Camille Franchine
May 18, 2009
Mr. Fiorini
English 3
Becoming Attached
Chapters seven through twelve of this book shows a progression in how much Steve is starting to care about Nathaniel. The connection between the two goes beyond work for the newspaper. Although he is not completely missing out on time with his family, Steve is beginning to spend all of his time either with Nathaniel, or worrying about Nathaniel.
Steve began to really care when he spent the night with Nathaniel on the street. He wanted to go to see what was so great about where he lived that he didn’t want to go to lamp, however this action pulled the trigger and got Steve completely hooked on Nathaniel. He then starts to book him shows and Nathaniel starts to get a little famous.
Nathaniel, however, doesn’t like his fame. He doesn’t like all of the attention. He prefers to play on the street on his own time. He doesn’t like to get all dressed up. He doesn’t like to be watched so closely or analyzed while playing. He also doesn’t want any medical help for his condition. He tries to avoid talking to doctors.
Steve grows worried when the city decides to “help” homeless people, especially ones with mental conditions. He knows that the people will try to help Nathaniel but he also knows that Nathaniel will not want to be helped and will put up a fight. He doesn’t want this to happen and grows worried. He also adds suspense to the book.
Steve wonders why he is so intrigued by Nathaniel. I think that it’s because although Nathaniel has a mental condition and is simple minded, he’s still very independent and an excellent musician. He’s not really close to anybody and subconsciously, Steve wants to be the one person that Nathaniel opens up to and really trusts. Steve has probably never met a person like Nathaniel and wants to learn as much as he can about him, like the way he thinks and feels about just about everything and how he sees the world. He also may feel obligated to stay with him since he took him this far already and he doesn’t want to give up now. Either way, Nathaniel is a very interesting character.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Soloist 1-6
Camille Franchine
May 8, 2009
Mr. Fiorini
English 3
The Soloist
Chapters 1-6 of the Soloists are a great introduction to the rest of the story. Steve sets up how he first saw Nathaniel and how his interest in him was sparked. It shows how his interest continued and how he became more and more attached to him.
Steve Lopez is a writer for the newspaper who lives in New York. One day he comes across a homeless man who is playing a violin with only two strings. He immediately thinks that this man would make a great story for the newspaper. He talks to the man and finds out that his name is Nathaniel, and is a former Julliard student and has a mental disability. He contacts the man’s sister and a former teacher to find out how he got where he was.
After writing his first article about Nathaniel, he finds out that this story is a hit. People call Steve to ask about Nathaniel and other people wish to send Nathaniel new instruments. Since Steve wants to get Nathaniel to eventually live in this homeless shelter, he tells him that the only way to get his instruments is to go there and Nathaniel eventually goes to play them. It will, however, take ore time to get him to sleep there.
The two talk more each day and Steve starts to want to talk to Nathaniel simply for the joy of talking to him, although he still cares about his story. Steve goes to a mental institution to find out more about Nathaniel’s mental disability and if there is anyway to treat him. The doctor tells him that treatment doesn’t always work and there are so many people with the same condition, schizophrenia.
May 8, 2009
Mr. Fiorini
English 3
The Soloist
Chapters 1-6 of the Soloists are a great introduction to the rest of the story. Steve sets up how he first saw Nathaniel and how his interest in him was sparked. It shows how his interest continued and how he became more and more attached to him.
Steve Lopez is a writer for the newspaper who lives in New York. One day he comes across a homeless man who is playing a violin with only two strings. He immediately thinks that this man would make a great story for the newspaper. He talks to the man and finds out that his name is Nathaniel, and is a former Julliard student and has a mental disability. He contacts the man’s sister and a former teacher to find out how he got where he was.
After writing his first article about Nathaniel, he finds out that this story is a hit. People call Steve to ask about Nathaniel and other people wish to send Nathaniel new instruments. Since Steve wants to get Nathaniel to eventually live in this homeless shelter, he tells him that the only way to get his instruments is to go there and Nathaniel eventually goes to play them. It will, however, take ore time to get him to sleep there.
The two talk more each day and Steve starts to want to talk to Nathaniel simply for the joy of talking to him, although he still cares about his story. Steve goes to a mental institution to find out more about Nathaniel’s mental disability and if there is anyway to treat him. The doctor tells him that treatment doesn’t always work and there are so many people with the same condition, schizophrenia.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Catcher in the Rye
Camille Franchine
May 3, 2009
English 3
Mr. Fiorini
The Catcher in the Rye
“The Catcher in the Rye” by J.S. Salinger is about a boy who tells his story. This boy, Holden, flunks out of every school he goes to and seems to move on rather quickly. When he flunks out of his most recent boarding school, he doesn’t want to go home right away because he knows his parents will be disappointed. To avoid facing them, he goes on a little adventure in New York for a few days. He stays at a hotel, dances with girls and really starts to enjoy this way of life. He sneaks in one night to talk to his sister, Phoebe. He then decides to run away for good and never return home. Phoebe wishes to join him, but he tells her that she can’t and then spends one last day with her.
I think in Holden’s mind he was too mature to go to school and didn’t think it was necessary. He feels that with one of his brothers dying and another being so successful, he was ignored as a child. Since he feels this way, he probably developed and attitude that made him just not care about anything or take anything too seriously. He’s flunked put so many times that he’s gotten used to it and just goes with the flow wherever life takes him.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the way that it was written so that it felt like Holden was actually speaking to me. It was also amazing to think that Holden was only sixteen years old. I enjoyed reading about his adventures and listening to what he had to say about certain people. This book is very different than the type of books that I normally read, but I enjoyed it just as much. Reading this book made me want to travel the streets of New York, but I wouldn’t be able to do it because I don’t have a mind as nonchalant as Holden’s.
The title of this book refers to when Holden says that he wants to be The Catcher in the Rye”. He means that he wants to catch everybody who is running away from something, people who run so far that they fall off of the cliff and into the rye. People may think that Holden is one of these people because he is running from the fear of disapproval from his parents and from the pressure to do well. However, I don’t think that Holden is one of those people. Holden isn’t exactly running, he just enjoys his life better on his own; also because Holden doesn’t need to be caught, or helped. He is experienced at running from things and feels that he can help those who aren’t.
May 3, 2009
English 3
Mr. Fiorini
The Catcher in the Rye
“The Catcher in the Rye” by J.S. Salinger is about a boy who tells his story. This boy, Holden, flunks out of every school he goes to and seems to move on rather quickly. When he flunks out of his most recent boarding school, he doesn’t want to go home right away because he knows his parents will be disappointed. To avoid facing them, he goes on a little adventure in New York for a few days. He stays at a hotel, dances with girls and really starts to enjoy this way of life. He sneaks in one night to talk to his sister, Phoebe. He then decides to run away for good and never return home. Phoebe wishes to join him, but he tells her that she can’t and then spends one last day with her.
I think in Holden’s mind he was too mature to go to school and didn’t think it was necessary. He feels that with one of his brothers dying and another being so successful, he was ignored as a child. Since he feels this way, he probably developed and attitude that made him just not care about anything or take anything too seriously. He’s flunked put so many times that he’s gotten used to it and just goes with the flow wherever life takes him.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the way that it was written so that it felt like Holden was actually speaking to me. It was also amazing to think that Holden was only sixteen years old. I enjoyed reading about his adventures and listening to what he had to say about certain people. This book is very different than the type of books that I normally read, but I enjoyed it just as much. Reading this book made me want to travel the streets of New York, but I wouldn’t be able to do it because I don’t have a mind as nonchalant as Holden’s.
The title of this book refers to when Holden says that he wants to be The Catcher in the Rye”. He means that he wants to catch everybody who is running away from something, people who run so far that they fall off of the cliff and into the rye. People may think that Holden is one of these people because he is running from the fear of disapproval from his parents and from the pressure to do well. However, I don’t think that Holden is one of those people. Holden isn’t exactly running, he just enjoys his life better on his own; also because Holden doesn’t need to be caught, or helped. He is experienced at running from things and feels that he can help those who aren’t.
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