Poetic Device

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay. New York: Scholastic Press, 2010. Print.
Collins, Suzanne, The Hunger Games, New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. Print.
  Collins, Suzanne,Catching Fire, New York: Scholastic Press, 2009. Print.


  In the book Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins symbolism is used quite frequently. A symbol is an object that is used to represent something else. In the series the Mockingjay pin is used to symbolize a sign of trust and a sign of rebellion. In The Hunger Games Cinna, (Katniss' stylist) gave her the Mockingjay pin that she brought to the Capitol when she was in the first Hunger Games. In the first book, when Katniss meets Rue for the first time in the games she decides trusts Katniss because she is wearing the Mockingjay pin. This began to show that the Mockingjay is a sign of trust. In Catching Fire Katniss and the new head game maker, Plutrach Heavensbee, are dancing when Plutrach pulls out his watch "...and for just a moment an image  appears, glowing as if lit by candlelight. It's another mockingjay. Exactly like the pin on my dress. Only this one disappears. He snaps the watch closed." (P.83) This gesture was to show that Pultrach was trustworthy and part of the rebellion as well. In the same book Haymitch (Katniss' Mentor) signaled to Katniss by using the Mockingjay that Finnick Odar was also part of the rebellion and someone who she could trust as well. Through out the series the Mockingjay is used as a sign of trust and sign of rebellion.          



http://www.ennemm.is/

Significance Of

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay. New York: Scholastic Press, 2010. Print.


Significant Elements
1. The Mockingjay
2. District 13

The Mockingjay is significant to the story because they are a sign of the rebellion. When the Capitol created the Jabberjay they meant for that bird to go back and forth form the rebels to the Capitol in order to repeat every word back to the Capitol. When the rebels had found out about the secret of the Jabberjay the rebels feed false information to the bird. The Capitol then for the birds useless and freed them into the wild where the would mate with mockingbirds to create the Mockingjay, a bird that the Capitol never meant to make. Mockingjay's were never supposed to exist so they are a sign of rebellion. Katniss has now agreed to be the Mockingjay, the sign of rebellion. "I take deep breath. My arms rise slightly-as if recalling the black-and-white wings Cinna gave me- then come to rest at my sides. 'I'm going to be the Mockingjay' " (31)

District 13 is also siginificant to the story becuase it shows the lies and deals that the Capitol has made since the dark days. In Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins we are told, by the Capitol, that District 13 was destroyed in the first rebellion and all that was left of the district was ruins from when the bombs were dropped on them. But District 13 still does exsit, but it is operational underground. The Capitol made a deal with District 13 that the Capitol would let them operate freely without and disturbances in exchange District 13 would not drop any necluear bombs on the Capitol. The Capitol then lied to the nation of Panem and said that District 13 was destroyed by the bombs and that there was nothing left to create another district from in order to keep the deal with District 13. "To have a new home at all is seen as a wonder since, up until a short time ago, we hadn't even known that District 13 still existed."        

 

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Courage

Collins, Suzanne, and Suzanne Collins. Catching fire. New York: Scholastic Press, 2009. Print.

"Quotes About Courage (841 quotes)." Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs, Answer Trivia. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2013. <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/courage>.


“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that
something else is more important than fear.”
― Ambrose Redmoon

Courage- What courage means to me is being able to put your fears and worries behind you and focus on something that you have to do, even if it means facing your biggest fear.

The quote that I chose is saying that courage doesn't mean that you will drop every fear that you have and focus on the task. But there are things that are more important than fear, and you should put your fears aside and remember what is more important.  

In the short film Ten Minutes that we had watched in class the young boy, who was the main character, had a lot of courage. While the bombs and shootings were happening he looked like all he did was want to go back to his family and make sure that they were safe. The young boy put his fears aside of the bombs and snipers attacking and rushed home to his family. The young boy also would have a lot of courage after the bombing because when he came home both of his parents were killed, and he would have to also deal with not living with his parents for the rest of his life, and that takes a lot of courage to grow up with no parents.

"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors." My mother gives a faint shriek and Prim buries her face in her hands, but I feel more like the people I see in the crowd on the television. Slightly baffled. What does that mean? Existing pool of victors? Then I get it, what it means. At least, for me, District 12 only has three existing victors to choose from. Two male. One female... I am going back into the arena.    


I have just finished reading Catching Fire and I believe that Katniss (the main character) has tremendous amount of courage because in this quote it says that Katniss must go back into the Hunger Games and fight to death once again and risk loosing everything she cares for again, only this time there can only be one victor. So, she puts her fears aside,deals with the fact that she might die, and fights for her life again.

  
  

Rebellion

Collins, Suzanne, and Suzanne Collins.Catching fire. New York: Scholastic Press, 2009. Print.
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. Print.

Rebellion- The act of rising up against a higher power and resisting authority and control.

What I believe a rebellion is, is that a group of people are sick and tired of the ways that are controlling them and the people have decided to act, rise up and over throw the power that is controlling them.

In the book I'm currently reading, Catching Fire, the whole story is about a rebellion. In the previous book, The Hunger Games, the main character Katniss tried to out smart the Capitol (the government). By trying to take poisonous berries which would kill herself and her partner, Peeta, and there would be no victor for the Hunger Games that year. Now because Katniss tried to out smart the Capitol an uprising has begun all over the country(Panem) that was created by a rebellion, now it is happening again. Now that an uprising has happened in a District there has been a increase in security, ordered by the Capitol. The people of Panem are upset and are planning on starting a new rebellion to try and over throw the Capitol.

"I outsmarted his sadistic Hunger Games, made the Capitol look foolish, and consequently undermined his control. All I was doing was trying to keep Peeta and myself alive. Any act of rebellion was coincidental."

This quote explains the reason why the rebellion is taking place. Katniss had given her partner Peeta and herself   a bundle of poisonous berries so that they could both rebel against the Capitol, so that they would have no victor for that years Hunger Games. This action showed that the Capitol can't control them and make them kill one another to show their sacrifice.     

FIVE ELEMENTS

Collins, Suzanne, and Suzanne Collins.Catching fire. New York: Scholastic Press, 2009. Print.

1.Suspense
2.Plot
3.Conflict
4.Swift Conclusion
5.No Unnecessary Detail

SPOILER FOR CATCHING FIRE IN THIS POST

SUSPENSE

I chose suspense to be the most important element in a story that I read. Suspense in a book always motivates me to keep reading because I want to know what is going to happen. I share this same amount of suspense when I watch the TV series Lost, in this series there are always constant questions that are being asked like "Who are these people?", " Will they ever get off the Island?" and "Are they alone?". When I am reading Catching Fire I'm always asking questions too like, "Will the president kill Gale?", " Do the Districts up rise against the Capitol?" and " Who will Katniss coach for the 75th Hunger Games?" and "Why does the President smell of Roses and Blood?" All of these questions drive me to keep reading and once the questions are answered it is either shocking, disappointing or it frustrates me. Here is a quote from Catching Fire that I thought was very suspenseful. "I'm leaving the room when a beeping noise catches my attention. I turn back to see the screen of the television go black. Then the words"UPDATE ON DISTRICT 8" start flashing. Instinctively I know this is not for my eyes but something intended only for the mayor. I should go. Quickly. Instead I find myself stepping closer to the television. An announcer I've seen before appears. It's a women with graying hair and a hoarse, authoritative voice. She warns that condition are worsening and a Level 3 alert has been called. Additional forces are being sent into District 8, and all textile production has ceased."
             

A Good Book

Qualities that I expect to see in a good book are suspense, a good story and a good description of what is happening. I love to have suspense in all the books that I read because if there is a part in the book that has me on the edge of my seat it motivates me to keep reading more of the book. The Hunger Games was a book that had a lot of suspense to it, I could barley put it down because I had to find out what was going to happen next. Secondly, the book should have a good story to it. Having a good story is probably the most important part of the book. If the story isn't  good than the reader will loose interest and stop reading the book. To Kill a Mockingbird had a very good story, the story would always want make me want to keep reading, laugh and shock me at times. Finally, a book should be well described if it is not than the story is very hard to follow. The author should give clear and precise details so that the reader can understand what is going on and how it relates to the story.

I am currently read Catching Fire the second book in The Hunger Games series. Suzanne Collins (The Author) is very good at portraying suspense, I have not began any suspenseful parts in this book but I have read the first book and Collins is very good creating at creating suspense in her novels. So far this book has a very good story and this story talks about life after The Hunger Games and how all the other districts will react to who has won the Games.  I find this book describes what is happen very well, Collins has a way of going into deep description to make sure her reader really make sure they understand what is going on, and that is why she always keeps her readers wanting more.





 Here is an example of the suspense, good story and description.

" I can feel my my mind begin to race. Who is here? What do they want? Why is my mother so pale? 
' Go right in,' says the Capitol man, who has followed me down the hallway. I twist the polished brass knob and step inside. My nose registers the conflicting scents of roses and blood. A small, white-haired man who seems vaguely familiar is reading a book. He holds up a finger as if to say, 'Give me a moment.' Then he turns and my heart skips a beat. I'm staring into the snakelike eyes of President Snow."

 Collins, Suzanne, and Suzanne Collins. Catching fire. New York: Scholastic Press, 2009. Print.

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. Print. 

Lee, Harper. To kill a mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. Print.

Post 8 The Ordinary World

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I am currently reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding.The story of Lord of the Flies is when many young boys are stranded on an island after a crash. The boys start to develop a society of their own, so some boys hunt, some help make shelter and then there is one boy who is the leader. The leaders name is Ralph, he was voted in by the rest of the boys because he had good leader ship skills. The hunters are a group of boys that are a Choir, and their leader is named  Jack. Jack seems to be very controlling and wants to be the leader instead of Ralph. Finally there is a character named Piggy and he and Ralph were the first ones that were introduced to the story, and Piggy is a very foolish boy that is described as fat. He looks up to Ralph and assists him as well. 

These boys all have an ordinary world that seems to somewhere in Great Britain because they all speak with a British accent. I'm not too sure where they all come from because no one has described about their ordinary world except for two characters Ralph and Piggy. Piggy sounds like that his parents have died and he lives with his Aunt, that is all that is said Piggy's home life that he lives with his Aunt. Ralph on the other hand had a dream about his home life, and it sounds like Ralph lives on a farm or with a rich family because the narrator describes that in his dream he is feeding horses and someone telling him to come for tea. 

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/United_Kingdom/England/Cumbria/Witherslack/photo632983.htm 

  

"Ralph was dreaming. He had fallen asleep after what seemed hours of tossing and turning nosily among the dry leaves. Even the sounds of nightmare from the other shelters no longer reached him, for he was back where he came from, feeding the ponies with sugar over the garden wall. Then someone was shaking his arm, telling him that it was time for tea." 

From what the narrator just described I think that Ralph comes from a good Family with lots of money and they live on the country side. I'm guessing that Ralph was going on a trip with his parents when they crashed and he was separated from his Parents. That is why I think Ralph left his ordinary world, so he could go on a trip with his parents, but something tragic had to happen now he is left on an island with boys he's never met before trying to survive.