family. The narrator explains, “…he was seized with an unreasoning dread of being left alone on the farm; and before he knew what he was doing he had asked her to stay there with him (Wharton 38). He then goes on to explain that if his mother would have died in the spring instead of winter, then he wouldn’t have done that (Wharton 38). So as Ethan realizes the reasons he marries Zeena, he begins to analyze his and Zeena’s relationship and sees that his marriage really isn’t the one he wants to be in and rather be with Mattie.

As the time Mattie has left at the Frome’s house runs out,  Ethan conjures up a plan to write Zeena a note saying that he leaves her with everything in return he leaving with Mattie. He does not leave Zeena the letter but instead of Jotham Powell bringing Mattie to the train station, he does instead. On their way there he and Mattie begin to talk as well as them expressing their feelings toward each other. So that they can spend more time with each other, Ethan doesn’t drop Mattie off at the station. Instead they both decide that once Mattie leaves they may not see each other again so their plan is to die together. As they approach the elm tree and run into it while on the back of a wagon that the horse is pulling, neither dies. Since neither of them die, they both return back home to Zeena where she well enough to take care of Ethan and Mattie.

In the end I began to understand the book and find myself to enjoying it. It wasn’t that the reading was hard to understand because I found it to be a quick read, it was just that I haven’t read too many classics and that it was a transition that I had to make. Overall I enjoyed the book and enjoyed how the last chapter switched back to first person narrator point of view just like it was in the first chapter when the story was about Frome and the narrator.

Work Cited

Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome. New York: Penguin Group, 2005. Print.

Ethan Frome Reading letter #1

Affairs happen very often in life. It happens when one of the partners get side tracked by another adult and eventually has to find their way back to their own relationship. In Edith Frome, the main character itself is Edith. Just like what I was talking about Edith in this situation is the victim in dealing with an affair or at least he is very much close to one. The thing that adds a twist to the story is the fact that the woman he is finding himself to be in love with is his wives cousin. The cousin’s name is Mattie and for the time being she lives in their household as the hired girl. Since she lives with the Frome’s for now there is a lot of secrecy that has to go on so that Ethan’s suspicious wife, Zeena doesn’t find out.

If there was another point of view that I would choose for the story to be in, it would have to be from the point of view of Zeena. The reason is so that I could see how differently she feels about the situation and if there are any torn emotions that she has to go through. For instance, since she is very suspicious I wonder if she ever thinks about confronting the situation or leaving Ethan. When I grow up and if I ever were to be in this situation I would maybe wait it out just to make sure I would not be making a big mistake. Also I would make sure that what I believe is going on is the truth.

The author’s style of writing is that he gives a good amount of description and information on the main characters and there isn’t must colloquial color besides the fact that instead of saying tonight the author writes it out as to-night. From reading the story it is given to the reader that the story and the characters scenes take place in New England. I believe that this story took place a while back because the book made it seem like everyone during that time period had an “L” shaped house and instead of driving many of them rode horses that acted as their transportation.

So far some parts in the book I don’t quite understand but I did realize that as I read on there is more information involved that helps to better my understanding. The part of the story that I am currently in makes it hard to try and predict what will come next because so many things could take place. Some things that could happen for instance are that the cousin can move out, the wife Zeena can do many things to figure out what’s going on behind her back or Mattie and Ethan can just go on with the secret.

This book is very different from the ones that I have read previous. Although this book is a little out of my comfort zone I still am happy that I am trying something new. For all of the others who enjoy the same types of book I do, I would probably recommend this one to them just so that they could broaden their options when it comes to books. I plan on reading on so that I as well as Zeena can really get to know Mattie and Ethan’s relationship status and the next step that they will take.

Work Cited

Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome. New York: Penguin Group, 2005. Print.

Water for Elephants Reading Letter 2

I believe that the author has chosen to write the story through Jacob’s point of view because he is a very relatable character. What I mean by that is that many could understand his struggles and the way he has to deal with the death of his parents and finding a way to survive on his own in the word. If the story had to be analyzed through a different character, I would probably choose August. The reason is because I would like to know how it feels being him and having to deal with schizophrenia and a constant change of emotions. Also I would like to see how he feels about everyone else and what his insecurities are when it comes to dealing with his medical problem.

Towards the end of the book is when all of the secrets come out and most of the drama begins to take place. I believe that all of this happened in the end because the characters have been holding in all of their true feelings in for so long to where everything just comes out at the end. August starts to realize the intimacy between his wife and Jacob grows stronger which makes August show his violent side. After most of the drama with the relationships between Jacob, August and Marlena subsides Camel and Walter are then both red lighted and the main reason is because of Jacob. As I get down to the last pages of “Water for Elephants,” a stampede of animals breaks out because they have mistakenly been let loose. That disaster leaves everyone in awe and August dead once the dust settles. Since the circus is turning into a complete disaster, Uncle Al then goes off to selling the elephant and the horses but Marlena and Jacob work their magic so that they can keep them.

In all of these situations it seems that Jacobs name comes up quite often and that he is the one to blame for all of the mishap. The reason for that is because the author has set the tone so that the reader would believe that Jacob is the one to blame but on the other end he is also the one that tries and keeps everything together as he slowly tears things apart. If you look back in the story you would see that none of this would have happened and the circus still would have been up and running if Jacob and Marlena had not have fallen in love in the first place.

The style of Sara Gruen’s writing doesn’t stand out as much to me and is similar to how most authors styles of writing is. She includes both dialogue and lots of description. I really enjoy all of the description the author puts in the book because the more description without overdoing it makes the reader intrigued into reading more. I would like to know what her motives to writing “Water for Elephants” were.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested. I am now mentally making a checklist for my favorite artists and Sara Gruen is on it. To me she really knows how to put together such a great story. It seems that before she puts pen to paper she blueprints her idea as to what and how she wants “Water for Elephants” to be written and what message she is trying to get out to the readers.

Work Cited

Gruen, Sara. Water for Elephants. New York: Workman Publishing, 2006. Print.

Water for Elephants Reading Letter #1

Without a doubt I do believe Water for Elephants has been a wonderful read so far and could not give me more than I have asked out of a book. It is well put together, has an amazing plot and the characteristics of the characters are on point. I enjoy the love that Marlena and Jacob have for each other even though Marlena is married to an ungrateful man named August that believes the world revolves around him. One of the many reasons I enjoy and understand the relationship of Marlena and Jacob is because it makes the story that much more interesting. As their secret relationship grows there is realization that just from the tone of the story that the author wants the reader to side with the relationship between Marlena and Jacob rather than August.

 The point of view is very clear and straight forward. It is first person reliable and the story is spoken and described to the reader through Jacob. There have been a few occurrences when the author has used stream of consciousness. Jacob is lying in bed and “My [his] head is crammed with visions…My parents dead, and the green and white floor tiles beneath them. Marlena, waltzing with me to the menagerie…Rosie, ten feet tall and solid as a mountain, whimpering under August’s blows” (Gruen, 143).

I would recommend this book to all of my classmates who have not yet read this book and would like to add it to their summer reading list. It is not boring at all and when you get tired of TV you could just kick back and soak in the day with this good book. A reason that I would recommend this to anyone seeking suggestions is because once the story captures the readers imagination, it is then able to keep hold of the reader’s interest until all of their questions are answered.

Work Cited

Gruen, Sara. Water for Elephants. New York: Workman Publishing, 2006. Print.