Friday, December 16th, 2016 Reading Log #7, Topic Choice #4- Literary and Element Devices12/16/2016 In The Shack, integrates literary and Element devices throughout the story to prove and further increase suspension and background knowledge. The author uses refrences to another written story of the Clastop Tribe, to show and foreshadow an important death. On page 30, the author states Matt reciting the story to his daughter, about a woman who had killed herself in order to protect the tribe, taking her own life without telling anyone, which casued happiness yet extreme saddness. The author uses this refrence in order to foreshadow the fate of Mack's daughter, as her death caused extreme sadness to the family, it also saved her two siblings experiencing danger in another part of the camp they were in. This was integrated into the story as a were legend as if not going to be real or actually take part, but it did predict the disspareance and abductance of Mack's daughter. To further prove my point, on page 33, the author makes Mack's daughter, Missy, ask her own father if she too will also have to jump off a cliff or kill herself. The story of the lady paraleels with the story of Missy and how they both end up dying but helping claer something and cause change for better. The refrence of the legend was used to portray how Missy wuld also have to jump off a cliff to protect the one's she loves and help claer macks mind of this coorrupt world, and gods existence, which can be interpreted from the refrence to the Clastop Tribe story.
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An important event in the novel, The Shack, is when Mack, the main character, looses his daughter after leaving her alone. This happens in Wallow Lake State Park in Oregon, in the past time where as Mark remembers it as The Great Sadness, before present tense. This scene is important because it sets up the conflict, as Mack needs to deal with the constant flashbacks of the grat sadness, he questions gods existance in such a world, an when it leads him to the suspsoius cabin, where his daughter was suspectedly abducted. This events help show characteristics of Mack, he is very impatient in hearing the results and getting infomration as he is afraid that somthing happened to his daughter, it helps express his anxiety as he questions his own authority as a father and the existance of god, for his carless actions. This can be proven when the author states on page 67, " The tradgedy had also increased the rift in Mack's own realtionship in God, as he felt the growing sense of seperation." This quote helps provide evidence that Mack's perspective on god and this world has changed after being face to face with one of his sadest days in his life. This scene does in fact help create the truth about life, because after the cruel death and dissapearecce of his daighter, Mack must question how god may tryuly exist in such a horrible world, as if god should've done something to prevent the situation. Macks reaction to the scene was devestation and panic, wondering what coul've happened to his daughter and what he could done. This behavior from Mack is portrayed by the author on page 51, when it states, "The image of his daughter fighting off some perverted monster was like a fist to the stomach. Almost succumbing to the sudden darkness that threatened to somther him, Mack leaned on the table to keep from passing out and throwing up." This shows how hurt and affected his is by the thought of sbduction. His wife, Nan, and his family also was overcome with sadness, as also worry for Mack who was always in distress. This event takes place in the exposition, telling the readers information on what exactly is the great sadness and how it could affect Mack and his family, ultimatly leading to the mysterious shack. I personally thought that I would also react the same way as Mack in such a horrific sutuation, knowing that a loved and dear part of your family was so swiftly abducted, due to the fact that he himself was not there to be able to stop it is truly horiffying.
In the novel, The Shack, the author, WM. Paul Young, provides an interesting selection of characters, with the story following the main male character, Mackenzie Allen Phillips, or Mack for short. Mack is an adult and his backstory was vaguely stated at the begining of the story in the foreword. From reading the first two chapters of the book, I can infer that Mack he is a man who cares for his family, he is religous, kind and is also stubbon, but he is very smart and intellegent. An example of my claim can be proven on page 12, when the author points out,"You don't realize how smart Mack is unless you happen to eavesdrop on a diolague he might have been having woth an expert." This demonstrates that behind the manly fiqure with priorities, lies a brain filled with knowledge, using technical and difficult terms that no ordinary man can understand. This may also correlate to the phrase, "Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover", as some may think that Mack is not smart, as he looks similar to any other man living in the area, but if you meet more about him, you can see that it something more interesting. Other characters in the novel include his Nan, wife, nurse, and careful mother who cares deeply for Mack and his position in life, his six children who haven't been properly introduced yet, mailman Tony and Annie who are side characters, and God or papa as Nan calls it , who seems very important in the story as the family is religious. The main character, Mack seems to be very dinamic, and changes throughout the story. As stated in the text, the author illuistrates this point when he states, "In all the time I've known him [Mack] he has been a rather gentle and kind soul, but since his stay in the hospital three years ago, he has been... well even nicer." This provides proof on how Mack is a dynamic character because it demonstrates that Mack has the will to change, how he thinks and how well he does it. This also exhibits that Mack changes throughout the story since he has changed before, on his perspective on life and other issues which can provide clues that Mack may be able to be more of a dynamic character.
In A Monster Calls, the author, Patrick Ness, shows many examples of personification. The author uses personification to describe how the people are acting or look in order to provide detail and description to the current situation or how the main character, Conor, sees things or people, a perspective. An example of personification is used on page 20, "'Lillian Andrews!' came the voice of doom from halfway across the yard." This quote demonstrates personification because the author describes the voice as, "of doom". It is used because it is the teacher exclaiming one of the kids names, as they are shown fighting other kids, and of course no one likes being in trouble. The author shows another idea of personification on page 71, where it states, "'You boys!' Miss Kwan called, coming across the yard toward them like terror on two legs." This quote also provides an example of personification as it is describing the teacher about to get the kids for fighting, yet again, but this time describing the teacher's looks, and actions as, "terror on two legs". The teacher is described as terror on two legs because they are afraid of being in trouble by the annoying and petty teacher, who happen to be there at the time.
An important scene in A Monster Calls, is demonstrated where Conor's mother reveals that the last treatment was not going as planned, this happens as his mother lay down tired and lonesome on the hospital bed, attached to many tubes, after many treatments and the monster has said the three stories. This scene is important because Conor's mother is indirectly telling her son that there is no hope in her health, and is rapidly leading in her death. This event adds complications to the main conflict as Conor has to eventually face his mother's death, and this just leads closer to the end. This situation shows the characteristics of Conor's mom, as she truthfully tells her son the truth, inferring that she must be an honest person. This helps the truth of life because she eventually has to die of this sickness that has consumed her life and impacted the family in a negative way, and these may be examples of the hardships that everyone goes through in life. Conor's mother is very depressed and vulnerable about the situation as she cant do anything about her sickness. Conor is very devastated that his mother is quickly going to life, and is also angry, as he believes that she was lying to him, his whole life, as she always said that it was going to be okay, and that she was going to heal. This scene takes place in the Conflict, because he needs to know and accept the fact that his mother will die in order to be free from the nightmare, and leading to the monster's departure. An example of this is demonstrates when the author states on page 181, "It is now or never, the yew tree said. You must speak the truth. "No!" Conor said, his voice breaking." This quote demonstrates that Conor must face the fact that his mother's treatment didn't work, he needs to accept it, this is in the Conflict because if he accepts that his mother dies, he can finally be free from the nightmare and the monster. Another idea is shown on page 174, " 'Please,' Connor said again. "I have to get back to my mum.' But, the monster said, turning across the blackness, she is already here. This quote and situation is part of the Conflict because if Conor just tells the truth about his mom, he can leave the nightmare and the monster, because he has to tell the last tale, which takes place in the nightmare. This scene was very heartbreaking since a mother, needs to reveal the fact that she will die son to her own child, is just devastating.
In A Monster Calls, there are two main conflicts, one is the fact that his mother is very sick and fragile, possibly pointing at having cancer, The other conflict is the "monster" that comes to Conor's house every night at 12:07, that comes with the occasional nightmares. At the point of where I currently am in the book, the conflicts were not clarified when they started, but Conor is 13 years old and is very mature, his mother's illness probably isn't new, since he is already experienced and able to take care of himself, without the help of his weary mother. His mother's sickness is a problem because he fears her death, and is very precious to Conor, it would affect him and his family deeply. Plus, if she were to pass, he would have to move to America with his dad, or stay with his grandmother, who Conor isn't really fond of. The existence of the monster tree, and the nightmares is a problem because in the past, fragments and pieces of the monster have ended up in the room, which probably means it can physically hurt and touch him, and is not a dream, this can also affect Conor and his mental state, as he currently is confused with his life at this point. Conor usually tries to ignore the dreams, but they always cause him to scream or abruptly end, and doesn't fully fear the monster. Conor reacts to his ill mother by doing everything in the house allowing her to rest. Conor also constantly worries for his mother, and wants to believe that she is okay. The conflict of the dreams are internal because he keeps what happen in the dreams, and the occasional arrival of the monster tree, to himself. Evidence of this is actually demonstrated on the first page, page 1,"He told no one about the nightmare. Not his mum, obviously, but no one else either, not his dad in their fortnightly (or so) phone call, definitely not his grandma, and no one at school. Absolutely not. What happened in the nightmare was something no one else needed to know." This shows that he doesn't want to worry anyone, and would not want to talk about it to anyone, which shows that it is in his mind and internal. The conflict of his ill mother is both internal and external. A piece of evidence of the claim is found on page 21, " 'They were making fun of Conor's mother!' This made everyone freeze again, and the burning sun in Conor's stomach grew hotter, ready to eat him alive." This proves that part of the conflict is internal and external, because the fact that his mother is sick, was spread throughout the school, getting Conor to get frequently bullied and teased, or make looks, even if it's pity, which is external if it is physical. This also proves that it is internal because Conor hates the fact that everyone knows about his mom, something that is personal in his life, no one should know except his family, he wanted to keep it to himself. As I am currently not finished with the book, the conflict with the monster hasn't been fully resolved, as we still don't know the full purpose of it's arrival. The conflict of his mother's sickness hasn't been resolved yet as she is currently in the hospital getting treated.
In the novel, A Monster Calls, the main male character is a boy named Conor. He is the son of a mother who appears to have cancer, and prefers to keep this information to himself. Conor usually every night has a dream about a monster. The monster is a yew tree that Conor has in for yard, that will occasionally walk to Conor. The monster's role is to tell Conor three stories, and in some way help him, he also tries to act tough, but I believe that it cares for Conor. There is also his mom, who is very fragile and sick, who cares very deeply for Conor. Conor's grandmother also visits, her personality is very "modern", and likes to keep things clean and organized, but can also be a bit stingy. Conor is very mature and responsible for his age, an example of this is when he does plenty of chores around the house even without someone telling him to do so. Such as washing the dishes, or throwing out the trash, he does all this so that his weary mother wouldn't have to do so. Conor can also sometimes be oblivious, such as when he was being bullied, a girl stood up for Conor, and pushed one of the bullies back, a teacher saw when the girl pushed the bully and got her in trouble. She tried to prove her innocence by asking Conor that he was being bullied, which he clearly was, but Conor just said that it was her fault. I am currently at page 104, half way of the book, and Conor has shown for his character to be very static. An example of this is on page 9, "Then the monster paused again. You really aren't afraid, are you? 'No,' Conor said. 'Not of you, anyway.' " Conor is saying that he isn't frightening. Another example on how he isn't changing is that according to the text on page 50, " 'You're just a tree,' Conor said, and there was no other way he could think about it." These two example quotes demonstrate how Conor is unafraid of the monster through a span of 50 pages, he thinks the monster is still just a average tree, which proves he hasn't changed.
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