My History and English Blog

Eragon Pic

pr6311 — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 06:45:05 +0000

Here is a picture of “Dragon Rider”, by Cornelia Funke, which is a book people would like to read if they have read “Eragon”. “Dragon Rider” is just a little bit for younger people.

Eragon is A great Book!!!

pr6311 — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:27:21 +0000

“Eragon”, by Christopher Paolini

Rating: (5 stars)

Eragon is a normal boy who hunts in the forest to find his food for the family and is a normal person. That only lasts, though, until he falls into a swirl of adventures and a power struggle so vast that he doesn’t understand what he must do. I loved this book and you will love it too. The characters were very creative and imaginative, described with great detail and the setting was also described very closely that I could picture the plot happening in my mind. Eragon finds a stone in the forest, which he later finds out that it is a dragon’s egg! A dragon hatches out of the egg and at once he becomes a rider. He makes new friends, and also enemies, as he sets out on an adventure to avenge his uncle’s murder, by the King and his forces. During his travels he learns a lot about swordplay and even magic and dragons. Eragon joins the side of the King’s enemies, to support the side of the good. He fights battles against the King and learns of the importance of him existing in the world. He meets breeds of creatures that he thought never even existed, that they were just stories. Eragon all of a sudden becomes a vital need to both the King and his enemies. I liked this book a lot because it is imaginative, all the creatures sound very real, and the events going on are neither described a bit too much and neither are they described not enough. The story was long and now I’m trying to go reach eh sequel of this book “Eldest” and probably go on to read “Brisingr”. I would recommend this book to people who like adventure, and would like to believe in fantasy. I think that teenagers would find the book more interesting than other age groups, because the book is about a teenager boy.

Movie vs. Novel – Compare n’ Contrast

pr6311 — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:06:48 +0000

Similarities between the two:There were many similarities. First of all, the titles of both were called “Johnny Tremain”. The movie might not have captured many of the details like the story, but it did illustrate the main ideas that were shown in the novel we read in class. It did show that Johnny’s hand had been crippled. It showed him as a silversmith, and the Lyte family and his relations with them. It talked about the Sons of Liberty, the Boston Tea Party, and leaders like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere. It also showed the scene when the two lanterns are put up. It talked about the people spying on the British. The movie did help a bit, in visualizing the situation it was at that time, but it still was pretty off from the book. Differences between the two:

There were similarities, but then there were even more differences. First of all, the movie is missing many characters, such as Dove, Dusty, Dorcas, Madge, Lavinia Lyte, and John Hancock. I think the people who made this video did not have enough actors/actresses to cover all the parts in the book. In the book, John Hancock goes to get a silver sugar basin made, but in the movie, it is Merchant Lyte. Lavinia Lyte doesn’t even exist in the movie. The movie has nothing about Dove, Dusty, Madge, Dorcas or Isannah. It has no Mr. Tweedie, or Frizel Junior. Now, in the movie, they show nothing about Cilla working for the Lytes, and Isannah leaving for Great Britain. It has nothing about Pumpkin, and Rab getting his musket. Nothing about Lieutenant Stranger and hurdle jumping at the Common was displayed. It said no part about Johnny delivering for the British, and the presses being closed down.

The Reality is…

pr6311 — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 20:05:54 +0000

Well, not really the best way to spend a vacation. I am staying at home, in Yanbu, not going anywhere. It is just getting bored at home. Thats the reality of my ‘vacation’. Next time I hope my vacation will NOT be like this one. This was very very booorinng. Most of my friends left the country for winter, while I stayed with not many people here.

My Dream Vacation

pr6311 — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 20:01:55 +0000

My dream vacation would be to tour over Europe. First I would visit Paris, France where there is the Eiffel Tower, and Disneyland. Then I would visit The UK, namely London. Switzerland would be a really great place to visit next. I would love to go there, because I have rarely seen real snow, you can’t find any here in Saudi Arabia. That would be my favorite place to visit and I would stay there for long. Maybe some other countries might be fun to visit, such as Germany and Spain. But, before we come back from our vacation, I would like to visit Italy, especially Rome once again. It has been 2 years since we’ve been there, so it would be a great holiday destination for me. Spending a winter in Europe is a really good vacation for me. That is my dream vacation.

Dove: A Poet is Born

pr6311 — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 19:59:06 +0000

Dove’s first(and probably last) poem named “I am”

I am a pig-of-a-louse

I wonder if I will ever have a house

I hear Colonel Smith yelling at me

I see Johnny washing saddles properly

I want a big counting house

I am a pig-of-a-louse

I enjoy sleeping in the stables

I feel the hardness of the tables

I believe I will get a promotion soon

I worry that Smith calls me a baboon

I cry when I go to Johnny’s house

I am a pig-of-a-louse

I understand that I’m useless

I say that I’m the best

I dream of eating a chocolate cake

I try to watch it bake

I hope I can fight and beat a mouse

I am a pig-of-a-louse

Latest Release: The Loyalist

pr6311 — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 08:33:47 +0000

If this movie would be called “the Loyalist”, it would have a totally different perspective, and a way too bit towards the opposite point of view as “The Patriot”. The movie, “the Patriot” was a bit biased towards the American side, because, not every Patriot was an honorable fighter, and not every British soldier and loyalist was brutal and cruel. There were parts of the movie that were omitted, and if it was called “The loyalist”, the perspective would have been expected to view the Patriots as cruel, selfish people, and the probably the British as people who are trying to make peace with America. The movie being against the Patriot, and providing information that show the Patriots as dirty, and the loyalists clean. The events would still be shown, but the way they will be shown is different. The Patriots show guerrilla warfare as quick, smart, very well fought attacks on sections of the British army. But, if this movie was made as a loyalist’s point of view, guerrilla warfare would have a totally different. The British view of guerrilla warfare would probably be shown as cowardly attacks because the Patriots are too scared to fight the British face-to-face. This is how the movie would have been shown differently if it was based on a loyalist’s point of view.

Wonder Washington!!!

pr6311 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:33:49 +0000

(Writing as a patriot who fought in the war)

I think George Washington is a great hero. We, the colonists have been given our demanded and well deserved rights, free of control from the British, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He defeated the British in their attempt to cruelly control us, the colonies. He is fighting for what is right and against what is wrong. He fought bravely, and led the Continental Army to victory over the British. His sail across the Delaware River to Trenton was a very heroic event, which happened during Christmas. He kept the Patriots’ hope up, and kept them ready to fight, even though they didn’t have resources, even no shoes. That battle was so significant, because it boosted our spirits; it made us confident that we would win this war. I myself fought in that battle; and the heroic determination on his face gave us a new hope, of victory. That battle lasted less than an hour, and only 5 of us were hurt, but not me. I stood by his side and fought bravely. He praised me for my positive attitude towards the war. Then, we went on to fight another battle at Princeton. This time we burned campfires so the British came to see what was going on. Then we circled around the British and fired at them from all sides. I was injured during this battle, and so I could not continue supporting him in his conquest, as I was sent back home to improve. I heard about his retreat in Ney York, but I knew he would defeat the British soon. After the Battle of Saratoga, I was pretty sure that the war was in American hands. We also started to get help from the foreign countries of France and Spain. Valley Forge was a very bad event, the winter that the army spent there was devastating. Then he did the courageous event when he and Conte de Rochambeau. There he surrounded Cornwallis’s entire army, with his sixteen thousand soldiers. He even prepared defense on the water, with help from the French! He forced Cornwallis to surrender, and the Patriots won this war! After that, the Treaty of Paris was signed, and America became an independent country! Thanks to George Washington, we have achieved independence for ourselves, and the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He is certainly a great hero. I do believe that he is a hero, I don’t need to know how others feel about this.

Declaration of Independence: Task 1

pr6311 — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 08:27:01 +0000

Here’s a cartoon of the Revolutionary War:

This one is about George Washington Leading his army to battle.

Dear Abby Assignment – Reply from Charles

pr6311 — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 21:07:12 +0000

Dear Johnny,

I heard about your crippled hand. Terrible business, it is. I believe that maybe you shouldn’t have been too proud of yourself, and He has punished you for what wrong you have done. Besides, it is against the law to work on the Sabbath! You have paid for your mistakes; god has given you the right solution. If you show off about your silver smithing skills, god has taken your smithing hand away to make you learn to be humble. Maybe Dove had done the wrong thing. I think you need a new job, because, now that you have a crippled hand, you can’t work with metal anymore. I think you should forget Dove and Dusty in the first place, because, they didn’t mean to cripple your hand, just teach you a lesson. Maybe try being a cabin boy on a ship, or a rope maker. Maybe you could join a merchant and be his assistant or so, as I heard that you can read and write English well. You won’t be useless and lonely. You will get something to do. Keep your hopes up. I am trying to find a job for you. Meanwhile, search in Boston for jobs, or try for a doctor for your hand, maybe they can improve its condition.

Yours truly,

Charles James