Eleanor and Park Pgs. 40-80

"Eleanor and Park" Pgs. 1-40

Book Review

It's just Eleanor and her big, red hair against the world. Until she meets Park.

Park is an emo-rocker kid who listens to his music too loud and sits on a bus bench by himself. All of that changes when Eleanor strolls onto the bus with her artistic style. She literally is a walking piece of art.

Their first encounter defines the awkward, yet comfortable relationship they begin to develop. Eleanor has a less than ideal home-life. Actually, it's her first time "home" in over a year. Before coming home, she was handed off to some acquaintances who lived next door. Whereas, Park is on the cusp of popularity on the social totem pole and comes from a loving Asian family.

Eleanor & Park gives it's readers a unique experience. I have no other way of describing it other than "different". There is something about the third person omniscient narrator who recounts both Eleanor and Park's stories. There is a finesse about the way in which the author pays tribute to each story, giving them equal attention and detail. The intricate details of their lives are given to us slowly and cryptically. Thus, creating a muddled reality around Eleanor and Park. It is our job, as readers, to put all of the pieces together and make sense of these two star-crossed lovers.

Some may say that the point of view of this novel keeps the characters detached from their own stories. However, the flow of the narrations wouldn't be as seamless without the third party involved. Others may beg to differ that both Eleanor and Park's stories are respected equally because in the beginning of the novel Eleanor's story includes more detail. However, as the story unfolds we Park begins to open up about himself. And others may dislike the quest that must be embarked upon in order to find the truth between the lines. However, this is just a sign of ingenious on the part of Rainbow Rowell.

What a beautifully written piece.

An unlikely couple, who unite against the world.

"Perfect Chemistry" The Whole Book

What character did you dislike? Why?

We are introduced to Sierra as Brittany's best friend. Although, Sierra seems to have Brittany's best interest in mind throughout the book, looks can sometimes be deceiving. Both Sierra and Brittany are cheerleaders on the squad at their school. You could argue that both girls have a hard time keeping up appearances. They also tend to put on a fake facade to appease their peers, even at the risk of their own happiness. 

This, of course, is Brittany's dilemma throughout the entire novel. But if Sierra is who she says she is, Brittany's best friend, then wouldn't she risk the facade in order to be a strong support system for her? According the novel, she didn't. At least she didn't when it was most important. But even when it seemed she was trying to be her best friend, her motives were not pure. 

Take for example when Sierra invites Brittany and Alex to come along with her and Doug to his parents' lake house. She doesn't act normal or even really care to give Alex a chance. She invited him to keep up her appearance as her best friend. Another instance was after she broke up with Colin, Sierra second-guessed her decision. Asking if someone made the right decision is not abnormal, but the way she did it did not communicate best friend material. The only reason Sierra was concerned about the break-up was because it tampered with the image that Brittany has worked for for so long. Her best friend should be more concerned with her happiness than the act she's putting on for everyone else.

Sierra also got jealous because Brittany began confiding in Isabel, "Isa", when her and Alex became attracted to one another. I would confide in Isa too if I had Sierra as a best friend. Isa was more a friend than Sierra ever was to Brittany. She kept Brittany's secrets and she gave her solid advice. Sierra on the other hand didn't know when to keep her mouth shut and her advice was self-centered and revolved around their image. Isa had nothing to gain or lose from her relationship with Brittany, but she still was a faithful friend.

I just felt that Sierra was superficial and all about the act. I didn't feel that Sierra cared about Brittany's happiness. However, I could see how that would be hard, when Brittany didn't care much about her own happiness. Regardless, your best friend she always care for your happiness whether you do or not is another story. She also was such a petty girl (most girls are), and I don't hang with petty girls. She just rubbed me the wrong way, but I think Sierra was needed in this story for that effect. It enhances the relationship that Brittany shares with Isa because her relationship with Sierra has such a stark contrast.

"Perfect Chemistry" Pgs. 1-119 RR

Do you think the title of this book is a good one? Why or why not? What are some other possible titles?

"Perfect Chemistry" is a pretty clever title for this book. This is especially true because the "Romeo" and "Juliet" characters interact with each other mostly in the context of a chemistry class. They end up being paired together, against their will, for a project that lasts for the entirety of the semester. By page 76 they have not gotten together yet. However it's coming. I do think that the title is a little cheesy, although you must take into consideration that it is aimed at a young adult audience. If the title was more figurative or artistic it would narrow the readership pool tremendously. This also goes for the second and third books of this trilogy. It goes on from "Perfect Chemistry" to "Rules of Attraction" and ends with "Chain Reaction". They all have a very science-y tone, but they all fit the plot. I think that the titles work and they work well.

"BNW" Ch. 4 RR

What's the most important phrase in the text? Explain briefly why you think it's so important.

"Not quite. I'm thinking of a queer feeling I sometimes get, a feeling that I've got something important to say and the power to say it--only I don't know what it is, and I can't make any use of the power."

I don't think any other phrase in this chapter competes with this statement. It is so revealing about the kind of society that has been created and it's effects on it's citizens. Helmholtz and Bernard are close friends and they were in the middle of having a conversation. For the most part, this conversation was pretty surface level. However, near the end of the conversation we begin to see how Helmholtz's mind really processes his own desires. Unintentionally, he also reveals his thinking towards how the society has created mankind and the minds they are "issued". I don't think he meant to comment on Brave New World's brain-washing techniques, but he sheds some light for us readers.

As readers, we understand that this society determines the way certain groups of people think and behave. We get a glimpse of that in the very first chapter. We must take those details into consideration when we ponder this statement that Helmholtz utters. If society is telling people how to think and behave, essentially one cannot speak it's own, unique utterances. They also are barred from anything that enables independent thought and critical thinking. No matter how much society decides to control, they will never be able to control this underlying power that Helmholtz speaks of.

He acknowledges the power that his natural mind has: to think. However, he admits the struggle that he has with that idea and the action of thinking. This society is so in control that Helmholtz, and I presume the rest of society, has no clue what "thinking" is. This society is doing something right, in regards to control, because when you think about it, our thoughts are the most controlling factors in our lives. We make decisions through thinking, we create our own opinions through thinking and we figure out who we are as individuals through thinking.

Out of this entire phrase, I think the word "power" is the most important. I wonder if Helmholtz understood the implications of the word "power" when he uttered it. I find it fascinating that that was the word he used because everyone clearly understands that Ford is the only thing that truly has "power" in this society. How could Helmholtz believe that there was some kind of power residing within himself? Has he already participated in this thing called "thinking", but doesn't realize it? Also the word "power" implies that the act of "thinking" itself has power, and Helmholtz understands that somehow. Is it the queer feeling he grapples with that makes him think that? I wonder what tipped him off to understand that with thinking comes power.

"BNW" Ch. 3

Huxley, Aldous. "Chapter 3." Brave New World. New York: Harper & Bros., 1946. 30-56. Print.

Discuss a scene you did not like in the book.

BNW is already a super challenging book to read and comprehend. I even have issues with comprehension while I read this book, and I have a B.A in English! One thing that makes this book unnecessarily challenging is the change in format that starts on page 35, and continues to the end of the chapter. The chapter begins following one, cohesive narrative, but then it takes the reader off-guard by introducing a few more different narratives. The narratives are not split up with a distinctive break, other than a space in between the writing. This makes it especially difficult to keep straight which scene we are reading and the next that will be experienced.

I have read a few books where this kind of format is used. However, those books had clearer distinctions between the different scenes. For instance, in Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan, the font and the way each character's narrative is written is very unique to that character. So, it is very easy to follow along and not get confused. They also switch between narratives every other chapter. So there is a pattern that a reader can easily follow.

I have not read any books, that I can recall, that have jumped from one scene to the next in the way that BNW has done. We are literally following three or four different scenes that are happening at different places but at the same time. I think it is a very advanced writing skill that most author's have not acquired. I just wish that Huxley had made it more comprehensible. I understand that it may have been a part of his plan to make this chapter a confusing one. If that's the case, he certainly succeeded.

Honestly, I didn't really care for the format that was chosen for the effect that Huxley was going for. I think there was a variety of different ways he could have accomplished the same thing, but at the same time clarifying things more for the reader.

"Delirium" pgs. 13-30

Predict what will happen next in the book...

Since Lena's procedure was postponed by a herd of cows stampeding through the exam room, her procedure has been postponed. She also has now officially met the boy who let the stampede in, which she finds out actually works as a guard to the building. I think that he is living a dual life as a wild pretending to be cured. I also think that Lena is going to fall in love with Alex, if she hasn't already. Once she falls in love with him I think she will have second thoughts about the re-scheduled procedure. It's getting pretty interesting!