Reader's Journal-Fiction

#15                                                     Reader’s Journal                                            12/6/11

Dear Mrs. Zrihen,

            I have just started reading the book Chosen (The Chosen #1) by Denise Grover Swank. The genre of this book is Fantasy. Fantasy is highly imaginative fiction that uses strange or unusual characters, setting, and plot; it also will never happen in real life.

            There were many strategies I used before, during, and after reading this book. Before reading, I explored the ratings other people gave this book so that I can see several opinions people had before I read it. Also, I analyzed if the book was “just right” for me (it was). While reading, I discussed the book with the people who I know already read this book or to those who were currently reading it so that we would be able to learn things from each other and analyze what we each think of the book, while finding some literary elements together. Also, I kept track of the literary elements I found in the text while reading and I wrote the information I learned from my friends on a sticky note. This would be so that it would be easier to write my readers journal when I was done reading. After reading, I made inferences and drew conclusions about the information I read. Also, I critiqued and discussed the book with myself so that I can reflect on the book and write my readers journal.

A quote from the book that sparked my interest was located in the beginning of the book (kindle).

“They’re coming. Mommy,” Jake’s quivering voice whispered in her ear. His deep blue eyes filled with tears and she gently kissed her cheek. “We’ll be okay.” She tried to convince herself as much as she tried to convince him.”

I chose this quote because it dropped me into a scene and a hook. This is because the quote was written in the very beginning of the book, and It clearly made me want to read further to find out what the position the characters were in and questions I wanted to uncover. This quote has significance to the book because it made me identify that Emma’s son, Jake has some type of power to tell the future. People were after them and the quote made me want to know what those people wanted and what they did!

           

            There really weren’t many characters introduced so far in the book. The main characters are Emma Thompson, Jake Thompson, and Will Davenport. They are all round, protagonists because they are all described in detail throughout the book. Emma, Jake, and Will are protagonists because Emma has been trying to protect her five-year-old son, Jake from “The Bad Men” characters (the antagonists of the book). Emma has been running away from the antagonists for about three years because they want her son Jake, who tends to see things before they actually happen. Will volunteered to protect Emma and Jake so that they would be able to defeat and run away from “The Bad Men”. I haven’t read far enough in the book to identify any other antagonists, or protagonists and all of the characters characterization or personalities. Finally, the only foil character that was introduced was the teenager desk clerk of the hotel, who I don’t know anything about yet.

            So far, the setting of this story takes place in a cheap, roach-infested hotel in South Dakota. The weather conditions were not mentioned, but I believe that it is the usual, hot and humid climate in South Dakota. Also, the time was in the months of present-day July because of the surroundings and technical uses. The social conditions are that Emma and Jake are extremely unfortunate, and they are always running away from “the bad people” when they chase them. Also, Jake, Emma’s son can see things before they actually happen and that really results them in success.

The author’s purpose is to entertain the reader with a highly imaginative, fictional story and the author’s perspective is objective because he does not include any of his opinions or feelings in the text. The point of view of the book is third person limited because the author is a narrator that only mentions one characters internal feelings, being what he thinks, feels, says, etc. Since I have only read a small portion of the book, I have not yet identified the pattern of organization, theme, moral, or motifs in the book.

The tone of this book is to feel serious because the plot focuses on a very “straight face” scene. The mood I felt was to be disgusted in the beginning when the author vividly described the roach-infested hotel they lived in and the conditions they were in. also, my mood changed to curious throughout the rest of the book because I really didn’t understand what was happening at first and I wanted to know what situation the characters were facing.

            So far, the plot structure is really to the point and a lot has happened even if I’m only in the middle of reading the rising action. In the exposition, not only did the author introduce all the characters, and settings, but she also drops the reader into a scene where Jake and Emma get ready to run away, from “The Bad Men” as usual. It didn’t take long for the book to begin the rising action. While reading the rising action, Emma, Jake, and Will go on an extreme drive to disappear in sight of “The Bad Men” that were chasing them. In this driving scene, I felt as if I really were in the middle of their situation even though I couldn’t really tell the real reason why they were being chased by “The Bad Men”… Even though the conflict can’t be easily determined, I think the conflict of the book is man vs. man, external because it seems to me like they are against “The Bad Men”.

The book didn’t contain so many figurative language sentences from what I read but I was able to search a few.

·      “The chill of the air conditioner blasted her as they entered the room” this is an example of a hyperbole because the author exaggerates the airs action.

·      “ Emma turned toward Jake, frozen in his nightmare!” to me, I couldn’t choose between viewing this sentence as a hyperbole or a cliché because it sounds like an exaggerated overused expression.

·      She turned to look at him, the loose strands of long brown hair dancing in the breeze around her face.” This is personification because it gave the strands of hair human features.

·      “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.” This sentence is a cliché because it is definitely an over used expression.

·      “The low setting sun hid behind the dilapidated motel units next door.” Is a personification because the sun hiding is known as a human feature.

All in all, this book is really good so far! I recommend this book to teens, in particular because the scenes require a serious and focused attitude. Also, if the book isn’t read by teens or older, the vocabulary and plot structure might be hard to understand.  I rate the book an eight out of ten because I was hooked to the book since the first few sentences I have read and even though I don’t really like reading fantasy books, this book impressed me with interest. Clearly, I really hope for the rest of the book to be as good as it is so far!

Love,

 Joelle Ben-Nissan