Monday, December 18, 2006

The Chocolate War


In my quest to read the classics, I chose to read the Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Foolishly, I was thinking that it might be about chocolate, and in a way, it is. The story takes place at a boy's high school during the 1950's and focuses on the themes of tolerance, acceptance, and being true to your self. The main character refuses to participate in the annual school chocolate sale. By the end, many of the students and faculty have turned against the boy, and the story is about the struggle he faces and how these struggles mirror real life.

The Great Gatsby

In the fall, my daughter brought home a list of classic literature from her English class. As I was looking it over, I found that I hadn't read many of the books, so I decided to tackle some of the books on the list. Unfortunately, my reading time is limited, so I have resorted to books on CD.

Currently I am in the process of listening to The Great Gatsby. My daughter had selected it for her English project, started reading, then decided it was not for her. I will agree that the first part starts off a little slow, but I am enjoying it. The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, uses flower language, which I am sure Emily found difficult.

The story is set in New York during the roaring 20's. Gatsby, the main character, is young, rich, and moody. I do not know a lot about the history of the time period, but it seems that the story is about the high riches and low morals of the young adults of the era. It was during a time when the industrial revolution was occurring and the country was shifting from an agricultural era. The characters seem to have money, time on their hands and are enjoying living the good life. Sounds like fun, until their choices eventually catch up with them.

This is not a book I would normally read, but I enjoyed it, especially the descriptive language.