OUTSIDE READING #7

In between cooking holiday dishes, wrapping presents and opening presents I didn’t have much time to read. But even with my busy schedule I managed to finish The Lovely Bones. I was so enthusiastic about finishing that I snuck away from my family and read the last few chapters. I don’t regret hiding from family for a few hours at all because the ending was phenomenal! I won’t spoil the conclusion for any readers, but I will say it is not how I would have expected it to be. It is definitely not like most endings. Unlike one final event to close the story, Alice Sebold slowly comes to an end by expressing a few final events that let the reader better understand the character’s lives and ultimately, I think, end the story more successfully.
One passage I thought wrapped up the book is spoken by Susie a few pages before the actually ending of the book. Susie is watching her family, from “her heaven”, while they drink champagne and celebrate Lindsey (Susie’s sister) and Sam’s (Lindsey steady boyfriend since Susie’s death) engagement.

“These were the lovely bones that had grown around my absence: the
connections—sometimes tenuous, sometimes made at great costs, but often
magnificent—that happened after I was gone. And I began to see things in a way
that let me hold the world without me in it. The events that my death wrought
were merely the bones of a body that would become whole at some unpredictable
time in the future. The price of what I came to see as this miraculous body had
been my life.” (320)

Susie, while watching her family, realizes that her death, while a bug part of her family’s life, is not the only drastic event that occupies all their attention and emotions. To me this passage is the ending of Susie’s story and the beginning of her family’s.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves a good mix of mystery, romance, suspense and horror in the books they read. The story, at some points can be a bit strange and hard to relate to but overall the book is awesome—a must read.

OUTSIDE READING #6

“Imagine being stabbed.” Someone said.
“No Thanks.”
“I think it’s
cool.”
“Think of it—she’s famous.”
“Some way to get famous. I’d rather win
the Noble Prize.”
“Does anyone know what she wanted to be?”
“I dare you to
ask Lindsey.”
And they listed the dead they knew.
Grandmother,
grandfather, uncle, aunt, some had a parent, rarer was a sister or brother lost
young to an illness –a heart irregularity—leukemia—an unpronounceable disease.
No one knew anyone who had been murdered. But now they knew me.

This conversation arouse in the book when Lindsey, Susie’s sister, was at camp for the first time since Susie’s murder. Lindsey was not there when the topic came up; it was some kids from camp who had been planning the perfect murder for the competition they host for the parents every year on the last day of camp. Usually the competition is based on how to make the perfect mouse trap. But this year the competition had changed and Lindsey could feel the eyes of the other campers upon her when the challenge was announced.
This passage was very interesting to me. I found it so surprising that, in the book, Susie could become “famous” just by how gruesomely she had been murdered. But then I thought about it harder and realized it happens a lot—people become famous for something that happens to them, not for what they do or accomplish. The sad fact is that Susie probably wouldn’t have been remembered, except by her family, if she had just died of some “unpronounceable disease”. But because of the lack of evidence in her case and the surplus of rumors, her death has become this tragic story that everyone in the community, and by everyone I mean EVERYONE, is aware of.

OUTSIDE READING #5

The Lovely Bones keeps getting better and BETTER! While the story of Susie’s murder stays unsolved, I am able to understand more and more about Susie’s family and their influence on her story. One character that has been greatly defined in the novel by his views on Susie’s death is Buckley, Susie’s younger brother. Buckley is very young and doesn’t fully understand the concept of death but even though his understanding is some what blurry he still adds an interesting perspective. Buckley doesn’t even think his sister is dead, as he explains to his friend Nate, “She was gone for a while, but now she’s back” (91). In the novel Buckley’s idea of Susie’s death is explained, “Where do you think imaginary friends come from?” (91)


Also in the section I read this week a new character has been introduced; Susie’s grandma. Susie’s grandma may be in the book for only a short section but her influence on Susie’s family is huge! She comes to the Salmon’s house for Susie’s memorial service and suddenly everyone in the house feels a little bit better. Her free spirit and straight-forward manner makes the family express their true emotions instead of hiding them. This is a big leap from the few hushed discussion the family had about Susie and her death.


Finally in this week’s section of reading my favorite quote, so far, is expressed. It is about a woman that used to life in Susie’s neighborhood but died; the woman was the only person Susie knew that had died:

“My mother would sit her down in the kitchen and make tea for the two of them,
and after she calmed her she would call her son’s house to tell them where she
was. Sometimes no one was home and Mrs. Utemeyer would sit at our kitchen table
and stare into the centerpiece for hours. She would be there when we came home
from school. Sitting. She smiled at us. Often she called Lindsey ‘Natalie’ and
reach out to touch her hair…I wasn’t very surprised when I first saw Mrs. Bethel
Utemeyer in my heaven, nor was I shocked when Holly and I found her waling hand
in hand with a small blond girl she introduced as her daughter Natalie.”
(104-105)

I find this story of a Mrs. Utemeyer very beautiful, sad but beautiful.

OUTSIDE READING #4

Last week I discussed an interesting topic that arose while I was reading The Lovely Bones so I was unable to update you on what has been happening in the book. Since I last spoke to you about the content of the novel two very important events have occurred.
The first key event is when Susie’s father goes on a walk through the neighborhood and runs into Mr. Harvey, Susie’s murder. To Susie’s dad Mr. Harvey is a lonely, innocent man who has lost his wife. But after getting a sign, which he believes is from Susie who is in heaven watching them, Susie’s dad looks at Mr. Harvey in a new perspective. As he does this he wonders if it possible Mr. Harvey killed Susie. He ponders this thought. After leaving Mr. Harvey behind Susie’s dad wonders more and more about this strange character that lives only a few feet away from where part of Susie’s dead body has been found.
Another very important incident is when Lindsey, Susie’s sister, is given a gift from a boy she finds very cute. This event may seem irrelevant to the book’s plot but it is actually very important. When Lindsey is given the gift on Christmas day by Samuel Heckler she is able to feel emotions that had disappeared after Susie’s death. It is a turning point in Lindsey’s life. She realizes that even through life may never be the same as it was before Susie died, life can still go on and she can actually enjoy it. Lindsey is the first character to feel truly happy emotions after Susie’s death. This event is foreshadowing the future for Susie’s family; they will eventually be able to overcome this horrific event in their life.

OUTSIDE READING #3

The Lovely Bones can be hard for me to relate to because I have never lost someone so close to me before. Susie’s family has to go through life, never truly understanding the reason for her death. They are always wondering if they could have done something to change Susie’s sad outcome. I never have had to deal with that kind of wondering.
The thing that keeps me reading and turning the pages is the author’s descriptions of the characters’ emotions—you can begin to comprehend and feel the pain and sorrow Susie’s family feels after her unexpected and unsolved murder. By the 100th page I could really see the differences in reactions from each character when it came to Susie’s death. Each family member has their own way of dealing with her death.
The author’s explanation on how Susie’s peers reacted to the news of her death, I thought, was interesting;

“…The story of my death began to travel through the halls of the school, receiving add-on nuances as all good horror stories do. They were hard-pressed to make the horror any more horrible than it was. But the details were still missing, the what and where and who became hollow bowls to fill with their conjectures. Devil. Worship. Midnight…” (38)

I thought the reaction from Susie’s classmates about her death was an interesting interpretation to the reactions many people have after they hear someone has died. They don’t know what the right thing to do is, so instead they do the wrong thing. In The Lovely Bones, the ‘right’ thing would be to comfort Susie’s family in their time of loss. But instead the young students do the ‘wrong’ thing; spread lies about Susie’s murder. In their attempts of grieving they ultimately end up blaming someone that isn’t to blame, Ray Singh. Ray Singh may be able to avoid the police’s questioning because of his air tight alibi. But he would never be able to avoid the accusing glances from his classmates no matter how innocent he may be. In real life people do the same thing. They, because of their bad judgment, end up making false stories to please themselves; not even thinking about who they may be hurting in the process.

OUTSIDE READING #2

This week I managed to read the first 47 pages of my book, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. So far, the book has been quite sorrowful and gruesome. The main character, Susie Salmon, is recognized in the first couple of pages. After her personality, family, friends and daily routine has been established, she begins telling the sad story of her death. While Susie is telling the tale of her life before death, she is also describing her life after death, in heaven. As she begins to understand her new life in heaven, she is also beginning to see how the death of a loved one can affect a person in weird ways. Susie begins to understand that heaven may be the ideal place, but the one thing she desires most is the one thing she can’t have; life. She would give anything to be able to comfort her family, tell the truth about her death and stop all the dumb lies about that horrible, terrible, cold night.

The book has been very good, so far. Its different from any book I have ever read before because of the combined description of the character’s life before death and after. I am very excited to read more.

For my next week of reading I predict that, as Susie’s family gets more pessimistic about her safe return home, she will try to give signs to her family members below. She will try to send them hints to how she got murdered and who her murderer is. But since heaven has certain ‘limitations’ and ‘rules’ about such things as conversing with the living, Susie will somehow get in trouble .

OUTSIDE READING #1

For this month’s outside reading assignment I have chosen the book, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I have not started the book yet but from what I have read from the back cover, it seems to be a very promising read. The book is centered on a young girl by the name of Susie Salmon, who has been murdered at the age of 14. While Susie is adjusting to her new life in heaven, she must also come to terms with her death and the friends and family she has left behind.

I chose The Lovely Bones for a couple of reasons. One reason was because my mom, while we stood in the bookstore sifting through stacks of novels, told me it was supposed to be a good book. She has not read it yet but the women in her book club have recommended the book many tines. Another reason I chose this book was because right on the cover it says, “#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER,” which always is a good indicator of the book’s quality. Finally, what made me buy The Lovely Bones instead of another book, was because of its cover. I like the cover! Its bright with big, bold lettering and has a pretty picture of a charm bracelet.

I look forward to writing about this book and its content next week! Bye.

Blog #7

I finally finished Stephenie’s Meyer’s Eclipse! It was really good, definitely better than her second book, New Moon. After reading Eclipse it was obvious to see that New Moon was more of a transition from Twilight to Eclipse. But I still think my favorite out of the whole Twilight Saga is Twilight. It is a perfect mix of action, romance and creepiness. I can’t wait to read the next book, Breaking Dawn and also see the movie that is coming out soon. I guess you will just have to read them to truly understand what I’m saying.
In Eclipse Bella has a lot to worry about. Whether it’s hiding from a murderous vampire that is just waiting for the chance to suck Bella’s blood and win vengeance for the murder of her partner or her on going decision of life with Jacob or eternity with Edward, Eclipse is never boring. With a mix of suspense and romance, Eclipse is sure to keep the pages turning. I am not going to give anymore of the book away, all I’m going to say is, WOW! It doesn’t disappoint.

I really like Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga. It isn’t hard to understand why the books became so popular. I mean the writing is great; it keeps the reader wondering and, in return, interested. Also, aside from the fact that most of the characters are vampires or werewolves, the characters are easy to relate to. From the clumsy, emotional teenage lead character Bella to the short-tempered, childish Jacob, it is safe to assume Meyer put a lot of thought into her characters and their similarities to modern teenagers. If you haven’t read the series yet, I would highly recommend you pick up a copy.

Blog #6: Rose Land

This week I read an article in the November issue of W magazine called Rose Land by Venessa Lau. The article talked about a fashion designer by the name of Thakoon Panichgul and an artist by the name of Laurie Simmons, working together to design a beautiful collection for the recent Fashion Week in New York. From a distance, Panichgul had admired Simmons’s work for years. And finally, in 2007, he got up the courage to talk to Simmons about her work and also ask her what she thought about the idea of using her artwork in Panichgul’s upcoming collection. Simmons was, of course, ecstatic. “A lot of people assume that artists don’t want to work outside their prescribed area, that making the jump into the commercial world is a step down. What they don’t know is that most artists are dying to collaborate with fashion people. It’s exciting that my work could have another incarnation in his clothes,” Simmons explained. Just a couple years after Panichgul and Simmons first met; Simmons was seeing her work, for the first, at Panichgul’s Thakoon show. As she watched beautiful models march by wearing all sorts of different flocks with her roses sprayed all over the fabric, she was amazed. “The first dress that had my pattern on it was a black jacquard so I couldn’t see if the roses were on it. Then the dress got close enough, and I almost jumped out of my seat! I was pretty pleased,” Simmons said after the show. After the designing was over and feeling of anticipation had faded, when everything was over with, both artist and designer were pleased with the outcome.
What I found interesting about this article was the fact that both Panichgul and Simmons could work together, to create this collection. Both were able to leave the area they felt most comfortable, merge both of their ideas, and come up with something new and creative. Not many people can do that, but obviously it was successful for Laurie and Thakoon.

Blog #5: Right Whales On the Brink On the Rebound

“They dive 600 feet, brushing their heads along the seafloor with raised, wartlike patches of skin, sometimes swimming upside down, big as sunken galleons, hot-blooded and holding their breath in cold and utter darkness while the greatest tides on Earth surge by.” This passage was the beginning of a seven-page article by Douglas H. Chadwick in the October issue of National Geographic. The article, named Right Whales On the Brink On the Rebound, was a sad but true story of the right whales’ long and slow recovery from possible extinction
Right whales, also known as Eubalaena glacialis, by the 20th century had decreased in population to the low dozens. Their recovery since then has been slow and the outcome, very uncertain. But because of the help of many willing volunteers, the right whales’ futures seem to be looking up. Although volunteers and researchers can’t protect every whale from possible hazards like ship collisions, fishing nets and or lines, they are improving the overall population of the whales. Thanks to the efforts of many, about 350 to 400 north Atlantic right whales exist today. The number may seem small but it is a big improvement from the 20th century population in the low dozens.
What I found interesting about this article was the amount of people (volunteers, researchers, etc.) invested in the whales and their recovery. I think people are starting to understand that since we hurt these whales, it’s our job to help them. Donna McCutchan, an enthusiastic volunteer, said “I once got to watch a mother roll onto her back, and bottlenose dolphins started jumping over her. Whales are addictive. Once you see them, you don’t want them to leave. Ever. “ Obviously whales have a big impact on people.

From:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/10/right-whales/chadwick-text

Blog #4: A Bleak Future for World’s Mammals

I read a one page article in the StarTribune (by Juliet Eilperin) called, A Bleak Future for World’s Mammals. The article discussed the rapidly declining number of animals, mostly land, because of over-harvesting and habitat destruction. A new study, which involved 1,700 experts in 130 countries, shows that 25 percent of land mammal’s species are being threatened with extinction. Marine mammals are also in danger but for different reasons. They are being affected by things like accidental killing through fishing, ship strikes and pollution. No matter what type of animal or how they are being affected, it is obvious we are hurting these creatures. “Mammals are definitely declining, and the driving factors are habitat destruction and over-harvesting, ” said the study’s lead author and the IUCN’s global mammals assessment coordinator, Jan Schipper. But the fight to save many species isn’t over, there are things we can do to improve the standing of a large number of land mammals. Conservation International President Russ Mittermeier says “It comes down to protecting habitats effectively, through protected areas, and preventing hunting and other forms of exploitation.”
This article was a real eye opener, it showed me that our actions are not only affecting our lives but they are also affecting the creatures that we share this earth with. In this day and age, where global warmin is a big issue, we have to take responsibility for our actions and understand that we are destroying the place we live.

From:
http://www.startribune.com/nation/30548144.html?elr=KArksUUUU

Blog #3: An Addiction

Dear Stephenie Meyer,
I am a huge fan of the Twilight Saga! I have read Twilight, New Moon and I just started the 629-page book, Eclipse. When my good friend recommended the books I was a bit skeptical, I mean how good could a vampire love story be? But I was interested; so many girls and even some boys at my school were reading the books. A few days later, after purchasing Twilight from Target, I had already finished the 468-page book. The plot may have pulled me into this newfound obsession I had towards the books, but I think the way you wrote is what turned the obsession into an addiction. Although the books are long your writing is definitely not boring. The events of the book, however small they may seem, come together to form a seamlessly passionate story about a girl and a boy fighting against all odds to stay together. While reading the books I wondered how you came up with such a plot. The books are unlike any thing out there. I think that is why so many people are eager to read Twilight and the 3 other books. They contain so much drama, action, suspense and romance; it is hard to put them down. With the much anticipated movie coming out and the large amount of attention the books received, has your life changed? Do you ever regret publishing the books or is the fame and attention the reason you wrote the books in the first place? These are just a few of the many questions I have and probably many other readers would love to know and understand. If you are willing I would love to hear back from you.
Sincerely Kyra Swenson,
An adoring fan

Blog #2: Breaking Point

This week I read an article in the September issue of Teen Vogue called Breaking Point. In the article they discussed an issue that many over-achieving teens face; stress. Teens not only feel pressure at school with their grades, homework and social status, they usually have to also worry about extracurricular activities like sports, musical instruments, work, etc. If you add friends and family issues it is obvious why so many young adults endure stress frequently.
The article goes on to talk about the difference in levels of stress that women and men have. Studies show that girls actually fell stressed more frequently than boys. There are unique aspects of being female that can make life particularly stressful. For example girls generally are under more pressure to be perceived as fashionable or attractive by others. They also get stressed by relationships within their groups of friends while guys usually don’t care.
This article made me wonder if this pressure to excel is helping teens or hurting them. In the long run, stress can lead to many health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disorder and depression. So are the long hours of homework combined with the extensive athletic practice worth it? I think many teens feel that the stress is just one thing they have to endure to help make a better future for themselves. The work we do in middle school and high school sets us up for college and life after that. The harder we work the better off we are.

Blog #1: A Span of Emotions

You have probably been hearing a lot about the opening of the new 35W bridge in the news lately. I read an article in the StarTribune called, A Span of Emotions by Pam Louwage, which expressed the mixed emotions that people may feel about the opening of the bridge. The article gave readers a few perspectives on the opening of the 10 lane bridge, ranging from acceptance to terror. It expressed the mixed feelings a survivor, like Andy Gannon might feel. Whether it be a feeling of closure or a feeling of total fear, it is obvious the bridge collapse had a big impact on Andy. "You just can't live in fear. It'll consume you," Gannon said, "You have to understand that these structures are safe and to live your life you have to use them, unless you want to hide in you house."
Although the collapse had the greatest affect on the people who survived, it also had an impact on normal-day commuters and how they get around town. Many people are tired of the bridge being closed and are ready to be able to cross the newly built 'safe' bridge. "I am confident that its a very safe bridge," she [Jean Forster] said, "I haven't had any trouble going acoss any other bridges, and this is undobtedly safer." Although the remains of the broken bridge are long gone and in their space is a newly built bridge it is obvious that that terrifying day in August 2005 will never leave Minnesotan's minds.



Louwage, Pam A span of emotions. (2008, September 18). StarTribune, p. A16