40 Book Challenge 03.09.16

The Year of The Hangman by Gary Blackwood

Prompt: 

- List some problems the characters faced? 

- What do you think will happen next?

        One problem Creighton has faced is he is taken to the colonies. He was taken by two men onto a boat which was heading to the colonies. Those men took him because his mother couldn't handle him alone. Creighton was always getting into trouble and taking his mothers things to gamble. His mother thought that sending him with his uncle in the colonies he might be disciplined. His uncle and lieutenant were taken as prisoner so Creighton was alone now. He had to be a spy and find out what the Americans were doing. He couldn't handle being in the colonies by himself without money or a home. He then finds a job and home with Dr. Franklin. From there he gets many secrets to pass onto his uncle.

        Another problem Creighton has faced was helping his uncle and lieutenant escape, since they were being held as prisoners. He first had to get a gun as protection. He stole the gun from Peter, his friend. The gun belonged to Benedict Arnold and Peter was supposed to keep it safe. Creighton took the gun by falling on the ground and then when Peter helped pick him up he snatched it from him. He brought the gun to his uncle to help him escape. They escaped but now everyone was looking for the person that helped his uncle and lieutenant.

        I think that next Creighton will get caught being a spy. Dr. Franklin figured out that Creighton had helped the two prisoners escape. I think that Dr. Franklin will figure out he is a spy, but let Creighton choose on what Dr. Franklin should do about it. Another thing I think could happen is Creighton could be caught by the people he hangs out with, like Peter. All the people he gambles with are getting suspicious ever since they brought up Harry Brown (Creighton's father). They might find out that Creighton is a traitor just like his dad. 

40 Book Challenge 03.07.16

The Year of The Hangman by Gary Blackwood

Prompt: 

- Describe the main character

- What has been the most interesting part of your reading?

        The main character is Creighton Brown. He is a fifteen year-old Brit. He has gotten in trouble with the law many times in England. He sneaks out late at night to go gamble with men, even though he is becoming poor. Creighton's mother sends him off to the colonies so he may be disciplined by his uncle. He must act as a servant for a "cover" because they don't like the English. I know that he is very stubborn, conceited, arrogant, and rude because he can't even handle pretending to be a servant. He also has grown up to see death as entertainment, which shows his character. Overall he is very rebellious. 

        One thing I found interesting was how the author described Benjamin Franklin. Since he was a real person it is nice to hear from a different view rather than all these facts. He is viewed as a respected American Patriot. They even call him Dr. Franklin. He has a lot of knowledge and has made many  useful inventions, which is why he is called Dr. Franklin. another character stated how Dr. Franklin knows a lot and tells how a certain item came to be, which is why he is great in his business. One thing I found funny about Dr, Franklin was he was at his desk naked because he says "it allows the body to breath."

        Considering that I have never read a historical fiction book, I really enjoy it. Rather it being a nonfiction book with just facts you get a plot, which personally makes it more interesting. You get a different approach with the characters, that are real. I was never into social studies or history class, but I am interested into historical fiction now. I find it very interesting that I still can make connections with this genre. A connection I had was how Creighton behaves, he is rebellious. He is a teenager. Every teenager relates to another. 

"Life is Beautiful" and "Night"

-What connections can be made between Life is Beautiful and our reading? 

-What events, scenes, or situations are similar or different?

-What is similar or different about the mood or tone of the pieces? 

-How is life shown as beautiful throughout the film. Pull out at least two examples from different parts of the film and explain your rationale.

Between “Life is Beautiful” and the memoir Night there are many connections that can be made. One connection is the father and son relationship shown throughout both pieces. In the film, Guido goes the extra mile for his son and does absolutely anything to help him. One of the things he did for him was when they reached the concentration camp. Guido does everything in his power to prove to his son that the Holocaust is all a game. Guido "translates" the rules of the "game", however everyone knew that he was just making up things as he went along. 

       On the other hand, the book Night shows the father and son relationship differently. In the memoir, it is the son that does everything possible to help his father. Wiesel, the author, would always try to keep his father alive. He did this even though he father was sometimes a burden to his survival. In the memoir there were a couple times when sons betrayed their fathers during the Holocaust. One of the times was when Rabbi Eliahu’s son betrayed his father. Wiesel thought a lot of this and thought, “What if he wanted to be rid of his father?... had this thought of separation to free himself of a burden that could diminish his own chance of survival” (91). After thinking about this, Wiesel felt the need to say a prayer. Wiesel prayed to promise himself to always help his father in this time of need.He also asked for “‘the strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahu’s son has done’” (91). In both the memoir and film, in the father and son relationship, one sacrificed themselves for the others' well being. 

      There are many events, scenes, or situations that are similar or different in the novel and film. In both, they have love as a common theme. The main characters both do everything they can do for their family. Guido risks his life to help save Joshua's and Dora's lives. He risks his life when he went up to ‘translate’ orders for the German officer. He was actually making his son think that the officer was explaining the rules of the game, but he wasn't. Had he been caught, he most likely would have been killed. Which is obviously a huge risk to take for his son. In the memoir, Elie motivates his father to keep trying and moving forward. During the death march, they stopped at a small resting place. When soldiers go around collecting dead bodies, they were going to take Wiesel's dad because they thought he was dead. Wiesel explains having to, “hit him harder and harder. At last, my father half opened his eyes" (99). This saved his father’s life. In order to make these risks for your family, you need a lot of love for your family, especially during the Holocaust. 

        There are also events that are similar between the the memoir and film. An event that was similar was that both Guido and Elie were not educated while in the concentration camps. They were not aware of what would actually happen in the camps. Guido was forcing his son to take a bath when actually he would have been killed. With Elie and his father they had to lie about their age to not be placed in the gas chambers. They didn't understand why they were told to lie until later. A mother huge similarity was that both Guido and Elie's father died close to a few days before they camp the camp was liberated.

        There are many similarities and differences having to do with the mood or tone in the novel and the film. In the novel the tone is tragic and very depressing. Wiesel describes more of the hardships while he was in the concentration camp. One of the hardships he faced was finding out about the crematorium. When entering the camp for the first time he describes the smell and states, “In the air, the smell of burning flesh” (28). This brought a negative tone upon the memoir. It made it a lot more gloomy. On the other hand, the film's tone had a happy portrayal and some humor added in. Guido's reactions towards horrible situations makes you see happiness in everything. When the evacuation of the camp was happening, he hid his son and told him to stay in the hiding place. After saying goodbye for one last time, he gets caught by an officer and had a gun pressed up against him. He pretended not to be scared and marched in a goofy way. He showed his son that everything is fine. He does everything he can for anyone that matters to him. 

        There are many ways in which life is shown as beautiful in the film. One way is when Dora basically sacrifices herself to be with her family. That shows that even though she was not Jewish she would risk her life to be with her family. That personally brings light into my eyes. It shows that there are people that live their families so much they would put their life on the line for them. Another way in which life is shown as in beautiful in the film is how Guido does everything to protect his son from the truth. When he translates the "rules" of the "game" to his son was a huge risk because he didn't even speak German. Also, when the guard took Guido to kill him he exaggerated his march with a smile on his face to show to his son that he had no fear. He hid him from the horrible truth. Risking your life for the people you love, now that is what is beautiful.