Book 3 Review

Book 3 Book Review

I read the book Catching Fire By: Suzanne Collins. This book was the second of the Hunger Games series; it follows Katniss, Gale, Haymitch, and Peeta in their adventures across the Districs. Katniss is reentered into the games because of the 75th anniversary and the fact Katniss led a rebellion against the capitol. Eventually at the end you find out Katniss was in an explosion in the games and woke up to find she was in District 13, the long lost civilization. I felt the book was interesting, in its own way, this book is like a puppy at times you can’t put it down, and at other times it just bothers you because it nips at you, in this book at times it makes me mad and annoyed with the detail. Sometimes the book lacks telling the background of the story. Have you ever wondered in more detail about the Districts whereabouts, District 13, why the capitol is so evil, the technology of the time they live in, how other parts of the world are? The Sci-Fi reviews site made me think about the hard details of the book that I always wanted to know but really disregarded, and now being done I really do want to know. Suzanne Collins wrote Catching Fire, and the whole Hunger Games series. She became immensely popular for these three books, the First the Hunger Games.

Although I thought Catching Fire was a great book there were some parts I Didn’t exactly love, but there were parts of her writing and plot, that were very good. “My muscles are clenched tight against the cold if a pack of wild dogs were to appear at this moment, the odds of scaling a tree before they attacked are not in my favor.” I really liked her writing style like shown here how she can incorporate the most odd things and make them fit in to the story, and make the line more interesting and make you think about why would she write this? It also gives you a great insight on the characters feelings and really who she is as a person. From this you can conclude she is different, she likes the outdoors, and always has death on her mind and when she is her weakest. Her writing style in all the books are very good she does a good job of showing what characters are thinking rather than what they are saying. Sometimes I think that the themes can be a bit hard to find in this story. Sometimes I think that the themes can be a bit hard to find in this story but for the most part you can see it’s the survival of the fittest, which katniss should choose to be with. “On the Seventy fifth anniversary as a Reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and Female tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of victors.” This shows the Plot of the story and I thought it did a very good job of showing so. After this scene you got complete understanding of what was going to happen next she was going to have to join the games as a tribute for the second time in a row because of her actions and causing a rebellion. The only thing I didn’t like was that the plot was kind of obvious from the start once the president Snow  showed up telling her she had done a bad thing.

I think this book was a 4/5 star rating because it was a very good book, but it was somewhat obvious in the plot.

My Top 5

True stories

It has to be 100% true It ruins the point of a true nonfiction novel it’s supposed to be real if I wanted to read something fake I would get a fiction book. A Nonfiction book is something usually used to study or for someone else to learn from, I would be mad if I was using my History textbook (nonfiction) and learned the whole book’s truth was stretched because then all the information I had learned is basically useless and not true. When reading a memoir you have to understand it is based on a true story some things may be stretched. I believe half-truths are ok if it is ok as long as it is in a memoir otherwise no. I don’t really think it matters if Frey and Mortenson bent the truth because the story is still more than 90% true. Some things are just stretched. I think the border between Memoirs and Fiction need to be broken but for textbooks or informal books, it can’t because if someone was reading a book on how to build a car then made thousands of cars and sold them, and later found out the book was stretched on something and all of the cars blow-up or break then he will be in serious trouble. But on the same hand the differences between fiction and a memoir aren’t much, someone could write a true story and just call it a fiction novel. So basically, fiction and memoir should be combined, but true non-fiction textbooks, Informal’s, etc. for learning should stay 100% true.

Genre Fiction

•             If Gallagher’s argument is true in Readicide, should we continue to teach literary fiction so exclusively? 

No I completely disagree with that because a lot of the books we read at school make me not want to read. Ex.) Cry, the Beloved Country, this book has a great point and meaning but drags on and teaches it in a boring way. It makes me not want to read and almost have a stereotype on books. I think some literary fiction is important to teach, but at the same time it shouldn’t be the only thing they teach because it gets really boring after a while and there are more interesting ways to teach some values. Also some genre fiction can give more values than just one that is usually focused on in literary fiction

 •            Should we add more genre fiction to the curriculum? 

Yes, genre fiction is more interesting and exercises your imagination and at the same time can teach most values that come from a literary novel, but more interesting. If we added more genre fiction more kids may like reading more and it wouldn’t be such a hassle to read, and less people would use Sparknotes on the boring Literary fiction books. Also the Genre books you can do a lot in class with because you can guess what happens in a certain scene or a chapter. In most literary fiction it’s very clear what is going to happen.

•             Are you good with swapping out Of Mice and Men for Twilight, for example?  Or Macbeth for Hunger Games?

Mice and Men for Twilight, no. The only thing that would have to change if more genre fiction was added into the curriculum would be class decisions on certain books do the literary version or the genre fiction version. Just because of the reason that some genre fiction versions may be for boys mostly or girls mostly. The only upside of literary fiction is that is for both boys and girls.

Blog 4 Post: Trailer

Adaptation of Money ball

Adapting Money ball has already been done but if I were to create my own adaptation i think it would be essential to keep the scene were you meet Billy Beane when he is being scouted for the MLB and has to make his decision, MLB or Stanford, and showing the repercussions of not going to college. But also the success and fame he gained from being in the MLB. Secondly they need to show him changing in to the Oakland A's General Manager. It must show him in the same position as when he was being scouted by now he is making the decisions. I think it should also show the part when Paul the scout says he wants an underrated player David Beck to be scouted and maybe put on the Rookie league. Grady thinks it’s a joke and a dumb idea so he ignores it. Months later Paul asks about Beck and Grady said he had forgot, which was a lie. Grady wanted to make a better impression with the front office so he went and got him. In the Rookie league Beck or The creature averaged 1.00 ERA and was named the rookie all-star closing pitcher. I think some parts of the prologue would need to be cut out because you don’t gain a lot from it and all the essential information to make a movie Is stated in the first few sentences of the story other than he decision to join the MLB. Also I think there needs to be more of the games shown in the Movie from the scenes I have seen it would make it more interesting because then you could see the stats in action by seeing how good the players play.

Ben Lang

4/3/12

Bell 3

Room the Game

My idea is to create a video game for the book Room By: Emma Donoghue. I play video games, and understand what a good plot would be for a video game and a mystery/escape/survival would be a very good plot. There would have to be more aspects added to the game to survive but in all it would very closely follow the book. The video would basically start with them in the room and you receiving background information. You would play as jack because his role is much more interesting. I think I would involve the escape, hiding from nick and life outside of “room” as my basic “chapters” for the game, like sections. You would have to learn to survive with the small amount of resources you have. Another thing I would incorporate is surviving on the days mom “isn’t there” when she just stays in bed. The amount of levels and time it would take would develop a very strong and long video game. Now I am going to give 3 direct relationships that could be incorporated into the game from the book that would easily fit and be interesting.

The beginning of the game will be understanding the story itself which will be a lengthy prologue. It will be a cut scene summing up the first 70 pages and showing how the power got cut then you start playing. Then you would get in to the game, you would start off with the power being cut like from the book here: “Ma’s staring at Thermostat. “Power cut.” “What’s that?”  “There’s no power in anything just now.” It’s a strange kind of day.” (Page 76). Once the cut scene ends you will have to learn how to survive without the power and struggles of being trapped in this room. You will have to help Ma around the house and work on ways to escape from room.

The second part of the video game will basically be preparing for the escape and then the actual escape.  At this part the game will become difficult and long adding all the elements from the book.  You will have to piece together the parts of the actual escape in the car. “When  Old Nick comes back tonight, or tomorrow night, or whenever I’m going to tell him you died, I’m going to show him the rug all rolled up with you inside.” (Page 124). From here you will play the climax you will be transported to the car from there you will have to make jack not move for talk for several minutes. Then once you hit the stop you have to jump out, start running and screaming until you reach the man with the dog. Then you will be caught but, eventually Old Nick will run. Then you will have told the cops Ma’s plan even though you lost the paper she gave you. Eventually you will be transported to the hospital.  Then you will start the 3^rd and final chapter of Room the Game.

In the final chapter it will be mostly adjusting to the new world and meeting all of your family that you never have met.  Also you will have to avoid the press to protect yourself and Ma. The final part will also include learning how to adjust to the real world as well. The climax of the final part of the story is when Ma overdoses you will have to quickly get the doctor to save her. At this part you will have to learn to live without her for a long amount of time. “No, but come now. OK, OK. When she switches on the light and looks at Ma she doesn’t say OK, she picks up the phone and says Code blue, room seven, code blue.”(Page 249). Once you save her you will move to Grandma’s house. From there you will learn more living skills and once you have competed those Ma will return and the game will end.

In all, I think creating a game for Room would be very interesting and many people who read the book would find it interesting. Like I said before though, more things would have to be incorporated to make the game longer but the book would make a great basis for a strong game.