Michelle’s Weblog

setting is a major part of any story. reading a story set in the future of your own country should be read differently than reading a story set in the past of another foreign country. knowing the setting helps you come up with a better picture in your mind as you read. the setting for elic is mostly on the 5th floor of an apartment near cental park in new york. we learn that oskars grandma lives in the building right next to his on the 3rd floor. this part of the story takes place during september 11 2001. then there are these strange flash backs that seem to be letters written to an unborn child in the year of 1963. the setting in this story means a lot because the main character is reflecting on his fathers death during 9.11. in new york.

there was almost an immediate gap i noticed in the first chapter of extremely loud and incredibly close. the writer all of a sudden brings up his first and last class of jujitsu. i had heard of jujitsu but did not know what it was as i kept reading i finally got an understanding of what jujitsu is but still do not have complete knowledge of it. this is one of those gaps we talked about in class. I haven’t really hit any borders but the chapter that seems to have been written in 1963 left me with plenty of questions and a little in the dark about the situation. who is the writer, thomas? why can’t he talk anymore? who is the child who that he is writing to? how does this story pertain to the rest of the book?

i’ve done my fair share of reading in my life and from these experiences i have found what works and what doesn’t work for me as an active reader. some people can read with the tv on, like my roommate for instance. however, i am NOT one of these people. i need to have complete silence. and if i go to the living room to read, i have to be the only person in there…. i get distracted if someone else is where i am when i read even if they are far away and not talking to me. when i read a book i like to be completely engulfed in it. another thing i have notice about the conditions in which i study is that if the room temperature is hot or even just warm, i find myself dozing off. the warmth makes me want to go to sleep. so i ususally need a cool, calm, distractionless room to be my best active reader.

i see a lot of blogs about politics, and i am not much of a politics person…. so none of these will be political blogs.

http://philhughes.wordpress.com/2008/01/20/good-show/

the first blog that caught my attention was about country music, so i clicked further. then i was dissappointed to see it was only 5 short sentences with a picture of george strait. i was interested to read the persons experience but didn’t end up getting their full opinion.

http://webworkerdaily.com/2008/01/21/recession-proof-your-career/

this is a helpful blog that tells you how to improve your online persona. it also tells you that having a blog boosts social capital. it actually tells you to create a blog or online profile. the background helps with the theme of the blog. the colors are very neutral and gives it a very professional vibe.

http://wasteyourtimehere.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/its-all-about-the-men-babe/

this is a feminists page. i found this one to be the most interesting of the three blogs that i analyzed. i’m not a fan of the way the person approached the issue it seemed that she was trying to pick a fight. i agree that people should not be rude in comments but everyone is entitled to their opinion. if she doesn’t want people to express their own opinion she should not give them something to express their opinion about. i myself am a feminist to an extent, i believe women can do everything men can do. i know there are people who think otherwise and they are entitled to that opinion.

This story was definitely not what I was expecting… I was expecting a fearless, adrenalin boosting story. In the end when neither the main characters nor the experienced climbers are able to conquer the Eiger I find myself dissappointed. I understand the risk that is taken, and I see that a lot of risks need to be throught through with a plan before they are taken. The narrator, Jon, seems to be the type of risk taker I am. He likes to take risks but knows when enough is enough. He noticed the conditions were harsh and knew he was not that skilled of a climber (and we aren’t talking about the risk of trying a new food or telling that special someone you like them. We are talking about climbing a 6000 foot vertical wall). Jon’s friend is the type of risk taker who hates backing down and giving up. Sometimes it is hard to give up or to fail, but in every risk you take you cannot have success every time.