January Book Report

Alex Cross, in James Patterson's Cross, is a lean man in his late thirties. Alex is an investigator for the FBI who is always trying to find the best between his work and family. Throughout the story, he struggles to keep his family happy while working hard. Alex's first motivation is simply solving murders but later his motivation changes to finding his wife's killer and protecting his family and friends. Shortly into the book, Alex's wife is shot and killed. Alex works as hard as possible in his attempts to find his wife's killer and bring him/her to justice. In the end, it is not just Alex but his ex partner that bring the cerial killer/rapist down. Alex goes through a huge change in the novel. He goes from putting his work first and family later, to the complete opposite. Towards the end of the book all he really cares about any more are his family and friends. I didn't make any real personal connection with the character. His situations far exceed any situation I have ever undergone. I beleive that Alex Cross is an amazing man for helping so many people and still keeping his family happy. Without the character of Alex Cross, this book could not be.

Boredom

This whole school thing has just been bringing me down lately. I tend just to go with the flow and have few complications; making everything seem extremely boring. I know I shouldn't complain but for a person who usually has no problem with having to go to school I just can't get past the boring aspect.

Mr. Tucket by Gary Paulsen

Francis Tucket is a 14 year old boy traveling west with his family. He is captured by the Pawnee Indians but gets rescued by a mountain man, Jason Grimes. Grimes gives Francis the name Mr. Tucket. While traveling west together to look for Mr. Tucket's family, the two men go through great encounters. They are side by side through everything until Mr. Grimes is killed by one of the Pawnee warriors.

This story takes readers through a magnificent adventure of both reality and imagination. It would be any young boys dream to live off the land and turn into a man at the same time. Mr. Tucket kept my attention the whole way through because Gary Paulsen never lets the action stop. Every time one event is over, another begins and every situation is more exciting than the previous. I would suggest any funloving person interested in autonomy and adventure of the old west, to read this book.

The Crucible, The Red Scare and Other Which Trials

I BELIEVE I HAVE SOLVED THE HYPERLINK PROBLEM. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.
1. What was Miller's point in writing The Crucible?

http://people.stu.ca/~hunt/22230405/plays/crucible/Why.htm



This sight is very helpful in realizing why Miller decided to write The Crucible. He clearly states he point with the quote "Fear doesn't travel well; just as it can warp judgment, its absence can diminish memory's truth. What terrifies one generation is likely to bring only a puzzled smile to the next." (Arthur Miller)

http://warren.dusd.net/~dstone/Resources/11P/M_NY.htm

In this site, Miller explains where his ideas came from and why he wrote the crucibal. It gives, in great detail, explanations of everything he combined to write The Crucible. At one point he explains how he finally decided the play was coming along when he "found himself in it": Paragraph 15.

2. How are McCarthyism, the Red Scare, Arthur Miller, and The Crucible interrelated?
http://www.123helpme.com/preview.asp?id=84679

This site gives a small explanation of the similarities between McCarthyism and the Salem Witch Trials.

http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/88240.html


Here are some similarities that I hadn't even thought of. If this doesn't explain anything, you're on your own.




3. Document other times in American history when 'witch hunts' were conducted and discuss the outcomes of the Salem witch hunt and the other witch hunts you find. What do they all have in common?

http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0604-01.htm


Here is an explanation of why the War in Irag is turning into a witch hunt. It is said that the war is similar to the witch hunts only now it is racial discrimination, no witchcraft.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0122-20.htm


Wow this is very interesting. I will have to leave this one up to you to read. You should easily see how this is a witch hunt, in it's own right.

Why?

Why is it that I never work on all these projects that Mrs. Hansen assigns. So far, I haven't started on my character sketch or blog assignment.

Bored

So far, this weekend has been boring. I guess it is only Friday though. I will probably go hunting the next to days, but I'm not sure yet. So far all I've done today is sit around, get my girlfriend's birthday present, and watch The Condemned. I would have to say it is one of the better movies I've ever seen but don't watch it if you don't like a lot of killing. What are some other good movies?

Blogging

I caught on to this blogging fairly fast. I really thought I would hate it but I guess I was wrong. Hopefully I can figure out everything I need to know about this stuff.