Literature
"The House on Mango Street", by Sandra Cisneros is about a poor latin girl named Esperanza who lives on Mango Street and hopes to escape because she isn't happy with where she lives. Throughout the book, the author, Sandra Cisneros describes the many different people who live on Mango Street in the perspective of Esperanza. Each person has a different and unique story that are major parts of Esperanza's childhood. She grows from being and insecure little girl to grown woman who realizes her purpose. I personally enjoyed this book, although, I am a very picky reader and I do think it would have been more interesting if it was about something more jaw dropping or intense. -Abril Centurion
"Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood" by Benjamin Alire Saenz is about a mexican teen boy named Sammy who lives with his father and little sister Elena in the Hollywood barrio of Las Cruces, New Mexico in the 1960's. He falls in love with a girl named Juliana, who is a brave girl with a very tough family life. Her father eventually murders her and leaves Sammy feeling empty. He loses a lot of loved ones throughout the book, but eventually learns to maintain his love for those who matter to him. This book is a good way for students to learn from Sammy's experiences. For example, first love, heartbreak, effects of society, and the death of loved ones. I enjoyed this book very much and I nearly teared up while reading. -Abril Centurion
The Greek play "Antigone" by Sophocles is about Antigone, who is the daughter of Oedipus. Her uncle, Creon, rules Thebes. There has just been a war between Antigone's two brothers about who should rule Thebes. Both of them died, but Creon left the brother who attacked Thebes, Polyneices, unburied. Antigone went against the law and buried him anyway. Creon then sentenced her to death, unaware of how his son, Haimon would feel. Haimon was going to be married to Antigone. Creon decides to lock Antigone up in a cell and let her starve to death. A messenger arrives to tell Creon that he is wrong. Creon decides to free Antigone, but he is too late. Antigone hung herself. Haimon killed himself because he loved her. Haimon's mother killed herself because she had lost her other son, as well. Creon was left with nothing. I really liked this play because it interests me how the characters are so determined to get what they want and its cool to see how everything turns out at the very end.- Abril Centurion
"It's kind of a funny story" by Ned Vizzini is a book about a teenage boy named Craig who struggles with depression. He has trouble eating and usually feels like he wants to kill himself. When he finds himself about to end his life, he stops himself and checks himself into a mental hospital. They bring him into what is called an adult psychiatric hospital. He meets many people there who have similar "problems". He also meets a girl who he ends up falling in love with. The people in the hospital end up showing him that he has a life ahead of him really worth living. They try to show him the beauty of life. At the end of the book he realizes that all he wants to do is just simply Live, Live and Live. I really liked this book because I got to see a side of a person I've never really met. Someone who wants to kill themselves. It's seems really difficult to be going through something like that and this book seems like it does a good job at guiding people who maybe are having the same feelings.-Abril Centurion
"Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen is a book about a thirteen year old boy named Brian who is on his way to visit his father and crashes a plane in which he is flying. Suddenly, he finds himself lost in the wilderness alone with nothing but a hatchet that was given to him by his mother. It is up to him to use his knowledge and strength to survive. I really liked this book because I was about 13 when I first read it and I could feel a connection to myself while reading. I've never tried to survive in the wilderness, let alone fly a plane, but I can imagine how scared he felt. While reading it again this year, I had an exact image of what everything looked like. It was as if I was there. I could feel the mosquitos sucking on his skin and taste the bitter berries he had eaten. If I were to change anything about this book, I would just use less repetition of words. Other than that, I loved reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in survival or simply just curious.
-Abril Centurion
-Abril Centurion
"Into The Wild" by Jon Krakauer is about a man named Christopher Johnson McCandless who hitchhikes to Alaska and goes alone into the wilderness. He donates all his savings to a charity called OXFAM America, abandons his family, burns all his left over cash and begins a new life. Chris disagrees with the ways of society and puts up with it no longer. He is passionate for nature and would risk his life to see the simple beauty of it. I really enjoyed this book while reading because it was based off of a true story. It is difficult for me to believe that someone would go on such a risky adventure but it interests me. Before reading, I never really looked at society the way Chris does and he made me wonder why society is what it is. Why do we go to school so that we can go to college? Or why do we go to college so that we can get a job? There are now never ending questions that have pondered inside of my head. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in survival, the ways of society or the simple beauty of nature. -Abril Centurion