Reading: Semester 1

     This semester I have read a variety of books for outside reading and in class reading. From most challenging to least, In Defense of Food, Nation, Lord of the Flies, Carrie, Dear John, A Walk to Remember, and Pretty Little Secrets. All of these books are really different. They vary in genre drastically. Some are love stories others horror, survival, and manifestos.
     This semester in English I have learned a lot about myself as a reader. I learned that one of my weaknesses is not being able to read and see the symbolism in words and phrases in the text. For example when I read a description of colors or something the character says I don't know if it is symbolizing something with a deeper meaning or if its just what it says and nothing to it. I learned this from reading Lord of the Flies. However my strengths come in reading books that interest me. I can read a love story or another book that might interest me and never stop reading it. However this can also be a weakness because I never read anything else of other genres unless I am required.
     Next semester I want to try and read books I usually would never pick up to read. I want to try and read genres outside my reading comfort zone. I could try reading a documentary about running or another non-fiction book. Another goal of mine is to turn my weaknesses in the previous paragraph into strengths by the end of the year.

Lord of the Flies:
Chapter 6- 31 min.
Chapter 7- 54 min
Chapter 8- 1 hour
Chapter 9- 27 min.
Chapter 10- 1 hour 7 min.
Chapter 11- 32 min
Chapter 12- 49 min

Fear

     Lord of the Flies by William Golding, has been very intense these last few chapters. Everything is happening at once and its all very important. My reading focus, fear, comes up in the book very often especially in these last few chapters. Three big places in the book where fear is shown is the boys terrifying fear of the darkness, fear of never being rescued, and the heartbreaking fear of Piggy when he couldn't see right before his death.
      In Chapter 10 on page 157 you can hear the fear in Ralph's voice as he cries out aabout wanting to leave. "I'm frightend. Of us. I want to go home. Oh God, I want to go home." (157). Everyone on the island really does want to be rescued but Ralph shows it the most. Piggy cries for protection, "Ralph! Don't leave me!" (176). Piggy is scared and helpless becaus of his loss of eye sight and fears for his safety. Through out the book they talk of darkness and the fear of the night, "Ralph stood up,feeling curiously defenseless with the darkness pressing in." ( 164). During the night the boys can't see what is lurking in the forest, they hear strange noises, and the nightmares lurk in their dreams, they are truely defenseless.

Reading Log

Tues- 2o min. thesis

Wed. 47 min LOTF

Thurs. 1 hour 16 min thesis

Sat. 14 min. LOTF