The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a novel about a girl, Esperanza. She learns from her experiences of her neighbors that she does not need a man controlling her and abusing her. Esperanza learns that she can use her knowledge to have a successful life. Although Esperanza's influences were conveying the wrong idea she learns from their mistakes. In my opinion, I liked the story overall and the descriptive language.
Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood
Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Saenz is a book about a senior named Sammy. The book is based off his life's decisions and that he will not be brought down by racism, death and love. The girl he loves, Juliana, died from a gunshot by her father killing the rest of his family. Thus Sammy is mourning the death of her but does not give up because of the many deaths of the people around him. In my opinion, I liked the many uses of symbolism like, wings expressing his heart.
Antigone
Antigone by Sophocles is a play called, a Greek tragedy, and is about how arrogance can over power what you don't see wrong. The play is about a man named Creon, a leader, who is arrogant and only thinks about himself. His daughter, Antigone disobeyed his laws and she only did a moral deed in burying her brother when Creon said not to. In the end Creon realizes his mistakes but has realized them too late and witnesses his whole family die in front of him. Creon is the trajic hero in this story because he suffers the rest of his life knowing he has done something wrong. In my opinion, I liked the way the play was written because it displays the setting and mood of the story.
My Sister's Keeper
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult is a book about a girl with life threatening disease called, leukimia. The donor Anna was only made to donate to her sick sister Kate who needed a kidney. Later, Anna realizes she is being used only for her body and sues her mother so she can be her own person. Kate tells Anna that she wants to die so that she does not have to suffer through surgery and other painful hospital visits. Anna's attorney Alexander Campbell helps her in the case. In the end of the book, ironically Anna dies in a car crash, and Kate lives due to Anna donating her kidney. In my opinion, I was furious with the mother because she was an over protective character.
Of Mice and Men
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a novel about two ranchers who look to find work in the land of opportunity, America. The ranchers, George and Lennie work on the ranch for work and money. Their goal to work on the ranch is to get enough money to buy a home for themselves. But the two ranchers later learn that the American Dream is very hard to obtain and there is not many opportunities to live a happy life. Through the characters of Lennie, Crooks, and Curley's Wife the audience learns that the characteristics of these characters make the American Dream unobtainable because they have deficiencies or are discriminated through gender and race. In my opinion, I really liked the three most affected characters in the novel because it revolved around the idea of The American Dream and how it is not real.
The Art of Racing in the Rain
The Art of Racing in the Rain is a book through told through the perspective of a dog named, Enzo. Enzo and his master Denny have to face the challenges of life as a widowed father while taking care of his daughter Zoe. Through Enzo we face the hardships Denny has to face. Denny encounters the loss of a loved one, bankruptcy, and neglect. Denny is comforted by Enzo throughout the story to take custody of Zoe instead of her grandparents whom Denny doesn't like. Enzo tries to express what he feels throughout the story but he cannot because he is a dog. Enzo makes us readers appreciate what it is like to be human than an animal.
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a play about the two love struck characters Romeo and Juliet taking in fair Verona. Although the two main characters are madly in love they are in different housing. The families they live in have had many disputes for many years. The families names are named Capulets and the Montagues. Juliet was supposed to marry Paris in an arranged marriage but she does not like him. She plans to fake her death so she does not marry him. When she is put in her grave, Romeo sees that she is dead and thus he commits suicide. When Juliet sees Romeo dead she also commits suicide. The Capulets and Montagues see that they should not be fighting for power and control because it can cause many deaths, thus they have a truce.
Dear Zoe
Dear Zoe by Philip Beard is a book from the point of view of the character Tess, the oldest of the sisters. The other sisters are Em, and the deceased sister Zoe. Throughout the novel Tess is writing a letter to her dead sister Zoe. Tess writes about her life and what she has gone through without her. Ever since her sister has died during 9/11, Tess has been very depressed and has resorted to drugs to block her pain. She also moves away from her mother and lives with her divorced father. While living with her father she meets a boy, Jimmy Freeze. She falls in love with him and does marijuana with him on occasion. Tess later stops her depressing pain when she realizes that she's been trying to forget Zoe when she actually wants to remember her and love her.