Thursday, January 15, 2015

Looking For Alaska-Preview



Although I have previously read Looking for Alaska by John Green a few years ago, I could not recall much of what I read. Over the next week or so, I look forward to making new connections between the text and personal experiences, as well as remembering key details from the book! 


 https://jennaalcala.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/tumblr_mrp2gz3lpu1r7fxryo1_500.gif


Summary of what I have read thus far:
  •  Miles is a young boy from Florida, who is venturing off to Culver Creek Boarding School. Although his parents are hesitate about his departure, Miles looks forward to living in a new environment.
  • Miles states that the sole purpose of going to boarding school is due to his search of the "Great Perhaps." This is a phrase that is mentioned at the very beginning of the book; referring to a quote by his favorite poet: Francois Rabelais.
  • It is clear at this point that he does not have many friends nor a strong relationship with his parents; making the transition to boarding school that much easier for him.
  • The last portion I have read thus far deals with Miles and his roommate meeting at boarding school. Right off the bat they make a connection, as they are both scholarship students. 
How this book made me feel:

  • I was rather surprised that I did not remember any of the information described in the beginning of the story. With this being said, I am glad that I have chosen to read it yet again. Hopefully as I read more, I will be able to make connections between what I had read a few years ago. 
  • I have always enjoyed John Green's novels and I look forward to diving into this one!
  • From the very beginning of the book, I was drawn in by the main character; Miles. Although I have not read much thus far, he seems to be withdrawn and unable to make connections with those around him (friends, parents, etc.). At the end of page 12, Miles informs his roommate that he is interested in the "last words" of famous individuals. I feel as though his fascination with "last words" will play a crucial role in the events that unfolds throughout the book.
 

3 comments:

  1. First of all, your picture is fantastic. Second, I really like the layout of this blog. I liked that you gave a short introduction as to what you were reading and why. I also really enjoyed that you included a summary portion and a 'how the book made you feel' portion. The bullet lists were easy to read without being too short or informal.
    I liked that you were honest that you've read the book before but couldn't really remember much. I feel like that happens a lot to many readers (including myself!). It's nice to know that you're being 100% honest from the very beginning of your post. I also like that you are referring to the fact that you want to make connections between the book and your life. This is something I definitely want to keep in mind for my future blog posts. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This blog is so multimodal! And you were only working on it for 20 minutes. Very impressive, Keara.
    Of all the bullet points you include in this initial entry the one I am most intrigued by is the last one. You say you were drawn in by the main character. Is there something in your life experience that caused you to make this connection?
    At the same I also agree with your point that Miles' fascination with "last words" is intriguing. What would your "last words"be?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Keara- I loved how you structured this blog post! The way you used bullet points allowed you to be informative yet concise. It was also a great way to include a quick summary of what you read in an interesting and meaningful way. I also appreciate how honest you are with your readers. I think that many people struggle to remember what they read and are embarrassed to re-read a book or view it as pointless. However, you go to show that it is a worthwhile and rewarding task. Furthermore, I also love John Green! I have never read Looking For Alaska but after reading your summary and comments about the first few chapters, I am also interested in reading this book!

    ReplyDelete