The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a novel that follows a young girl in Germany before and during WWII. At this point in the book, the young girl, Liesel, is getting settled into her foster home. Her and her father have formed a wholesome bond and Liesel’s mother loves her, even if it doesn’t always seem like it. Liesel has also started to learn how to read and has developed a passion for books and knowledge. This is a really interesting book with many different plot points, I would definitely recommend.
Author: CAROLYN R.
The Book Thief – Reading Update
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a well known novel that follows a young girl living in Germany during World War II. I have not made it very far into the book, but so far I am enjoying it. It is very well written with characters that come to life. Not much has happened in the part I have read so far, but I am enjoying getting hooked into the book and learning about the characters.
Book Update: I Fell in Love With Hope
I Fell in Love With Hope by Lancali is a slower paced novel that follows five adolescents living in a hospital. They wish to escape from the grasps of their various diseases. The plot moves quite slowly, but it does not make the book boring at all. There is so much imagery and poetry that the author uses to immerse you into the story that makes it difficult to put down. I am not very far into the book, but I look forward to continuing to read and watching the plot advance.
Book Update: Wolf Hollow
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk is an intriguing novel that follows a 12 year old girl as she grows up during World War II. All of the characters are well written and interesting. As you get further into the book, some of the characters start to change. You see sides of the characters that were not initially introduced, making them round. This makes the book difficult to put down because there is always something new to learn about the characters or the plot. The book is also full of mysteries that are slowly unpacked by the main character as she searches for answers. I am almost done with this book and I can’t wait to see how it ends.
“Another Love” by Tom Odell
In the song “Another Love” by Tom Odell expresses the emotions after a breakup he cannot move on from. He uses a lot of imagery to convey the painful emotions described in the song. “I brought you daffodils in a pretty string/But they won’t flower like they did last spring.” When flowers are nice, they can be used as a symbol for happiness. In this line, he talks about the flowers not “flowering” which shows how the breakup took away some of his happiness. “All my tears have been used up,” this line is repeated throughout the song and it is a hyperbole to emphasize his sadness during this time. Literally, his tears are not used up, but the use of language shows how difficult this experience was for him. However, the fact that his tears are figuratively all used up could show that he is ready to move on. He has cried about this for too long and he has decided to carry on with his life. “Words, they always win, but I know I’ll lose,” this line doesn’t show that he is moving on, but more that he has given up. This line also personifies words because words can’t actually win, but he is giving them that ability by writing in this way. The song “Another Love” by Tom Odell shows a story about him going through a breakup and how he deals with it. It includes a lot of poetic language to help convey powerful emotions.
Reading Update: Wolf Hollow
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk is a poignant novel that follows a 12 year old girl living in Pennsylvania during World War II.
The first line of the book hooks the reader in and makes you want to learn more about what is going on. There are a couple of unexpected turning points that make the book stick with readers. The main character is relatable because she goes through some of the same struggles children may face today.
The book is full of mystery which makes it difficult to put down. I have not yet finished this book, but I cannot wait to see how it ends.
Response to Mulan Group’s Thesis
I agree with their thesis that Mulan challenges the dominant narrative that women are less capable than men. It demonstrates this by showing Mulan doing heroic acts that the men couldn’t do. I think the way the movie starts off helps to reinforce the challenging of the dominant narrative. At the beginning, Mulan is encouraged to be ladylike and let the men fight. However, Mulan decides to challenge the idea of what a woman should be and go and fight anyway. Even though she has to disguise herself, the movie still depicts how strong and powerful women can be.
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