Reader's Journal Fiction

#24                                                 Reader’s Journal                                      2/13/12

Dear Mrs. Zrihen,

             I am currently reading Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. The genre of this book is Historical Fiction. Historical fiction is not a subgenre that I favor but was really good so far! It is fiction that is set in the past, 50 or more years ago. Also, in this genre, some places and events may be true but some elements may be unrealistic.

            There were many strategies I used before, during, and after reading this book. Before reading, I read reviews that other readers wrote to decided if the book was worth reading.  Also, I made predictions on what I thought the book the book was going to be about  from the cover and title. Because of the illustration and the title on the front cover, I was able to predict the book was going to be about a spreading fever. While reading I kept track of all literary elements I identified on a sticky note, so that it would be easier to keep track and write my readers journal at the end. Also, I used my prior knowledge on the Fever times in history to understand the point and position the book was trying to convey. After reading, I asked myself questions, so that I would target the answers next time 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 on the kindle (don’t know page number.)

“We should send along something for the family,” suggested Eliza. “Her mother is in no condition to cook. Mattie could take a ham over,” “No,” Mother said quickly. She set the coffee mug on the table with a thump. “I don’t want her near there, not with a sickness in the air. Besides, she hasn’t played with Polly for years. The girl was our servant, not a friend.”

I chose this quote because it really made me realize how hard it was to live during those times. When I read this quote I couldn’t imagine how hard it was to sacrifice your best friend by just not doing anything about her death and just forget her from your life. This quote has significance to the book because it is what starts the rising action, when the fever illness started to spread through the air.

            So far, the main character and protagonist of this book is Mattie. Even though she is round and dynamic, I haven’t come to know her and her characterization so well yet. Though, Mattie is very courageous and friendly. Also, because I didn’t read so much of the book yet, I don’t know much about each character and their characteristics, even thought they are protagonists. Other main protagonist characters are Mattie’s mother, her grandfather, and Eliza, known as her servant and cook. The only foil character so far is Polly, who dies first from the fever.

Not knowing so much of the plot structure yet, I have only read through the exposition and the rising action. The exposition was just as the basic. Mattie started off in her bed, explaining the weather, and each character she came across. The rising action begins when Polly, known as Mattie’s friend and servant dies suddenly, not known how, until it is realized that there is an illness spread in the air, called the fever. So far, the conflict is external, and does not classify as character vs. self, character vs. character, society, nature, or supernatural, being an illness.

The setting of this story mostly takes place in a house that is above Mattie’s family’s coffee house, and the actual coffee house. The time frame is clearly during the time of 1793. The weather conditions were mentioned to be simmering hot, during the august month. The social conditions are that there is a Fever illness spreading through the air, causing everyone to hide themselves from all others.

The author’s purpose is to entertain the reader with a fictional story of an event that actually occurred. The author’s perspective is objective (unbiased) because the author does not show her feelings and opinions in his writing. The point of view of the book is in first person because the author uses words like I, me, and my in her writing. Since I haven’t finished reading the book, I don’t know the theme, motif, or moral yet. The pattern of organization time order because after each event, or day, it would mention the day and exact time of the event at the top of the page. The tone of this book is to feel a sense of suspense and the mood I felt was to feel frightened and imaginable.

            Since I only started the book, I didn’t locate any figurative language sentences located in this book.

All in all, so far this book was great! I recommend this book any other teen or adult because this book fits as a “just right” structure for ages similar to mine (teen).  Since I’m not done reading the book yet, I rate it a eight out of ten because it was really good but I may never know how it will end up in the end of the book at this point. Clearly you should give this book a chance!

Love,

 Joelle Ben-Nissan