The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. Washington Square Press, 2006 Genre: realistic fiction
The Tenth Circle is a story about a 14 year old girl and her family, which is quickly falling apart. After the break-up with her boyfriend, Trixie Stone quickly falls into depression. During a party where she tries to get her boyfriend back, her actions take a dark turn and she is raped by the boy she once loved. With their world seeming to crash around them, the Stone family must pull through twists and turns and a journey that could tear them apart.
The front cover reads "Picoult is a master of the art of storytelling,"- Houston Chronicle
One thing that I really like about the way Jodi Picoult writes is that she is great at really making you think. She always ends topics and topics and paragraphs with very thought provoking sentences. They make you reflect on what you've read. It really help you to get into the story and feel what the characters are feeling.
I've also read The Pact and My Sister's Keeper by this author. I've thought similar things about all three. They are all great books and all revolve around questionable topics. She seems to like to write books and stories about controversial topics. You really have to read the whole book before you can decide on your opinion of the conflict. And people often have different opinions.
"Laura Stone knew exactly how to go to hell"(15).
I really enjoyed this book. I've enjoyed all books by Jodi Picoult that I've read. I'm excited to continue reading her work. I really felt like I related to the main character in this story. At some points I felt like I really understood how she was feeling and where she was coming from. It was very interesting to read and I would suggest it to anyone.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Value Essay
Music of the Field
With Apple coming out with a new product constantly, and people always feeling like they need to have the next thing, always being bigger and better, people often forget the simple things that bring us joy. We are always so focused on the material things in life that we forget about those priceless moments that nothing can beat. What in our lives is really valuable? Is it the new computer or fashion look? Is it the time we spend with family and friends? Or is it really just the moments we feel most alive that are truly valuable?
As I walk out of the school, I reach into the pocket of my North Face jacket and fish out my sleek and stylish iPod touch. I’ve been waiting the whole day for the chance to listen to my own music. I unravel the headphones and wipe the dust off the screen. I press the small circular button at the bottom of the rectangle. The screen lights up and reads “Slide to Unlock,” with a bar beneath it. I slide the bar and my music world is opened. I touch the orange music icon and scroll through my playlists. I decide on my “Top Picks.” I then scroll trough the songs until I see one that hits me. With its 16GB of memory, I can fit most any song I want into one portable piece of technology. I love its convenience and capabilities.
We break from our huddle and set out to our positions. I jog to my place as center defense. The tension in my body rises as the referee walks to the center of the field. “Goalie ready?” he asks the opposing goalkeeper. She nods. “Goalie ready?” he asks ours. She nods also. The referee blows his whistle and the game begins.
The center forward hits the ball and then we're in motion. All nervous feeling is gone and I know what I'm doing. When the ball comes my way I have my stick down and I attack. When I get the ball away from the opposing player I pass it up to my offense. I feel accomplished and know I've done a good job. When the ball comes down the field again, I am ready and repeat the process. I feel at home on the field. I feel in control.
My iPod and playing field hockey are two extremely important things to me. They appear to be totally different, but to me they are similar. They both give me comfort and a sense of control. With my iPod, I can always choose the song that I feel suits my mood and on the field I am in control of my plays. My iPod allows me to listen to the music that comforts and relaxes me almost anywhere, and field hockey is a type of release that is similar to why I listen to music. So although these two things are very different, in my mind, they are similar in terms of what they provide for me.
It's hard for me to say what I truly value more. Overall, I'd say priceless moment are more valuable than material items. But for me, my iPod isn't truly what I value, it's what my iPod provides for me. Music is everything to me. It can lift my spirits when im upset or angry. It can calm me down when I'm worked up about something. It is my main form of release and relaxation. What I really value is listening to music, my iPod simply gives me an efficient and convenient way to do that. So I value that also.
Field hockey and my iPod are two very valuable things to me. I value them for different, yet similar reasons. I don't know what I would do if either of them weren't in my life anymore. I would say that it is impossible for me to decide which is more valuable to me because they are both so essential to my life, happiness, and well-being.
With Apple coming out with a new product constantly, and people always feeling like they need to have the next thing, always being bigger and better, people often forget the simple things that bring us joy. We are always so focused on the material things in life that we forget about those priceless moments that nothing can beat. What in our lives is really valuable? Is it the new computer or fashion look? Is it the time we spend with family and friends? Or is it really just the moments we feel most alive that are truly valuable?
As I walk out of the school, I reach into the pocket of my North Face jacket and fish out my sleek and stylish iPod touch. I’ve been waiting the whole day for the chance to listen to my own music. I unravel the headphones and wipe the dust off the screen. I press the small circular button at the bottom of the rectangle. The screen lights up and reads “Slide to Unlock,” with a bar beneath it. I slide the bar and my music world is opened. I touch the orange music icon and scroll through my playlists. I decide on my “Top Picks.” I then scroll trough the songs until I see one that hits me. With its 16GB of memory, I can fit most any song I want into one portable piece of technology. I love its convenience and capabilities.
We break from our huddle and set out to our positions. I jog to my place as center defense. The tension in my body rises as the referee walks to the center of the field. “Goalie ready?” he asks the opposing goalkeeper. She nods. “Goalie ready?” he asks ours. She nods also. The referee blows his whistle and the game begins.
The center forward hits the ball and then we're in motion. All nervous feeling is gone and I know what I'm doing. When the ball comes my way I have my stick down and I attack. When I get the ball away from the opposing player I pass it up to my offense. I feel accomplished and know I've done a good job. When the ball comes down the field again, I am ready and repeat the process. I feel at home on the field. I feel in control.
My iPod and playing field hockey are two extremely important things to me. They appear to be totally different, but to me they are similar. They both give me comfort and a sense of control. With my iPod, I can always choose the song that I feel suits my mood and on the field I am in control of my plays. My iPod allows me to listen to the music that comforts and relaxes me almost anywhere, and field hockey is a type of release that is similar to why I listen to music. So although these two things are very different, in my mind, they are similar in terms of what they provide for me.
It's hard for me to say what I truly value more. Overall, I'd say priceless moment are more valuable than material items. But for me, my iPod isn't truly what I value, it's what my iPod provides for me. Music is everything to me. It can lift my spirits when im upset or angry. It can calm me down when I'm worked up about something. It is my main form of release and relaxation. What I really value is listening to music, my iPod simply gives me an efficient and convenient way to do that. So I value that also.
Field hockey and my iPod are two very valuable things to me. I value them for different, yet similar reasons. I don't know what I would do if either of them weren't in my life anymore. I would say that it is impossible for me to decide which is more valuable to me because they are both so essential to my life, happiness, and well-being.
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