Sunday, March 14, 2010

Important Friendships In Life

Friends are always there for you through thick and thin. They endure and sometimes experience what you feel, they help you overcome obstacles and get through hard times. In the novella, The Old man in the sea, Santiago’s and Manolin’s friendship manifests and becomes essential to the understanding of the book. The book is based around friendship and problems / obstacles to overcome and how their friendship can make it through those obstacles.

Santiago is a poor fisherman who strives to make a living for himself just to survive. He fishes for marlin, tuna, and sharks. Santiago spends a long amount of time on the sea and a lot of the time spent is with Manolin. Manolin cares for Santiago and is always worried if he will be able to eat and enjoys going fishing with him. “Do you want coffee?” the boy asked. “We’ll put the gear in the boat and then get some” (26). Santiago’s and Manolin’s friendship is important to the story because they both rely on each other for different reasons. Santiago relies on Manolin to keep him company and Manolin tries to rely on Santiago as a figure to look up to. “There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only you” (23). This quote really shows how Manolin admired Santiago.

Manolin and Santiago both are helpful to each other. When Santiago was sleeping one night in his shack, it was really cold out because it was in September so, Manolin came in and covered him up with a blanket. “The boy took the old army blanket off the bed and spread it over the back of the chair and over the old man’s shoulders” (18). This shows how Manolin cared for Santiago because he didn’t have to cover him up, but out of the goodness of his heart he did it anyways. This was important to the book because Manolin deeply treasures his friendship with Santiago.

Manolin and Santiago’s bond is really strong. They both have a respect for the sea and the life in it. “He always thought of the sea as la mar which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her” (29). Santiago and Manolin understand that you have to treat and respect things that you enjoy nicely. Things can be taken away in a matter of minutes and it is important to understand the value of something. This quote demonstrates how they were alike in liking the sea. Manolin and Santiago were different though in age, but they never let that stop them from being friends and doing things they enjoy, which was fishing. Even though Santiago might have not been the luckiest man in fishing, he still persevered and mandolin looked up to him for that. Mandolin never let those so called “flaws” in Santiago stop him from forming a bond.

Santiago and Manolin’s friendship is important to the book because they both rely on each other, and worry about each other, they are both helpful and they have a strong bond. Their friendship is so strong and reliant that it is key in understanding the book and what it is about. If the book wasn’t based around friendship and obstacles then the story wouldn’t have a deep meaning like this one. This story has taught me the value of friendship and how strong ones friendship can be. This book also taught me that you have to persevere in order to get what you want. In Santiago’s case catching the Marlin made him persevere and keep trying.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

The Old Man In The Sea Draft

Friends are always there for you through thick and thin. They endure and sometimes experience what you feel, they help you overcome obstacles and get through hard times. In the novella, The Old man in the sea, Santiago’s and Manolin’s friendship manifests and becomes essential to the understanding of the book. The book is based around friendship and problems / obstacles to overcome and how their friendship can make it through those obstacles.

Santiago is a poor fisherman who strives to make a living for himself just to survive. He fishes for marlin, tuna, and sharks. Santiago spends a long amount of time on the sea and a lot of the time spent is with Manolin. Manolin cares for Santiago and is always worried if he will be able to eat and enjoys going fishing with him. “Do you want coffee?” the boy asked. “We’ll put the gear in the boat and then get some.” (Pg26) Santiago’s and Manolin’s friendship is important to the story because they both rely on each other for different reasons. Santiago relies on Manolin to keep him company and Manolin tries to rely on Santiago as a figure to look up to. “There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only you.” (Pg23) This quote really shows how Manolin admired Santiago.

Manolin and Santiago both are helpful to each other. When Santiago was sleeping one night in his shack, it was really cold out because it was in September so, Manolin came in and covered him up with a blanket. “The boy took the old army blanket off the bed and spread it over the back of the chair and over the old man’s shoulders.” (pg18). This shows how Manolin cared for Santiago because he didn’t have to cover him up, but out of the goodness of his heart he did it anyways. This was important to the book because Manolin deeply treasures his friendship with Santiago.

Manolin and Santiago’s bond is really strong. They both have a respect for the sea and the life in it. “He always thought of the sea as la mar which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her.” (pg29) Santiago and Manolin understand that you have to treat and respect things that you enjoy nicely. Things can be taken away in a matter of minutes and it is important to understand the value of something. This quote demonstrates how they were alike in liking the sea. Manolin and Santiago were different though in age, but they never let that stop them from being friends and doing things they enjoy, which was fishing. Even though Santiago might have not been the luckiest man in fishing, he still persevered and mandolin looked up to him for that. Mandolin never let those so called “flaws” in Santiago stop him from forming a bond.

Santiago and Manolin’s friendship is important to the book because they both rely on each other, and worry about each other, they are both helpful and they have a strong bond. Their friendship is so strong and reliant that it is key in understanding the book and what it is about. If the book wasn’t based around friendship and obstacles then the story wouldn’t have a deep meaning like this one. This story has taught me the value of friendship and how strong ones friendship can be. This book also taught me that you have to persevere in order to get what you want. In Santiago’s case catching the Marlin made him persevere and keep trying.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Outside Reading Book Review

A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer. Health communications, Inc, 1995. Genre: Autobiography

A Child Called It, is about a young boy who struggles through child abuse from his mother. Dave goes to Thomas Eddison elementary school and kids make fun of him because he always has to wear the same clothes because his mom won’t buy him any. He lives with two older brothers who don’t get abused, just verbally yelled at. Dave’s brothers blame things that they might have done wrong on him because he is the youngest and the easiest target to go after. Dave’s mother never used to abuse him , but suddenly something in her just snapped. He knew certain things to remember washing the dishes; never get caught stealing food off of a plate, move fast and don’t take your eyes off of the dishes or you’ll get your front teeth smashed into a kitchen counter, stabbed or even worse.

“ A Child Called It” is a heart-stopping, compelling book. It is one of the most important books of our time and a must read for anyone who searches for the secret of internal motivation”

The books writing style is written in Dave’s point of view. He talks about the experiences that he went through and describes them vividly. Dave also splits the book into chapters that are fitting to his remarkable story. The chapters have appropriate tittles, like the second chapter is called “Bad Boy” because Dave thinks that he is a bad kid and what his mother is doing to him is his fault, when his mother says that Santa gave him a letter saying that he was a Bad Boy. Dave’s mother would severely hurt him. Dave never got a full meal that wasn’t almost eaten by somebody. When the social workers came into the elementary school one of the principles gave him a box of cookies and the principle told him not to eat to fast so he wouldn’t get sick. This shoes how Dave was very eager to get a meal.

“ The summer after the burn accident, school became my only hope of escape.”

I enjoyed reading this book because it was interesting and captivating. This author wrote a really good story and I’m glad that Dave ended up getting away from his life of child abuse. I would recommend this book to others, but it is sad most times in the beginning but is just a great book that teaches you about survival.