Reading Post 4/2212

I've decided to take a break from the book Columbine so I can start on a new book. Columbine was a very interesting book, but I feel like it is pretty lengthy and some parts of the book jump around.

I've started a new book called Modelland by Tyra Banks. The title sounds silly- yes. I want to give the book a chance because although Tyra Banks doesn't have the popularity as Ellen DeGeneres or Oprah, she is known for being a fashion icon and has a reputation for being an It model. Being a big "girly girl," I've seen Tyra Banks "America's Next Top Model" television show season after season. The media sets out a "perfect" figure for what a girl should look like, and the American public doesn't feel the same way as the media does (because there is no perfect figure.)

The opening passage of Modelland, there is a description of a forgettable girl, with blemishes covering her face, and her face is asymmetrical. She's the girl whose hair has multiple personality disorder and can't decide what style it wants be. She's the girl whose body is a contradiction of itself; her head is humongous with a forehead that goes on and on. Her name is Tookie De La Creme. You've probably met her, but you don't remember, because well nobody ever does.

So far, Banks writing has a very low reading level, but the diction of the words and the tone felt by readers attracts the attention and makes people want to read on. Many people can relate to her book because a lot of teenagers, especially high schoolers, feel like there is something wrong with our bodies and we feel like we are forgettable. It's a book that readers can relate to because one of the themes in the book could be labeled as insecurities or low self esteem. The way the book is written and the universal themes used makes the book an addicting read.

Notes 2 & 3

Note #2

In Cassavete’s The Notebook, pauses of apparent unease and nervousness ripple through Noah and Allie’s last conversation. A twinge of fear and discomfort wrinkle on Noah’s face when he thinks he may be losing his love, Allie. Allie’s half distant mind still remembers her true love, asking “do you think our love can take us away together?” The coming-to of Allie’s memories makes Noah stick around, longing for his love to come back to full awareness. The twinkle in Allie’s eye show apprehension, and Noah addresses her concerns with a soft, gentle kiss. Noah’s kiss acts a symbol of promises and faithfulness to the one he loves. His last words are half cheesy and half hopeful, when he tells his love “I’ll be seeing ya.” Although the lovers are aware of their old age, their ever lasting admiration for one another portrays the feeling of comfort as they prepare to take on a new life.  

Note #3 

  

They Don't Understand

© Emily J. Taylor

I'm confused about life
it seems like no one understands me
especially my parents
they try to run my life
but they don't understand
my life's my own to run
they can't run it
it seems we live in two different worlds
at two different times
they should know no matter how much
they try to control my life
I'll always rebel
I don't care about the punishment
because they can't take away my
freedom, hope, dreams, memories 
and people I love ever.
I wish they would understand
they never had to go through
the problems us teens are going through now
they would never understand
back then there weren't so many problems us
teens face now
they just simply don't understand
us teens

The informal, straightforward diction used in Emily J. Taylor’s poem They Don’t Understand depicts the average teenager’s struggle for independence. The matter-of-factness, to-the-point articulation the writer uses sends off a common feeing of aloneness in a way that “no one understands me/Especially my parents.” The writer argues “no matter how much/They try to control my life/I’ll always rebel” explaining “I don’t care about the punishment/ Because they can’t take away my/ freedom, hope, dreams, memories/ and people I ever love.” The drive to be an individual is shown throughout the poem, especially when the speaker explains “the problems us teens are going through now/they would ever understand/back then there weren’t so many problems us/ teens face now.” The ever-revolving cycle of growing up with feelings of seclusion and stubbornness create a mood that any teenager can relate to. 

Anthology: Film Ideas

My anthology theme is growing up; however I want to make my anthology a little different than what I had originally anticipated on. I was going to have each source about the common theme of growing up or aging, but I have decided that the book will be "growing up" itself. In the beginning of the anthology book, there will be some source that will be about birth or infancy, and the book will end with a source mainly revolved around death and the experience of living.

To end my anthology book, I want to use a clip from "The Notebook." At the end of the movie, Noah and Allie lie down together in a hospital bed, traveling onto their next adventures in their new life.


(0:00 - 1:03)

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Suzanne Collin's second book to her Hunger Games trilogy is Catching Fire. After the the first book, there were some problems that had to be addressed in the second book. Katniss and Peeta have been pronounced victors in their Games, and it's their times to tour all the districts of Panem. After some rumors of uprising in the districts,  the Capitol is taking extra measures to keep the continent in a civil state.
     I believe that most people can agree that Collin's Hunger Games trilogy is written in a way where almost everybody is able to understand the context of the books. She doesn't use complex diction and is straightforward with her explanations, which makes her trilogy enjoyable to read and easy to understand. One of the reasons why I really enjoy reading her trilogy is because of her unique imagination. I know that there was a book released about a decade ago that had the same idea of a group of kids having to fight to their death (the book is called Battle Royale), and some critics have a problem with the similarity of the books. However,  there are hundreds of similar ideas taken from books, movies, music, etc., so the similarity of Battle Royale to The Hunger Games isn't a big problem to me. I highly recommend the series to anyone who hasn't read The Hunger Game.