Provide a summary of your latest reading. What was the biggest surprise of this portion of reading. Explain the setting of the novel at this point. How does it affect the plot?
I am now on page 162, chapter 57 of Life of PI. Since my last entry so much has happened yet not much has changed. At the beginning of this section, Pi awakes to find sharks circling the lifeboat and the hyena eating the zebra. The hyena had made a hole in the stomach area of the animal, still alive, and was eating it alive from the inside out. Eventually, the zebra moved, causing blood to spill into the ocean and sharks to begin ramming the boat, unsuccessfully. After this there was a short standoff between the hyena and Orange Juice, which ended with the hyena going back to eating the zebra and Orange Juice hiding. The next day, Pi found that the zebra was still alive and suffering although it did not live until noon. Soon after this tragedy, the Hyena approaches orange juice who saved some time by hitting him firmly on the head. But sadly, the orang-utan is not strong enough to ward off the angry hyena and is killed. Once the hyena is settled and eating, Pi goes to see what has happened and finds a decapitated orange Juice beside the zebra carcass. As Pi looks closer, he sees that beneath where he had been living the past few days, beneath the tarpaulin is Richard Parker. Pi crawls back to his spot at the end of the boat and spends the night in hysterias. The next chapter goes on to discuss Richard Parkers unusual name and his story. The next morning, Pi awakes weak and extremely thirsty and decides that Bengal tiger or not he must search the lifeboat for supplies and most importantly water. This is made possible by the hyena being scared of the tiger and therefore not bothering anyone and the tiger being sea sick and drugged. I is able to find out many facts about the life boat and it’s capacity although he isn’t able to find any supplies. After some searching, Pi decides that they must be in the portion of the boat in which Richard parker is sleeping. Driven by his intense thirst, Pi crawls back to his original position and unrolls the tarpaulin just enough to see a locker in which he finds supplies. Most importantly, Pi finds cans of water, four of which he drinks immediately (after figuring out how to open them), and food. After he has eaten and drank enough to revive him, Pi makes a list of the supplies and materials in the locker. When the reality of morning hits Pi, he realizes that he is on a lifeboat with a tiger and considers jumping off but instead decided to build a raft out of oars and lifejackets tied together by some rope.
As Pi is working on tying the rope to the boat and about to tie the other end to the raft, Richard parker rises and promptly attacks the hyena who is unable to put up any fight whatsoever. After he has killed the hyena, the tiger turns to Pi and is about to pounce when a rat comes out of nowhere and jumps on Pi’s head in search of safety. Without thinking, Pi throws the rat at the tiger who caught it in his mouth and satisfied returned to his den under the tarpaulin. Taking the opportunity, Pi finishes tying on his raft and promptly places it on the water and boards it. The raft floats well enough and Pi lets the line connecting him to the boat out all the way, which is about forty feet. Rain begins to fall and Pi pulls himself into the boat to collect the rain catcher and a blanket, which punctually gets wet. Pi spends an uncomfortable night on the raft in the rain, miserable and wet. During the many wet hours pi thinks of six plans for what to do about Richard Parker and decides the last one, which is waiting until he starves. Morning however brings a welcome change in weather, as the clouds disappear and the ocean begins to calm. When he awoke, Pi was wet and doubted his raft for its numerous holes. Richard Parker became visible and Pi realizes that plan number six can never work and that if he chooses this course of action he will surely die. In the next chapter, Pi discussed fear and how it can change a person forever. The most surprising thing that happened in this section of this novel was Pi building the raft. I never thought that Pi would attempt to actually save himself by physically moving away from the tiger. I always thought that they would become friends or something along those lines. I like the idea of a raft which is much more practical and realistic. The setting in this part of the book, like most of the book, is somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. More specifically, the setting is a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger in it and a small raft off the back. The setting almost is the plot rather than affecting it. It the setting weren’t as it is then there wouldn’t be a story and if there were it wouldn’t be remotely the same.
I am on pg. 173 of Water for Elephants and there has been a little argument between Uncle Al and August. Uncle Al wants Rosie to take part in this parade at the opening of the show, and August knows that Rosie is not ready, which put August in a bad mood. When the parade begins to line up later that day, Rosie will not follow any of Augusts’ commands. Debuting at the parade, she quickly becomes the crowd favorite, and Uncle Al insists that Marlena and Rosie be the opening act. The biggest surprise happened at the end of the elephant show where Marlena flipped off Rosie and landed right on her feet to avoid hitting an overhanging bar. No one knew whether the stunt was planned, but later Marlena tells August and Jacob that it wasn’t on purpose. She ends up with bruised heels and a healing process of at least two weeks.
The novel is set in 1932 Depression era. The main setting is either on the train or under the big top. The train takes the circus from town to town, which is obviously important to the plot. The big top is also important for the obvious reasons. Both are key elements and necessities for any circus. I haven’t found much significance in the towns they’ve set up in and it’s hard to describe the setting when it is constant.
So I have all but finished the book, Under the Tuscan Sun. I’m on page 273 of 288. However, I can’t say that there have been many surprises. The biggest surprise is when Frances finds the hidden well of water or when she uncovers the frescoes in the kitchen. The book is pretty mellow and not supposed to be super exciting. The setting of the novel is mostly at Bramasole, in Tuscany. Bramasole is an aging farmhouse that Frances and her boyfriend are renovating. Bramasole has provided a new identity for Frances and signals her new beginning into her life without her husband. The entire plot is based around the trials of fixing up Bramasole which are a metaphor for “fixing up” France’s life. Frances has been fixing Bramasole for three years now and she comes back from San Francisco every summer to come work on it. The book is about the simplicity of living in Tuscany. But, don’t be fooled, simplicity is portrayed beautifully in the book. Frances describes the countryside so vividly its like you’re right there next to her and you feel the peaceful Tuscan air.
I am now on page 162, chapter 57 of Life of PI. Since my last entry so much has happened yet not much has changed. At the beginning of this section, Pi awakes to find sharks circling the lifeboat and the hyena eating the zebra. The hyena had made a hole in the stomach area of the animal, still alive, and was eating it alive from the inside out. Eventually, the zebra moved, causing blood to spill into the ocean and sharks to begin ramming the boat, unsuccessfully. After this there was a short standoff between the hyena and Orange Juice, which ended with the hyena going back to eating the zebra and Orange Juice hiding. The next day, Pi found that the zebra was still alive and suffering although it did not live until noon. Soon after this tragedy, the Hyena approaches orange juice who saved some time by hitting him firmly on the head. But sadly, the orang-utan is not strong enough to ward off the angry hyena and is killed. Once the hyena is settled and eating, Pi goes to see what has happened and finds a decapitated orange Juice beside the zebra carcass. As Pi looks closer, he sees that beneath where he had been living the past few days, beneath the tarpaulin is Richard Parker. Pi crawls back to his spot at the end of the boat and spends the night in hysterias. The next chapter goes on to discuss Richard Parkers unusual name and his story. The next morning, Pi awakes weak and extremely thirsty and decides that Bengal tiger or not he must search the lifeboat for supplies and most importantly water. This is made possible by the hyena being scared of the tiger and therefore not bothering anyone and the tiger being sea sick and drugged. I is able to find out many facts about the life boat and it’s capacity although he isn’t able to find any supplies. After some searching, Pi decides that they must be in the portion of the boat in which Richard parker is sleeping. Driven by his intense thirst, Pi crawls back to his original position and unrolls the tarpaulin just enough to see a locker in which he finds supplies. Most importantly, Pi finds cans of water, four of which he drinks immediately (after figuring out how to open them), and food. After he has eaten and drank enough to revive him, Pi makes a list of the supplies and materials in the locker. When the reality of morning hits Pi, he realizes that he is on a lifeboat with a tiger and considers jumping off but instead decided to build a raft out of oars and lifejackets tied together by some rope.
ReplyDeleteAs Pi is working on tying the rope to the boat and about to tie the other end to the raft, Richard parker rises and promptly attacks the hyena who is unable to put up any fight whatsoever. After he has killed the hyena, the tiger turns to Pi and is about to pounce when a rat comes out of nowhere and jumps on Pi’s head in search of safety. Without thinking, Pi throws the rat at the tiger who caught it in his mouth and satisfied returned to his den under the tarpaulin. Taking the opportunity, Pi finishes tying on his raft and promptly places it on the water and boards it. The raft floats well enough and Pi lets the line connecting him to the boat out all the way, which is about forty feet. Rain begins to fall and Pi pulls himself into the boat to collect the rain catcher and a blanket, which punctually gets wet. Pi spends an uncomfortable night on the raft in the rain, miserable and wet. During the many wet hours pi thinks of six plans for what to do about Richard Parker and decides the last one, which is waiting until he starves. Morning however brings a welcome change in weather, as the clouds disappear and the ocean begins to calm. When he awoke, Pi was wet and doubted his raft for its numerous holes. Richard Parker became visible and Pi realizes that plan number six can never work and that if he chooses this course of action he will surely die. In the next chapter, Pi discussed fear and how it can change a person forever.
ReplyDeleteThe most surprising thing that happened in this section of this novel was Pi building the raft. I never thought that Pi would attempt to actually save himself by physically moving away from the tiger. I always thought that they would become friends or something along those lines. I like the idea of a raft which is much more practical and realistic.
The setting in this part of the book, like most of the book, is somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. More specifically, the setting is a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger in it and a small raft off the back. The setting almost is the plot rather than affecting it. It the setting weren’t as it is then there wouldn’t be a story and if there were it wouldn’t be remotely the same.
Two posts again
ReplyDeleteI am on pg. 173 of Water for Elephants and there has been a little argument between Uncle Al and August. Uncle Al wants Rosie to take part in this parade at the opening of the show, and August knows that Rosie is not ready, which put August in a bad mood. When the parade begins to line up later that day, Rosie will not follow any of Augusts’ commands. Debuting at the parade, she quickly becomes the crowd favorite, and Uncle Al insists that Marlena and Rosie be the opening act. The biggest surprise happened at the end of the elephant show where Marlena flipped off Rosie and landed right on her feet to avoid hitting an overhanging bar. No one knew whether the stunt was planned, but later Marlena tells August and Jacob that it wasn’t on purpose. She ends up with bruised heels and a healing process of at least two weeks.
ReplyDeleteThe novel is set in 1932 Depression era. The main setting is either on the train or under the big top. The train takes the circus from town to town, which is obviously important to the plot. The big top is also important for the obvious reasons. Both are key elements and necessities for any circus. I haven’t found much significance in the towns they’ve set up in and it’s hard to describe the setting when it is constant.
So I have all but finished the book, Under the Tuscan Sun. I’m on page 273 of 288. However, I can’t say that there have been many surprises. The biggest surprise is when Frances finds the hidden well of water or when she uncovers the frescoes in the kitchen. The book is pretty mellow and not supposed to be super exciting. The setting of the novel is mostly at Bramasole, in Tuscany. Bramasole is an aging farmhouse that Frances and her boyfriend are renovating. Bramasole has provided a new identity for Frances and signals her new beginning into her life without her husband. The entire plot is based around the trials of fixing up Bramasole which are a metaphor for “fixing up” France’s life. Frances has been fixing Bramasole for three years now and she comes back from San Francisco every summer to come work on it. The book is about the simplicity of living in Tuscany. But, don’t be fooled, simplicity is portrayed beautifully in the book. Frances describes the countryside so vividly its like you’re right there next to her and you feel the peaceful Tuscan air.
ReplyDelete