Insurgent- Week of: 5/12/14

Pages- 87-142
Prompt: Summarize what you have read.

So, the pages I have read this week span over four chapters in the book, so I will be doing a basic summarization of the four chapters!

     So, Tris, Tobias, Caleb, and their Family Friend Susan had been all "safely" living in Amity Headquarters, the safe place they went after the attack on Abnegation. Though with people looking for them, as they have saved documentations of that day, and are very much wanted by the leaders of certain Factions, they need to keep moving so they can't be tracked. So, they finally decide it's time to leave Headquarters, and find somewhere else to stay where people wouldn't think of looking for them. So, they catch the first train they can, only to discover it is filled with the Faction-less. They threaten to throw Tris, Tobias, Caleb, and Susan off of the train, until Tobias reveals that he really is Tobias (he was known as Four) who is known as a kind of famous figure among the factions. The Faction-less decide to take him to their headquarters, because there is someone there that wanted to meet him, his mother, Evelyn. She had "died" only a few years prior, but obviously, it was a fake death, and an attempt to get away from her maniac husband. Tobias, who should've been overjoyed to know his mother was alive, was upset at her for leaving him with his father, instead of taking him where ever she was going. Later, Tobias and Tris find out that the Faction-less have become pretty powerful, and are larger in numbers that the Dauntless. This is good information for Tris and Tobias, for they could use statistics like that in the future.

     Later in the evening, everyone is sharing dinner in the Faction-less Headquarters, passing around cans of food, everyone taking one bite of everything, which Tris thinks is unsanitary and disgusting, like I would expect anyone to think of this passing of food cans. Eventually, everyone goes to sleep (on the ground) but Tris is awoken at the sound of whispers from the next room. Evelyn is talking to Tobias about how they really are actually documenting and keeping track of the Divergent population among the Faction-less, and actually have the highest Divergent Population out of all the Factions combined. Tris, during this whole period of time is thinking about a society without Factions, and how it would probably take a lot of destruction. Later, Tobias returns to sleep, and although Tris has the urge to talk to him about what she heard, she didn't want Evelyn to hear, and she didn't want Tobias to know she was eavesdropping. The next morning, Tris decides that she's in desperate need of a shower. She goes into the bathroom/showering room, only to see that all of the girls are showering in front of each other, with no covering. Not exactly modest, but Susan and Tris hold up towels for each other to stand behind during their own showers. After her shower, Tris talks to Evelyn, and Evelyn reveals some shocking news. Tris's father was born in Erudite, basically, Tris's enemy Faction. And Tris's enemy Jeanine, would play with Tris's father as a kid. Tris couldn't believe it, and wondered what else her Dad may have been keeping from her. Tris then snaps at Evelyn for using Tobias, and walks away.

     Tris finds her brother, sitting and eating some peanut butter, so she decides to join him. Tris talks with him, and reveals her plan to go to Candor Headquarters to figure out what's really going on. When Tris and Tobias arrive at Candor Headquarters, they are arrested. Tris and Tobias are escorted by a Candor Representative, and they find out that Tobias is being charged with "Crimes Against Humanity" and Tris

for being his accomplice. It is also revealed that Tris and Tobias didn't have the only recorded evidence of the day Abnegation was attacked, it was saved to many different places. Tris and Tobias are told they are going to be interrogated, but it won't be a regular old interrogation. They will first be injected with a truth serum, causing them to tell nothing but the Truth when they are in the interrogation. Then Tris and Tobias are escorted to a waiting room, and Tris has a longing for how things used to be. She wanted to live in Abnegation with her family again, and not be involved with being Divergent, or on this dangerous mission with Tobias. Tris at one point falls asleep, and when she wakes up, she sees one of her best friends from Dauntless, Christina. During the attack on Abnegation, Tris had shot Christina's boyfriend, Will, and Tris, not doing this on purpose, still felt guilty about it. Luckily, Christina didn't know it was Tris, and tells her that most of their other friends from Dauntless were safe. The reunion between Christina and Tris is broken up when Tris and Tobias are taken away to be interrogated. Tobias gets injected with the Truth Serum first, and the interrogation begins. That's where I left off and I can't wait to read more, and find out what happens next!

The 40 Book Challenge- My Experience

     When I first started the 40 Book Challenge, I knew it would be a real challenge. Reading 40 books, throughout the about 40 week school year seemed pretty impossible, and though I didn't fully complete the challenge, I'm proud that I read more books than I

maybe would have if I didn't have anything to do it for. Now, don't get me wrong, I love to read, and I love to read new books, but I've had one of the busiest years of my whole entire life, and with Dance, and Cheerleading, and Speech and Drama, and the Musical, and NJHS, and other Homework. Reading 40 books this year wasn't probably going to happen, which I knew from the beginning, but I tired my best to read as many books as I could, and I really feel good about what I did! I feel my reading has definitely progressed throughout the year as well! I've read so many new books, in genres I don't particularly like, and found that I liked them, and I've learned to not judge a book, not only by it's cover, but not by it's title, or genre either! I've also, I feel, begun branching out into more difficult books! Books with awkward dialect, and a high level of vocabulary. I've been able to understand these books, and feel more capable and comfortable with reading more advanced books, because I know that I'll be able to understand them, more than in the past!

     Based on my 6th Grade year, I would say I made lots of progress! In 6th Grade, I only read a couple of books for book projects and through class, and this year, though most of the reading has been for school (not exactly pleasure reading) like for blogging and the 40 Book Challenge, I feel like I've pushed myself to read more, unlike in 6th Grade when I didn't have as much motivation to read as much as I could, and expand myself through reading. So, I definitely think I've come a long way from 6th Grade. I also feel that the caliber of the books I've read has gone up drastically this year! I've gone from reading 100-200 page books to reading ones as long as 600 pages! And these books aren't easy books! They have difficult vocabulary, and have story lines that can be tricky to follow. Though, length doesn't always matter! "Of Mice and Men" was probably one of the most difficult books I've ever read, and it's only 100 pages! The dialect the characters use can be hard to understand, and confusing. There are so many hidden symbols and meanings, and it was very hard, yet exciting to analyze. I've really found that through this challenge, I've had to analyze what I'm reading, and it's really improving the caliber of books that I can read at. The level that I'm reading at is only going to continue to grow, and the challenge to read these books from different genres, that I may never have read otherwise, has really helped me grow. From this, I feel confident going into 8th Grade Literature Studies, and hopefully, I can accomplish the 40 Book Challenge next year!

Insurgent- Week of: 5/5/14

Pages: 32-87

Prompt: Who is your favorite character in what you're reading, and why?

     Well, I know I'm technically supposed t be writing about my favorite character, but I'm going to tell you about my favorite characters! So my two favorite characters in Insurgent are Tris and Tobias. I thought long and hard about it, and I couldn't pick one over the other! They are both equally amazing! Also, honestly, there's not that many more characters you could really choose from to be your favorite, unless you like evil/creepy people, or unless your favorite character isn't really a main character. Because I feel like Tris and Tobias are the only actual main characters. Even Caleb, I don't feel is extremely important. Anyways, I'm supposed to talking about why they're my favorite characters! So, let's just say, I absolutely love their relationship! I love their affection for each other, and how kind they are to each other! I think they are both sweet together, even though they are not particularly nice people! I also really love their strength. Both of them have the will to fight, and keep themselves together, even in serious, scary situations. They are both extremely intelligent as well! They always have a plan, even if they don't go through with it, or it doesn't work out! They know how to fight, and use weapons, and not for unnecessary harm. They both can defeat an enemy, with just themselves, and I love their will power to fight, even though it may be really scary and terrible. They are overall together amazing people, and have great qualities. 

     

     What I really admire about Tris, and what really makes her my favorite character, is her strength! That sounds pretty silly, but I admire her not only physical but mental strength as well! She lost both of her parents in a matter of a few hours, while trying to fight evil people who are a huge threat to her life. She not only makes it through, but has to then deal with the aftermath of it all. Everyday, even with the reminder of her lost parents, she never seems to break, at least not completely. Also, with her physical strength, she's not just strong where she can lift heavy things but. But she's strong enough physically to put up a good fight, to defend herself, to get away from danger, to handle guns and other weapons, to defeat the enemy. She has the physical strength to do all of those things, and I really like that she can handle herself like that! Tris is also my favorite character because she's not very happy and nice all of the time. Though I do strive to be nice to people (even if that doesn't always happen, and it doesn't!) and I look for kindness in other people (and Tris is kind sometimes) I love her personality. She's very realistic when it comes to bad situations, and I don't like when people try to be nice and hide what they know is the possibility of happening. She's very realistic basically no matter what, unless she knows what she would say would hurt someone, in which case, she more of voices her beliefs to herself. In that way, she shows kindness and consideration, and I think that's what makes her believable, and likeable in my eyes. It's part of what makes me like her so much!

     What makes Tobias my other favorite character are many things! Like Tris, I like that Tobias is a realist. He tells it like it is. If you're doing something wrong or stupid, he's going to correct you. He's going to tell you how he feels, and what his beiefs are no matter what. Though, unlike Tris, even if it is going to hurt somebody else, he still says it. If he feels it's important enough to be said, he will say it. I believe this can be harsh at times, but I think that the world needs these kinds of people, or life would be filled with too many things unsaid, and too many white lies. Also, Tobias seems very realistic. The way he talks to people, acts, instructs, and does things in general, just seem so realistic. I think this is what really makes him my favorite character because sometimes, characters are just so fake and unrealistic, that anything they really do isn't believable. I think just the way Tobias acts, and carries himself is so realistic and believable, and his personality is so real, and is a quality about him that I really like! I also really like how he is "in control" you might say. He is very good at resolving fights, controlling the enemy, saving people, calming down panics, and keeping himself level headed. He tries to prevent trouble, and is very good at making plans, and following through with them. He is very good at controlling his emotions, and know when it's okay and not okay to do certain things, and I think being able to keep good control over yourself and keep control In you life, is a great quality to have! So, those are the reasons why Tris and Tobias are my two favorite characters!