... that grew abundantly during the late 19th century. He also gives a grim picture of survival in his depiction of San Francisco at the time. The first chapter of the book had to probably be the most descriptive in terms of setting, in which Norris went all out in describing the ... occupied by small trades people who lived in the rooms above their shops. There were corner drug stores with huge jars of red, yellow and green liquids in their windows, very brave and gay; stationers" stores, where illustrated weeklies were tacked upon bulletin boards; barber shops with cigar stands in their ves...

• Word Count: 952
• Approx Pages: 4

... try to help improve it. This allows children to think that their efforts can help improve most scenarios. "The Berenstain Bears: Go Green ", was the first book that came to mind when receiving this assignment. The status of our environment is a never ending issue, that can be improved by the help of everyone, including ... away. Everyone at the meeting volunteered to help, the cubs even thought of more ways to make Bear Country clean and green. There are many children's book published addressing the issues within our environment and ways to "go green, " but not all are written for a wid...

• Word Count: 831
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... upheaval of the 1960s in the US. The construction of the character Daniel in itself is one of the most interesting features in this book, since he shows an outstanding intelligence, although he is also permeated by many internal conflicts and all throughout the narrative he shows a high ... degree of confusion within his mind - maybe this explains the constant flashbacks in the book, besides a lack of linearity as the plot develops. His perspective, as we can infer from the way the narrative flows, is not individualistic ... maintaining the real facts almost untouched. This juxtapositio...

• Word Count: 1122
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... later overturned in 1976. It was also challenged by Dallas, Texas, Independent School District high school libraries in 1974 and in Snoqualmie, Washington in 1979. These states claimed that the book was "dangerous" because of the objectionable language, sexual situations or scenes, and the crude, black humor that is displayed throughout the novel. None of these bans or challenges has made ... the novel less popular and it is still a success today. I believe that the bans and the challenges of the book might have been justified back when the book was first published, but today I believe ...

• Word Count: 587
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... people have picked on me and turned their back on me in the past, and I trust myself completely with my friends. In the middle of reading your book, I just suddenly asked myself "how do I treat other people?" I noticed how I don't exactly respect everyone. And that there is always a person ... that I can bully if I looked hard enough. Every person has that same problem too. Discrimination was a problem in this book, and it is a problem in my school. After reading this book, I was inspired to be nicer. Because of the change in my characteristics, I feel like I have fewer "enemies". What ....

• Word Count: 504
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... has no real depth and more or less just goes around saying "Goddamn" and "What a phony" while whining about the world. After reading the book, I learned that the book isn't about whining about life, but instead it simply shows a cynical view of the world; A view that is seldom looked at by most people. ... his brother and sister then he had great hatred for them and classifies them as phonies. I feel that this love for innocence is what the book is based around. You will also see that Holden has an ambition, which is to become "the catcher in the rye" and stop children from ... from lo...

• Word Count: 639
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... it becomes apparent that McMurphy will sacrifice himself only in the later stages of the movie. McMurphy is the only consistent character in both the book and movie because of the narrative perspective and his being the central character. McMurphy remains the sexual liberator, the charismatic showman, the gambler, the ... television and re-creates the excitement of the game. His excitement proves infectious and the other patients join in to look at the TV. The book offers a disturbing and graphic look at life in a mental institution for example the use of Electric Shock Therapy. The film ...

• Word Count: 1273
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... novel, many of which could be found in quotes from the novel. These quotes led to many interesting interpretations and questions concerning them. The book club meetings were successful as it allowed readers to enrich their understanding and appreciation of the novel. Many themes and symbols are embedded within ... like God saved men. There are many other themes and symbols in the novel, many of which are from quotes As part of the book club assignments, the students had to find quotes from the novel and discuss its significance. From within the quotes a person would able to ... take pl...

• Word Count: 721
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... the real, hard lives of men and women, portraying their difficult, working lives. His work shows the world of men. He puts women on the outside. The title of the book is very significant. It shows that plans can often go wrong or get destroyed by an unkind fate. The title was taken from a poem by Robert Burns. The poem tells ... of work, have nothing in the world but each other and a dream, a dream of owning their own piece of land - the American dream. The main themes that run through the book are, dreams, anger, violence, loneliness and discrimination. Every character has their own dr...

• Word Count: 525
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... Leopold's Ghost did an excellent job of portraying the events of that time period. Many students would think that reading a historical novel would just be like reading any old history book, but reading this novel was much easier than reading a history textbook. The novel showed many aspects and views from many different people of that time. The usage of direct quotes ... placed the reader in the action. Many feel that detail adds a lot of unwanted material to a novel, and that it makes the novel harder to understand, but the detail in a book such as King Leopold's Ghost added so much fe...

• Word Count: 641
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... a satire. The title hints that the fairy book or story being told is somewhat majestic. Puce is a shade of purple and purple represents royalty. Thus the title represents something that is almost magical and very unlikely to attain. ... no window dressing, just short, sweet and simple the same way people should be. Margaret Atwood's "There Was Once"is also a satire. It raises the same issues as a "Puce Fairy Book" but in a different light. The title actually suggests the abandonment of the idea of perfection and stereotypes. It talks about these issues in past tense as if it they are ....

• Word Count: 1067
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Book Review A Lesson Before Dying A Lesson Before Dying was written by Ernest J. Gaines. The novel takes place in the late 1940s. It is about a man named Jefferson who witnessed a shoot out ... heroism is not always expressed through action, sometimes the simple act of resisting the inevitable is enough. Ernest J. Gaines did a great job in writing this novel. It's the type of book that is hard to put down. Its such an inspiring and thought-provoking novel. The story is so real and is "a strongly felt and - in the best sense- ambitious novel ... because its so easy to read, and two because i...

• Word Count: 264
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

I can see why Jerry Spinelli won the Newberry Award for his mondern classic, Maniac Magee. It has everything I like in a young adult book:fascinating characters, believable dialogue, humor, and a strong theme. Maniac (Jeffery) Magee is one of the most refreshing and memorable characters in adolescent fiction. His talents are legendary--he can untie ... 's humor and suprisingly mature treatment to two of the most signigicant of society's ills, racism and homelessness, make for a satisfying read for anyone. I recommend Maniac Magee to readers looking for a book that will make them laugh and th...

• Word Count: 328
• Approx Pages: 1

... This novel can be described in many ways, a page turner, interesting, and even confusing. I admitt that I could not put this book down for the simple fact that it had me questioning thing constantly. As I read chapter after chapter, I started to not pay attention to the wonderful descriptions of indian culture, a just ... ...

• Word Count: 537
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... also: challenge our views; let us know we are not alone; and edify us, teaching a moral lesson. All these other, more important aspects, can be seen in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. The most important role of a novel is to broaden our understanding of human nature. When a shipment of Jews are paraded through Molching on route to a concentration camp, the novel ... ...

• Word Count: 918
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... he will not be accepted by anyone. This scene also ignites the rage that sends the monster on a killing spree to get revenge on his creator, Victor. Overall I think this book was very well written. It is easy to tell that everything was thoroughly planned out. This shows in how well the novel flows from one scene to the next and ... ...

• Word Count: 1009
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... , Gabriel Garcia Marquez used the motif of biblical references in order to outline the main theme of solitude in the novel. The characters Jose Arcadio Buendia, Ursula Iguaran, and Melquiades all had been symbolized by some kind of biblical character. These biblical references underline the reasons why ... it came to the downfall of some characters resembling the downfall of the whole Buendia family and Macondo. Jose Arcadio Buendia represented God quite temporarily and then came to represent Eve. In the beginning, he had founded Macondo and was its leader, ... . Eve was also curious an...

• Word Count: 662
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... it is the essential location for the development of the plot. The novel later develops into many other locations around the world including Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong, San Francisco, New York, the jungle of Bundelkan, and many other small cities. The plot of this novel develops over many locations because when Mr. Fogg casts ... and continue their journey. After their steamer departed without them, Fogg hired a man to take them to Shanghai and they later took a steamer to San Francisco form Japan. In San Francisco, they embark on an eleven-day journey across America. The train, however,...

• Word Count: 1846
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... thinking. Snow Falling on Cedars is one such novel that has the ability to change our thinking. This novel is set on a small island, San Piedro, off the coast of Washington state in northwest America. Guterson's choice of an island is effective on many levels; it represents both self-sufficiency ... neighbors, but inter-reliant partners in living. The setting of an island also represents the inherent separation of the Japanese and American inhabitants of San Piedro; just as the island is separated from the mainland by ocean water, so too do self-imposed cultural barriers separate the two...

• Word Count: 1123
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... he goes fishing with his friend. Then he goes to Pamplona, Spain for a fiesta, the running of the bulls, and the bullfights. He leaves Pamplona and has a short holiday in San Sebastian, Spain. Then he goes to Madrid to help the woman to whom he has had a long attachment. The literary element of setting, which is the effects of the time ... Rises. The novel is set in Paris, especially those districts frequented by American ex-patriots. In Book II, the protagonist goes to Burguete, Spain for a fishing trip, and then to Pamplona for the fiesta of San Fermin and the bullfights. After the fi...

• Word Count: 659
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... child she felt loneliness and shame. A good example of how Sandra's writings speak to the experiences of forgotten American society is her book The House on Mango Street. There is specific cultural as well as some concerns with Sandra Cisneros feelings as a Latina writer came to life with this ... book. Sandra Cisneros was born on December 20, 1954 in the windy city of Chicago. Sandra often felt homeless and out of place so ... same university she got her bachelors degree from. After counseling at Loyola University, Sandra Cisneros served as a literature director for the Guadalupe Cult...

• Word Count: 1002
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... child she felt loneliness and shame. A good example of how Sandra's writings speak to the experiences of forgotten American society is her book The House on Mango Street. There is specific cultural as well as some concerns with Sandra Cisneros feelings as a Latina writer came to life with this ... book. Sandra Cisneros was born on December 20, 1954 in the windy city of Chicago. Sandra often felt homeless and out of place so ... same university she got her bachelors degree from. After counseling at Loyola University, Sandra Cisneros served as a literature director for the Guadalupe Cult...

• Word Count: 1002
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... who portrays a great deal of symbolism is Guitar, Milkman's best friend. Guitar is named after something that he is ultimately unable to attain. "I saw it when my mother took me downtown with her. I was just a baby I cried for it, they said. And always asked about it." This unreachable goal accurately describes his character throughout the novel. He is never able to ... signify the fact that her father feels that Pilate killed her mother, seeing as that her mother died during childbirth. Ironically, however, Pilate is murdered at the end of the book when she and Milkman go to give her f...

• Word Count: 890
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... it in the South. He took the most serious problem this country has ever seen, and shed a witty light over its dark shadow. Although the book used crude and offensive language towards slaves and gave a cruel depiction of the South, it would be hard to argue that the depiction was a horrible ... one-horse town in a big bend, Twain introduces the stereotypical white trash? Or redneck. Huck describes the place and people as (Page 145) All the stores was along one street. They had white-domestic awnings in front, and the country people hitched their horses to the awning posts. There was empt...

• Word Count: 2137
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... humor in it and decided to set it as the setting to his novel. "Since the mine fire, it had become a ghost town, with the elementary school torn down, the stores and homes boarded up and abandoned. Columns of smoke and carbon monoxide rose from the ground, erupting from cornfields, pouring from boreholes,"(Boylan). The description of the town is almost ... real town. This shows that if Boylan finds something funny in real life and wants to use it in his next book. He will use it exactly as it comes, unlike other authors who will change the scenario so it fits their book better. What mak...

• Word Count: 1144
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School