1984, SSR 2nd Quarter Blog Post

During the second quarter, I read George Orwell's novel, 1984. The novel is set in a totalitarian state known as the Oceania. The head of the totalitarian is known as The Party, they absolute control over everything, including people's lives and their minds. the protagonist of the novel is Winston Smith, who has a job at the Record Department store in the Ministry of Truth city. His work is revolved around making record of events that take place in The Party, such as doctoring photographs and writing newspapers to meet with The Party's demands. From the very start of the novel, it becomes obvious that Winston is a curious person, he is curious to why The Party is going through all the pain to ensure that history is rewritten just to favor it. He is the only character to sense that something must be wrong somewhere and as result he feels an intense disliking for his employers. Luckily, since he comes across these documents from ancient times, he is able to see how previous powers ruled. He then gains knowledge of how democratic institutions were laid out, that enabled people to select the leaders of their choice and the rights along with freedom. He then makes it his number one priority to avenge the past fallen leaders, which makes him rebellious. He begins to owe to the fact that he was aware of the regimes goal to destroy humanity completely. He keeps a diary, and writes all of his thoughts and hatred against The Party, where he constantly scribbles the words "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER". Keeping a diary or any other literary device is forbidden by The Party.

I feel like that I connect with Winston because sometimes I feel as if I am trapped in a endless cycle of going to school, work, and then home everyday. That's what he feels like in his own world, except his circumstances are far worse than mine. I am almost out of my trapped bubble because soon I will be getting ready to leave for college, but Winston will be trapped in his forever because The Party just has total control over everything, making it almost impossible to attempt rebelling.

The Jeffrey Dahmer Story An American Nightmare

Disclaimer:  I won't being going into detail about this book because it is about an actual murderer and might be too intense for some to read this blog post.

For the second quarter I had chose a true story of an actual murderer Jeffrey Dahmer His crimes were set in the 70's leading into the early 90's. This book didn't have many characters unless you count the five minute victims that lived inside the book. Even though I don't like Jeffrey Dahmer or what he had done his backstory is actually interesting. He came from a home that showed him nothing but neglect along with a mother who was unstable mentally. Dahmer's parents eventually divorced while he was in high school because of his mother being unstable but both of his parents wanting custody over Jeffrey's younger brother but not him. This lead him down a very dark path in my opinion and you get to see through certain chapters how Jeffrey as a person actually lost any sense of morality. Everyone in his life had left him and it left some damaging effects on Jeffrey. He did confess to the police that all of his victims were going to leave him and all he wanted was for them to stay. This actually brings up the well controversial question, are people born evil or are they made? In the beginning it shows that Dahmer had some issues but nothing a doctor couldn't assist with but through it all in the very beginning, before he had committed any crimes the novel did show his as someone who wanted to be loved and appreciated but had no luck. As time goes on the novel does thoroughly show how he was hooked on the idea of love until it manifested into something toxic. I personally couldn't relate to someone like him but maybe if someone where neglected at home they could connect on that very small scale. The book was entirely focused around him the whole time and it was a bit intense at times but it gave a good insight into who he is before and after everything he did.

The Faut In Our Stars 

                   My favorite characher in this surprizing turn of events book is Hazel Grace. She is 16 years old and is my favorite because she has this light of life in her even tho she is struggling herself from a type of cancer she has. Hazel meets a man who has quite the humor when he is also a cancer friend of hers His name is Agustus Waters who is just a year older than hazel. Hazel lives in the moments that she can, she is surprising, adventours, and a risk taker. The one time Agustus asked her to come over and watch a movie,  she found herslef amazed at whod this man was and what else is up his sleeve. Hazel has the strive to live as a teenager before her time is up but parents make it an issue. I believe Hazels character helps the story because while I was reading, I found myslef wondering what is she going to do next. She has a goal to meet her bestfriend who lives in Hampsterdamn but with her health conditions, ths trip may only be a dream. But with this new, adventours man in her life, they made the trip possiblewith exceptions from both doctors. As the story goes on, she comes across troubles with Agustus and that makes Hazels character grow more mature about herself and  situations she is in. Hazel grows ovetime into a more develped person and was able to live and do the impossible knowing her time is limited. Augusts Waters came into her life and changed it in every good way possible. 

Lion — A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley

My favorite character from the book I read the second quarter was the protagonist and author of the book: Saroo Brierley. At the age of five, he got lost on a train in India and was later adopted by an Australian family. He went on to grow up with the family he had been adopted by, changing his entire life forever. The book is about Saroo embarking on a journey back to his hometown in India to find his family again. This story is real, so the progression in Saroo is evident, though I'd rather refer to him as a person as opposed to a character in a novel. You can see that he is very persistent and will go to any length to learn more about his past and find any information that could possibly lead him back to his mother. But what I admire most about Saroo Brierley is that he never forgot about his origins. His goal in the book was always to find his way back home, even though sometimes he had a lot of doubt in his mind, he never stopped looking. The book was actually turned into a movie which I haven't seen yet, but it has fairly good reviews, so I recommend both reading the book and watching the movie.
The book acknowledged the importance of modern-day tools such as the Internet to help Saroo find his family. A lot of people criticize the Internet for obvious reasons, but clearly, it can be used as a tool. There was a particular segment of the book that I could really relate to where Saroo uses Google Earth to try and localize the house that he used to live in. I could connect with this part because I can remember myself looking for my house in El Salvador. I know the sensation of "That's the one!" or "This is outdated!"

The Man in the High Castle

In The Man in the High Castle, the author, Philip K. Dick, creates a parallel universe where Germany and Japan won WWII. As a result of the Axis' victory over the Allies, the United States is split. Everything west of the Rockies is under Japanese rule and everything to the east is under German rule.

Juliana Frink lives in the neutral buffer of the Rockies. Despite gaining the attention of everyone she meets and being popular with those she lives near, she is unhappy. Juliana never knows if she can trust other people and frequently reflects on her past decisions, wondering if they were the right ones to make. Her hesitance and inner conflict is heavily emphasized when she begins a relationship with Joe Cinnadella -- an Italian truck driver from the east. She never knows the man's true intentions, yet she continues her relationship with him cautiously. Juliana also relies on the fortune telling I Ching for answers for each situation she finds herself in.

Though these qualities seem like they'd block Juliana from finding some type of inner peace, she proves this isn't the case by the end of the novel. Joe introduces her to a book written by Hawthorne Abendsen that describes the world if the Allies had won. Juliana gets really interested in the book as it depicts what she believes to be a better world. It's one of the first times she confidently forms an opinion on something. After wanting to have a conversation with the author and learning that Germany has formed a plan to assassinate Abendsen, Juliana travels to the author's home. Out of nowhere, she has the revelation that Abendsen used the I Ching as direction while writing his book, and the author confesses to doing so. It is revealed that the book was written to uncover the "inner truth"that Germany and Japan were actually the ones to lose the war.

The Man in the High Castle ends with a lot of loose ends, but based on experiences other characters had while finding "inner truth," I think Juliana has been living in a different universe and figures that out during her visit with Abendsen. For suddenly learning this, she takes this new information well. She doesn't start to question everything. She peacefully accepts it. This is a dramatic change from how she had acted throughout the book. Juliana was constantly in the middle of every situation. She could never find an absolute answer or decide something with pure confidence. She lived in a neutral zone, further illustrating this characteristic of hers. I think that because she was never fully committed to an idea and was never sure of the world around her, learning that she has been living in a false reality was easy for her to accept; in fact, it seemed to fulfill her. It didn't force her to give up any certainty of hers because she had none to begin with. I found that interesting. This isn't the case with most characters. Philip K. Dick managed to explain that being lost or conflicted isn't always a bad thing.

The Dead and the Gone

     For the second quarter, I decided to read The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer because I read the first book in the Life As We Knew It series a few years ago. However, one does not need to read the first book because it is not a continuation of that story line; instead, it revolves around the same event but with different characters. 

     After an asteroid hits the moon and throws it out of its orbit pushing it closer to Earth, many disasters begin to strike New York and the rest of the world. Citizens are faced with volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, and due to food shortages, they struggle with famine and many diseases. The main character, Alex, is forced to take care of his younger sisters Briana and Julie because the rest of his family is presumed to be dead since his father was visiting family in Puerto Rico, his mother was stuck in the subways and could no longer be found, and his older brother was in a different state because he is in the Marines.

     My favorite character was definitely Alex because he was the most relatable. In the beginning of the book, Alex did not have the best connection to his sisters, too busy focusing on his education because he believed that getting into a good college was the only way to get himself out of poverty. Like Alex, I think a lot of minorities, such as myself,  can relate to this idea of trying to better your life through education.  However, his dream was washed away when the disaster struck.  There were many times in the book where Alex contemplated his decisions to take care of his sisters and wanted to give up and run away, but his determination didn't let him. I was able to relate to this because I have struggled with wanting to give up when times get tough, but in the end, I don't. He definitely provides a good example for the argument that families generally have a member's best interests in mind. Given the opportunity, Alex sent Briana away to a convent where she would have food and be taken care of. Even though he was heartbroken knowing that he had just split up his remaining family, he knew it would be best for her. Also, Alex often questioned his religion throughout the book, and like him, I have also done this when hard times occur. Eventually, after all the hardships that Alex and his sisters overcome, they strengthen their family bond. Overall, being able to see Alex overcome his inner turmoils is what makes him a dynamic character, and it keeps the reader interested to see his future actions.

A Separate Peace

The novel I read throughout the second quarter was A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. It is a tale of two best friends, Gene and Finny, going to high school in the New England area during WW2. Their sole focus is to hold on to their ignorance regarding the war engulfing the rest of world and enjoy what is left of their freedom before being enlisted to serve.

Finny is my favorite character and is undoubtedly the most unique character in the novel. In almost every way imaginable, he seems like the perfect person. What makes him unique is the fact that none of his personal qualities affect him mentally. He is consistently a good-natured character who has never seen or thought of anyone in a hostile manner. Finny seeks enjoyment out of the little things in life, and this works to make him even more likable. 

However his biggest flaw is his social unawareness. In other words, he has an unwavering belief that others share his positive outlook on life. Ultimately, doubt about Finny's character by close friends combined with Finny's own ignorance lead to him being severely injured. Being the best athlete in the school, all he could do was hope for the future, but everything else that Finny held close to his heart was also slowly being stripped from him due to a terrible chain of events. The continuous tragedies that plague Finny make him a character that is extremely difficult to empathize with, but having sympathy for Finny is inevitable as the plot unfolds and captivates the reader. 

Let the Circle Be Unbroken

The book I've read for the 2nd quarter was "Let the Circle Be Unbroken" by Mildred  D. Taylor which is by far an interesting book in my opinion.  It talks about an African American girl named Cassie Logan who narrates the whole story of her family and friends.  Her family owns land which was passed down to by the grandparents who owned it.  The issue that comes along with this novel is that a man named Mr. Granger, a wealthy white man threatens the family that he will take their land away from them.  Now, during this time period, racial tensions are obviously strong due to Caucasians thinking they are superior to African Americans.  I can't really spoil too much about the book but if you're curious about if they kept their land or not I recommend you read this book.  It really makes you think about how bad it feels just being discriminated because of the color of your skin. 

Every Day

     Every Day by David Levithan found the protagonist, known as A, in a different body every 24 hours. A is a 16 year old that wakes up in a random 16 year old body in a different place each day. Although there is not a reason why, he never wakes up extremely distant from the body he left last. This lucky coincidence makes it quite easy to meet his love interest Rhiannon.
     The reason A is my favorite character is because he believes in love and has a set of ethics he is committed to. Waking up in a different body each day never having to feel the affects of the night before is a recipe for a chaotic life. Yet from even the start of the book A makes it clear he is just a guest in the body and does what is typically best for the individual he is inhabiting. Early in the book he falls in love with Rhiannon and although he knows she has a boyfriend, he literally discovered first hand, why he is no good for her. A continues to pursue Rhiannon and ultimately she falls for him but she thinks there is no future for them due to the lack of dependability due to A's living arrangement.
      Near the end of the book A learns from another possessive spirit that he can stay in a body for more than 24 hours. Although this would allow for A and Rhiannon to be together, A remembers his ethics and refuses to steal somebodies life. In the end A wakes up in a body whose personality is much like his own and sets up the couple. A then swears to move far away so that Rhiannon can have a healthy relationship. A loved Rhiannon enough to sacrifice his own happiness to give her a chance normal life filled with love. The idea of sacrificing for a loved one is beautiful and most 16 year olds don't have the emotional ability to just voluntarily sacrifice an opportunity to better their life.

-Baron Barajas

The Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophecy

The book I read for the second semester was The Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan. The character I chose from my book is Leo Valdez. What makes him unique is that he is the son of Hephaestus, the greek god of fire and blacksmithing, so he is great with machines. In this book he is a dynamic character. The way he grows is by realizing that he needs to think about a situation from another's persons point of view. I feel that it help the story overall. I connected with this character as from the previous books in this series, he was mostly static till now. A cool interaction of note would be Leo and Emmie. The reason this one was of interest was that both are children of Hephaestus so the were able to match each other in their skills.

Water for Elephants

The book Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, is told through two perspectives. The book is told in the perspective of the protagonist Jacob Jankowski; however, the book flashes back and forth from young Jacob and old Jacob. My favorite character is old Jacob Jankowski. He is stuck living in a nursing home and he is extremely bitter about it. In his 90s, he cannot really do much but he still knows how to make people laugh. Old Jacob fights for respect and is kind of crabby. Although some people might find it annoying, I see older Jacob as someone who doesn't want to give up yet. Across the nursing home where old Jacob lives, there was a circus set up. One of the other elder men in the nursing home bragged to the women that he used to work in the circus; he bragged that he used to carry water for the elephants. Old Jacob, who actually did work in the circus, called out the other elder man and fought that you cannot carry that much water for elephants because it is too heavy. Jacob wasn't afraid to prove someone wrong and he kept fighting for the truth. You also often find him reminiscing on his younger years. I relate to old Jacob because I too find myself feeling nostalgic and dreaming about things in the past.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

A book that I've read for the second quarter is The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. This book is about the life-long journey of a young Dominican boy finding his father, and most of all, seeking love. The only thing that complicates this is the fuku, a curse that has been in Oscar's family for generations. My favorite character in this book is Oscar Wao. He goes from being this sweet, introverted, and over weight nerd to a straight savage. He is my favorite character because of all the risks he's taken throughout the whole book. He's literally risked everything on multiple occasions, including his life, all for love. Oscar is the protagonist in this story, so he did help make the book what it is. In the end, Oscar returns to Santo Domingo to go back to Ybon, the woman he heartily believes to be the love of his life. Everyone warned him not to go back to her, but he didn't listen. What makes this even more intense is that he knew that if he went back he'd be killed, but that didn't phase him at all. He's a prime example of how love can make you sacrifice anything, including yourself. Oscar is mainly my favorite character because I sympathize for him. All in all, I loved Oscar's character from beginning to end.

Always and forever, Lara Jean

One of my second quarter books were, Always and forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han. One of the main characters is Lara Jean, a teenage girl that is finishing up high school but can't decide if she wants to go far away to college and leave her boyfriend and family behind or stay close to home and miss out on great opportunities. The book is also, told in her perspective so we, the readers know what she is thinking. Lara Jean was my favorite character in this book because there is some similarities that we have and I feel connected in that way. Such as, she has a boyfriend that is going to a different college than her and she's wondering if she should go to the same school as him to keep things from changing. That's how I felt also, with me going to a different college and wondering if it will still work out with my boyfriend. Lara Jean also, didn't like change at all and I'm the same way, I dread changes. Also, there's the obvious reason why I can connect with her and that's because she is in the same grade as I am in right now.

Throughout, this book Lara Jean has changed but for the better. In the beginning of this book she was shy and didn't have that many friends besides her bestfriend, Chris and her boyfriend, Peter. After her and peter got together she started to be more social and gain more friendships. It's cool to see a character from the first to the third book evolve like that. I highly recommend this book to someone who is into young adult romance novels.


Alyssa Banker