Sunday, May 1, 2011
"How to Train Your Dragon"
This movie was soooo CUTE!!! I really enjoyed watching this movie. I think it is great how it encourages children that they can be heroes even if they do not meet the typical standards. I also like how it portrays the parent-child relationship. Hiccup and his father butt heads a lot, but it showed how in the end they can both get along once they develop a respect for each other and their different views. How to Train Your Dragon illustrates the concept that many people are afraid of anything different from normal, and how people who go against the social norm are often criticized. However, there was a happy ending to this story. Everyone in the viking village finally accepted Hiccup's view that dragons really are not bad creatures, and they all live happily ever after! =)
"Naco and the Robber"
It was a normal night, and Naco was in his mom's room late at night when she was sleeping. Charlina, Naco's mom, was fast asleep and assumed Naco was also. Naco was curled up in his doggy bed when she fell asleep. He looked so peaceful, with his tiny black body all snuggled into his bed and his big brown eyes closed. Charlina always liked how Naco's tiny black body is highlighted with white feet and tan facial markings. While he is adorable, he is not as big and strong as the other big dogs, Loco and Gorda.
Charlina assumed that Naxo went to sleep every night. However, he waited for a visitor every night after she fell asleep. This visitor, Chusma, is a three-inch hairy, purple troll that mentors Naco on how to become a less wimpy dog and be like the other two big dogs.
So when Chusma came, Naco was sitting up and expecting him. Out from under the bed, the silly little troll hopped out to advise his friend, Naco. Chusma told him that he has been training so long and hard and that the only thing left for him to do is believe in himself. Naco had been running faster and longer, wrestling with the other two dogs, and even eating more to try to build up his strength. Now, as Chusma advised, the only thing left for him to do was develop the confidence of a larger, stronger by nature, dog. Chusma told him that one day, a challenge would arise for Naco to prove himself to be worthy of protecting the house with the other dogs. This challenge came a lot sooner than Naco expected.
The next night, Charlina came home to find that she was home alone with the dogs. Mommy, Daddy, and Lee were out at a polka-dotted sock party until later that night. So Charlina just took a shower and sat down with Naco to watch TV. However, she noticed a strange light in the back yard. As she went to investigate a sound came at the front door. Immediately, Gorda, Loco, and Naco started barking and growling viciously. Gorda and Loco stayed at the front door barking, while something told Naco that he should go into the bathroom. As he sprinted away, the other two dogs barked that he was a chicken and a disgrace to guard the house. However, what Naco found in the bathroom was frightening and unexpected. Out of the toilet, a huge, muscular man was climbing. He knew Charlina was a vegetarian, and he wanted to steal all the tofu in the house and kidnap her to cook vegetarian food for him. Naco was so scared, but Chusma's voice came into his head and told him to be brave and confident like a big dog and to save his mommy. So Naco bit the robber on the nose, stuffed toilet paper in his mouth, and flushed him down the toilet never to be seen again. Charlina was frightened and watching from the distance as her little terrier saved her life. When Loco and Gorda came in, Naco explained everything that had happened. Both big dogs apologized for being so mean to Naco, and they told him how proud they were to guard the house with him.
That night, Naco was anticipating the arrival of his visitor, excited to tell him what had happened. When Chusma came, Naco started to tell the story, but Chusma interrupted him and told him he had seen the whole thing from under the dusty couch. He told Naco how proud he was. When Naco thanked Chusma for making him like a big dog, Chusma, with a proud grin from pointy ear to pointy ear, told him that Naco only had himself to thank because he worked so hard. Then Chusma gave him a hug and told him that this would be his last visit. Naco no longer needed his guidance because he had proven that he was as good a guard dog as the bigger dogs. In fact, he was a better guard dog because he had demonstrated more courage than they ever had.
Bibliography:
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. London, Bloomsbury. 1998. Print.
**** Yeah, I know that this is probably the silliest and most random stories imaginable, but Naco is my ideal hero! Naco was inspired by my little dog Pouki. <3
Charlina assumed that Naxo went to sleep every night. However, he waited for a visitor every night after she fell asleep. This visitor, Chusma, is a three-inch hairy, purple troll that mentors Naco on how to become a less wimpy dog and be like the other two big dogs.
So when Chusma came, Naco was sitting up and expecting him. Out from under the bed, the silly little troll hopped out to advise his friend, Naco. Chusma told him that he has been training so long and hard and that the only thing left for him to do is believe in himself. Naco had been running faster and longer, wrestling with the other two dogs, and even eating more to try to build up his strength. Now, as Chusma advised, the only thing left for him to do was develop the confidence of a larger, stronger by nature, dog. Chusma told him that one day, a challenge would arise for Naco to prove himself to be worthy of protecting the house with the other dogs. This challenge came a lot sooner than Naco expected.
The next night, Charlina came home to find that she was home alone with the dogs. Mommy, Daddy, and Lee were out at a polka-dotted sock party until later that night. So Charlina just took a shower and sat down with Naco to watch TV. However, she noticed a strange light in the back yard. As she went to investigate a sound came at the front door. Immediately, Gorda, Loco, and Naco started barking and growling viciously. Gorda and Loco stayed at the front door barking, while something told Naco that he should go into the bathroom. As he sprinted away, the other two dogs barked that he was a chicken and a disgrace to guard the house. However, what Naco found in the bathroom was frightening and unexpected. Out of the toilet, a huge, muscular man was climbing. He knew Charlina was a vegetarian, and he wanted to steal all the tofu in the house and kidnap her to cook vegetarian food for him. Naco was so scared, but Chusma's voice came into his head and told him to be brave and confident like a big dog and to save his mommy. So Naco bit the robber on the nose, stuffed toilet paper in his mouth, and flushed him down the toilet never to be seen again. Charlina was frightened and watching from the distance as her little terrier saved her life. When Loco and Gorda came in, Naco explained everything that had happened. Both big dogs apologized for being so mean to Naco, and they told him how proud they were to guard the house with him.
That night, Naco was anticipating the arrival of his visitor, excited to tell him what had happened. When Chusma came, Naco started to tell the story, but Chusma interrupted him and told him he had seen the whole thing from under the dusty couch. He told Naco how proud he was. When Naco thanked Chusma for making him like a big dog, Chusma, with a proud grin from pointy ear to pointy ear, told him that Naco only had himself to thank because he worked so hard. Then Chusma gave him a hug and told him that this would be his last visit. Naco no longer needed his guidance because he had proven that he was as good a guard dog as the bigger dogs. In fact, he was a better guard dog because he had demonstrated more courage than they ever had.
Bibliography:
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. London, Bloomsbury. 1998. Print.
**** Yeah, I know that this is probably the silliest and most random stories imaginable, but Naco is my ideal hero! Naco was inspired by my little dog Pouki. <3
My Hero: Naco! =)
Harry Potter is not the average hero. He is scrawny and humble. He fits the perfect description of an anti-hero. I like how he does not fit into the typical hero category. If I created an anti-hero, the story would be something really strange like this:
- Anti-hero: Naco, a scrawny little terrier dog who lives with two bigger and stronger dogs. He is less than a foot tall with black fur, white feet, and tan markings on his face. Also, Naco has a short, stubbly tail, rather than a long tail like the other dogs. His teeth are smaller than the other dogs' and his bark is more high-pitched. He is a "mama's boy."
- Master: Chusma, a hairy purple troll that visits him at night when everyone is sleeping and tells Naco how to be a more manly dog. This troll stands about three inches tall and hops like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh.
- Villain: a robber that comes to break into the house
- Supporting Characters: Loco and Gorda (the two big dogs), Charlina (Naco's owner), Lee (Charlina's sister), Mommy, and Daddy
- Setting: A house in North Carolina that has too many pets
Similarities Between "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter"
While watching Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in class, Jeni and I noticed that the series has some similarities to the Harry Potter series. Here are some parallels I have thought of:
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. London, Bloomsbury. 1998. Print.
Tolkein, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. Ballantine Books, New York. Copyright 1954-1974. Print.
- The heroes: Frodo and Harry both are not the typical big, strong, confident heroes in many stories. Frodo is a hobbit, which is considered kind of wimpy, and Harry is scrawny and wears glasses. They are both surrounded by characters that would better suit the hero guidelines. However, they both prove everyone wrong by saving everyone.
- The masters: In both stories, Frodo and Harry have masters that guide them in becoming heroes. Gandalf and Dumbledore are both wise, old wizards. They are very prominent in the beginnings and kind of disappear towards the end. Also, both Gandalf and Dumbledore die and reappear. Gandalf comes back to life, while Harry meets Dumbledore again when he dies.
- The objects of evil: In both stories, there are objects that sustain evil forces and have to be destroyed. In Lord of the Rings, the ring has to be destroyed to finally kill the evil king. In Harry Potter, Harry and his friends have to destroy horcruxes for Voldemort to finally die. Both of these objects cause stress to the bearers. Frodo gets cranky with the ring, and Harry and his friends get cranky when they wore the necklace horcrux.
- The obvious: Magical worlds and creatures!
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. London, Bloomsbury. 1998. Print.
Tolkein, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. Ballantine Books, New York. Copyright 1954-1974. Print.
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"
I was sooooo excited to read and watch Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets this semester! I never would have imagined doing this for a class, and it gives me a fresh new perspective on literature classes. The Harry Potter series is by far my absolute favorite series, and I have been interested in it since third grade when it became popular. I have always enjoyed reading it and getting lost in this magical world Rowling so brilliantly created. It is just amazing. The movies are really good, but they do not do the book justice. The two main "pet-peeves" (Harry Potter pun! :P) I have with the movie are when they switched Dumbledores and how Harry is portrayed as kind of egotistical in the movies. I liked the original Dumbledore because he seemed more mysterious to me. I did not notice "Movie Harry" being cocky until the fourth movie when he opens the egg from the dragon challenge in the Triwizard Tournament in the common room in front of everyone. I am SUCH a Harry Potter nerd!!!
"Lord of the Rings"
I was excited to watch Lord of the Rings in class. I always enjoy seeing all the magical creatures, especially Legolas (played by Orlando Bloom ;) hahaha! Nobody tell my man, but I have thought Orlando Bloom is absolutely gorgeous since the first Lord of the Rings movie came out! If he is in a movie, I watch it just because he is in it. Hahahaha. But anywaaaays, I like watching Lord of the Rings because of the magical creatures, creative costumes, and excellent acting. I also enjoy the music and the setting. The rolling hills and mountains in the earlier movies before all of the death and destruction are so beautiful. The only dislike I have about the movies is that they are sooooo LONG! It is just too much for my attention span to sit and watch one of those movies, especially at one time. Haha.
"Alice in Wonderland" - the Movie
I remember watching Alice in Wonderland when I was little and really liking it. It was the Disney cartoon version. I liked how it was a whole new world, and everything in the movie was spontaneous. However, I really do not like the new version of Alice in Wonderland. I thought it was strange, and I just do not like it when movies are re-made. I liked the original cartoon version, so I do not understand why they had to make another one. Also, something just creeps me out when Johnny Depp appears in movies for children, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
"Alice in Wonderland"
In my opinion, Alice in Wonderland is kind of the turning point in literature. It takes place in a magical world, which was daring for Lewis Carroll to write. He created a whole new world intended for adults to read about, but it turned out to be for kids. Also, the main character and "hero" of the story is Alice, who is a female. The villain, the Queen of Hearts, is also a female. Lewis Carroll's time period was defined by patriarchal views, so it was very daring for him to use females.
"Frankenstein" II
Mary Shelley's inspiration for writing Frankenstein came from a dream she had. Sometimes we have dreams that affect how we live after them. For me, I have dreams I think are influenced by September 11. I have had many dreams where I'm standing outside with my family or friends, and all of the sudden an airplane starts flying very low. In some dreams the airplane crashes, and in others it just hovers there. Since these dreams, I have a fear of airplanes that fly low to the ground.
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