Author Archives: Matthew R.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

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In my English class, we read one of the most famous stories that Charles Dickens has ever written. This story is called A Christmas Carol. A Christmas Carol is about a very greedy and selfish person named Ebenezer Scrooge. In the story, Scrooge goes on a journey through time to get taught important lessons that would hopefully change him for the better. While reading this story, I had fun reading about Scrooge’s character development and the hidden meanings in the text.

Early in the story, we learn that Scrooge had a business partner who died named Jacob Marley. Later, Scrooge is visited by Marley’s ghost who warns Scrooge that if he doesn’t change for the better, he will be miserable after death. Marley also tells him that the only way that he can be saved is if he follows the teachings of three different spirits that will visit him. The first spirit that visits Scrooge is named the Ghost of Christmas Past, who reminds Scrooge of things that have happened in his past. The next spirit is named the Ghost of Christmas Present, who shows Scrooge visions of people who are celebrating Christmas with others. The final spirit that visits Scrooge is named the Ghost of Christmas Future. The Ghost of Christmas Future shows Scrooge things that will happen in the future if he doesn’t change for the better. After he gets visited by all three spirits he wakes up on Christmas day to change his fate. 

As I read through this story it is easy to see Ebenezer Scrooge’s character development. It made the reading experience more fun as Scrooge changed from a horrible and greedy person at the start of the book to a generous person. I also enjoyed finding the hidden meanings inside the text Charles Dickens wrote. In many pages, there is a hidden meaning in the text that teaches Scrooge a lesson, which is fun to find.

Overall, A Christmas Carol is a fun book to read. My favorite part about it was seeing the character development of Scrooge. At the beginning of the story, he demonstrates how he’s a selfish and greedy person who only cares about money. Then, he turned into the complete opposite person. I highly recommend this story to others since it is a fun book to read while in the Christmas spirit.

-Matthew R.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol–along with every variation–is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Libby.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

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In my English class, my teacher made us read The Outsiders, which is one of the most famous novels of all time. The Outsiders is about a group of friends with different backgrounds and personalities. The book’s main character, Ponyboy is a member of the Outsiders. At the start of the book, we learn about the rivalry between the Greasers and the Socs. Ponyboy is a Greaser, which are lower-class people, and the Socs are upper-class people. The book at the start leads us in the direction of the Socs being people without any problems, but throughout the book, we learn that the Socs do have problems of their own. While reading The Outsiders, I was very entertained by the story’s conflicts and the bond between the characters.

At the beginning of the book, we get to meet the protagonist, Ponyboy. Soon after, he gets jumped by a group of Socs while on a walk, but luckily gets saved by his friends, Steve, Two-bit, Johnny, Dally, and his two brothers Darry and Sodapop. Later in the book, Ponyboy runs into two female Socs. Through one of the girls, Ponyboy learns that Socs also have problems just like Greasers. Throughout the book, Ponyboy and his friends go through several life-changing events and character development. At the end of the story, Ponyboy learns that the world isn’t as black and white as he thought.

While I read the book, I had an amusing time reading it because of its various conflicts. Learning about each character’s different problems such as their love life and a character’s family problems makes the book a compelling read. Another part of the book I enjoyed was how the author demonstrated the bond between the characters. S.E. Hinton does an extraordinary job of showing how much each character cares about each other by using many events that demonstrate their powerful bond.

Overall, The Outsiders is one of the most captivating books to read. The most outstanding aspect of the book is the relationship between the characters. The author manages to show the bond between the main characters and even the friendship of side characters. Another marvelous part of the book is the different conflicts that each character suffers through. I highly recommend this book to other people of all ages since it can entertain a wide range of people.

-Matthew R.

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.