Literature
The House on Mango Street
In The House on Mango Street written by Sandra Cisneros. Esperanza is a young woman who feels trapped by her ethnic background, her gender and her own insecurities. Through the course of numerous vignettes, readers are treated to the character of Esperanza and her thoughts, fears and desires.
The House on Mango Street begs the age-old question, "Do people need money and materialistic things to be happy in life?" And if so, what happens to the people that don't have that luxury. Do they just whither away in a barrio on the drug of self-pity, or do they rise up and show the world that they are capable of achieving anything; this is exactly what Esperanza does. This perseverance compels the reader to progress through the book, showing everybody that no matter what your social class is you can still rise to grandeur. The House on Mango Street is a perfect example of this and why the book has been praised throughout the years.
The House on Mango Street begs the age-old question, "Do people need money and materialistic things to be happy in life?" And if so, what happens to the people that don't have that luxury. Do they just whither away in a barrio on the drug of self-pity, or do they rise up and show the world that they are capable of achieving anything; this is exactly what Esperanza does. This perseverance compels the reader to progress through the book, showing everybody that no matter what your social class is you can still rise to grandeur. The House on Mango Street is a perfect example of this and why the book has been praised throughout the years.
Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood
Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Saenz tells the story of a character named Sammy Santos and his devotion to his love Juliana. Sammy loves her more than God and will do anything to be with her. But living in a barrio where anything can happen such as drug dealing, prejudice and the Vietnam war makes it all the more uncertain that these two lovers will be with each
other to the end.
Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood is worth reading because even though it is set in 1969, a lot of its social commentary and conflicts are very relevant to today's standards. These conflicts consist of drug dealing, losing your friend to the military and Gay rights. This added realism elevates the book from being a sappy love story to a realistic drama. Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood has relatable characters and a gripping story. It is a sign of great literature when an author can ask the reader such profound questions such as, "is true love worth losing your religion for."
Antigone
Antigone written by Sophocles,
is a parable portraying a character named Antigone who is penalized
by her city's government for committing a heinous crime. Antigone's
brother fought against the government. When he was defeated, the
dictator known as Creon refused her brother a proper burial. When
Antigone objects to this blasphemy, she puts herself in great risk.
Creon hungers for her head, for no one defies his wrath. By
the end of this, no one leaves unscathed. Creon threatens to kill his
son's only love. So when his son sees Antigone's limp body after she
has committed suicide, he follows in her footsteps. Creon's wife
curses his name and commit suicide following her son; leaving only
Creon to bear the guilt and regret that the gods have bestowed upon
him.
My Sister's Keeper
In the book My Sister's Keeper written by Jodi Picoult, Anna Fitzgerald is not your average
child, she has to deal with the fact that her sister is dying. Ann
has been genetically engineered to save her sister Kate from
leukemia. Kate needs a biological match to be given a transplant, and
the only one that can donate the appropriate organs is her sister
Anna. The only reason why and she was conceived in the first place
was to be a perfect donor for her sister. This is the main conflict,
and through this the readers get to learn the family dynamic of the
Fitzgeralds and how they live their lives.
Of Mice and Men
A plague of
discrimination swept through America and is reverberating to this
very day. The Great Depression reeks of prejudice, sexism and
discrimination illustrated by Of
Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck. The narrative in this novella centers around the
two main protagonists: George and Lennie. They are desperate for work
and have nothing but themselves to rely on, which leads them to a
ranch where they do manual labor for a living. On this ranch there is
a plethora of characters and from the resulting interactions the
reader will become painfully aware of the thoughts, desires and
prejudices that these characters are filled with or negatively
effected by.
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Reincarnation - when a soul perpetually exists over time within many different physical manifestations -is a spiritual belief that is difficult - if not impossible - to grasp. If a mere man struggles to comprehend the idea of rebirth, then how is it that a mere canine comprehends this enigma? This abstract idea is simply putty in the paws of Enzo Swift. As the family dog, Enzo manipulates logic to obtain a future life as an equal human so he can interact with the Swift family on the person-to-person level he desires - without a language barrier. This is a sample of what Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain has to offer the reader in this thought provoking and heartfelt tale of a dog named Enzo.
Romeo & Juliet
For my ninth grade class I read Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare. As many are aware the play centers around two families that share a bloody quarrel with one another but to the dismay of these two ancient enemies their respective children are infatuated with each other. Romeo and Juliet's selfish love endangers them both as they are caught in a deadly crossfire of their families feud.
Dear Zoe
Dear Zoe is about a fifteen-year-old girl named Tess DeNunzio. Living in a post-9/11 world, Tess is coming to grips with the loss of her younger sister as a result of this tremendous tragedy. The narrative is given to the reader by Tess writing a letter to her deceased sister Zoe. Tess is not just writing this letter for her sister, but for herself as well. As Tess' story unfolds, it becomes more and more clear how Zoe's death has impacted her life and the way she feels about it. Philip Beard has truly given a narrative force that will leave a lasting impression on the hearts and the minds of many.
Sincerely,
William Kellogg
Sincerely,
William Kellogg