Reflection Post #1 3/31/11

In British Lit, as we make our way into the third unit, I am learning and applying my interest in learning more about the book then just reading it. Now I am dying for more information about the author, what prompted them to write the book, how did they set up the characters? It's interesting to see how British Authors differ from American authors in their humor, the way things are said, and how things are portrayed. I hope we have a group discussion soon on which ways British authors are different from American authors, and how situations going on in each country influence a story.

First Entry for Before I Die 3/24/11

The book opens you up right into the story, but you are still wondering while you're reading it what Tess's real opinion and why she allows herself to act the way she does at times. She wants to live before she dies, and you won't know the full list she wants to complete until the end of her story. The younger brother cal must be going through a whirlwind of emotions just seeing his sister diminish and change before his eyes. Even though Tess's friend doesn't change how she acts around Tess once she learned of her cancer, I don't agree with the way she forces everything on Tess. I wonder if she is going to turn out to be a real treasure, or will Tess lose her as a friend?

Reflection For Unit Plan 2 3/18/11

So far in British Lit, through blogging and Diigo, I have taken a great interest in looking up the history behind books, and what prompted the writer to choose the plot and premise for the book. With poems, I am learning how to analyze more, and discover the deeper, more understandable meaning behind the words. It's really interesting to see how many different time periods their were, but I'm wondering exactly what, makes them so different from each other? What promoted the end of one period to the start of another? Yes, since I have the questions, I'm going to have to find the answer somewhere...

Second Entry for Our Mutual Friend 3/10/11

I am reaching the chapters in Our Mutual Friend where he is connecting some of the characters with different plots, and at the same time, introducing new characters with different issues. It is hard to keep track of every new character and why they are introduced, but when I look back on what I read after reading further, you can see where certain families first associated with each other and why.

He starts the story setting up the relationship between a man named Gaffer Hexam and Riderhood, and how they used to be partners, but once Riderhood stole from a person, Gaffer wanted nothing to do with him. While this was happening, the scene outlay was describing a person at the bottom of Gaffer's boat, so I don't know what to think about who did what with Harmon.

 Dickens has introduced a rich family, the Veneering's who are the new rich people in the town, and they invite people they don't know over for dinner, and the conversations consist of a story that Lady Tippens only heard gossip on, and Mortimer takes it upon himself to correct her. The story was about a man who left his son a girl to marry, for she was in the will. While finishing the story, Mortimer gets a letter that says the man who the story was about, had drowned not too long ago.This is when Gaffer's son gets involved with Mortimer, because the son was the one who had delivered the news. The son lied about what his father's first name was,  and said it was Jesse instead of Gaffer, and I can't figure out why he would say that.

Then Dickens portrays the poor family, and the troubles they are having. Gaffer's daughter thinks he needs her, and Miss Potterson is trying to convince Lizzie (the daughter) otherwise. Miss Potterson suspects both Gaffer and Riderhood had something to do with Harmon's death, so she kicks both of them out of her bar. I'm slowly figuring out the plots for each character and who's involved in what situation. And of course, how all this conjoins with Edmund's story.

First Entry for Our Mutual Friend 3/8/11

I just started reading the first couple chapters of the book, 'Our Mutual Friend.' It is taking a lot longer for me to read because Dickens introduces an entire world of vocabulary I've never heard of, so I am looking up what the words mean as I go along in reading the book. Right now I can tell Dickens is setting up the characters, and showing what having money can do with friendships.  So far there have been two different stories with two completely different people. I think Dickens is going to show with completely different stories, how money can effect everything about a person's lifestyle, and how other people might act around them. The terminology is very different in Dickens book, but reading the rest of the sentence gives me a clue of what he means.