Book Responses
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Thoughts
Dear Journal,
I recently read Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter. I have recommended it to
my friend Rachel because I really enjoyed it. I described the different stories in the
book to her, so hopefully she’ll be interested in the book and want to read it. The
book is three short stories, and all of them are different. The first one is called
“Old Mortality” and is about how Amy affected everyone in her family and social
circle, even after her death. Everyone in her family still talks about her, and how
wonderful and charming she was. Amy teased men and led them on, like she did with her
husband. She dies a couple of weeks after marrying him, and no one knew why or how. The
second story (my favorite) was called “Noon Wine.” It was about a farming family
who takes in a worker named Mr. Helton. They don’t know anything about him, until one
day a man shows up and says that Mr. Helton was an escaped mental hospital convict who
murdered someone. The man who was Mr. Helton’s boss, Mr. Thomson, though this man was
sneaky, and believed that if Mr. Helton hadn’t done anything wrong in the years of
his employment, then he should be left alone. Mr. Thomson ended up murdering the sneaky
man, in Mr. Helton’s defense. Even though Mr. Thomson was acquitted, everyone in his
community and family thought of him as a murderer. He eventually killed himself. This was
a very sad story, but it was interesting. The third story, “Pale Horse, Pale
Rider” was my least favorite. It wasn’t very interesting, so I mainly focused on
the first two stories. All of the stories in Pale Horse, Pale Rider go slowly, so it was
hard for me to read all of them without losing interest, like the third story. Overall, it
is a good book though. I think I’ll read Katherine Anne Porter’s next book when
it comes out. She’s a very descriptive author, and really takes your into another
time and place. The second story was my favorite because I have never lived on a farm, or
been outside of Detroit. I have no idea what it is like to live that way, and reading
“Noon Wine” brought me to that place. I wonder if this is really what farm life
is like, because I can’t compare the book to real life, but it did come across as
very truthful. The Thomson farm seemed very quiet, and desolate, completely opposite of a
big city like Detroit. I don’t know if I could stand to live on a farm after living
in Detroit my whole life. It seems as if I would die of boredom! All the Thomson’s
did for entertainment was listen to Mr. Helton’s harmonica music, and sit outside on
the porch. Nothing really exciting seemed to happen living on a farm, except when Mr.
Thomson murdered the man who was going to take Mr. Helton away. Maybe farm people have a
lot of built up passion and anger, but nowhere to exercise it. Mr. Thomson had his chance,
and he couldn’t handle the excitement and fury of what had suddenly happened, because
he wasn’t used to those kinds of feelings and fervor of life, so he committed
suicide.
Sincerely, Jill |
Quotes
Pale Horse Pale Rider--Old Morality “A hundred dollars is just something you put in
the bank.” This quote is very important because the family’s financial status is
very bad at the moment. When Maria won a hundred dollars in a horse race. She had some
childhood fantasies about what she could buy. Her father said that she couldn’t buy
anything and that they had to put the money in the bank. This relates to Jill Monroe
because she too had to handle her money very carefully. Money was tight for Jill because
her husband was at war. She worked at the factory to help support her family. Jill misses
her husband just like Miranda misses her father. “I haven’t seen him for nearly
a year.” This quote is important because it is very hard to be away from someone you
love for a long time. Both Jill and Miranda haven’t seen their loved ones and miss
them everyday. These two quotes relate to each other because once Jill’s husband left
for the war, she had to save money and work at a mans job just to take care of her two
kids. |
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Characters
Dear George,
I just read the book Pale Horse, Pale Rider. It was a good book with a lot of detail. The
book had three short stories in it. One of the characters in the book reminded of myself,
her name was Miranda. She was one of the main characters in the short story called
“Old Mortality.” This short story was about two girls, Miranda and Maria who
were trying to figure out the story behind the beautiful aunt Amy’s death. Even
though Miranda was only eight years old her personality and spirit is like mine. In the
story, Miranda kept trying to achieve her goal to find the story of her aunt Amy’s
death. Although she never succeeded, she didn’t give up. That reminded me of myself
because I trying very hard to keep supporting the family and I won’t give up. I
definitely do not think I will fail at supporting my family, but it has been pretty hard
lately, working, and taking care of the children. I miss you so much and I hope you are
doing okay. Maybe I will send you a copy to read, if you have time. Write back soon!
Love Always, Jill |
| Letter to a Friend
Dear Rachel,
I recently read a book by Katherine Anne Porter called Pale Horse, Pale Rider. The book is
actually three short stories, so it's more like three books in one. The first story is
about a family that has had some terrible experiences in their lives, and they were all
affected by the death of a young, beautiful family member named Amy. Amy was flamboyant
and teased men who had fallen in love with her. One such man, Gabriel, was incredibly
smitten with her and proposed to her several times, but Amy kept leading him on. She died
a few weeks after finally marrying him, and no one is quite sure why or how she died. The
second story, Noon Wine, was my favorite. It was about a farming family that hires a
wandering man named Mr. Helton. Mr. Helton is very quiet and reserved, and says he's from
North Dakota. He's a dedicated worker who does things without being told to, and stays
with the Thompson family for years. The Thompson’s never know much about Mr. Helton,
until one day a sly man comes around looking for Mr. Helton. He says that Mr. Helton
escaped from a mental hospital because he murdered someone. He said that it was his duty
to bring Mr. Helton back. Mr. Thompson hadn't known Mr. Helton to be violent, except in
one incident when Mr. Helton shook the Thompson boys harshly for taking his harmonicas.
Mr. Thompson believed that if a man has been a good worker, and a good man in general, he
should be left alone. He started fighting with the man, who was looking for Mr. Helton,
and in a split second, Mr. Helton came in, the man was about to stab Mr. Helton, so Mr.
Thompson killed the man with an ax. This event changed the lives and dynamics of the
Thompson family with each other, and the rest of the community. Mr. Thompson tries to
convince people he didn't commit murder, it was defense, but no one believes him. He ends
up committing suicide. This story was very sad, but it was interesting for me to read
because living in Detroit, I never think about these kinds of things happening. The only
downside about Pale Horse, Pale Rider is that all the stories are very slow. Overall, I
would recommend Pale Horse, Pale Rider as a book to read because it's a different
perspective on life. We're used to growing up in a city, but the characters in this book
are all parts of different kinds of society, either the farming part of the country, or
the wealthy aristocratic society. I think that even though this book hasn't had a
life-changing impact on my life, it has made me think about the different ways people
think, based on where they're from, who they're with, and what their values are. Pale
Horse, Pale Rider has made me examine my own life, and how I live. I’ve lived in a
city my whole life, and I’ve never been outside of Detroit. These stories were an
escape from factory life and the mundane, because they took me to places I’ve never
been before. The way farm life was represented in the story “Noon Wine” made me
wonder whether it would be better to be living on a farm, or living in the city. Farm life
was represented as slow, with nothing eventful happening except when Mr. Thomson killed
the man who was going to take Mr. Helton away. I think that I would be bored if I lived on
a farm after living in Detroit, because I’m so used to all the things that happen in
the big city, and working in a factory, doing my part for the war. Pale Horse, Pale Rider
overall is three different perspectives on life, and I’ve never read a book like that
before. It was a new experience for me. All the books that I have read before reading Pale
Horse, Pale Rider have been one straight story, the whole way through. I’ve never
read a collection of short stories, actually. I had heard about this book, and because it
was so different than what I have been used to, I wanted to try it out. See you soon!
Love, Jill |
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Thoughts
My name is Jeremiah Franklin and I read the novel, Trouble in July by Erskine Caldwell.
Dear Journal, I really enjoyed reading this novel, however it was also very emotionally
upsetting for me. I feel like I can personally relate to the book for a variety of
reasons. First of all for the obvious reason being that I am African American, and the
novel deals with issues like lynching and discrimination. These are very sensitive issues
for me, because I know the discrimination the characters faced, first hand. People who are
black are constantly being accused of crimes, and sometimes for things they did not even
do. In this novel, a young innocent black boy named Sonny Clark happened to be on the
street at the wrong time of night, and was accused of raping a white girl. Since he was
black, no one would believe him if he denied the charge, so his only choice was to run.
The men on the hunt for Sonny went into any black person’s house to find out if they
knew where he was, and they tortured the people for no reason. In one instance, they found
a woman and a man huddled together in their bed. They beat the man repeatedly, and poured
turpentine on the woman’s body until she bleed and screamed in pain. Even though I am
African American, I think anyone reading this, no matter what their color, would be
appalled by their actions. The actions that these men took were incredibly unnecessary and
cruel. The men obviously had no feeling and no heart. Innocent people were tortured, when
they were in their homes, a place where they thought they were safe. It doesn’t
matter what color, race, or minority you are; no one should take the blame for other
people’s actions, as the man and woman did in this scene. Despite the fact that Sonny
was completely innocent, other people were hurt by the crime he supposedly committed. Just
because the men hunting for Sonny couldn’t find him, they took out their anger and
rage on other people. Eventually, the Sonny was hunted down by the crazed men in the town,
and lynched. When the girl who accused Sonny of the rape saw him hanging, she realized
what she had done and withdrew her charge, but it was too late. This story is not
fictional at all, it’s something that can and does happen, even though no one wants
to face reality and come to terms with the fact that we, as human beings, can be so
heartless. Reading this book just reminds me of some experiences in my life that I would
much rather forget about. It is painful to read anything or hear anything about people
being discriminated against, tortured, or even killed, because of my first hand experience
with these issues. A couple years ago, a good friend of mine was accused of murder,
basically because he was black. He was out with some friends one night, and a group of
whites came up to him telling he had just killed a man. They arrested him immediately, and
he was kept in jail for a long time before he finally got a date in court. He was
sentenced to jail for life, and died in his cell, innocent as the day. He was just an
unlucky minority, who was seen at the wrong place at the wrong time, and was killed
because of it. Because of experiences like this, I feel that I can relate to the book so
easily. |
Quotes
I wanted to tell the rest of the guys about a book I just read. It was called Trouble in
July and it was about a slave who was falsely accused of rape. Only after his lynching did
the girl who had accused him of rape admit to the fact that he was innocent. There was
very little pity or remorse from any of the towns people, they felt that it was more
important that they feel safe than to save the life of the man who was accused. One of my
favorite quotes from the book, one of the quotes which I think shows the idea of the book
very well, is on page 142. “ All of them were standing by the bed watching the woman
writhe and twist when the men had gone to search for Sonny came back shaking their
heads.” This quote occurs right after the men who were searching for Sonny, the
accused slave, tortured a black woman after breaking into her home. They were searching
for Sonny and thought that this woman would help them and give them clues as to where
Sonny would be hiding. The people who were searching for Sonny would have done anything,
including torturing an obviously innocent person, to find Sonny. They had no remorse
during their search, and had no feeling for the people they hurt along the way. The reason
that this quote really affected me was that it really, blatantly expressed the way whites
feel and felt about blacks, how they treated them as less than human. Sometimes, when
I’m on the base and the officers are really disrespecting us pilots, I feel the same
way. That maybe the officers don’t understand that we have feelings, too. The
officers on the base aren’t respectful of us pilots. They treat us like we’re
just there to learn from them, and then once we aren’t studying anymore, we
won’t be of any use in the war. They tell us all the time that we won’t be of
any use to our country, that we should feel privileged to be studying with them. They
don’t understand that we’re willing to work just as hard as any white pilot.
Another quote which showed the lack of feeling, and the amount of brutality of the whites
in the book had was on page 182, right at the end of the book. It comes right after Sonny
had been lynched. The girl who accused him of raping her arrived at the site of the
lynching. “ He didn’t do it! Nobody done it! It was a lie!” It was only
after the death of Sonny that the girl admitted that it was all a lie. And when she
finally did admit that it was all a lie, she was doing it only for her own good. She felt
some guilt, but it was more because she was afraid that somebody else would tell everybody
that it was all a lie and then she would be in even more trouble. She didn’t feel
like she had killed a human, she would have felt much worse if she had been the cause of
death of a white man. Both of these quotes show the brutality of the white characters
towards Sonny, the main black character. I think that most of the people on the base can
understand what the segregation and humiliation feels like, as we have all experienced the
wrath of the officers and we can all understand what it’s like to feel another’s
bias. All of the black officers on the base can relate to this book, Trouble in July, very
well. |
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Characters
Dear Sam,
You are the character that I can most closely identify to in Trouble in July. The reason
that I feel I can relate to you so easily is because you are a guy who did nothing wrong.
You happen to be black and constantly discriminated against only for that reason. In the
novel, you are taken hostage when they cannot find Sonny Clark who was charged with rape.
You happened to be sitting in a jail cell for illegally repairing old cars, but that is no
serious charge. Since you were the only man in the jail cells, you were taken and beaten
up. When you were telling the sheriff what happened to you, you said, “They chased me
through the thickets with a rope tied around my neck, and when they got tired of doing
that, they tied me to the back end of a car and pulled me along that-a-way. Half the time
they went so fast I couldn’t keep up, and I dragged on the ground. I thought my time
had come for sure until a little while ago when they found that Sonny Clark and let me
go.” The reason that what you said is so upsetting is because something like that
could have happened to me, or my friends, or my family; and has happened to people that I
know. I am very glad that you were lucky in a sense, because you were able to come away
with your life. As an innocent man, just for being black, you were abused and taken
advantage of. Just thinking about the way you were treated makes me furious, and the fact
that situations like yours are so common makes it all that much worse. I get upset just
thinking about what happened to you. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine was beaten by
a large group of drunken whites for no reason. There are no words to describe how I felt
when my close friend was beaten simply because he was black. What happened to him is very
similar to what happened to you, and that is why I feel I can so closely relate to you.
You were just an innocent man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Jeremiah Franklin |
Letter to a Friend
Dear Roscoe,
I just finished reading this book by that guy Erskine Caldwell. I think you might have
read something by him before. The book was Trouble in July. I thought it was really good
and well written. I felt all emotional at the end of it, which feels kind of weird when a
book makes you feel like crying, but I like it. The greatest part about the book was how
realistic it was. I’m telling you, this whole book could have taken place right in
our hometown. You could definitely relate to it. It’s pretty close to home. Lots of
issues in it that we have to deal with everyday. Another good thing about the book is the
characters. I mean, I swear this guy Caldwell could have gotten these characters from
Al’s place. All the main characters are black. And all the bad guys are white. Cops,
Government, etc. Essentially it blacks versus whites. It’s a lot of tension. This
black guy was accused of raping this girl which he really didn’t rape and they want
to lynch him for it, and well, you should read it to find out the rest. The whites in the
book really make you hate them. I mean they really make you hate them. The setting is in
the south as well. I don’t exactly remember where, but it’s a lot further south
than Nashville. Maybe Alabama of Mississippi. It’s a small town where not much
happens, but when stuff does happen, everyone knows. As usual blacks are discriminated,
and a lot of the time, just plain hated. Overall, Trouble in July was a real good book. I
definitely recommend you pick it up. You’ll like it a lot.
See ya’ round. Jeremiah |
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Thoughts
Abraham’s Journal:
Dear Journal, Today I finished the book The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck. The book was
very good. I believe that stories like this exist and a lot of things are possible in this
war. To me, the book felt real and so did the characters. The only thing I didn’t
like about the book was the ending. I thought it was very abrupt and I really didn’t
enjoy it. I think the book could have been longer and the ending could have been in more
detail. In the beginning of the fighting was very passive but there was some resistance.
But as the book progressed, so did the fighting. The town began not to listen to the
soldiers and then they just plainly ignored the soldiers. Then some organized fighting
broke out, which was followed by attacks with dynamite. The progression of the fighting,
is an example of the books them, never give up. Throughout the book, the town’s
people did not once give up all hope. The characters in the book were very realistic and
while reading the book. The story’s main character was the Mayor, and the book talked
about how he dealt with issues concerning his town. Mayor Orden was a very courageous man
because he stood up to the Nazis. The Mayor refused to listen to the soldiers and in the
end, he realized that he would have to sacrifice his life to save the town. I would do the
same to save my parents. I understand how the Mayor felt. He didn’t want to die but
he knew that he would have too. This book really reminded me of my parents and their
oppression in Poland. It made me think about the past and the future all at once and what
would happen to me after the war. When I thought about life after the war I became scared
because I imagined that I would not be with my family. The book also made me think about
all the people in Europe and how they dealt with the war. Not just the Jews are affected
by this war. The Nazi’s are cruel and vicious and they must be stopped. If they are
not, not only will Jews perish but Americans will too. |
Quotes
A review of The Moon is Down By: Abraham Sternberg
The Moon is Down written by John Steinbeck, is a really great book. It follows
the lives of some people in a town that is taken over by the Nazis… The Mayor is
addressing the Nazis. This quote is important to the story because this is the first time
the Mayor even remotely stands up to the Nazis. “If you think that by killing men you
can prevent someone from censuring your evil lives, you are mistaken.” He says this
only loud enough for the Nazis to hear. The Mayor is implying that the Nazis only kill to
hide. They kill to intimidate when really all they are doing is hiding behind their guns.
The Nazis hide behind their guns because they know if they don’t they will lose this
war. … Annie is mad that the Nazis are killing the people who live in the town for no
reason. Annie wants to do something about it. This quote expresses Annie’s anger
towards the soldiers. “Well, there, you see! If they hurt Alex people are going to me
mad and I’m going to be mad. I won’t stand for it.” “What will you
do?” Joseph asked her. “Why, I’ll kill some of them myself,” said
Annie. “And then they’ll shoot you” said Joseph. “Let them! I tell
you, Joseph, things can go too far-tramping in and out all hours of the night, shooting
people.” She has lost her husband too the Nazis and she wants revenge. This pertains
too another theme in the book, revenge. Everyone wants revenge on the Nazis, which is what
caused the uprisings within the town. Annie has every right to rebel and so does everyone
in the town. No one else should die by the hands of the Nazis the town has suffered
enough. |
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Characters
Dear Mr. and Mrs.Kubales,
I just finished a book that relates to your situation in France. First, I wanted to thank
you for all your efforts to help my parents. When I started reading the book, one
character stood out. At first I did not know why but then I realized that the character
was both of you rolled into one. The character in the book, Molly, hides two men that are
wanted by the Nazis in her house. She is very courageous and she stands up for what she
believes in. I recommend that you read this book because it will make you understand fully
how important your role in my parent’s life was. Doctor Winter is another character
in the book. He doesn’t have a lot of authority but he is friends with people that
have authority. He is very smart and he always tries to do the reasonable thing. I believe
that the Doctor is very much like me. I don’t have much authority at the American
Jewish Congress but I am friends with someone on the Congress. Also, at the synagogue, I
am friends with the rabbi, a person that is looked up to by everyone who belongs to the
temple. I believe that I am a very smart and reasonable person just like Doctor Winter.
The only difference between us is that people listen to him. Here in America, no one
listens to me. I try very hard to be listened to, but I am just a lonely janitor. I am one
person in an entire city with hundreds of thousands of people. I wish I could be more like
the Mayor because I want to be in charge. Not once in my life have I ever had a commanding
role in this world. I want people to look up to me and I want people to listen to me. I
wish, just once, someone here in America would listen to what I think.
Sincerely, Abraham Sternberg |
Letter to a Friend
Dear Rabbi,
I just finished a book by John Steinbeck that was very good. The book is called The Moon
is Down. I really enjoyed this book because Steinbeck’s writing style. I think that
he is an amazing author due to his stories, which are so realistic and contain lots of
emotions and his plots that are very interesting. I am writing you this because I think
that you will enjoy this book very much. Even though it doesn’t involve anything
about Judaism, it is still a must read. It made me realize that Jews are not the only
people in danger of losing their lives. The Nazis are killing everyone in Europe and it
must be stopped. Everyone in Europe should try to rebel but the Nazis are too powerful.
Please read this book, I know that you will enjoy it very much.
Sincerely, Abraham Sternberg |
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Thoughts
Dear Journal,
Well, it’s John again. I’ve been here in the internment camp for a while waiting
and hoping that we’ll be able to leave soon. I’ve probably said that for the
last 10 entries, but the conditions are really bad and everyone’s treated horribly.
It’s really lonely here and I miss teaching all of my children at school so I’ve
started to read this book called The Day of the Locust. I actually really like it.
It’s about a man names Tod Hatchet who had moved to Hollywood because he wanted to be
a set designer. I was told by one of the other teachers at school that it wasn’t a
good book because it was upsetting to her, but when I started to read it I’ve sort of
dragged myself into it. So far, during my spare time, I’m either writing to you,
reading or spending time with Alison, my wife. I was thinking about the life that Tod had,
and in a way I’m glad I’m not him because besides the fact that he’s not
really successful at work, he also has a horrible love life. He had been in love with a
girl, Faye Greener, but it turned out that she didn’t like him the same way and
wanted to marry a successful businessman like Rockefeller. She acted superior to Tod
thinking that she was better than him because she was a successful actor, while in fact
she was only used as extras in movies. I’m actually confused about what the locust
signifies in to story because it’s used in the title so it must have some importance.
I’m happy Alison and I don’t have that kind of relationship. We got married
because we were both equally in love with each other. I do remember though, in eighth
grade I thought I was in love with this girl, Audrey Ina. We went out for a while, but for
some reason I realized love was different from what I suspected. I was just attracted to
her. By ninth grade we broke up and I later met Alison in college. Well it’s getting
dark and I want to read more of my book before I can’t see what I’m reading.
I’ll write to you tomorrow.
- John |
Quotes
My favorite parts in The Day of the Locust are when you see Faye acts very phony.
She thinks that she is a big time movie star, when in reality she is just an extra who is
living in a daydream. These events portray the phoniness of Hollywood, (and it’s
people) well. A good example of this phoniness is in the beginning of the story when the
main character, Tod, is at a movie with Faye. Faye drags him out to see a movie, which he
probably wouldn’t have seen if she didn’t, and watches the entire thing for one
so-called “climatic” moment. “She had only one line to speak “Oh,
Mr.Smith!” and spoke it badly.”(p.34). Faye had been talking the entire night to
Tod about her incredible part in the movie, but it was nothing special at all. She was
only an extra. Another part in the story that shows phoniness is when Faye’s father
is going door-to-door selling tonic and he gets lost at a man’s house. She shows up
at the house (looking for her father) and presents herself as a much more sophisticated
person than she really is. The man asks Faye “Do you like salmon salad?” She
replied by saying ””Salmon sal-ahde?”…“With plenty of mayonnaise,
huh? I adore it.” This is funny because she pretends to be so chic in the way she
talks. Words and phrases like saying salad as “sal-ahde”, and “I adore
it” are perfect examples of this. Faye presents herself as being at a higher level
than others, but she is the same as everyone else. As you can see these examples from the
book show how phony the people can be. They are stuck in a mindset where they are at a
higher level then others. I like these parts of the story because similar things happen in
our society. By putting Japanese into internment camps, it is just like saying “we
are better than you.” |
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| Characters
Dear Tod,
From The Day of the Locust you are the character I most relate to. The reason for this is
because I, as well as you, hate phony people. When reading about your experiences with
Faye Greener I completely understand the frustration you felt. I feel it too, very often
in fact. When she acted superior to you it was a completely false excuse considering the
fact, that she was not a Hollywood star but just an extra in movies. One of the biggest
problems I have with people is when they act like they are too good for you. This is
exactly what you faced in Hollywood, and exactly what I deal with everyday when people are
rude to me because I am Japanese American. Last week I was in a clothing store looking for
new pants to wear to school, when I walked in the man working there gave me a strange
look. When I asked for help, he responded by saying, “Are you sure you belong in
here? This is a very high quality, expensive store.” I stormed out, obviously not
buying anything. Are they any lesser then me? NO! I have more integrity then they will
ever have, and the same with you. Faye may think she is better then you, but she is just
an insecure person. Reading your experiences helped me realize that I am not the only
person who deals with being treated inferior.
Sincerely, Jon Abiko
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| Letter to a Friend
Dear Joe,
I am writing you to suggest to you that you read The Day of the Locust by Nathaniel
West. I really liked this book it was a literary masterpiece. I found this book very
interesting because it told the untold part of Hollywood. This book tells about the dark
side of Hollywood and how it is not the dreamland that everyone thinks it is. Tod the main
character in the book is an aspiring set designer who is trying to find a job in Hollywood
at Paramount Productions. Tod lives in an apartment housing where very strange people
live, such as a midget and an actress who Tod starts to like. At the beginning the actress
starts to use Tod, but then starts to distance herself. She is a strange woman and it
appears that Tod is only attracted to her because of her looks. This book details the
struggles that Tod went through in trying to achieve his dream of being a set designer. As
an English teacher I am able to fully appreciate this literary masterpiece. This book has
many qualities that make it effective. Symbolism is often used in the story. West is able
to tell about Hollywood using the actions of a single character; Faye Greener is a stuck
up and self-absorbed person. She thinks that she is a Hollywood star even though she was
just an extra, having a role that lasted for a few seconds. West wants people to know that
most people in Hollywood are like Faye. People think that they are the best actor/actress
and that they are important in the movies they are in even if they are not and have very
minor roles. West also uses mood to make the story much stronger. The book makes you feel
sad because of the hardships that Tod goes through in the book. It also makes you angry
with the people that hurt Tod along the way such as Faye, and Homer in a way for taking
Faye away from Tod. The book also has a distinctive tone that it is written in. The tone
that the book is written in is gloomy and sad. These characteristics of this book make the
book very interesting.
I seriously suggest that you pick up The Day of the Locust on your next trip to
the library. It is a stimulating book that I enjoyed and am sure that you will. I hope to
see you soon after I get out of this horrible detention center.
Yours Truly, John |
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Thoughts
Dear Journal,
I just read the book, "the Moon is Down," by John Steinbeck. It was a very
interesting book for me to read because it deals with the war effort from the perspective
of a small town. The book dealt with the events, effects, and tragedies of war on the
soldiers invading the town and the people and citizens they were conquering. I had the
opportunity to fly in the war effort, but never was I able to view the war and it's events
as a citizen, fighting for one's life or as a soldier, servicing himself or herself on the
battlefield. Although I did fly these soldiers from one place to another never did I
experience the combat these soldiers underwent for their country. I was always curious and
interested in the experience of the soldiers as they conquered or invaded a town. What
interested me even more were the people of the town. Their experience was a very
enlightening one for me because I never understood the harsh reality of being invaded in
the war or experiencing the war from a citizen's perspective. It was interesting to see
how the people reacted when they were invaded and how they fought for their lives. One
question I was left with was why the book was entitled, "The Moon is Down." One
thought I had was that the moon never goes down, but I don't understand how this relates
to the events of the book. Overall I liked this book because it was a very insightful and
enlightening book to read.
Sincerely, Marie |
Quotes
The Moon is Down, by John Steinbeck is a fascinating novel about World War Two,
and invasion of a small town. This little town is invaded because of betrayal of a local
townsperson. This novel is the story of a little town, trying to survive after being
conquered in World War II. This book was really interesting, and anybody involved in the
war, or interested in learning more about the war, should read this book. One of my
favorite quotes from this book was, "Yes, “said the Mayor, "the one
impossible job in the world, the one thing that can't be done." "And that
is?" "To break a man's spirit permanently." I liked this quote a lot,
because I can kind of relate to it. It's saying that no matter how hard you try, the one
thing in the world that can't be done is to kill a person's spirit. We've done so much
here at the base, for so little recognition, however I know in my heart what I did for
this country, and no matter how hard the media, or the male military, or whoever else,
tries they won't bring my spirit down. I hope this is the same for you girls as well. The
WASP program was such a great breakthrough, but to our dismay, we haven't received much
credit. It's a shame, but we will always carry this experience with us for the rest of our
lives, knowing what we did, and keeping our spirits up. When I read this quote it stood
out to me, I read it over and over again, until I had finally realized, this was my quote!
This quote also relates to the story. This little town is being conquered in the war. They
haven't been conquered for many years, so many of the townspeople don't know what it's
like. They're dealing with this change fairly well. I believe, as well, no matter how hard
the enemy tries, this little town won't give in to them. The soldiers think, well, they
don't know what's going on so they'll cooperate. But these people aren't stupid, their
spirits are going to stay strong and not give in to the enemy. This book is excellent, and
a great read. |
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Characters
Dear Journal,
I just finished reading The Moon is Down. The character I can remember the most was the
Mayor of the little town. His little town was being invaded by this huge German army, and
he was responsible for getting his town together, and making an attempt at defending his
town. I liked the mayor the most because he had to keep the town together, and keep their
spirits up. I have to do this at the base. We don't get very much recognition for the duty
that we do, and I usually find myself keeping the girls together, and keeping their
spirits up. The mayor's job is defending his town, and should he fail, all these people's
hopes and dreams are shot. I have to keep the girls' spirits up, all their hopes and
dreams are resting on us staying strong during this time at the base. I really liked the
mayor, because was very rational about the invasion, and kept them all together. I hope,
should I be placed in a situation like that, I could come through and keep everybody
together. Sincerely, Marie
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Letter to a Friend
Dear Lucy,
I just got back from Michael’s funeral and I thought I would write you to tell you
that I finally finished reading The Moon is Down, by John Steinbeck and it is marvelous. I
enjoyed the storyline and it fulfilled most of the qualities that I enjoy in a good book.
The story takes place in a small Norwegian town during World War II. A citizen of the town
helps with the invasion of the Germans. The Germans want to use the inhabitants of the
town to continue getting coal out of the mines. The mayor tries to do everything in his
power to retain control and to finish business with the Germans without a lot of trouble.
The mayor was unable to keep complete control and soon townspeople are taken prisoner and
bombs were dropped all day and all night. This storyline was easy to relate to since we
are in the middle of the war. Although I’m not in a town that is under siege, I can
still tell how those people feel. I understand their feelings of panic and terror. I
enjoyed reading this book because it gave me a sense of what is going on outside of our
base. But, to think that this possibly happened while we were flying on our base is a
little scary. I also liked this book because it had certain qualities that I enjoy seeing
in a book. Steinbeck was very descriptive with his words. The way that he depicted the
story was amazing. I felt as if I had been in that town, and been under that invasion. I
felt the characters fright. I find it astounding that Steinbeck was able to represent the
situation so well. He did a marvelous job of capturing certain aspects, such as the spite
from the Norwegians towards the German solders. Steinbeck included qualities of a good
book in The Moon is Down. He was very graphic, he made the text seem real and I was able
to relate to the war storyline. I think you would thoroughly enjoy this book and I advise
you to read it. I’ll see you when I return to the base even though I will probably
see you before this letter does.
Sincerely, Marie |
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Thoughts
Quotes
Pale Horse Pale Rider—Old Mortality “A hundred dollars is just something you
put in the bank.” This quote is very important because the family’s financial
status is very bad at the moment. When Maria won a hundred dollars in a horse race. She
had some childhood fantasies about what she could buy. Her father said that she
couldn’t buy anything and that they had to put the money in the bank. After Amy died
everyone’s lives went downhill, including their financial status. Life became
depressing but Amy was still remembered. This connects to me because she too had to handle
her money carefully and deal with the loss of loved ones. During war times I had bad news
about another loved ones death on a weekly basis. Money was tight for me because my
husband was at war. I worked hard long hours at the factory to help support my family. I
miss my husband just like Miranda misses her father. “I haven’t seen him for
nearly a year.” This quote is important because its very hard to be away from someone
you love for a long time. I can connect to this quote because my husband is gone at war.
Both Miranda and I haven’t seen our loved ones and miss them everyday. These two
quotes relate to each other because once my husband left for the war, she had to save
money and work at a mans job just to take care of her two kids. These two quotes relate to
the theme of this book because they both describe the struggles that people have during
hard times. Whether it is war times or a death in the family or financial problems, these
quotes prove that people will move on.
Characters
Letter to a Friend
Thoughts
Quotes
Characters
Book Response from Jill(12-22)
Dear George, I just read the book Pale Horse, Pale Rider. It was a good book with a lot
of detail. The book focused on Miranda’s views during the events that happened. For
example, when Miranda went to her Cousin Eva’s house, Miranda was trying to figure
out the story behind Amy’s death. Eva made many analogies when she was talking to
Miranda such as when she said Amy was as sweet as a honeycomb. Eva went into great detail
like how Amy would hold her chin up when she danced. The book had three short stories in
it. One of the characters in the book reminded of myself, her name was Miranda. She was
one of the main characters in the short story called “Old Mortality.” This short
story was about two girls, Miranda and Maria who were trying to figure out the story
behind the beautiful aunt Amy’s death. Even though Miranda was only eight years old
her personality and spirit reminded me of my own. In the story, Miranda kept trying to
achieve her goal to find the story of her aunt Amy’s death. Although she never
succeeded, she didn’t give up. That reminded me of myself because I trying very hard
to keep supporting the family and I won’t give up. When I began working I thought
that it was a big change from being a housewife. I even thought I might not be able to
keep my job because it was very hard. I had a lot of work to do that I thought only men
could and should be able to do, but I never gave up. I knew that if I quit my job our
family would perish because we wouldn’t have enough money to live off of. I
definitely don’t think I will fail in supporting our family, but it has been pretty
hard lately, working, and taking care of the children. I miss you so much and I hope you
are doing okay. Maybe I will send you a copy of the book to read, if you have time. Write
back soon!
Love Always, Jill
Letter to a Friend
Thoughts
Abraham’s Journal: Dear Journal, Today I finished the book The Moon is Down by
John Steinbeck. The book was very good. The only thing I didn’t like about the book
was the ending. It was very abrupt and I really didn’t enjoy it. In the beginning of
the fighting was very passive but there was some resistance. But as the book progressed,
so did the fighting. The town began not to listen to the soldiers and then they just
plainly ignored the soldiers. Then some organized fighting broke out, which was followed
by attacks with dynamite. The progression of the fighting, is an example of the books
them, never give up. Throughout the book, the town’s people did not once give up all
hope. The characters in the book were very realistic and while reading the book. The
story’s main character was the Mayor, and the book talked about how he dealt with
issues concerning his town. Mayor Orden was a very courageous man because he stood up to
the Nazis. The Mayor refused to listen to the soldiers and in the end, he realized that he
would have to sacrifice his life to save the town. I would do the same to save my parents.
I understand how the Mayor felt. He didn’t want to die but he knew that he would have
too. This book really reminded me of my parents and their oppression in Poland. It made me
think about the past and the future all at once and what would happen to me after the war.
When I thought about life after the war I became scared because I imagined that I would
not be with my family. The book also made me think about all the people in Europe and how
they dealt with the war. Not just the Jews are affected by this war. Not one person was
Jewish in that town. The Nazi’s are cruel and vicious and they must be stopped. The
Nazi’s prove their reputation in the book when they kill innocent people that
don’t want to have anything to do with the war.
Quotes
A review of The Moon is Down By: Abraham Sternberg The Moon is Down written by John
Steinbeck, is a really great book. It follows the lives of some people in a town that is
taken over by the Nazi. The Mayor is addressing the Nazis. This quote is important to the
story because this is the first time the Mayor even remotely stands up to the Nazis.
“If you think that by killing men you can prevent someone from censuring your evil
lives, you are mistaken.” He says this only loud enough for the Nazis to hear. The
Mayor is implying that the Nazis only kill to hide. They kill to intimidate when really
all they are doing is hiding behind their guns. The Nazis hide behind their guns because
they know if they don’t they will lose this war. … Annie is mad that the Nazis
are killing the people who live in the town for no reason. Annie wants to do something
about it. This quote expresses Annie’s anger towards the soldiers. “Well, there,
you see! If they hurt Alex people are going to me mad and I’m going to be mad. I
won’t stand for it.” “What will you do?” Joseph asked her. “Why,
I’ll kill some of them myself,” said Annie. “And then they’ll shoot
you” said Joseph. “Let them! I tell you, Joseph, things can go too far-tramping
in and out all hours of the night, shooting people.” She has lost her husband too the
Nazis and she wants revenge. This pertains too another theme in the book, revenge.
Everyone wants revenge on the Nazis, which is what caused the uprisings within the town.
Annie has every right to rebel and so does everyone in the town. No one else should die by
the hands of the Nazis the town has suffered enough. Just like in Europe, people are being
killed, and this killing must stop. This book says that America has to defeat the Nazis no
matter what. We must stop the killing every where and prevent this from happening again.
Characters
Dear Mr. and Mrs.Kubales, I just finished a book that relates to your situation in
France. First, I wanted to thank you for all your efforts to help my parents. When I
started reading the book, “The Moon is Down,” one character stood out. At first
I did not know why but then I realized that the character was both of you rolled into one.
The character in the book, Molly, hides two men that are wanted by the Nazis in her house.
She is very courageous and she stands up for what she believes in. I recommend that you
read this book because it will make you understand fully how important your role in my
parent’s life was. Doctor Winter is another character in the book. He doesn’t
have a lot of authority but he is friends with people that have authority. He is very
smart and he always tries to do the reasonable thing. I believe that the Doctor is very
much like me. I don’t have much authority at the American Jewish Congress but I am
friends with someone on the Congress. Also, at the synagogue, I am friends with the rabbi,
a person that is looked up to by everyone who belongs to the temple. I believe that I am a
very smart and reasonable person just like Doctor Winter. The only difference between us
is that people listen to him. Here in America, no one listens to me. I try very hard to be
listened to, but I am just a lonely janitor. I am one person in an entire city with
hundreds of thousands of people. I wish I could be more like the Mayor because I want to
be in charge. Not once in my life have I ever had a commanding role in this world. I want
people to look up to me and I want people to listen to me. I wish, just once, someone here
in America would listen to what I think. When I read this book, it reminded me of my
parents. My parents were killed by the Nazis, and I want revenge. I hate every single Nazi
and what they stand for. In the book, people friends and family were killed so they
started to revolt. One man even killed a Nazi with a picking ax. I understand what the
characters in the book were thinking, because I was thinking the same thing. Thank you
again for all your efforts. Sincerely, Abraham Sternberg
Letter to a Friend
Dear Rabbi, I just finished a book that I think you will enjoy. The book is called
“The Moon is Down” by John Steinbeck. The book was truly amazing, and Steinbeck
is a brilliant author. Steinbeck’s work is so realistic and it seems as if you are
actually in the story. The reason I am recommending this book to you is because the book
made me realize that Jews are not the only people in danger of losing their lives. The
Nazis are killing everyone in Europe and it must be stopped. Everyone in Europe should try
to rebel but the Nazis are too powerful. The book also reminded me of my parents. My
parents were killed by the Nazis. This book made me realize that I was not the only one
who lost family in the war. Everyone, one way or another, suffered because of this war. In
the book, the people who live in the town revolt against the Nazis. The story is very
uplifting and it gives you hope through this war that we will prevail and finally end this
thing. Please read this book, I know that you will enjoy it very much. Sincerely, Abraham
Sternberg