Q1 Free Response 7

This week I finished the last 368 pages of New Moon by Stephanie Meyer. I also read the first 385 pages of Eclipse also by Stephanie Meyer. In the Twilight books I find Bella and Jacob’s relationship to be quite confusing. In Twilight, the first book, Jacob helps Bella realize that Edward is a vampire. In the next book he is there to comfort her when Edwards runs out of her life. He is her best friend during this time. When Edward returns Jacob is angry and tells Charlie, Bella’s dad, about how Bella has been riding a motorcycle against his wishes. She is very hurt that he betrayed her after he promised to keep that secret. Edward and Jacob are enemies, so Edward bans Bella from seeing Jacob. Finally, Edward changes his mind and decides to trust Bella since she is miserable with out her best friend. She is at last allowed to see Jacob again. One day when she is at Jacob’s home, Jacob kisses her despite Bella’s objection. She punches him and breaks her knuckles. She is furious at him and never wants to see him again. Edward happily agrees, but soon both Edward and Jacob find themselves having to put their differences aside to protect Bella from an army of young vampires who have set out to kill her. I have yet to find out how the story ends, but I hope Bella ends up with Edward and forgets Jacob entirely. I know this won’t happen, but what Edward can do is change Bella into a vampire soon so that Jacob can not be around her anymore.

q1 Free Response 6

This week I read 414 more pages of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. At this point in the story a tracker vampire named James is after Bella. When the Cullens are playing baseball during a thunder storm some other cannibal vampires are passing through and stop to play. One of them caught the sent of Bella and now will not stop chasing her until he can kill her. The Cullen family plans to join forces to protect Bella from the tracker. Alice and Jasper take Bella to Phoenix trying to out smart James. Emmett, Edward, and Carlisle act as a decoy taking Bella’s truck and driving north. They plan to kill him if they get the chance. Rosaline and Esme also act as decoys distracting James’ vampire friend, Victoria. Bella is very upset that she has caused so much trouble. She especially fears for the safety of Charlie and Renee, her parents. She hopes that James or Victoria will not go after them. Alice, who can the future, notices that James will come to Phoenix and seek Bella. He will try to attack her at an old ballet studio with a VCR in it. He sends Bella a message tricking her into thinking he had her mother to kill, so she goes to meet him. He nearly kills her but Edward saves her, removing the venom from where James bite her. I also read 195 pages of New Moon, the second book in the series Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. So far it is not quite as good as the first book but hopefully it will get better as I get further into the story.

Q1 Free Response 5

This week I read 128 pages of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I have finally given in to all my friends who insist this is a great book despite the fact that it is about a stupid vampire who is attracted to Bella’s blood. After reading the first six chapters I still am not convinced Twilight is as amazing as everyone says.
Dear Bella,
I know how you felt the day in biology class when you were supposed to prick your finger to find your blood type but fainted during the demonstration instead. One day in eighth grade science class we were supposed to use a toothpick a pull some skin off of the inside of our cheek and I fainted. It was really embarrassing and though I have outgrown my week stomach, I still remember that day well.
I also understand how you hate living in Forks because of all the rain. I hate it when it rains because of how sticky and humid it gets. My hair gets the thick wet greasy feeling and gets really frizzy and curly. I could never stand to spend even one day in Forks. Edward Cullen confuses me and I think you should just forget about him. Jacobs right about him being a vampire and he wants to drink your blood which is the most absurd thing. If I were you avoid Edward like he advises you too, all your troubles could be avoided. He clearly is superhuman, being able to lift a car and make dents in it without being injured. Why did you not realize this from the start?
Sincerely,
Aimee

Q4 Free Response 4

This week I read thirty more pages of Vienna Prelude by Bodie Thoene. In this section of the book Theo gets help from Murphy to escape Berlin. He goes to Murphy’s hotel room and gives him a letter to mail to Elisa and Anna. The Gestapo had followed him to the hotel and now are waiting outside to arrest Theo for leaving his home. Murphy comes up with the plan and sends decoys out dressed like Theo to fool the Gestapo. Eventually it’s safe to leave the building and Murphy drives Theo, also an air force hero, to an airport and sends him off safely in an old jet.
One quote that really stood out to me was, “‘Now help me push, or leave me to my own fate!’” (14, 122). I thought if was interesting because the Odyssey and Iliad, two books we just read, also deal a lot with fate. This quote is spoken my Theo when he is about to fly out of Germany in an old plane. He knows that this is his only chance to escape death. If he stays in the country he will be put to death and all his money taken from him. He can avoid his fate by flying out of Berlin while the Gestapo are chasing after his decoys.
Another thing that I thought was interesting was that pre-world war two, no one in any other country was concerned in preventing the holocaust. Few people thought it was a threat to Europe so powerful countries like Brittan or the United States did not step to stop Hitler. Millions of Jews lost their lives in concentration camps. Most of these deaths could have been prevented had we stopped the war before it started. When Brittan did finally send help, they sent a Jew hater, Nevile Henderson, to help. Neither country made wise decisions at the beginning of Hitler’s reign which sadly led to the demise of many Jews’ and other “impure” people.