For my final MIRR, I decided to do the book Half Brother, by Kenneth Oppel. This book is from the perspective of a boy named Ben Tomlin. He’s just been dragged along to live in British Columbia because of some experiment his dad is taking place in, about teaching chimpanzees sign language. His family receives a new chimp named Zan to use for “Project Zan”, where they are to teach it sign language to see whether or not chimps can learn ASL (American sign language), as well as raising him as they would a human as best as they can. At first, Ben is not thrilled at all about the project, but eventually he becomes more involved and begins to love and care for Zan, accepting him into the family. At the same time, Ben also falls in love with and develops an obsession with his dad’s boss’s friend, Jennifer. The story follows Ben’s progression with Project Zan and his so called “Project Jennifer”, his progression with Jennifer, as he becomes more involved with both.
RETELL
What is the message the author is trying to convey? How does (s)he convey this to the reader?
I believe that one of the main ideas of this story is that you can accept anybody as part of the family, regardless of the biological connection or species. The part of the story that shows that the most is when Ben begins to develop feelings with Zan, to the point where his father had to remove Ben from the experiment because his feelings began to get in the way and scientists are supposed to have “no bias” in an experiment.
For example, at one part of the book, Ben is stuck at home from sickness. It’s school time for Zan, and Ben’s dad has this new rule about how the students have to strap Zan into the “learning chair” if he does not stay in the chair after 3 warnings. Due...
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... out by him.
“We’re pals, right? You wouldn’t rat me out to your dad.”
I shook my head.
“Yeah, I trust you. You’re a good kid.”
(page 160)
On top of having a strong connection with Zan, Peter seems to have an interest in animal rights. He was already upset about the learning chair and threatened to quit because of it. On top of that, he talked a lot with Ben about things involving the bad things that happen to some chimps (pages 160-162) and takes Ben along to hear an animal rights activist (pages 166-169). After hearing the animal rights activist, Peter brings up a very interesting question, one that made Ben and even me think a lot about it. I feel like this question adds to Peter’s concern about animal rights.
“That’s not the main thing I worry about,” he said. “You know what I worry about? What’s going to happen to Zan when this experiment’s over?”
(page 169)
In the book Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis, the author relates the stories of six crucial historic events that manage to capture the flavor and fervor of the revolutionary generation and its great leaders. While each chapter or story can be read separately and completely understood, they do relate to a broader common theme. One of Ellis' main purposes in writing the book was to illustrate the early stages and tribulations of the American government and its system through his use of well blended stories. The idea that a republican government of this nature was completely unprecedented is emphasized through out the book. Ellis discusses the unique problems that the revolutionary generation experienced as a result of governing under the new concept of a democracy. These problems included- the interpretation of constitutional powers, the regulation of governmental power through checks and balances, the first presidential elections, the surprising emergence of political parties, states rights vs. federal authority, and the issue of slavery in a otherwise free society. Ellis dives even deeper into the subject by exposing the readers to true insight of the major players of the founding generation. The book attempts to capture the ideals of the early revolutionary generation leaders and their conflicting political viewpoints. The personalities of Hamilton, Burr, Adams, Washington, Madison, and Jefferson are presented in great detail. Ellis exposes the reality of the internal and partisan conflict endured by each of these figures in relation to each other. Ellis emphasizes that despite these difficult hurdles, the young American nation survived its early stages because of its great collection of charismatic leaders and their ability to ...
. ." (lines 5-7). In this, he tries to begin to explain that in order to truly live the fullest life possible, one must live simply; literally "driv[ing] life into a corner, and reduc[ing] it to its lowest terms" is the only way to achieve fullness. Later, he also states: "Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito’s wing that falls on the rails. Let us rise early and fast, or break fast, gently and without [disturbance]; let company come and let company go, let the bells ring and the children cry. . ." (lines 13-16). In this, he expresses that one should not let the daily disturbances of life affect oneself. Life should be lived with litle disturbance, and even such disturbances should not be taken as seriously. In choosing to give examples, he shows just how many things go on that one can be pestered with, and that one should choose to ignore them and let them pass by. He also states: "Let us settle ourselves, and work and wedge our feet downward through the mud
He learned over some time, that it is possible for one to retain separateness but keep individuality, and one can be a public person as well as a private person. He says that at first he wanted to be like everyone else (fit in), and only when he could think of himself as American it was than okay to be an individual in public society. He speaks of a man from Mexico who held on to Spanish: "For as long as he holds on to words, he can ignore how much else has changed his life" (35). The message is to not take words for granted and not to misuse words because they certainly do have meaning. For example, `brother' and `sister' is becoming a public repetition of words. The meaning will become lifeless. Words mean something when the voice takes control "the heart cannot contain!" (39). It forms an intimate sound.
reflects upon the theme of the novel. As it highlights the fact that if people in the society
She explains the economy and even politics are greatly affected because we all read “How to Kill a Mocking Bird.” Not only is every aspect of our lives a lie, we put sanctions on our imagination, which causes a negative living cycle for everyone. She chooses to argue, through using 20 dollar words, that money is something that is affected by a couple of books that no one really cared that much about. She also chooses to argue that even writers live with a false hope that literature will survive, when it doesn’t
...She writes of the type of person that one can only hope exists in this world still. The message of her writing and philosophy is contained in a single phrase from the novel: “I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine,” (731). This is an inspiration, awakening an inner voice and drive that impels each person to do their absolute best. It implores the soul of the reader to awaken, to become the ideal of the human spirit, and to rise until it can rise no higher. It is a call to anyone with reason, anyone with the strength to be an Atlas, and it is reminding him or her of their duty to live up to the individual potential. For as long as there are those who would hear the message, there will still be hope for mankind.
It should be mentioned that the story uses a myriad of figurative and metaphoric imagery. Throughout the novel the narrator injects his own views, often leading the reader to a deeper questioning of the story as it unfolds. He frequently speaks about what would happen if the main character were to do things in a different way. Also, through the interjection of varying levels of foreshadowing the reader gets a sense of where the story is headed. At one point the narrator says “…were I to t...
During the poem the speaker does not address his readers. The readers are simply overhearing a man assessing the society in which he lives as he daydreams about what is could be and yet what it is not. It is evident that his goal is to get the readers to look down upon this society which is so caught up in daily routine; prohibiting anyone from having freedom of imagination. This detachment that is created between the speaker and his readers incorporated with the boring monotone at the very beginning of the poem gives the readers a negative impression of the society before they begin to analyze the actual words of the poem.
Welch opens the story with this line to show a relationship between the narrator's feelings of worthlessness and the worthlessness of his environment. In addition, the author melodically begins the novel in a somber manner ? so the reader may immediately adjust to the tone encompassing the story.
On the surface the message is don’t be afraid to be different . The story is told from the perspective of Joy Harjo , which allows the reader to know that the memoir was written with real life experiances .
...the narrator and all people a way of finding meaning in their pains and joys. The two brothers again can live in brotherhood and harmony.
Henley establishes the sense of suffering that the speaker is experiencing through the use of multiple literary devices. By beginning the poem with images of darkness and despair, Henley sets the tone for
The metaphor in the last line, line 18, seems to sum up the idea that
The entire story was a symbol of Needy’s life. The setting in the story was symbolic to the way Needy was feeling. Needy’s life was diminishing right before his eyes, and he did not realize it. The different changes in the story represented how much Needy’s life had gradually changed over time. By reading the story the reader can tell that Needy was in a state of denial.
I found that throughout this poem there was much symbolism within it. Identifying that it was written in first person form showed that this poem relates to the author on a personal basis, and that it was probably written to symbolize his life. But when talking about people’s lives, you can conclude that people’s lives are generally and individually very diffe...