You're Ugly, Too

"He stared at the top of Zoe's head. 'Great bone.' Zoe nodded. 'Great tits,' she said." -pg. 363

The costumes that these two are wearing are irony in themselves. Zoe, while talking to Earl and being at the party, acts more like a guy. She is dressed as a bonehead (haha, get it?). Earl is dressed as a woman. If that isn't irony enough, their actions and words switch their genders as well. Zoe has a hair growing on her chin and plucks it off. She also tells jokes that are crude and many people do not think are funny. She even jokes about love. Earl, on the other hand, seems to be very sensitive. He talks longingly about love and sadly about love lost. He also tells Zoe that blues will bring out her eyes and skin well.

The Lottery

"They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed." -pg. 264

The mention of the pile of stones is foreshadowing what lottery is really meant. The title and the light-heartedness of the story made me think this lottery was something positive. Instead, the person who wins doesn't win money. They in fact win the chance to be stoned to death. The mention of the stones and the light jokes foreshadows the stoning. The creepiest part, however, is how everyone is so light-hearted and jolly about this event. They seem to even look forward to it. The lottery still goes on in this town because it's tradition and they know of nothing else.

The Drunkard

"'Whilst, woman, whilst, whilst!' he hissed, dancing from one foot to the other. 'Do you want the whole road to her?'" -pg. 351

The humor in this story is obvious, but has underlying irony. The fact that a twelve year old is drunk is fairly humorous to anybody reading this story. However, there is also irony and seriousness in the kid being drunk. The seriousness is in how the family feels about drinking and alcoholism. Since the father has had drinking problems, being drunk is a serious matter to the family. The irony in this is that the kid being drunk has prevented the father from being drunk. It is also ironic how the father doesn't care the whole town knows of his drinking, yet tries to hide his son's drunkenness from the town. The father is mad at his son for drinking the beer, yet his carelessness and distracted attention was the real reason the kid was drunk. This is directly correlated to how the father acts in real life.

Popular Mechanics

"Bring that back, he said. Just get your things and get out, she said."

The style of this story is very important to the plot and tone. The whole story does not contain any question marks to indicate speaking. However, we can interpret who is saying what very clearly. The purpose of this style is simplicity. Simplistic style allows us to know that the argument and the plot are very simple as well. What each person is saying does not matter, nor does what they're fighting about matter. The climax of the story is at the end, when they rip apart the baby (gruesome, I know). Therefore, the simplistic style makes us realize the importance of the baby being ripped apart because of the fighting. The fighting itself and who is saying what is not the importance of the story.

A Worn Path

"There sat a buzzard. 'Who you watching?'" -pg. 225

This story's main plot is an old lady, Phoenix, walking through the woods. Mainly, she is by herself and is talking to herself. Her diction is also very uneducated. This diction and talking to herself adds to her characterization. Phoenix is an old lady who is extremely confused and rather careless. She even forgets what she was making the walk through the woods for. On the theme, I am clueless. One theme I believe could be humor in the midst of confusion.

Miss Brill

"...little boys with big white silk bows under their chins, little girls, little French dolls, dressed up in velvet and lace." -pg. 183

The setting of this story is very important in connecting to the theme. Miss Brill lives in France and is in a park dressed in fur. She is also very old, and the people around her are young. Miss Brill is an English teacher. All of these connect to the theme that she is very out of place. Although she sees herself as an actress in this big play in the park, others do not seem to think she fits in. Her profession, appearance, and circumstance all suggest that she does not conform to what she is trying to comform to. She also finds this out in the end when she overhears the young couple talking about her ugly fur.

Once Upon A Time

"A creaking of the king made by the weight carried by one foot after another along a wooden floor. I listened." -pg. 231

The opening section of this story creates an emotional background for the "children's story" that is told. The creaking sound the speaker hears she concludes could be two different things. First, it could be a murderer or another human. Second, it could simply be the house settling into the ground naturally and creaking. The fear created within the speaker sets the background for the short story she tells. It automatically creates a feeling of suspense, and prepares the reader for a climatic, unexpected ending. It also creates question in the reader about what is about to happen, with the speaker or within the story. This feeling of fear and suspense is the emotional background created for the children's story that is told.

Eveline

"She sat at the window watching evening invade the avenue. Her head was leaned against the window curtains and in her nostrils was the odor of dusty cretonne. She was tired." -pg. 218

The first paragraph of the story immediately introduces the story's theme. "Invade" is used in the first sentence and seems out of place. The passive voice of the second sentence is out of place too. The author used the word "invade" to allude to the fact that the guy that tries to marry Eveline and the fact that he wants her to run away with him is an invasion in her everyday life. It is also an invasion of her comfort zone she has set for herself. The second sentence is also suggestive of the story's theme. Passive voice is used to allude to the theme of Eveline being passive herself. She lets things come and go in her life, and will not take control.

Bartleby the Scrivener

"'I would prefer not to,' he said, and gently disappeared behind the screen." -pg. 650

The irony this statement creates throughout the story is quite humorous. Bartleby constantly answers every proposal in this way. Although he works diligently, he doesn't do anything the lawyer asks. The ironic part about this statement is that it creates the opposite effect of what a person would normally do. Normally, a lawyer would scold Bartleby and make him do something. The opposite happens, however. His co-workers kind of let things go and question what kind of person Bartleby is. Personally, Bartleby made me very, VERY uncomfortable.

Hunters in the Snow 2

"That's the worst of it, Frank. Not the being fat, I never got any big kick out of being thin, but the lying." -pg. 200

I believe Tub is the most sympathetic character. Anyone who reads this story, I think, would agree. Although he shoots Kenny, he is still sympathized with. And in Tub's defense, Kenny was asking for it. The new friendship between Frank and Tub also adds to the sympathy for Tub. He shares the truth about why he's fat, and his lies. We can all relate to Tub because he's scared to let people know he's ashamed of something. We can also sympathize with Tub because he gets constantly made fun of by the other two int he story.

Hunters in the Snow

"But he was wrong. They had taken a different turn a long way back." -pg. 201

These last two sentences of the story give the plot a final twist. The characters do not know that they are not on their way to the hospital. The author gives us this twist to characterize the characters after the events in the story. The purpose of this twist is to show the new friendship of Tub and Frank. It also shows how careless the three are. The carelessness of Frank and Tub towards Kenny's injury makes us think that Kenny was not a well-liked person to begin with. The events in the plot also support this characterization. The new-lasting friendship of Tub and Frank and them leaving Kenny in the back show the changes made in the two characters throughout the story.

Everyday Use

"'The truth is,' I said, 'I promised to give them quilts to Maggie, for when she marries John Thomas.'" -pg. 180

This point in the story shows a change of character in the mother. This refusal to let Dee have the quilts represents a permanent change in character. Now that she's had the courage to stand up for her daughter that is scarred and different from older daughter, the two have a closer relationship. The events that foreshadow this is the characterization of the two daughters. The narrator (the mother) seems to have sympathy for Maggie because of her burns and imperfections. This parallels to the way she describes herself as short and fat. She also describes Dee as someone who has always had it all and is picture perfect. This creation of sympathy for Maggie and the mother creates a connection between the two which foreshadows the events of the giving the quilts to Maggie.

A Rose for Emily

"Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it, and learning forward, that faint and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostriils, we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair." -pg. 289

This last paragraph really changes the attitude of the reader towards Emily. In the previous paragraphs, she is being buried. There is sympathy and mourning towards her and her funeral. This final paragraph, however, gives the reader a creepy and eerie feeling. Miss Emily basically cuddled with a dead man for a long period of time. While at first this might be extremely creepy, it's also kind of touching. In a very twisted way, you begin to feel sympathy for Miss Emily. She died alone and crazy, thinking that killing this man and cuddling with him would bring her happiness. I was just kind of creeped out by this.

Interpreter of Maladies

"The puffed rice Mrs. Das had spilled was scattered at his feet, raked over by the monkeys' hands." -pg. 165

The puffed rice, I believe, is very symbolic. At the end of the monkey attack, both of the parents act like it's where they were that made Bobby get attacked. They wanted to leave quickly because the place "gives them the creeps." What's ironic, however, is that Mrs. Das really caused this whole rendezvous. She was being careless witht he puffed rice. Because of the puffed rice being all over, the monkeys attacked where Bobby was. Also, the dad's shutter caused the monkeys to attack more. That just adds more to the irony of the whole situation. Both the parents both think they're innocent when in reality, they were the problem.

How I Met My Husband

"So I said yes, and I went out with him for two years and he asked me to marry him, and we were engaged a year more while I got my things together, and then we did marry." -pg. 146

If I would have skipped over this sentence, I would have missed the whole point of the whole book. The title is even reliant on this one line. How can she put so much important information in one sentence at the end of the story? My reaction from this surprise ending is, well, surprise. I don't understand the point of this whole anechdote from when she was fifteen in order to get to the main point of the story. Then, the main point comes in once sentence. I think the point of the story was to show the gap from naive to mature. However, her mature life was described in one sentence. Maybe that's just the style the author wanted to take.

How I Met My Husband

"I didn't figure out till years later the extent of what I had been saved from." -pg. 145

The viewpoint of Edie in the story is different from the time she is experiencing the story and the time she's telling it. As a fifteen year old, she is very naive and curious. The way narrator Edie speaks about her young self provides us with insight that she thought of herself as naive back then. Diction and phrases used to describe herself and the situations make the reader think Edie is much more mature now. The purpose of this is to show the vast change between fifteen year old Edie and the mature, married, and mother Edie. It's effective through the attitude the narrator takes on her younger self. She realizes how stupid she was to wait for the pilot to come back to her. Also, she realizes how innocent and naive she was with the thoughts she had about her relationship with the pilot.

Elegy for My Father, Who Is Not Dead

"He's ready. I am not. I can't just say good-bye as cheerfully as if he were embarking on a trip to make my later trip go well."

This poem can be comparable to "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night". Both seem to be about a son talking to his father. The father is dying. Neither son seems to be okay with their father dying. However, this poem takes a different appraoch than the first. This poem has a calmer and indifferent tone. The speaker is not sure of what he thinks of his father dying, but his father is absolutely sure he's ready to die. In the other poem, the speaker is demanding and angry. The two tones of the poem really give each of them a unique feel.

Edward

"O I have killed my father dear, Mother, Mother, O I have killed my father dear, Alas, and woe is me, O!"

What I love about this poem is that it's unconventional. I did not expect anything that was gonig to happen in the poem. My favorite part is that it has two climaxes that were unexpected. I did not expect him to kill his father. I also didn't understand at the end that his mother commanded him to. After rereading it a couple times, I finally inferred that the mother just wanted to reap the rewards. This poem was so unconventional because it was so dark and unexpected. Poems we've read in class don't have this much interesting drama!

Delight in Disorder

"A sweet disorder in the dress kindles in clothes a wantonness."

This whole poem is an example of a paradox. Specific oxymorons and paradoxes, like "sweet disorder", contribute to the theme of the poem. All the paradoxes are saying that a woman's imperfections makes her charismatic. Another example of a paradox in the poem is "wild civilty". Its purpose is to demostrate the rebellious nature and style of this woman, and the poem itself. But this nature in fact makes the poem and the woman civil. This sonnet is not a typical sonnet. It doesn't fit typical sonnet structure. Therefore, the structure appeals to the theme as well because it is imperfect, yet that is what makes it unique.

Death, be not proud

"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;"

This poem is an apostrophe. The speaker is directly addressing death. The purpose of the apostrophe is to directly tell death that it is not as mighty and powerful as others think. This poem compares death to pleasurable deep sleep, and says that poison, war, and sickness are the things that actually kill. Directly addressing death in such a desperate way contributes to the theme of the poem. The speaker is trying to convince himself that death really isn't as mighty as it seems, yet the speaker doesn't fully believe that. This is effective because it makes apparent the contradiction within the poem. It also contributes to the theme of desperately convincing.

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night

"Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

The above quote is an example of a refrain. The refrain is repeated in every stanza in some way. The purpose is to emphasize the theme of the poem. The commanding tone and the word "rage" lets the reader know the speaker is not okay with this person in their life dying. They are commanding the father to not go into the light and to hold on longer. It is effective because the reader picks up on the tone, which contributes to the theme. Without this refrain, the emphasis on command would not be there. The commanding in the refrain is the center theme and tone of the whole poem.

The Apparition

"Less that preserve thee; and since my love is spent, I had rather thou shouldst painfully repent, Than by my threatenings rest still innocent."

The tone of this poem is very hateful and resentful. These last few lines, however, I do not understand. From the poem, I can infer that these two lovers do not like each other very much. Perhaps they are already married? If that's what "solicitation" is. The tone of the poem leads me to believe the girl whom the speaker will haunt when he's dead is cheating on her. However, I do not understand the last lines and how they connect to that theme and tone. If it says the girl is innocent, then why is the speaker so mad at her? I think I just don't like how old this poem is. I never understand old English!

My mistress' eyes

"And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare."

If I am reading this poem correctly, it is a huge paradox. In a way, it kind of confuses me. The tone of the first half of the poem is negative and judgemental. The speaker is describing a girl whom he finds no good qualities in. Imagery is used to talk negatively about this person. Red, white, and black are all colors used to describe the woman. Sense of smell is used as well to characterize her. However, the last two lines juxtapose the entire poem. The speaker says his love is "rare as any". If he doesn't like all these qualities in this woman, why is she his love? And why is she rare?

Hazel Tells LaVerne

"so i goes ta flushm down but sohelpmegod he starts talkin..."

I want to focus on the language of this poem. The language relates to a vernacular of a certain area. In today's world, we would relate this language to inner-city, or uneducated. This language is uneducated because it doesn't use proper grammar rules, doesn't capitalize, and uses slang. However, we can learn a good amount from this language. The setting is found out from the vernacular--an uneducated area where an uneducated woman is working. Language is especially effective in this poem because it presents a picture of where we are (setting) and who we're dealing with (character). Without this language, we wouldn't be able to place a time, place, or characterization towards the poem.

Getting Out

"we paced that short hall, heaving words like furniture. I have the last unshredded pictures of our matching eyes and hair..."

The quote above represents a part in the poem that the tone shifts. Diction in the first stanza represents a tone of confinement and wanting to be free. Tone then shifts in the second stanza to anger. Words like "heaving" and "locked into blame" are harsh words that represent the harsh tone. The most predominant shift in tone is between the second and third stanzas. While the second stanza has a tone of anger, the third quickly shifts to a tone of nostalgia. The speaker still has "unshredded pictures" of the couple and tries to hold onto that memory. It also becomes very sad in the last line. It talks about crying, holding tight, and letting go.

Dover Beach

"...hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;"

This anaphora presents a common theme and tone of the poem. Repition of the word "nor" is the anaphora. The negative connotation of the word "nor" relates to the negative tone of the poem. This poem describes the lack of faith a certain body of people has through imagery from Dover beach. The purpose of the anaphora is to make clear what this body of people lack--joy, love, light, certitude, peace, or help for pain. Without the anaphora, it wouldn't be clear to the reader how lacking of faith these people really are. It is effective because it is in the last stanza and ties together the whole poem's theme. It also represents the negative tone of these people lacking faith.

next to of course god america i

I really, really have no idea what to think of this poem. I believe I had it all figured out-- then I read the last line. The quotations makes me believe the speaker is actually speaking or reading something. The last line and the hurried tone leads me to believe the speaker was reading something very rapidly outloud. However, I do not understand the purpose of this hurried tone. I also do not understand the purpose of all the allusions to American songs in the poem. It is mainly made up of classical American freedom songs. The "next to of course god" line leads me to believe the speaker is speaking to an audience who believes in God.

APO 96225

I love this poem! For once, I've finally found a poem I can thoroughly enjoy reading the first time through. The repetition of the "Dear Mom, sure rains a lot here" really gets to me. I also love this poem because I understand it. During the Vietnam War, the public was upset for not being informed more about the war. Once they were informed, they thought it was too much information. The reality of war really upset the homefront during the war. The mom represents the rest of the United States in the Vietnam War.

Sorting Laundry

The laundry the speaker is doing is a symbol of all the memories of the speaker and his or her lover. Laundry also holds the memories itself of the experiences of the lovers. The poem uses sheets, towels, shirts, skirts, pants, etc. to start an anechdote of the couple's experiences. Sheets symbolize the dreams of the couple. Towels symbolze the years after years the spent on the beach. The poem also uses things such as paper clips, dollars, and change to provide an anechdotal symbol to the objects. The purpose of these symbols is to give the reader an idea of the importance these memories have on the speaker. It also presents the reader with an idea of how much the speaker adores his or her lover.

Barbie Doll

This poem is a satire as well as a metaphor. The speaker in the poem compares a growing girl to a barbie doll without explicitly stating it. It starts off explaining how the little, healthy girl plays with barbie dolls when she is young. It also gives the girl human qualities that state how normal, healthy and strong she is. However, the tone changes and becomes a satire after the line "Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs." The poem then states how the girl cut off her nose and legs and offered them up, then dressed in pink and white and wore cosmetics. The irony of "to every woman a happy ending" presents the poem as a satire. This is effective because it criticizes fake women in the real world and connects to everyday fixations of women who are insecure.

Much Madness is divinest Sense

Emily Dickinson never fails to be as confusing as she can be. This poem, however, is a huge paradox. Madness and sense are juxtaposed throughout the whole poem. She says "much madness is divinest sense." This statement, the theme of the whole poem, says that madness in itself is actually sanity. The paradox is effective because it continues throughout the whole poem. It also is effective because there is truth in her statement. The purpose is to state that if the world is mad, it has sense, even though it should be the other way around.

I taste a liquor never brewed

Emily Dickinson's poems always confuse me--always. There's a point to where I think I understand, but then I"m always completely wrong. So on this one, I barely even attempted. Once I'm explained her poems, I admire them and her creativeness. I could never think in the way she does. This poem, specifically, confuses me because she gives such praise to this alcohol, but I have no idea what the liquor is. Maybe the liquor is something of nature? But she doesn't literally taste the liquor. She just gets a taste of it when she sees the nature. Maybe I'm completely wrong--which I probably am.

Pink Dog

This poem confuses me but intruigues me. I believe it's about a person outcasted in society because of their looks. The pink dog symbolizes this person. The harsh diction paired with ugly or degrading adjectives leads me to believe it's a person outcasted in society. However, a lot of it confuses me. This poem makes me want to know what it's about so bad! The figurative language and the adjectives used to describe the dog stand out to me and make me think about the person it's describing. It also leads me to believe the speaker is compassionate for him or her.

Dream Deferred

This poem is saturated with rhetorical questions. The questions are not asking for answers, but making the reader think. It also is trying to prove a point. The rhetorical questions are there to ask what happens to dreams that are not followed or are not reached. However, none of the questions are positive. Therefore, the point of the poem is to express that unfollowed dreams only disperse in a negative way. They hurt the person who's dream it was or have a dying fate. The questions are completely necessary in order for the speaker to get the point across.

February

This poem is full of metaphors and symbols, and I would like to reflect on a few. The cat is the central theme and metaphor in the poem. It symbolizes the dread and dreary party of winter, and how depression takes over us when it's cold. It even explains that February is "a month of despair." The cat metaphor extends through the whole poem. Another symbol is "a skewered heart in the centre." The skewered heart represents Valentine's Day. The adjective "skewered" leads us to believe the speaker is not too fond of Valentine's Day. Even though it's supposed to be a time of love and joy, it is the opposite for the speaker.

The Joy of Cooking

The tone of this poem helps to characterize the figurative language. Harsh language is used such as "scrubbed," "skinned," "carved," "firm and dry," and "sour". This bitter tones describes the speaker's true feelings of her brother and sister. The tongue of the sister represents how she constantly talks or tells secrets. The heart of the brother represents his cold, sour, and bitter heart. The speaker uses this tone throughout the poem to show her hostility towards her brother and sister. She wishes to get rid of her sister's tongue and her brother's heart, metaphorically. The figurative language is brought about due to the bitter tone.

I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain...again

This poem really irritated me and intruiged me all at once. What irritated me is that I could not figure out what it was about! While we should be focusing on imagery and literary skills (which I did, I promise), I couldn't help but wonder what this poem was about. At first, I thought it was about a headache. Now that I read it more thoughtfully, I wonder why I even thought that? Even though the imagery proves that it is happening inside the brain, I wasn't exactly right. The diction used leads me to believe the speaker is going insane. What I love about this poem is the metaphor that it's a funeral in his or her brain. The diction futher makes the metaphor more interesting and deep.

London

This poem by William Blake was one I really enjoyed interpreting and figuring out. What stood out to me was the repetition of "every cry" in the first two stanzas. It really had a tone of distress and mourning. The third and fourth stanzas were important in the fact it told you what the poem was about. The third stanza places blame on two parts of society: royalty and the Church. Both have pushed away the ordinary in society or the soldiers. The fourth paragraph has a tone of sympathy. Specifically, the speaker is sympathetic towards "harlots" and infants who tear apart marriages. What I love about this poem is that once you read the fourth stanza, you have to connect it back to the third in order to decipher what is really to blame in this society.

The Convergence of the Twain

What struck me the most from this poem is the rhythm and pattern. Rhythm is the fluctuation of voice using stressed and unstressed syllables. However, each word at the end of each line in a stanza rhymes. For example, in the first stanza, the words "sea," "vanity," and "she" all rhyme. This truly allows the reader to follow the poems rhythm because the rhyming words give it a flow and a voice that is easy to catch onto. The structure also includes stanzas of three lines. Without the use of the rhyming, the poem wouldn't flow as well due to the number of syllables in each line. The division of the stanzas also contribute to the easy flow of the poem.

Spring

In this poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, a specific alliteration jumped out at me. He  uses the letters "w" and "l" to do this. "When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush." This alliteration uses two consonants to really slow down the reader while reading this part of the poem. He does this particularly to emphasize the imagery he's using within the alliteration. "Long and lovely and lush," is strong imagery. It shows us the visual detail of the weeds during the spring. Without the alliteration, the reader could miss the importance of the imagery. It's significant because his poem about spring really connects to how we see, feel, and hear spring.

I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain

Although this whole chapter is about imagery, this poem has specific qualities. While reading through this poem by Emily Dickinson, you'd notice that there is no imagery that connects to sight. It uses strong hearing and feeling imagery. For example, drums beating and heaven's bells are used for sound. "My mind was going numb--" applies to imagery connected to feeling. There is importance that there is no imagery for sight. Because this is something happening inside the speaker's mind, there's no sight. Simply, the speaker is going crazy. In the midst of going crazy, the speaker hears and feels things, yet doesn't see anything. This is significant because it gives the reader a hint into what going crazy really feels like, and doesn't look like.

Laurence Perrine Article

To be honest, I disagreed with this essay up until the last paragraph. While I completely agree with Perrine's approach to determining "correct" interpretations of poetry, I don't really believe there is always a "correct" interpretation. While some poems might have a right answer to it, I believe there are some in which the author wants the reader to make their own interpretation. What specifically struck me was when Perrine said that an author should not explain their poem, or they have failed as a writer. If we don't get the right answer, how are we sure that anyone's interpretation is right? That concept confuses me. Even if someone tries to explain to me that there's always a right answer, I don't think I'll ever believe it. Humanity is so opinionated and words are so limited that there cannot always be one right answer. Even if some interpretations might be widely accepted or make sense, there could always possibly be another interpretation that makes sense.

One concept I do agree with, however, is that symbols are limited. His idea that dropping a rock in a pool will send out ripples in all directions, but with walls on the pool is spot on. With language, there are many words and phrases that mean the same thing. However, not all words mean the same thing. While there may be multiple interpretations of a symbol, it is limited in a way. Although I do not agree that there is a right interpretation, I assume my teacher thinks there is. Therefore, this artile will help me greatly. From this article I can see that I need to focus on little details such as singulars and plurals of words and sometimes not using context clues to help me decifer a poem.

Brave New World 20

"Through an archway on the further side of the room they could see the bottom of the staircase that led up to the higher floors. Just under the crown of the arch dangled a pair of feet." -pg. 259

Wait, John killed himself? While I could've seen this coming, it still surprises me. Not really surprises me, though, as much as bothers me. What bothers me the most is the irony of this whole world and the whole situation. This so-called world of happiness had made John so unhappy that he would kill himself. Isn't that contrary to the whole point of this world? Even though it was only one person, it should make an impact. While the book made me think about lots of things, I hate the way it ended. It left me with no answers. I'm the type of person who needs definite answers to a school-related question. Even though the purpose was probably to leave questions in your mind, I don't like that purpose.

Brave New World 19

"But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin." -pg. 240

There are so many quotes in this chapter that I could've used. What bugged me the most was all the talk about how this new world treats God. Yes, they treat him as unexistant, but they blame that on Him. Are they serious? Mustapha says, "People believe in God because they've been conditioned to believe in God." While that might be true for some families, it's not wholly true. People believe in God because they have the option. This world, however, takes away that option. There is no such mention of His name, or any mention of his possible existance. By them taking away the mention of God, they're taking away the power of choice. Of course they do that in many aspects, but this one is a huge one. John wants choice, and anything or any suffering that might come from it.

Brave New World 18

"And of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand." -pg. 221

The last sentence of that quote seems sort of like an oxymoron to me. Happiness is never grand? Isn't the point of this whole world of happiness supposed to be to eliminate suffering and struggles? I believe it's true--this fake happiness is not as real and genuine as struggles. So why would they create this fake reality, if happiness is not the best option? At first, I saw why they created this world of happiness. Everyone loves to be happy. Yet, without struggles and hardships, where does the true happiness come from? Synthetic drugs and meaningless sex? Those things are not TRUE happiness. True happiness comes from family, accomplishments, reaching the light at the end of a tunnel through a struggle, conquering a feat. This whole world of synthetic happiness seems like a huge irony and oxymoron--no one is truly happy.

Brave New World 17

"Linda had been a slave, Linda had died; others should live in freedom, and the world be made beautiful. A reparation, a duty. And suddenly it was luminously clear to the Savage what he must do; it was as though a shutter had been opened, a curtain drawn back." -pg. 210

Soma is controlling and killing the world population. That is what John had finally realized after Linda died. As he tries to tell people that, he only gets attacked. What is important, however, is that Helmholtz has realized it too. After becoming good friends with John, Helmholtz began to realize why John was trying to get rid of the soma. While I never really understood soma throughout the book, I finally realize it is literally deteriorating the human body. The people know this, yet don't care. They would rather have no hardships, sadness, or trials than live long. It makes me think--is this right? While sometimes I think "I wish I never had to experience hardships," they make me stronger. Without them, I wouldn't grow up, be the person I am, or learn to enjoy things in life. These people only enjoy two things--their soma vacations and sex.

Brave New World 16

"...that beautiful, beautiful Other Place, whose memory, as of a heaven, a paradise of goodness and loveliness, he still kept whole and intact, undefiled by contact with the reality of this real London, these actual civilized men and women." -pg. 201

John is struggling to keep the memory of his childhood alive while seeing his mom, Linda, die. The irony is this--the world John created of London in his mind of the 'brave new world' and 'Other Place' is truly horror in every way. What is killing him inside is that he is trying to keep that memory alive. He keeps trying to find ways to make the world in his mind a reality. However, he is slowly finding out this reality is not like his dream of this place. Death is treated as a good thing. While that seems unethical at first, it makes me think. We struggle so hard when a loved one dies to picture them in a better place, and take their end of suffering as a good thing. Maybe the people in London aren't so crazy to train their kids to take death lightly. Life would be much easier if that was the case for us.

Brave New World 15

"Opening her eyes, she had seen his face--no, not his face, a ferocious stranger's, pale, distorted, twitching with some insane, inexplicable fury." -pg. 194

This part of the book kind of confuses me. While I understand John wants to prove himself worthy before he has Lenina, he gets scarily angry with her. Moments before this, he was saying how much he loved her and how much he wanted her. Yet a few minutes later, he gets angry and slaps her away. This shows the difference between characters in London and characters at Hailsham. In Hailsham, love is still existant and happens between many couples. In London, love is nonexistant, and everyone just sleeps around. John's unfamiliarness to this really shows in his anger. He also repeatedly calls Lenina a whore. I predict they will both go into depression and sadness after what happened.

Brave New World 14

"John had refused to come because he didn't like her. He didn't like her... 'It really is a bit too thick,' the Head Mistress of Eton was saying to the Director of Crematoria and Phosphorus Reclamation." -pg. 174

While it might not look like it, the above quote is a pun. In order to fully understand it, you would have to have read the book up to this point. The pun is that Lenina thinks she is too thick and fat, and that is the reason John doesn't like her. Therefore, when the Head Mistress of Eton says 'It really is a bit too thick' out of context, it ironically fits in with what Lenina was saying. The purose of this pun is to interrupt the serious tone. The pun brings a light-hearted tone into the seriousness. In the midst of disappointment, low self-esteems, and let downs, a pun lightens the mood and encourages the reader to keep reading. It is effective because it has another couple play on words after it, engaging the reader and keeping them interested.

Brave New World 13

"'That young man will come to a bad end,' they said, prophesying the more confidently in that they themselves would in due course personally see to it that the end was bad." -pg. 157

The people of the town of London are foreshadowing what will happen to Bernard in the future. While he is famous now, they forsee him as a nobody in the end. This foreshadowing is very important. The purpose is to show us the inevitable future of Bernard. Fame will not last forever. His fame is majorly based on the people of London and John, so his fortune is out of his hands. Another purpose of the foreshadowing is to tell the reader that the people in the town are still not too fond of Bernard. It proves that he is taking the fame in a bad manner. It is effective because the people of the town are speaking the foreshadowing. They will do anything it takes to make it happen.

Brave New World 12

"Murder kills only the individual--and, after all, what is an individual?" -pg. 148

This quote really demonstrates the morals of this new society. Much like Never Let Me Go, this world treats a synthesized human as not a true human being with a true spirit. While Hailsham was trying to prove the kids had souls, most of London is ignoring the fact that humans once had souls. The two books are making humans like they are machines; however, in Brave New World seems to be more advanced in the future as far as making humans. The act is still inhumane in my eyes. In London, they have also lost sense of morality. Anyone can sleep with anyone, and God is nowhere to be found. Mothers and fathers in both books seem to be unexistant. These two worlds seem so low in morality and are so inhumane that sometimes I can't fathom a world like that.

Brave New World 11

"He crammed up his thieveries into the suit-case and shut the lid; then listened again, looked. Not a sign of life..." -pg. 143

The above example is an alliteration. The L is repeated in 'lid', 'listened', 'looked', and 'life'. The purose of the alliteration is to catch the reader's eye. The alliteration is in an important part of the scene and encourages fast-pace reading and emotion. While reading the alliteration, I embrace for an important scene or event. I also pay more attention to what I am reading once I hit the alliteration. It is effective because soon after, an important concept is brought about. John is snooping through Lenina's stuff and longs for her in lust.

Brave New World 10

"'Once,' he went on, 'I did something that none of the others did: I stood against a rock in the middle of the day, in summer, with my arms out, like Jesus on the Cross.'" -pg. 137

This allusion has major symbolism and importance at this stage in the book. The allusion is Jesus on the cross. It is important because it shows that the Reservation has faith and knows who Jesus is. In London, Christianity is looked as something that does not exist anymore. The purpose is to relate the feelings of Jesus, John, and Bernard. John, like Bernard, is an outcast in his society. Jesus on the cross symbolizes how they both feel like outcasts. Jesus himself got rocks thrown at him, was beaten and whipped, and was talked to harshly. John experienced many of the same things, which makes the allusion so effective. The purpose is to relate John and Bernard with each other, and to use a well-known instance to describe how they feel in their society.

Brave New World 9

"One afternoon, when he had been playing with the other children--it was cold, he remembered, and there was snow on the mountains--he came back to the house and heard angry voices in the bedroom." -pg. 125

The above quote is a portion of a flashback. John, the child who lives in the Reservation yet is the son of a couple from London, recalls his childhood to Bernard and Lenina. The flashback has a huge purpose in this part of the story. His flashbacks describe the torture and separation him and his mom Linda went through in the Reservation. Because they were from London, they were picked on, beaten, and tortured. Another purpose of the flashback is to show how different the two worlds are from each other. The Reservation is more like today's world, yet in London, it seems like all humanity and morality is lost. This flashback is effective because it gives the reader insight into how alone Linda and John really were. It also gives insight into the future of the story--that John and Linda want to move back to London.

Brave New World 8

"Suddenly it was as though the whole air had come alive and were pulsing, pulsing with the indefatigable movement of blood." -pg. 108

As Lenina and Bernard are walking through the Reservation, they feel the air 'pulsing'. The air is not alive, yet is attributed human characteristics. This is called an anthropomorphism. The purpose is to engage the reader in the atmosphere they have been thrown into. It is meant to feel like the air was alive, which is something the two have never felt in their perfect world back home. In the Reservation, the drums beat their hearts and the air. Giving the air human qualities is a perfect way to describe how they were feeling. It is effective because, as humans, we all know the pulse of a human heart. Throwing Lenina and Bernard into a place where the air is 'pulsing' is a culture shock and an eye opener.

Brave New World 7

"Alphas are so conditioned that they do no thave to be infantile in their emotional behaviour." -pg. 98

The quote above includes a few examples of the vernacular of the book. The first example is the 'Alpha'. There are different 'groups' of people in this world-- Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon. Alphas and Betas are highly respected and look down at the other groups. The purpose of using this language is to prove to the reader the system of hierarchy. The other example of the vernacular is 'behaviour'. The simple spelling of the word proves to the reader that the setting is in England and uses old-time English. It is effective because the spelling of certain words lets the reader know that this world still uses English that they use today in England.

Brave New World 6

"Orgy-porgy, Ford and fun,
Kiss the girls and make them One.
Boys at one with girls at peace;
Orgy-porgy gives release."
-pg. 84

To others, this might just be a poem. This poem, however, is specifically a quatrain. That's simply just a poem that is four lines. These four lines, however, have extreme importance to this part of the story, and the story as a whole. The quatrain is only a small example of how this world lives. People are encouraged to have sex with more than one person, and are looked down upon if they don't have lots of sex. This is HIGHLY contrary to our world today. The purpose of the quatrain is to demonstrate how this world works. This world encourages high sexual activity. It is very effective because it gives the reader an idea of how the sexual activity happens.

Brave New World 5

"Words can be like X-rays, if you use them properly--they'll go through anything." -pg. 70

This analogy is a simile because it uses the word 'like'. A writer is describing the way he writes and the words he uses. He is saying that words can be piercing and can really relate to a reader. The comparison to the X-ray is very effective. It allows the reader to relate something that is commonly known to words, which are not tangible. It compares something tangible and known to something that is intangible. The purpose is to relate something to our world and to this world. There are still writers. Words are still important in this world, even though everything else is different.

Brave New World 4

"Home, home--a few small rooms, stiflingly over-inhabited by a man, by a periodically teeming woman, by a rabble of boys and girls of all ages. No air, no space; an understerilized prison; darkness, disease, and smells." -pg. 37

The director, who is speaking the above quote, is putting a negative connotation on the word 'home'. In our world, home has a positive connotation. It is associated with warmth, family, and comfort. However, in this world, it is the opposite. It connotates home with darkness, stiffness, and something not liked. The purpose of this connotation is to demonstrate how different things are in this world than it is today. With many other examples, this connotation gives the reader a feeling of sadness and coldness. Home is a place where we feel comfortable. This connotation takes away that feeling and truly puts the reader in the world where there seems to be no morals or family. It is effective because it makes the reader realize how different this world is from our own.

Brave New World 3

"The roses flamed up as though with a sudden passion from within." -pg. 20

The above quote is an implied metaphor. This metaphor doesn't directly compare an object to something else. The roses are not directly described as fire. By saying they "flamed up" implies that they were red like fire. The purpose is to engage the reader in the metaphor and imagery. Simply stating the metaphors could get repetitive and uneffective. Using implied metaphors, such as this one, add variety to the story and engage the reader. It effectively engaged me and made me think of the rose as fire, even though the author did not come right out and say it. His metaphors and imagery really engage me in the story.

Brave New World 2

"But though the Epsilon mind was mature at ten, the Epsilon body was not fit to work till eighteen. Long years of superfluous and wasted immaturity." -pg. 15

While I am still a bit confused about what is happening in the beginning of the book, I am already starting to disagree with it. This hatchery is hatching humans quickly and in large numbers, unnaturally. Just as I thought some of the manners in Never Let Me Go were inhumane, I believe some of the manners in this book so far are inhumane as well. In both of the books, they are artifically reproducing humans and cloning them (as I can see from the first chapter). In Brave New World, they're trying to speed up the physical maturing process so we can use humans to start working at an earlier age. This, I believe, is inhumane because they're disturbing the natural occurance of things. Those first 18 years of maturing are very crucial to how you will act and perform as an adult. Taking away those years, I believe, will not be a benefit to society. Kids need to grow and develop through their own experiences and healthy growth.

Brave New World 1

"Whizz and then, click! the lift-hatches flew open...whizz, click! another flap of peritoneum had shot up from the depths..." pg. 9

The above quote contains an onomatopoeia. An onomatopoeia is the use of words that reflect their meaning, like "whizz" and "click" in the above quote. The purpose is to use words containing connotations of what the word is representing. When you think of a "click" you automatically play the sound in your head. This creates great imagery in the reader's mind. It is more effective than simply describing the sound. The word gives off the sound, even when you say it out loud. It is effective in the chapter because the chapter describes a bunch of machinery and production. The director is giving a tour of the hatchery which involves multiple machines and processes. The onomatopoeia puts sound and imagery to the processes going on in the tour. It is effective becaues it puts the reader into the scene and makes us imagine what it is really like.

Never Let Me Go 20

"The memories I value most, I don't see them ever fading. I lost Ruth, then I lost Tommy, but I won't lose my memories of them." -pg. 286

As the book ended, Tommy had passed away and Kathy is on her own. This quote perfectly wraps up the entire book. The anechdotes Kathy uses seem as if they happened to her yesterday. Her memories of Hailsham, the Cottages, Ruth, and Tommy are impecable. The whole story is told through her memories, and I believe they will never fade. One of the many themes of this story, I believe, are the importance of memories. After they donate all they can and have completed, all the students have left are memories. These memories are what make them actually human and not only clones. These memories make the whole process a little less inhumane. Hailsham and the Cottages also made the whole cloning and donating process less inhumane. This books creates a weird reality that may not be far off in today's world. It also creates a weird feeling within that makes you wonder if the whole process could be true or right.

Never Let Me Go 19

"We took away your art because we thought it would reveal your souls. Or to put it more finely, we did it to prove you had souls at all." -pg. 260

This chapter finally explains the whole book for me. While I thought Hailsham and the rest of the world was so inhumane to clone humans for donations, I realize it is the complete opposite. The clones, which we call students, can cure cancer, heart disease, or anything. These students have basically taken disease out of the world. Now that I look at it, these students seem not even human. Hailsham was out to prove they were human. This brings me so much more insight and respect for Hailsham and Miss Emily and Madame who ran Hailsham. The reason the students were not taught math and science was because it would be useless to them. The art and poetry was to prove they had souls and were actually human, even if they were cloned. Hailsham makes total sense to me now, and brings a complete sadness. It saddens me to think these students are not truly human, and the world sees them as robots. It saddens me even more that I think of them as only robots as well, and that they only have one purpose in life--to save others' lives.

Never Let Me Go 18

"So that feeling came again...that we were doing all of this too late; that there'd once been a time for it, but we'd let that go by, and there was something ridiculous, reprehensible even, about the way we were now thinking and planning." -pg. 242

This particular quote applies to many aspects of the story as it is now. Ruth has died, and Kathy is caring for Tommy. The two start having sex, talking more, and even talk about going to see Madame. Their plan is to convince Madame into giving them a few years off to themselves because they are in love. Although I do not know what will happen, I believe the plan will not work. The two have so many theories about their art and getting years off, but I believe none of them are true. All of these theories could just be rumors. In the final chapters, I suspect disappointment in going to see Madame. Kathy keeps trying to bring back Hailsham into her present, yet that time has past. Her feeling of doing all this too late is true--it should have happened long before. However, I forsee them only being disappointed in the future for not moving on from Hailsham.

Never Let Me Go 17

"But just for once, as she was twisting herself in a way that seemed scarily unnatural...she looked straight at me and she knew exactly who I was." -pg. 236

This chapter has great significance in Tommy, Ruth, and Kathy's relationship. As Kathy is caring for Ruth, they decide to pick Tommy up and go on a fieldtrip to see a boat. During this fieldtrip, Ruth makes a statement about how she's sorry she kept Tommy and Kathy from eachother and they were meant to be together all along. Not long after, Ruth died after her second donation. The quote above, however, describes the significant moment Kathy and Ruth had before she died. Even though there had been tensions before, the two became best friends again. This significant chapter makes the whole book a cycle. Their friendship is taken back to Hailsham days, even after it has closed. The real signficance between the three friends is that no matter what tore them apart, Hailsham and their past brought them back together. In that moment before Ruth died, they promised without words that Kathy would become Tommy's donor.

Never Let Me Go 16

"I'd meant us, all the students who'd grown up with me and were now spread across the country, carers and donors, all separated now but still somehow linked by the place we'd come from." -pg. 212

At this point in the book, Kathy has finished talking about her time at Hailsham and the Cottages and is talking about her current time as a donor. Particularly, we find out that Hailsham has closed. Shocked and upset, Kathy reflects on this, and I would like to reflect as well. The whole point of the connections of the characters in this book is the fact they all went to Hailsham. Yes, we meet new characters at the Cottages, but all the talk is still at Hailsham. The closing of Hailsham represents the closing of a huge chapter in Kathy's life, as well as the rest of the students. In the book particularly, it represents the closing of the stories of Hailsham. We now move into a new chapter in Kathy's life, which is her life as a carer. The closing of Hailsham lets the reader know we are moving on to a point in Kathy's life where she reflects and learns new things.

Never Let Me Go 15

"Ruth, don't give me that. There's no way you've forgotten." -pg. 202

The above quote has been said about three times in the past few chapters. This quote is called a refrain. Kathy has repeated this over and over to Ruth when talking about Hailsham. Ruth puts on a front that she doesn't remember certain things about Hailsham that she would not forget. The purpose of this refrain is to show Kathy's frustration with Ruth. It also shows the reader how naive Ruth is being by pretending to forget all this stuff about Hailsham. The refrain is effective because I actually get frustrated with Ruth and can relate to Kathy. Because Ruth keeps "forgetting" and Kathy has to repeat the same sentence, I am disappointed in Ruth's changes. She has wanted to forget about Hailsham and keeps pretending she has.

Never Let Me Go 14

"For all their busy, metallic features, there was something sweet, even vulnerable about each of them." -pg. 188

Kathy is describing Tommy's drawings as if they have human qualities. This is known as an anthropomorphism, or personification. Tommy has shown Kathy his drawings of animals. However, she sees them with nails and metallic features. Drawings aren't physically sweet or vulnerable, because they do not talk or have emotion. This anthropomorphism is effective because it brings the pictures to life. It also relates the reader to the feeling Kathy got while looking at Tommy's drawings. These creatures in his drawings were done in such a way that gave Kathy a feeling of innocence and vulnerability. The personification relates that feeling towards the reader.

Never Let Me Go 13

"Let's have a bit of fun pretending." -pg. 166

The example above is a paradox. A paradox is an apparent contradiction that somehow reveals a little truth. The contradiction is the "fun" and "pretending". Those words don't have the same connotation. Fun has good connotation, and pretending is not a good thing. This paradox is very effective in that way. Contradicting two opposite words makes you realize how wrong the statement is. The paradox is effective because the students, while roaming around town, were actually trying to have fun while pretending Ruth's possible was really a "possible". While the statement sounds as if it is nonsense, it has loads of truth in it. The students pretended that a successful office worker was able to be Ruth's possible. However, possibles are probably not that successful in real life. The purpose of the paradox was to make the reader realize the foolishness of their outing into town.

Never Let Me Go 12

"As it turned out, though, it was just about the last moment like that between me and Ruth for the rest of that ougoing." -pg. 149

This chapter is a perfect example of tone and tone shift. The tone at the beginning of the chapter is light-hearted and adventurous. The gorup of students from the Cottages are adventuring into town to find Ruth's possible. Demonstrated in this quote, the tone shifts from light-hearted to tense. It foreshadows that Ruth and Kathy will have tensions in the following scene. The purpose of this tone is to direct the story towards frustration and tension between the two friends. The tense tone emphasizes how much Ruth and Kathy are changing as people and how their frienship is changing. Tensions are rising between the two girls and in their relationship.

Never Let Me Go 11

"I suppose it was mainly us newcomers who talked about dream futures that winter, though a number of veterans did too." -pg. 142

At the Cottages, many of the younger kids talked about things called "dream futures". Dream futures were what they could picture themselves doing if they weren't born to be a donor. This is comparable to The Giver. In that book, they are trained to do only one job, and at an early age. However, we find out in this chapter that these kids were not born. They were "modeled" after another person. They assume it's an adult, yet are not sure of the age. The thought of not physically birthing children baffles me. These kids have no parents or family, and are made like machines. Dream futures are not in their reach because of the way they were made. Although our technology is close to achieving this, I could not imagine creating humans in such an inhumane way.

Never Let Me Go 10

"What I'm saying is that we were all of us struggling to adjust to our new life, and I suppose we all did things back then we later regretted." -pg. 131

This part of the story is easily relatable to teenage and high school life. Things are changing as they move to the Cottages from Hailsham. I could compare it to moving from middle school to high school. People mature, yet are still childish in some ways. Ruth and Kathy are changing as well. Tommy and Ruth are a couple again. However, they are different this time. They both start picking up on the habits the veteran couples have. This is comparable to freshman looking up to seniors. The kids are still naive. Looking back, they regret the dumb arguments and decisions. Anyone can relate to that feeling.

Never Let Me Go 9

"It was like when you make a move in chess and just as you take your finger off the piece, you see the mistake you've made, and there's this panic." -pg. 124

This analogy is very effective in more ways than one. First off, it accurately describes how Kathy was feeling. This is the first time Kathy and Ruth have argued. Now that they have moved into the Cottages, their surroundings as well as themselves are changing. The analogy of a feeling of moving a chess piece is effective because games are universal. The "mistake made" during chess is relatable and opens your opponent up to many options to take you down. Another reason this analogy is effective is because they previously had played chess at Hailsham. The author is bringing back a previous topic in order to connect the feeling.

Never Let Me Go 8

"...how stupid he was being,...how differently they'd do things next time around, how they'd keep much more private, how they'd have sex in better places at better times." -pg. 105

The quote above is an example of an anaphora. Kathy is talking about her talk with Ruth. Ruth told her that things would be different between her and Tommy if they got back together. The purpose of the anaphora is to demonstate the way Ruth went on and on about her new relationship with Tommy. Kathy had to listen to Ruth tell her these things many times. It is effective because the repeated "how" gives the reader a drolling effect that goes on and on. This feeling is expressed by Kathy through the anaphora. It really gives the reader a taste of what Kathy was feeling at the time and why.

Never Let Me Go 7

"I don't know what I expected to discover as I cautiously pushed the door, but I was properly surprised to find Miss Lucy." -pg. 91

This quote is part of a personal anechdote Kathy gives to describe the character Miss Lucy. Throughout the book, Kathy has given countless anechdotes of her time at Hailsham. Many of them help characterize certain people, or help us piece together why they're different. However, this is an example of an anechdote characterizing Miss Lucy. Kathy and Tommy have had experiences that prove that Miss Lucy is different from the other guardians. The purpose of this anechdote is to further prove this claim. In this anechdote, Kathy catches Miss Lucy scrawling furious lines over papers with a pencil. This was possibly to get frustration out, but it is different from the way the other guardians act. This anechdote helps gather evidence that Miss Lucy is different.

Never Let Me Go 6

"Your lives are set out for you. You'll become adults, then before you're old, before you're even middle-aged, you'll start to donate your vital organs. That's what each of you was created to do." -pg. 81

Finally, we find out why the students at Hailsham are so special. I want to reflect on this idea of being "created" to do a certain job. I can't fathom not being able to pick your own profession or interests. These students were bred to donate their organs, and that's all they are to do with their lives. I feel remorse for these students and am sickened that the world in this book has come to that. However, the students at Hailsham seem to accept this and have no problems with it. This confuses me because I would want to choose my own destiny. The fact that certain people are chosen to simply donate organs their whole life is unimaginable in today's world. Also, these kids were "created" in the sense that they were specifically born to have healthy organs. Because of this special creation, they are not able to have babies. While I believe this is immoral, the technology and science to do this is not too far off in our own world today.

Never Let Me Go 5

"I don't know how it was where you were, but at Hailsham the guardians were really strict about smoking." -pg. 67

This quote perfectly describes how smoking has a negative connotation at Hailsham. While you might think, "Obviously smoking is negative", it is not always true in the real world. Many people think smoking is cool. However, at Hailsham, it has a deeper meaning. This connotation's purpose is to give hints to the reader about the real purpose of the students at Hailsham. It hints that the guardians try extra hard to keep the students healthy "on the inside." The reason they're special has something to do with keeping their insides healthy. This connotation is effective because it gives the reader more hints towards figuring out why these students are raised at Hailsham.

Never Let Me Go 4

"If you knew everything we'd found out, you wouldn't dare say anything so daft!" -pg. 55

The vernacular in this book is hard to miss. Words such as "daft", "colour", "centre", etc. are very native to England. The purpose is to set the tone for where the book is. It also reminds us constantly of the settng and where the story takes place. To me, it is surprising that these eleven year old kids in the story use words this advance. The purpose is to also demonstrate their intelligence. Something about Hailsham has taught them young and they are very wise. Words like this really contribute to the vernacular of the story and of England. It really gives us a sense of the plot and the setting.

Never Let Me Go 3

"I remember feeling furious at Polly for so stupidly breaking the unwritten rule, but at the same time, being terribly excited about what answer Miss Lucy might give." -pg. 40

Polly, in this story, had asked guardian Miss Lucy about the gallery. The gallery was a colliquialism. It was often talked about through the students and anywhere except for around the guardians. When Polly asked Miss Lucy about the gallery, many of the students were shocked and angry she had broken the rule of not speaking of it around the guardians. This colloquialism is very effective because it demonstrates the importance and mystery of the gallery. It confuses the reader even more and makes them question what the importance is and why it's so sacred. The purpose is to exemplify the student's confusion about the gallery and their desire to figure out the importance of it. The students' desire also creates a desire in the reader. I am eager to find out more.

Never Let Me Go 2

"The first time you glimpse yourself through the eyes of a person like that, it's a cold moment. It's like walking past a mirror you've walked past every day of your life, and suddenly it shows you something else, something troubling and strange." -pg. 36

Up until this point of the book, we are given little information. Although I am confused, I appreciate the confusion and mystery in this book. Particularly, I am confused about the fact these students at this school have to be creative and searching for new things to create. I see no emphasis on English, Math, Science, History, or any other subject. Tommy, Kathy's brother, is criticized for being uncreative. When a teacher tells him it's okay to not be creative, Kathy is confused and appalled. This also confuses me, considering many people in today's world have many different talents. What also confuses me is the "outsiders" in the book, such as Madame. Through these outsiders, the kids are beginning to realize they are different and the outsiders are different as well. I, myself, as well as the students in the book, are confused on these differences and why they occur to only them. This book intrigues me and I find it difficult to fully enjoy when I'm searching for literary terms and setting, style, etc. Oh, well.

Never Let Me Go 1

"And anyway, if I'd never started choosing, how would I ever have got close again to Ruth and Tommy after all those years?" -pg. 4

This quote perfectly foreshadows what I believe will be the importance of the rest of the book. The first chapter recalls events in her past that the narrator, Kathy, says has affected her in the present. This foreshadowing hints that Kathy and her siblings have grown closer after losing each other over a number of years. It effectively gives us an idea of the central characters and people important to the main character in the story. This foreshadowing also gives us an idea of what has happened over the years. However, it does not tell us too much information. We do not know why they were distanced, how they were related in the first place, and what has happened when they reunited. The purpose is to not give us too much information, but to guide us on the track of where the story is going from here. I am eager about the mysteries already present in this book.