To Kill a Mockingbird Post #5

--Journal Entry--

Chapters 18-24

Jem Finch

          I watched my father walk across the floor. Pacing, talking to each witness. I watched and listened with unnerving tension during the entire trial. I felt Scout shift next to me, fidgeting. I could tell she understood none of what they were saying, she was just watching our father talk. And he was talking, there was complete silence in the room, the bustling, fidgeting, tapping, and sighing was gone. Eyes were wide and you could tell every single person in that courtroom was slowly taking in every word he said. It felt like we were slowly melting, all of us packed together in this burning hot room, but I barely felt the heat. I was too focused on Mr. Ewell and his lies, his trash talking, his not even stealthy deception, and his pure hate for all colored folks. He was a pure fraud, plain and simple. Then Mayella, how no one seemed to notice that their stories were different. Mr. Ewell said he chased Tom out of the house and Mayella claimed that he ran up to her and yelled "who done it?". Nothing seemed to matter, it was irrelevant, even with the lack of evidence, with Mayella basically admitting her father beat her instead, and the pure impossiblity that Tom could have done this. No, even with all that, Tom was black and that meant he was guilty.

         I was sure we were going to win this case at first, with all the evidence it seemed impossible to vote otherwise. We waited for two hours in the courtroom. Two hours for the court to decide, normally it would have been about five minutes for the jury to convict a black man against a white one. Scout looked like she was going to fall asleep, I subtly tried to shake her but she was bored, clearly not as an excited as me. I was wide awake, anxious for the outcome, convinced that he would be found innocent. It was so clear, clear enough for Scout to understand. But somehow, grown men with educations and experience could not understand something a simple 8 year old could.

       My breath seemed to disapear when the jurors walked out, and my heart sank. Everbody knows when the jury convicts the defendant they don't look at him, and the jurors were averting their eyes from Tom. No, I thought, this was not possible. The announcement came out, Tom Robinson was found guilty. Before I could stop them, tears streamed down my face. Sticky, and hot, and they made my eyes burn. Why? I wanted to shout, yell at them. How could you do that? How could you convict him? Were they not paying attention? There was no way he was guilty, but they couldn't believe a black man over a white one. Predjudice came before justice. White people being "better" than black people was going to send Tom Robinson to jail for a crime he did not commit. I tried to choke back my tears that were flowing down. It just wasn't right, it just wasn't. I started to realize we weren't all the same folks. We were separated into groups and nothing could ever make us get along. It was sad, we were all not joined as people, we were separated by our tiny differences. Like where we live and the color of our skin. A thought occured to me, maybe Boo Radley stays inside because he doesn't want to come out. Maybe, he doesn't want to leave and come out into this unfair world.

To Kill a Mockingbird Post #4

--Journal Entry--

Chapters 13-15

Dill Harris

       The cold floor was making my back ache along the ground. My spine felt like it was going to have a permanent curve from this awkward position. By now I had acquired a sharp pain in my legs from lack of movement. I desperately wanted to kick and shake out the pins and needles from it falling asleep but I couldn't risk making any noise. I tried to keep my breathing even and relax but it was hard to breathe the musty air and dust on the underside of Scout's bed. I ran my hands along the wood planks covering the bottom of her bed. I heard the tinkling and clattering of plates and voices in the dining room as I assumed the Finch's were eating supper. I felt my stomach growl and shake. How long had it been since I had eaten? One... maybe two days? I couldn't remember but it felt like forever. It was hard enough to think about something besides food without all the clattering of forks and knives.

       Slowly, the day to came to an end. After a fuss in the living room that involved Atticus and Scout and Jem’s Aunt Alexandra that I could barely hear, a fight broke out between Scout and Jem. He seemed so much older now, I was surprised that she had the guts to antagonize him. Of course, I could only see their feet but I could hear the shrieks and screams, Jem was so much bigger but Scout was putting up a good fight. I almost thought to jump out and help her, teaming up I think we could take him down but Atticus came in. I felt like I was watching a movie, lying under a bed watching the events unfold. It was interesting, when I was not dying of hunger or bored out of my mind, all alone in her messy room. I would have had a better perspective on all of this of course, with some food in my stomach. Scout crawled into bed then so I had to be quiet. I was careful not to breathe too loudly, but she bumped into me. I squirmed away in terror. I knew I was going to have to come out eventually but what were they going to think? It was too late, I saw Scout’s feet scrape the ground as she got out of bed and called for Jem. Now I knew I was in for it. Jem is smart, like Scout-plus-me-times-twenty smart. He would be able to find me. I tried to hold my breath and stayed as still as possible. A broom swooped under the bed a couple inches from my knee. I grunted without catching myself as I scrambled away in fear. “Do snakes grunt?” Scout asked, curious. That’s when Jem figured it out. I wasn’t a snake, I was a person. The next broom swipe missed my head by centimeters as I slowly emerged from under the bed. I had so carefully planned out my escape to make it infallible, but what now? What was I supposed to say? I stood there sheepish as I slowly looked at their gaping stares.

    I started off with another made up story about my parents hiding me in a cellar and barely being able to escape. I could tell they didn’t buy all my lies but they were too shocked to say anything about it. I mean, how was I suposed to say I ran away from a family that loved me? I got everything I want. They would think I was spoiled and send me back. And maybe I was, but my family didn't want me. Like I told Scout a little later, they didn't want to spend time with me. They would buy me toys and then make me go play by myself. It's not that they didn't love me, they told me they did everyday, it was simply that they didn't want to be around me. I was a nuisence. I could feel it, they wanted piece and quiet, and they gave me stern looks whenever I walked in. So I gathered my things together and took the train to Maycomb. Atticus, Jem, and Scout are more of like family, I knew that I was not wanted with my mother and step father. Now, my plan to get to Maycomb and to the Finch's place was clever. In fact, I spent all my time figuring that out that I didn't consider what might happen when they found me. So then, I found myself sitting in front of Atticus begging him not to make me go back. He was actually very pensive and calm, which I don't think a lot of grown-ups would have been if they found a boy hiding under the bed that shouldn't even be in town. He let me spend the night, and as I got ready for bed I already felt like I was back home.   

To Kill a Mockingbird Post #3

-Journal Entry-

Atticus Finch

Chapters 10-11

         

        It was late in the afternoon, my mind was spinning with laws, statements, and evidence. Papers clustered across my desk as I racked my brains for an idea. Scribbles of messy words and sentences scrawled across crumpled paper as I tried, and tried again, to write it out. I suppose the blistering heat baking through the windows wasn't helping either. It felt like I had been sitting in this stiff chair, preoccupied with my work for far too long. Then I got the call. Calpurnia said there was a crazy dog outside our house. It was not the typical time for those dogs to be out but she seemed quite sure so I ran out to get there as quickly as I could. By the time I got to the house I could see it. I skinny little thing, definitely crazy, wandering across the street, wobbling on its feet. Foam slowly dripped from its mouth dribbling along, and his eyes danced around, unfocused. I yelled for Jem and Scout to run inside, which I could tell they did not enjoy, but they did not dare to contradict me.

       We were not in grave peril, the dog was wandering around several meters down the road, but he was  dangerous for sure. He was definitely not inconspicuous, stumbling up and down the street, he would have to be shot before he hurt someone. We walked to as close as we dared get to the dog, and the Hector Tate pulled out his gun. After a bit of fumbling he glared at the gun, it was clear he did not believe he could hit the dog, and tried to hand it to me. I refused, I hadn't shot in ages, and this was not an easy shot either. But Hector was cantankerous, this was a one shot task. A miss would send the dog running and it could be hours before we could find him again. I mumbled something inaudible and reached for the gun. Pulling it into my hands I squinted, trying to aim. My hands were sweating from the heat and slipping off the gun as I gripped the sides. My hair started to slide in my face and I squinted through the gun at the dog. My glasses were slipping down my nose from the dribbling sweat. I pushed them up three times before I gave up and dropped them behind me. I would rather take the shot with bad eye sight then with those frustrating glasses slipping off. I prepared for the shot, focused and aware. I could feel the stillness in the air and there was no sound as I felt four pairs of eyes on me, watching what I did next. My finger clenched on the trigger and the gunshot broke through the silence, and with a yelp, the dog fell over. A rush of familiar excitement ran through me as I remembered those old days. When I could shoot anything from anywhere, and hit it on the first shot. I had given up the sport many years ago but that surge of energy when the bullet left the gun reminded me of those times. I went back to work after that, Jem's face of pure disbelief imprinted in my mind.   



To Kill a Mockingbird Post #2

-Journal Entry #2-

Chapters 4-9

Miss Maudie

        I have been staring at this journal for over an hour now. Looking at these blank pages wondering how to describe today. It is not that nothing happened, that I don't know what to talk about, in fact, it is quite the opposite. I am trying to find words to describe everything that happened and it is quite frustrating. It is important when things happen to put them all in perspective, not to get caught up in the little, inconspicuous challenges of life. I can only assume that bad things happen so better things can unfold. Saying that today was a bad day would be an enormous understatement. But I'm not quite sure if it was bad, true, some things did not go my way and there are some definite changes for me in the future. But, they could have been a whole lot worse.

     I was sleeping when it happened, the fire was lit in the fire place, warming the air on this chilly night. The snow was drifting down in fluffy puffs outside. This was the first time in ages that it snowed in Maycomb, a horror seeing as though it could most possibly kill a great deal of my azaleas. Little did I know that my azaleas were not the thing most in peril. It was about one in the morning when it happened. I was awoken to the awful smell of smoke charring my nostrils. I was confused for a second, drowsiness taking over my senses but the smell was growing stronger, burning my lungs every breath I took. Fire. I looked around begging for something to contradict my assumption, but I could seem bright hot flames. The thought started to sink in. My house was on fire. In a second I was in action. Don't panic, I cautioned myself. I felt everything in slow motion, everything inaudible but my pounding heart. Looking from the window I saw a clear path from my bedroom out of the front door. I threw on slippers, an over coat, and ran. The icy cold air stung at my warm skin and my hair was strewn in a mess across my head as I ran to Ms. Stephanie's. 

        By the time Atticus, Jem, and Scout made it out of their house, still groggy, the firemen were on the way. They couldn't go very fast through the snow though. Men were running, some still in pajamas, it seemed like the whole town had showed up. Splashes of orange and red seemed to engulf one side of the house. People were running through pulling out furniture now. Everyone was moving so quickly and all I could do was shake where I stood. It was freezing, yet I did not feel the cold, my eyes were entranced on the bright flames wrapping around the walls. It was beautiful, in its own horrific way. The colors and flames danced around, slowly enveloping more and more of what used to be a house. I watched as it slowly crumbled to the ground, people were out of the house now that it was falling. I stood in horror as the flames grew bigger and bigger filling the cold, stiff air. Icy water shot through the hoses launching at the fire. It was beginning to lick at the side of Atticus's house and I watched Scout's face turn to terror. Atticus seemed to be under control, he was moving swiftly, talking to people, and the men seemed to be working harder then ever. I begged the fire to stop, and I realized the whole neighborhood could go up in flames, just because of me. But soon my fears were resolved, the fire was slowly eliminated and relief flowed through me. 

         As I said it could have been a lot worse. My house is gone, that is for sure, but thanks to the help of the town I still have quite a bit of my belongings, and nobody else in the neighborhood lost their home. I am so grateful for that. I know there is a new life ahead of me now. There is no point in being cantankerous. It is not going to be easy, but you never now, something good could come out of this. I never did like that old house anyway, and now I can build a new, more contemporary one, and a bigger garden perhaps. Life is going to change of course, but with the help of these great folks of Maycomb, I will make it through. Today is a new day, what has happened has happened. Let's see what life has in store for tomorrow.

To Kill a Mockingbird Book Response #1

     -Journal Entry-  

Jem Finch

                            

        Today was the first day of the school year, always a dreary time, our minds still buzzing with the warm summer adventures and long nights. Endless days of exploring and soaking up the baking hot sun. Now we were returning to school, in some ways this was good, seeing all our old friends and beginning another year of learning, but the long summer days still lured us back outside from our dull classrooms. This was not a typical back-to-school day. I am now in 5th grade, older than most everyone in the school, but not only that. Today was Scout's first day at school. Because Atticus is always working and busy, the job of taking Scout to school was then thrust on me. At first I was reluctant, I am not her babysitter, but enough coins had me persuaded. I tried to think back to my first day at school, surely I must have been better than how she was, but then again, she is Scout. I walk out at noontime to see Walter Cunningham tackled to the ground, Scout hitting him and pushing his face in the dirt. What a great way to start your first day. The poor kid looked like he hadn't had a decent meal in ages. Walter was smaller, no matter what started it, she should have known better. I invited him to our place for lunch. Again, Scout with her manner problems was sent to eat in the kitchen after a rude remark. She needs to learn that even though she doesn't mean what she says in a mean way, it comes out all wrong and people get offended. She needs to watch her mouth. 

          It was a pretty bad day for Scout, I heard her complaining to Atticus about never going to school again. She should know better then to ask for that but she just sees the world from the Scout way. Everything makes sense in her head and how things should be but in reality, they are much more complex. I guess it's because she's six, but it's very frustrating. Well, enough about Scout now, the more I think about her, the more she reminds me of my mother, just the little features like the way she looks and the way she smiles. Of course, Scout will never know this, she was too young to ever know our mother. She was only two years old when Mother died. I don't think about Mother too much. I like to remember how pretty she was and the good things but fantasies are always snapped when you have to come back to reality. Sulking and living in the past is not the way to live. It's easier for Scout, because she never met her she doesn't have to miss her ,but I do. I miss her a lot. Sometimes I let my mind wander and I wonder if she's looking down on us and watches us grow up. I miss you Mother. 

Novel Partner's Post #3

NAME Maddie Menke DATE 2/17/11 TITLE Lovely Bones TIME 2 HOURS

AUTHOR Alice Sebold PAGES 142-262 TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK 120

What exciting events just happened? Why?

     There are three main events that happened in this section of reading. The characters grew up the most in this part of the story. Life is beginning to go on for all of them. Lindsey is graduating from college with Samuel, and Buck is in middle school. Their mom, Abigail is still gone and by now the years have counted so they are getting used to the way life is. Susie is a memory now, she is not the center of every ones life anymore. The horror has begun to pass and the town is moving on. As the years go on, no one is forgetting Susie Salmon but she has become a lost paper in the folders and folders in peoples minds. The clutter is hard enough to sift through. She is growing weary of watching her family grow up and change with out her. She has watched them get over her death and move on with their life but every time she watches her sister now, she sees her sister go and do the things she never could. Grow up, the one thing that she never would. She liked to pretend she was Lindsey still living in the world and going through life. But the truth is, her life has ended. It was tragic and short but it happened. She will never live again and she needs to move on and let her family go. Let her friends go.

     In this section some main things that happened was there mother Abigail, moved away, Lindsey and Samuel are getting married, and Jack had a heart attack. That is a serious change in the story. These are a few very main events. The day of Lindsey and Samuel's graduation he proposed to her. He told her he loved her and never wanted to be anywhere without her. They also found a house they liked. I thought this was really exciting. Samuel has always loved Lindsey and cared for her as they grew up together and now they want to spend the rest of their lives together. It is just a reminder of how fast the time is slipping by and their lives are continuing. Susie is happy for Lindsey but she knows that she missed another joy in life. Her life was ended too short, the people who loved her were greatly affected by this, but as their lives go on; she has to watch everyone grow with out her and watch them do all the things she never will. Abigail moving away was also a big part of this section. She was the mom, she was a big part of this family. As if they could take anymore pain. As if loosing Susie wasn't enough, they had to lose Abigail too. It made me angry that she could run away. I know that she was hurt and I know that she was sad. The worst thing in the world was for a mother to lose their child. But couldn't she have realized her family needs her too? She needed to be there for them. She lost one daughter how could she bare to lose her other two children? How could she think of leaving them? Leaving her husband. They are all in just as much pain as her. She is not alone. The family needed to lean on each other and become closer together to help each other through their pain. But instead they leaned outwards and away and now Abigail is gone and the family has been torn apart.

    I also thought that Jack's heart attack was very important in this section. He was arguing with Buck about Susie. Buck said that Jack loved Susie more than him and he had to let her go because she was dead. Jack loved them all. He had a heart attack during this and Susie watched him from heaven. By the end of this section they are in the hospital room and they are not sure whether Jack will live or not. Some part of Susie wants him to die so he can be with her but she can see Buck crying on the bed. Buck pleads with Susie "please, I know you love him but I need him here too". Susie can tell Buck needs his dad. How much more can this family take? I hope the Jack lives. Susie may want him to be with her in heaven but he is needed down on Earth.

What does this story make you wonder about? Why?

     The most recent thing I have been wondering about is how easy it is to catch criminals. Mr. Harvey has committed many rapes and murders of girls of fifteen all the way to six. This section went through the different girls he killed and where he hid their bodies. There were so many people. One lady was even about forty nine years old. He has committed all these murders, it makes me wonder how he can sleep at night knowing that he killed a six year old girl. Ended the life of an eight year old who had family and friends who loved her. Imagine all the pain Susie's death caused. He killed so many others as well. I wonder about how he can do that, how he can live with himself after that but mostly I wonder how he doesn't get caught. He is very smart and clever. The police can be suspicious but after talking to him, everyone believes his story. I wonder how that could happen, and how many murders go on with out the murderer ever found. There are other people like Mr. Harvey and it surprises me that the police did not investigate further. But then again, it's true that they did not have any evidence. He was so clever. It makes me wonder about what other horrors go on that can go unexplained. This section was a very important part of the book so far and made me wonder a lot of new things about this story.

Novel Partners Post # 2

NAME Maddie Menke DATE 2/9/11 TITLE Lovely Bones TIME 2 HOURS

AUTHOR Alice Sebold PAGES 80-157

TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK 77

What exciting events just happened? What do you think will happen next, and why?

     A very recent event in this story was Susie's mother, Abigail cheats on Susie's dad with Len the police officer. She kisses him but at first he tries not to kiss her back but gives in. This really made me mad. How could Abigail cheat on her husband at a time like this? When they are grieving, when they need each other the most. I was upset that she could do that, that she would hurt her husband even more. But I knew what was going on. I didn't like it but I understood. She was in despair, her emotions filling with the loss of her dead daughter that she would do anything to push her daughter from her mind. She let her pain and sorrow take over her and she did what she knew was wrong, what Susie knew was wrong. Susie had to watch her family be split from each other as her death pulled them farther and farther apart. I think that Susie's death will continue to break apart the family and in time Abigail will leave. Abigail asked her mom if she could borrow a cabin to get away sometime if she needed and I think she might. Even if she leaves I know she will have to return. Susie's family is having problems, they are breaking apart. But they still need each other. No matter what happens they will need each other to get through this.

How did what you read today make you feel?

    I was still not over the initial shock of Susie's death. She was such a nice girl, she had a life ahead of her. A mother, father, brother, sister, and family who loved her. It's hard to believe that one day Susie could be happy with a long life stretching out in front of her, and the next it's all gone. It was shocking to me. Another thing that I felt in this reading was the family changing. They are still sad but they are growing, every moment is not consumed with sadness anymore. They are starting to live again. It will be slow but it is the beginning. If I were Susie I would be glad for this change. I wouldn't want my family to live their lives missing the dead. They need to live, because she can not. On the other hand, as Susie's family goes on with her life, she can not. She will never live again or be with her family down on Earth. She will have to watch them go through everything as they slowly move on from her death. They will never forget her but she will never live with them again. Her life is over and her family is starting to accept that, and maybe in time so will Susie so she can move on to the heaven away from Earth. I was upset but I realized that life must go on for everyone else.

Would you read another book by this author? Why?

     I would definitely read another book by this author. It is a captivating, thrilling, and dramatic story of pain, death, and loss. It is realistic, life does not always go as planned. Bad things happen and are going to happen. Life is not a fairy tale, happy ever afters don't always happen. Things don't always work out. This book is about the pain of loss and the sense of revenge and justice. It is really descriptive it makes you feel how the characters feel. When I am reading I can not think about anything else. My mind is completely on the book, I can't focus on anything other thing. I can feel how the characters feel, their pain and hatred. I feel their sorrow and it makes me cry sometimes when I read it. This story makes you feel like you are really there. It makes you wonder. I always think for hours on end after reading a section. It raises very interesting questions and is impossible to put down. This is one of my favorite books I have read so far and I would love to read another. 

Lovely Bones Book Response #1

      I am reading the book Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. It is a captivating novel about a fourteen year old girl who is raped and murdered. She watches from heaven as her family deals with their loss and people seek to find the person who killed her. My favorite line so far in this story was the very first two sentences. They completely grabbed your attention and made you want to read more. It was, "My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973." It set up the story by making you interested in what was going on. Someone was murdered and you had to find out who, and why. But also there was an eerie way of telling the story because the girl was talking from her grave. She was dead but still talking about her life. It makes you wonder who is she? What happened? And most of all where and what is she doing now? The afterlife is one of the many things that us humans can not comprehend. Many people have different beliefs but there is no actual proof of what happens when we die. We can't find out because the only people who do know are not around to explain it. Naturally, we are curious about the unknown. What is it like? Alice Sebold does a great job of making the story suspenseful and intriguing. With that interesting beginning it is hard to put the book down.
         This book makes you wonder about a lot of things. It is that type of novel that you finish a couple chapters before bed and spend the next hour thinking about it. There are different predictions and possibilities, questions and thoughts that are raised. It always leaves you thinking and is hard to put down. What it made me wonder about was the idea of death. What happens after people die? In this novel Susie goes up to heaven where everything she wants is possible. She has a type of guardian angel that looks after her and she makes friends and begins her life in heaven. She watches her family and friends start life again without her, and watches the police and detectives search for her killer all the while wishing she could tell them who it was. In her heaven Susie can have anything, except the only thing she wants which is her family and friends. She wants to be alive again. But she can't; at fourteen her life has ended. She will never finish high school, go to college, get a job, or get married. Her life was brought abruptly to a halt and she will never get to know. I wonder what it must be like to have to watch your family struggle with loosing you. I bet she misses them and wishes she could still talk to them. She has to watch them try to find her killer, all along knowing exactly who they should be looking for. I wonder what its like to be in heaven. I know that they can have whatever they want in heaven, but what about their families? Susie will spend the rest of her time in heaven watching. Waiting until someday her family will be there too. So really, heaven isn't all that great. Finally, I wonder what happens after that. Does she stay in heaven fort he rest of eternity or is she reborn? Can you die again in heaven? This book raises a lot of questions that really make you think.
       What surprised me in this book was how easy it was for that man to kill her. I always thought about how unlikely that would be and how it could never happen. But in reality, this is actually not that extreme. Kids naturally assume the best in everyone. It shocked me how easily a person could do that and how difficult it was for detectives to find them. In movies the police can always find the criminal but in real life it is a lot more difficult. Especially with someone as good at murder as he was. It surprised me how much the murder of one person can affect so many different peoples lives. With one person gone from the world so many things begin to change, the cycle and rythm that people cling to is broken. Everything begins to change and it affects everyone.
         This book really upset me at times. How could that man kill an innocent girl? How could he live with himself? It was clear that he was smart, definitely not mentally disabled and he knew what he was doing. He made a plan and perfectly executed it with out feeling any remorse. I wonder what kind of thoughts ran through his head when he killed her. How he could possibly justify the murder of a fourteen year old girl to himself. The next couple days he even talked to the father about how sorry he was for their loss, as if nothing ever happened. How could he look into the eyes of all the people he had hurt? How could he live seeing her family and friends suffer each and every day? I wonder what kind of person could do that, and I wish I knew what he was thinking, what any of those people are thinking when they do something as terrible as that. Over all, I really enjoyed this book so far and I can't wait to see what the next pages unfold.

Book Review: Lord of the Flies

                                

The book, Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a fascinating novel about a group of English boys who are forced to fight for their survival. This captivating story takes place on a unknown island far out at sea. The boys are flying somewhere on a plane during the time of World War II. They are shot at and forced to land on a deserted island. The pilot died and there is no adult alive. The boys group together to decide how to survive on the island until they are rescued. At first, all works out but some people don’t like taking orders and would rather be in charge. Soon the line is formed and sides are taken. As the days go on, rescue seems farther and farther away as each day they fight for survival. The line between their old lives and new lives is growing blurrier each day. What is right has some how faded into what is wrong. Suddenly, they are fighting for their lives and forgetting about what is important, their rescue; the only way they can be saved from the dangers lurking in the island. This was an intriguing book and a good choice for many eager, action loving, readers. The three main things that I thought were the best qualities of this story was the setting and characters, the theme, and the really interesting writing style.

    William Golding did a great job of really illustrating the setting and characters for this story. The setting takes place on a deserted island and the author makes you feel like you are there next to the open beach and warm water. Along the mountains, hills, and rocky slopes and cliffs. The setting is very important to the story and William Golding does a good job illustrating this to the readers.  The characters are also very important in Lord of the Flies. The main characters Ralph, Piggy, and Jack  are huge in this story. Ralph is the chief of the group because of his sure leadership and the way he carries himself. Piggy is the smartest one. He would be the best in charge but no one likes him because he is fat. They could learn a lot from Piggy, he is smart and logical. He can calmly understand and assess situations. Piggy and Ralph are the protagonists, working to find a way to survive. Jack is the antagonist, he is angry and aggressive. To survive they need to work together and Jack is breaking them apart. Where Ralph and Piggy are focused on rescue, Jack is content hunting and having fun. The characters in this book are all young boys from all different ages and back rounds. They are all from England and even though things get bad on the island, some still feel reminders of their past ways. As days go on and slowly some of the boys turn to savages you can’t help but thinking this could be you. How would you survive on an island? Most of us think that it would be easy and we would use our common sense and logic and be okay. But these were regular, normal, boys. Things change when you are out in the wild and William Golding did a fantastic job of demonstrating this.

    The theme of this novel also makes it a interesting book to read. The theme is about the survival of a group of young boys on a deserted island. They don’t know when they will be rescued. Or if they ever will be rescued. They fight because they disagree and by the time they learn, it is already too late. This book is about the beast inside us waiting to appear. That when the time is right and when we loose all hope it may try to conquer us. Not everyone will be right. Not everyone understands and some people are not going to like you. You have to be strong and stand up for what you believe is right and not be swayed  by others. This book is about holding on when there is no hope and fighting to your last dying breath. There is always good, never give up hope. Because it is then, when everything bad happens. Hope is our most important asset as beings. It is the motivator for all others. It gives us our purpose. If we are without purpose how do we function? This story is about not loosing our purpose, fighting at all costs even when it seems like there is nothing left to lose there is still something worth fighting for. This book is about true loss and bravery. Standing up against astounding challenges and sticking to what you believe. Never doubting, never losing hope, because when you lose that, you lose yourself.

Another great thing about Lord of the Flies was the unique writing style. William Golding used lots of symbolism, certain objects and people represented different things. Through out this story William Golding uses lots of detail and imagery to convey the setting and characters. His ideas he put into this story through symbolism and the message he shared was very interesting and made this book a very good read. The story was intriguing and captivating, filled with suspense and really made you think. This book, once you start, is very hard to put down, but you will find if you do it is very good to talk about and think about. The book brings up a lot of very good points and makes you think about circumstances and logic. Where exactly do the lines form between what is right and what is wrong? What is ethical and what makes the most sense. Because, logic and morals are two different things. Deciding what you can sacrifice and what you must fight for. This story always keeps you thinking and interested.

    All in all, Lord of the Flies was a great book that I would recommend. William Golding does a great job writing an intriguing story with a fascinating setting and well explained characters. The theme of fighting for what you believe in and not giving up hope was really meaningful. Also, the writing style made this story very interesting and a very good read. This is an action packed book full of suspense and meaning. It is sure to leave you thinking.