Literature Analysis: The Poisonwood Bible

General

1. The Poisonwood Bible is a novel about an American family that travels deep into the Congo based on a blinded belief that they would maintain their sanity.  The Price family consists of three very different daughters, a concerned mother and a misguided father.  By the end of the novel each family member, besides the father, comes to a distinct conclusion of just how powerful the Congo was in changing their lives.
2. The theme of The Poisonwood Bible develops from the idea that one cannot change something unless they change themselves first.  This theme is immediately noticed when the family first steps foot into the Congo.  Each family member believes that they can change the Congo when in actuality the Congo changes them.
3. "Orleanna Price, Southern Baptist by marriage, mother of children living and dead."  The author's tone is almost that of distress towards each character.  This quote is a perfect example of how the author is filled with near sadness for each character.  "When Noah woke up he got to hear the whole story from the tattletale brothers.  So Noah cursed all Ham's children to be slaves for ever and ever.  That's how come them to turn out dark."  Here the author again is describing a story through the eyes of the youngest daughter, Ruth Price.  Yet rather than that of a positive story Ruth talks of a dark tale of slaves.  "I could just feel the grit in my hair, which is so extremely fair it is prone to get stained.  Boy, what a place...For the flush commodes and the machine-washed clothes and other simple things in life I have took for granite."  Once again the author mentions the hardships that the characters had to endure.  In this case Rachel describes her physical features immediately affected by the new environment.
4.  Imagery-  "Just wet clumps stuffed in my mouth that I would have to chew into glue."  The family decides that in order to be respect they must eat the food that was laid out before them.  Rachel describes the experience in graphic detail.

• Diction-  "Silence had many advantages."  Adah was diagnosed with hemiplegia, yet instead of constant complaint she believed this.
• Direct Characterization- "He's handsome, sandy-haired type that people presume to be Scottish and energetic, though possibly fiery-tempered."  Here Leah describes her father in great detail.
• Indirect Characterization- "Color coordination is not a strong point.  Grown men and women seem to think a red plaid and a pink floral print are complementary colors."  This quote from Rachel adds to the idea that she is only concerned with material things, similiar to that of most modern teens.
• Repetition-  "Anything that ever was white is not white here.  That is not a color you see.  Even white flower opening up on a bush just looks doomed for this world."  The word "white" is used in this sentence numerous times because the author wants the reader to understand that color has no meaning in the Congo.
• Metaphor- "Sending a girl to college is like pouring water in your shoes, it's hard to say which is worse, seeing it run out and waste the water, or seeing it hold in and wreck the shoes."  Reverand Price's idea of school can be easily understood through this quote.
• Parable- "Feed the belly and the soul will come."  In this quote the Reverand wants the reader to understand that nutrition is required for spiritual guidance.
• Flashback/Foreshadowing- "I could have been a different mother, you'll say.  Could have straightened up and seen what was coming, for it was thick in the air all around us."  Orleanna has a flashback here and foreshadows future events to come.
• Comedic Relief- "Reverand, missionary work is a great bargain for Belgium but it is a hell of a way to deliver the social services."  The Doctor does not believe what the Reverand is doing is right however he expresses it through a light comment rather than through a rage.

Characterization

1.  Direct Characterization- "He's handsome, sandy-haired type that people presume to be Scottish and energetic, though possibly fiery-tempered."  Here Leah describes her father in great detail.

• Direct Characterization- "I inspected Anatole's special kind of face scarring instead...Around here the people seem content to settle for whatever scars life whangs them with as a decoration."  Anatole's scars are directly described in this quote.
• Indirect Characterization- "Color coordination is not a strong point.  Grown men and women seem to think a red plaid and a pink floral print are complementary colors."  This quote from Rachel adds to the idea that she is only concerned with material things, similar to that of most modern teens.
•  Indirect Characterization- "Maturing into a Christian lady."  When Leah reaches the age of fifteen she is described as "Maturing into a Christian Lady" which in reality means that she is becoming an honest and forthright woman.

1. "On the day of the hunt I came to know in the slick center of my bones this one thing: all animals kill   to survive, and we are animals."  When the character of Adah takes over as the author, the diction and syntax become simple and elementary yet they often deliver powerful meanings.  In the quote above Adah does not use any complicated diction or a complicated syntax yet she is able to portray the meaning of the sentence with ease.
2. There is not a single protagonist yet all the main characters are without a doubt dynamic.  They change drastically throughout the entire novel.  The main characters are also flat because they simply do not return to their original selves and therefore cannot be considered round.
3. After reading the novel I felt that I met each and every character.  The main reason for this was that each character had a distinct personality and I felt that even for a second I could relate to them.  Whether through their positive traits or their cynical beliefs, at one point or another I could somehow relate to each character.

Literature Analysis: Life of Pi

General

1.  Plot Summary:

2.  Themes:

3.  Yann Martel, the author of Life of Pi, creates quite an amazing novel simply by his use of tone.  “It is true that those we meet can change us, sometimes so profoundly that we are not the same afterwards, even unto our names.”  From this quote the reader is able to grasp the idea that the main character encounters some very important relationships.  “It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse."  Once again the reader is left with a sense that the author truly wants to make a difference in the way the reader perceives certain things in her/his own life. “You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it.”  Probably one of the most general cliches, however it does the job!

4.

• Rhetorical Question- “The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no?  Doesn't that make life a story?"  The reader is meant to discover the answer in their minds.
• Allusion- “I challenge anyone to understand Islam, its spirit, and not to love it. It is a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion."  The author expects the reader to somehow be familiar with Islam.
• Metaphor-“The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't biological necessity; it's envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can.”  Life and death are said to have a close relationship.
• Symbol- “Life will defend itself no matter how small it is.”  Life seen as a being rather than a thought
• Comedic Relief- “I love Canada...It is a great country much too cold for good sense, inhabited by compassionate, intelligent people with bad hairdos.”  The author is trying to make a valid point but ends the sentence with comedy instead.

Characterization

1. Indirect Characterization: "Just beyond the ticket booth Father had painted on a wall in bright red letters the question: DO YOU KNOW WHICH IS THE MOST DANGEROUS ANIMAL IN THE ZOO? An arrow pointed to a small curtain. There were so many eager, curious hands that pulled at the curtain that we had to replace it regularly. Behind it was a mirror."  Here the author is able to express the father's wit without making a direct description.

• Indirect Characterization: "Most likely the worst would happen: the simple passage of time, in which his animal toughness would easily outlast my human frailty."  Here the author reveals that Pi is completely conscience of his surroundings.

• Direct Characterization: "Richard Parker was tougher than I was in the face of these fish, and far more efficient. He raised himself and went about blocking, swiping and biting all the fish he could."  Here the author gives a direct description of Richard Parker as an expert hunter.
• Direct Characterization: "It came as an unmistakable indication to me of how low I had sunk the day I noticed, with a pinching of the heart, that I ate like an animal, that this noisy, frantic unchewing wolfing-down of mine was exactly the way Richard Parker ate."  In this quote the main character comes to a direct conclusion that he himself has become an animal.

1. The author's syntax and diction does not change when he decides to focus on the the description of a main character.  In fact for the most part it stays exactly the same.  "Suddenly his brute strength meant only moral weakness. It was nothing compared to the strength in my mind."  Here the author is portraying the different strengths of two characters, yet without changing the diction or syntax he is conveying the same message.
2. The protagonist is dynamic and round in his experiences yet he seems to be spiritually static.  Pi experiences incredible obstacles during his youth, however he remains constant in his faith towards a higher being.  This is what makes Pi such a special character.  Most characters drastically change when they go through something physically and mentally demanding.  Yet Pi remains humble throughout the entire novel which is why he is such a enjoyable character to view as a reader.
3. After reading the novel I certainly feel that I have met a person rather than read a character.  The reason for this is because Pi is someone that I would love to have a relationship with.  I feel as though he would be honest and sincere in every moment and there would be no dull moments with him.  Pi is without a doubt a very special character which is why I felt as if I had become close friends with him by the denouement of the novel. 

In Class AP Essay #4

In the novel The Kite Runner it is clear that the main character is profoundly affected by the traits of another character.  Amir, the main character of the novel constantly seeks the love of his father while his best friend, Hassan, seemingly receives love from Amir's father without doing anything special.  It is within the first chapters that an event occurs that changes the perspectives of all the characters in the novel.

Hassan is a perfect example of a trusted and loved character that actually becomes a foil to a main character.  Amir and Hassan are incredibly close however it seems to never hide the jealousy that Amir constantly holds for Hassan.  Amir's father is always distant in the life of Amir yet when the times that he is around Hassan he becomes very emotionally attached to him.  Yet the reader does not understand why Hassan is considered a foil of Amir until latter in the novel when it is relieved that Hassan is actually half-brothers with Amir.  This is the unique factor which makes Hassan such a powerful foil of Amir.  Although the author does not give Hassan specific traits to exemplify his foil abilities as a character, it is by this single event that Hassan has made such an impact in the life of Amir.

One of the most devastating events occurs when Hassan is rapped brutally by other kids.  Amir finds Hassan being rapped yet does nothing but watch.  This event once again develops the character of Hassan as a very distinct foil.  However this scene not only illuminates the character of Hassan an an even greater foil but it illuminates the theme of the novel as well.  After Hassan is banished for things he did not do, Amir spends the majority of the rest of his life on the road to redemption to recover the friend that he so dearly lost.  Due to this singular event the author illustrates that in order to live a full life free of regrets one must stay true to the love shared in a friendship.

Through both dramatic events the foil character of Hassan is revealed.  By experiencing both events Amir acknowledges the fact that the love created through friendship can never be broken.

It's getting close

I am going to be completely honest and say that this is the least amount of time I have studied outside of the classroom for an upcoming AP test.  However this is due to the fact that I feel actually confident about the test.  Over the past week I feel that my writing has gotten progressively better.  If I do not pass the exam it will not be because I was not prepared in the classroom but because I did not prepare outside of it.  It's getting close and I believe I am ready...

In Class AP Essay #3