In addition, it makes you feel that in some occasions, the story precedes the events to add meaning to the current circumstances, which enabled him to provide us with a narrative summary about historical events in a couple of paragraphs, in this way, the reader does not get bored by reading long history lesson! But at the same time, making sure that all the important details are included in that couple of paragraphs.
Outside the Borders of My Country
Thursday 9 September 2010
Narrative techniques
In addition, it makes you feel that in some occasions, the story precedes the events to add meaning to the current circumstances, which enabled him to provide us with a narrative summary about historical events in a couple of paragraphs, in this way, the reader does not get bored by reading long history lesson! But at the same time, making sure that all the important details are included in that couple of paragraphs.
THEMES
ACTION
Some information that advanced the plot in into the wild.
Throughout the many years he spends on the road, McCandless meets and affects many people, though never long enough have a lasting impact or be lured away from his wandering. Citing classic hermits and renouncers of society such as Henry David Thoreau and John Muir, McCandless decides to live in the wild, without the advents of human society. Living in a bus in the midst of the Alaskan wilderness with nothing more than some basic supplies, McCandless keeps a careful diary of his time, his thoughts, and his reasons for fleeing from society.
Eventually, he makes the decision to return to society, but is unfortunately forced to return to his bus by a swollen river. In his final days, McCandless is weakened by hunger and the cold. He spends a little more than 100 days in the wild, all the while being suspected of causing damage on local cabin owners’ land, and finding himself stuck in his situation. He writes often of his reasons, but eventually decides that nature is only a refuge for a short while, that true happiness can only be shared with others. In 1992, moose hunters in the Alaskan wild found McCandless’s body partially decomposed in his bus, the diaries and meager supplies still nearby. Initially, many thought he died from confusing potato seeds with a poison type of pea.
Midnight in Sicily by Peter Robb
Peter Robb, who lived in southern Italy for fifteen years, tells the story of Sicily, its opulent coasts, its stark interior, its extraordinary art and rich food, and its layers of culture from east and west. Sicily is also the home of the mafia and Midnight in Sicily shows the grip of organized crime on daily life in Italy’s south and the mafia’s ties to government in Rome, following the career of Giulio Andreotti - seven times prime minister of Italy and now appealing a conviction for conspiracy to murder. The book moves from art to crime to food with tremendous narrative verve and a mass of surprizing detail. Since its first publication in Australia in 1996, Midnight in Sicily has been published in many countries and languages.
Wednesday 8 September 2010
CHARACTERIZATION
Information about Christopher McCandless
The purpose of Jon Krakauer’s book is to address the matter of young Christopher McCandless and his odd seclusion from society and a lifestyle that was all most people could ask for. Coming from a well-to-do background in the Washington D.C. area, McCandless always had privileges that few can claim. McCandless was just entering society, having graduated from Emory University, with more than $25,000 in savings and a family that loved him. The question of why he would completely break contact with all that he knew, give away everything he owned, and disappear to the Alaskan wilderness as a homeless man for two years drives Krakauer’s work.
Throughout the many years he spends on the road, McCandless meets and affects many people, though never long enough have a lasting impact or be lured away from his wandering. Citing classic hermits and renouncers of society such as Henry David Thoreau and John Muir, McCandless decides to live in the wild, without the advents of human society. Living in a bus in the midst of the Alaskan wilderness with nothing more than some basic supplies, McCandless keeps a careful diary of his time, his thoughts, and his reasons for fleeing from society.
MY OWN RESPONSE
Monday 6 September 2010
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn consists of 43 chapters and is told in the first person with Huck Finn telling the story. The book divides into three sections. The first sections has Huck living his Miss Watson and her sister in civilization. During the second section, Huck travels down the river with Jim. In the last section, Huck returns to civilization and lives with Tom in Uncle Silas’ farm. An organizational object in the book is the river which serves as a timeline for the book. (summarycentral.tripod.com)
In the second section, Huck meets Jim at the island and starts down the river when they find out that Jim is being searched for. Huck runs from civilization and Jim runs from slavery. This section ends when both Jim and Huck make it to Uncle Silas’ farm.
The third sections takes place at the farm and continues to the end of the book.
Although the book divides itself into three sections, it does not divide itself to neatly into rising action, climax and conclusion since the book consists of several adventures with its own rising action, climax, and conclusion. It is difficult to label a single point as the climax.
The book clearly starts with the exposition where Huck introduced himself as a character from Tom Sawyer and the son of a town drunk. He lived with Widow Douglas and her sister, Miss Watson. However, Huck did not like the civilized life and would rather live an easy going life. Huck’s father finds out that Huck has some money and kidnaps him into a shack by the river. Pap beats Huck and Huck decides that he must escape. Huck fakes his death and flees to Jackson Island. On the island, he meets Jim, Miss Watson’s runaway slave. This is the rising action.