Adventures of Huck Finn #2

So as I continue to read the Adventures of Huck Finn I have come to learn a few things. First of all, I find this novel more enticing, and unpredictable than the the prequel. Second, I have realized more things I enjoy about this novel as I continue to read on. One of these things in particular is the dialogue. The old country slang and African jargon is quite funny. The slave, Jim, always seems to have a humorous comment throughout the book. The dialogue of this book makes it much easier to read once you are accustomed to the slang and makes reading numerous chapters go by much faster. I feel like I am actually witnessing a conversation rather than trying to decipher what is happening if i were reading a typical novel. Anyhow, I have reached the part of the novel where Pap, Huck's drunken father, has kidnapped him and taken him to a small cabin on the other side of St. Petersburg. Every time Pap goes out, he locks Huck in the cabin leaving him to sit in boredom and agony. I am very curious to see how Huck will escape this little hut. I would imagine that he is going to find a way to trick his father into letting him out or he will just break out himself. Pap being an uneducated drunkard, I would imagine this would be a manageable task. One of the main themes of this novel and the previous one is cons and trickery, so I am expecting some sort of trick to be pulled soon. The novel to this point has been exciting and unpredictable, so I am eager to read on and see what happens.

Adventures of Huckelberry Finn #1

As this school year has come to an end i have chosen to read the classic novel "The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn" by Mark Twain. After all the books i have read for school or just for personal enjoyment, this has become one of my favorites as I continue to read it. I enjoyed the prequel to this novel "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" which was part of the reason I was so interested to jump into this novel. Although Tom Sawyer was the main protagonist in the last book, Huckelberry Finn was my favorite character throughout that novel. In the sequel "The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn" the focus shifts to Huck as he ponders on how to spend his new found fortune which he made at the end of the last novel from stealing gold bars. At the start of this novel Huck is adopted by Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. They are two wealthy sisters from the town of St. Petersburg who attempt to teach Huck manners and make him go to church. When they are made aware of his new fortune which he attained at the end of the last novel, the adventure begins. I am very curious to see what direction this novel goes in from here. After reading the last novel I am expecting another wild adventure that leaves Huck out on his own away from society. This initiates the theme of childhood and breaking away from society which can be seen in the prequel to this novel. So far i am very enticed with this classic book and can't seem to put it down. I have just reached the part of the novel where Huck's drunken father returns to the town to demand money and custody of Huck. I can only imagine what will happen next.

The Hobbit #1

The book i am currently reading is the Hobbit. I decided to jump into this classic novel because i have always enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movies but have never taken time to read the novels. This novel already has me enticed as i continue to learn more about Bilbo and his ancestry at the start of the book. When Bilbo is approached by the wizard, Gandalf, I knew some sort of adventure or quest was to come.  When Gandalf returns the following day with the dwarves and Thorin I was surprised that they would chose Bilbo as the one help them steal the jewels and get past the dragon guarding them. One thing i noticed about this book is that for being a heroic/adventurous theme there is still much humor in the dialogue. Novels with this theme typically have a more serious tone which is why I believe I will enjoy this book. I like Tolkien's approach to this novel and the fantasy world he has eased us into. At the start of the next chapter Biblo seems relieved that Gandalf and the dwarves have left without him. Im sure he would rather take no part in this adventure but of course, Gandalf returns and rushes him to the Green Dragon Inn where I assume this journey will start. Bilbo's hesitance to go on the journey and reluctant mood makes me curious on how this character will turn out to be a hero. It seems that Bilbo is an underdog facing an unbeatable task.

Crouching Tiger

Wudan masters teach their pupils many different values and life lessons. Respect is perhaps the most important value the Wudan masters try to enlighten their pupils with. Li Mu Bai, a Wudan master in Crouching Tiger, has a strong desire to teach one of his pupils, Jen. He had such a strong desire to teach Jen because he gave her true direction and touching her heart.  Li Mu Bai is also driven by the fact that he believes he can achieve his Tao through her. This idea was first seen when he saw the light during his meditation. He felt that he hadn't achieved Tao and couldn't find true happiness. Another reason I believe he had a strong desire to educate her is because of her strong romantic, enlightenment, and spiritual level. Jen doesn't chose to follow tradition or order. She instead acts out on impulse and emotion giving her distinct reason based on heart and mind. This represents the Chan Buddhism concept of true mind. Li Mu Bai acknowledges this and makes his respect for her as a pupil equal to her respect for him as a master. Lastly, Jen's self discipline allows her to accumulate great energy and sets her apart as a premier pupil.

Tony story #$

As the novel concludes, Ty ends up killed in a shooting involving a rival gang known as the "black disciples." Tony had not been with him the last few days because of his constant urge to get in conflicts with this rival gang that ultimately took his life. Although the ending was sad and touching, i must say it was rather predictable that Ty would end up dead or in jail from his endeavors and heists. At the end of the novel we learn that Tony aspires to become a music artist and that he would one day make a song in memory of Ty so that everyone would hear his story. A positive statement i can make about this ending is that it taught me a valuable lesson. I have learned from this novel that success never comes from the circumstances or privileges one is born into, but rather the the pure drive and will power of that individual. No matter what odds or disadvantages are against you, there will always be that chance to overcome adversity and succeed. Reading this novel has taught me that some of the best lessons learned only come from novels themselves. With that point, I can honestly say that this novel has given me a more open-minded, optimistic, perspective as i start new novels. Overall, I can say this novel, Tony's story, has taught me a good lesson about success and which will help me appreciate the things we can take from reading leisurely.

Tony's Story #3

As I continue to read this novel I must say it has kept me quite interested and I even find it hard to put down at certain times. This novel has taught me to appreciate reading like I have never thought before. I would have never imagined that i would be so into a book that i am reading leisurely. But anyhow, as the story continues to progress i find myself identifying more and more with the character Tony. It turns out that he has had ties to a notorious Philadelphia gang from his "Pop" and i am assuming that more members of his family have ties to this. It seems that although Tony is surrounded by violence, drug dealing, and other criminal behavior, his mind stays focused on important things such as school and his career. This has led me to admire his character because although he was naturally born into this street lifestyle, he is still aiming to be successful in a manor that doesn't involve illegal activity. It has also been made clear that his best friend, Ty, is more of a bad influence on him then vice versa. The two seem to find themselves in the most mischief on their walks home from school. As the two were walking home after a day of school Ty decides to steal a bike he sees which ultimately leeds into a brawl where Tony gets injured. As Ty seems exhilarated and proud after the incident, Tony seems annoyed. It is clear that Tony is starting to get sick of the non sense he constantly finds himself in with Ty and is starting to realize that this friend of his may be standing in the way of his future success and life away from trouble.