Book Three Project

Chelsea  is a Tragic Hero

When reading the book Speechless, your first thoughts of the main character is that she has to be the antagonist. After all, within pages of starting the book she reveals the secret of a boy she knows, to her whole school for purely selfish motives. She tells everyone that he’s gay and the result of this news, a couple of boys from the basketball team go and beat him up.

I was quick to put her in the villain category because surely there’d be no way for her to recover from this.  After hearing that the boy ended up in the hospital, Chelsea is quick to realize what she’s done. She tells her parents and informs the police what happened and who hurt the boy.

Chelsea decides to take an vow of silence, hoping that it’ll teach her to think before she speaks. The vow causes Chelsea to meet some new friends and through a crazy turn of events be able to right all the wrongs she made.  She even goes as far to apologize to the boy she outted and to give up the life of lies she once led. 

Chelsea fits the description of a tragic hero because she made an error. A huge one. One that almost cost a boy his life. And with all of her old friends against her and some new ones to help her, she realizes her mistakes and tries to make up for them. By the end of the book, she was friends with the boy she hurt and even his boyfriend.

Speechless really taught me that the words you say can have a huge impact on another person’s life. A small blurb of gossip here or a not-so-teasing comment there, can hurt someone. I took a lot more away from this book than I had originally suspected and was happy to have this as my book number 3. 

The story of Chelsea being a tragic hero can be a learning experience for all who read this book

Reflection #10

Why We Remember Villains

For me it’s always been easier to remember the villain in a story or a movie. I don’t know if it’s because what they do is so horrendous, but I can never seem to forget them. Their actions seem to overpower the goodness of the hero.

Another reason why villains are so interesting to me is probably because they’re so different than the life I live. I don’t go out killing anyone, so when I read a book or see a movie about a serial killer, I’m always so shocked by their actions. They’re going to be what I remember because those ideas are just too foreign for me.

And finally, in some crazy twisted way, maybe we can relate to the villains. In the movies, whenever the antagonist begins to tell the story of why he turned evil, I always end up feeling sympathetic. It’s not because I agree with what they are doing, but I think that we’ve all felt underappreciated or judged. A lot of the times, it’s because of these feelings that someone becomes a villain. Deep down, we can understand why they choose the path of a villain.

Reflection #9

Speechless has been a great book so far. Although I'm not very far into it, there are three distinct parts that stand out to me as the "spot the moment" scenes. 

The first one is the part where Chelsea asks Tessa, a girl at a party, a couple of questions about a sneaky relationship with her best friend's boyfriend. Now that Chelsea has answers- and proof- she can black mail Tessa into doing something for her. I'm not far enough in to know why Chelsea needs Tessa, but I have a feeling it'll come back later in the book. What made it a big moment so far, was it really revealed Chelsea's character and that she's not as sweet as she seemed in the beginning. I'm predicting that this may be part of the reason Chelsea takes a vow of silence. 

My second "spot the moment" scene is where Chelsea tells everyone about a boy in her grade being gay. As she's narrating the story, she sounds reflective already, which makes me realize that she regrets ever telling anyone about it. Most of the story so far has been Chelsea gossiping and telling other people's secrets. I'm anticipating something bad to happen because of all the rumors she spreads. 

The next scene I got goosebumps reading. The boy the Chelsea outed for being gay ended up having to go to the hospital because he was badly beaten. Whatever Chelsea said to those guys at the party must have enticed them to go and beat up Noah.

 I'm really excited to see what the rest of the story has to offer and see what Chelsea does in reaction to this news.

Top Five Favorite Books Growing Up

My Top 5 Favorite Books Growing Up

1.       Mr. Popper’s Penguins 

 Growing up, this was my all-time favorite book. I could probably still re-read it today and enjoy it as much as I used to. Basically, this book is about a man who receives a penguin in the mail and after a few months another arrives. Eventually 12 penguins are a part of the Popper family and the book is all about how the family learns to love and get along with them.  I think I enjoyed it so much because it was funny and just a strange scenario to imagine. I recommend reading this book if you like funny stories and if you’re a kid at heart.

2. Harry Potter Series


I also religiously read Harry Potter from age 9 and up. Looking back now, it was kind of strange how obsessed I was, but definitely worth it. Harry Potter is about a boy who finds out he’s a wizard and the man who killed his family comes back to take over the wizarding world and Harry is the only one who can stop him. I liked the series so much because of all the twists the plot takes. Not to mention, J.K. Rowling does a great job a creating a clear picture in your mind. Read these books if you like adventure and a story that will always keep you wanting to know what will happen next. Don’t let the fantasy title scare you away.

3.       Two Way Street

My next favorite is Two Way Street. It’s about a couple, who recently broke up, going on a road trip together. I liked it so much because it was funny and was more than just a “romance novel”. The main boy in the story was hiding something and you had to get to the end to find out what it was. I would read this if you like quick reads and humorous stories. It has the Nicholas Sparks feel to it, but without all the sadness. It’s a great read and I still reread it now.

4.       I’d Tell You I Love You But Then I’d Have to Kill You (series)

I still remember going to the book fair in sixth grade and picking this book out. I picked it up because I thought the title was funny but ended up falling in love with the books and the series. It’s about a girl who goes to a spy school disguised as a boarding school. She deals with life of being a teenager and going on secret operations. I liked this series so much because when I was little I wanted to be a spy. This book was my dream and to finally see it in book form, made it seem so cool. I would recommend this to any young girl who would like a funny story about an awkward spy girl.

5.       Christy Miller (series)

My friend showed me this series when I was in middle school and I couldn’t put them down until I was completely through them. The story is about a teenage girl finding her faith and dealing with the day-to-day life that any teenager goes through. When I say it like that, it sounds boring, but I promise you that it’s not. I liked it so much because I fell in love with the characters. My friend who showed me this book and I talked about them like we knew them. I was a great series that I would still reread today. You would like this book if you like realistic fiction and stories about faith. It also has a cute love story too, and that never hurts.

These books were my favorite things to read growing up and still have a place on my bookshelf today.

Book Project Number 2

13 Reasons Why in Photos

I read the book 13 Reasons Why, where a girl named Hannah Baker creates a set of 13 tapes, each a reason for why she kills herself. Instead of making tapes like Hannah, I created photos, each trying to depict the main reason on each tape which ultimately results in her suicide. 

Without giving too much away about the book, I'll just explain some of the photos that I took.

In the fourth photo, there's a boy peeking in on "Hannah's bedroom" and taking photos. Hannah explains how this guy from school was watching her and taking pictures of her in her own bedroom. The one place she could escape- her room- now felt violated and all of her privacy was gone. 

In the seventh photo, there's a brown bag with Hannah's name on it. In one of the classes she takes, people  put compliments from the day's discussion in the bag to support one another. Someone begins to steal Hannah's notes of encouragement, which leaves her feeling under-appreciated and depressed.

In the final photo, Hannah tries one last time to reach out for help. She talks to one of her teachers and when he doesn't give her the advice she needs, it confirms her choice to end her life.

I thought that since Hannah chose such a creative way to explain her suicide, that I wanted to capture the same things she talks about, just in a different way. The photos are supposed to represent glimpses in to her life of the things that contributed to her death.

Reflection #7

Can Non-fiction be a lie?

I think that in order for a book to be considered non-fiction or a memoir, they need to be 100% true. I don’t want to hear an exaggerated story or the twisted truth, when all along I thought it was real. If it wants that title, it should stick to the facts.

I think half-truths can make great stories. I think that’s where a lot of books come from- something happened to the author but they changed it to make it more exciting and worth the read. Books shouldn’t be considered non-fiction, if this is the case because the author is lying to the audience.

There should be a break between fiction and non-fiction. It’s like in the movies when they say, “based on a true story.” You can tell when that’s said, not everything is going to be true. In the book world, they could create a subsection under non-fiction, informing the reader what they’re about to get in to.  It lets you know that while some things did in fact happen- others did not.

 It can still be a great story despite the added scenes or lies - it’s just a matter of clarifying where the information came from.

Review

Where does 13 Reasons Why Fit?

I don’t think I could classify 13 Reasons Why as just one genre. It’s a tragedy and a thriller mixed with romance and mystery. There are just so many things happening throughout the book that you can’t just stick it in one section and define it completely.

It’s a tragedy because we’re dealing with a girl’s suicide letter (or tapes, in this case). It’s the story of why she decided to end her life and all the little things that piled up over time. Each tape tells a different story and is its own mini tragedy in itself.

It’s a thriller because it keeps you guessing. On the edge of you seat. It’s one of those books that you can’t spread out over weeks or months. It has to be read in the fastest amount of time possible because you have to know what happens. You want to know the ending.

It’s a romance because she tells about the first guy she kissed and talks about how- even though most of it was a rumor- her life was changed because of boys trying to take advantage of her. It’s also told from Clay’s point of view and he really liked Hannah.

Finally it’s a mystery. You want to know why Clay’s name is on the tapes. You want to know who else contributed to Hannah’s death. You have to figure out what contributed to her finally deciding to kill herself.

So where do all these genres fit? In the broadest section. Inside realistic-fiction. This is a story that could have happened to anyone. It just happens to be filled with complex stories that help build the book overall. That’s one of the reasons I think 13 Reasons Why is such a good book. You can’t define it in just one word. It’s a little bit of everything.

Reflection #6

My Favorite Genres

Some of my favorite genres that we discussed today are the thrillers and even though we didn’t really talk about it too much, romance. I tend to lean towards these because both are exciting and normally are books that you can’t put down. I like books that keep you wanting to know what happens next and I normally find that with the thrillers and romance books. I don’t think my reading taste has changed too much over the years because these are the books I’ve always picked to read. The only difference is that I don’t stick strictly to these genres anymore. I’ll branch out and try others, like the Hunger Games or Harry Potter, but I always find myself going straight back to these two. I normally stay away from the science fiction or fantasy novels because those just don’t interest me. I like stories about things that could actually happen. I find genre labels extremely helpful because I know what I like to read and what I don’t. If I had to start a book just to find out it’s about magic or science, I would be frustrated. I like walking into Barnes and Nobles and going straight to my section, and knowing that I’ll like what I find.

Review #2

The cover of 13 Reasons Why

I think that the publisher choose the colors of gray and black for 13 Reasons Why because it’s a dark book. It’s about a girl’s suicide message and if the cover was happy and cheerful it wouldn’t fit the tone of the book. The cover also shows a girl on a swing, and I never really got it until today. It’s from a couple of parts in the book, but the main character, Hannah loved the swings at this nearby park. Many of the people she talked about in her tapes and her shared a memory there. The summary on the back is really good at getting the audience’s attention. It introduces Hannah and that she killed herself, but it makes the audience want to know why she left the tapes and especially why Clay received one. It does a good job at not giving too much away, but also at drawing the reader in. If I could change anything about the cover I would probably show a couple of tapes because that’s what Hannah used to record herself. Another cool option would be to show a 13 faces, each looking guilty or upset. They could represent the people who Hannah mentions on the tapes. I would still keep the gray tones or have everything in black in white in order to keep the dreariness that comes with reading this book. I don’t think 13 Reasons Why was the best book I’ve ever read, but it definitely made me think. I feel like I could reread it and still feel the emotion I did the first time. I finished the book in one day, so that just shows that it was something I couldn’t put down. I had to know what why Clay was on those tapes. This was a great read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

Reflection #5

Judging Books by Their Cover

I know I shouldn’t do this, but I judge book by the covers. I most likely won’t read something if the cover doesn’t interest me. Certain book covers that look futuristic or look like a fantasy novel, I stay far away from. Anything that has a vampire or werewolf, I tend to move right past as well. The things I do like the read are books with realistic people on them. Not a scene from the movie, I don’t like those covers, but maybe a cover with people flying a kite or running away. I like things that look like they could actually happen. The book cover for Two Way Street is a good example because it extends over both sides. On the front, is the main character and on the back is her boyfriend. I like it because it gives you an idea of what the book is going to be a about – a couple on a road trip, going through some trouble. Another cover I like is the cover of Along for the Ride because while it does show the cropped feet that Karen Heller talks about, it has bright colors and just looks like a fun read. I feel like the cover of a book can say a lot about it and that’s why I have specific things I look for on the cover, to guarantee that I’ll like the book.

Review #4

Adapting 13 Reasons Why

I think since most of Thirteen Reasons Why is an “audio recording”, it would make it difficult to be put on the big screen. The filmmaker would probably have trouble finding someone who could capture the emotion and draw the audience in all with their voice. A way to make this work is to have Hannah Baker narrating the flashbacks, but also show them as well. Instead of just following Clay around town, they could cut back to the scenes to show what she’s talking about. One scene they’d have to keep is the opening scene where Clay receives the tapes and how he reacts to hearing her voice for the first time. I feel like this was one of the most important scenes because it’s just days after her death and he’s hearing her voice for the first time since. It’ll be eerie and sad, but if they find the right actor to play Clay he can show just how important it is for Clay to keep listening. Another scene I think is essential to keep is the scene where Hannah cuts her hair. It’s a big thing for her and it’s the point where she decides that she’s going to commit suicide. I think that the hair cutting symbolizes her last cry for help and it’s important to show that she really didn’t want this to happen. Another important scene to include is the where Clay finally learns from Hannah’s messages and runs after the girl in the hallway. It’s the turning point for the book because Clay learned from Hannah’s death and you can see that with his actions. I really can’t decide on anything to cut from the book. Each of the characters was important because they contributed to her death and the audience needs every reason to hear why Hannah decides to kill herself. If they make a movie out of this book, it would be important to include just about everything.

Best and Worst Film Adaptations

Best and Worst Film Adaptations:

A small collection on which movies I thought were really great interpretations of books and some that weren't so great.

Good Interpretations:

Harry Potter Series -

Harry Potter was not only a fun read, but also an interesting movie series as well. Seeing the spells and the places the students would travel to, really made the books seem much more clear. I do think the movies missed out on key points from the book, but overall they did a nice job at making the highly loved fictional characters become real.

A Walk to Remember -

When I first saw the movie I remember thinking that the actors chosen to play Jamie and Landon were spot on. A good actor choice can really make or break a movie. Even after reading the book and knowing exactly what was going to happen, the movie captured my heart as well.

Hunger Games -

The movie was good at showing intense fight scenes and things the author had invented in a new way. I had my own idea of what they would look like, but when the movie came       out, it made everything much more clear. 

Bad Interpretations:

My Sister's Keeper -

My Sister's Keeper had such a great twist to the ending that you'd never see coming. In my opinion, the ending made the book. The producers changed the ending and I think it ruins the movie entirely. Now, if I hadn't read the book, I'm sure I would have thought the movie was just fine. But having those great expectations from the book only made the movie look bad in my eyes.

Dear John -

Dear John had the same problem as My Sister's Keeper. The book had a great ending, only to be changed when the movie came out. I didn't like the new ending and thought it really took away from what the book had to offer.