Final Summary

Jim Burden, the main character of this book, is such a heart warming character. He has so much love and passion for people, but mainly just one. Ántonia Shimerda is also another main character. Jim and Ántonia met when she moved to Nebraska from Bohemia, as a little girl. They grew up together and became like brother and sister. Jim taught her how to speak English, and she spoke it very well. Jim was always fond of Ántonia but she never saw Jim in that kind of way. He was a couple years younger and she saw him like a brother. They both had their struggles through life with each other and without. Jim went to college and worked hard to become the lawyer he was. People would not have expected the silly girls from town to make something of themselves. They thought Ántonia was going to make something amazing of herself. Sadly, bad things happened to her and she had struggles, but she made the most of it and had the life she wanted. Even though Jim and Ántonia grew apart, Jim accepted that he could not have all of her, but that he got a part of her. They were good friends and lived up to that.

The ending was not the love story I wanted, but it was the love story it needed to be. Willa Cather wrote this book so beautifully it would have been difficult to not enjoy the book. The love Jim had for Ántonia just made me fall in love with the book. I hope you all get the chance to read and fall in love with the book as I did. 

Weekly Summary

I am so close to reaching the ending of My Antonia! It has been such an enjoyment for me. It almost feels like it is a book for my free time and not for school. The ending could either go how I want it to or the other way around. Still, it has been a great book! I love the emotions in this book. It really helps bring the book to life. There has been a lot of struggle throughout this book, and each character goes through their own. I cannot wait to see what is to come of Jim’s love for Antonia. He has shown me a different way of true love, and it is so beautiful.

Characters

Reading My Antonia has been enjoyable for me. I love the relationship that is being built and formed with Jim and Antonia. Throughout the book, their relationship with each other has been tested many times. Whether it is with grief or happiness their relationship ends up being strong. Through reading this book, I can tell they both have affection for each other. It seems that Jim grows fond of Antonia, but struggles with some of her “manly” characteristics. Antonia has feelings for Jim, but I see it as more of a sibling attachment. Antonia does not see Jim as someone to have affection for because he is younger then her and still looks like a boy. I am looking forward to see more interactions with Jim and Antonia. I hope that the future changes them and makes them grow closer together. Love is an amazing thing we have been blessed with.

My Antonia

I was interested in ready My Antonia

Robert Frost

This week I finished I finished Robert Frost’s book filled with his poems. Before I read this book, I was not too big on poems. I was able to see a different side of poems with Robert Frost’s help. He has such a unique way of writing. I have found enjoyment through reading some of his poems. Some of his poems were way beyond my understanding. I do not think that should be an insult to Robert Frost though. I learned through reading his poems. His poems were able to help me see a different aspect of reading. I look forward to any readings of Robert Frost’s. I hope you do as well.

Burning Paper

I am fascinated with Ray Bradbury’s title, Fahrenheit 451. The understanding and significance of the title comes as you read the book.
I mostly enjoyed the beginning of the book. The relationship between Guy Montag and his neighbor Clarisse, intrigued me the most. Their relationship gave the book freedom in a way. Clarisse helped Guy realize the truth. I was devistated when their relationship ended.
The fact that Ray Bradbury could guess on what was to come in the future, and having a good idea, is mind blowing to me. I love his optimism. It makes the book a great book and makes your head spin. Although the book did not go exactly how I would have liked, Mr. Bradbury kept my attention and interest. He had a great talent. Fahrenheit 451 proves that!

Weekly Writing

This week I started reading Fahrenheit by Ray Bradbury. Let me just add that I have never read a book quite like this. I have never experienced the way that Ray Bradbury writes in this book. It is extremely difficult for my to describe the tone and feeling of this book, without anything being left out. If you have not guessed already, I am loving this book. I love the way Bradbury displays Clarisse and how odd but quite normal she is. The relationship that is being built between Clarisse and Guy is widely intriguing. Not only is it just these characters that bring you into this story, but also the whole outline and plot to this story, make you question and leave you wanting to figure out the absurdity of the world. I cannot wait to be imbedded back into this captivating book!

Weekly writing

This week I finished Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald’s book was quite a learning experience for me. It constantly tested my ability to focus on what I was reading. It is difficult for me, as a reader, to obtain most of what I read. Through reading this book I found myself trying to grasp a good understanding of what I was reading. For every book I read, I see an improvement of the way I read and understanding what I am reading. It is extremely important for people to keep reading because that ability can slowly diminish.

The Great Gatsby was a good book overall. I am excited that I waited to watch the movie after I read the book. I want to be able to experience what it feels like and being able to review the movie on what they took from the book. If I were to watch the movie before I read the book, I feel like I would not have truly seen the greatness of Fitzgerld’s writing. I would have compared the book to the movie instead of the other way around. This book shocked me towards the end. It was nothing like I expected, and in a way I liked that. I appreciate some authors that do not write how we expect or would rather have and write it well. I believe that F. Scott Fitzgerald did this. I greatly recommend reading this book!

Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is a book worth reading. It is different then any book I have read. I believe that would be the result of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s fantastic writing abilities. Throughout the process of reading and listening to this book, I see myself in deep imagination. Trying to unfold the picture in my mind. Mr. Gatsby is an interesting character. He carries so much mystery with him. I guess that makes the book have mystery in it as well, by trying to figure the secrets of Mr. Gatsby and possibly all or some of the other characters. I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to read the book before seeing to movie. Most of the time it happens the other way around, and I end up imagining what happened in the movie while I am reading the book. This way I have the challenge of imagining it all by myself, and what a joy that is! I am excited to finish this book and see the rest of what Mr. Fitzgerald has to tell.

Weekly writings

This week I had the opportunity to choose a few articles to read through. I chose to read about these three topics: slavery in the United States, the Gettysburg Address, and women in the eighteenth century.

African Americans were first brought over on a Dutch ship. Slaves were the most help working on labor-intensive rips like tobacco. After the American Revolution, slavery was dying out in the north. The production of tobacco was decreasing and cotton became the new profitable reason to use slavery. The Underground Railroad was designed to help free slaves. The Civil War brightened the future for African for African Americans. Later slavery was abolished by the 13th Amendment.

The Gettysburg Address was spoken by Abraham Lincoln shortly after the battle of Gettysburg. Abraham wanted to express the greatness of the soldiers in this battle.

Women in the eighteenth century were compared to horses, because they were both owned and controlled by men. The only difference was that women’s lives compared to horses lives were a paradise. In the year 1782, a judge made it legal for a man to beat his wife. Lucy Aikin describes her feelings towards this in her poetry. The attitudes towards the way women were treated was absolutely sickening. Thankfully life is not like that anymore and women are treated more equally.

Things have certainly changed over the course of some hundreds of years. Some of the changes are bad, but a great amount of them are good. Many of the changes that have happened throughout the years have brought us to were we are today. Everything happens for a reason, whether it is good or bad.