ATONEMENT

I. Introduction

• Title: Atonement
• Author: Ian McEwan
• Type of Book: Fiction, however, some facts stated in the story are real

II. Characters

• Main Character:

• Briony Tallis- a thirteen year old girl; innocent child who aspires to be a writer and started making plays for her cousins; she is confused with what’s reality in comparison to what is she imagining
• I can relate to the character in a way that I have also dreams of becoming a writer someday and when you have the desire to write, you tend to lose the ability to distinguish what is real and what is just made by your imagination. Aside from that, I am imperfect like anybody else and like the character in the story, I made my own stand to eradicate the error I have made by appropriating the correct actions.

• Supporting Characters:

• Robbie Turner – son of Mrs. Turner, who grew up with Leon, Briony and Cecilia. He also goes to Cambridge University with Ceciliaending up falling in love with each other.
• Cecilia Tallis – has fallen in love with her childhood friend, Robbie Turner. She is the middle child of the Tallis family. She has almost never kept contact with her family again after becoming upset with what happened between her and Robbie. III. Setting

• The story happened before and after the World War II up to year 1999 which involves the England’s countryside, Tallis’ Estate at the Surrey Hills in England.
• The setting gives me a preview of how life goes years back, especially in the time of World War. I am able to appreciate the simplicity of life yet the complexity of the emotions involved- for short, what children undergo as they face maturity are still being experienced by the people now. I also felt like I have been to England too.

IV. Plot:

• Briony wrote a play to be played by her cousins.
• When her two little twin cousins were lost, her cousin Lola got raped and sister Cecile and Robbie made love- everything goes out of control for Briony.
• Because of Briony’s misinterpretation, she accused Robbie of raping Lola.
• Robbie was then sent to prison for three years and when he was released he was still to join the British army.
• He had last meetings with Cecilia for half an hour before he departed.
• Cecilia became a nurse, Robbie suffered a bad wound from the war and wanted to meet her again.
• Briony then, understand the past mistake she made.
• At age 77 Briony finished her novel, but changing the ending to Robbie and Cecilia living together happily which is in contrast with what’s real,

V Theme

• What is the author trying to say in this story? Is there a moral to this story?
• I think what the author is trying to tell me as I am reading the story is that not all mistakes can put our life to misery for infinity. Mistakes always bring corrections, and these corrections provide moral lessons that in the future, when you face the same situation, you won’t be mistaken anymore.
• What I learned from this story?
• Since I can also see myself in the story, being a person who also committed a number of iniquities, I learned to grow up from those mistakes and do something. I also learned the importance of social relationships or my relationship with the people around me, specially those people I love and care for. I also found out the true value of forgiveness, that it is not just merely saying it, but feeling it by heart.
• State a problem in the story. How was it solved?
• One main problem in the story is Briony’s battling thoughts. I can tell that her immaturity leads her to make the wrong decisions as well as act something out of what she feels she must do at the moment and not as to what should be done. This problem, however, was solved when she herself realized the mistake she has made although it took her a span of time to meditate on her error. Briony was also able to stand up from her mistake of the past and do something true for herself too.

VI Evaluation of the Book

· The story involved real stories and scenarios. First, the confusing emotions which teenagers undergo were present and the characters in the story are of no exemption to this change. Second, the inborn imperfection of human. We give decisions which we consciously or subconsciously know that are wrong, only we still continue doing it. Third, the gift of forgiveness. Sometimes, what we thought is for us is not really for us. We may dream our own prince charmings, but we don’t know who will end up having our hand. Not all stories have happy endings, but it would be better to know that the conflict is resolved by the end of the story and that love has maintained its position, after all.

BOOK REPORT ENGLISH 11

I. Introduction/General Information about the Book

• Title: The Catcher in the Rye

• Author: Jerome David Salinger

• Type of Book: Humor, Non-fiction

II. Characters

Main Character: Holden Caulfield

• Holden, the main character, is a sixteen-year-old junior that has just been expelled from his school, Pencey Prep. He acts as a critic of the society, stating the ugliness of the world that surrounds him. An immature guy who knows nothing about choosing the right decisions, his life is filled with misery as he is uncomfortable with his own weaknesses. Despite that, he loves his younger sister, Phoebe. In the end part of the story, we see a complete twist in relation to Holden’s life.

• I can relate to the character in a way that, at some points also in my life, I am driven by my weaknesses and therefore I can’t fully appreciate the beauty of the world that I’m living in. Like Holden, I also tend to be immature especially in dealing with my correct actions. And in the end, I see myself being optimistic with what the future will bring because I have encountered God (whom I can equate to Phoebe Caulfield in Holden’s case) who accepts me for who I really am.

Supporting Characters:

• Robert Ackley is Holden’s neighbour in his dorm. He is an insecure boy having dental problems and bad hygiene. He is this guy Holden doesn’t like but turns out to be the companion left for him in the dorm.

• Phoebe Caulfield is Holden’s 10-year-old sister who is loved dearly by Holden. At times when Holden was in crises and filled with worries, he was longing for his sister’s grins and listening. She corrects Holden and although she’s still ten, she is mature enough to know Holden’s moods and thoughts.

• Jane Gallagher is Holden’s almost girlfriend. Holden has known this girl since he was young and had celebrated Friday Nights with her. But when Jane got out with Stradlater, Holden became more worried knowing how phony Stradlater is, or at least how phony Holden thinks Stradlater is.

• Sally Hayes is attractive but shallow. Holden is bothered in thinking that the world is full of Sally Hayes when in fact she is a social climber and thinks that she is a hot stuff (according to Holden). But anyway, Holden has a picture of Sally in his room.

III. Setting

The story happened in 1950s and Holden Caulfield, the main character himself, was the narrator of the story. Although he didn’t mention where the story took place, we can say that the story started when he was still in Pencey Prep, his school. However, majority of the story happened in the various parts of New York City. Aside from knowing more about the protagonist’s character through his hometown, I was also exposed to the different parts of the city and felt like I have been there because I was given a slight preview of how life goes in their city.

IV. Plot

• Holden Caulfield was again expelled in his school, Pencey Prep, the third school he flunked, after failing four out of five classes.
• He was to return home to Manhattan by next Wednesday but he goes to Manhattan anyway so that he is three days early before his actual date of going home, stays in a hotel and not inform his parents that is home.
• Holden spends the next three days wandering in the New York City- going to cheap bars and night clubs.
• After being with other people Holden used to be friends with, he found that he had no one else left to relate to but his sister.
• Holden sneaks to his parents’ apartment and tells his sister about his dream to be the “catcher in the rye” and that he wants to go away.
• He met with his former teacher Mr. Antolini and had a good conversation with him.
• He met with his sister who has decided to run away with him and not go to school again.
• Seeing himself in his sister, he decided to go back to his parents.
• In the later part, Holden was sent to the mental hospital for treatment.

V. Theme

• The novel emphasized on self-discovery. Since Holden is trapped in his own weaknesses, he tends to be insecure and unappreciative on the things that he already has, we see that there is a need to discover his own self for him to understand the main reason of his existence. Another, he can only uncover himself through human relationships, which, Holden is weak at.

• The story revealed to me the significance of socialization. As what we have tackled in our Sociology Class, a being that is secluded will be isolated also from development because in building relationships with others we learn to adjust, blend in and learn as well.

State a problem in the story and how it was solved

One of the problems stated in the story was Holden’s dissatisfaction, thus, unhappiness. Since he never felt good about his weaknesses and he lacked to know himself, he was never really happy. This problem was solved with the help of his sister, Phoebe. We can read in the end parts of the story that Holden’s change in perspective (from pessimism to optimism) began when he took his sister to a ride in the carousel after knowing that Phoebe has forgiven him. When Phoebe was spinning in the carousel, he saw how beautiful she is and even cried. He missed everybody.

VI. Evaluation of the Book

Reading the book meant like seeing the world in a different view because in the first place, this type of book is not my cup of tea. But it gave me the idea to look beyond the bad words used in the story (which I’m not that exposed to), and instead look at a guy with different personality and see how his life goes. This is a challenging book to read because I believe sometime in our lives, we also have the kind of thoughts Holden Caulfield had, only, we didn’t convey them to the public. I also like it when Holden said “Life is being in a game and all, and how you should play it according to the rules,” because indeed, life is but a game and we just have to be wise enough to play it right by abiding in the rules. We have to grow up and become mature because the calendar tells us we won’t be forever sixteen.

every 9th of August brings a romantic breeze:)

everyone celebrates his or her own date of birth just like you are celebrating yours and i'm celebrating mine. but tomorrow (August 9th) will just make a huge difference. why? well maybe because it's his day. <3

hey, stop. don't think of anymore remarks or wrong instincts. LOL

anyways, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Dee :)

the whole world has been pretty COOL and SERENE since you decided to step in:)

i'm pretty sure you won't be able to read my blablaas here, so that's why i'm speaking out my thoughts here, in that way you won't be able to laugh at them all. HAHA

soooooo. Mother Earth is still fine, Digos is still Digos and Davao is still Davao. Must i include Marbel is still Marbel? ROFL. College life has been arduous yet amazing, you'd be thinking more and more about your future, picturing out yourself as an engineer or what and knowing that the road will never be that narrow or too lax.

i'm racing with my thoughts right now because i'm feeling both passionate and tired to write. ANO DAAAW? LOL :)))

moreover, CHURCH has been GREAT. i had a lovely time with the LORD, fun time with my CHURCHMATES and had discovered a new system of election: APPOINTING.

haha.

and with this, i'm ending my worthless post, saying TOODLES to the world. :)

hello mr. moonlight. :)

inalei

goodbye PRELIMS, hello MIDTERMS ;)

whoooaaaa. hello my fancy world. browsing on my high school blablas just make me laugh at myself. i really can't imagine i have said much and oh, felt those kind of things.

anyway, i'm two-thirds down to the first semester! time flies so FAST, doesn't it?

and, to think that prelims have just ended, i'm thinking how much time is left for me until i can say HELLO 2ND YEAR Ina. lol.

a lot of things have taken place this year. a lot of changes, a lot of experiences, a lot of things learned, and a lot of things to learn about. take note: A LOT.

where will i start? well, let me start HERE. haha.

June: i had spent my first week of school in my aunt's house in Puan, which is about 30 minutes from school. and when i returned home in Digos by Saturday, i was soooooo TIRED. ROFL. so the week after that, i moved to a boarding house 8-10 minutes from the school. i had to do a lot of adjusting, a lot of independent things, again- A LOT.

July: we had our prelims, and i was kinda shocked thinking that in High School, our first examination takes place in August and i have to study CHAPTERS of lessons. on the 27th, Jois was officially sweeeeeet sixteen. and i, officially LOST my phone. cooool. haha XD

now, i'm HOME. weeew.

GOD has been completely giving me EVERYTHING i want and need. HE is so GOOD, and i can't wait to lead our church service tomorrow. :))

toodles.

stay BLESSED :)

love love love,

inalei ^^

COLLEGE breeze. :)

got it. i really am going to college on the 7th of June, 2010.

a LOT of things have happened after my few posts here, things have really really changed and it kinda makes me laugh how i am used to be consumed with my extra-exaggerated emotions for such small matters. anyways, i'm a college student in no time. sooo, hello MORE MATURED me. (like when will i become matured anyway? LOL).

today is a cloudy day. i got nothing left to do but to have tiptaps on the keyboard and whoalaaa! another write up. lol. it's amazing how God changes lives, and how my God turned my whole world upside down. oyeaaa. this year's MVBYF Camp at Mt. Carmel surely helped a lot. after i was able to actually worship lead about 500 youths in that camp, i was then totally consumed with the newborn fire in my heart- passion for GOD!

my life has been in ups and downs these days, a lot of problems are on the way- good thing we learned to evade them all. temptations are all around the corners. but of course, people who make you happy and inspire you best still and do exist. this summer has been filled with laughs, happy moments, and yeaaaaa. kilig moments too, lol!

oh bother. haha. :D call me anything or what, but CRUSH and ADMIRATION both exist in my life nowadays. who doesn't want a Drummer, Bassist, Rhythm Guitarist, Worship Leader and an active Youth for an inspiration anyway? HAHAHA. the best part though was when EVERYONE knows it. even my mom, sister, cousins, friends and YOU, because you have read this too.

so, here i go again. blending in to the environment i am in, whether happy or grey, i am excited to meet them all the way.

but if there is one thing i am busy of at this moment, that is saving up for my college life! being enrolled is not a guarantee that you can actually finish your degree up to your 4th year (5th in my case), sooooo, i'd better use my cents right. save up for my FUTURE! but oh well, i'm not that BOTHERED about it because GOD is in CONTROL, plus, HE IS A RICH GOD. AMEN! :D

geez. i have talked much. i'm still wondering what my friends and former classmates will look like in the future. like who'll become a doctor, nurse and engineer in the near tomorrow? but hey, let's see where GOD will take us. so buckle your seat belts peers!

i'll be posting again soon. i missed blabbing around. ^^

on JUNE 7, 2010, Ina Lei Relatado will officially be a College Student with the course of BS Chemical Engineering.

thank YOU LORD. :)

toodles

GOOSEBUMPS.

tell me this isn't real.
lalalalalalala.

my mind is FILLED with BLABLAS right now, and so i'm making this blog as succinct as i can.

SPACE for rent!

let's just put it this way,
i'll just be here whether YOU NEED me or NOT,
because i hold on to what i have said and what i'll still be saying
" i just wanna be with you,... even if we're miles apart.."

so are you confused?
now we BOTH feel the same way.
if you're having breakdowns because of what happened few minutes ago,
then i'm having the irony of what you feel.

YOU'RE GIVING ME REASONS TO LOVE TOMORROW and of course, like what i have said many times this day, i'd live tomorrow to the FULLEST. full blast..

let's just see what the future's gonna do with us.
but for sure, this isn't fantasy.

TOODLES.

RAWR,
inalei

almost there.

i'm ABOUT to give up.

ABOUT but still NOT THERE.

why? what are you waiting for?

do you want me to be torn down pieces to pieces first before you'd TRY to talk to me and patch things up?

i miss you. i KNOW. you'd laugh at me like you're disgusted or what,

but SERIOUSLY, i AM SERIOUS.

sometimes, it's a pain when not-so-serious people TRY to be SERIOUS because everyone won't be believing you anymore.

and now, i'm left with no choice.

FACING things by myself, trying not to speak too much. ABSORBING the pain.

but why?
all i ever wanted was to BE WITH YOU. YOU, YOU, YOU.

is it that HARD to be with me? am i that HARD to be with? haaaay. :((

i miss you. SUPERRR.

i have been FREQUENTLY glancing at the calendar trying to compute how much time is left for me. i KNOW.

life will NEVER be the same AGAIN, that's a fact.

remember when you told me i'll find someone else LIKE YOU in the future?

and i still say what i said that time:

there's no one else LIKE YOU.

NO ONE. take note of that.

haaaay.

TOODLES.

inalei