Tag Archives: classic

Book Review: The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass

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frederick_douglass“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.”

When my AP Lang class was assigned to read The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, I thought it was going to be difficult to get through, but after only reading the first chapter, I was captivated by Douglass’ writing style.

As it was an autobiographical narrative, there wasn’t any plot, but in order to engage the reader as well as to demonstrate his impressive self-taught writing skills, Douglass uses deep rhetorical language to really get to the reader. He takes the horrific atrocities of slavery which he experienced and lays them all down in order for the reader to better understand this dark time in human history. The book is a fast read, and can easily be finished in a couple of days, at most.

“In a composite nation like ours, as before the law, there should be no rich, no poor, no high, no low, no white, no black, but common country, common citizenship, equal rights and a common destiny”

-Sara S., 11th grade

Book Review: The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

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hobbit_coverHere is the story of Mr. Bilbo Baggins:

Bilbo, a creature who doesn’t really have a taste for adventure and never travels further than his cupboards, is greeted by a wizard, Gandalf, and fourteen dwarves.  Gandalf had chosen Mr. Baggins to join them on their adventure to The Lonely Mountains as the burglar.  He becomes very hesitant but agrees.  The visitors have a feast and stayed the night inside the hobbit’s cozy hole.  Bilbo wakes up and finds that he is alone. At 10:45 Gandalf comes by and tells Bilbo that the dwarves left a note saying to meet them at the Dragon Inn, Bywater at eleven sharp.  Mr. Baggins races there and arrives just in time.  With everyone on their horses their journey begins.

Along the way they get themselves into quite a few mishaps, such as being caught by trolls and goblins, almost being eaten by spiders, and many more.  Many months later, they finally reach the mountains.  The group is there for the treasure inside, but it is guarded by a fearsome dragon.  Will they be able to retrieve the loot they came all this way for?  Or will something else happen?

I really liked this book because it has unique places and page-turning chapters.  It has adventure, cliff-hangers, and a bit of fantasy.  I hope you enjoy this story.

-Samantha S., 8th grade

Book Review: The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

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catcher_in_the_rye_cover“The mark of an immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” -Wilhelm Steckel

J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, although highly controversial, is no doubt in my opinion a work of art. Most people who have read this book either love it or hate it, and if not properly read and analyzed, it’s completely understandable if you hate it. On the surface it’s a boring story about a whiny teenager moping around New York City, but really its so much more than that.

Holden Caufield tries to mask his sensitive and delicate true character with a crude and uncaring persona, and with deep reading, it’s apparent when his real character bubbles its way to the surface. He travels around New York City revealing bits and pieces of his true identity as the book progresses. While he reveals information about his character, we also learn about his past, which you are taken back to beginning in almost the first chapter. All in all, I greatly appreciate this book and I hope more people will enjoy reading it.

“Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.”

-Sara S., 11th grade

Book Review: Beowulf

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beowulf_coverGrendel, the beast, feared by any and all living creatures, only one challenges to fight him, his name is Beowulf. Beowulf, known for his “strong wrists” and his generosity to others.

In Beowulf, Grendel is thought to be the cruelest beast of all to everyone. But, as the story proceeds further, they see that his mother is worst. Grendel’s mother is outraged when Beowulf murders Grendel and she decides to make him pay for it. So, Beowulf and Grendel’s mother fight, Beowulf realizes that Grendel’s mother is much more tough then Grendel himself. But, he does prevail and kill her.

Further in the story, Beowulf is much older, but he is called to fight against the Firedrake, the most feared monster of its time. Beowulf, even though he is old, manages to kill Firedrake and save his home land from the danger… but does he live…? Killing the Firedrake wasn’t easy for an old man like him, but even though he did kill him, will he stay alive, after all the energy he put into murdering the Firedrake?

You’ll have to read this story if you want to see if Beowulf lives in the end…

Overall I give this book a 9/10, it kept me captivated the whole time and made me nonstop read it. I definitely recommend this to any age of audience, but preferably 7 and older because of the violence. Generally, it’s a must-read!

-Satej B., 7th grade

Book Review: The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

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catcher_in_the_rye_coverI’m sure many other bloggers-along with myself- have read The Catcher in the Rye in our English classes. The Catcher in the Rye is the story of Holden Caulfield- a lost, confused, and depressed teenager who struggles to find hope after a traumatic experience. Holden believes that he presents himself as confident and “suave,” but instead the reader sees his insecurities. Although this book has been banned from public schools previously for its “adult” content, I found that many people have enjoyed reading it.

First, I’ll mention my favorite things about this book. I love the unique writing style that Salinger gives Holden. It’s easy for today’s teens to read this book that was written in the 1950s because of Holden’s slang and habits. (Not to mention it was the perfect book to read after Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities! That’s some language to decipher 😉 My favorite character, however, is Holden’s younger sister Phoebe. Even though she is introduced late in the novel, the reader can see that she has a special place in Holden’s heart. She is around ten years old, intelligent, creative, and independent. She also acts as Holden’s mother since their own mother becomes a nervous wreck after the terrible event. I just love reading the parts with Holden and Phoebe because his character changes completely and you can tell that he truly loves and wants to protect his little sister.

Some parts of the book are definitely mature because Holden falls into bad habits when in a state of depression, but I do think that these situations contribute to the story. This book deals with many issues including: depression, suicide, loneliness, and phonies. Holden constantly tells the reader how much he hates phonies (people who act a certain way to get what they want or to please others) and yet as the story progresses he too tells little lies and exaggerates to build up his character.

All in all, I recommend this book for high schoolers (as this is a mature read) because it makes you look at life in a new perspective. Salinger’s book steps outside the box and causes you to think about yourself and others, have more respect for people, and accept others’ differences from a popular society.

~Kelsey H., 10th grade

Play Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare

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midsummer_nights_dreamLast month, I performed in my school’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I played the part of Puck, and as I know the majority of the script by heart, I decided to right a review on this whimsical and unusual play by Will Shakespeare.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a fantastical fairy-tale comedy that tells the story of four young lovers named Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius. Long story short, both the men love Hermia but Hermia only loves Lysander (and Helena loves Demetrius, who doesn’t love her in return). Hermia’s mother, however, feels that Hermia should marry Demetrius. When Lysander and Hermia decide to run away together in order to avoid this fate, they are followed by Demetrius who is followed by the faithful Helena. Upon observing Demetrius’ cruelty towards Helena, Oberon (the king of the fairies that live in a nearby forest) sends his servant, Puck, to put a spell on him to make him fall in love with Helena.

Unfortunately, Puck is revealed to be a careless (and also very mischievous) fairy and he accidentally puts the spell on the wrong man. From this point on, the story follows the amused Puck as he reluctantly sets off to correct his mistakes and restore peace to Athens and regularity to the lovers.

I was ecstatic when I found out that my drama class was going to be doing this play, and it proved to be just as fun as I thought it would be. Puck is a very unique and confusing fairy with a ton of dialogue, which made it fun (and challenging) to learn and play the character.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is very exciting. There are numerous unexpected plot twists and the characters are unique and strangely captivating. It is also a very good play/ book to have read to be able to reference in essays and whatnot. I recommend A Midsummer Night’s Dream to anyone who enjoys theatre, Shakespeare, or fantasy novels.

-Danielle K., 8th grade

Book Review: Matilda, by Roald Dahl

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matildaIf you were a super genius with super dumb parents, how would you deal with it? The book Matilda by Roald Dahl is all about how five year old Matilda deals with all the adults in her life that underestimate her and her amazing superpowers, and one adult who becomes her helpmeet.

As a general rule I LOVE Roald Dahl. His witty and creative writing always evokes a laugh out loud response. I find myself genuinely adoring the main character, detesting the notorious villain, and overall loving the world that Dahl creates. It’s a place I hate to leave when the book is over and excitedly anticipate when I crack open one of his books for at least the fifteenth time.

There have been movies and even Broadway musicals based on Matilda, the girl genius, but to me the book will always be magical. Just because it is there that I first envisioned the characters, the very world, that I could not visit myself and I’m sorry but movies will never do that for me. So read this book– and if you’ve read this book, read another Dahl book. If you haven’t read anything by Roald Dahl, I want you to head down to Barnes and Nobles and buy as many Roald Dahl books as possible. Now.

-Becka O., 8th grade

Book Review: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor

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roll_thunderRoll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a historical fiction novel set during the Great Depression when the South was still enduring damage from the Reconstruction of the Civil War– a time when African Americans suffered discrimination and segregation.

When first starting the novel, which was a required book for my English class, I was not that intrigued. It just seemed to me like a bunch of unrelated stories. But after finishing the book, I have to say, it was very beneficial for me to read it. A few chapters in, a complex plot line develops and made the book more captivating than I ever would have thought possible. I certainly changed my opinion about this novel between the first and last pages, and thoroughly enjoyed it. What other required reading books have you read that your reluctance to read was unwarranted?

This novel is told from Cassie Logan’s perspective, so she is the main character. Her family, different than the other African American families living in that part of Mississippi, owns their own land which comprises hundreds of acres. That land causes conflict during the story, since one of the white men in the town has desired that land for years, but the Logans have refused to sell it. Other conflicts during the story include the discrimination Cassie and her siblings encounter based on the color of their skin, starting with the first day of school and escalating from there. These instances lead to the concept that white people at the time did not see African Americans as equal, even though they truly were.

Since the book surprisingly didn’t have any chapters, my assignment for English class was to create a potential title for each chapter. Hopefully these chapter titles interest you and encourage you to read the book.
1. “New” Books
2. The “Giant”
3. Avenging the White Bus
4. The Wallace Store
5. A Visit to Strawberry
6. Their Rightful Place
7. Papa’s Home
8. An Unfortunate Turn of Events
9. Vicksburg Trouble
10 Heat and Hard Times
11. Trouble With T.J.
12. Crying for the Land and T.J.

In conclusion, this book handles the topic of discrimination well and teaches very important lessons. I recommend this book to others. I would give it a rating of 4 stars (out of 5).

– Leila S., 8th grade

Book Review: Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell

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gone_with_the_windHistorical fiction, the fabled nightmare of our literature! So they say, but most are quite gripping once you’ve delved in. This was the case for me with Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

I admit, I started this classic for my social studies class. However, once I got past the first few chapters, the rest of the pages blew by quickly.
Setting the scene during the civil war, this story tells of Scarlett O’Hara, daughter of rich Southern plantation owners. Flirty and frivolous, she spends her early life attending parties and breaking boys’ hearts. There is small talk of civil war, but she pays no heed. When her “true love” turns her down, a series of events places her in Atlanta. Suddenly, the war is much more realistic and closer to home. Thousands enlist to join the Confederate army, and hospitals begin working overtime. With a harsh blockade, life within the city becomes stricter, but she manages. Finally, the Union breaks through the last defenses, and storms the city. Fleeing to her old ransacked home, Scarlett struggles to hold together the family and rebuild her life. Gradually, she raises her social status, recovering along with the rest of the world.

This historical fiction gives detailed descriptions of Civil War era life. From the daily life in the city to the social hierarchy, nothing is left out. What makes it so interesting is that Mitchell tells the story from a Southerner’s point of view. Usually the South is portrayed as a single-faced bad guy, but Gone With the Wind gives us two viewpoints. Many average people were just defending their homeland rather than preserving slavery. It really sheds a new light on Union General Sherman’s March to the Sea, in which thousands of homes and towns were pillaged. The history in this book makes it especially interesting, as it places everything in context of real events.

Gone With the Wind gained most of its fame as an acclaimed love story. Sadly, I just don’t see it. I feel like it wasn’t really romantic at all until near the very end of the book. Even then, it seemed like Scarlett and her lover, Rhett Butler, weren’t truly in love. Her first failed marriages were purely out of self interest, and her original love never returned any feelings. I think there are probably lots of better love stories out there. But don’t take my word for it, read it yourself! This timeless classic is a must for any avid reader. Soon, you won’t even mind the history part. Enjoy!

-Phillip X., 8th grade

Book Review: A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle – as if you didn’t know the story

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wrinkle_in_timeThe title is kind of weird, isn’t it? What kind of time has a wrinkle? In this book by Madeline L’Engle you get the wonderful combination of sci-fi and fantasy that is so hard to find.

Meg Murry’s father was on a mission for the president when he disappeared. No one knows where he is, least of all his family. Meg’s mother misses him dreadfully. Her brothers Dennys and Sandy have stepped up and become the family patriarchs. Her brother Charles Wallace is four years old and much smarter than she is. Meg herself is failing in school and feels awful all the time. However, things change when Charles Wallace meets Mrs.Who, Mrs.What, and Mrs.Which who take them and a boy named Calvin on an adventure through time and space to rescue their father from the terrible planet he is imprisoned on.

This book is absolutely amazing and it really is a classic. Sci-fi isn’t usually my thing but I have made an exception for this one book due to the fabulously written and extremely human characters. The language and the content have caused me to fall totally in love with this book and it has been one of my favorites from a pretty young age. If you have already read the book, there is a book called When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead which has a similar idea and takes a little bit of a more modern view while alluding to A Wrinkle in Time frequently. And if you like Madeline L’Engle, try some over her other books like A Swiftly Tilting Planet.

-Becka O., 8th grade