Pyromasters
Wacky Wordsearch
Vocab
Consternation (310) - alarm: fear resulting from the awareness of danger
Cacophony (311) - harsh, discordant sound : dissonance
Figurative Language
1) "[...] a purple pear-shaped blot in the sky above the fields northwest of town. Avery squinted behind his gold-tinted glasses as white-hot plasma erupted from the warship's prow. A waterfall of ionized gasses splashed down in a boiling veil. Then the ship inched forward, leaving a blackening plume of smoke" (285). In this section there was a lot of imagery and this is an example of it. You can clearly imagine what this huge warship would look like and all the havoc it would reek.
2) "It's gate was just a break in a low ironwork fence framed by two lampposts in an antique style-simulated gaslights whose frosted glass chimneys hid ultraefficent sodium-vapor bulbs" (286). This is another example of imagery because it paints a picture of what the camp looks like with the iron fence and the lights.
3) "[...] activating the energy cores mounted above the machines' generators. With a crackle of sparks and belching purple exhaust, the vehicle's seat rose from the hanger floor, perfectly balanced against the weight of their bladed wheels" (315). Yet again we have more imagery with the floating seat of this vehicle. Also the picture of the plasma and the exhaust help with the image.
Quote
"Four vehicles now sat where the bays had stood. Each was a collection of slightly different parts, but they shared the same general design: two bladed wheels sandwiched together inside a reinforced chassis; behind each set of wheels was a single anti-gravity generator; and behind the generator a seat with high handles that Maccabeus assumed were the vehicles' steering mechanisms" (315). I choose this quote because I thought it was interesting and it has a unique significance. First off these vehicles which are later called choppers were originally built for plowing and farming but they were adapted for use in battles. So the jump from farm equipment to battle equipment is kind of weird at least in my mind. But this is significant because they are one of the best technologies the Brutes have which leads to victories later on.
Theme
The theme for this section is that even if you can't win a conflict for example doesn't mean your going to lose. You can take a bad situation and adapt it so a bad outcome won't occur or of it's inevitable, well then you can still make it so it won't be as bad of an outcome.
Post B
For this post I thought I would comment on a interesting quote. The quote is, "The Jiralhanae had determined the orbital was part of a lifting system the aliens used to move cargo to and from the surface. On Maccabeus' orders, the Unggoy had established outposts at its seven cable junctions-gaps in its hull for the golden wires that stretched up from the planet's surface, through the orbital, and on to another silver arc much farther above" (302). The reason I picked this quote is because when you look at this quote in a vacuum without the plot, characters etc... it makes you think what we as a civilization will be like in 500 or so years concerning technology. Apart from this space station in the book humanity has colonized other planets so we have ships that can travel in slip space. Then there is also cryo sleep so you don't age while traveling to other planets and then there are beings like AI and the obvious advanced weaponry and things to do with the military. So it's kind of interesting to think were we'll be from outer space travel to finding aliens all the way to flash-cloning organs and having these much more advanced AI than we do now. So that's why I picked this quote, it made me stop reading and think about the future.
Pyromasters courtesy of addictinggames
Wordsearch courtesy of addictinggames
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Week 7 Posts A/B
Vocab
Appendages (267) - part(s) that is joined to something larger
Infatuation (279) - foolish and usually extravagant passion or love or admiration
Figurative Language
1) "The aged hermit was now staring up at the Oracle. The device was slacked in its armature, thin smoke twisting from the gap around its lens" (278). This is an example of imagery. It is describing these two characters and what they appear like to the reader.
2) "The vault's dark walls began to glow as their veinlike pathways brightened inside them" (276). This is an example of a simile because it is describing the walls as veinlike and in truth they aren't obviously veins.
3) "The alien Avery decided was the leader-the one with golden armor and helmet with a V-shaped crest that swept back from its head like two jagged saw-blades-carried an additional item: a long-handled hammer with a stone head that must have weighed at least as much as Byrne" (245). This is an example of imagery because the alien leader is clearly described from his armor to his weapons etc.
Quote
"<\\> HARVEST.SO.AI.SIF >> HARVEST.AO.AI.MACK
<\ I'm in trouble.
<\ They've boarded the Tiara.
<\ Please help \>" (280).
I choose this quote because it is part of the subplot to this book. In the time this whole set of events happens humankind has become a lot more tech savy. So now there among other things there are AI that help from the biggest thing to the smallest. So specifically there are 2 AI in this book Sif and Mack and they have their own plot that happens. But the format you see above is the format they use to communicate to each other via circuits. So I thought this was interesting and I choose to use it. If you want to find out more about the subplot you should read the book because even though the book is all about this war, fighting etc, the subplot actually is a love story (which I'll talk about in a later post).
Theme
The theme for this part of the book is the inevitability of these aliens killing the inhabitants and destroying the planet it's self. The humans now know these aren't friendly aliens and going off of an evac plan which is about to put in place but they know they can't be offensive, it's a defensive plan their putting in place which connects to the theme.
Post B
For this post I thought I would comment on a quote I thought was really interesting and well placed into the book. The quote is "Now it was Fortitude's turn to feel weak in the knees. He grasped the arms of his throne and tried to come to terms with an impossible revelation: each glyph represented a Reclaimer, not a relic, and each Reclaimer was one of the planet's aliens-which could only mean one thing. "The Forerunners," the Minister whispered. "Some were left behind" (275). This is talking about the Covenant and how this religious technology an Oracle built by the Forerunners the society the Covenant revere just spoke and it spoke of the humans and how they are actually Forerunners or decendents of them. The reason this is important because the entire Covenant religion is based on the Forerunners so if the different species found out that their core religious values are a lie it would lead to a civil war. So because of this single event it leads to the Human-Covenant war because these individuals that heard this don't want the rest of the Covenant to know for reasons I just explained so in their minds it would be better to kill all of humanity to keep this secret safe. So the irony is the Covenant worship these Forerunners and now a select number of them found out that there are decendents of the Forerunners and they want to kill them all off so there won't be civil war. So there is this huge twist which is the whole reason all the other events happen.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Week 6 Posts A/B
Vocab
Chitinous (227) - somewhat translucent
Reliquary (236) - A box or other container for relics.
Figurative Language
1) "Extending back from the wheel was the beginnings of a chassis. Loops of wire and circuit boards pilfered from the bay hung from the neatly welded frame, awaiting placement of the engine, whatever that was going to be...." (230). This is an example of imagery because the reader can imagine the plow being built and what it looks like.
2) "These are the Ages of our Covenant - the cycle we must complete again and again as we strive to follow Those Who Walked the Path" (224)! This is an example of personification. This specific quote is describing a relic and the characters are personifying it with these god-like traits.
3) "Just hearing his Staff Sergeant's name made Jenkins' stomach churn. He and the rest of the recruits had spent the day bellyaching about the heat, unaware they'd been resting between the jaws of a well-set trap" (218). This is an example of foreshadowing because this quote specifically is hinting at an event that is about to happen.
Quote
"Part of him wished al-Cygni had included all the footage - shown the methane explosion and Avery's mad scramble away from the fireball - if only to prove to the recruits that sometimes caution was the better part of valor" (241). I thought this was an interesting quote because it's like government's in the status quo being bias with their propaganda. They show the good things that happen but never the bad things or the consequences. So I thought this quote was interesting.
Theme
The theme for this part of the book is really just the calm before the storm. Now I know technically that's not really a theme but it truly applies so that's why I have it. This part goes real in depth about the humans' preparation for this new alien species their about to encounter. So that's mostly what happens and this links back to the theme.
Post B
For this post I thought I would talk about an interesting quote I read. "Now that all three were out in the light, Avery noticed they each had different-colored- fur tufting through breaks in their armor. The leader's coat was light gray, almost silver. One of the escorts had dark brown fur and the other, tan. This second escort was actually a bit taller than the leader and more muscular, though Avery knew this was a bit like comparing two models of main battle tanks: one might weigh more than the other, but both would have no trouble flattening the 1/A recruits" (247). I thought it would be really interesting to picture actually meeting aliens with technology that is far more superior than your's. I mean just think about seeing these huge around 8ft tall gorilla type aliens that could crush your head with a hand, kinda scary. Connecting to the book is the point that Joseph also does a really good job describing the Brutes they get to be known as. For example he talks about one type of their weapon, a pistol that shoots plasma spikes and has two bayonets attached to the sides. Another example is their ships. He describes them as a H looking shape with a stasis field in the middle and a ball shaped turret near the cockpit. Also he describes it when it lands as the water being suddenly evaporated from the plasma etc... It's these kinds of descriptions that makes the characters, vehicles etc feel more real and make the antagonists feel like this huge powerful juggernaut. So all in all this section is the calm before the storm as I talked about before and the descriptions really help to enhance the mood of the events happening and about to happen.
Chitinous (227) - somewhat translucent
Reliquary (236) - A box or other container for relics.
Figurative Language
1) "Extending back from the wheel was the beginnings of a chassis. Loops of wire and circuit boards pilfered from the bay hung from the neatly welded frame, awaiting placement of the engine, whatever that was going to be...." (230). This is an example of imagery because the reader can imagine the plow being built and what it looks like.
2) "These are the Ages of our Covenant - the cycle we must complete again and again as we strive to follow Those Who Walked the Path" (224)! This is an example of personification. This specific quote is describing a relic and the characters are personifying it with these god-like traits.
3) "Just hearing his Staff Sergeant's name made Jenkins' stomach churn. He and the rest of the recruits had spent the day bellyaching about the heat, unaware they'd been resting between the jaws of a well-set trap" (218). This is an example of foreshadowing because this quote specifically is hinting at an event that is about to happen.
Quote
"Part of him wished al-Cygni had included all the footage - shown the methane explosion and Avery's mad scramble away from the fireball - if only to prove to the recruits that sometimes caution was the better part of valor" (241). I thought this was an interesting quote because it's like government's in the status quo being bias with their propaganda. They show the good things that happen but never the bad things or the consequences. So I thought this quote was interesting.
Theme
The theme for this part of the book is really just the calm before the storm. Now I know technically that's not really a theme but it truly applies so that's why I have it. This part goes real in depth about the humans' preparation for this new alien species their about to encounter. So that's mostly what happens and this links back to the theme.
Post B
For this post I thought I would talk about an interesting quote I read. "Now that all three were out in the light, Avery noticed they each had different-colored- fur tufting through breaks in their armor. The leader's coat was light gray, almost silver. One of the escorts had dark brown fur and the other, tan. This second escort was actually a bit taller than the leader and more muscular, though Avery knew this was a bit like comparing two models of main battle tanks: one might weigh more than the other, but both would have no trouble flattening the 1/A recruits" (247). I thought it would be really interesting to picture actually meeting aliens with technology that is far more superior than your's. I mean just think about seeing these huge around 8ft tall gorilla type aliens that could crush your head with a hand, kinda scary. Connecting to the book is the point that Joseph also does a really good job describing the Brutes they get to be known as. For example he talks about one type of their weapon, a pistol that shoots plasma spikes and has two bayonets attached to the sides. Another example is their ships. He describes them as a H looking shape with a stasis field in the middle and a ball shaped turret near the cockpit. Also he describes it when it lands as the water being suddenly evaporated from the plasma etc... It's these kinds of descriptions that makes the characters, vehicles etc feel more real and make the antagonists feel like this huge powerful juggernaut. So all in all this section is the calm before the storm as I talked about before and the descriptions really help to enhance the mood of the events happening and about to happen.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Week 5 Posts A/B
Vocab
Rampant (177) - unrestrained and violent
Assemblage (182) - hookup: a system of components assembled together for a particular purpose
Figurative Language
1) "Of all the Sangheili's restrictions. not letting a Huragok join his crew had been the most crippling. But now here one was. And although it would be a serious crime to let the creature fix intentionally disabled systems, not even the Sangheili could complain if it made necessary repairs" (204). This is an example of foreshadowing. It is showing an event that will happen later on in the book
2) "But then came the revelation that the pod's life-support system was fatally flawed. And after many cycles without sign of rescue, Dadab had slunk into a deep depression. I will die, he moaned, adrift in a mess of crumpled food pouches" (190). This is another example of foreshadowing. It's shows a possible event that could happen later on in the book.
3) "Like everything else about her avatar, its eyes and ears were strictly for show. But as fluorescent strip-lights flickered on above the projector, Sif availed herself of the center's cameras and microphones, and used them to properly animate her avatar's face as she inspected her surroundings" (178). This is an example of imagery. It shows what a character in the book looks like and it gives the reader that specific image.
Quote
"In this respect, Maccabeus knew, it was the Sangheili who had the last laugh. His crew did have limited technical ability. They had struggled just to keep Rapid Conversions limited systems from falling apart, and the once-mighty vessel really was nothing more than the Ministry of Tranquility survey tug the Sangheili allowed it to be" (201). I just posted this quote not because it's important or anything but I thought it was interesting. It shows the inequality going on between the antagonists.
Theme
This part of the book had an emerging theme of the antagonists really being in the spotlight. Not only that but it shows this huge technologically advanced civilization that is so advanced and yet they have these problems with equality when it comes to different species. So because of this I put it as the theme.
Post B
For this weeks Post B I thought I would comment on a quote I found in the sections. The quote is, "As part of the specie's confirmation process, some of the Sangheili Commanders had declared their strong suspicion before the High Council that the Jiralhanae's pack mentality would invariably bring the two species into conflict. Dominant Jiralhanae always fought their way to the top, the Commander argued, and they didn't believe even the Covenant's rigid hierarchy would be sufficient to moderate their natural urges. Until they proved themselves subservient, whatever peaceful urges they had should be "aggressively encouraged." It was a reasonable argument, and the High Council imposed clear restrictions on the kinds of technology the Jiralhanae could use. And so, Maccabeus thought, did we set aside out of pride for a higher purpose" (199). I thought this was a really unique quote because it shows the paradox of having to give up rights to gain other rights. This is definitely linked to the real world whether it be the US and the rights we get or many other issues. You have to think about all the positive things you'll gain but you also have to consider the positive things your going to lose, there are a lot of opportunity costs. So even thought this book is fiction and people might see it as completely unrelated, there are actually many links and connections in the books to the real world. So that's why I put this quote here for this post and it's a good little paradox to think about.
Rampant (177) - unrestrained and violent
Assemblage (182) - hookup: a system of components assembled together for a particular purpose
Figurative Language
1) "Of all the Sangheili's restrictions. not letting a Huragok join his crew had been the most crippling. But now here one was. And although it would be a serious crime to let the creature fix intentionally disabled systems, not even the Sangheili could complain if it made necessary repairs" (204). This is an example of foreshadowing. It is showing an event that will happen later on in the book
2) "But then came the revelation that the pod's life-support system was fatally flawed. And after many cycles without sign of rescue, Dadab had slunk into a deep depression. I will die, he moaned, adrift in a mess of crumpled food pouches" (190). This is another example of foreshadowing. It's shows a possible event that could happen later on in the book.
3) "Like everything else about her avatar, its eyes and ears were strictly for show. But as fluorescent strip-lights flickered on above the projector, Sif availed herself of the center's cameras and microphones, and used them to properly animate her avatar's face as she inspected her surroundings" (178). This is an example of imagery. It shows what a character in the book looks like and it gives the reader that specific image.
Quote
"In this respect, Maccabeus knew, it was the Sangheili who had the last laugh. His crew did have limited technical ability. They had struggled just to keep Rapid Conversions limited systems from falling apart, and the once-mighty vessel really was nothing more than the Ministry of Tranquility survey tug the Sangheili allowed it to be" (201). I just posted this quote not because it's important or anything but I thought it was interesting. It shows the inequality going on between the antagonists.
Theme
This part of the book had an emerging theme of the antagonists really being in the spotlight. Not only that but it shows this huge technologically advanced civilization that is so advanced and yet they have these problems with equality when it comes to different species. So because of this I put it as the theme.
Post B
For this weeks Post B I thought I would comment on a quote I found in the sections. The quote is, "As part of the specie's confirmation process, some of the Sangheili Commanders had declared their strong suspicion before the High Council that the Jiralhanae's pack mentality would invariably bring the two species into conflict. Dominant Jiralhanae always fought their way to the top, the Commander argued, and they didn't believe even the Covenant's rigid hierarchy would be sufficient to moderate their natural urges. Until they proved themselves subservient, whatever peaceful urges they had should be "aggressively encouraged." It was a reasonable argument, and the High Council imposed clear restrictions on the kinds of technology the Jiralhanae could use. And so, Maccabeus thought, did we set aside out of pride for a higher purpose" (199). I thought this was a really unique quote because it shows the paradox of having to give up rights to gain other rights. This is definitely linked to the real world whether it be the US and the rights we get or many other issues. You have to think about all the positive things you'll gain but you also have to consider the positive things your going to lose, there are a lot of opportunity costs. So even thought this book is fiction and people might see it as completely unrelated, there are actually many links and connections in the books to the real world. So that's why I put this quote here for this post and it's a good little paradox to think about.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Week 4 Posts A/B
Vocab
Lustrous (159) - bright: made smooth and bright by or as if by rubbing; reflecting a sheen or glow
Audacious (127) - invulnerable to fear or intimidation
Figurative Language
1) "He remembered the alien's ruby eyes and sharpened teeth, the ball of plasma building on it's pistol like a shiny apple. (163)" This example of figurative language is a simile. It uses like to compare to types of things.
2) "The mottled stonework shone of a single hologram high above: a canopy of diamond-shaped leaves that rustled in a simulated breeze. (143)" This is an example of imagery. It lets the reader see what the setting looks like and it allows a mental picture.
3) "You want to shoot, you'll get your chance. He didn't have the heart to add: a whole lot sooner than you think. (139)" This is an example of foreshadowing. It is predicting an event that will happen later on in the book.
quote
"Jenkins also saw the militia as his ticket off of Harvest-a way to escape the thousands of acres of grain that he (as the eldest of three children) was destined to inherit. Farming wasn't a bad future, but it wasn't a very exciting one either. And that's why, even though the Staff Sergeants scared the hell out of him, Jenkins very much wanted to be them- a real soldier. Not because of any deep-seeded patriotism, but because of the imagined adventure of life as a UNSC marine. (137)" I just thought this quote was interesting not because there's any significance to it or anything but just because it was unique.
Theme
There wasn't really a big theme to this part of the book. The reason is though that this section is the calm before the storm so it was setting up the scenario for the next parts of the book to occur.
Post B
For this post I thought I would comment on the author's writing style. First off I have a quote which I think will help. "Avery didn't have time to adjust his aim before one of the trailing aliens slammed into him, slashing with some sort of crystal knife. He parried the knife with the barrel of his rifle as their helmets cracked together. Avery's helmet began to shake, and for a moment he thought the visor was about to shatter. Then he looked the alien square in the face and realized the vibrations were simply the transference of the creature's silent, livid scream... (129)" I chose this specific quote because it shows one aspect of Joseph's style. At least in my mind I find it intriguing because you have these peaceful moments and in the next instant there could be some huge event going on. There's also so much description that it really helps create a picture in your mind about what these characters are feeling and experiencing. Especially for me I really enjoy books that have a lot of action in them but at the same time also have a lot of different points of view because then you get to experience not only what the main character is experiencing but also what other characters are feeling such as the antagonist. Also on that line there is also a clear distinction between when action happens and when there is an emotional part so the book keeps you hooked because you don't get overwhelmed with too much action or too much of the emotional parts. So there is a good balance of everything all around and the book is really enjoyable.
Lustrous (159) - bright: made smooth and bright by or as if by rubbing; reflecting a sheen or glow
Audacious (127) - invulnerable to fear or intimidation
Figurative Language
1) "He remembered the alien's ruby eyes and sharpened teeth, the ball of plasma building on it's pistol like a shiny apple. (163)" This example of figurative language is a simile. It uses like to compare to types of things.
2) "The mottled stonework shone of a single hologram high above: a canopy of diamond-shaped leaves that rustled in a simulated breeze. (143)" This is an example of imagery. It lets the reader see what the setting looks like and it allows a mental picture.
3) "You want to shoot, you'll get your chance. He didn't have the heart to add: a whole lot sooner than you think. (139)" This is an example of foreshadowing. It is predicting an event that will happen later on in the book.
quote
"Jenkins also saw the militia as his ticket off of Harvest-a way to escape the thousands of acres of grain that he (as the eldest of three children) was destined to inherit. Farming wasn't a bad future, but it wasn't a very exciting one either. And that's why, even though the Staff Sergeants scared the hell out of him, Jenkins very much wanted to be them- a real soldier. Not because of any deep-seeded patriotism, but because of the imagined adventure of life as a UNSC marine. (137)" I just thought this quote was interesting not because there's any significance to it or anything but just because it was unique.
Theme
There wasn't really a big theme to this part of the book. The reason is though that this section is the calm before the storm so it was setting up the scenario for the next parts of the book to occur.
Post B
For this post I thought I would comment on the author's writing style. First off I have a quote which I think will help. "Avery didn't have time to adjust his aim before one of the trailing aliens slammed into him, slashing with some sort of crystal knife. He parried the knife with the barrel of his rifle as their helmets cracked together. Avery's helmet began to shake, and for a moment he thought the visor was about to shatter. Then he looked the alien square in the face and realized the vibrations were simply the transference of the creature's silent, livid scream... (129)" I chose this specific quote because it shows one aspect of Joseph's style. At least in my mind I find it intriguing because you have these peaceful moments and in the next instant there could be some huge event going on. There's also so much description that it really helps create a picture in your mind about what these characters are feeling and experiencing. Especially for me I really enjoy books that have a lot of action in them but at the same time also have a lot of different points of view because then you get to experience not only what the main character is experiencing but also what other characters are feeling such as the antagonist. Also on that line there is also a clear distinction between when action happens and when there is an emotional part so the book keeps you hooked because you don't get overwhelmed with too much action or too much of the emotional parts. So there is a good balance of everything all around and the book is really enjoyable.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Debate Evidence links etc...
http://66.102.1.104/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=cache:M52wprPtGSYJ:www.globalchange.umich.edu/gctext/Inquiries/Module%2520Activities/State%2520of%2520the%2520World/New%2520Energy%2520Future%25202003.pdf+The+United+States+federal+government+should+establish+an+energy+policy+requiring+a+substantial+reduction+in+the+total+non-gover (AFF)
http://instruct.tri-c.cc.oh.us/fgram/web/fossil.htm (AFF)
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/02/scientists_global_warning_man-made_here_to_stay/ (AFF)
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/06/biobutanol_--_another_biofuel_breakthrough/
(AFF)
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/solar.energy/index.html?iref=newssearch#cnnSTCText (AFF)
http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_basics.html (AFF)
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/08/fossil_fuels_better_for_enivronment_than_biofuels_/ (NEG)
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/02/so_were_you_lying_then_or_are_you_lying_now/ (NEG)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-05-08-natural-gas-usat_n.htm (AFF/NEG)
more to come...
http://instruct.tri-c.cc.oh.us/fgram/web/fossil.htm (AFF)
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/02/scientists_global_warning_man-made_here_to_stay/ (AFF)
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/06/biobutanol_--_another_biofuel_breakthrough/
(AFF)
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/solar.energy/index.html?iref=newssearch#cnnSTCText (AFF)
http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_basics.html (AFF)
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/08/fossil_fuels_better_for_enivronment_than_biofuels_/ (NEG)
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/02/so_were_you_lying_then_or_are_you_lying_now/ (NEG)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-05-08-natural-gas-usat_n.htm (AFF/NEG)
more to come...
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Week 3 Posts A/B
Vocab
turgid (89) - bloated: abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas
transgression (124) - the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle
Figurative Language
1) "[...] until he was sure the Huragok would tip it, even with a glancing blow" (91). This is an example of a metaphor because it is comparing it to something it actually isn't.
2) "Both of them fiddled with their energy cutlasses: pink crystal shards used as melee weapons" (98). This is an example of imagery. The reader can imagine the tools clearly with this example.
3) "But Avery had already noticed the woman many paces back - seen how her diaphanous silver shawl covered only part of her bare back. He slowed his pace to give himself time to remove his dress-cap and smooth his burr of hair" (121). Here is another example of imagery. You could easily imagine Avery in this ballroom with this lady with her silver shawl on etc...
Quote
"By the time Avery pulled the Warthog into the curved drive of Harvest's Parliament building, he knew a lot more about Captain Ponder. How fighting the Insurrection had forced him to miss his eldest son's wedding and the birth of his first grandchild-precious occasions he missed much more than his arm" (115). This quote relates to the theme. Even though this book is fiction there are a lot of connections to real life. It shows how soldiers miss so many important events that have a lot of sentimental value which they can never get back.
Theme
The theme in this part of the book is about the things soldiers feel. What I mean by this is like the quote and how they miss so many things which they can never get back. Then even if something terrible happens to them for example losing an arm they still care of course a lot more about missing family moments and other things.
Post B
For this post B I thought I would talk about what I think about the book so far and specifically this part of the book. At the beginning it started off with this huge action scene and it got me instantly hooked. Then the pace slowed down a lot and from there the details have just gotten better. What I meant by this is there was that action part and then it went into the actual story with a lot of descriptive details. Also the unique way Joseph Staten writes also hooked me in. The thing I like about this book is that a couple chapters are about Avery and the events he is experiencing and the next couple of chapters are about the Covenant who are the antagonists so you get this real good feeling of what both sides are going through and what they are experiencing. Also the beginning of the book was just a lot of descriptions but not a lot of action and now there are still those descriptions but their hidden under all the action that is currently going on in the book. Also as the book progresses throughout the book these little flashbacks happen of Avery's past and it really adds to the depth of the book as a whole. So I'm really enjoying the book and I can't wait to read more.
turgid (89) - bloated: abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas
transgression (124) - the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle
Figurative Language
1) "[...] until he was sure the Huragok would tip it, even with a glancing blow" (91). This is an example of a metaphor because it is comparing it to something it actually isn't.
2) "Both of them fiddled with their energy cutlasses: pink crystal shards used as melee weapons" (98). This is an example of imagery. The reader can imagine the tools clearly with this example.
3) "But Avery had already noticed the woman many paces back - seen how her diaphanous silver shawl covered only part of her bare back. He slowed his pace to give himself time to remove his dress-cap and smooth his burr of hair" (121). Here is another example of imagery. You could easily imagine Avery in this ballroom with this lady with her silver shawl on etc...
Quote
"By the time Avery pulled the Warthog into the curved drive of Harvest's Parliament building, he knew a lot more about Captain Ponder. How fighting the Insurrection had forced him to miss his eldest son's wedding and the birth of his first grandchild-precious occasions he missed much more than his arm" (115). This quote relates to the theme. Even though this book is fiction there are a lot of connections to real life. It shows how soldiers miss so many important events that have a lot of sentimental value which they can never get back.
Theme
The theme in this part of the book is about the things soldiers feel. What I mean by this is like the quote and how they miss so many things which they can never get back. Then even if something terrible happens to them for example losing an arm they still care of course a lot more about missing family moments and other things.
Post B
For this post B I thought I would talk about what I think about the book so far and specifically this part of the book. At the beginning it started off with this huge action scene and it got me instantly hooked. Then the pace slowed down a lot and from there the details have just gotten better. What I meant by this is there was that action part and then it went into the actual story with a lot of descriptive details. Also the unique way Joseph Staten writes also hooked me in. The thing I like about this book is that a couple chapters are about Avery and the events he is experiencing and the next couple of chapters are about the Covenant who are the antagonists so you get this real good feeling of what both sides are going through and what they are experiencing. Also the beginning of the book was just a lot of descriptions but not a lot of action and now there are still those descriptions but their hidden under all the action that is currently going on in the book. Also as the book progresses throughout the book these little flashbacks happen of Avery's past and it really adds to the depth of the book as a whole. So I'm really enjoying the book and I can't wait to read more.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Week 2 Posts A/B
Post A
Vocab
contorted (53) - twisted
autonomy (61) - The right or power to govern oneself; self-determination.
Figurative language
1) "Blond hair was starting to burr from his recently shaved head-like the first tufts of silk from an ear of corn" (63). This is a metaphor because it is giving the reader a picture of what the image looks like and it compares it to corn in this specific example.
2) "Avery could tell Ponder was a few inches shorter than he was, and a little less broad in the shoulders. He guessed the Captain's age was somewhere north of fifty. But with his buzz-cut, salt-and-pepper-hair, and well tanned skin, he looked as vital as a man half his age, except for the fact that he was missing his right arm" (80). This is imagery because it is describing a character really in depth so you can imagine what the captain looks like.
3) "Return to your stations! Chur'R-Yar screeched, her patience exhausted on the Deacon. Leave it all behind. The shipmistress gave the switch an angry smack. Then, with a rasp of her tongue only she could hear: Soon we will find much, much more" (59). This is an example of foreshadowing which I've found there is a lot of. But this talks about some things that happen later on in the book.
Quote
"The meds took hold, and Avery sunk deep[into sleep]. And his mind's eye picture show continued to roll.... A hauler jack-knifed in a roadside ditch, smoke belching from its burning engine. An initial round of cheers from the other marines in a checkpoint tower, thinking Avery had just nailed an Innie bomber. Then the realization that their ARGUS units had malfunctioned-that the hauler's dead civilian driver had done nothing but pick up the wrong load" (61). I choose this quote because I think it represents how we all do bad things intentionally or unintentionally but that's beside the point, the point is we do those things and they never really leave us even if we try to push them out of our minds
Theme
The emerging theme is like the quote above. The theme is we do things we regret but we can't change those things. Then afterwards you think of what you could have done even though you know you couldn't have really done anything.
differently.
Post B
For post B this week I thought I would comment on a quote I found which I think is important. The quote is, "If you listened to the carefully packaged UNSC propaganda, Innies were all the same sort of bad apple: after two centuries of common cause, isolated groups of ungrateful colonists began to agitate for greater autonomy-for the freedom to act in their individual worlds' best interests, not those of the empire at large" (61). I think it would be interesting to see what people think about this quote. I mean either you agree that they should be able to do what they want or you believe in the larger picture that because the "empire" is protecting them they should have to follow the same rules as everybody else. Later on in this quote it talks about how a lot of people at first sympathized with them because they just wanted the best for their planet and family but then there were rising tensions because they started getting more violent and it led from a political battle to a actual violent physical encounter. So because of that I think that could change some people's views. Personally I think they don't have a right to go against the bigger form of government. I mean they are being protected and get food, supplies etc from this bigger form of government so what gives them this right to fight back. Especially since their now violent and killing innocent civilians they shouldn't have the right to do that stuff but once what do you guys think?
Vocab
contorted (53) - twisted
autonomy (61) - The right or power to govern oneself; self-determination.
Figurative language
1) "Blond hair was starting to burr from his recently shaved head-like the first tufts of silk from an ear of corn" (63). This is a metaphor because it is giving the reader a picture of what the image looks like and it compares it to corn in this specific example.
2) "Avery could tell Ponder was a few inches shorter than he was, and a little less broad in the shoulders. He guessed the Captain's age was somewhere north of fifty. But with his buzz-cut, salt-and-pepper-hair, and well tanned skin, he looked as vital as a man half his age, except for the fact that he was missing his right arm" (80). This is imagery because it is describing a character really in depth so you can imagine what the captain looks like.
3) "Return to your stations! Chur'R-Yar screeched, her patience exhausted on the Deacon. Leave it all behind. The shipmistress gave the switch an angry smack. Then, with a rasp of her tongue only she could hear: Soon we will find much, much more" (59). This is an example of foreshadowing which I've found there is a lot of. But this talks about some things that happen later on in the book.
Quote
"The meds took hold, and Avery sunk deep[into sleep]. And his mind's eye picture show continued to roll.... A hauler jack-knifed in a roadside ditch, smoke belching from its burning engine. An initial round of cheers from the other marines in a checkpoint tower, thinking Avery had just nailed an Innie bomber. Then the realization that their ARGUS units had malfunctioned-that the hauler's dead civilian driver had done nothing but pick up the wrong load" (61). I choose this quote because I think it represents how we all do bad things intentionally or unintentionally but that's beside the point, the point is we do those things and they never really leave us even if we try to push them out of our minds
Theme
The emerging theme is like the quote above. The theme is we do things we regret but we can't change those things. Then afterwards you think of what you could have done even though you know you couldn't have really done anything.
differently.
Post B
For post B this week I thought I would comment on a quote I found which I think is important. The quote is, "If you listened to the carefully packaged UNSC propaganda, Innies were all the same sort of bad apple: after two centuries of common cause, isolated groups of ungrateful colonists began to agitate for greater autonomy-for the freedom to act in their individual worlds' best interests, not those of the empire at large" (61). I think it would be interesting to see what people think about this quote. I mean either you agree that they should be able to do what they want or you believe in the larger picture that because the "empire" is protecting them they should have to follow the same rules as everybody else. Later on in this quote it talks about how a lot of people at first sympathized with them because they just wanted the best for their planet and family but then there were rising tensions because they started getting more violent and it led from a political battle to a actual violent physical encounter. So because of that I think that could change some people's views. Personally I think they don't have a right to go against the bigger form of government. I mean they are being protected and get food, supplies etc from this bigger form of government so what gives them this right to fight back. Especially since their now violent and killing innocent civilians they shouldn't have the right to do that stuff but once what do you guys think?
Monday, November 12, 2007
Week 1 Post B
For this post I thought I would talk about the beginning of the book and what my first impressions are. The beginning starts off with this huge bang literally but you have to read the book to find out what happens (or just ask me). Anyway the book cuts right to the chase with this really action packed scene with a lot of imagery mixed in as well. To tell you the truth it kind of caught me off guard but I enjoyed reading it none the less. Then we have our main character Avery who I instantly liked right from the start. He's this smart battled hardened marine and you experience everything with him including the high points and the lows. You experience the emotions he goes through as well. But the thing I thought was really unique is that you'll be with Avery in a couple of chapter and then the next couple switch point of views and your with a completely different person and they keep going back and fourth. So at the end of a chapter your left with this mini cliff hanger and you have to keep reading to find out what happens. Since it is just the beginning I thought the action would start later but it started right away as I said before and it's still going strong. So, so far I'm loving everything about the book from the action to the hidden symbols and everything in between and so far I definitely recommend reading this book!
Week 1 Post A
Vocab
sunder (36) - break apart or in two, using violence
kinesthetic (33) - refers to the ability of the body's sensory organs in the muscles, tendons, and joints to respond to stimuli
Figurative Language
1) "lukewarm gusts that hammered up the east-west blocks of tumbledown gray-stone apartments, scattering the Autumn leaves of the sidewalk maples" (38). This shows imagery because you can picture this scene almost perfectly with the warm climate and the apartments with the sidewalk having the maples and combining everything with the season being Autumn.
2) "The rift remained open after the freighter disappeared, in its shimmering edges warping around the surrounding stars..." (36). This is a metaphor because the rift didn't literally do the warping around the stars but that what it looked like so it shows a metaphor.
3) "Memories had a habit of coming back, and this was a scene he would rather not revisit" (15). I'm pretty sure foreshadowing is figurative language and this is exactly what that is. You find out later in some events he's in that they were related to this quote so it shows foreshadowing.
Quote
"But they all served the same purpose: it was easier to kill another human being when you didn't think of them as human" (11). I thought this was a really powerful and important quote so that's why I chose it. Even though this book is futuristic etc.. this quote still applies to our world even today.
Theme
The theme connects to my quote in the sense of war. What I mean by this is on a campaign mission Avery is trying to hunt down this group of Insurgents and it leads him to this restaurant. Now I don't want to give too much away but things turn out for the worst and months later Avery still thinks about the way things could of been, all the lives he could have saved. So this is the theme of take chances so you don't regret the choice you make later on referring to All My Sons for example.
sunder (36) - break apart or in two, using violence
kinesthetic (33) - refers to the ability of the body's sensory organs in the muscles, tendons, and joints to respond to stimuli
Figurative Language
1) "lukewarm gusts that hammered up the east-west blocks of tumbledown gray-stone apartments, scattering the Autumn leaves of the sidewalk maples" (38). This shows imagery because you can picture this scene almost perfectly with the warm climate and the apartments with the sidewalk having the maples and combining everything with the season being Autumn.
2) "The rift remained open after the freighter disappeared, in its shimmering edges warping around the surrounding stars..." (36). This is a metaphor because the rift didn't literally do the warping around the stars but that what it looked like so it shows a metaphor.
3) "Memories had a habit of coming back, and this was a scene he would rather not revisit" (15). I'm pretty sure foreshadowing is figurative language and this is exactly what that is. You find out later in some events he's in that they were related to this quote so it shows foreshadowing.
Quote
"But they all served the same purpose: it was easier to kill another human being when you didn't think of them as human" (11). I thought this was a really powerful and important quote so that's why I chose it. Even though this book is futuristic etc.. this quote still applies to our world even today.
Theme
The theme connects to my quote in the sense of war. What I mean by this is on a campaign mission Avery is trying to hunt down this group of Insurgents and it leads him to this restaurant. Now I don't want to give too much away but things turn out for the worst and months later Avery still thinks about the way things could of been, all the lives he could have saved. So this is the theme of take chances so you don't regret the choice you make later on referring to All My Sons for example.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Week 5 Post B
For this last post I thought I would talk about the book in general and what I thought about it. When I first started to red it, it seemed generic in the sense that the book is about a soldier and he is going into combat. But once I started reading more and more it became a lot more than just that. As I've talked about before in other posts because Burgett wrote this right after it happened to him the events are clear and precise. Not only that but also you can feel the emotion in the book compared to if he had written it now which would probably have meant the he might have lefts some things out on accident and there wouldn't have been as much emotion.
Also for the plot it's self, I thought it was interesting and not just because these are real events but also because you can really see the transformation throughout the book. What I mean by this is at the beginning there is this huge underdog feeling and by the end you have a real sense of accomplishment or comeback. Also going back to the plot, you truly feel like your in those situations with him and I think that because he wrote it right after the events happened it really helped the book. So in conclusion I thought it was an excellent read and if you like war or even history books then you should definitely check this one out.
Also for the plot it's self, I thought it was interesting and not just because these are real events but also because you can really see the transformation throughout the book. What I mean by this is at the beginning there is this huge underdog feeling and by the end you have a real sense of accomplishment or comeback. Also going back to the plot, you truly feel like your in those situations with him and I think that because he wrote it right after the events happened it really helped the book. So in conclusion I thought it was an excellent read and if you like war or even history books then you should definitely check this one out.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Week 5 Post A
Vocab
Meager (230) - not enough in amount or quantity; insufficient
Bivouac (210) - camp: temporary living quarters
Appeals
1. "The Christmas card leaflet showed a picture of a sad faced little girl with big, sad eyes and long hair. A tear showed on one of her cheeks..." (201). First off this is talking about the Germans and how they dropped leaflets with propaganda on them. He talks about how even thought the Germans knew they were losing they dropped this leaflets saying if you bring these to them they'll take you as a prisoner for the rest of the war and you'll be safe . Now obviously that isn't true which leads me to saying that this is very much an emotional appeal.
2. "The Germans had propaganda for every personality type. What they hadn't counted on was that we were angry and stubborn enough to stay in Bastogne and fight to the last man" (202). This connects to the previous appeal and I thought I would put more support in just because I think this is a major theme so I thought I would reiterate it.
3. "Their grand plan was a shambles. Now, the best they could hope for was to stall us and hold open a corridor through which they could withdraw their troops and armor back into Germany for a last stand ub their homeland" (217). This is an emotional and logical appeal because it has the facts but not only that but also it's starting to sum up the events and how the Germans only can do so much now because the Americans are advancing and the war is coming to a end.
Quote
"We existed in an alien world of constant horror, misery, and death. There was no escape. We could be dead the next minute, and we had to live with that threat twenty-four hours a day" (205). I picked this quote because I thought it was really powerful and that it's not only true for this book but it also applies to the status quo as well. Any war the soldiers are just regular people and they have to live with this emotion or whatever you want to call it so that's why I picked this quote.
Theme
The theme for not only this section but the book as a whole would have to be the quote I picked. It's always present and it always applies so there's no real way to get around it. It's an interesting concept to think of and frightening as well.
Meager (230) - not enough in amount or quantity; insufficient
Bivouac (210) - camp: temporary living quarters
Appeals
1. "The Christmas card leaflet showed a picture of a sad faced little girl with big, sad eyes and long hair. A tear showed on one of her cheeks..." (201). First off this is talking about the Germans and how they dropped leaflets with propaganda on them. He talks about how even thought the Germans knew they were losing they dropped this leaflets saying if you bring these to them they'll take you as a prisoner for the rest of the war and you'll be safe . Now obviously that isn't true which leads me to saying that this is very much an emotional appeal.
2. "The Germans had propaganda for every personality type. What they hadn't counted on was that we were angry and stubborn enough to stay in Bastogne and fight to the last man" (202). This connects to the previous appeal and I thought I would put more support in just because I think this is a major theme so I thought I would reiterate it.
3. "Their grand plan was a shambles. Now, the best they could hope for was to stall us and hold open a corridor through which they could withdraw their troops and armor back into Germany for a last stand ub their homeland" (217). This is an emotional and logical appeal because it has the facts but not only that but also it's starting to sum up the events and how the Germans only can do so much now because the Americans are advancing and the war is coming to a end.
Quote
"We existed in an alien world of constant horror, misery, and death. There was no escape. We could be dead the next minute, and we had to live with that threat twenty-four hours a day" (205). I picked this quote because I thought it was really powerful and that it's not only true for this book but it also applies to the status quo as well. Any war the soldiers are just regular people and they have to live with this emotion or whatever you want to call it so that's why I picked this quote.
Theme
The theme for not only this section but the book as a whole would have to be the quote I picked. It's always present and it always applies so there's no real way to get around it. It's an interesting concept to think of and frightening as well.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Week 4 Post B
For this post I thought I would talk about the actual section and how I perceived it. As I talked about before in my other post I don’t want to give too much away but this section was very much a turning point. Once again it made me think of the large amount of things they lacked and how they still were successful. Throughout the book the Americans have been on the defensive side using every single once of their resources to put them at 100 percent efficiency. But they still got through all those obstacles and now finally they have the things they were missing and it’s a huge turning point. It’s hard to go into details about what actually happens but Burgett talks about how the Germans have pretty much had the advantage most if not all of the time.
For example in my last post I had a quote of him talking about how they had to go clear out a wooded area but the Germans had been in there for 2 days and so it had given them much time to dig in and prepare themselves. Evevn after all of that they still excel with their mission and when the aircrafts finally get the chance they drop down supplies and other things. Which means that it boosts moral and also reduces the need for using everything carefully.So this leads to a major theme as well, even if you don’t have things that are necessities and your on the defensive side of whatever your doing, if you keep working at it and stay persistent, eventually you will be successful.
For example in my last post I had a quote of him talking about how they had to go clear out a wooded area but the Germans had been in there for 2 days and so it had given them much time to dig in and prepare themselves. Evevn after all of that they still excel with their mission and when the aircrafts finally get the chance they drop down supplies and other things. Which means that it boosts moral and also reduces the need for using everything carefully.So this leads to a major theme as well, even if you don’t have things that are necessities and your on the defensive side of whatever your doing, if you keep working at it and stay persistent, eventually you will be successful.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Week 4 Post A
Vocab
Asgard (166) - In Norse myth, the heavenly city where the great gods lived. (in other words the equivalent of heaven)
Grandeur (172) - magnificence: the quality of being magnificent or splendid or grand
Appeals
"I hit the ground hard after a short run and was searching for a target when another German, not more than three feet in front of me, raised his head up and looked me straight in the eyes" (157). This is a logical appeal because it has the facts in it but more than that it gives the reader a idea of their settings. It shows how the German's suits were so light and with the snow falling they couldn't see them at all.
"When he took off, something hit me in the right hip. I figured figured it was him kicking me as he left the slight hollow we were in, and I let it go as that. Later that night I found a bullet stuck in the flesh of my right hip...." (161). This is a emotional appeal because there is a lot more to this situation and so it shows how that situation would be like. It shows how the rush of the moment changed the situation.
"The fighting seemed to be all but over. T stood there dazed, looking around at the carnage. How could this be? I was still alive. After all the battles I had taken part in, after seeing the deaths of so many comrades, I was still alive" (165). I don't really know how to respond to that but it definitely is an emotional appeal. I'm interested in what you guys think so please leave a comment.
Quote
"The Germans had been in the woods almost two days long, enough for them to dig foxholes and bunkers and camouflage them so that they were almost invisible" (154). I picked this quote because I thought it was really significant. It shows how the soldiers were kind of winging it with foreign terrain and being low on ammo, clothes, and even food. I thought it really helped with the mood of this section.
Theme
I don't want to give too much away but a huge theme in this part of the book was perseverance and hard work do pay off. This section is the turning point in the war and in the book it's self. The American soldiers are finally getting air support and extra supplies and it's helping the soldiers attitudes immensely.
Asgard (166) - In Norse myth, the heavenly city where the great gods lived. (in other words the equivalent of heaven)
Grandeur (172) - magnificence: the quality of being magnificent or splendid or grand
Appeals
"I hit the ground hard after a short run and was searching for a target when another German, not more than three feet in front of me, raised his head up and looked me straight in the eyes" (157). This is a logical appeal because it has the facts in it but more than that it gives the reader a idea of their settings. It shows how the German's suits were so light and with the snow falling they couldn't see them at all.
"When he took off, something hit me in the right hip. I figured figured it was him kicking me as he left the slight hollow we were in, and I let it go as that. Later that night I found a bullet stuck in the flesh of my right hip...." (161). This is a emotional appeal because there is a lot more to this situation and so it shows how that situation would be like. It shows how the rush of the moment changed the situation.
"The fighting seemed to be all but over. T stood there dazed, looking around at the carnage. How could this be? I was still alive. After all the battles I had taken part in, after seeing the deaths of so many comrades, I was still alive" (165). I don't really know how to respond to that but it definitely is an emotional appeal. I'm interested in what you guys think so please leave a comment.
Quote
"The Germans had been in the woods almost two days long, enough for them to dig foxholes and bunkers and camouflage them so that they were almost invisible" (154). I picked this quote because I thought it was really significant. It shows how the soldiers were kind of winging it with foreign terrain and being low on ammo, clothes, and even food. I thought it really helped with the mood of this section.
Theme
I don't want to give too much away but a huge theme in this part of the book was perseverance and hard work do pay off. This section is the turning point in the war and in the book it's self. The American soldiers are finally getting air support and extra supplies and it's helping the soldiers attitudes immensely.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Week 3 Post B
"At least twenty tanks moved into our positions. One of them, a Panther, headed straight for our foxhole. Its left track crunched over our hole, crumbling dirt down on us. Speer and I crouched low in the bottom of our hole, tucking our heads close to our chests, making ourselves as small as possible. We didn't dare look up. We could only clutch our rifles and wait for it to pass. It stopped. We were trapped in a hole in frozen ground, and the only way out was covered by the steel track of an enemy tank. If he gets hit and burns, we'll be roasted alive, I told Speer."
I thought for post B I would talk about this quote which I thought represented this section well. He talks about what it felt like and at least in my mind I thought that would be terrifying. He talks about how in Summer tanks would get over foxholes and just grind the treads crushing the dirt and killing the soldier trapped underneath. Also when the ground is frozen he said the tanks would go over the foxholes and suffocate the soldiers underneath or put their exhausts over the holes giving off carbon monoxide. What my point is thought is that this quote is really important to the feeling and environment of the book because things like this happen and even things that are worse. Not only that but when I'm reading I can imagine and picture the things that are going on and I feel like I'm there almost like watching a movie.
I thought for post B I would talk about this quote which I thought represented this section well. He talks about what it felt like and at least in my mind I thought that would be terrifying. He talks about how in Summer tanks would get over foxholes and just grind the treads crushing the dirt and killing the soldier trapped underneath. Also when the ground is frozen he said the tanks would go over the foxholes and suffocate the soldiers underneath or put their exhausts over the holes giving off carbon monoxide. What my point is thought is that this quote is really important to the feeling and environment of the book because things like this happen and even things that are worse. Not only that but when I'm reading I can imagine and picture the things that are going on and I feel like I'm there almost like watching a movie.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Week 3 Post A
Vocab
Panzerfausts (105) - Disposable German antitank rocket launcher
Agnostic (105) - one who believes nothing which cannot be demonstrated by the senses.
Appeals
1. "Again he went quietly among the enemy until he located another tank in the same manner. Following the same procedure he let fly another rocket and another German tank went up in flames" (101). This is an emotional appeal because it shows the reader just how desperate they must of have to one of their guys get out of hiding, go behind enemy lines, and face multiple tanks.
2. "Stop that tank! Stop that tank! Chmiliewski roared. He was so frustrated with rafe that he ran after the tank, firing carbine at the heavy armor. He stopped only when the tank outdistanced him and he realized the futility of his attempt to catch and destroy it. When he returned to us we could see tears streaming down his face" (104). Like the appeal before this it is emotional because they were pretty much sitting ducks and they couldn't do anything so it connects to the reader.
3. "Back in Noville we were completely surrounded, cut off altogether from the rest of the 101st Airborne Division and the other defenders in and around Bastogne to our south. We no longer had radio contact. We were on our own" (111). This is a logical and emotional appeal because it has the facts but also it shows just how much they were outnumbered and everything else so the reader sees this.
Quote
"At least twenty tanks moved into our positions. One of them, a Panther, headed straight for our foxhole. Its left track crunched over our hole, crumbling dirt down on us. Speer and I crouched low in the bottom of our hole, tucking our heads close to our chests, making ourselves as small as possible. We didn't dare look up. We could only clutch our rifles and wait for it to pass. It stopped. We were trapped in a hole in frozen ground, and the only way out was covered by the steel track of an enemy tank. If he gets hit and burns, we'll be roasted alive, I told Speer." I choose this quote because I thought it was significant to not only the book as a whole but also the theme.
Theme
As my quote shows a very powerful theme is the events and the surroundings that were present to those soldiers. For example the tank incident would be terrifying and there are a lot of other things that he talks about that are just as bad or even worse than the tank problem. So it shows all the tough situations they had to deal with.
Panzerfausts (105) - Disposable German antitank rocket launcher
Agnostic (105) - one who believes nothing which cannot be demonstrated by the senses.
Appeals
1. "Again he went quietly among the enemy until he located another tank in the same manner. Following the same procedure he let fly another rocket and another German tank went up in flames" (101). This is an emotional appeal because it shows the reader just how desperate they must of have to one of their guys get out of hiding, go behind enemy lines, and face multiple tanks.
2. "Stop that tank! Stop that tank! Chmiliewski roared. He was so frustrated with rafe that he ran after the tank, firing carbine at the heavy armor. He stopped only when the tank outdistanced him and he realized the futility of his attempt to catch and destroy it. When he returned to us we could see tears streaming down his face" (104). Like the appeal before this it is emotional because they were pretty much sitting ducks and they couldn't do anything so it connects to the reader.
3. "Back in Noville we were completely surrounded, cut off altogether from the rest of the 101st Airborne Division and the other defenders in and around Bastogne to our south. We no longer had radio contact. We were on our own" (111). This is a logical and emotional appeal because it has the facts but also it shows just how much they were outnumbered and everything else so the reader sees this.
Quote
"At least twenty tanks moved into our positions. One of them, a Panther, headed straight for our foxhole. Its left track crunched over our hole, crumbling dirt down on us. Speer and I crouched low in the bottom of our hole, tucking our heads close to our chests, making ourselves as small as possible. We didn't dare look up. We could only clutch our rifles and wait for it to pass. It stopped. We were trapped in a hole in frozen ground, and the only way out was covered by the steel track of an enemy tank. If he gets hit and burns, we'll be roasted alive, I told Speer." I choose this quote because I thought it was significant to not only the book as a whole but also the theme.
Theme
As my quote shows a very powerful theme is the events and the surroundings that were present to those soldiers. For example the tank incident would be terrifying and there are a lot of other things that he talks about that are just as bad or even worse than the tank problem. So it shows all the tough situations they had to deal with.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Week 2 Post B
Now as I’m reading I’m getting deeper into the book and I thought I would comment on my thoughts and other things I was thinking or experiencing while I read this section for post B. In this part Donald explained not just the actual events with the facts but their (his company) and his personal feelings and emotions as well. He talks about how the city looked and what he saw in the city of Noville as they entered to help their soldiers while being bombarded with German Siege fare.
He describes the fog and the butterflies he felt as he was waiting for the order to go in and start attacking. But he also describes the broken buildings with the dead soldiers lying about and the wrecked vehicles hat are haphazardly scattered throughout the city. In one chapter he describes being in the city and a German tank is there and it is trying to kill them and how they barely survive and just the way he writes is really intriguing and as so it intrigues the reader and he finely mixes facts with emotions and so it actually feels like your there. Also because of his great attention to detail I could picture the entire scenes very well. So it is a really interesting book and I can’t wait to read more!
He describes the fog and the butterflies he felt as he was waiting for the order to go in and start attacking. But he also describes the broken buildings with the dead soldiers lying about and the wrecked vehicles hat are haphazardly scattered throughout the city. In one chapter he describes being in the city and a German tank is there and it is trying to kill them and how they barely survive and just the way he writes is really intriguing and as so it intrigues the reader and he finely mixes facts with emotions and so it actually feels like your there. Also because of his great attention to detail I could picture the entire scenes very well. So it is a really interesting book and I can’t wait to read more!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Week 2 Post A
Vocab
Anointed (55) - choose by or as if by divine intervention
Screaming Meemies (72) - German multibarreled, electrically fired rocket launchers called Nebelwerfers
Appeals
1. "Once fear strikes, it spreads like an epidemic, faster than a wildfire. Once the first man runs, others soon follow. Then it's all over; soon there are hordes of men running, all of them wild-eyed and driven by fear" (51). I would say this is a very much emotion appeal because it shows that there are the new recruits that have been pushed into combat and when they see their friends they start doing it too even if they don't know what's going on.
2. "Some of our men were armed with nothing more than a trench knife. On e trooper marching with us had only a stick-a tree limb he had picked up from the ground. He waved it menacingly and declared that he would replace it with a German weapon by nightfall" (53). I would say this is a logical and emotional appeal because it does have the fact but I would say it is more emotional because it shows the reader how truly under-equipped they were and how they had to pretty much use anything that was available to them to stay alive.
3. "Bastogne and it's seven roads had to be taken or the entire German offensive would fail. They would not be able to move their mechanized armies or the supplies needed to maintain their momentum without it." (67). This is a logical appeal because it gives the really important fact of why Bastogne was so important and that they were going to do anything tit took to hold it.
Quote
"Who could blame those men for being scared? Many of them were fresh from the States, pumped up with the idea that the war would be over by Christmas. Then thirty-eight heavily armed and armored German divisions had suddenly broken through their lines in a pre-dawn surprise attack in a last fierce attempt to save their country from defeat. Many Americans and their units were obliterated before they even knew they were under attack. These men had found themselves in the valley of death, and their faces showed it." I think this is a important quote because it connects with with theme in this part of the book. It shows that the Allies pretty much thought the war was over so a lot of new recruits joined for the glory and honor but they experienced something totally different.
Theme
A theme for this part of the book was that things can and are different than they seem and fear plays a huge role in events people partake in. So even if a person doesn't know what's going on but he sees his friend running away for example or putting away their stuff in class then there's a big chance that they will do it too and it will lead to a domino effect.
Anointed (55) - choose by or as if by divine intervention
Screaming Meemies (72) - German multibarreled, electrically fired rocket launchers called Nebelwerfers
Appeals
1. "Once fear strikes, it spreads like an epidemic, faster than a wildfire. Once the first man runs, others soon follow. Then it's all over; soon there are hordes of men running, all of them wild-eyed and driven by fear" (51). I would say this is a very much emotion appeal because it shows that there are the new recruits that have been pushed into combat and when they see their friends they start doing it too even if they don't know what's going on.
2. "Some of our men were armed with nothing more than a trench knife. On e trooper marching with us had only a stick-a tree limb he had picked up from the ground. He waved it menacingly and declared that he would replace it with a German weapon by nightfall" (53). I would say this is a logical and emotional appeal because it does have the fact but I would say it is more emotional because it shows the reader how truly under-equipped they were and how they had to pretty much use anything that was available to them to stay alive.
3. "Bastogne and it's seven roads had to be taken or the entire German offensive would fail. They would not be able to move their mechanized armies or the supplies needed to maintain their momentum without it." (67). This is a logical appeal because it gives the really important fact of why Bastogne was so important and that they were going to do anything tit took to hold it.
Quote
"Who could blame those men for being scared? Many of them were fresh from the States, pumped up with the idea that the war would be over by Christmas. Then thirty-eight heavily armed and armored German divisions had suddenly broken through their lines in a pre-dawn surprise attack in a last fierce attempt to save their country from defeat. Many Americans and their units were obliterated before they even knew they were under attack. These men had found themselves in the valley of death, and their faces showed it." I think this is a important quote because it connects with with theme in this part of the book. It shows that the Allies pretty much thought the war was over so a lot of new recruits joined for the glory and honor but they experienced something totally different.
Theme
A theme for this part of the book was that things can and are different than they seem and fear plays a huge role in events people partake in. So even if a person doesn't know what's going on but he sees his friend running away for example or putting away their stuff in class then there's a big chance that they will do it too and it will lead to a domino effect.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Week 1 Post B
For post B I thought I would talk about the author Donald R. Burgett. First off I just have to say that I’m really enjoying the book because of his attention to detail and I quote, “I wrote this account shortly after World War II while it was still fresh in my mind. Then I set it aside in a cardboard box, where it remained until just recently. It is not the time-fogged memories of an old paratrooper, but rather the recollections of a young man just home from the war transferred to crisp, clean paper from the time yellowed pages in which he first wrote them” (xi). So like I was saying because of this the book is very detailed from the setting to the men in his platoon and even the vehicles and other things.
Now into the actual book, Donald writes the book not like this is a old, old event but as if it just happened yesterday so there’s a unique feeling to it as you read it. Also he makes it interesting because it isn’t just a book with a timeline per se but it has his reactions and even his emotions to certain things like when they are getting reinforcements for their wounded he talks about this guy Speer who joins his group and he comments, “I didn’t like him when I first saw him. He was too short, too friendly, and he was homely” (10). He later goes on to explain how Speer was too willing to do the tasks assigned to him and how he never complained and it’s things like these little details that Donald puts thoroughly throughout that really catches the readers attention and keeps them hooked. He is an excellent writer with not only historical events and facts but also a personal and emotional side to the book as well which makes it a stupendous read.
Now into the actual book, Donald writes the book not like this is a old, old event but as if it just happened yesterday so there’s a unique feeling to it as you read it. Also he makes it interesting because it isn’t just a book with a timeline per se but it has his reactions and even his emotions to certain things like when they are getting reinforcements for their wounded he talks about this guy Speer who joins his group and he comments, “I didn’t like him when I first saw him. He was too short, too friendly, and he was homely” (10). He later goes on to explain how Speer was too willing to do the tasks assigned to him and how he never complained and it’s things like these little details that Donald puts thoroughly throughout that really catches the readers attention and keeps them hooked. He is an excellent writer with not only historical events and facts but also a personal and emotional side to the book as well which makes it a stupendous read.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Outside Reading Post A
Seven Roads To Hell: A Screaming Eagle At Bastogne by Donald R. Burgett
Vocab
Bastard Units (5) - military term for a unit not permanently assigned or attached to a higher field headquarters
Inexorably (7) [Inexorable] - grim: not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
Appeals
1. "At the onset, when others abandoned the front, we stood voluntarily in defense of Bastogne, just as our forefathers did at Bunker Hill and the Alamo. We stood against overwealming enemy manpower, firepower, and armor-and we held" (xi). This is an emotional appeal because it relates to the reader that they want to find out more and get more deep into the actual events.
2. "Ragged, cold, hungry, battered, low on ammunition and short of weapons, the men of the 101st Airborne Division held as ordered... We held as ordered one against nine, until our forces could gather themselves to enter the fray" (xii). I would consider this a logical and emotional appeal because it has facts, examples, and also it shows what kind of state they were in, which reaches out to the reader.
3. "Boots stayed soggy on our feet and trench foot prevailed. Our jumpsuits were filthy, ragged, and torn. We didn't have a real bath in all the seventy-two days we were in action" (6). This is a emotional appeal because it has incidents in it and it relates to the reader what they had to experience.
Quote
"Time after time I would see these same men at mail call, standing at the outer fringes of the group, looking, listening, waiting, eyeing each letter as a name was called and the letter was passed back from hand to hand to the recipient. But these few troopers, good men all, never received a letter. I knew one of those men pretty well and asked him one day if he ever received any mail. "Nope", he replied.
"Then why do you come to each mail call?" I asked.
"I don't know. It's just that someday, maybe . . ."
I thought this was a really important and significant quote in this part of the book I read because these paratroopers were so far away from home and family and friends they didn't really have anything to enjoy. They had to constantly worry about being attacked and the horrible conditions but little things even like packages from home were really important to all of them and so I thought it was an excellent quote.
Theme
I haven't really gotten into the core of the book yet but a very strong emerging theme seems to be all the emotional appeals about the actual events in the book but not only that but the conditions and all the hardships the soldiers had to go through just to survive another day.
Vocab
Bastard Units (5) - military term for a unit not permanently assigned or attached to a higher field headquarters
Inexorably (7) [Inexorable] - grim: not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
Appeals
1. "At the onset, when others abandoned the front, we stood voluntarily in defense of Bastogne, just as our forefathers did at Bunker Hill and the Alamo. We stood against overwealming enemy manpower, firepower, and armor-and we held" (xi). This is an emotional appeal because it relates to the reader that they want to find out more and get more deep into the actual events.
2. "Ragged, cold, hungry, battered, low on ammunition and short of weapons, the men of the 101st Airborne Division held as ordered... We held as ordered one against nine, until our forces could gather themselves to enter the fray" (xii). I would consider this a logical and emotional appeal because it has facts, examples, and also it shows what kind of state they were in, which reaches out to the reader.
3. "Boots stayed soggy on our feet and trench foot prevailed. Our jumpsuits were filthy, ragged, and torn. We didn't have a real bath in all the seventy-two days we were in action" (6). This is a emotional appeal because it has incidents in it and it relates to the reader what they had to experience.
Quote
"Time after time I would see these same men at mail call, standing at the outer fringes of the group, looking, listening, waiting, eyeing each letter as a name was called and the letter was passed back from hand to hand to the recipient. But these few troopers, good men all, never received a letter. I knew one of those men pretty well and asked him one day if he ever received any mail. "Nope", he replied.
"Then why do you come to each mail call?" I asked.
"I don't know. It's just that someday, maybe . . ."
I thought this was a really important and significant quote in this part of the book I read because these paratroopers were so far away from home and family and friends they didn't really have anything to enjoy. They had to constantly worry about being attacked and the horrible conditions but little things even like packages from home were really important to all of them and so I thought it was an excellent quote.
Theme
I haven't really gotten into the core of the book yet but a very strong emerging theme seems to be all the emotional appeals about the actual events in the book but not only that but the conditions and all the hardships the soldiers had to go through just to survive another day.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Welcome To My Blog
Hey, welcome everybody to my blog. Now this is my first blog so I don't know that much about blogs but hey I tried. This is the place to leave a lil hello message or just drop by and comment.
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