The White Darkness- Why I chose this book?

I chose this book because when I read the summary I thought it reminded me of my life. Full of adventure! When I read that the book is about an adventure trip to Antarctica I wanted to read it. I have read books about Antarctica and about the historic Scott’s expedition and this book relates to both the topics. I like learning about the strategies in a life or death situation. Especially when they get stranded and no way out! I also liked how the uncle Victor was so self centered, it ended up back firing. But I do have to say, there were some downfalls in the book. Including; extensive run-ons, unruly wording, and multiple things. I think that the book would have been a lot better if Geraldine (Author) would've gotten to the point with the problem with Sym. I cannot tell you why that is because that would be a SPOILER! 

I recommend this book to people that like adventure and a lot of psycho boyfriend stories! 

I liked it for the most part and I hope you do too!!

The White Darkness- Hooking point

This hooking point is about when the treasure hunters get stranded in the Big Continent named Antarctica. 
On their way out of Antarctica, the plane crashes. The plane with many sick, frost bitten, and homesick people. Or should I say treasure sick. It grabbed me in because their phone stopped working, so no call for help. They also lost a team member because he burned alive in the plane accident. And Victor could care less if Sym is even alive. 
At this moment as a reader you want to read more and want to know what are they going to do next? You start thinking if uncle Victor is going to continue his work to find the Sym’s hole, if yes then how is he going to travel to the hole and is he going to take everyone with him?
 As a reader you also start thinking about what those other travelers are going to do to find help. When I was reading this part the first time, I couldn't keep my eyes peeled from the pages. You will probably wonder, how will they get rescued? or Where the book i going?
After this chapter I was super excited to see how the rest of the book unfolds. Any questions?? 

The White Darkness- Complexity, Themes, Book Structure

This book has various themes but the Structure of the book is easily seen. Also each character has their very own version of complexity. Sym shows herself and wants/ desires when she realizes she's in love with her imaginary friend. Sym think he is real. But in realty she looks like she's going psycho. Victor, Sym's Guardian, shows his greediness throughout the book. He also has a nasty side of him. He is so ignorant, repulsing, and desperate for fame. Titus, the imaginary love, he shows the sophisticated side of Sym. Although Sym is the creator of the boy with her other half. Manfred and Sigurd Bruch, backstabbed traveling partners, are two complex men. Its shown through their maturity level of a 2 y/o and when they have a horrid plan that falls through so they give up in the middle of their trip. The structure of the book has a slow setting. It is not fast and exciting. I just hope that the climax is fast and exciting.The theme that appears in the beginning is "One should always help someone in need". This theme is shown in the story with the help of uncle Victor as in the story uncle Victor always helps Sym and her mother.

The White Darkness- Main Characters, Setting, and Conflict

For My Summer Reading Project I decided to read The White Darkness. The Award winner written by Geraldine McCaughrean. I am currently about half way through the book.

Main Characters-
Symone is a teen, my age, goes by Sym. Her dead father's business partner, 'uncle' Victor, controls her entire life. Sym happens to be almost completley deaf. Sym is clever, shy, withdrawn, and insecure. She gets very anxious about not being accepted in her peer group. At first she goes to follow her 'uncle' as the Parental Guidence in her life until she finds out he is not trustworthy; begining to make her own judgments and saves herself by her own efforts.
Victor Briggs is in his 40's. He is convinced that hes always right and everyone is is plain stupid. He refers to the theory of "Symme's Hole" and is convinced he can prove it. He will travel to the South Pole and discover the entrance to the "Inner World". Though at first he comes across as being a little ridiculous, he becomes more sinister throughout the pages. He will clearly let nothing stand in the way of his project and gaining all fame.
Titus is Sym’s imaginary friend. Created from her knowledge of the Antarctic explorer 'Titus' Oates. He is emotional, honest, supportive, and a willing to listen male. He is basically her want to self. What he talls her makes her compare it with reality. Eventually frees herself from the deceptions imposed on her by others. Mainly by her ‘Uncle’ Victor, Manfred Bruch and his ‘son’, Sigurd.
Manfred and Sigurd Bruch: These men are a father-son-team traveling with Victor and Sym. Manfred Bruch a film-maker but really consists of the secret identity of being a conman with the intent on fleecing Victor through a horrible belief in his theory; Sigurd is a young actor paid to pretend to be his son.

Setting- The story is based off of the voyage of Antartica to find the entrance of the inner earth.

Conflict-
Deception and abuse are the main Conflicts. Victor has been abusing Sym almost from birth till now, brainwashing to believe his own beliefs as the only possible reality, creating his own little robot. Victor maintained control by heartlessly dividing her from parents and peers, planning her future to suit his own wants and needs. Bruch and Sigurd attempt to con Briggs but ended up conning themselves when their mark turns out to be a psychotic fantasist. Lastly Sym has to face up to her beloved Titus being only a creature of her own imagination, a response to her desperate need.

I want ask one question, is Symone in for a deathly adventure or am I jumping to conclusions??

No Exit: Part Two

Part Two:

Estelle is shocked at Inez's notion that the three of them have been placed together to torture each other. Estelle can't keep from talking and asks Inez for a mirror, saying that if she can't see herself she begins to wonder if she really exists. They can't find a mirror, but Inez says that it doesn't matter, claiming that she is always conscious of herself in her mind.

She then proposes that she act as Estelle's mirror and the vain Estelle agrees. The two women begin bickering because Estelle rejects Inez's advances and tries to flirt with Garcin. He asks them to keep quiet but Inez exclaims that it would be impossible for her to ignore his existence.

Inez confesses to having seduced her cousin's wife while living with them. After refusing to acknowledge that she did anything wrong, Estelle finally confesses to having cheated on her husband and getting pregnant.

Only Inez refuses to lie, calling herself a "Damned bitch" and demanding that the other two stop "Play-acting" and throwing "Dust in each other's eyes." Sartre use of the word "Play-acting" also recalls the artificial setting of the play itself: no matter what the characters do, they are still actors and actresses who are "Lying" to each other.

 Estelle is unable to do this, asking Inez to be her mirror so she can create Estelle's essence for her.
Inez revels in her power, even telling Estelle she has a pimple when she really doesn't. As for Inez, she refuses to let other people define her essence. Inez can't stand Garcin looking at her because she thinks that he is automatically judging her. Garcin's mere existence thus reduces Inez's feelings of autonomy.

Sees her past as meaningless and inaccessible, choosing to exist in the present instead. She insists to the others that "Nothing" is left of them on earth and that "All you own is here." Rather than justify her existence in terms of the person she used to be, Inez asserts her freedom to choose her essence in the present, even though she is in hell.

Blog Reflection "No Exit- Part One"

   “Garcin pretends to be at ease but is frightened by the Valet not having any eyelids” go show you that I am very sophisticated when I write. I like to show the mature side of me when creating something for other to see and learn from. My voice is very independent and I want to prove to others that I know what I’m talking about. I like using higher vocabulary to create a more professional blogger feeling. Most people do not use whom in their blogs.

     I used elevated/formal diction in my text. I demonstrated it by saying things as such, “Garcin tries to make peace with Inez, explaining that they must be courteous to each other in order to make the best out of their situation. She tells him that there is no need to be frightened since they are already dead, but Garcin thinks they have not yet begun to suffer.” But mostly all of my text is elevated and gives off that formal feeling.

  

I used sentence length for syntax because all my sentnces are a reasonable length and I try not to run on with my sentences. I usually try to use commas. Like in this sentence,” Garcin agrees, saying that their being together is a fluke.”

No Exit- Garcin

Garcin -
       He is a journalist from Rio and the first to arrive in the room. He was shot by a firing squad for attempting to desert during a war. He is also the best of the three prisoners at dealing with damnation. He recognizes that the three of them have been grouped together to make each other miserable and thinks that each of them should remain silent in their respective corners. He continually tries to make peace with himself and the people he hurt during his lifetime. He does not question his damnation, easily recalling how awful he had been to his wife. When given a chance to leave, he chooses to stay, hoping to convince Inez that he is not a coward.

This man is a risky man! I just wonder what i'll find out next!

No Exit- Part One

Part one: by Jean-Paul Sartre

I started reading this book and already started part two so im going to summarize part one for you.A quiet yet mysterious looking Valet leads Garcin, a journalist from Rio, into the room. Garcin is at first very confused as to what is going on. The Valet is evasive but Garcin then admits that he actually had a habit of living with furniture he didn't like. Garcin then exclaims that this is not what he expected hell to be like. The Valet laughs at Garcin for wanting his toothbrush and asking where the bed is: he has not fully accepted his death. Garcin pretends to be at ease but is frightened by the Valet not having any eyelids.

He begins to worry about having to keep his own eyes open during eternal daylight, especially when there are no books around, but the Valet calmly reminds him that he is dead. As he leaves, the Valet points out a bell that should summon him, but he says that it does not always work. Garcin gazes at the bronze statue for a moment, but then repeatedly rings the bell and tries to open the door. She immediately thinks that Garcin is a torturer, but he laughs at her, wondering how she could confuse him for one of the staff.

Garcin realizes that there are no mirrors in the room. Despite her coldness, Garcin tries to make peace with Inez, explaining that they must be courteous to each other in order to make the best out of their situation. She tells him that there is no need to be frightened since they are already dead, but Garcin thinks they have not yet begun to suffer. She thinks that Garcin is someone else but won't say whom. The same holds true for the other two: Inez suffocated in her sleep from a leaky gas stove and Garcin was shot by a firing squad. Estelle asks them not use the word "Dead," but the word "Absent" instead. Garcin begins thinking about his wife, who does not yet know he is dead. He exclaims that she got on his nerves. Estelle thinks that it is all absurd and that they should be with friends and family instead. Garcin agrees, saying that their being together is a fluke.

Changes: A Love Story- Symbols

They have many symbols throughout this book. Like the following...

The Car
Is Esi too an African woman? She not only is, but there are plenty of them around these days... these days... these days. Esi's husband, Oko, has these thoughts in the first few pages of the novel as he watches his wife from bed. Compared to the women who raised Oko, Esi's independence is startling and even unthinkable. Oko answers his own question regarding Esi's African identity. There is a strong sense of nostalgia implied in Oko's thoughts by the series of ellipses surrounding the words "These days." In part, this is nostalgia for an era in which women were relegated to the household while men were responsible for earning a living. Immediately following this thought, Oko tells Esi that his friends are beginning to mock him for not being a man, and shortly afterwards, he proceeds to rape her.
The Wedding Band
The Wedding Band When Ali proposes to Esi, he offers her a wedding band, a symbol of marriage perhaps original to Western culture that, when incorporated into Ali's cultural tradition, is only offered to the first wife of a husband. By bringing the wedding band into his marriage ceremony, Ali is not only showing his ability to accept and adapt to Western customs, but he is also demonstrating his attempt to incorporate those customs into an African context. The polygamous marriage upon which Ali is about to embark is contrary to the tradition of marriage symbolized by the wedding band that Ali offers Esi. Ali's decision to take a second wife is both an embrace of traditional African marriages, and a rejection of the standards of Western marriage. As a result, the wedding band that Ali offers Esi becomes a symbolic bridge that unites the two traditions.
Professions
Professions Each of the characters in the novel is at least partially defined by his or her career. Esi's job with the Department of Urban Statistics highlights her rational personality, while Ali's job at a travel agency reminds the reader of his tendency to move from one woman to the next. Both characters work in professions that demand personal sacrifice-Oko as a teacher and Opokuya as a nurse. The fact that each character works in a field that reflects his or her personality demonstrates the substantial role that careers play in defining identity for the new generation.

Krista Ramsey Post:

Krista Ramsey is one of the best authors that I've ever read from. One of my favorite articles is from the Cincinnati Enquirer. I summarized it for you;

We're raising our kids to go out and explore the world. But what happens when they do?
Just as we'd promised them, the vocabulary words on the refrigerator, summer robotics camps, Rosetta Stone programs and AP classes paid off. I'll text when I land in L.A., they promise as they empty their pockets and slip off their shoes. What did we really think would happen when we told our children to go tackle the world? Did we think we'd send them off to summer study in Barcelona and they'd buy the house next door to us? Did we think we'd peel their hands off our necks and tell them they'd be fine at summer camp, then they'd lose their nerve and come running home when they'd finished their MBA? On our best days, we silently congratulate ourselves for raising children who really were ready for the world.

One line from the Column that really stuck out to me was;
"There's something about their looking so young and connected that makes us feel old and left behind. They're off to things. We're winding things down. They're planning adventures. We're planning retirement. They're in constant motion. We're willing everything just to be still."

Because the way she used repetition over and over again while it compared the parents to their children. Diction and Syntax played when She was using elevated language and when she constantly makes the sentences 4-6 words long. She is very natural with her words. This is why I like her.

Changes: A Love Story: My favorite Quote

"Is Esi too an African woman? She not only is, but there are plenty of them around these days. . . these days. . . these days.
Esi’s husband, Oko, has these thoughts in the first few pages of the novel as he watches his wife from bed. In his mind, the fact that the house in which they live is a benefit of her job, not his. This causes him to feel insecure about their relationship and his role as a man in his household. He even wonders if, given her accomplishments and dedication to her career, she can still be considered an African woman. Compared to the women who raised Oko, Esi’s independence is startling and even unthinkable. Nonetheless, Oko answers his own question regarding Esi’s African identity. He knows that she is still an African woman despite gaining independence from the men in her life. There is a strong sense of nostalgia implied in Oko’s thoughts by the series of ellipses surrounding the words “these days.” In part, this is nostalgia for an era in which women were relegated to the household while men were responsible for earning a living. In that bygone era, Oko would not have felt so threatened and emasculated. Immediately following this thought, Oko tells Esi that his friends are beginning to mock him for not being a man, and shortly afterwards, he proceeds to rape her.

Changes: A Love Story; The Ripple effect of Changes

 

The title of the novel, Changes: A Love Story, refers to the numerous personal and cultural transformations that lie at the heart of the narrative. The changes that occur throughout the course of the novel take place both at the character level and at the societal level. At the time of the novel, Ghana had recently achieved its political independence. The country is changing politically, economically, and culturally. Similarly, Esi achieves her own independence from her husband and marriage. Consequently, she becomes free to pursue her own ambitions without a family or a husband to restrict her. In a sense, she has transformed herself into a model of the modern woman: she is not only financially stable but also completely independent. Esi’s new independence is also symbolic of a larger change occurring within African societies. As women like Esi have an increasing number of educational and professional opportunities available to them, their roles both in the home and in society inevitably change. They are no longer simply wives and mothers who are dedicated to their own ambitions.

Changes: A Love story; Theme so far..

The title of the novel, Changes: A Love Story, refers to the numerous personal and cultural transformations that lie at the heart of the narrative. The changes that occur throughout the course of the novel take place both at the character level and at the societal level. At the time of the novel, Ghana had recently achieved its political independence. The country is changing politically, economically, and culturally. Similarly, Esi achieves her own independence from her husband and marriage. Consequently, she becomes free to pursue her own ambitions without a family or a husband to restrict her. In a sense, she has transformed herself into a model of the modern woman: she is not only financially stable but also completely independent. Esi’s new independence is also symbolic of a larger change occurring within African societies. As women like Esi have an increasing number of educational and professional opportunities available to them, their roles both in the home and in society inevitably change. They are no longer simply wives and mothers who are dedicated to their own ambitions.

Changes: A Love Story; About the characters

Esi Sekyi is the paradigm of the strong, independent woman. In addition to having a job that pays more than her husband's job, Esi owns the home in which she lives. Given the traditional role that women were generally expected to play within the family, Esi's strong will and independent nature is unique. At the same time that Esi may want the freedom to pursue her own career and desires, she still very much wants to love and be loved. Although Esi tries very hard to live her life according to rational principles, she finds herself feeling devastated and lonely because of her relationship with Ali..

Ali Kondey is the male counterpart to Esi's character. Ali has grown up in two distinct worlds: his father's world and the Western world in which he was educated. Like his father, Ali believes he can possess as many women as he wants, on account of his charm and wealth. Even after marrying two women, Ali continues to acquire new mistresses, which causes both of his wives to feel abandoned. In a traditional, male-dominated society such as the one in which Ali's father grew up, such behavior would have been accepted.

As Esi's best friend, Opokuya Dakwa inhabits a space in between the nearly extreme independence that Esi represents and the traditional role expected of a woman in the household. Like Esi, Opokuya has her own career that is personally and financially rewarding. At the same time, Opokuya has a large family and a husband.

Opokuya manages to fulfill all of the roles demanded of her by her life.
Fusena's character and identity as a women change throughout the course of the novel. Once Fusena marries Ali, her world is quickly restricted. With Ali studying abroad, Fusena is relegated to the home, where she remains until Ali purchases a kiosk for her to operate. By asking that question, Fusena reveals the degree to which her life's ambitions have been frustrated and abandoned for the sake of her marriage and children. Despite her ambition and strong will, Fusena is relegated to the role of a dependent housewife.

Oko Sekyi is at once a sympathetic and an abhorrent character in the novel. At the same time, Oko resents her for exactly the same reasons. Following his divorce, Oko's mother presents him with a gift: a young girl who can play the role of a compliant and obedient wife. Even though there may very well be some appeal to such a relationship, Oko continues to love his strong-willed ex-wife.

A relatively minor figure in the novel, Kubi Dakwa represents a middle ground between Ali and Oko. At the same time Kubi also clearly accepts his wife's right to disagree with him.