# 2 resp

Plot summary:
The first person story of an upper-class woman in Victorian times who is confined in the attic of a large estate by her doctor husband who feels that she is suffering from a "nervous disorder." Left alone, she becomes obsessed with the yellow wallpaper in the room and thinks she sees a woman (then many women) locked behind it. The story ends with the narrators total madness.

Theme:
madness, women's rights, men's subjugation of women

Commentary:
I thought the story and the main character were really nuts. She really didn't have a lot to complain about - a husband who wanted the best for her, but she just "lost it" at the end of the story. Pretty weird!


Plot summary:
Buck is a dog stolen from his home in California and taken to Alaska to be used as a sled dog. As he is passed from owner to owner, he finds himself vulnerable to both human and canine cruelty. He is finally rescued by John Thornton, and the two develop a strong bond. Buck becomes famous throughout Alaska for his strength and devotion. He feels the "call of the the wild" and finally joins the wolves for good.

Characters:
Buck, Judge Miller, Spitz, John Thornton

Theme:
the pull of nature and instinct, cruely, exploitation

Commentary:
"Call of the Wild" is a great book. London really helps you understand the character of Buck. Even though he is a dog, the reader feels a lot of sympathy for him, especially when he is being mistreated. I definitely want to read some other London books!


Plot summary:
Hamlet's father the King of Denmark has died, and he has returned from school to find that his mother has remaaried his uncle who now sits on the throne. Hamlet is visited by the ghost of his father who tells him that his Uncle has murdered him in order to assume the kingship. Hamlet vows revenge on Claudius his uncle but has difficultyexecuting this plan and causes great chaos before he gets his revenge.

Characters:
Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, the Ghost, Ophelia, Laertes,  Polonius

Commentary:
A challenging play with many characters and a frustrating hero. Hamlet really struggles with converting his feelings into action, and many others dies or suffer because of his inaction. The ending seems a little extreme with almost everyone of importance slaughtered.


Plot summary:
Jim Burden narrates a memoir about growing up in rural Nebraska in the late 1880's  and his friendship with Antonia Shimerda. Jim's family is substantially better off than the Shimerdas, and Jim tutors Antonia. As he does well in school and goes off to college, he has infrequent contact with Antonia but hears of her hard life. Twenty years later he has a reunion with her that clarifies his own life

Setting:
Rural Nebraska / New York City - late 19th to early 20th century

Characters:
Jim Burden Antonia Shimerda, Lena Lingard, Cuzak

Theme:
Social difference, hardship, overcoming hardship, staying connected

Commentary:
I liked this book and especially the character of Antonia. She did not have an easy life, but she maintained her spirit and dignity. Jim seems to have good intentions, buthe goes on his own way and doesn't realize that his relationship with Antonia has had an important effect on who he is at the end of the book.


Plot summary:
The Finch family lives in a small town in Alabama, where Atticus is an attorney. The story is narrated by Jean Louise ("Scout") a nine year-old girl whotells of the accusation and ultimate conviction of a black man named Tom Robinson for raping a white woman. Atticus takes the case, and although he proves Tom's innocence, he is convicted and later killed. The impact on the town and the Finches is great.

Characters:
Atticus, "Scout," and Jem Finch, Tom Robinson

Theme:
Racial intolerance, justice, moral courage, becoming an adult

Commentary:
This book is involving and exciting. The characters are all strong, and the horrible examples of bigotry and hatred makes one think. The ending with Boo Radley is very exciting!


Plot summary:
Hester Prynne is caught in adultery in Puritan New England and is ostracized by the community and forced to wear a scarlet "A.". Her baby's father refuses to come forward, and she will not divulge his name. The moral and phsychological struggle of Hester, the baby's father, and Hester's actual husband (thought to have been lost at sea) are the novel's main focus.

Characters:
Hester Prynne, Pearl, Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth

Conflict:
Individual versus society, others, and self

Theme:
Society's inflexibilty,  revenge, the balance between emotion and intellect

Commentary:
The book is hard to read because there are long descriptive passages, but the characters grow increasing interesting. The struggle between good and evil, truth and lies, and the head and the heart make it worth reading. It's the kind of book that you may not really enjoy reading but which you be glad you read after you finish.


Plot summary:
Willy Loman confronts the failures of his life as a traveling salesman, a husband, and a father. Through his current interactions with his wife, his sons, his boss, and his neighbors, as well as through frequent flashbacks to earlier events, Willy realizes that the "American Dream" to which he has been clinging is an illusion.

Commentary:
A sad but powerful play. Willy is not always likable, but you have to feel sorry for him. He has some real character flaws; he is self-centered and lacks empathy and tolerance, but he is portrayed as an "everyman."


Plot summary:
Huck runs away from his drunken "Pap" and the Widow Douglas, who wants to "civ'lize" him. As he prepares to leave Hannibal,  he encounters Jim, a runaway slave, who ends up accompanying him on a raft trip down the Mississippi River. They have many adventures, including becoming involved in the scams of the King and the Duke. In the end, they are reunited with Tom Sawyer, Huck's best friend.

Setting:
Hannibal Missouri and the Mississippi River - the 1820's

Characters:
Huck Finn, Jim, Tom Sawyer, the King, the Duke

Conflict:
Individual versus society, self, and others

Theme:
Freedom, moral responsibility, friendship, the adult world

Commentary:
A good story, although the dialect (esp. Jim's) was really hard to understand at first. The book had lots of different episodes, some more interesting than others. I particularly liked the "Royal Nonesuch" scam that the King and the Duke used on the gullible townspeople. I don't think Twain thought too much of adults.


Plot summary:
A series of related episodes which revolve around the setting of a café which serves as a sanctuary for lost, abused, homeless blacks, mostly women. Each of the chapters - some short, others quite long - tells the story of a particular character's struggles and the way in which they found them self at the Café and often as a boarder at Eve's house. The names of the chapters revolve around a blues theme.

Setting:
a surrealistic urban area that may or may not be real

Characters:
Narrator, Nadine, Eve, various eccentric people (see chapter names)

Theme:
Inhumanity, abuse, the need for a sanctuary,

Commentary:
This book was very different. Some of the experiences the characters went through were brutal and violent, but the message of the book seemed to emphasize the worth and dignity of each of the "down and out" individuals. The novel was funny, sad, and inspiring at the same time.


Plot summary:
Set in the South and in Africa around the turn of the century, "The Color Purple" tells the story of Celie's life as a poor,oppressed black woman, primarily through the letters she writes to God. When Celie discovers his sister Nettie's letters after years of separation, she finds herself at the crossroads of questioning her identity as an woman and as an African-American. Race, oppression, and sexuality are all issues.

Theme:
Racism, sexism, cultural difference, sexuality

Commentary:
A complicated but interesting book that really provides a feel for what is was like to be a poor black woman in those days. Some of the descriptions are very explicit sexually and might not be for everyone. I probably wouldn't have read it on my own, but I'm glad I did read it.


# barbara's responses

Characters:
Narrator, Anne Elliot, Captain Wentworth, Sir Elliott, the Musgroves, etc.


Plot summary:
Buck is a dog stolen from his home in California and taken to Alaska to be used as a sled dog. As he is passed from owner to owner, he finds himself vulnerable to both human and canine cruelty. He is finally rescued by John Thornton, and the two develop a strong bond. Buck becomes famous throughout Alaska for his strength and devotion. He feels the "call of the the wild" and finally joins the wolves for good.

Characters:
Buck, Judge Miller, Spitz, John Thornton

Theme:
the pull of nature and instinct, cruely, exploitation

Commentary:
"Call of the Wild" is a great book. London really helps you understand the character of Buck. Even though he is a dog, the reader feels a lot of sympathy for him, especially when he is being mistreated. I definitely want to read some other London books!


Plot summary:
Hamlet's father the King of Denmark has died, and he has returned from school to find that his mother has remarried his uncle who now sits on the throne. Hamlet is visited by the ghost of his father who tells him that his Uncle has murdered him in order to assume the kingship. Hamlet vows revenge on Claudius his uncle but has difficulty executing this plan and causes great chaos before he gets his revenge.

Characters:
Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, the Ghost, Ophelia, Laertes,  Polonius

Commentary:
A challenging play with many characters and a frustrating hero. Hamlet really struggles with converting his feelings into action, and many others die or suffer because of his inaction. The ending seems a little extreme with almost everyone of importance slaughtered.


Plot summary:
Jim Burden narrates a memoir about growing up in rural Nebraska in the late 1880's  and his friendship with Antonia Shimerda. Jim's family is substantially better off than the Shimerdas, and Jim tutors Antonia. As he does well in school and goes off to college, he has infrequent contact with Antonia but hears of her hard life. Twenty years later he has a reunion with her that clarifies his own life

Setting:
Rural Nebraska / New York City - late 19th to early 20th century

Characters:
Jim Burden Antonia Shimerda, Lena Lingard, Cuzak

Theme:
Social difference, hardship, overcoming hardship, staying connected

Commentary:
I liked this book and especially the character of Antonia. She did not have an easy life, but she maintained her spirit and dignity. Jim seems to have good intentions, buthe goes on his own way and doesn't realize that his relationship with Antonia has had an important effect on who he is at the end of the book.


Plot summary:
The Finch family lives in a small town in Alabama, where Atticus is an attorney. The story is narrated by Jean Louise ("Scout") a nine year-old girl whotells of the accusation and ultimate conviction of a black man named Tom Robinson for raping a white woman. Atticus takes the case, and although he proves Tom's innocence, he is convicted and later killed. The impact on the town and the Finches is great.

Characters:
Atticus, "Scout," and Jem Finch, Tom Robinson

Theme:
Racial intolerance, justice, moral courage, becoming an adult

Commentary:
This book is involving and exciting. The characters are all strong, and the horrible examples of bigotry and hatred makes one think. The ending with Boo Radley is very exciting!


Plot summary:
Hester Prynne is caught in adultery in Puritan New England and is ostracized by the community and forced to wear a scarlet "A.". Her baby's father refuses to come forward, and she will not divulge his name. The moral and phsychological struggle of Hester, the baby's father, and Hester's actual husband (thought to have been lost at sea) are the novel's main focus.

Characters:
Hester Prynne, Pearl, Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth

Conflict:
Individual versus society, others, and self

Theme:
Society's inflexibilty,  revenge, the balance between emotion and intellect

Commentary:
The book is hard to read because there are long descriptive passages, but the characters grow increasing interesting. The struggle between good and evil, truth and lies, and the head and the heart make it worth reading. It's the kind of book that you may not really enjoy reading but which you be glad you read after you finish.


Plot summary:
Willy Loman confronts the failures of his life as a traveling salesman, a husband, and a father. Through his current interactions with his wife, his sons, his boss, and his neighbors, as well as through frequent flashbacks to earlier events, Willy realizes that the "American Dream" to which he has been clinging is an illusion.

Commentary:
A sad but powerful play. Willy is not always likable, but you have to feel sorry for him. He has some real character flaws; he is self-centered and lacks empathy and tolerance, but he is portrayed as an "everyman."


Plot summary:
Huck runs away from his drunken "Pap" and the Widow Douglas, who wants to "civ'lize" him. As he prepares to leave Hannibal,  he encounters Jim, a runaway slave, who ends up accompanying him on a raft trip down the Mississippi River. They have many adventures, including becoming involved in the scams of the King and the Duke. In the end, they are reunited with Tom Sawyer, Huck's best friend.

Setting:
Hannibal Missouri and the Mississippi River - the 1820's

Characters:
Huck Finn, Jim, Tom Sawyer, the King, the Duke

Conflict:
Individual versus society, self, and others

Theme:
Freedom, moral responsibility, friendship, the adult world

Commentary:
A good story, although the dialect (esp. Jim's) was really hard to understand at first. The book had lots of different episodes, some more interesting than others. I particularly liked the "Royal Nonesuch" scam that the King and the Duke used on the gullible townspeople. I don't think Twain thought too much of adults.


Plot summary:
A series of related episodes which revolve around the setting of a café which serves as a sanctuary for lost, abused, homeless blacks, mostly women. Each of the chapters - some short, others quite long - tells the story of a particular character's struggles and the way in which they found them self at the Café and often as a boarder at Eve's house. The names of the chapters revolve around a blues theme.

Setting:
a surrealistic urban area that may or may not be real

Characters:
Narrator, Nadine, Eve, various eccentric people (see chapter names)

Theme:
Inhumanity, abuse, the need for a sanctuary,

Commentary:
This book was very different. Some of the experiences the characters went through were brutal and violent, but the message of the book seemed to emphasize the worth and dignity of each of the "down and out" individuals. The novel was funny, sad, and inspiring at the same time.


Plot summary:
Set in the South and in Africa around the turn of the century, "The Color Purple" tells the story of Celie's life as a poor,oppressed black woman, primarily through the letters she writes to God. When Celie discovers his sister Nettie's letters after years of separation, she finds herself at the crossroads of questioning her identity as an woman and as an African-American. Race, oppression, and sexuality are all issues.

Theme:
Racism, sexism, cultural difference, sexuality

Commentary:
A complicated but interesting book that really provides a feel for what is was like to be a poor black woman in those days. Some of the descriptions are very explicit sexually and might not be for everyone. I probably wouldn't have read it on my own, but I'm glad I did read it.


# Reading Responses database

Plot summary:
The first person story of an upper-class woman in Victorian times who is confined in the attic of a large estate by her doctor husband who feels that she is suffering from a "nervous disorder." Left alone, she becomes obsessed with the yellow wallpaper in the room and thinks she sees a woman (then many women) locked behind it. The story ends with the narrators total madness.

Theme:
madness, women's rights, men's subjugation of women

Commentary:
I thought the story and the main character were really nuts. She really didn't have a lot to complain about - a husband who wanted the best for her, but she just "lost it" at the end of the story. Pretty weird!


Plot summary:
Buck is a dog stolen from his home in California and taken to Alaska to be used as a sled dog. As he is passed from owner to owner, he finds himself vulnerable to both human and canine cruelty. He is finally rescued by John Thornton, and the two develop a strong bond. Buck becomes famous throughout Alaska for his strength and devotion. He feels the "call of the the wild" and finally joins the wolves for good.

Characters:
Buck, Judge Miller, Spitz, John Thornton

Theme:
the pull of nature and instinct, cruely, exploitation

Commentary:
"Call of the Wild" is a great book. London really helps you understand the character of Buck. Even though he is a dog, the reader feels a lot of sympathy for him, especially when he is being mistreated. I definitely want to read some other London books!


Plot summary:
Hamlet's father the King of Denmark has died, and he has returned from school to find that his mother has remaaried his uncle who now sits on the throne. Hamlet is visited by the ghost of his father who tells him that his Uncle has murdered him in order to assume the kingship. Hamlet vows revenge on Claudius his uncle but has difficultyexecuting this plan and causes great chaos before he gets his revenge.

Characters:
Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, the Ghost, Ophelia, Laertes,  Polonius

Commentary:
A challenging play with many characters and a frustrating hero. Hamlet really struggles with converting his feelings into action, and many others dies or suffer because of his inaction. The ending seems a little extreme with almost everyone of importance slaughtered.


Plot summary:
Jim Burden narrates a memoir about growing up in rural Nebraska in the late 1880's  and his friendship with Antonia Shimerda. Jim's family is substantially better off than the Shimerdas, and Jim tutors Antonia. As he does well in school and goes off to college, he has infrequent contact with Antonia but hears of her hard life. Twenty years later he has a reunion with her that clarifies his own life

Setting:
Rural Nebraska / New York City - late 19th to early 20th century

Characters:
Jim Burden Antonia Shimerda, Lena Lingard, Cuzak

Theme:
Social difference, hardship, overcoming hardship, staying connected

Commentary:
I liked this book and especially the character of Antonia. She did not have an easy life, but she maintained her spirit and dignity. Jim seems to have good intentions, buthe goes on his own way and doesn't realize that his relationship with Antonia has had an important effect on who he is at the end of the book.


Plot summary:
The Finch family lives in a small town in Alabama, where Atticus is an attorney. The story is narrated by Jean Louise ("Scout") a nine year-old girl whotells of the accusation and ultimate conviction of a black man named Tom Robinson for raping a white woman. Atticus takes the case, and although he proves Tom's innocence, he is convicted and later killed. The impact on the town and the Finches is great.

Characters:
Atticus, "Scout," and Jem Finch, Tom Robinson

Theme:
Racial intolerance, justice, moral courage, becoming an adult

Commentary:
This book is involving and exciting. The characters are all strong, and the horrible examples of bigotry and hatred makes one think. The ending with Boo Radley is very exciting!


Plot summary:
Hester Prynne is caught in adultery in Puritan New England and is ostracized by the community and forced to wear a scarlet "A.". Her baby's father refuses to come forward, and she will not divulge his name. The moral and phsychological struggle of Hester, the baby's father, and Hester's actual husband (thought to have been lost at sea) are the novel's main focus.

Characters:
Hester Prynne, Pearl, Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth

Conflict:
Individual versus society, others, and self

Theme:
Society's inflexibilty,  revenge, the balance between emotion and intellect

Commentary:
The book is hard to read because there are long descriptive passages, but the characters grow increasing interesting. The struggle between good and evil, truth and lies, and the head and the heart make it worth reading. It's the kind of book that you may not really enjoy reading but which you be glad you read after you finish.


Plot summary:
Willy Loman confronts the failures of his life as a traveling salesman, a husband, and a father. Through his current interactions with his wife, his sons, his boss, and his neighbors, as well as through frequent flashbacks to earlier events, Willy realizes that the "American Dream" to which he has been clinging is an illusion.

Commentary:
A sad but powerful play. Willy is not always likable, but you have to feel sorry for him. He has some real character flaws; he is self-centered and lacks empathy and tolerance, but he is portrayed as an "everyman."


Plot summary:
Huck runs away from his drunken "Pap" and the Widow Douglas, who wants to "civ'lize" him. As he prepares to leave Hannibal,  he encounters Jim, a runaway slave, who ends up accompanying him on a raft trip down the Mississippi River. They have many adventures, including becoming involved in the scams of the King and the Duke. In the end, they are reunited with Tom Sawyer, Huck's best friend.

Setting:
Hannibal Missouri and the Mississippi River - the 1820's

Characters:
Huck Finn, Jim, Tom Sawyer, the King, the Duke

Conflict:
Individual versus society, self, and others

Theme:
Freedom, moral responsibility, friendship, the adult world

Commentary:
A good story, although the dialect (esp. Jim's) was really hard to understand at first. The book had lots of different episodes, some more interesting than others. I particularly liked the "Royal Nonesuch" scam that the King and the Duke used on the gullible townspeople. I don't think Twain thought too much of adults.


Plot summary:
A series of related episodes which revolve around the setting of a café which serves as a sanctuary for lost, abused, homeless blacks, mostly women. Each of the chapters - some short, others quite long - tells the story of a particular character's struggles and the way in which they found them self at the Café and often as a boarder at Eve's house. The names of the chapters revolve around a blues theme.

Setting:
a surrealistic urban area that may or may not be real

Characters:
Narrator, Nadine, Eve, various eccentric people (see chapter names)

Theme:
Inhumanity, abuse, the need for a sanctuary,

Commentary:
This book was very different. Some of the experiences the characters went through were brutal and violent, but the message of the book seemed to emphasize the worth and dignity of each of the "down and out" individuals. The novel was funny, sad, and inspiring at the same time.


Plot summary:
Set in the South and in Africa around the turn of the century, "The Color Purple" tells the story of Celie's life as a poor,oppressed black woman, primarily through the letters she writes to God. When Celie discovers his sister Nettie's letters after years of separation, she finds herself at the crossroads of questioning her identity as an woman and as an African-American. Race, oppression, and sexuality are all issues.

Theme:
Racism, sexism, cultural difference, sexuality

Commentary:
A complicated but interesting book that really provides a feel for what is was like to be a poor black woman in those days. Some of the descriptions are very explicit sexually and might not be for everyone. I probably wouldn't have read it on my own, but I'm glad I did read it.


Plot summary:
A Navajo girl who loves to explore the mountains near her home finds a lost gold mine and a new archaeological site through the help of a magical wolf. She saves it from destruction from site robbers after escaping imprisonment and incapacitation a helicopter.

Theme:
girls have power and can have great adventures


