Final Blog Reflection!

This year, it was required for me to write a blog post every week on what I was reading and my thoughts on it. It helped me grow as a reader in many ways. It helped me think about what I was reading more deeply. Through blogging, I learned about the different things that I as a reader pay attention to. For example, I noticed that I often notice changes in character and the author’s choices. But in addition, I learned about new ways to think about my book and also what other people think.

From blogging, I think I benefited a lot. It got me into the habit of reading between the lines to look for deeper meanings and also taught me to think and make connections as I read. Even though sometimes blogging was difficult and time consuming, it really helped me understand my reading better and develop greater connections with my books.

Writing online is very similar to writing in my notebook, in my opinion. However, I think that I put in more effort to my blog posts than my notebook entries because I know that they are published online and that all my classmates and teachers can read them. I think that writing online is also in a way more liberating because I enjoy publishing my thoughts.

However, I do think that speaking online can be abused. It allows people to say things that they may be to afraid to say in person, which can be a good thing, but it can also have very negative affects. But although a majority of it might be kids, it is not exclusively kids who use the Internet to say negative things about people that they would not say in person. People say things online so that they do not have to see the person’s reaction that they are insulting, because that often makes them feel very guilty. Also, it can be easier to do something anonymously online. But, it can also be easier to say compliments and speak your mind online because there are less people who will judge you.

Next year, I will definitely try and continue this blog, but I may not post as regularly as I do currently. I really like the way it has made me think about my reading. In the beginning, I thought that blogging would just be an annoying homework assignment, but really helped me enjoy my books more because I had a deeper understanding of the true meaning of the book. It is a habit that I hope to keep up. Ms. Rear, thank you for helping me grow so much as reader and in English in general. You were a wonderful teacher and I will miss you so much!

"Maus" by Art Spieglman Post #2

Recently, I finished Maus by Art Spieglman. It was a graphic novel about Art Spieglman’s father’s experiences during the Holocaust. It was interesting because it depicted the situations and experiences that his father had in the way that he saw it, but still allowed the readers to apply their own ideas and opinions. I think that it was unique because it was written as a graphic novel. Because of the way it was written, the author had to make some very unique decisions, such as what to draw the picture of, which put emphasis on a particular aspect of the story to allow the reader to visualize the situations and empathize with the characters. Also, especially because the author was telling his own father’s story, it was very moving.

Another interesting decision about this book that Art Spieglaman did was that as we was telling the story, we switched between illustrations and stories of the Holocaust period (which was the main part of the story) to the current times in which he was having the story being told to him. In many parts, he portrayed his father as a grumpy and pessimistic old man who was never satisfied. I believe that this is how Art Spieglman saw his father, so he portrayed him as he saw him. I think in a way, the author was also using that to sort of convince the reader to see his father as he did. He was also trying to realistically and accurately portray the relationship he had with his father. I think that he was also doing this to show some of the ways that the Holocaust changed his father, and the things that did not change about his personality.

I loved this story. It was very unique and compelling, and showed a very personal story about the Holocaust, and compared it to life in present times after the Holocaust, which made it more relatable to readers such as myself who did not personally experience the Holocaust, but would like to understand it better. The way Art Spieglman wrote this book did a fantastic job capturing the voice of Vladek, his father, and himself, as well as showing a personal and seemingly unique story of the Holocaust. Giving the reader such a great understanding of the different personalities and characteristics of the characters in the story made it more moving to the reader, and empathize with them and the author more.

"Maus" by Art Spieglman

With my philosophy family, I have started reading Maus by Art Spieglman. It is a graphic novel about his father, a Holocaust survivor. However, this book is different because it is a graphic novel. This makes it much more visual, and allows the author to envision it in the way that the author sees it. An interesting choice that the author made was to portray each ethnicity in the book as a different animal. For example, Jews are depicted as mice, Germans as cats, and the Polish as pigs. This makes the author’s opinion about the roles that each of these groups is clear. It shows that he thinks Jews were small, harmless, and could easily be hurt, especially by the cats. In some ways, this depiction may be accurate in the sense that the Jews were prayed on by the cats, but I think it could also be considered offensive to portray Jews as mice and so inferior.

Another interesting message that the author sends to the reader by using these depictions of people is that people can act like animals. In the case of the Holocaust, the Nazis dehumanized the Jews in many ways. The rounded them up, and treated them worse than they treated their animals! In some cases, they even kept the Jews in animal pens. This makes Art Spieglman’s opinions on how the Jews were treated clearly negative and that it was inhumane, which it was.

Showing the different ethnicities as animals also showed a more clear difference between each group of people, and puts more emphasis on the differences of the groups and that they did not interact a lot outside of their group. Also, putting emphasis on the different groups showed how separate they are.

I think that Art Spieglman chose to write a graphic novel to share his father’s experience in the Holocaust to try and make it more interesting for a variety of different types of people, but also to be able to express his feelings and perspective on the issue. I think it also helps him choose his audience, because different ages and maturity levels will be able to understand more or less of the underlying main ideas and themes.

"Paper Towns" by John Green

I have just started reading Paper Towns by John Green. I have not ever finished the first chapter yet, so I do not know a lot about the book yet. But so far, it is about a high school boy named Quentin who lives in a suburban community in Florida. He lives next door to a girl named Margo Roth Spieglman. So far, it has portrayed Quentin and Margo as two people who used to be best friends when they were younger, but grew apart. However, I think that Quentin used to be in love with Margo, but still is, even if he does not admit it to himself. I think that they have a history, and they have been through a lot together. I think that Quentin acknowledges their connection and history, but sees it more than Margo was, because they don’t really talk anymore.

I predict that later in the book, a drastic change will happen that forces Quentin and Margo to get closer, and lead to a more romantic relationship. They will probably have rough patches in their relationship, but will always be there for each other. I think this because it is a typical theme in many of John Green’s books. I have read two other books by him, The Fault In Our Stars and Looking For Alaska. In both of these books, I have noticed themes that are about two close friends who fall in love, but they usually have tragic endings. However, in each of these books, despite the fact that they follow similar themes, each story is very unique and riveting. And probably, this book will follow the same idea.

It is an amazing thing for an author to write so many books, especially when they are about similar themes, and have them each be so good and special in their own way. One thing that John Green does so well is capture the voice of the main character to help transport the reader to be more empathetic with them and make the book seem more relevant. John Green also uses a variety of details, and does a fantastic job combining description and dialogue to allow the reader to be able to envision the scene more clearly and keep the reader hooked. He also does a good job with transformations between different parts of the story, and building up for the climax. This helps keep the reader hooked because it makes the story more exciting.

All in all, I am excited to finish this book because I know that John Green is a fantastic author. I am interested in seeing how Quentin and Margo’s relationship will work out.

Mindy Kaling's Book

Right now, I am reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling. It is an autobiography of her life made up of collections of memoirs. Mindy Kaling is on a comedy TV show called “The Mindy Project” and is also on “The Office,” and a few other comedy TV shows. She wrote about her life, starting from her childhood. I love the way she tells the stories. I can clearly her voice, and it really portrays Mindy’s personality, which is very unique. Having her voice being such a big aspect of the book makes it much funnier as well. Throughout the book, Mindy tells it as though she is talking to the reader. This gives it a much more intimate and personal reading experience, as well as more personal, which also makes it seem more relevant and funny.

At the beginning of the book, Mindy mentions that she was inspired by Tina Fey’s book. There are many similarities and differences between the two books. I have read Tina Fey’s book, which I think adds to my experience reading Mindy’s book because she adds some references, sort of like inside jokes, from Tina Fey’s book. Mindy’s book and Tina Fey’s book were both hilarious, but there were different parts of Mindy’s book that made it funnier than Tina Fey’s book. For example, The way Mindy told her stories was funnier because it was told in a more conversational, witty, and funny way. Like Tina Fey, Mindy gave funny commentary about her stories, but Tina Fey’s comments were more reflecting on her past self, and Mindy’s are more of her making fun of herself.

I love how Mindy portrays herself in this book. She has self-respect, but she still is comfortable enough to make fun of herself. But she also is not afraid to show her accomplishments, but when she does do that, it never seems like bragging. I think something that also contributes to this observation is because I have an idea for the character that Mindy is. All in all, I love this book, and I am excited to find out how she ends it.