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 * //To the Guests at this Wiki, //**

**The Great Minds PERSONAL CANON** ** FIRST **there was the //Literary Canon// -- a term used widely to refer to a group of literary works that are considered the most important of a particular time period or place. The list is sometimes referred to as the Great Books collection.

** THEN **Italo Calvino, Italian writer and literary critic, proposed the idea that readers can develop their own //"library of classics,"// a list of books/authors to which you cannot feel indifferent, literature that has helped you to define yourself in relation to it, or even in opposition to it.

**HERE** we are creating a // Personal Canon // -- a collective list of literary works that we consider significant for the effect they have had on us as readers, for the effects they have had on our lives. I'm inviting you to share **your** personal classics, as well.

// There is nothing for it but for all of us to invent our own ideal libraries of classics. I would say that such a library ought to be composed half of books we have read and that have really counted for us, and half of books we propose to read and presume will come to count—leaving a section of empty shelves for surprises and occasional discoveries. (Calvino) //

If you're interested in reading more about Italo Calvino, visit the fine arrangement of [|Calvino Works] at an Emory __University__ information page. Or, read a brief overview of Clavino's [|14 Reasons to Read the Classics].

I'll start:
Walt Whitman's civil war poems (my junior year in high school) sent me to the bookstore that weekend to buy a complete anthology of his poetry. In it I found the WORLD: poems about the land, people at work, politics, soldiers and lovers...And lovers? Wow...I didn't expect that! Beautiful, amazing, encompassing, organic poems about bodies and spirits. I didn't know these poems existed, stuff like [|"From Pent Up Aching Rivers"] and [|"Dalliance of Eagles"].

I am still drawn to the visceral language and the nature imagery. Years later, during my brief corporate stint, I had posted another of his poems in my cubicle. "The Prairie-Grass Dividing" kept me grounded in a skyscraper culture, a building that had its own zip code and more pieces of mail than citizens in the hometown of my youth. Whitman reminded me to look in the eyes of those in charge and say, "Who are you?" He reminded me from where I have come.

// THE prairie-grass dividing-its special odor breathing, // // I demand of it the spiritual corresponding, // // Demand the most copious and close companionship of men, // // Demand the blades to rise of words, acts, beings, // // Those of the open atmosphere, coarse, sunlit, fresh, nutritious, // // Those that go their own gait, erect, stepping with freedom and // // command-leading, not following. // // Those with a never-quell'd audacity-those with sweet and lusty // // flesh, clear of taint, // // Those that look carelessly in the faces of Presidents and Governors, as to say, // // Who are you? // // Those of earth-born passion, simple, never-constrain'd, never obedient, // // Those of inland America. //
 * "The Prairie-Grass Dividing"[[image:great-minds-your-personal-canon/alfalfa-3.jpg height="234" align="right"]] **

Then, in college, I saw //Apocolypse Now// and read Yukio Mishima's short story [|"Patriotism"], and things were never the same. No longer a safe insular world. I was out there as equally liable as the others. As equally responsible as the rest. As equally horrified and astounded as most.
 * [[image:great-minds-your-personal-canon/11.jpg width="195" height="263"]] || [[image:great-minds-your-personal-canon/cf89f0cdd7a0f2898a3b6110.L.jpg width="186" height="273"]] || [[image:great-minds-your-personal-canon/9717.jpg width="173" height="261"]] ||

Post-college came Louise Erdrich's //Love Medicine//, Milan Kundera's //Unbearable Lightness of Being//...and my canon is manifesting itself.

What about you? Whatever your field, discipline, or practice, literature has "grown" you. Tell us how! Add your Personal Classic(s) below:

2017 AP Literature & Composition - EHS Reflect & Review! Write your personal canons below! Be insightful and include a work from each of the major categories: novel, short story, poem.

//** Hi class, Start to post your info below. **//
 * AP LIt and Comp for Jrs, 2013-2014 Personal Classics: **

__Catcher In the Rye__ In the book Catcher In the Rye by J.D Salinger, takes you on a journey through the mind of Holden Caulfield, although he wasnt a reliable source he still stayed true to himself. And that’s why I enjoyed reading this book. Even though you don’t know what is true or not, Holden is able to tell a story that moved many people. The book takes place in the heart of New York City, with Holden pretty much just exploring. After being kicked out of his school, he set out on his rebellious adventure that ultimately leaves him back in a mental intuition. Throughout his journey you realize that in some point you lose your youth and innocence, but it’s part of the cycle of life and from there you learn to grow as a person. Throughout the book Holden contrasts this idea because he wants to save people including his sister from losing their innocence, there for being the Catcher in Rye.
 * Natalia G**

__Life of Pi__ Life Of Pi, by Yann Martel, has so far been the most interesting book I’ve read in High School. The novel is about a boy stranded on a lifeboat with a tiger for more than 227 days. The main character of the novel, Pi, lived in India with his family, and owned a zoo. The family decided to sell the zoo and move to canada. ( SPOILER ALERT ) When they were out at sea, on a boat with their animals all in cages, a terrible storm came and the boat sank. Pi was left stranded on a lifeboat with a zebra, hyena, orangutan, and a tiger. The tiger killed all the animals, and Pi was alone with the tiger. Pi was frightened of the tiger, but eventually he overcame his fear and tamed the tiger to not attack him. In the end of the story Pi was rescued and confronted about what had happened out on sea, and they asked him to tell his story of what had happened. Pi gave them two different stories, the one where Pi was stranded with a bunch of animals, and one where Pi was the tiger and the other animals were humans and the orangutan his own mother. The reason I chose this novel is because the book shows how determination and faith are something you should never give up, even in a time of great danger or disaster. If you are determined enough, and have enough faith towards something you want or do then it’ll help you towards overcoming any challenges you face.
 * Jordin D. **



__Perfect Chemistry__ Perfect Chemistry, by Simone Elkeles, is a book about two teenagers who struggle through high-school( SPOILER ALERT ). The girl, Brittany Ellis, struggles to keep her reputation up while dealing with the fact her parents are thinking about sending her sister away because they can’t take her anymore. The boy, Alex Fuentes, struggles with protecting his mother and brothers by being involved in a gang. These two characters come into contact with each other and they hated each other the first time. But as the story progresses we learn that there is more to it than hatred-there is love between them. These two teenagers had to fight to get to do what they both wanted to do most. This book is one of my favorites because it taught me to treat people differently and take into consideration that theres a story to why people act the way they do. Perfect Chemistry has taught me to try to get to know someone first before judging them by how they act. I can also relate to some of the characters hardships so this book is one of my top books that I recommend any girl to read this book.

__Gamer Girl__ Gamer Girl, by Mari Mancusi, is a book about this girl, named Maddy, who moved in with her grandma’s house due to her mother and father getting divorced.
 * ( SPOILER ALERT ) ** Maddy is just going into highschool as a freshman and she is in a completely new district, so she knows no one. The first day of school she had her outfit planned out to where she was going to make friends, but within the final minutes of her getting ready her grandma makes her change her outfit into something completely out of style and completely embarrassing. She was made fun of the first day of being in the school, and her reputation for that school was ruined due to her grandma making her change her clothes. Then one day, Maddy got a present to play with her father on an online computer game, once she started playing she enjoyed the game, and met an online boy that she had feelings for. In the end she found out that the person she had feelings for on the game was one of the popular guys in her school. She couldn’t believe it and neither could he. They ended up getting together in the end and kissing. This story is one of my top books because I have felt similar to the main character in the story, and could relate to many things that happened to her. Its given me a realization of how much I have changed from the person I was before freshman year to the person I am now in my junior year of high-school. I’ve become more outgoing and less worrisome of how people see me as, and be proud of the things I do and the choices I choose.

__Tuesdays With Morrie__
 * Anthony C**

The touching memoir Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom, has truly changed the way that I look at life. The memoir revolves around the author rekindling the relationship between himself and his previous sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz. Morrie is a 78 year-old man that is slowly dying from the degenerative muscle disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Every Tuesday Albom drives out to visit Morrie in order to provide his ex-professor with the pleasure of teaching one last course entitled, “Life”. Their conversations encompass acceptance, love, communication, values, materialism, society, and happiness. After the completion of each conversation the reader can slowly see Albom’s views on these subjects change due to his teacher’s profound wisdom. As the memoir progresses the simple relationship between Schwartz and Albom truly blossoms into something beautiful. The two men develop an unconditional love for each other that is only strengthened by every passing second that they spend with each other. This is evident in the fact that when Morrie’s disease begins to progress Albom takes care of Morrie when he stops by for his lessons. At the end of the memoir Morrie dies, but Albom becomes a completely different man due to his incredible professor. This novel has always had a special place in my heart. My grandmother works for the ALS Association of America; I have met several people that have this disorder, have helped my grandmother take care of people that suffer from this disease, and have attended many fundraisers to raise money for research on this awful disease. This part of my life allowed me to deeply connect with the novel on a level that many individuals cannot. Another reason why this novel is of great importance to me is because of the message it sends. It promotes the idea that the little things in life are the best ones to experience. It states that if one has an immensely successful life, but experiences no joy, pleasure, or has no one to share it with then ultimately they have failed. However, if one stops to appreciate both the pleasures and hardships of everyday life and has many loving people to share those experiences with then ultimately they have won.

This novel written by Aldous Huxley is set in a dystopian society far in the future where the characters prioritize three things above all else: Community, Identity, and Stability. These three things are the keys to a smoothly functioning society. The leaders of the World State (the society) do everything in their power to ensure that the society is void of diversity, which they view as an opposing force towards them. They have created a social hierarchy composed of five classes (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon) that become increasingly underdeveloped and handicapped as the alphabet progresses. Humans are created in test tubes on an assembly line modeled after those of Henry Ford through a series of processes that take the place of the nine months an embryo would spend in a womb. As a result, the society treats Ford as their God. Huxley conveys the dystopian aspects of the society by focusing on three characters throughout the novel, Bernard, Lenina, and John. The main characters Bernard, Lenina, and John each deal with the suppression of society in their own ways; Bernard rebels against it because he is a misfit among his class (Alpha-Plus) because of an error made during his time on the assembly line. Because of this he feels that he can never fit into that society, and he refuses to conform. Lenina conforms to the society’s beliefs in “stability” and is a perfect example of a woman living in that society because she has all of the ideal qualities, and is completely immersed in its culture and beliefs. John is a Savage, taken from his Reservation by Bernard during his visit there with Lenina. John’s inability to comprehend the society results in his moving away to the countryside and (**SPOILER ALERT)** his eventual suicide. This piece has impacted my life because it makes me aware that perfection is not always a good thing, and that diversity is a good thing. It has opened my eyes because even though the novel was written in the 1920s, it still holds relevance to the technology of today. It showcases Huxley’s fears for the future and foreshadowed many things that are present in the technological world today, such as eugenics. This has made me realize that while an increase in technology may be beneficial to society it still comes with consequences. This novel is unforgettable for me because of how it paints a clear picture in the reader’s mind of how society may turn out if we are not careful. I now realize that the use of new technologies can be good, in moderation.
 * __Brave New World__**
 * Eleni C**

__Brave New World__
 * John Sexton **

Of all the stories I have read throughout high school Brave New World book was my favorite. In this story the inventor of the model T vehicle was seen as a god for implementing the creation of a car on an assembly line. His name Henry Ford was idolized in this futuristic utopian society because later this assembly line industrial concept was applied to everything even people. People were created in test tubes and assigned a permanent class meaning they would have an assigned level of size and intelligence. Ultimately the effect of this book was to put the approaching modern effect of an industrializing society into perspective. It was to make the statement that creating everything equally and in a massive scale may provide ease and simplicity to society but it also takes away individuality and the genius that creates the beauty in the world.

-novel __[|The Rocking Horse Winner]__

This story presents a child that is desperate to help his mother because he senses her unhappiness. He hears the words muttered by the walls of his very house begging for more money so he asks his mom how to get money. His mom says that you need to be lucky. In attempt to help his mother he sets to prove his luck. He rides his toy rocking horse and somehow is presented with the name of a winning race horse. He continues this process and starts to place bets and make money which he anonymously sends to his mother. Ultimately he is killed by the power that brought the family so much wealth in an ironic ending where he dies because of his ability to gain money. A surprising and unexpected sequence of events to him because as he was raised he thought that money was practically everything in life. This story ultimately changed the way I look at money, forcing me to take a step back and realize what's important in life. -prose

__[|John Henry]__ The story of John Henry presents a legendary character whose story has lasted over a century. John Henry is the story of a steel drivin man whose power and skill outmatched that of any machine let alone any other person. John Henry was so skilled and strong that he initiated a competition between him and a new steam powered drill that was said to be faster at carving through rock than any man. John Henry beat the machine in the race through the mountain but the competition took a physical toll on henry that ended up costing him his life. The lesson that I took from this ballad was that persistence is a valuable trait when it is applied to the right things in life. -poem

Joshua Cobb From the days of my youth, I have been an avid reader. While this has switched from reading of enjoyment to the reading in class, I have found some diamonds in the rough of assigned literature. These works add to my mental aesthetic and have had a profound impact on me intellectually.

[|An Old Man with a Beard] by Edward Lear -Poem

The poem, An Old Man With a Beard written by Edward Lear is a comical poem that turns the proper writing style into a parody. Lear takes arbitrary things about life, such as an old man with a beard, and write about them in a style similar to a limerick, but not quite. While exemplifying the exact characteristics of a limerick, Lear left out one detail, to make it a 5 line poem. The poem can, and was split at a later date to make it a limerick, however, the original intention was not. Additionally, his style to interweave a lyrical rhyme scheme using an array of specific birds allows the audience be both for a higher intellect as well as a lower one. Personally, writing about the whimsical aspects of life and poking fun at conventionalism is a style that I love to read. It has inspired me to go out of the ordinary. Granted, I have only discovered this poem about a week from writing this, but I see how it can change my writing style.

The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay -Novel

The novel, The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay, was a book assigned to me in a 10th grade english class. While this was a novel I was forced to read, it was one of the best books I have read in my life. It takes the story of a young white boy growing up in Apartheid. He is thrown into a world of prejudices and has to make his way through, using an array of mental and eventually physical means in order to protect his own. The novel masterfully ties in the young boy befriending who he should not, identifying with those he should be segregated from. Courtenay’s use of brutal antagonists that come full circle and overall justice through the initially dejected protagonist in the piece enhanced the meaning outlining how determination can overcome anything within the story. After the menotomy of assigned readings, The Power of One revitalized my want to read again as well as provided an inspiring comeback story for all of those with hardships.

The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald -Prose The Great Gatsby, aside from being made into two movies, was another great book. Fitzgerald took what seemed like a story about romance and love, and twisted it into the superficial lives of the upper class. For a book written in the mid 1920s, it still pertains a lot with today, but even more widespread. The use of social media to create a persona and personal status in life is something that most people take very seriously. For me, this book showed the parallels between now and the 1920s. In the story, Gatsby was initially going to wed Daisy, but couldn’t due to their difference in social class. To get Daisy back, he was determined to gain wealth, throwing lavish parties sparing no expense in hopes that one day Daisy might show. He hides the true ways that he came to wealth so that his lucrative business of illegal dealings would not distract from his newly created lifestyle. The facade Gatsby portrays allowed me to see prosperity in a new light, and realize the importance of true friendship.


 * JACK R**

[|__The Road Not Taken__]. This Poem was written by Robert Frost in 1920. It is one of the most widely popular and influential poems of all time. I was first introduced to it in my seventh grade English class. “The Road Not Taken” is about a traveling man who reaches a split in the road he is on. While paralleling with reality and symbolism the man contemplates whether he should take the road that most people take, or, “the road less traveled”. In a tough decision the man chooses to take the road that less people take and reflects that that decision has made a huge influence on his life. I particularly like this poem because I can apply all of its lessons and morals to many aspects of my life. It taught me that we are all travelers in some way or another; seeking acceptance and success. It taught me that no matter how wise or seasoned we may be, advise and comfort will always be welcomed. This poem gave me the courage to never lose sight of my goals and desires no matter how tough the road may be. Most of all, “The Road Not Taken” taught me to be unique and different, to stay true to myself; and in a world with so much conformity and deceit, this, is the most important lesson of all.






 * Paul S **

As a young boy I read __The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn__ by Mark Twain. I was not as smart as I was the second time I read the book years later sophomore year of high school. The second time reading the book I understood more meaning. Huck is just a kid, but he often expresses adult like qualities. I’m still just a kid, but I think I am older than I actually am. As a kid you have to listen to your elders, especially your parents. In Hucks case he lives with a widow, and 2 slaves, so there is not as much attention on him. In my case both my older brother and sister moved out so I am the only person left for my parents to mentor daily. The constant attention had its pros and cons. My parents always make time for me to make sure things are right. However I am not always found of this attention and I prefer to be left alone. The constant attention and presence of my parents is overwhelming and annoying. Huck presented in a similar situation just runs away from it all. Now I have tried running away as an immature youngin’ but Huck takes his to the next level. He even fakes his own death. He runs away and decides to travel down the Mississippi with his runaway slave Jim. I wish I had the balls and the possibility of running away and doing my own thing. Huck, eventually realizes what he’s done and returns home. I learned that often you need to get away from things and take break to get back on track. After taking that break it is easier to focus and make the right decisions. Finding time to restore yourself will create a better environment around you. That positive environment will lead to less stress and more relaxation and pleasure.



Tim K.

__A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man__ (1916) by James Joyce was a very interesting book. It is about Stephen Dedalus and his journey into adulthood. The book starts with Stephen as a boy in a Catholic boarding school in Ireland, where he tells stories about trying to fit into society. He tries making friends and practices Catholicism, but doesn’t truly understand it. The first section is told in a stream of consciousness by Stephen, so we hear many of his stories during the time at boarding school. In the second section, Stephen leaves his boarding school and attends a day school in Dublin. Stephen starts to fade away from religion after he encounters many sexual relationships with prostitutes. He then goes on a religious retreat, where he thinks about hell and sin, and decides to go back to religion. As the book progresses, Stephen goes for a walk on the beach and sees a girl and has an epiphany that love and beauty shouldn’t be shameful. Stephen decides that he shouldn’t be held back by family and religion. He later goes to a university and starts to grow a passion for art. He later decides to free himself from his old life and continue his new one as an artist. I liked this book because it shows that you can be yourself and forget the past. Stephen is able to forget his past and focus on his passions toward the end of the book. It helped me realize that I don’t have to be what society wants me to be, but I can be myself like Stephen. It also gave me a new appreciation of art, which I didn’t fully understand until I read this book.

Mary P


 * //__The Catcher in the Rye__// by J.D. Salinger**

//__The Catcher in the Rye__// is a coming of age novel set in New York City era 1950. Tly he story begins at Pency college prep school. At this point Holden (the main character) is failing four out of his five classes, and he finds out that he is going to be expelled. This will be his fourth expulsion. At this point Holden decides to take a train and stay in Manhattan for a few days, instead of going home to his parents. Once in Manhattan he took a cab to a hotel where he does various things, including observing other peoples behaviors, calling a few people, and going to the Lavender Room, and hiring a prostitute. This whole time Holden couldn’t stop thinking about Jane Gallager, a girl who Holden used to date. Holden then calls Sally Hayes, and they arrange to go on a date together. After their date Holden tries to convince Sally to run away with him and start a new life, however she refuses and storms off. At this point Holden decides to return home to talk to his sister Phoebe, and he tell her how he got kicked out of school. This is when Phoebe tries to show Holden how he doesn’t appreciate anything, and Holden tells her his dream of being the “catcher in the rye”, the Phoebe proceeds to tell Holden that he interpreted that poem incorrectly. Then Holden goes to his old English teacher’s house, Mr.Antolini, which he storms out of because he is rudely awakened by him stroking his head in his sleep. Then Holden tries to leave the city to go live by himself, but his sister Phoebe stops him, and he takes her to the pier, where watching her on the carousel leaves him so happy he’s almost in tears. Then Holden tells the reader that he went home and got very sick, but he is now better and is looking forward to his life in the near future.

This book was very influential to me because it showed me that you cannot run away from your problems, or try to make them disappear. Throughout the entire book Holden does whatever he can to make excuses for his problems, or even try to make them disappear. Then at the end of the novel when Holden decides to stay at home, it shows how he has matured, and how he is going to deal with all of his problems head on. The entire storyline of //__The Catcher in the Rye__// is Holden running away from his problems, but by the end of the novel he finally matured and realized he couldn’t run away from his problems, thus showing me to face my problems head on, and not run away from them.


 * //__Freak the Mighty__// by Rodman Philbrick**

Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick, is a story about an unlikely friendship that changes lives. Max, who is the narrator of the book, has been an outcast his entire life. This is because his size and intelligence, Max has always been much bigger than all the other kids, and although he is big, he was never very smart. Because of this people thought of him as a “bully”, however he is actually a very sweet person with a good heart. Max becomes friends with Kevin, a very small, but smart boy. Max nicknames Kevin “freak”. Freak teaches max about math, history, and even robotics. Freak even tells max how he plans on having a surgery that will even make him part robot because he’s really sick, and it will help him. After being friends for a while they become “freak the mighty”, which is when Kevin sits on top of Max’s shoulders so that he too can tower over everybody. Kevin and Max go on tons of adventures together, and this is when Max’s father comes into the novel. Here we find out that Max’s dad is currently in prison for killing Max’s mom. Then Max’s dad ends up getting paroled, and kidnaps Max on Christmas eve. But Kevin, with the police, helps find Max, and he returns to his normal life. Then it’s Freak’s birthday. For his birthday his mom gets him a computer so that he can go to school from home, but Max doesn’t understand why Freak can’t go to school, and nobody will tell him. Right after this Freak has a seizure, and he is rushed to the hospital. Max visits Freak in the hospital, and freak gives him an empty journal so that Max can write all of their adventures down, while Freak gets his surgery to make him a robot. Max visits the next day again and he finds out that Freak died during the night. Max had a mental breakdown in the hospital, and lived in deep depression for quite some time. Then after a year or so of sulking, Max takes out the empty journal Freak gave him, and writes //__Freak the Mighty__//.

The entire book, //__Freak the Mighty__//, was about friendship, and how you can find amazing friendships in the most unlikely of places. Freak and Max are two people who would have never thought to be friends, yet found one of the most amazing friendships of all time. Also this book taught me to never give up on friendships, even when you think they’re over, because no matter what you will always have memories, and nobody can take those memories away from you. So not only did this book teach me how important friendships are to happiness and life, but to never underestimate any friendship because they all have something you can gain out of it.

Lauren P.: Brave New World

“Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. 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.”

In his dystopic, futuristic //Brave New World//, English writer Aldous Huxley satyrically evaluates our world as a mutated specimen under a microscope, illuminating the various flaws of our current society. With the stark contrast between two societies: the heavily industrialized, consumeristic, totalitarian World State and the primal, traditional, on-the-outskirts Savage Reservation, he reveals various overarching themes of individuality versus uniformity, sacrifice, defiance, and man-made perfection. //BNW// is set in A.F. 632, or 632 years “After Ford,” with American industrialist Henry Ford viewed as God. Historically, Henry Ford is known for having invented the Model-T vehicle and having promoted mass production through the means of an assembly line. Huxley implements this notion as humans are created in test tubes on an assembly line and born into a specific, rigid class, lowest to highest: Epsilon, Delta, Gamma, Beta, Alpha. “Community, Identity, Stability” is the motto held in the hearts and sleep-conditioned into the minds of the World State citizens beginning at infancy. Throughout //BNW//, main character and Alpha Plus Bernard Marx questions and challenges these oppressive ideals once he visits the Savage Reservation with his lady friend Lenina Crown and discovers a separate way of life through Savage Linda and her son John whom he introduces to World State society. There, John’s and Linda’s values of family, tradition, the meaning of love and perfection all come into question as they struggle to assimilate and understand this Brave New World.

With //BNW//, Huxley altered my perspective of the world. Analyzing his dystopic satire made me truly question the standards and conventional wisdom of today’s global society. His portrayal of the detrimental effects of consumerism and ignorance which ravage the World State helped me realize the importance of getting back to the root of things, as displayed through the Savage Reservation. The idea of questioning society through the imperfect character Bernard was effectively communicated through //BNW// and was in fact, a liberating idea. Additionally, I was fascinated by the scientific aspect of //BNW// which questioned the morality of eugenics and biological engineering. A quote which I feel strongly relates to the spurred-on question of “What is the meaning of perfection and happiness?” is as follows: “If you’re lucky enough to be yourself, don’t ever change. There is no one better.” –Taylor Swift

Dominic G: __Unwind__ This novel follows three kids from different backgrounds that have to face the challenge of getting unwound. Connor, Risa, and Levi are on the run from being unwound and trying to make it to their 18th birthday. Connor found out that his parents were planning his unwinding and escaped from the bus. Risa, an orphan, was able to escape with him during all of the commotion. Levi knew from birth that he was going to be unwound but when Connor and Risa used him as a hostage he realized that’s not what he wanted his destiny to be. You are able to be in the minds of the three of them as they are escaping from their fate. This book taught me that you should be able to control your own destiny and other people can’t control your fate. You must fight for what is yours and not give into what other people are trying to make you do. There is also the corruption in society at play. You don’t know what a situation is like until you are on the short end of the stick. Everything may look good where you are but when you are the one in line to be unwound it isn’t such a great world. Also, the way you are able to be in the minds of all three characters and see the scene from their point of view gives you a better understanding of the world. Everyone doesn’t think the same way and we all have our different opinions and feelings.

Alex T (the one with an "n" in his last name): __One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest__ In this story by Ken Kesey, there lives a group of men who live in a sanitarium. Each day, Chief, a mute-by-choice native american resident of the asylum, practices the monotonous motions of life with his fellow ward-mates under the strict, domineering, and no-nonsense direction of Nurse Ratched. Nothing exciting ever happens until one day, a certain Mr. McMurphy shows up to the hospital as a new patient. However, McMurphy is unlike anyone the other patients have ever seen before; he’s an exuberant character who is always trying to enjoy every moment of his life. He claimed that regular prison was too boring, so he thought he’d give the mental asylum a try. Instantly life at the ward changes; McMurphy’s goal is simply to have fun, and he hopes to help everyone else see the brighter side of things, as well. In the presence of this great ball of energy, things start to liven up. But, Nurse Ratched does not entertain the idea of change and is determined to suppress McMurphy before he endangers the safety of anyone. On the other hand, McMurphy finds great amusement in developing new ways to beat the nurse at her own game, and eventually, the two become embroiled in a competition of the wits. McMurphy’s antics inspire all of the patients to take risks and look forward to what life has in store for them. However, one day, McMurphy finds out that nearly all of the patients were self-admitted, and this fact confuses him as he wonders what sane person would commit himself to a life of torture. Then after the patients throw an overnight party, Nurse Ratched, angrier than ever, decides to end the hysteria once and for all by sending McMurphy off to receive a lobotomy. When he returns to the ward, all that is there is a cold, mumbling, lifeless corpse of a man that used to be something. However, McMurphy did his job. The patients with their newly gained confidence leave the ward, one by one, and Chief, who now talks once more, leaves for his homeland.

This book questions the major theme of conformity. Prior to McMurphy’s arrival, the patients lived based off of society’s standards. They had small personal setbacks, and seeing that as a major problem, they willingly admitted themselves to a mental institution. There, they became parts of Nurse Ratched’s assembly line where their individuality was stripped away. McMurphy’s arrival and time at the ward marks a period of self-indulgence and living-in-the-moment… something the patients had never experienced before. They soon see the other side of life, the one society has been trying to hide from them. The reader can also tell that McMurphy has had a lifelong effect on them as they all escape from the ward in the end. However, one thing that sticks in my mind is the fact that McMurphy never escaped. He succeeded in freeing the patients, but he eventually suffered the consequences. What does this say about the idea of self-satisfaction? It may be that it is not worth attaining, for one who does not conform will end up like McMurphy. But, maybe Kesey meant to say that life should be enjoyed to its fullest extent; although McMurphy suffered, everyone else did manage to successfully escape to freedom. When I think about this situation, one more thought pops into my mind: the realization that before McMurphy, everyone was manipulated by society’s expectations, then McMurphy showed them a wilder side to life. Although, the patients broke the chains that had bound them before, I almost feel as though they are now bound to the new chains of McMurphy’s ideals. I don’t necessarily mean chains of restrict freedom, but chains that guide the patients and tell them what to do. Never in the book did any of the patients ever think on their own. They always had to have someone tell them what to do; at first Nurse Ratched would tell them to conform, and then later, McMurphy would tell them to rebel. The fact that the patients escaped is simply evidence that McMurphy is still influencing their minds. I am pretty sure this is not how Kesey intended the story to be interpreted, but that is what I see. This is an example of how everything in our lives is influenced by past events. Nothing that we do is necessarily original. Everything is influenced in some way by something else.

Cassidy R: The Fault in Our Stars (Spoiler!) Hazel Grace Lancaster unexpectedly falls in love with Augustus Waters, a boy she meets in her support group for dealing with cancer. Hazel has lung cancer which is controlled temporarily by a drug, however her disease is still terminal. Augustus also had a rare form of cancer, which had claimed one of his legs but now has dissipated. The two begin to fall in love but Augustus keeps the secret from Hazel that his cancer has reoccurred and has spread through his body. Augustus is granted a Wish from the Genies and he decides to take Hazel to Amsterdam to meet their favorite author. They fall deeply in love and Augustus tells Hazel he is going to die soon. They spend their last days together and Augustus tells Hazel he wants her to write his eulogy, when she had hoped he would be writing hers. Augustus dies a week later but has left some writing for Hazel to find; a letter he had written to their favorite author hoping he would write Hazels eulogy based off of his draft proclaiming his love for Hazel. For me this book was unforgettable because it reminded me of how little control we have over things in our lives. Hazel and Augustus both had cancer and knew they would die from it. They had no control over falling love with each other, even though they knew they would end up hurting each other when they died. The book also discusses oblivion and the endless void we will eventually fall into. The book put things into perspective of how little everything in life is compared to everything as a whole and how lucky everyone is to be healthy. The book also demonstrates how precious life is since Augustus died at the age of seventeen and the author had a daughter who died at the age of six. This book makes you feel extremely fortunate for having a long healthy life ahead of you, but also a bit envious of what Hazel and Augustus had together and how it would last forever since their relationship would never get the opportunity to deteriorate.

Libby C: Brave New World

One of the books that has influenced me the most is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Brave New World depicts a utopian society in which the main characters, John and Bernard, discover their world to be far from perfect. The motto of the World State is: Community, Identity, and Stability. The leaders of this society do everything in their power to ensure that these characteristics are instilled into their perfect society. They do this by manufacturing people in an assembly line in order to give them the traits that the World State wants and make people uniform. The World State also has a hierarchy system to ensure that people don’t question the seemingly perfect system that the World State has created. This novel showcases the downside to conformity and perfection in society by showing the imperfections of the World State. This book made me think about how perfection in society is not necessarily a good thing. The views expressed in this novel have urged me to not conform to society and be my own person. Brave New World makes me think about how technology will impact the future because this novel was written after Henry Ford introduced the assembly line to mass-produce cars in the 1920s. This assembly line mass-produced uniform cars that could not be distinguished from one another and Huxley’s assembly line in the novel mass-produces people who look and think the same.

Alex Todd

Life of Pi was certainly the best book I have ever read. It is about a boy whose family is moving a zoo to another continent by boat, and the ship crashes. Pi manages to get onto a lifeboat, but he soon finds out that there are other animals on it with him. A zebra, hyena, tiger, and eventually an orangutan. The animals murder each other until only the tiger and Pi is left. Pi must struggle with the concept of being completely alone, with only an extremely dangerous predator to accompany him. This proves not only a challenge of physical endurance, but of psychological endurance as well. Pi is a man of extreme faith, and it becomes the only thing that motivates him to keep going. This book speaks to me, but not because I personally relate to Pi. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I find that I have much less faith than him. His level of devotion is inspirational, and it makes me realize how important a characteristic like that is. It motivates me in a way that makes me want to strive to have more faith, and in doing so, become a better person. Pi’s iron will is what makes him such a strong character, never giving up, never losing sight of his goals or what he must do in order to achieve great things.

Alice the protagonist must find her way through this strange place called "Wonderland". She is a 7 year old girl who while sitting with her sisters falls asleep and enters this world by falling down a rabbit hole. She follows the White Rabbit who leads her on many adventures throughout the book
 * Danny C **: __Alice in Wonderland__ by Lewis Carroll

Lewis Carroll's book "Alice in Wonderland' is full of fanciful characters, each one adding a bit of humor and dimension to the story.When Alice falls down the rabbit hole she encounters various talking animals and an unusual Queen.Alice is the protagonist of the story,a little girl who goes on the adventure in Wonderland. The first character she meets is The White Rabbit, he reappears throughout the book and acts as Alice's guide, which is amusing because he doesn't seem to know even what time it is.

The Caterpillar is like a very wise man who provides Alice with a way to control her growth.The Caterpillar who is not very friendly, is helpful by advising her to eat from the mushroom if she wants to change her size. The Caterpillar teaches Alice how to cope with the difficult situations she encounters in Wonderland. He shows her how to change size by eating the mushroom and thereby to adapt to her environment when needed. He is smoking a hookah on top of a mushroom. This character many felt was representing drug use with the hookah and the magic mushrooms which make her change size. This was one of the reasons cited for banning the book.

Another character is a smiling cat who can disappear and reappear at will named the Cheshire Cat. It is funny because sometime the cat leaves but his huge grin remains behind.The Cheshire Cat represents the time between adulthood and childhood.

He reveals to Alice how although you follow the rules the rules can change after you have become comfortable with them. She then moves on and comes in contact with the Hatter and The Queen of hearts. They play an important part as antagonists in the story The Hatter is the leader of a perpetual tea time. The Queen of Hearts is the mad tyran t who rules Wonderland. The Queen represents an old person who has become quite mad. As Alice grows stronger and uses reason more, the Queen is becoming less reasonable and mad.

The book is very complex and has a lot of symbolism conveyed through the characters and setting. He intricately weaves a story using these characters and many more lessor ones to tell his story. His goal was to teach a lesson to children about growing up in an entertaining way.Each character teaches Alice something about life and growing up in a dangerous world

__Found__ by Margaret Peterson Haddix is quite possibly my favorite book of all time. It is part of a series called //The Missing//, with each book focusing on an important missing child from history. The book begins with an unidentified plane landing in an airport, and its only passengers are 36 babies. 13 years later, Jonah and his friend Chip receive mysterious letters saying “You are one of the missing; beware, they are coming to get you.” The story focuses on these letters, and the fact that both Chip and Jonah are adopted. Some of the missing children include Virginia Dare, King Edward V, Richard Duke of York, the son of Henry Hudson, Lieserl Einstein, and Anastasia and Alexei Romanov. The series uses time travel to explore the worlds and lives of these children. Jonah and Katherine are the protagonists of the novel, and they are sent back and forth in time helping the missing children and “fixing time.” The book is easy to read, but it does get quite complicated when it discusses the time travel techniques, such as the grandfather paradox and time ripples (some fictionalized but based on scientific theories), and the histories of the missing children. Science and history are two of my favorite subjects, thus I am a big fan of this book and especially of this series. It has definitely fueled both of those passions. I have read this book several times because every time I read it, I discover something different, or uncover something not so obvious about the plot. The book flows well and can be read in a short amount of time (thankfully because once you start you can’t put the book down!). I will definitely include this book and series in my personal library due to the beauty of Haddix’s writing, the themes, and the description of time travel as completely possible.
 * Monika J. **


 * AP Lit and Comp for Jrs, 2012-2013's Personal Classics: **

Lia S.
**[|I Felt a Funeral in my Brain]** by Emily Dickinson. This is actually one of the few poems I consider having understood to full affect. At first, when I was assigned this task I thought of writing about a book that greatly impacted me and stuck with me through high school, **The Outsiders** by S.E. Hinton, but refrained. After looking over my portfolio and seeing this poem once again, I realized how much it actually subconsciously stuck with me, which I think, is a much greater impact than a story we can only recall for having an entertaining/moving plot. Emily Dickinson wrote “I Felt a Funeral in my Brain”; which is basically a piece that narrates the thoughts of a person as they observe a part of themselves being lost. The poem in relation with the title is that they are not only watching the funeral, they are the one in it as well. Connotation with funeral is death. It also marks one state to another, life to death. For the speaker this is referred to as sanity to insanity. When I say that this poem has “subconsciously stuck with me” I don’t literally mean that I feel as though I’ve been losing my mind in the span of junior year but there are certain points in this poem where the character has trouble communicating with others and feels as though they are falling, “And I dropped down, and down- And hit a World, at every plunge…” in simpler terms, this person states that as they are falling they experience different aspects of life… Which, yeah, I guess, could be claimed hitting the verge of insanity, however looking it through a different frame of reference can all easily be a description of high school itself.

**Life of Pi** by Yann Martel is the most interesting book I’ve read in high school. The novel is about a boy and a tiger who are stranded on a lifeboat for more than 227 days. The main character, Pi, lives in India with his family and they decide to sell their zoo animals and move to Canada. On their journey, their ship sinks and Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with a monkey, tiger, hyena, and zebra. The tiger ends up killing the other animals and it is only them two left. At first Pi is terrified of the tiger but with his strong faith in God, he manages to overcome his fear and take control over the situation. Pi learns how to deal with the tiger and he uses all his available resources and environment to find a way to survive. ** *SPOILER ALERT* ** In the end when Pie is rescued, they ask him what happened and he gives them two different stories. One of them includes the animals and the events that are described in the book and the other story involves Pi being the tiger, the monkey being the mother, and the rest of the animals having a different role. The alternate story which is presented gives the reader the option of deciding which story was true. The reason why I like this book so much is because it shows how strong faith can mentally prepare you to overcome any challenges that get in your way. I may never end up in a situation where I’m stranded on a lifeboat with a tiger, but relating this story to my life gives me the encouragement and determination to never give up because anything is possible if you believe in yourself and have strong faith. Click here to see the trailer for Life of Pi, now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD.
 * Ivan Z **




 * Amy Z. **


 * Plainsong ** by Kent Haruf was a very influential book that I read. There are five different stories happening within the book, each story about a different character and the struggles they go through. All the characters are connected in some way and they help each other deal with their struggles. The main character, Victoria, is kicked out of her house when it is revealed that she is pregnant. With the help of a friend, she finds a place to stay: on the old McPheron brothers’ farm. These two brothers and Victoria learn to live together in a way that is beneficial to both. This book is filled with analogies and symbolism that gives the story a deeper meaning. An example of symbolism is the red purse that Victoria carries around with her throughout the book. The red purse symbolizes Victoria and who she is as a person. When she is alone, she always has the purse over her shoulder. When the purse breaks and Victoria leaves it behind, that ultimately symbolizes Victoria leaving her old life behind and starting over. She accepts that she is not perfect and accepts the McPheron brothers’ help. The overall theme of the book is unity and community. This book was very influential to me because in enforced the idea that one person cannot deal with their own struggle alone, but with the help of others they can overcome any obstacle. I know that I can turn to others when I am in need of help.

The **Chronicles of Narnia** series was also very influential in my life. The series is about four siblings who find a world that is different than their own. In this other world, there are animals that talk and other creatures that are not from the children’s world. They become the kings and queens of this land, but only after they overcome many struggles. Each book is different than the one before it, but they all come together to make one great series. In the series there is an overall theme of good defeating evil. C.S. Lewis was a religious man, so the series reflects many events from the Bible. Since religion is a huge part of my life, it was cool to see how he interpreted the stories from the Bible and made them into his own version. My dad and I have read the series together multiple times, so the books are very important to me.

In the novel //Life of Pi// by Yaan Martel, a boy is stranded on a lifeboat with a tiger. Pi, the main character, tries to train the tiger using his knowledge of science but he also prays for his safety. This way, Pi uses both religion and science, which most people believe should not intersect. Pi is very religious because he practices Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Pi believes that there is no single religion that is correct; Pi wants to believe in all of the religions. Also, Pi is fascinated by science. In this novel, religion and science are highlighted to contrast the differences between the two and how people can be religious and still be fascinated by science.
 * Izzi C.**

//Life of Pi// has affected me because it taught me to make a choice in the end and also that I can believe in whatever I want. *Spoiler alert. In the end of the novel, Pi claims that there are two stories: one is the story with the anim als and the other is that the animals actually represented people. The tiger was himself, the orangutan was his mother, and so on. The two reporters were forced to make a decision on which one to believe. Pi never states the “correct” ending, so the audience is forced to choose their own ending. Also, //Life of Pi//showed me that you can believe in a religion (or more than one) and still like science/ believe in scientific theories. Pi contrasted the difference between the two by believing in both. Although some people might think that the novel wants them to believe in one and only one (this is seen in the ending how the audience can choose their own ending), this is not the case. Pi is an example of the intersection of the two. They can coexist peacefully. (This image is from the film. Posted at http://www.awn.com/news/awards/life-pi-brave-lead-11th-annual-ves-awards)


 * ANDREW B.**
 * __Small Steps by Louis Sachar:__** This is a very influential book because it teaches you that not everything comes fast in life and the best way to deal with things are to take small steps towards your objective.­­ In this book the main character gives his friend money to buy concert tickets to make a profit off of. His friend makes counterfeit tickets and sells them for money. They get caught and he promises that he will now take small steps forward to become a better person and make his life better.


 * __Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles:__** The main theme is this book is that people are not always as they seem and people can change. In this novel a young male hits his neighbor with his car and she now walks funny because of him. She thinks he is a jerk who doesn’t even care that he ruined her life when in reality he does. ** SPOILER ALERT! **They end up getting to know each other, get very close and then the reader finds out that this man never hit the girl with the car, it was his younger sister and he took the blame… This book shows that even though it may seem like someone does not care and is a total jerk, they may actually care but you just can’t see it.

__Life of Pi__ Life of pi is a novel written by Yann Martel about a boy that’s gets stuck at sea. The boy is phsyically and mentally tested but ends up surviving. His faith in God also surivived the journey. The majority of the noevl tells of the boy, Pi, being stuck on a life boat with animals. In the end of the book, an alternate story is presented which poises the challenege of deciding which story to believe. This situation relates to the theme of faith and religion in the novel. Pi believes that it doesn’t matter what you believe in, as long as you believe in something. I was intrigued by this idea and I agree with Pi. Pi’s idea about faith helped me to realize that christians, muslims, and even atheists are the same to a certain degree. All three groups put their faith in one idea even if it can’t be proved. This also relates to the book having two stories because it doesn’t matter which story you choose, it only matters that you fully believe one.
 * Caroline W.**

__In Cold Blood__ In Cold Blood is a creative nonfiction book by Truman Capote. The book is about two men that murder a family and the journey of finding them. The book is very well written and interesting because it starts off by creating sympathy for the innocent family that was murdered but eventually causes the reader to feel sympathy for one of the killers. This writing technique helped me to understand how even killers sometimes deserve mercy and sympathy. Also that it isn’t always their fault for turning out to be a killer.

__**Rebecca R.**__

//Fahrenheit 451//- Ray Bradbury This novel, though very short, has had an immense impact on me. Set in a futuristic society, Fahrenheit 451 follows Guy Montag, who makes a living burning books. What really struck me about this book was how the society in the book paralleled our own society. Everyone in the book besides Montag is completely dependent on technology; they are shallow and fear knowledge. Even though this book was written in the 1950s, it seems to perfectly capture the apathy and obsession with technology in today’s society. Not only is Fahrenheit 451 very well written and interesting, but it also holds great significance to me.

//The Jungle//- Upton Sinclair Published in 1904, this book is probably most well known for its grisly depiction of life for the working class during the turn of the century. This definitely isn’t a light-hearted read, but it is a very powerful book. The Jungle tells the story of a family of Lithuanian immigrants who come to Chicago. Working in the stockyards, their lives slowly fall apart. This book is important to me because it helped me realize that, even though we don’t want to admit it, honesty and hard work often account for nothing. Corruption and greed are always present, and sometimes saying “I will work harder,” like Jurgis at first believed, isn’t enough. The book, though a bit preachy at the end, has many political undertones that I feel are still relevant today.

//The Body//- Stephen King I have to say, King is probably my absolute favorite author. Though he is most well known for his horror pieces, this novella is a drama about four friends who go on a quest to retrieve a dead body. This is the piece that the 1986 movie “Stand by Me” is based on. I chose this book for my personal canon because I love the style that it is written in. Also, even though it’s short, it has a lot to say about coming-of-age and family problems. I found the characters to be very relatable and the message of the book has always stayed with me. Click [|here] to watch a trailer for the film version.

**Michael T** //Life of Pi// by Yann Mantel has change my view on faith and of life in general. Pi and his family live in India and decide to sell the zoo and move to Canada. They take a cargo ship to Canada with most of the animals( who are going to be sold).The ship sinks and Pi is the only person who is able to escape. It gets interesting when a hyena, a monkey, a zebra, and a bengal tiger(Richard Parker) hop on the boat with Pi. Richard Parker eats all of the animals and it is eventually only Pi and the tiger. They are stranded for over 227 days and face many hardships. At the end SPOILER ALERT he is asked with the real story is and he tells them a whole different story with him as the tiger, #|the cook as the hyena, the sailor as the zebra, and the mom as the monkey. Its up to you to decide which story is true. Pi: boy from India who is on the boat and was suppose to #|move to Canada Mr and Mrs Patel: Pis`s parents Cook: mean and doesn't like Pi`s family Orange Juice: monkey <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Richard Parker: tiger <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rest of the animals <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pi has the strongest faith that I have ever seen. Even though he was stranded with killer animals for so long, he was still able to have faith that God was with him and that everything would turn out alright. The story also makes you chose with is the better story. This is like life because we could choose to believe in a God or you could believe in nothing. The strong faith that Pi had payed off for him. Faith won over doubt which is an idea that I believe it. Strong faith will eventually pay off. This amazing story stood out to me because of the bizarre situation he was in and the events he face. Being trapped on a lifeboat with a tiger doesn't happen very often. Neither does being on an unknown island that is carnivorous.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel
I had no idea what Life of Pi was about, my assumptions from the beginning was it would be a story about some Indian boy on an adventure. I was intrigued when I heard about the tiger in a lifeboat, but that was it. The first chapter was confusing, but after that, I was hooked. The book was so original, and had many different concepts in it in the beginning, which is what captured my attention. However, towards the end, a theme emerged above them all, it was faith. The ending summed up the entire reason why the book was written. Life of Pi has an extravagant and hard to believe plot, of the boy, Pi, being stranded at sea. At the end, when he’s finally been rescued, he tells his story to two men who were interviewing him. They don’t believe him and asked him to tell them the truth, so Pi comes up with an alternate story. The story is the same as Pi’s except that Pi replaces all the humans with animals. This makes us question which story is true, and the author, Yann Martell, leaves it up to the reader whether to believe or not. At first, I believed Pi’s alternate story, but then I realized I’d much rather believe in the other one. This has a direct correlation with life and religion, people contain more hope and life is more interesting when you have faith.

**Plainsong** by Kent Haruf: Olivia N.

After reading this novel, I was able to develop a deeper sense of understanding of the often times underestimated complexity of our world. The story is centered around the lives of several main characters, that appear separate at first but then become intertwined in the end. The percieved flawless appearance of the town is contratsted with the deeply rooted conflicts presented by each of the characters in the story. At a far glance, everything seems to be as it should, but as you zoom into the daily lives of Victoria, Ike and Bobby, Tom Guthrie, and the McPheron brothers, it becomes clear that their situations are quiet the opposite. This story, although simple, "plain" and to the point, has a lot to offer to a reader. Set in the high plains of Colorado, the novel Plainsong tells tales of multiple characters, all of whom face major changes. Each of these characters will first have to learn to accept the change, and then each will help and be helped by others. In many ways Plainsong is a novel about how people must help and rely on each other. This has allowed me to connect the novel on a deeper level, and to greater understand the relationships and obstacles in my own life.

__ Plainsong __ by Kent Haruf
 * Claire W. **

The novel __Plainsong__ has had a big impact on me because of its themes of family and unity. It is the story of a small town called Holt in Colorado and the different people in it. Guthrie and his two sons, Ike and Bobby, are dealing with their mother’s depression. Victoria, a seventeen year old girl, finds out she is pregnant and is kicked out of her house by her own mother. The McPheron brothers are two lonely farmers who are isolated from society. Maggie Jones is a teacher who helps out each of these characters with their individual situations. This story has taught me that everyone has different struggles in their life and it is the way we overcome them that shapes who we are. I highly recommend this novel!

This is a picture of the plains in Holt, CO:

__Life of Pi__ by Yann Martel has to be the most interesting novel I’ve read all year and quite possibly the most interesting in my life thus far. The story begins at a zoo in India, where the main character, Pi Patel, and his family live and also operate the zoo. The father decides to leave the zoo, sell the animals, and move his family to Canada. On their journey across the ocean their ship capsizes; when things settle we find Pi, a Bengal tiger, an orangutan, a hyena, and a zebra all together in a single life boat. The remainder of the story tells Pi’s survival story and how he dealt with the animals on board with him. The final question brought to the reader which is one of the major reasons I enjoyed the book so much is whether the animals Pi was with were really animals, or were they people? Pi himself leaves us with the decision of what story we would want to believe.
 * Dan C.**

My interpretation of the piece is that Yann Martel wanted to show what reality is like in today’s world; that we can believe whatever we want to believe and how religion plays a role in the big picture of life. Whether Pi truly survived with the animals or merely with other people, the choice given to reader is meant to signify our freedom and whether we are optimists or pessimists. Whether we think highly or poorly in life and what we let define us.

The book __Life of Pi__ has personally influenced me to remember to try and stay on the bright side and to “believe the better story” in all situations in my life. The novel as a whole was an enjoyable experience, but the way everything is tied together in the end and the story comes around full circle is really what captures me.

<span style="color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; vertical-align: baseline;">//** Ender's Game **// by Orson Scott Card <span style="color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> __Ender's Game__ is a science fiction book that discusses the morality of killing, whether it's killing a person or an entire species. The book is being made into a [|movie] this November. The story follows Andrew Wiggin (known by the nickname Ender) sometime near the year 2170. He is chosen from his elementary school to be a part of a training program to defeat the Formic Race, or "Buggers", an alien race that almost destroyed Earth in two previous wars. He trains in a space station that orbits Earth by using virtual reality consoles to simulate killing the aliens, along with his teammates Petra and Bean. He goes through several life changing events, including murdering a bully from his school on Earth and a boy who threatens to kill him on the space station. Eventually, he is promoted to Command School, on an asteroid still in our solar system, to work under Mazer Rackham, a war hero who had narrowly defeated the Buggers in the 2nd Formic War. SPOILER: Towards the end of the novel, Ender commands a gigantic, final virtual front against the Buggers as his last Command School mission; he becomes the first person to ever win the simulation. However, it was not actually a simulation; he had destroyed the home planet of the Buggers and killed off an entire race. Ender becomes depressed and vows to save their legacy in any way he can, joining a crew from Earth to explore one of the Formic home planets and finding one last egg that may save their species. <span style="color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> This piece changed my life by motivating me to think more on morality and science as a whole. The book follows Ender's mind as he commits horrible crimes that he had no choice in committing, and how his guilt influences what he does after he becomes a war hero as a teenager. It inspired me to research more on the planets, because of all of the astronomy used in the book ( when he travels to the space station, asteroid, and another planet to colonize it for humans). It helped me to question decisions carefully, and to think before I commit to something that I may regret later, as Ender later regretted killing off the Formics. <span style="color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> [| This] is a review of __Ender's Game__ off of Good Reads that describes it in less words.
 * Joe R.**

<span style="color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; vertical-align: baseline;">//** Candide **// by Voltaire <span style="color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> __Candide__ is an enlightenment comedy by Voltaire that follows Candide, a man from Germany who falls in love with Lady Cunegonde but is separated from her by attacking bandits. Candide travels the world, and finds El Dorado in South America, attends the Carnival at Venice, and travels other parts of Europe as well. He is continually motivated by the words of a philosopher from his castle in Germany: "This is the best of all possible worlds", which keeps him cheerfully optimistic as he sees horrible atrocities being performed and he is stolen from constantly. SPOILER: He eventually finds and marries Cunegonde, who becomes old and mean very quickly, and lives with Martin (a pessimistic philosopher) and the original optimistic philosopher. His ultimate conclusion is that this is not the best of possible worlds, but that we must "cultivate our garden". <span style="color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> This book influenced me because it satirizes almost anything and everything, and emphasizes the use of reason in living one's life. It makes fun of people who assume absolutes and say that we are all living a good life or a bad life, and says that we should make do with what we have, a simple saying that means a lot to me. It's very short, but makes a lot of very thoughtful philosophical points and some very witty jokes on 18th century European society. <span style="color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> [|This] is a review of Candide that gives more of its history.

Catie K.

Before I could even read, there have been stories that have effected my life. When I was little, my mom’s favorite book to read to me was The Star-Bellied Sneeches by Dr. Suess. This doesn’t seem a great work of literature, but it has installed onto me values that I carry with me and will probably always carry with me. The story is about a group of creatures called Sneetches, who are divided into two groups: those who have stars on their bellies, and those that do not. Because the Sneetches with stars are seen as the better group, those without do anything in their power to become like them. Hearing this story and eventually reading it myself taught me to be my own person, and has greatly shaped how I think of other people, too.

Th e first book that I actually read and drew meaning from for myself was Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. This novel is aimed at a junior high level audience, but I first read it in fifth grade. It is about a girl who goes on a cross-country car ride with her grandparents to see her mother. From a literary standpoint, this was the first time I read a book and really felt like I understood what it was trying to say: Don’t judge another man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins. This novel was also an important checkpoint in my development as a reader: I began to not only understand but // appreciate // plot more and more. I think I can say that reading the twist at the end of the story offically began my love for more complex story-telling.

If the first two books effected the way I think and the reasons that I read, then the third book in my personal canon – Life of P // i // by Yann Martel – definitely most effected the // way // I read. This novel is about a boy who is the sole human surivor of a shipwreck that kills his family and most of the zoo they had been transporting from India to Canada. Along with a zebra, a hyena, an organtan, and a Bengal tiger, the novel tracks Pi’s journey across the Pacific Ocean. The overall message in the novel uses Pi’s incredible faith in God – God in any religion – to show that no matter what, it is always better “to believe the better story”. After reading the novel, I’ve taken that message along with me, as well as the steps I took to finding that message within the story.

<span style="color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 6pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> **Kristin T.**//The Lord of the Rings// by J.R.R Tolkien ====//The Lord of the Rings,// penned by the master himself, J.R.R Tolkien, is more than just a story to me. It’s real. There is someone out there who feels they are too small to make a difference. There is evil lurking in the dark, working to harness the wicked in the world. There is a journey waiting for all us. Yes, it’s all real. //The Lord of the Rings// is an epic set in the land of Middle Earth that chronicles the quest of Frodo Baggins and his trusted companions to destroy the true source of evil: the one ring. A tale of mystifying creatures, fantastical worlds, exhilarating adventure, betrayal, rebirth, and fellowship, The //Lord of the Rings// has it all. This story has taught me about the world – the light, the dark, and the grey. These books have taught me about human strength, human weakness, and the power of the human spirit. I am the person I am today largely because of these books that have taken me through the good times and the bad. My hero is a hobbit. My favorite poems are the songs of elves. In dreams I dine with dwarves. When it is my time to sail into the west, I will be carried by the winds of Middle Earth, hailed by the calls of eagles, and the embrace of fellowship will welcome me home.====

[|This] is the trailer for the movie trilogy.

**Nick G.**
//Sign For My Father, Who Stressed the Bunt//

The poem [|__Sign For My Father, Who Stressed the Bunt__] has influenced my views in a few ways. The poem is about a child who has learned through his father the importance of sacrificing for the greater good of the team. The line “I could homer into the left-field lot of Carmichael Motors, and still you stressed the same technique,” showed that no matter what you may be able to do, the sacrifice is although more difficult on the person himself, it may be more beneficial for the team. This showed me the importance of being able to put your reputation on the line to help either the team, or the family, both of which seem to be exemplified in this piece. The tone of this piece seemed to let the reader know that he lost he father in the time since he was first taught the sacrifice bunt. The final stanza shows that the speaker finally understands the importance of sacrifice and how rewarding the sacrifices can be for others.


 * Xavier C. **

The novel __FLIGHT__ was an interesting yet particularly touching novel in the sense that few other books can portray the conflict between the white man and the Indian so well in a fictions way. “Zits” (our main character) has a particular sense of justice that may seem somewhat justifiable at first, although while he finds himself in a juvenile detention center, he meets a young character by the name of “Justice” who seems to make a monster of him as they commit crimes and escalate them until Zits is convinced to go into a bank to simply shoot innocent people for revenge and a chance to get back at the white man. Yet, after what he thinks is his encounter with death, his perspective on right & wrong is drastically shifted as he’s (mysteriously) thrown back in time and forced to endure through painful, and often gruesome memories of people & historical figures long past, who’ve had some drastic influence during a conflict with native Americans, or other experience as feeling guilty for the training of a pilot who’d later use his lessons to crash a plane in Chicago. Ultimately Zits finds that his way of lashing out at people, blaming the white man for his for the loss of his people, land, and all problems he faces as he’s growing up is not the proper way to deal with them. But to rather open up his emotions and heart up to the people who are truly trying to help him. Now after reading this novel I have a deeper understanding of how people view the same topics differently, and most importantly, to let people help you when you truly need it instead of trying to solve it alone.


 * Grace C **

<span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">//In Cold Blood// by Truman Capote <span style="display: block; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">This non-fiction piece of literature has probably had the biggest impact on me. Capote did an excellent job of combing the details from with case with his unique writing style//. In Cold Blood// is about a murder that took place in 1959 in a small farming town known as Holcomb, Kansas. It starts off by introducing an all American family, loved and respected by everyone in Holcomb. A successful, involved father, 4 great kids, and a mother who was emotionally unstable yet still held her own. The Clutters are the first to introduce an ongoing theme of “the American dream”. The book follows the two murderers, Perry and Dick, as they flee from Kansas and travel across the country. Capote gives you a time capsule of their lives and almost traps you into feeling sympathy for the two men who (spoiler alert) are ultimately sentenced to death. Another apparent theme is Capote’s opposition to the death penalty. As you read the book, you instinctually hate these criminals for what they did but at the same time you find yourself questioning the hypocriticalness of killing them. You can’t help but wonder whether or not they really are sane, regardless of their diagnosis. Ultimately, I felt as though justice had to be served and never really felt sympathy for their death like some of my group members did. This book shows the fragility of life as well as the difficulty of conquering an idealistic dream. I thought it was really cool how Capote spent years investigating and actually interviewed the criminals while on death row, it provided for a dimensional story and characters that prevent readers from staying indifferent.

**Krystyna S.**

 * //The Little Prince//** by Antoine de Saint-Expuéry is an allegorical and almost spiritual story which has provided me a significant foundation in interpreting and appreciating literature at a young age. The novella appears very simple and is easily enjoyed by children, but also has a deeper level that can be appreciated by adults. While being uniquely illustrated in watercolor, the story appears light, imaginative, and childish, but also illustrates philosophical and societal criticisms that revolve around the strangeness of the adult world. The story makes interesting observations about human nature and life itself that I believe have strongly shaped my outlook and attitude on growing older. By reading such a story as a child, I became exposed to short and wise life lessons that ended up sticking with me in the back of my mind as I grew older. I later better understood and appreciated the story's allegorical level and lessons with time and by rereading the story numerously throughout my life.

The novella mainly revolves around a narrator and his encounter with a young boy whom he refers to as “the little prince”, and the retelling of the little prince's journey that led him to Earth. Before the two have an opportunity to meet, however, the narrator is first introduced as a child, drawing pictures. He proudly draws a boa constrictor digesting an elephant, and proceeds to show it to adults. His artistic ability is put down by them, as they interpret the drawing as a hat instead. He is told to put aside his drawings and to find a more practical hobby, while he grieves over their lack of creative understanding. This short glimpse into the narrator's youth is then juxtaposed by his adult self throughout the rest of the story. As an adult, the narrator becomes a pilot, but crashes in the Sahara desert, where he suddenly meets the little prince. While the pilot is stranded in the desert, he gets to know the little prince over the course of about a week. The pilot quickly realizes the little prince's curious quirks, as he will not directly answer any of his questions and constantly asks for drawings, which he receives and correctly interprets. The little prince also tells the pilot stories from his life, regarding his tiny home planet and his travels. He explains his reason for traveling, as he has fallen love with a vain rose on his planet, which has made him wish to explore the universe. He describes the asteroids he has visited, which are each inhabited by a different type of narrow-minded adult: a king, a conceited man, a drunkard, a businessman, a lamplighter, and a geographer, whose personalities each contrast greatly with the little prince's and his mindset and attitude. He retells of the encounters on the asteroids and the conversations he has with the inhabitants. The pilot and the little prince eventually part emotionally, as the little prince wishes to go back to his planet to see his rose again.



[|Image Source] [|Image Source]

= = =Abraham O - Gulliver's Travels=

For my personal cannon, I chose the book Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. This book tells the story of a ships surgeon as he travels the world. Along the way, he encounters strange people, such as six inch tall men. This book is a satire of English culture in the early 18th century. I liked Gulliver’s Travels because it humorously satirized English culture of the time. The book is decided into four sections, each one about a different travel. In the first section of the book, Gulliver visits a land where the men are six inches tall, but are still very proud and self-important. Swift used this adventure to attack the attitudes of the English as being full of themselves. Throughout the rest of the book, Swift discusses intelligence and social standards. I fount the commentary on culture of the time very interesting.

JORDAN C---> GULLIVER’S TRAVELS by JONATHON SWIFT

I’d say that one of the best books I can add to my personal “canon” which I read this year in English class is “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathon Swift. It is a satire following the travels of ship surgeon Lemeul Gulliver as he gos on various voyages to strange places. On each island he comes across, Gulliver meets strange natives whose practices and ways of life are used satirically to make theoretical knowledge and reason seem foolish. First he goes to a land where he is a giant next to the 6 inch natives. This is used to mock the egotism of nations such as England. Next, he is the small one in a land of giants. This is used to mock the personal lives of individuals. Next is a land of abstract learning, where people build houses without any right angles, which is used to mock theoretical science and the Royal Society of England (which Swift hated.) Lastly Gulliver is on an island where the humans are savages (yahoos) and horses are intelligent. When Gulliver leaves, he is more cynical than ever, even calling his friends and family yahoos. This shows how Gulliver feels he is surrounded by less intelligent beings, thanks to his own enlightenment with the horses

[|https://www.google.com/search?q=gullivers&aq=0&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=9aebUd7cI4bhyQGJm4GgCw&biw=1440&bih=799&sei=-aebUfGaFKnFywHP24DwCg#imgrc=pCNJImjRn70bbM%3A%3B5rcqD3Yxn5MkGM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F4umi.com%252Fimage%252Fbook%252Fswift%252Fgulliver-morten16.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fjuicyecumenism.com%252F2013%252F03%252F01%252Fgullivers-travels-and-differences-of-doctrine%252F%3B1160%3B770]


 * CLASS OF 2012's Personal Classics: **

Megan F. __[|Barbie Doll]__ by: Marge Piercy I really enjoy this poem because it addresses an issue big with many teenage girls. In today’s society, unless you are stick thin, tan, and wear a lot of make up, you are not considered to be “beautiful”. This poem is syterical of that. The young girl is made fun of for her imperfections so much, to the point where she gets plastic surgery to change herself. I also love this poem, because it strikes a personal nerve of feeling insecure. __ Crazy Love __ by: Francis Chan I love this book. It describes the religion of Christianity to a tee. Crazy Loves talks about the love of God for you, and the love you have for Him. I had to read this book to prepare my religious psyche to do Work Crew for three weeks. The book teaches you that you need to bring change to your lives to live life to the fullest. __ Night __ by: Elie Wiesel This book is about a boy who’s family was influenced by the Holocaust. Him and his family were taken to a concentration camp, where his mother and sister were instantly murdered. This story is about him and his dad, and their survival story together. I really love this book because the story is so touching and personal. The way Elie writes makes you feel like you went through the Holocaust with him. Night is inspiring and truly an amazing book to read.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**//Lord of the Flies//** by William Golding has had a very strong influence on me. It’s about a group of pre-teen boys who are stranded on an island, and how they struggle to survive. Initially, an older boy, Ralph, is in charge, and he sets up a society similar to the one they just left, making it very democratic. However, as the story progresses and the children start thinking things are happening when they really aren’t, the society degenerates into anarchy, rule d b<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">y the most savage and primal of the boys, Jack. At the end, Jack tries to kill Ralph and his only remaining supporter, Piggy, and they decide to burn the island. Piggy is killed when a boulder is thrown onto him, but Ralph escapes when a naval officer sees the island burning and lands to see what’s going on.
 * James W.**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are, of course, many other characters, but aside from Ralph, Jack, and Piggy, I believe that Simon, an older boy who wants to protect the younger ones is the only other important human character. However, the Lord of the Flies, which is a pig’s head impaled on a stick, is very important, as is The Beast.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//Lord of the Flies// is truly fascinating to me because it shows that however much we may believe we as a race are “civilized”, it is merely a façade that can easily be stripped away before the raw power of nature. I was also astounded by how much meaning there was in the book as it was one of the first times I’d looked at a novel <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and seen that certain objects were used as symbols, and how every little detail carries with it some significance.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I won’t be able to forget this book for a long time, if ever, because it’s so well-written, and it carries with it such a meaningful theme, and one that interests me more than almost anything else.

**//To Kill a Mockingbird//** by Harper Lee is about a young girl, Scout Finch, living with her brother Jem and single father Atticus. They live in the very conservative town Maycomb, Alabama where Scout’s father is a prominent lawyer. One summer, a boy named Dill comes to stay with his aunt and the three become good friends. They spend most of their time trying to get Boo Radley, a man who has not left his house in years because he is insane, out of the house. Then Atticus takes up a case for a black man, Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Though there is evidence he didn’t commit the crime, an all white jury convicts Tom and sentences him to prison. Later Robinson tries to escape and then is shot for it. After the trial Mayella’s father feels he has been made to look like a fool and attacks Jem and Scout as they are walking home. Boo Radley finally comes out of his house and saves the two by stabbing Mayella’s father. The sheriff comes and determines Mayella’s father killed himself, to save Boo, and the family continues to live as normal. Scout Finch- narrator Atticus Finch- father and lawyer Jem Finch- Scout’s brother Boo Radley- man who never leaves house Dill Harris- friends of Jem and Scout Calpurnia- family cook Tom Robinson-black man accused of rape Mayella Ewell- accuse Tom of rape Bob Ewell- abusive father of Mayella Aunt Alexandra- Atticus’ strict sister The piece talks about the effects of racism along with the trials of growing up and learning about life. Many people believed that Tom Robinson raped Mayella Ewell because he was black and no white woman would lie about that. No matter what the evidence pointed to, Tom Robinson was considered guilty as soon as he walked in the courtroom. //To Kill a Mockingbird// gives an accurate picture of the racism in the time period and how badly black people were treated. Also the story talks about some of the challenges we face as we grow up. When we are young, we don’t understand many things about how the world works. This leaves us frustrated, but drives us to learn and discover new things that help us to mature. At the beginning of the story, Scout is an innocent little girl who has little experience with the evils in the world. But through her experience with the Tom Robinson trial, Boo Radley mystery, and social injustice causes Scout to grow up and mature. Her journey to become more mature is something everyone can relate to and understand what she’s going through . This book is important to me because it got me interested in literature. Before I read //To Kill a Mockingbird// I didn’t like to read that much because it seemed boring to me. I thought the “classic” books like this would be too difficult for me to understand and couldn’t relate to me at all. The novel turned out to be very interesting and is still one of my favorites to read. To Kill a Mockingbird is an un forgettable novel because it is able to cover many different topics fluidly and still be understandable. Harper Lee covers the topics of racism, social status, family relationships, and growing up just in one story. This book is able to influence people no matter what year it is which is why it has been a classic for so long. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it .” “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” “There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people: Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself.”
 * Kristin R. **
 * Characters **
 * Quotes **

This poem is mainly about the affects and implications of love on humans. Williams depicts love as love and obstacles getting in the way of love as different flowers and plants. For instance, love is portrayed as a rose and difficult times in a relationship are portrayed as briar patches. Williams believes that the briar patches or difficult times will always get in the way of a relationship, but one must push through to get to the rose. He also touches on love according to children or younger people. Williams says that love is a disposable thing to a child such as a flower that was picked because of its beauty, but then tossed aside because a more beautiful flower was spotted. Williams believes that true love will withstand every obstacle and, with age, grow to receive the “prize” of happiness in a relationship.
 * Tierney D**
 * "The Ivy Crown" by William Carlos Williams**

I love the allusions and metaphors presented in this poem. The allusion to Cleopatra and Antony really supports the poet’s idea and sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The metaphors of the flowers and briar patches are simple yet very poetic. I love that Williams does not believe that love happens by chance, but rather it requires a conscious effort in order to obtain it. This is evident in the last line which states, “We will it so and so it is past all accident.” This poem showed me that love is greatest past the young stages of infatuation or teenage love. It is beautiful to see two people in love in their old age or two people matured in their feelings for one another. This is exactly what Williams depicts in this poem. Obviously, I am interested in romance and happy endings, and that is why I was drawn to this poem. J

If you’d like to check out this poem then click here.

//** Heart of Darkness ** (Jon K. squawk)// The novella is told as a story within a story. The initial narrator is on a boat in England with four friends, and one of them, Marlow, tells a story of his trip to Africa working for a Belgian trading company. The story reverts back to the friends listening to the story a few times in the book as the sun is setting on the Thames, but for the most part the entire book is the story of Marlow going to Africa. When Marlow arrives to the “dark continent”, he is delayed for three months because the boat he was to travel down the river in was broken. After three months, however, Marlow leaves with the manager of a trading post and a crew of native Africans. Marlow’s job was to bring ivory downstream and to also pick up Kurtz, a mysterious trader who seems to have gone rogue. As Marlow and the rest of the crew move downstream, they are attacked by a tribe of natives and take wood from a little hut. As they near Kurtz, Marlow hears more about the mysterious man. He is described as a universal genius and possesses a unique variety of skills. Finally, Marlow and company reach Kurtz’s post. They discover that Kurtz is ill and has survived deep in the jungle for so long because the natives believe he is a god. A Russian traveler wholived in the hut tells us that Kurtz is a wonderful poet. Marlow and his crew then leave with the dying Kurtz. While traveling back up river, Kurtz dies, his last words being whispered, “The horror, the horror.” The story ends with Marlow going back to London and telling the new of Kurtz’s death to his fiancé, who believed that Kurtz was a good man even though the jungle drove him to massacre and madness.

A major theme in the book is to exploit the evils of European imperialism in Africa. It shows in shocking detail how trading companies dehumanized the natives and treated them cruelly. This can be considered one of the levels of “darkness” in the book. The second level of darkness is the potential for evil that lies in all of our souls. Kurtz represents this darkness. He was an altruistic, intelligent young man who was driven crazy by being an agent in the heart of the Congo. He was filled with the ambition of converting natives to civilization and brutally massacred his enemies to obtain more ivory. The last lines Kurtz spoke, however, show the reader that before he dies he realizes he has a heart of darkness. He realizes the “horrors” that he has committed in his life, more specifically, what the jungle drove him to do.

I will never forget this book for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I like Conrad’s writing style. Although the story within a story can be confusing, Conrad does it well, especially in this book. Secondly, the imagery contained in the book is beautifully horrific, harsh, and all too realistic. However, the biggest reason I will never forget this book is because of its description of the human condition contained within it. The story of Kurtz is essentially the story of a great man who was made evil by the situation he was put into. It shows with piercing clarity that even the best of men cannot escape the power of the jungle, the power of ambition, and the heart of darkness that lies within us all.

**Aron P. (the better twin)**
Well then, I'll begin with a canon. One of my favorite stories that has stuck with me throughout my high school experience has been The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. The story is simply about a middle-aged woman, Edna Pontellier, who slowly but surely discovers her true personality over the course of the novel. She begins to despise her husband and the community that surrounds her as she grows closer to a dejected and old member of society, Madamoiselle Reisz, while growing apart from her best friend and perfect image of society, Adele Ratignolle. In the end, she leaves her husband for her newfound love Robert Lebrun, when he actually ends up leaving her all alone, where she then kills herself. The meaning of this is very important in that it emphasizes the differences between what society expects and what certain people that are different actually would like. They are rejected from society and considered to be lessers just because of their differences. The sea is used as a motif in the story to show how Edna losses her "fake" self that society has made of her and gains her “true” self. This book has been very meaningful to me and has stuck with me through the years because of its great symbolism and metaphors and the meaning that is presented by its theme. It has helped me to interpret other novels and poems and to notice how the setting in the story can greatly affect that novel’s meaning. I can somewhat connect to this book as well because I don’t always follow society. It’s an important lesson to learn and that is why this novel is easily one of my favorites to this day.



Kyle (the smelly one) <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The Fountainhead has probably been the most influential book I have read in my life. The book starts with a man name Howard Roark who is an unconventional architect who is extremely stubborn and elitist. He gets kicked out of school for not following instructions, and will not alter his designs regardless of anything others say or propose. He struggles to land architectural jobs but still continues with his ideals. Eventually he meets Dominique, and the two fall in love but act as if they are complete enemies. They hate one another to their faces and purposely sabatoge the other very severly. The rest of the world hates Roark and his ideas because of a famous art critic, Ellsworth Toohey, who reviews Roarks work as unsafe and disgusting. Roark never steps down on his beliefs and eventually <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">(SPOILER ALERT) <span style="color: #808080; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">destroys his own building because the builders altered his original design. The piece develops the idea of objectivism: that if every person lives for themselves and themselves only, never caring or worrying about another, and develops their talents to the fullest, the world will be a better place and all will be happy.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">This has influenced my life because it has made me think of how I should look at life. Should I be living for myself, or for others? If I were inately selfish it would be easier to develop the skills I have and my life would be better for myself, but I would not be happy. Pleasing others and helping others in life is perhaps what I get the most joy out of, and it is not something I am willing to sacrifice. Objectivism really did make me think about my outlook on life and gave me a different perspective to analyze. But I have realized that living by the idea that Ayn Rand proposes in this novel would cause me to be unhappy and is not something I believe in strongly. I had no idea that this book would have such a strong influence on me, but it was a very interesting read and a book I hope to read again and again throughout my life.


 * //Life of Pi//** Molly C

//Life of Pi// was a truly amazing work of literature that affected me in a very significant manner. In the novel, Pi Patel and his family move from their home (and zoo) in India, heading for Canada. They decide to sell their animals, but end up traveling on the same cargo ship as most of them. The ship sinks, and Pi, having lost his family, is left to fend for himself on a lifeboat. His only companions are a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena, and a tiger named Richard Parker. The bulk of the novel is his story of survival. In the end, however, there is an unexpected twist. The reader is left unsure of the legitimacy of his story—were the animals really animals, or did they represent people the entire time? And which version, human or animal, is more horrifying?

Being the animal rights advocate that I am, this got me thinking on a different path. How do people perceive horrors inflicted on animals, in relation to the exact same horrors, inflicted on humans? The same story is told two different ways, and the men interviewing Pi react markedly differently to the two stories. This, to me, is a reflection of the common attitude humans have towards animals. Pi, being a vegetarian and animal lover himself, is equally disturbed by watching a hyena eat a dying suffering zebra, as he is by watching a cook eat a dying suffering sailor. The interviewers, however, are not. They, representing the majority of the human population, find the human story much more horrifying. I think the author was trying to prove a point here. Tragedy is tragedy. Humans and animals are equally capable of experiencing fear, pain, and suffering. I was eager and prepared to receive this message, as I was predisposed to think like Pi, being a vegetarian animal lover. However, most humans are not prepared, or unwilling, to receive this message.

The message of human-animal equality in the capability of experiencing pain and suffering is a message I find unforgettable, and can and will not remain indifferent to. My respect for animals has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Seeing this message through the parallel stories in Life of Pi helped me immensely in being able to explain my own feelings to myself, in a strange way. Now, my attitude towards animals makes more sense to me, because it is a difficult thing to understand. It’s rare that you find a part of your own personality that even you can’t understand, and it can be frustrating. Reading this book gave me a sort of “oooooh, that’s why!” moment, and helped me make sense of that personality trait in me.

//Angela’s Ashes// is a memoir written by Frank McCourt which was published in 1996. Frank McCourt wrote about the tragic struggles he faced growing up in Limerick, Ireland during the 1930s. The book describes his struggles with poverty, hunger, his father’s drunkenness, sickness, death, and his mother’s attempts to keep her family alive. McCourt begins with his parent’s marriage in America. Both of his parents were from Ireland, but they moved to America to find work. In America they had five children. Frank was the oldest, but at the age of four his youngest sister, Margaret, died. After her death his parents decided to move back to Ireland. He describes Limerick City with all of its grittiness. They lived in the unpaved lanes where it often flooded (the poorest neighborhoods of Ireland), and unfortunately their house was near the lane’s public toilet. His father spent his wages at the pub thus leaving his family nothing for buying the necessities. He describes the struggles of extreme poverty and sorrow in Ireland during his childhood. The book ends when McCourt, age 19, arrives in America.
 * //Angela's Ashes// by Frank McCourt (Kylie O.)**

Characters: Angela McCourt (Frank’s mother), Malachy McCourt (Frank’s father), Frank (oldest son), Malachy Jr. (Frank’s brother), Margaret (Frank’s sister; dies in America), Oliver (Frank’s brother; dies at early age in Ireland), Eugene (twin of Oliver; dies six months after Oliver), Michael (Frank’s brother), Alphie (Frank’s brother).

Despite McCourt’s hardship described in the memoir, it is written with wit, some amount of humor, and light-heartedness. McCourt took tragic memories and intertwined them with a light-hearted feeling which makes his childhood seem less tragic than it really was. His unique tone captures the reader with strong contrasting emotions of sympathy and joy. This book had a very strong influence on me before I even read it. //Angela’s Ashes// has been read for years throughout my family for it describes a life very similar to my grandpa’s life in Ireland. He was born in Ireland and lived in the county south of Limerick. In addition, he was born around the same time Frank McCourt was living in Ireland and grew up in similar circumstances (though not nearly as tragic). Through this book, I came to a better understanding of my grandpa. It influenced me to see my grandpa in ways I had never really considered. I became increasingly curious about his life growing up in Ireland, his journey to America, and adjusting to life here. I was not expecting to read of the horrible tragedies of Frank McCourt’s life (I was in eighth grade), but through this book I grew me closer to my grandpa. This is why //Angela’s Ashes// is the most unforgettable book I have read.

Interviews with Frank McCourt: []


 * Kovas K**
 * The book, //Life of Pi// by Yann Martel, changed my view on life. The story is of a boy who is stranded on a lifeboat for 227 days. In the beginning there was also a tiger, an orangutan, and a zebra, but eventually (spoiler alert) the tiger, Richard Parker, kills them off. Pi is very religious; he practices Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. He believes that there is not one true religion. They are all true. Once on land Pi gives his interviewees two stories: the animals were real. The animlas were symbolic for specific people.**
 * This book helped me to see different perspectives better. There is not neccesarily one religion which is better than another. Representing people with animals may be necessary to be able to live with certain experiences. The fact that animals kill and eat each other is acceptable. That humans would ever do such a thing is very disgusting and unpleasant. Many people wish to believe the literal story with the animals because they** do not want to believe that people would actually commit such acts. This book reminds me to always look for **more than just the literal. I will always remember this book because the ending took me by surprise. I should always be prepared for anything and search for the deeper meaning.**

=**Abbey P.**= ===** A graphic novel changed how I read was called, //Persepolis// by Marjane Satrapi. This book gives an inside point of view of the Iranian revoution, the changing of power from the Shia to Khomeini. This book was different than any other graphic novel I read. It's in depth issues and detailed yet simple drawings helped paint the picture of Marjane's life. The book follws Marjane and her growing up during the revelotuion. The things her family had to hide to be sure they weren't arrested. This book helped me see a diifferent part of the world. It helped me understand a point of view that I didn't know was there. We are led to believe that anyone from the Middle East doesn't like America, Persepolis changed that. You saw a liitle girl growing up and having her whole world turned around. This book was a good read. It can change your opinion of a place you though you knew. **===



SEAN

Ordinary People, by Judith Guest, is a novel about the Jarrett’s, a suburban family living in Lake Forest, IL. It is told from Conrad, the youngest son, and Calvin, the father. Jordan, the eldest son, was killed in a boating accident before the start of the book along with a suicide attempt by Conrad. The novel is about Conrad’s come to terms with his brother’s death and moving on. This book influenced me because while nothing is going right for Calvin and Conrad, they continue to live their life. It is unforgettable because the message is so basic but so important, keep moving on with your life even when things are not great.

[]

//Life Of Pi//, Damian
// Life of Pi // was a fantastic novel that absorbed me into the story and kept very intrigued basically the entire time I read it. The Novel revolves around the life a of an Indian boy whose family owns a zoo in which they run together as a family. Eventually, they choose to relocate to Canada so they pack their things and board a ship with their belongings and the animals which they plan to sell. During the move, the ship tragically sinks and Pi is left to fend for himself on a lifeboat in which the other passengers are an Orangutan, Hyena, Zebra, and a Bengal Tiger.

As expected, the quest for land is more than tumultuous and Pi witnesses the hyena dismantle the passengers one at a time. First, the Hyena kills off the Zebra, then the orangutan. Pi is sure that he is next but the Bengal Tiger eats the hyena instead. As the novel goes on, he is near death when he stumbles upon a mysterious island he eventually discovers to be a carnivorous algae island. When he discovers this, he and Richard Parker quickly return to the life boat and once again embark on their journey to somewhere they are not even sure of. I thought this part of the story was perhaps the most interesting and kept me reading until I reached the end of the novel. The novel wraps up with Pi telling an alternate version of the story to the news reporters because they were in disbelief of the first and felt there was no way it could be true. The alternate version replaces the hyena as a butcher, the zebra as a sailor, the orangutan as his mother, and he is the Tiger. The reporter feel more satisfied with that story and the reader is left to decide which story is true. I still cannot decide which I choose to accept but the entire novel is worth reading again. I thought //Life of Pi// was one of the best books I have read since the //Bailey School Kids// series in 2nd and 3rd grade.



[] (Movie - Dec 21, 2012)

Alleigh V.
 * TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD**

Almost every book I have read in high school has changed my thoughts towards different people, places and situations. The book that made the largest impact on me was To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. Scout is growing up in a Southern town; she is becoming more and more aware of the injustice in her town. She sees this, as most children do, as unfair while the adults just conform to the culture around them. Jean Louis cannot understand why Jem and Atticus are worried. Or why everyone in town is angry at Atticus. Can one grow up and still be unaware of the injustice? Could I grow up and not conform to the ways of everyone else around me and do what I think is right? I will never forget when Scout was in the middle of the pack of men who surrounded her father and spotted the father of one of her friends at school. She asked him to say hello to her classmate for her. Everyone in that scene was silent. It took an eight year old girl to remind those men what was really important in life and make them aware that something was wrong with their actions. Jean Louis has a kind heart and pure soul that most people lose as they grow up. Jean Louis obliviousness to the situation was the key to settling down an argument that would have ended violently. We must never forget what is important in life and view everyone as a person, not just those who are the same as us. Going through high school students are faced with many decisions and forced to interact with many diverse people. Peer pressure often dictates decisions and decides what is “cool”. Like Scout I try to use my own best judgment and follow my intuition in doing what I think is right and I believe everyone at school deserves the same respect. For the rest of my life, I hope that I will build character as strong as the Character Jean Louis builds in To Kill a Mocking Bird.

=**Joey Z!**=
 * CLASS OF 2011'S Personal Classics: **
 * I'll start out with As I lay Dying since I would say this book was one of the first books I analyzed and interpreted its literary values in depth. I enjoyed the basic plot but complex relationship of the characters style of this book. The story is about the Bundren family(Anse Jewel Darl Dewey Dell Cash and Vardaman) and their journey to Jefferson to bury their mother, Addie. From As I Lay Dying I am able to recognize the effects of setting on a work as a whole and also the value of subplots and conflicts. I also got to experience a style of writing that I am not used to.**


 * It may sound amateur but the Harry Potter series is a very influential book series on my book life if you will. This series installed a passion for fantasy and adventure books in my life and helped me discover that I can read books for fun not just school. The Harry Potter series is about Harry Potter, a student at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, and his search for justice in the wizarding world. I did receive much literary value from these books but they were an excellent starting point for learning to enjoy reading. These books are unforgettable to me because it was the first time I got sucked into a book and expanded my imagination. I wanted to live in this fantasy world at one point.**


 * The last piece in my personal canon is Patriotism by Yukio Mishima. This short story is about a ritual suicide for a lieutenant in the Japanese army. This honorable soldier could not complete a task for the army so he vowed to commit suicide along with his wife shortly after. The story is about the process and mentality for the couple leading up to the suicide. This short story shows the power of honoring and staying loyal to your country. The imagery and diction were truly extraordinary in this short story. I was able to picture the scenario very clearly. This short story was influential to me because it was a very powerful work. I was moved by this peace because of its masterpiece and keen details. Its vivid imagery has imprinted this story in my mind.**

“Patriotism” by Yukio Mishima With a reaction quite similar that of Ms. Stiel, I was quite horrified when I first read this short story. Well, I’m still pretty horrified when I read it, but it is more of an eye opening, quasi-pleasant type of horror. This story is essentially an intensely accurate description of a ritual honorable suicide traditional to the japanese samurai culture. The vivid imagery and an emotionally complex plot have stuck with me. Mishima utilizes language to effectively physically and emotionally describe an instance so abstract and intricate that one would deem it impossible to communicate without having read the short story beforehand. I personally did not think it possible to create such a complete and disturbing picture within the mind before Mishima.
 * Ben B. **

Along the same thread, As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner is one work, in my mind, that defines the phrase love-hate relationship. Being one of the first works of literature I have actually struggled with, I think it is only natural that it slowly became a favorite. Despite despising it for some time whilst in the process of reading the novel, the residual feeling of awe I experienced due to Faulkner’s striking prose sections and characterization subdued whatever hate I felt for the characters themselves and allowed me to enjoy the work as a whole immensely.

My third most influential work in my appreciation of literature and in my “personal canon” is the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien. My adoration for this novel, or as I would describe it, history textbook/novel, is mixed in origin. In this utterly complete work, Tolkien gives birth to a land long before the time of The Lord of the Rings with gods and demons, in which he paints a picture through many different accounts of important events, battles, romances, etc. The resultant work is reminiscent of a collection of memories that would appear in a traditional mythology (greek or norse for instance). The lore and storytelling that Tolkien creates satisfies my childish desire to read about a dream like land with distinct heroes and villains. At the same time, however, Tolkien manages to encapsulate not only this pleasing storybook land and history, but he does it without sounding immature or didactic. The Silmarillion, for me, is the perfect mixture of education, lore, and entertainment. Another aspect of the book I find fascinating, is that (in addition to The Lord of the Rings) Tolkien writes this extensively long novel without sacrificing the elevated caliber of his prose. Tolkien manages quantity AND quality.

**Caitlin**
//Pride and Prejudice// by Jane Austen tells the story of a romance between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. It takes place in the early 1800’s. This book shows how Elizabeth goes from hating to loving Mr. Darcy and the stories of her sisters. This was the first classic piece that I ever read. I loved the language and the romantic plot. This book is the reason that I read so many classic books. I have since read all of Jane Austin’s novels, //Dr.Zhivago//, //North and South// , and more. I fell in love with the romance in this book and it changed the direction of my reading from science fiction to romance and classical pieces. I loved how this book wasn't just about a wonderful romance, but that it was also about human nature and how we can misunderstand each other.

//The Hobbit// By JRR Tolkien a story about a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who lives a peaceful and uneventful life. One day a wizard named Gandalf sends him on a journey with a group a dwarves. Their goal is to win back a mountain fortress and its treasure from a dragon called Smog. Along their journey they come across many obstacles like being captured by goblins, giant spiders, and wood elves.

This is a book that I could read over and over and never get tired of it. I can open it to any page and just start reading. This is the book that introduced me to the fantasy genera. Throughout jr. high I mostly read fantasy. Today I find it hard to find fantasy books that are as well written as //The Hobbit// ; it has such rich language and such a thrilling plot, it is hard to find anything on the same level. I think that part of what this book is about is that even at the age of sixty, Bilbo discovered his inner strength and found out things about himself that even suprised him. Up until his adventure he had lived a peaceful and uneventful life, but on this journey he discovered that he was brave and cunning in the face of danger.

//Silent Spring// by Rachel Carson sparked the modern environmental movement. It exposes the dangers of various chemical pesticides, dangers that are both environmental and health related. One particular pesticide that she talks about and that is particularly dangerous is DDT (**d** ichloro **d** iphenyl **t** richloroethane). This book came as a shock to a nation that live with pesticides like this everywhere. This is the book that really introduced me to and got me interested in the science of environmentalism. It showed me the impact that one smart woman could have on the world, that environmentalists don't just organize rallies, they are scientists that are working to make this world a better place. After reading this book I became much more involved in the environmental initiative within RB. I am now an Ecology Club officer, I am a member of the Green Committee and the Green Roof Committee, and I am the RB ACE ambassador. This book has allowed be to get involved in something that I can feel passionate about, by both sparking the movement itself and increasing my interest in it.

** Kaitlynn M. **
//A Child Called It// – Dave Pelzer

//A Child Called It// is an autobiography of the abusive childhood Dave Pelzer lived. This book goes into the detail, which at times is impossible to read about the abuse he encountered from his alcoholic mother, Catherine Roevra. This book is impossible to put down but harder to keep reading his account of his childhood abuse. This book has stayed with me because I want to be a children’s psychologist and help kids, like Pelzer, everyday. The teacher in the novel that reported Pelzer’s mother to the authorities is someone I hope to be like to children. I want to be a person kids can trust and help them in whatever way possible, even if it means putting my neck on the line.

//If I Should Die Before I Wake// -Han Nolan <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hilary, the main character, hates Jews. As part of a neo-Nazi gang in her town, she's finally found a sense of belonging. But when she's critically injured in an accident, everything changes. In her mind she has become Chana, a Jewish girl fighting for her own life in the ghettos and concentration camps of World War II. Han Nolan takes you into the mind of Hilary and Chana. While reading, you feel as though you are Chana, being in the train on the way to the concentration camp, encountering everything she is. He offers powerful insight into Chana's survival through the Holocaust and Hilary's journey out of hatred and self-loathing. This book means so much to me because I think the message, although impossible to relate to the extend Nolan provides, is real in everyday life. Hate is all around us and all it takes is some insight to see that the hate is unnecessary and if people could have a little more empathy and acceptance for each other the world would be a must kinder, friendlier place. This book goes along with //A Child Called It// because I know that this is reality. People hate one another for a reason and simple as it gives them friends. If I can open up one persons mind, it would make all the hard work and years of school worth it.

//Their Eyes Were Watching God// – Zora Neale Hurston <span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The main character, an African American woman in her early forties named Janie Crawford, tells the story of her life and journey through an extended flashback to her best friend, Pheoby, so that Pheoby can tell Janie's story to the nosy community. Her life has three major periods corresponding to her marriages to three very different men. Hurston wrote the novel in a dialect which takes some time to get used to as a reader. But once past the strange language used, the reader can really get into the novel and see the story through Janie’s eyes. This book was written like nothing I had ever encountered before. While reading, I was forced to see things in a different way and think outside the box in order to understand Janie and her life. It was interesting to see all her relationships and how she saw them and then relates them to life now. This book is memorable to me because it forced me to see things in a different light. I am so used to a certain kind of novel, that Hurston opened my eyes to a whole new genre. I also believe that by reading this story from the perspective of an African American, going through things that are still real now, gave me a new look on things and how I perceive them to be.

**<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jake J. **
<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy is a novel about a normal man, Llewlyn Moss who one day finds a briefcase full of money at the site of a drug deal gone bad. Along with the 2.4 million dollars he finds multiple dead bodies. At this point, with little hesitation he decides to take the money. From this point on he is on the run from a deadly sociopath named Anton Chigurh. Anton is on a mission to retrieve the money from Moss and does not hesitate to kill on the way. The whole time this is happening the sheriff of the county, Sheriff Bell, is trying to find Moss. The entire book Sheriff Bell is slowly losing hope as the death count is rising. He feels responsible and comes to the realization that nothing he can do can change what is happening…….. This novel really shows how fast your entire life can change and how every decision you make can have a huge effect on your life, bigger than you can even imagine.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner is a novel about a family’s journey to bury their mother. The Bundren family suffered a loss when their mother, Addie, died. Addie’s last dying wish was to be buried far away in Jefferson. In order for her to be buried there the family needed to travel very far and overcome countless obstacles. Each member of the family had their own selfish reason for going to Jefferson and that added a very interesting twist. Initially I did not like this book because it was a style I have never read before but eventually as I understood the plot and writing style it became one of my favorites.

Patriotism by Yukio Mishima was a horrifying short story about the honorable suicide typical of a Japanese samurai. The book ends with the couple disemboweling themselves; needless to say this was done with vivid imagery of the actual scene. This story was a shock to me and I think that is why I found it so good. No other novel or short story I have ever read has created such a gruesome and utterly disgusting scene than Patriotism, and for this reason I liked it.

Details about Yukios Mishima's life help understand this story. Click the link below. <span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">[|Yukio Mishima]

**Mr. Nelson**
There have been innumerable written works that have had a profound impact on my intellectual life as well as helped to reform my innate prejudices and belief system. The filmmaker Werner Herzog speaks of searching for “ecstatic truths” in the films he creates, in the art he experiences and in the world itself. It seems appropriate that writings that would populate my personal canon should begin with the writers who have engendered in me feelings of revelation, inner silent exclamations of: “That is exactly right! That is what I have always suspected but have been unable to put into words myself! Thank you!” I will start with three.

1. Kurt Vonnegut, __The Sirens of Titan__, was, at the time I read it, the longest book I had ever read. All of the great accomplishments of human history are really just messages telepathically implanted in human collective consciousness to a spaceship maintenance robot awaiting a crucial ship part on the largest moon of Saturn. When the robot discovers it has been responsible for so much human suffering it commits a kind of suicide in despair. Sounds weird? It is. The crucial lesson of all of Vonnegut’s work basically can be condensed into one quote: “There is really only one rule I can think of: Goddamnit, you’ve got to be kind.” And so it goes.

2. James Wright, __The Branch Will Not Break__, is the first poetry book I ever bought for myself, it features my favorite poems by my favorite poet. __The Jewel__ There is this space In the air behind my body That nobody is going to touch: A cloister, a silence Closing around a blossom of fire. When I stand upright in the wind, My bones turn to dark emeralds.

Bite sized and beautiful, a man writing in a way a mid-western small town boy could relate to. Suddenly, poetry became something that had a deeper meaning for me and I had to rethink all the poems I had scoffed at over the years that teachers had read to classes I had been in. James Wright did that for me.

3. Martin Luther King Jr., __Letter from a Birmingham Jail__, sitting in a jail cell with just a pencil stub and the margins of a newspaper to write in; the Reverend King responded to clergy who condemned his actions and the legal hoopla it set in motion with an extraordinary defense of principle as well as a simple justification for non-violent resistance. I first read it in my Jurisprudence text in law school and have found it unforgettable. Before he had a dream, he had a point that has become as important and influential as some Supreme Court decisions. It is quite simply, moving, beautiful and fundamental reading for anyone who calls themselves American. He wrote it in a prison cell, people.

There are many more where those came from,” ecstatic truths” aplenty to be found, enjoyed and listed in a personal canon.

**Lauren B.**
//Between a Rock and a Hard Place// by Aron Ralston is an autobiography is about a young man, Ralston, who is forced to amputate his arm while trapped in Blue John Canyon, located in a desert in Utah. Ralston lost his footing on a loose rock, causing him as well as the bolder to fall into the depths of the canyon. The bolder trapped Ralston’s right arm, leaving Ralston in the canyon with limited amounts of food and water for five days. In the end, Ralston was ultimately faced with the task to amputate his own arm. This story influenced my life because I realized that anything can change in an instant. Reading about this story of a man faced with many obstacles and how he was forced to make a decision, to live or to die, really made me think about all the decision I have to make in my life. They are nowhere near as difficult as the one Ralston made but they are still significant. I admire the courage of Ralston. Though he had given up many times during his entrapment, in the end he pulled through and made the necessary decision so that he could live. A movie was recently made featuring James Franco as Aron Ralston titled 127 Hours, which is the time frame that Ralston faced from when he left his house that morning.

//The Series of Unfortunate Events// series by Lemony Snicket is about three orphaned siblings, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire who lost their parents in a terrible fire. The entire series consists of thirteen books, all of which I have read. Each book has a different setting though the plot stays consistent. The orphan's uncle, Count Olaf, has been hunting them down ever since the death of their parents in hopes of getting the Baudelaire fortune. I began to read these books in the third grade. These books are what really got me hooked on reading. At the time there had only been eight books out in publish. I remember waiting for the nest one to be released for the years to come. If not for these books I do not know what would have gotten me to be such a book worm! Here is a link to the [|movie trailer] they made featuring Jim Carrey as Count Olaf.

//Indian Killer// by Sherman Alexie is about a mysterious Indian Killer who has only murdered white men. This killer is suspected to be of Indian heritage or background because the police believe that these murders are some form of revenge. The main character is a schizophrenic adopted Indian man, ironically named John Smith. He is our main suspect because he lives a very silent life though he voices his opinion that he wants to kill "the perfect white man". This novel really got me interested in mystery and crime novels. I feel as though this novel has reinforced my skills as a student in AP Literature because I find myself being a 'detective' and paying more attention to the text itself. What is frustrating in this book is that the author does not come out and say, "And the killer is…!". The reader is left to create their own opinion as to who is the real Indian Killer.

** T o r i B. **
Angela’s Ashes, written by Frank McCourt is a memoir that consists of stories from McCourt’s problematic childhood. This autobiography touches on the families struggle with poverty, the father’s alcoholism, and mechanisms for coping with death. McCourt’s parents Angela and Malachy struggle to feed their growing family, because of Malachy’s addiction to alcohol. Angela undergoes a miscarriage as well as the loss of three children. Throughout the duration of the deaths, Malachy continues to drink away the family’s money. McCourt’s childhood was anything but easy, however he never let the immense family problems break him down. He had to stay strong for his mother. This memoir touched me because it was a true story of the life of a man who started out with nothing and gained everything. Frank McCourt lived in fear, not knowing when his next meal would be or where it would come from, not knowing how much longer his siblings would live for. However there was one thing McCourt knew, and it was that he would make a life for himself or he would die trying. McCourt was determined to turn his struggles into fortune, and that is exactly what he did. This was an exquisite memoir, which captured my attention and brought tears to my eyes. This novel made me appreciate my life and the people within it.

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult This novel shows the true devotion of family, and what one will endure in order to help another. Kate Fitzgerald gets diagnosed with leukemia at a young age, and her parents Sara and Brian conceive Anna in order to keep Kate alive. Anna was genetically engineered to be the perfect genetic match for Kate. After years of procedures including blood withdrawals and painful bone marrow extraction, Anna visits a lawyer to represent her in a lawsuit against her parents. Unbeknownst to the Fitzgerald’s, Kate had asked Anna to present the lawsuit. The novel ends with a twist, Anna ends up dying in a fatal car accident and Kate lives. This novel was about love and commitment. Family is the most important thing to me, and I would do anything for them. This novel was the perfect example of the faithfulness that a person can have for a family member. I adored the bond that Anna and Kate had, and it made me appreciate my sister and the loyalty that resides in the relationships of siblings.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson I read this book a number of years ago, but it’s message stuck with me. Speak is a novel about a girl named Melinda Sordino who is an outcast in high school. Sordino is an outcast because she called 911 on a party the summer before her freshmen year. She was immediately ditched be her friends, but no one cared to ask her why she did it. She called 911 because a senior at the party had raped her in the woods. Sordino’s life became a dark whole of depression. She didn’t confide in anyone because of the embarrassment and the disgust she felt with herself. At the end of the novel, the boy tries to rape her again in a janitor’s closet. This time Sordino stands her ground. The truth gets out and Sordino’s life starts to get better. Speak is a book that is aimed towards younger girls to read and realize the danger of rape and how to get help. This book made me want to help rape victims who aren’t able to defend themselves. Abuse in relationships is becoming prominent in today’s society. The victims need to know that they aren’t alone and that bottling up emotions is not the correct way to get on with life.

Sarah S.
Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee tells the story of a strained father-daughter relationship that is put to the ultimate test due to scandal and tragedy. Although their relationship needs a lot of work, the story shows that some bonds cannot be broken and family is there for you when you need them. This book made me see and appreciate my relationship I have with my parents and I know I can always count on them. Love In The Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a great classic love story about two people who lose each other and get reconnected later in life. I loved the love story of this novel and because of it I have started reading another genre of books and have read more classic love stories such as Pride And Prejudice. Night by Elie Wiesel is about a boy thrown into a Jewish concentration camp and his struggle to survive while being separated from his family. The story is true and I am in awe Wiesel’s strength when I read it. That anyone could survive what the people in those camps went through is amazing to me. I have so much respect for everyone who was there. This book makes me so thankful for the people in my life and realize that I shouldn't sweat the small stuff.

**Emily C.**
Persepolis

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I loved reading this book because it was a change of pace from the average novel. This book follows the experiences of an Iranian girl during her country’s political conflicts and struggles. It is a graphic novel, and I enjoyed interpreting the art rather than the literary devices of the book. After reading this book, I wanted to learn more about the Iranian revolution and the conflicts that occurred during that time.======

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I read this book as an independent novel during my junior year. It was very long, so I only read a few chapters of it, but even that little section of the book that I read was incredibly influential and really spoke to me. A Bondwoman’s Narrative is the actual diary of a slave during the 1700s. It was published and is thought to be the first ever book written by a female slave. The book has all of the original corrections, cross-outs, and spelling errors that the actual diary had. I think this book was wonderful and it was fascinating to read the actual experiences of a slave from so long ago.======

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This is a novel with the most twisted, odd plot that I have ever read. Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter takes place in 1899 in London, England. It is about a girl who was hatched from an egg and grew wings at a very young age. She was unwanted by her mother, and dropped off at the doorstep of a brothel as a baby. The headmistress of the brothel decided to raise her, but not to become a prostitute. The book then follows the girl’s journey to live in a “monster brothel” where she is painted gold and forced to stand in the dungeon of a mansion along with several other monsters while they are looked at by paying customers. The book eventually takes the reader to the circus, where the winged girl is a star trapeze artist. Many different adventures are depicted through the life of this wined girl.======

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I read this book during my senior year of high school. I chose it for my independent novel project, and I second-guessed my choice at first because the dialect and style of writing were so different from what I was used to, and it was hard to understand. After getting through the first chapter or so, I realized how much I actually liked the style of writing that the author used. This book is classified as post-modern feminism, and I loved how strong the female character in the book was. I was influenced by her courage and passion, and how accepting she was of herself despite the fact that she had wings and was so different. This book sounds so cliché when it is summarized (because heroine stories about self acceptance are often cliché), but the way it is written and the way the events unfold really is the complete opposite of cliché.======

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the style of writing and the twist in the end. Pi’s own religious beliefs reminded me of my own- I do not follow the exact beliefs of any one religion, but rather tailor the religion to fit my spiritual needs. I thought that the way that the author set almost the entire book in a boat was so cleverly done because the reader was still intrigued in the plot even after 5 chapter of a guy in a boat.======

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This was my group novel project book, and was the first sci-fi book that I have read. I really fell in love with the genera after reading this book, and I felt that the ideas that were presented in the story were so unique and before the author’s time. I also liked the level of thinking that was required to interpret the book. I enjoyed sitting down and discussing the plot and the characters and the unique ideas presented in the book with my group, and I believe that we dissected the book and got the most out of it that we could.======

**Louise G.**

 * 1) __Night,__ by Elie Wiesel is a memoir narrated by Eliezer, a Jew struggling through the Holocaust. The story goes deep into the horrors that concentration camps brought upon the Jews. Eliezer is sent to Birkenau, the gateway camp to Auschwitz, and was separated with his father from his mother and sister. I had a hard time reading the story, knowing that every horror that seemed unreal actually had once happened. It gave me a deeper understanding, however, of how an individual’s story rather than the textbook numbers I had been more exposed to. When I visited the Auschwitz concentration camp site in January, I had a much deeper appreciation, and I know that experiences like those have given me plenty of reason to be thankful for my life, and every day of it.
 * 2) I read __Things Fall Apart__ last year and from that book I have learned a great amount about the world around me. The story written by Albert Chinualumogo Achebe, who is a well known author of Nigeria. The plot is about O Konkwo, a successful and respected warrior of the Umuofia clan in Nigeria. The story touches on the culture and different practices of the tribe, which seem extremely unusual and inhumane to us. The story gave me a fresh look at the world around me, and how different other parts of the world are in comparison to the small area I live in. Although some of the rules and practices of the tribe in Nigeria seem so unreal to me, they are only normal for those members, and we look strange to them. It is something interesting for everyone to learn of about and think about.
 * 3) Finally, I really enjoyed __The Great Gatsby,__ by F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of my favorite novels. The main characters include Nick Carraway, his wealthy neighbor Gatsby, and his love interest Daisy. The novel focuses on the humor that can be found in the upper class, of the American Dream. I think that learning about this topic is very interesting, and it is an important part of American history. I also think that __The Great Gatsby__ is pressing to be in someone’s reading history.

**Molly**
Every single piece of literature I've read in high school has been inspiring to some extent, but there are some that have had a profound effect on me as a reader and as a person. The first being the short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. "The Lottery" was written in 1948. On the surface, the story appears to be quaint and innocent, merely an honorable tradition performed every year in a small town, it isn't until the final paragraphs that a much more morbid and sinister tone emerges. Every year, a family name is drawn from a hat, and from that family, a single family member is chosen to be the subject of the lottery. To us, the lottery has a positive connotation, but within the confines of the story, it is unbelievably undesirable. The name that is selected from the lottery, becomes a human sacrifice. Members of the town collect rocks and other objects to stone their neighbor, to death. This story taught me to never settle for the status quo, that just because something has always been done a certain way, does not mean that it should always be done in that manner. Jackson's use of tone and diction sets up the story to be lighthearted and juvenile, but shocks the reader with her sudden tone shift.

Another book that is a part of my personal canon is __The Power of One__ by Bryce Courtenay. __The Power of One__ is set in South Africa during WWII and Appartheid. Peekay is the novel's protagonist, a Brit, who constantly is at the hand of his Dutch bullies. Growing up, Peekay is tutored by a German professor of botany, and he learns to box by a colored man Geel Piet. Peekay develops into an intelligent young man, studying at one of the best preparatory schools in South Africa, and he is a talented boxer as well. However, Peekay does not receive a Rhodes scholarship to study at Oxford, he takes a grueling job mining ore in Zimbabwe, where he unknowingly saves the life of his former enemy Jaapie Botha. Courtenay writes with such graphic imagery, that at times it was hard to read. While the story is fictional, some of the abuse that Peekay was subject to was extremely disturbing. However, the story may not have a happy ending, but the hero certainly triumphs. To quote Geel Piet: "Little beat big when little smart, first with the head, then with the heart".

The last book in my personal canon is Life of Pi. I first read that book in 7th grade, and I was pleased that I was able to revisit the novel years later after I had matured. Reading it for a second time was wildly different from the first. The final lines of the story spoken by Pi "And so it goes with God, make of that what you will" truly struck a chord with me. Martel's ability to confuse the reader and not give a concrete resolution frustrates most readers, but I found it refreshing that for once, the reader had to decide what was true and what was fantasy.



**Becky**
Never Let Me Go by Kazou Ishiguro is one of my favorite books of all time. While I usually am not a fan of science fiction novels, this novel’s moral undertones kept me interested, and opened my mind to a whole new genre of literature. The realistic emotions and humanness of the characters got me hooked, despite the sci fi plot. [|Recitatif by Toni Morrison] is one of the only short stories that stuck with me. The story uses race as a key conflict in the story, but never confirms which character is what race. This story made me look at race n a whole new light. It also was a new literary style for my. It used both vignettes and exclusion as a way to highlight the most important things in the story.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi was an influential book for me. It is a graphic novel, which I don’t usually read, however I learned a lot from the book. This graphic novel helped me improve my visual literacy, learn more about Iranian culture, and become more tolerant of other cultures in general. This book, told through a young girl’s perspective, made it apparent that people from different cultures are more similar to us than we think.

**-Bridge-E**
So, after reading everyone else's above me, I have come to realize that all I read is trashy books. What is in my canon? Parlor room trash, and not the normal parlor room trash, I'm talking about the lame teen trash books. I read anything from the __Gossip Girl__ books by Cecily Von Ziegesar, and no I do not watch to show, to the books targeted to middle school girls like the Clique series by Lisi Harrison, and yes, I am eighteen. My favorite and in my "personal canon" are the books by Chelsea Handler? Yeah, not really up to AP Literature merit there nor appropriate for school. My book of choice by her is probably __Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea__ because I love reading funny stories that absolutely have no real point or moral ending. So I guess I read for entertainment and not for enlightenment. What has she done to influence me? Well, in away I guess she makes me realize that I shouldn't care what other people think, that I should share and express myself in the way I see fit even if others so not agree with my ways of action. So if anyone disagrees with me they can go shove it in a sense because in English, everything is up for interpretation and this is how I interpreted how my canon should be.

Next in my canon is any vampire books by Anne Rice. I __loved Interview with the Vampire__ and __The Vampire Lestat__, I could honestly reread them over and over again and I have in fact put homework off to read them. The whole vampire chronicles starts off with Louis sharing his story with an interviewer. Throughout the interview, Louis tells of Lestat, the vampire who created him, and of Claudia, the little girl who was turned into a vampire due to Louis being in a weak state of mind at the time. Throughout the whole book, Louis questions his way of life and why he is the way he is, why are other vampires not sympathetic to human life like he is? The next book in the chronicles is about Lestat, and it tells of how he was turned into a vampire. Lestat went from being a boy who wanted to be in theater to a vampire who loses all of his moral being and his since of "goodness" when comparing the two first books together and that is something I absolutely love reading. I love reading about drastic character change and it often makes me question my character while reading it as well.

My third book in my canon is Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. I love this book because I felt like I read it a lot in my childhood. The book makes me think of my grandmother whom I am very close with and who encourages me to constantly to read, so Alice in Wonderland just brings me back to happy days of being a kid and constantly asking questions and asking why things happen the way they do. -Bridge-E And let the record show I tried to do this multiple times and this is my 4th time trying to write this.

**Colette L**
After reading //Pride and Prejudice//, it has become one of my favorite books. The classic novel is centered on Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth is a very bright, independent young woman whose personality and ideas of class and marriage clash with Mr. Darcy’s very proper, aristocratic upbringing. Their love story is interwoven with that of their family and friends to create a surprisingly complex novel. //Pride and Prejudice// really surprised me with how easy the book was to read once I got used to Austen’s style of writing. Her subtle humor through word play and sugar-coated sarcasm perfectly displayed the follies of first impressions and taught me to pay close attention to how a writer words their piece.

// The Lovely Bones // is a heartbreaking story about Susie Salmon, a young girl who watches her family and her killer from heaven after she is murdered. Throughout the book, Susie watches as her family struggles to pick up the pieces after her death. Her father is obsessed with finding out who killed his daughter, while his wife is just trying to move on. A really interesting part of the book is how Susie watched her murderer George Harvey. The book was really eye-opening, in both the disturbing events and the way it was written. It really explored how a family is affected and changed after the violent loss of someone in their family. It’s the first novel I’ve read where you see from the victim’s eyes as they struggle to balance the need for her family to heal with the desire for her killer be brought to justice. “The Monkey’s Paw” is one of the few short stories that I can remember. It is about a cursed monkey’s paw that was created by an old holy man to show people that fate ruled their lives and interfering with it would only bring more sorrow. When the husband and wife wish for money, they receive it in the form of compensation for their son’s death while at work. The wife, distraught with grief wishes for her son to come back alive, but never specifies in what condition. The husband is horrified as the son begins to knock on the door because he went to the funeral home to identify the body and he knows how horrifying their son looked. Finally he uses their last wish to wish the son away. The terrible consequences brought a whole new meaning to the phrase “be careful what you wish for” and sparked my interest in books with a chilling twist.

** Thomas H. **
To begin, the novel entitled __The Illustrated Man__ by Ray Bradbury contains many short stories all of which have the same underlying theme of science fiction, and how the people of the earth are mistreating it; we will all one day succumb to nature's wrath and power. Everything from the intriguing cover, to the enticing stories will keep you glued to this book. This is one of the first books I had read for an english class that I truly enjoyed, and not only changed my opinion about, "classics", but it was also eye opening for me; because this book was so advanced for it's time. This book was written in the 1950's, and here we are 60 years later, still trying to figure out just how to sustainably utilize the Earth. Additionally, all of the details and literary elements utilized in this book blew me away; granted it was only sophmore year, it truly made an impression on me, and to this day is still one of my all-time favorite books.

Another novel that really influenced me was the book entitled N__ineteen-Eighty Four__ by George Orwell. This novel takes place in a dystopian society, thats supposed to portray how we would be living in the future. This book had been written in 1948, and again was another novel that was very ahead of it's time. Because the main underlying statement of the book was, "Big Brother's watching you." Basically saying that the government is watching your every move, and nobody is allowed to live too comfortably nor too happily. This really had an impact on me, and on my political views. If one were to think about it, nowadays the government, or, "Big Brother" truly is watching our every move whether we like it or not. This made me realize how the government isn't there for everyone, and isn't necessarily in place to help the people. More-so it's there to just control our society, they have the power to control what we see and hear in the media and such. I'd like to say that this book helped me become a republican, though that may be stretching it's significance. On an ending note though, I'd like to admit that as dry and boring as this book was to read, the literary elements were very interesting, from a book written in 1948, it was teeming with details and descriptions of most things that we have in our everyday lives right now. It's definetely a, "classic" book.

Lastly, the last book that truly had a big impact on me was a novel that we had read this year, entitled __The Life Of Pi__ by Yann Martel. This book really opened my eyes and had a deeper meaning because of the literary analysis skills that I had learned during this book. With the previous books that we had read, I had difficulty applying the skills that we were learning, though with this book everything had finally fallen into place and clicked. All of the literary elements, the details, themes and motives of all of the animals, or, "characters" all became real to me with this book. I wasn't able to put the book down, and always read ahead of the specified checkpoints. Additionally, as much of a drag as it was, finding the quotes for the different categories of religion, animal, ect. it actually helped me anyalyze the book better and truly learn the significance of the novel. Also, the ending, with where we learn that the tiger, mr parker, was really an allegory for Pi's animal-like qualities really threw me off; this was the first book that I had encountered that really had a suprise ending like that. It really makes one think, and if I can find the time, I'd like to read the book again with the knowledge that I have now, with all of the animals representing people, and Pi just interpreted them and their actions as animal like, as to seem more human and not necessarily as cannibal-like. With all of the afore-mentioned qualities I had learned throughout reading this novel, it has truly impacted me, and is another one of my personal favorites.

** Kati P **
The first book in my personal cannon is Life of Pi. This book seems to have made a lot of people's lists, which is well deserved. I loved this book. The first time I read it, it was for fun. I loved every single plot line aspect as well as the little non fiction parts. When we read it again in class, it was like the book was opened up to me in a whole new way. Once we analyzed it, the book spoke more to me as a person, as well as me as a reader. Yann Martel is a truly awesome author.

The next book in my canon is The Fountainhead. This book is in my canon because although I didn't really like it, I still learned a lot about Ayn Rand's views on life, which I was always interested in learning. I absolutely hate the way the main characters live in that book, which is why it's in my canon. I've made it a part of me to not be like them, and care about every single person and enjoy every single minute of my life. Suffering does make up some of who you are, but Ayn Rand takes it too far.

The final piece in my canon is the short story "Button, Button". In this story, a couple receives a box, and if the push the button, they can have one wish of whatever they want. The thing is, if they push the button, someone they don't know dies. The couple ends up getting carried away, pushing the button and becoming wealthy. Over time, they distance from each other, and with a button push, they both end up dead, because they didn't know each other anymore. I loved this short story because it really has influenced how I think about mankind. I feel like I am one of the few people in the world that would never press the button.

**Mel**
//Persepolis// by Marjane Satrapi is graphic novel about a young and curious girl growing up in the Iranian revolution. When I first heard we would be reading the story I thought it was a joke, but after reading the novel and seeing how imagery was used to convey the story it opened my eyes to a different genre of storytelling as well as a new culture. i found the book very easy to read,not because it was short and had visuals but because it had an interesting story line and was told by a relatable young girl.

This may be cliché, but the novel //Tuesdays with Morrie// by Mitch Albom have changed my views on human relationships with themselves and others as well as my ideas on “happiness”. The novel is about a young reporter, Mitch, going to visit his and old mentor of his to collect his philosophy on life and many other things. Morrie, sick with ALS is basically on his deathbed and though he is fading physically, mentally he has got a lot to share. The novel relays the message of loving others and not material objects. The novel may makes readers realize the importance of the people they encounter in their everyday life, be them strangers or best friends.

//I Want to Grow Hair, I Want to Grow Up, I Want to Go to Boise//- Erma Bombeck. The novel follows Erma Bombeck on her journey talking to children and young adults fighting cancer. It teaches outsiders not to pity the children fighting cancer, but to realize what it’s like to be in their shoes. Having been in the shoes of the children she interviewed in the book said exactly what I could not. I was not angry or bitter, there was no amount of complaining that would get me through, it was what it was.My childhood and the time I spent fighting is probably the reason that I am the ‘pessimistic yet laid back’ person I am today and I believe the book justifies many fighters and survivors philosophy in life. The novel allows the ‘outsiders’ to realize that majority of the children are not bitter about their disease and don’t need ‘polite sympathy’ or a ‘prayer for a miracle’ as well as telling inspiring stories.

**Taylor**
Anna Karenina is the main character in the novel, with the same name, written by Leo Tolstoy. The story is about Anna’s search for happiness, which she believes will come through a divorce from her husband, Alexei Karenin, and a newfound life with her lover, Alexei Vronsky. Anna completely abandons her comfortable life with Karenin to follow Vronsky, and, over time, begins to realize that love on earth is only conditional, and temporary pleasures simply do not last. Anna ends up killing herself due to her despair and her failed attempt to fill her life with happiness and love. Tolstoy is an amazing writer, and //Anna Karenina,// though very long, is an engaging read. I have learned, outside of the different style of writing, that happiness should indeed be pursued in life, but not recklessly, and it should be sought out in things that truly can bring lasting happiness.

//Revolutionary Road//, by Richard Yates, is one of my favorite novels thus far, and Yates is one of my favorite authors. //Revolutionary Road// is the story of Frank and April Wheeler, a married couple in the conformist 1950’s, who are desperately trying to live their lives to the fullest, though they find this to be extremely hard because of what society expects from them. It is another depressing story of a couple that are in deep despair over how their lives are playing out, but Yates gives this particular story a unique life and breath. His writing is real and believable, and the reader is able to feel Frank and April’s pain as they are experiencing it in the novel. This novel is absolutely heartbreaking because of the characters’ desire for more out of their lives, and the fact that they have no way of figuring out how to obtain the happiness they seek. This novel has taught me that one’s dreams must be pursued and that mediocrity is not something I will ever settle for, because unhappiness is found in regret, and regret stems from not pursuing one’s true desires.

//Mrs. Dalloway//, by Virginia Woolf, is another novel in my personal canon because of the challenge it posed as well as the lessons it taught. //Mrs. Dalloway//is the story of one single day in Clarissa Dalloway’s life. Woolf uses a writing style called stream of consciousness that tracks the character’s thoughts and feelings, as well as occurrences that are happening within and outside of the character. This writing style was challenging to follow at first, but it became easier as I continued throughout the book. Also, due to the plot of Mrs. Dalloway, I learned that the small things really do matter because they are the make-up of these finite lives that we lead.

Cassidy J.

The beginning of senior year started with an interesting read: [|__Frankenstein__] by Mary Shelley. I was excited to read it because, frankly (ha ha), I’m a fan of the dark legends and unique type of horror that surrounds halloween. I looked forward to learning the full tale of Frankenstein, although I thought I had seen a fair amount of it in other media. To my surprise, the original story was very different from what I thought I knew. I was drawn in by the new perspectives and visual imagery of the novel. It brought up a lot of questions and ideas that I’ve always considered to be the most haunting. Specifically: What is right vs wrong? How do different perspectives change the good and evil of a situation.

Yet, even a short story can capture the complexities of the world. In [|__Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been__] by Joyce Oates, the creeping darkness of the plot was intriguing and piqued my curiosity. I wanted to know the story of the real man who had inspired the story. The situation and conflict that Oates presented was uncomfortable, but revealed the darker realities of the world. People behave in strange, often unpredictable, ways. Human nature is never the perfect ideal people make it out to be and there are often many other hidden sides to a person, just as there is to a literary work.

“ [|Mirror] ”, by Sylvia Plath, was another interesting work that shaped my senior year. The poem captivated me with the personification of the mirror which allowed the poet to create a unique perspective on people and their actions. There are always a variety of perspectives in a situation, but seeing things from an inanimate object adds an entirely new layer of depth to the world. Additionally, the poem’s theme related to narcissism which reminded me of my childhood fascination with greek mythology. This poem made me reflect on the myths I've read in my past and on the actions I take everyday.

=**Hallie**= A Jury of Her Peers, by Susan Glaspell, is not only an entertaining, but also an important read for any high school student. This story is so influential because it presents the inferiority of women to men in the early 20th century. In this story, an old man is murdered and investigators are attempting to deduce whether his wife is the culprit. While investigating, their wives discover convicting evidence that is was in fact the victim’s wife, but do not reveal this to their husband investigators. They choose to withhold the information because their husbands ridiculed them for noticing “womanly unimportant things” like frozen jam, and knitting reminisces. From being degraded by the men, the women feel it necessary to withhold the convicting evidence to get back at them for their behavior. As a reader, one wishes they had provided the evidence, but at the same time, agrees with their retaliating behavior. The way the women act prove how detrimental it is to deem women as inferior to men. [|__https://www.learner.org/exhibits/literature/story/fulltext.html__]

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, deserves a spot in my personal canon for it highlights the intriguing era of the 1920s as well as presents an impactful theme that affects all who read this novel. Fitzgerald centers his story around a group of Long Island dwellers who have benefitted from the economic boom of the era and live luxurious lives as a result. While they have everything they could possibly ask for, these characters are broken and plagued by unachievable desires which affect their way of life. The protagonist of the novel, Jay Gatsby, falls into this category and ultimately loses out because he focuses every aspect of his life on winning back the heart of his beloved Daisy Buchanan. This, however, is an impossible dream, for Daisy is married, has a daughter, and lacks the audacity to leave her vicious husband for the man she truly loves. This book has impacted me so much because both pitied and loathed these characters and really learned something from their mistakes. One cannot attempt to relive his past, as evidenced by Gatsby’s quest to regain Daisy’s love, for it ruins and controls every aspect of his or her life.

Oedipus the King, a notable tragedy by Sophocles, is a short and entertaining read for all. It combines humor with meaning as it is surrounded by irony that details the horrific consequences of someone attempting to avoid his fate. Oedipus’s gruesome destiny prophesies that he will murder his father, marry his mother, have children with her, and cause doom to the kingdom in which he rules. The entire time Oedipus tries to avoid this fate and believes, even when the facts are in front of him, that he has succeeded. However, his destiny inevitably proves true and ruins him. This play conveys the theme that ignorance is a fatal flaw and one most know better than to avoid his or her fate, because it will come true anyway. This meaning is influential to mine and everyone’s lives, because so often we try to avoid the inevitable through lying to ourselves and others when that is simply impossible.


 * Ryan P. **

“Do not go gentle into that good night” by Dylan Thomas is a villanelle that discusses an aspect of life and death. The powerful poem offered me a different perspective about dying. One is not supposed to accept death, but fight against it. The poem itself mixes a rhythmic structure with a darker message. The repetition in between the stanzas emphasize the command “Do not go gentle into that good night” and “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Contrasting the different types of men in the poem with images of light and darkness serve to create a short description of each one’s view and understanding on death. The differences between each men display life’s composition of unique ideas and perspectives. But the message of the poem is the most important to me. Like a quote or a motto, my life must be lived no matter the circumstance. To live life with a burning fervor and to resist death and other calamities imposed on one’s existence is the breath of another day. Whether it be sickness, disaster, or tragedy, life must go on and living is the best comeback. Rising another day and not accepting defeat is a way to live life to the fullest. Because those who shine the brightest, run the fastest, and succeed the most will “rage against the dying of the light” and let nothing block their path. Link: [|__http://www.bigeye.com/donotgo.htm__]

As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII “All the world’s a stage” is a short piece of dialogue filled with another perspective on the meaning of life. Written by William Shakespeare, “All the world’s a stage” compares life to a play. The elaborate conceit describes the seven stages of life and how they relate to parts of a play. Complete with “exits and entrances,” the dialogue highlights events happening in the play relating to real life. Many similes are present throughout as Shakespeare tries to draw an image into the reader’s mind. Describing the different stages of life with a comparison show the mood created by the image. “Like a snail,” “like furnace,” and “like the pard” present the emotions and character of each stage. But what does this all mean? For me, the world is like a stage and I as a player. And the show will always go on whether I be in the play or not. The world keeps on moving. “All the world’s a stage” intrigues my understanding of life, pointing me to the realization that I am merely an actor, a piece of the story at one point but not another. The conceit also shows the beginning to one’s life mirroring the end “Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.” Link: [|__https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/you-it-act-ii-scene-vii-all-worlds-stage__]

What would it be like to be invisible? Many of us have thought about that question at one time or another, analyzing what invisibility even looks like. But I’ve learned that you can be invisible without being truly invisible. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison illustrates the definition of invisibility in society. The novel is written with the perspective of an African American man trying to find his place in society. He soon replaces his identity with a fake one and gains a notable reputation. While he had power in his position, he is often powerless at the feet of the white man. And through it, he learns he cannot escape the hierarchy of the world. Reading the novel, made me question my role in society. I am invisible to many and considering that my identity is almost nothing in the world, but with it, I am still human. And I mean something to myself even if I am nothing to anyone else. Though my experiences and my life will I find answers to my own questions and my own understandings will guide me on my own path to success. I don’t need another persona to gain power, because I’d rather be my own nameless person than someone else’s template.


 * Riley Christianssen- The Handmaid's Tale**

The Handmaid’s Tale, a novel by Margaret Atwood, was the first book of the year that sparked my interest, its futuristic/utopian setting really reflected the settings of many popular books such as Divergent and The Hunger Games. In this particular story, the world is run by men and separated into social classes that are solely based on the jobs they have. For example, the women are split into the surrogates, the wives, the cooks, etc. They are separated from their identities to become “a shell with a purpose” so that they may fully carry out their purposes with no sense of connection or bias. The separation from the identity and the lack of names really allowed me to place myself in the shoes of the main character and look at everything through her eyes. This was incredible and really played a part in my critical analysis of the novel. The reason I chose to discuss this particular novel is because it really opens the mind of the reader to bigger ideas.While this book may seem strange and graphic at times, the pure honesty of the events that occur lead the reader to ask the important questions of the directions in which our country and our world will be heading in the next 100 years. By bringing up these more difficult questions, the author was able to not only create the imagery of a world separated by war but it also creates a critical thinking question of what can be done to prevent such events from occurring in real life.

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry was a remarkable depiction of the struggles of an African American family in the 50’s with both racism and the search for success. Throughout the play, the family experiences the feelings of success and the feelings of losing it all within a very short amount of time. While striving for success is still a common goal within our own community, the racism experienced in this story is not apart of many of our lives. We live in a time that is generally very inclusive and accepting to many minorities. Don’t get me wrong, there are still many issues that need to be resolved such as gay rights and the black lives matter movement, but for the most part, the amount of racism seen in today’s society is on a much smaller scale today than what was seen in the 1950’s. I chose to write about this particular play because the ideas of racism and success really translate into my life in different ways. But I think the biggest and most impactful translation is the theme that the ideas and biases that people have towards you should not be holding you back from your goals of success. The author may not have necessarily meant for racism to be interchangeable with other problems, but I personally believe that the notion of racism played a large role in how a reader may look at the story and relate to similar struggles.
 * Riley Christianssen- A Raisin in the Sun **

**Riley Christianssen- Mirror**

“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath was a poem written to highlight the honesty of a mirror while a woman ages. Through the personification of the mirror, the poet was able to personify the thoughts of every woman as she ages into adulthood, it discussed the changes that a woman sees and how the mirror loyally reports everything it sees despite the tears shed by the woman. I thought this poem was interesting in the sense that there are allusions to greek tragedies (narcissus) and it uses imagery to tell how a woman comes and goes but as she grows older, the way the mirror reflects stays the same. To me, this was a contrast to the way that society approaches beauty and the way that a mirror approaches beauty. I think that society approaches it in a way that doesn’t necessarily reflect their appearances honestly, there is photoshop and ideas of how women should look. But the way the mirror displays it, it is very difficult to find any biases and societal standards when it is just you looking in the mirror. http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/sylviaplath/1413

David U.

My literary repertoire has grown every year, albeit mostly not by my own free will but due to required reading assignments from an English core class. However, all of these literary works have served to both enhance my own writing and deeper my understanding of those works I have experienced, both past and present. The primary goal for most of my reading is to increase my personal literary library. This personal library, for now, will be used in order to answer prompts outlined in the upcoming AP test. The importance of reading has been shared with me my entire life. For now the goal is to increase what may be at my disposal come the beginning of May; however, once this is accomplished and in the rear view mirror it would be shortsighted to have a metaphorical yard sale. A yard sale in which “unused” information is forgotten in turn for a neat, presentable, and pointed memory. The honest truth is literature may not be needed for the path in which I intend to take. However, literature is the creative realization of what is possible and lessons that should be learned. The author had a purpose in creating the novel that is shelved in your memory library. The lessons that I’ve taken from literature should not be forgotten. It has shaped who I am and brought glee and shaped passions. The Power of One

Written by Bryce Courtenay, The Power of One, brings to life the hardships of a young English boy living in a predominantly Afrikaner (from Dutch descent) South Africa. Much of Peekay’s early life is plagued by hardships by the hands of Nazi sympathizer Jaapie Botha, The Judge. He is condemned to a life of shame and torture due his his ancestry and having “no hood on his snake.” Peekay’s dire existence creates a longing, by the reader, for him to succeed. This early connection from reader to Peekay allows for full submersion into the plights and successes of the ever-growing Peekay. A classic underdog story, The Power of One successfully follows Peekay throughout much of his childhood and early adult life. You are with Peekay from the time his is wetting the bed to when he defeats his lifelong nemesis. Peekay’s journey of self realization was awe inspiring. He explored every facet of interest. Music, sports, etc. This goal-driven young man seemed to look from the pages into my own thought process. Do not sacrifice one facet of life that you enjoy for another. Take advantage of every opportunity. Take on each challenge head one. You will succeed. “The Eclipse”

Augusto Monterroso created a Spanish explorer, Brother Bartolome Arrazola, determined to bring the truth of God and his superior intellect to the savages of South America. This short story is broken into three distinct parts. First, his wandering through the wilderness has brought him face-to-face with his mortality. Second, he is found by the natives. Basic human instinct kicks in and he vies to stay alive by using his superior intellect to awe the inhabitants. Finally, Brother Arrazola meets his ironic demise by the hands of an unimpressed “lesser” civilization. This humorous short story tells the reader not to view oneself superior as you never know what the other party is capable of.

“Everyman: Morality Play”

The play is so old that the author is unknown. The author may not be remembered but the play is. For good reason. Everyman is representative of mankind who have gone their own way from God. To repent for these sins Everyman must go on a voyage of atonement. This journey of self realization delved into each of man’s characteristics and asked for their help. The inability or outright rejection of these characteristics showed the atrocities of Everyman’s past actions. Man is capable of much evil. As my literary library grows, so does my intellect. The way in which I can read each successive written work changes and matures. I gain the wisdom and learn the lessons the speaker intended to pass on to any and every reader.