The novel I am currently reading, which is "Kissing the Rain" by Kevin Brooks, is told from a first-person, limited omniscient point of view. It is told from the perspective of Michael "Moo" Nelson, the main protagonist of the story.
I think that the author chose this point of view so that the reader has full access to all of Michael's feelings and emotions. This really helps the reader learn as much as possible about Michael and what he is thinking.
I wouldn't change the point of view for this novel, because the entire story is about Michael so it is good that we know everything about him. Also, things the Michael doesn't know, we don't know, which creates a mystery and builds suspense during the story.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Blog #3 - Character Traits
The novel I am currently reading is "Kissing the Rain" by Kevin Brooks. The main protagonist is Michael 'Moo' Nelson.
Fat
"Soft and splodgy, round-faced...yeh, I guess I always been one of them round-faced kids...which ain't surprising really -- I got a round-faced mum and a round-faced dad..." (Brooks 61)
This story is told from the first-person perspective of Michael Nelson. Sadly, he often talks about himself in a negative way, mostly saying that he is fat. He constantly is talking about how people make fun of him and he puts himself down. In my previous blog post, "Blog #1 - Opening Mood", I wrote about how Moo is always depressed and he clearly describes himself as fat.
Lonely
"MY PLACE. There it is, look -- 8 steps along, that bit there, where one of the railings has a knee-shaped kink, and the cross-rail's worn and shiny from 5 years' leaning..." (Brooks 4)
Moo is normally made fun of by his peers, plus he is somewhat new in town. The part of this quote where is says "5 years' leaning..." helps show this characteristic. It means that he leaned on that cross-rail for 5 years' now, showing that he goes there by himself.
Worrisome
"I dunno...I don't KNOW if it's all right or not... and I dunno if it makes any difference if I DON'T think it's all right..." (Brooks 79)
Moo becomes a very worrisome character throughout the story. Since he witnessed the accident at the bridge, he is always worried about the police or Mr. Vine showing up at his house. In the quote, he is worried and questioning if it is all right to let Dectective Callan in his home.
Aware
"I can't make em out just yet, they're maybe half a mile away, all I can see is 2 pairs of glaring headlights, one behind the other, 4 blazings eyes..." (Brooks 11)
Moo is very aware of his surroundings. In this quote, he is sitting up on a bridge and looking down at on coming traffic. He is so aware that he manages to notice the two pairs of headlights and the people's eyes in the car.
Fat
"Soft and splodgy, round-faced...yeh, I guess I always been one of them round-faced kids...which ain't surprising really -- I got a round-faced mum and a round-faced dad..." (Brooks 61)
This story is told from the first-person perspective of Michael Nelson. Sadly, he often talks about himself in a negative way, mostly saying that he is fat. He constantly is talking about how people make fun of him and he puts himself down. In my previous blog post, "Blog #1 - Opening Mood", I wrote about how Moo is always depressed and he clearly describes himself as fat.
Lonely
"MY PLACE. There it is, look -- 8 steps along, that bit there, where one of the railings has a knee-shaped kink, and the cross-rail's worn and shiny from 5 years' leaning..." (Brooks 4)
Moo is normally made fun of by his peers, plus he is somewhat new in town. The part of this quote where is says "5 years' leaning..." helps show this characteristic. It means that he leaned on that cross-rail for 5 years' now, showing that he goes there by himself.
Worrisome
"I dunno...I don't KNOW if it's all right or not... and I dunno if it makes any difference if I DON'T think it's all right..." (Brooks 79)
Moo becomes a very worrisome character throughout the story. Since he witnessed the accident at the bridge, he is always worried about the police or Mr. Vine showing up at his house. In the quote, he is worried and questioning if it is all right to let Dectective Callan in his home.
Aware
"I can't make em out just yet, they're maybe half a mile away, all I can see is 2 pairs of glaring headlights, one behind the other, 4 blazings eyes..." (Brooks 11)
Moo is very aware of his surroundings. In this quote, he is sitting up on a bridge and looking down at on coming traffic. He is so aware that he manages to notice the two pairs of headlights and the people's eyes in the car.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Blog #2 - Stock Characters
I recently watched the movie "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" in theaters. The main character in the film is a boy whose name I forget (played by Josh Hutcherson). He wants to go on an adventure, along with his stepfather, to the Mysterious Island in an attempt to find his grandfather.
The character in this story that I have recognized as a stock character is the boy's mother. The stereotypical mother is caring, loving, protecting, and worrisome. In the movie, the mother refuses to let her son go on this crazy adventure that would put himself in harm's way. This shows her protection for her son, as well as her caring and loving. She is also worried about her son, thus not letting him go.
Since there is no information given on the mother beforehand, other than the fact that she is the protagonist's mother, we must completely assume stereotypical things about her.
Unfortunately, the mother does not play an important role in the movie, and I couldn't find any clips involving her. So, this is a trailer for the movie.
The character in this story that I have recognized as a stock character is the boy's mother. The stereotypical mother is caring, loving, protecting, and worrisome. In the movie, the mother refuses to let her son go on this crazy adventure that would put himself in harm's way. This shows her protection for her son, as well as her caring and loving. She is also worried about her son, thus not letting him go.
Since there is no information given on the mother beforehand, other than the fact that she is the protagonist's mother, we must completely assume stereotypical things about her.
Unfortunately, the mother does not play an important role in the movie, and I couldn't find any clips involving her. So, this is a trailer for the movie.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Blog #1 - Opening Mood
The book that I am currently reading is Kissing the Rain by Kevin Brooks.
The mood is clearly set in the beginning of the novel. Since this story is told from a first person perspective of Moo Nelson, the main character, you can't help but have the same mood as him.
Even from reading the synopsis, I could begin to tell that the mood would be depressing, which it is.
"...every Day's just another day... same as the Day before, same as the Day before, same as the Day before. Ain't nothing much happens, just the same old stuff, over and over again." (Pg.4)
This quote from the book helps create a mood that Moo is bored and somewhat depressed. He says that everyday is the same as the last, creating the feeling that nothing exciting is happening in his life and he feels sad.
"Listening...Watching...Watching the traffic. Every Day... I watch the traffic. That's what I do. I watch the traffic." (Pg.5)
This quotation, like the previous one, creates a depressed, bored, and unhappy mood. If Moo only watches the traffic all day, his life is clearly boring and that mood is displayed, and felt by the reader.
"You wanna know the TRUTH? I'll tell you the TRUTH --- I'm sick of it." (Pg.1)
This final quotation, creates the mood that Moo is frustrated, and fed up with something. This is first phrase of the novel, so it isn't very revealing, but it does show Moo's frustration and anger, which leads to a sad and depressed mood.
The gloomy weather, the rain, Moo's personality and the setting of the story all clearly indicate Moo's feelings and his mood. Since the story is in first person perspective, the reader can't help but feel Moo's sadness, creating a depressed mood for the reader.
Brooks, Kevin. Kissing the Rain. Somerset, United Kingdom: PUSH, 2004. Print.
The mood is clearly set in the beginning of the novel. Since this story is told from a first person perspective of Moo Nelson, the main character, you can't help but have the same mood as him.
Even from reading the synopsis, I could begin to tell that the mood would be depressing, which it is.
"...every Day's just another day... same as the Day before, same as the Day before, same as the Day before. Ain't nothing much happens, just the same old stuff, over and over again." (Pg.4)
This quote from the book helps create a mood that Moo is bored and somewhat depressed. He says that everyday is the same as the last, creating the feeling that nothing exciting is happening in his life and he feels sad.
"Listening...Watching...Watching the traffic. Every Day... I watch the traffic. That's what I do. I watch the traffic." (Pg.5)
This quotation, like the previous one, creates a depressed, bored, and unhappy mood. If Moo only watches the traffic all day, his life is clearly boring and that mood is displayed, and felt by the reader.
"You wanna know the TRUTH? I'll tell you the TRUTH --- I'm sick of it." (Pg.1)
This final quotation, creates the mood that Moo is frustrated, and fed up with something. This is first phrase of the novel, so it isn't very revealing, but it does show Moo's frustration and anger, which leads to a sad and depressed mood.
The gloomy weather, the rain, Moo's personality and the setting of the story all clearly indicate Moo's feelings and his mood. Since the story is in first person perspective, the reader can't help but feel Moo's sadness, creating a depressed mood for the reader.
Brooks, Kevin. Kissing the Rain. Somerset, United Kingdom: PUSH, 2004. Print.
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