Point of View

 

In the story Number the Stars, the narrator is telling its point of view. During one scene, when Peter brings the coffin of 'Aunt Bertie' to Henriks house, the narrator describes it as a sad, yet happy moment. Ellen is reunited with her parents but supposedly Mrs. Johansen's aunt died. If this particular scene would have been told by 5-year old Kirsti it would have been far different. Henrik once said "It is so much easier to be brave if you do not know everything." Kirsti is a brave child, completely un-fazed by the German Soldiers. Like Henrik said, this is why she is probably so brave. When the others were worried and confused, she was most likely sound asleep and dreaming about fairy-tales. As a reader, I would have been a little confused by this scene if it would have been told by her perspective.  Instead of a confusing and awkaward scene, it might have been peaceful. We would have thought there wasn't a care in the world for the Johansen family and Ellen.This is how the story could have changed if it were told b the point of view of Kirsti.

Dynamic and Static (Point of View)

 

The main character in the book  Number the Stars is Annemarie. Her personality is definitely static in this story as she tries to be brave. Although "[It] is much easier to be brave if you do not know everything…" Uncle Henrik said. Annemarie follows this quote in the turning point of the story.

Could you imagine traveling at dusk through a creepy woods to deliver a package that could  save the life of your friend? That is what bravery is, and that is what Annemarie had to do. Not to mention the German soldiers who stopped her in between. But not knowing what was in the package made it easier to be brave, just like Uncle Henrik said. These actions saved the Rosen's and the rest of the Jew's that Henrik was trying to rescue because Annemarie delivered the special package to them.

Another character who is extremely brave is Katniss from The Hunger Games. If she would have given up in the arena, she would have died and (unlike what happened in the end of the series) the capitol would still be in total control of the districts.

As you can see, being brave is not only the theme of the story in Number the Stars, but also the personality of Annemarie. It takes more than just guts to be brave. You must always stand for what you believe in and have good courage. Annemarie and Katniss show a static personality can be helpful in each of their stories.

Life of Pi Response

Authors Note: This is my response to the book Life of Pi. I needed to combine all of my goals in one paper and this is what I've come up with. Will you make a comment if you can think of a title for it?

Stranded in the pacific for 277 days. Hungry, thirsty, weak. This is how Pi Patel felt in his voyage after the sinking of the Tsimtsum. It has been said that no man has ever survived that long on a life boat and lived to tell the tale, "and none in the accompany of an adult Bengal tiger." (a.k.a. Richard Parker) But was Pi truly accompanied by an adult Bengal Tiger? I do not believe so.

Although it seems Pi is not by himself on the boat he is-physically at least. There are characters in the story such as Richard Parker and the blind man... but are they really there? I believe that  each of them are really Pi's conscience. In the story when Pi encounters the blind man it seems as though they are friends. That is until the blind man "landed upon [him] heavily. [They]fell half onto the tarpaulin, half onto the middle bench. His hands reached for [Pi's] throat." At first this seems like an honest mistake; he is blind after all! But then,  after Pi says "my heart is with you…" the blind man exclaims "You're damn right your heart is with me! And your liver and your flesh!" Instantly after, Richard Parker comes out from under the tarpaulin and attacks the blind man. I think that means the bind man is the same person as Pi because his heart and liver and flesh is 'with' him. If my theory is true that would mean one of Pi's conscience is fighting with the other.  The one, the blind man, seems to be the suicidal thoughts that the real Pi was having moments before encountering 'the blind man'. The other, Richard Parker, is Pi's animalistic side, the part of him that wants to kill and is a cannibal. If it weren't for 'Richard Parker' Pi would have killed himself in a sense.

In the end of the book, a reporter who interviewed Pi did not believe that Pi's story was true but in the end his report stated that no man has ever survived that long on a life boat "and none in the accompany of an adult Bengal tiger". Again, if my theory is correct, (that Richard Parker and the blind man are Pi's consciences) that means the reporter really said no one has ever survived that long by themselves on a life boat which I think would be even harder. He had to learn how to cope with his many thoughts, suicidal ones too, and had to learn how to feed and take care of himself.

Above all hardships, the biggest one Pi had to overcome was taming Richard Parker who I believe is himself; the animalistic part of Pi.  Pi had to learn how to control this part of himself because he refused to become a cannibal mainly because of his religion. But the animalistic part of Pi wants to kill. Earlier in the book Pi's father showed his family how dangerous the animals in the zoo really are. The Most frightening one, the Bengal tiger ferociously attacked the goat after not being fed for days. I believe that this was just a clue in the book. His father was truly showing him what you are capable of and how much damage you can do.

Throughout  Pi's journey he had to overcome all of the different parts of himself while trying to follow his religion.  He was not accompanied by an adult Bengal tiger, but all alone trying to survive by himself and trying to tame his animalistic side.  It is hard to believe how any human could survive for 277 days in the pacific; but Pi Patel found a way to go on and on, just like the number pi; it never stops.