Sixth Post of My Second Book (heh.. last one~)

~~~~~Free topic ~~~~ XD

The free topic I shall write about will be my own thoughts and opinion on the book...

If I were to rate this book on a 1 to 10 scale with one being the lowest and ten being the highest, I would rate this book a 9. The overall story is very good, and the message within the story is very clear [the message is basically if you succeed in capitalism then you are not the best fit for society its just that you are the most corrupt in the system (it's the books message, I do not necessary believe this ^^;;)]. The only downside to this is that the author tends to go too much into the description of small things which might have been better without instead of dragging. Besides that one negative, I feel the author has taken the time to put in the book a lot of emotions, realistic cause and effect type scenes, as well as depicting reality for what it is instead of covering it in honey like most books tends to do. Comparing this to the first book I read, The Day of the Triffids, I found The Jungle far more enjoyable as well as insightful than the Day of the Triffids. The Jungle is on a higher reading level and intended for more mature audiences than the Day of the Triffids for the two books, in my opinion, are vastly different in the needed intuition one needs while reading.

Fifth Post on My Second Book

So the question is... are there any settings in this novel which you have found to be beautiful? or disturbing? or memorable? Describe these settings and comment on why they are meaningful to you.

When I read this book there is one setting that just really disturbs me - Jurgis' first workplace. Upton Sinclair describes this setting just very vividly and I found it very disturbing. The location is a meat package factory and is the "killing beds". This is where they take meat and cut it up into nice bits so they could package it. The details one can see for themselves when they read this book ;P. Unlike the other locations that were mentioned this was the only realistic and impacting setting of the book in my opinion. When I first read that it was a meat packaging factory, what I imagined was basically a clean factory where there are long lines of meat being readied and packaged to be sent out to every corner of the United States. However, the image I got after I read the descriptions of the place was a bit sickening. Sinclair doesn't describe it directly and tends to show what Jurgis sees, but when you think about it just a little harder than what is described you get a image in your head and it isn't pretty. Then after you thought about this setting and think about your lunch and figure if the meat you had eaten was made from a place like that, then one would be running full speed to the bathroom (okay I admit that's a bit of exaggeration but its similar XD).

Fourth Post on My Second Book

So... here's the general breakdown of the characters of The Jungle...

Jurgis Rudkis:
The main character of the story. He is a Lithuanian with the hopes of living the American dreams. He shows to be determined in the beginning of the story and always works hard to achieve his goals to the point one would call him naive. Jurgis is keen on following traditions as well as following his duties as a man to his wife. He is not much of what one would call a hero but more of a desperate man squirming as worm when it is dying. It is sad to see him crumbling under the social pressures and lose his moral values. Jurgis was the husband of Ona and traveled with his family and Ona's family as well to America becoming what Upton Sinclair (author of this book) considers as "wage slaves".

Ona:
The supporting character for most part of the story. She is also a Lithuanian who came to America with the same expectations as Jurgis. She is described as quiet and passionate in the book and can be that she is when she is forced to deal with a situation. She is what someone would consider a strong woman and helps to support her family with low payment jobs. She does most of the math and calculation on how they should spend their money earned. She is one of the characters with one of the worst fate in the book - she passes away about 3/4s through the book. Ona is the wife of Jurgis Rudkis and traveled from Lithuania with Jurgis and comes from a household which does not lack anything much.

Third Post on the Second Book

The theme of The Jungle is...

The theme of this book is that the world is twisted. As simple as it is this is basically the theme of this whole book. In the beginning, the main character of this book, Jurgis Rudkis was a man of integrity and tradition, where he is to support the family with his strength and his influence. However, after they move to America in search of a better life what awaits them is only suffering. Jurgis is forced to work hard hours and is unable to support his wife as well as himself. He is horrified at this fact but continues to strive hard, believing that tomorrow will be a bit better but this is not the case.

At one point, Jurgis loses everything, his job, his wife, and his once highly respected characteristics, he basically becomes a bum and only when he claims a socialist stance upon society does he somehow manage to redeem himself from the mess he was in. This whole idea contradicts our views that socialism is one step behind of captialism, and socialism is indeed the way for the better future. In other words, this book is stating that all captialism will do is bring division of the rich and the poor upon people while bringing in conflicts that is just not necessary for the developing world. The brighter future lies in a controlled society for when people are let to do what they want, all they can do mess up.

Second Post on My Second Book

So.. the mood of the Jungle...

The mood of this story is just basically very depression and sad overall, although there are moments where the characters are happy and the setting is all bright and warm this kind of atmosphere only lasts for about 1 or 2 pages. Throughout the story, Jurgis and everyone with him suffers continuously over and over again and has to undergo the sadness of death at as well. Everytime, the main character has a stroke of luck, in the next chapter he is whipped by bad luck in the next. The setting of the book makes this even sadder than it already is with the whole plot. The Lithuanian family are cheated, crumpled by death, are stuck in basically a slum area of Chicago, and their hopes are lost in oblivion. If one compares the character's attitudes in the beginning and then the same character in the middle of the book, you'll find it hard to believe that they are the same character. (However, in the end, the mood completely changes and can be hard to find the ending is the ending of a dystopian novel. ^^;;)

When I read this, the mood got me interested. Although this may be a bit cynical, I found that the book contributed to showing the true nature of the world. The mood also actually showed me the general flow of this story, and told me what kind of voice I should be reading this if I were to read it outloud. This was one of the best dystopian novel that I have read. The whole idea of the human struggle and the mood supporting it was like bread and cheese - really good.

First Post on Second Book

The book I'm currently reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. The book is a very interesting one for it is basically about a Lithuanian man and his wife with her family, who goes to an area in Chicago in hopes of living the American dream. The difference between the beginning and the middle to about the end really shows one EXACTLY, that this is what our general ideaology is, and this is reality. However, even though he tries very hard to live his dreams, he faces many problems, and several of them having to with him being tricked. I also found this book far more interesting then The Day of the Triffids (my first book) and is far more realistic (this is probably because the author was trying to raise awareness for laborers in the United States). This dystopian novel demonstrates to us how messed up our society was and maybe still is today, where man has to fend for himself. Jurgis Rudkis, the main character of the story, is a very capable man and I find him far more interesting and round than Bill Masen (the main character from day of the triffids). Jurgis, in my opinion, represents very well the majority of new adults, looking for success and happiness (like the students who have stepped into the outside world, thinking that things would be exactly like in the books). The source of the dystopia in this is the true nature of humans beings of a time when unity was needed. Greed, pride, and gluttony, all bring the character to the ground on his knees but the process of redemption was very interesting.

Entry #3: What qualities would you like to have as a Greek god or goddess?

If could be any greek god or goddess...

I would like to have the power of wisdom like Athena. I find that this ability has the power to overcome any others and is the most useful to have as well. I do not see a reason why a god would forceful control the people when logic and ethics is what a people's basic mind track is based on. Trying to maintain everything with force would one day collapse like how communism did. After all, knowledge is power.

I would look like...
I think I would like to just look like a normal human being, then I would be able to make others look down on me, then suprise them with my true nature of a god. Deceiving is one of the main ways gods moved about in Greek mythology, so I am thinking that having this form would be able to endow more power upon me. The way the gods are depicted in Greek mythology shows that the gods are very human-like except for the fact that they possess an aura that no human can have, so I think a form of a normal human is quite fitting. Besides physical features don't mean much to gods, they can always transform to get the look they want for the moment.

Entry #2: Greek Monsters

The Greek mythological monster I chose is the chimera.

About the Chimera...

According to Homer's description of this monster, it was a immortal and had three heads; one of a lion, one of a goat, and one of a snake. In addition, it breathed fire, was swift-footed, and had the hind part of a dragon. The chimera is also considered female and is the offspring of the titan Typhon and the mother of all monsters Echidna. The sight of a chimera often signalled the coming of a natural disaster.

What the Chimera did...

According to the myth, the chimera terrorized the people and destroyed land as well as the crops on it with it's fiery breath. The combination of its agile movements and ability of breathing fire rendered to be unable to kill. Until one day, a hero called Bellerophon appeared with Pegasus (a winged horse born from Medusa's neck). The combination of Pegasus flight capablity with the idea of using the chimera's fire breath to melt a block of lead into the chimera's throat to block the air passage of the chimera proved to be effective and thus was the end of the chimera.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimera_%28mythology%29

Entry #1: Greek god or goddess

The Greek god I choose to research upon was Thanatos.

First is some background information about him...

As the son of Nyx (the goddess of night) and Erebos (the god of darkness), Thanatos is believed to be the god of leading the dead to Charon the ferryman. His sibilings (Old Age, Suffering, Doom, Deception, Blame, Strife, and Retribution) emphasize that Thanatos is a negative existence for mortals. In addition, he is also thought of as being merciless and indiscrimate towards anyone or thing. However, Thanatos is, most of the time, replaced by Hermes as the guide of the dead.

Facts focused on Thanatos...

Thanatos, in ancient greek, means death, and normally depicts death and mortality. In addition, although Thanatos is a minor god, he is mentioned many times within Greek mythology but hardly makes an appearance. Despite his depiction as a great, terrible being, Greek mythology has not failed to show of his short comings. Such is shown when Thanatos tricked by King Sisyphus and later on overpowered by Heracules (tricked by a mortal, defeated by a god/hero - poor Thanatos). He is mainly shown either with Pluto (Hades) or Hypnos (the god of sleep & his twin brother).

Compared to Heracules...

Heracules and Thanatos are similar in a way that they are both merciless and powerful. On the other hand Heracules and Thanatos are different in everything else. Unlike Heracules, a hero of mortals, Thanatos is hated by mortals, indiscrimate, hateful, and is a minor god not a hero(mortal).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanatos

Last Post on my First Book (FINALLY DONE XD~!!)

This is probably what people would have done first for their posts so I am doing this last to be a bit more unique :P. I present to you the characters of my book ^^;;.



Bill Masen: The main character of the story and is also the narrator. He is one a handful of people who still retains sight and has an expertise in triffids. In addition, he also has hands-on experience a triffid's sting, for he had been stung in his eyes before, but thanks to his friend's quick decision making skills, managed to keep the eyes in a state that was reversible. What is ironic is that because he sight was lost for a time because of the triffids, he managed to have sight later thanks to the triffids. He is a pretty flat charcter and doesn't change much throughout the story. Masen is also technically married to Josella Playton with technically adopted daughter Susan.

Josella Playton: She is the second main character of the story and is basically the heroine. She is an writer and has only had one book that actually was pretty successful. She does not have much experince with triffids but doesn't really need it for Bill Masen fills her on details about triffids she needs to survive. Josella also is one of the handful of people who still retains sight and is probably the most dynamic character in the book. It isn't hard to know what she is going to think is a particular situation and acts more so on impulse then numbers (opposite of Bill). She is technically married to Bill Masen and has a technically adopted daughter Susan.

Wilfred Coker: He is the mysterious character in the book and may be one of the smartest and most logical in the whole book (<-- this is what I think ^^;;). He teaches Bill more about people and to be more wary of who he's with. Although Coker and Bill does not get along when they first meet, they realize that the two of them are the only two who actually has some sense left among the sighted. He is the basically Bill Masen as close a friend anyone could have. Coker's street smarts and acceptance to truth keeps himself alive.

5th Post on my First Book (Almost Done XD)

So now the question is, "If you can write an additional chapter at the end, what would you write about?"...

If I could write an additional chapter at the end then I would definitely end the book explaining what exactly happened to the main character for in the book it just finishes with a life goes on type ending which I was particularly disappointed with and the point that the main character and his group just ends up going to the Isle of Wight...
So my ending would either go two ways (I would first of all like to remove the fact that they went to the Isle of Wight so just keep this in mind when reading my ending):
If I was to write a happy ending, then I would say the main character and the rest of his group go off to some place where they find that there are no Triffids and find good people, thus the hope of reclaiming the earth as for humans becomes bright.
However if I was to write a sad ending for this book then it would go something like this: The main character and his group are continuing to look for a good place to settle down at, but then Josella Playton ends up getting stung by a triffids and passes away. The main character goes into shock and starts doubting himself and the hopes he once had, and when his guard was off he ends up getting stung by a triffid as well and the book ends with his last thought, "(something really cool and depressing that even I couldn't think of :P)"
And there you have it -what I would write if i could write an additional chapter for my book.

4th Post on my First Book

The mood of the Day of the Triffids huh....

The overall mood of the Day of the Triffids is gloomy and a bit sad. Although there are times when the book reaches points of excitment and times of serenity, the main character never fails to remind that the world is in a state of crisis which brings the happier modes down to sad and sometimes frustrating. In addition, the mood of the book emphasizes the hopelessness of the whole entire situation the characters find themselves in, with hopes being destroyed at every turn at every corner. Even though the main character did manage to get to the Isle of Wight, because of what happened throughout the story, I find it hard to believe that the colong would last very long.The setting gave the most influence to the mood, while the characters who did so poorly in the mood gave us how we should look upon the situation.
The mood actually kind of saddens me (if not extremely annoyed and almost embarassed) to see how incapable humans are when we are in a tight situation and unity is required. I have read many books in the past but the Day of the Triffids seems to emphasize it greater than a great number of them. This probably is the only thing I believe the author did well in writing this book in addition to depicting the true nature of humans although John Wyndham doesn't come close to John Steinbeck (no offense to the writer ^^;;).

3rd Post of my First Book

Here is my third post on the Day of the Triffids... Today I'll talk about the theme of the book...

The main theme of this book is that people should be aware of their government and that humans can not use power properly when given to them. First of all, the reason why I said that the part of the theme is that people should be aware of their government because in the book, Mason, the main character of the book, says that the government was the one who used orbiting satellites to emit a light which blinds all people who sees it. If this was true, then the government was the one who was behind the death of millions of people as well as the loss of the position as the highest predator in the food chain.
As the for the reason for the second part of the theme, people just cannot handle power efficently is because the three major groups/parties that the main character's group meets in the book all end up becoming in ruins while the main character's group place was ruined because of one of the main parties that comes to take over the place. Thus this all comes down to the single fact that people just did not have the leadership to use the power that was given to them efficently.
Therefore this concludes my overview of the theme.

2nd Post on My First Book

So I finished my book The Day of Triffids, and here is my second post :). On the paper, it says I can write just a free topic so I shall. Here are my thoughts on this book: it is unoriginal, its and the theme is excessively straightforward. Compared to other dystopian books such as 1984 or The Brave New World, The Day of Triffids seems childish and meaningless while the ending was not satisfying at all. This may be an exaggeration but this was one of the worst books I have every read. It may because this book was written in 1951, but seriously, plants taking over the world is not to my taste. The characters in the book make meaningless decisions while their foresight is shallow. The small "societies" that are created in the book are headed to failure and it is obvious to see why. When the main character finally create a safe environment to live, some other people from other societies who believe that this environment will not last and ends up destroying it. Because that happens the main character never really gets into serious problems which makes the whole story dry and predictable.

First Post On My First Book

Okay, so I'm currently reading The Day of Triffids by John Wyndnam. The beginning literally bored me to death but it's getting better... Well anyways, the main character of this novel is Bill Masen (he also the narrator of the story) and this novel is written in first person to his point of view. However, I did not like the main character being so incapable in the beginning. For example, in the book, most people suddenly becomes blind and the main character (with his advantage of being able to see) does not know what to do, whether to help them, leave them, or put them out of their misery. Sure the situation being so sudden could have thrown his normal train of thought on the wrong track, but after people start suciding, becoming barbaric, or just plain greedy/crazy for about 5 chapters you would think he gets the point -_-;;. Even though the main character is quite incapable on his own, he remains as one of the few people who sees the triffids (stinging, venomous, walking plants <.<) as a threat which later keeps him alive. In addition to his sight and once in a while logical thinking, this triffids with stings = threat idea is basically what makes him special in this story. As for revealing the universal human experience, he shows how people rely so much on company and learn from other people's point of views to develop their own.

(For Eric who wants to know how my book is dystopian novel: The definition of dystopian is, "a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding." (according to dictionary.com) thus since people are getting practically owned and oppresed by killer plants i think that goes under human misery and oppression.)