The Killing Circle

The Killing Circle is the book that I chose to do for my report. The book’s protagonist is a middle-aged widower named Patrick Rush. He has a son, and is employed as a columnist. His life is pretty average- wake up, go to work, then come home, spend some time with his boy, and then go to bed.

Everything was normal until he decided to join a writing circle in Kensington market. There is one person’s story that stands out in the circle. The author’s name is Angela. Patrick for some reason decides to record her story on a Dictaphone that he always carries. Angela’s story is titled the Sandman. Throughout the few weeks that the circle goes on there are three murders. Although the murders are not related directly to the circle, Patrick believes that the Sandman, from Angela’s book, is real. After the circle ends the murders stop.

The group members do not speak for a couple of years. It is reported in the newspaper though that the leader of the circle, Conrad White, and Angela died in a car crash. Patrick decides that since Angela is dead he could use her story, and become a published author. To Patrick’s disbelief he sees Angela at his book signing, she gives him a number on which he can reach her. They meet up and have lunch, and she tells Patrick that she is mad that he stole her book, but there was something more important at hand, the Sandman is real and killing off all of the people that were in the circle.

Once Patrick hears this he realizes that his son, Sam is not safe in Toronto anymore, so he sends him to stay with his aunt outside of the city. As the weeks go by, Patrick figures out that someone has been following him, and wants to hurt him. He also discovers the body of one of the circle members in his back shed. He is forced to “deal” with the body so that he would not be sent to jail.

William, one of the circle members, just days after the last murders, confesses to all of the killings. Patrick then decides that is safe to go to a drive in theatre to see thee movie made from his book. Sam is kidnapped, and this is when Patrick realizes that William was not actually the Sandman. During the day that the police are looking for Sam, Patrick figures out that the real Sandman is actually Angela. He then goes out to Angela’s old house and finds himself in a massive blizzard. He thinks that he hears Sam in the forest, and runs out in the snow. He passes out from exhaustion, and wakes up chained to a chair in the old house. This is when Angela confesses to him that the story of the Sandman is true, but she is not the one that was doing all of the killing. It was actually her brother Len, another member of the circle.

One of the themes in this book was envy. Patrick Rush always wanted to write a book, and then when he heard the story of the Sandman, he became envious of the fact that she had a good story. When Patrick thought she was dead and hadn’t released the book he took the opportunity, and used her story. Another theme in this book was crime. Through the theft of Angela’s story to the murder of all of the circle members crime and murder are major parts of this book.

This book was a very good read, I thought that the language that Andrew Pyper used was very appropriate, not hard to understand, but still deep in description. The author wrote this book from first person. I thought that it was very effective.

One issue that was raised that I thought reflected on the adolescents of today was plagiarism. I thought that this book really showed that people can become possessive of their work, and you never know what might happen if you steal it.

I thought that the author did a very good job on this book, but I think that if he had tried to build up more of a relationship between the people in the circle through the middle of the novel it would have created more of a emotional feeling for the reader when the members of the circle were being killed off.

I would and have recommended this book to anyone that likes to read a good mystery novel, which has a twist at the end that you never see coming. I rate this book a nine out of ten because it kept me reading all the way through.

One of the rhetorical devices in this novel that I found was when Angela was sharing her book, and said that the man in her dreams stepped out, and was killing people. This is the use of personification. I thought that the idea of having a person step out of a dream, and also later on in the book step out of a book was a very good use of a rhetorical device because it created an idea of something with the most terrible intentions, that would only be possible in dreams, coming to get you.

Another rhetorical device that I found in the book was the use of rhyme that used the repetition of a sound at the end of each line, “I am the ground beneath your feet/ The man in dark alleys you don’t want to meet.” I thought that the use of rhyme and repetition was very effective because it gives you an idea that everything that you had an idea about was wrong, and that you have no idea what you are getting yourself into. Also he uses a metaphor in this sequence, “I am the ground beneath your feet.”

Mister Pip

The book that I choose to read this term was Mister Pip. This book is based on a teenage black girl named Matilda. We learn that the village that she lives in is one of many on the island. The main form of business on this island is mining. Matilda’s father was a miner, but shortly after the book starts he leaves to go to Australia were he has been offered a higher job. Shortly after he leaves the red army blockades the island. While this is happening a group of rebels called the Rambos is formed. These are villagers from across the island that want money and are apposed to the Red Skins. While the island has been taken control of many people evacuated to the safety of Australia. Matilda and her mother did not get off the island though. Matilda, along with all the other children that were still in the village went to a school run by the one white man that lived on the island. This man went by the name of Mr. Watts. He was not the smartest man, but what he could offer the children was a story. He read his class Charles Dickens, Great Expectations. Throughout the novel, Matilda begins to form an obsession with Great Expectations, and starts to mature and learn about contradicting ideas, and religious beliefs. The Red Skin Army eventually finds Matilda’s village and in the end kill both Mr. Watts and Matilda’s mother. In the conclusion of the book Matilda is reunited with her father in Australia. She goes on to become the top English student in her high school, and then goes on to become a teacher after completing university in Brisbane.

One of the major themes in this book is religion. The motif that supports this theme in the book is the contrasts between Mr. Watts and Matilda’s mother. Having them being on either side of the scales created a pull effect on Matilda. The reason that I think that this was a significant theme was because the feud between Matilda’s mother and Mr. Watts was based on the fact that they believed different things; she believed, and he didn’t. Another large theme is the book is war. There was a constant battle going on throughout the book. The two competing armies, the Rebels and the Red Skins demonstrate this theme throughout the book.

The first rhetorical device that I found in the book was the use of a simile, “This rain dropped down like flung stones.”(212) I think that this stood out to me because I think that something like rain, which you don’t always expect to be dangerously violent, could be demonstrated as something powerful like a rock. Another rhetorical device that I found was the use of a metaphor when Agnes Haripa was using the lychee in a sex-ed class, “sweet things are never worn on the outside.”(63) The reason that I liked the use of this was because I think that it added a bit of comedy into the way that the classes were being held in an immature, and informal fashion.

The Language throughout the book is very good; it is consistent, and engaging. I enjoyed reading this book more then the others throughout the year because I think that it was challenging; but I found that the author did not over write things, like Dickens did in Great Expectations. I did notice some similarities throughout the book though to other books that we have read this year. I connected this book with the Kite Runner, because I felt that the protagonist had to fight through an unthinkable enemy, and no matter what, she didn’t give up. Also I thought that this was similar to the Kite Runner because I thought that the protagonist was being cowardly, and she realized this as did Amir is the Kite Runner. I found also that due to the connection between this book and Great Expectations, it mirrored a lot of the different plot turns. When the protagonist, in each story, is presented with an opportunity to leave everything behind to better their own circumstances, they do.

There were a few things in the book that I think that the author could have changed. I think that there should have been more conflict throughout the book; it would keep the reader attached to the book more. I also thought that near the end of the story, the author dragged it on a bit too long. I think that if he had ended it about 20 pages earlier it would have been much better, and a more enjoyable read. I would recommend this book to people that are not disturbed by extreme events happening to the protagonist’s friends. I also would recommend this book to someone that is looking for a good story. I would rate this book a 7.5 out of 10 because I think that the plot could have been thicker, but it was still a very good read.

The Old Man and the Sea

By Ernest Hemingway

Cameron Beatty

This book is one of the best stories that I have read. It is about a man that goes out to sea to go fishing every day, even after not catching a fish for eighty-five days. On the eighty-fifth day, he hooks the biggest fish that he had ever seen or heard of. He fights this fish for two days and two nights before he even knows what it looks like. When this fish jumps, it is the most beautiful fish that the old man has ever seen. The fish sports purple stripes along the body, a gorgeous silver, and the monstrous scythe like tail. The old man in the end catches the fish. On the way back into the harbour, the old man has to lash the fish to the side of the boat. He feels that he and the fish are almost one in the same, old and tired, but fighters. On the way back into the harbour, sharks attack the majestic fish. Even though the old man manages to kill off at least half a dozen sharks, in the end the fish is left with nothing but its head, its backbone and its magnificent tail.

The main theme in this book is that experience, hard work and perseverance don’t always pay off. This is a big part of the book, because when the old man is fighting the fish, all that he is thinking about is catching it. He is thinking about how good it is going to be once he has caught it, and how everything will be better; but in actuality he is just fishing for shark bait. I think that the sharks are one of the motifs that support this theme because even though the old man had worked for 3 days on this one big fish, and put his life and soul into the fish, the shark took that away in a matter of a few hours. You can work really long and really hard for something, and in a split second, success can escape you.

Another theme in this book is the relationship between the hunter and the hunted. The motif here is the parallel between the old man and the fish. The old man and the fish are essentially the same. They are both big old and strong, even though they may not be as strong as the younger fish, or the younger men, they both fight for their lives, and never give up till the end. They are both smart and use their instincts to survive the fight with the other.

I thought that the language that was used in this book was very good. The writing has a lot of detail in it, and this helped me feel what the old man was feeling, and see what the old man was seeing. When the old man sees the fish and explains it, I could see a vivid picture of it in my mind. In my opinion I think that the writing was very well done in this book.

I think that in this book there are a lot of things that today’s adolescents and I should pay very close attention to. No matter what the situation, you should never give up. The old man never gives up; even when he is bleeding and all hope is lost, he continues to fight. Another thing that I think I should pick up on is the fact that you should never get down on yourself, and always believe that you can do it, no matter how unlikely. I got this from the old man in the book because he hadn’t caught a fish in eighty-five days, but still he tried, and never gave up. I think that I should take this into skiing, because no matter how bad the day is; there is still the possibility that something spectacular will happen. Good luck is important, the old man keeps his lines with precision. He says ‘It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.’” (32) I think that this quote tells us that we always have to be prepared for luck, because you may miss your chance at something lucky if you are not prepared to harness it.

I think that Ernest Hemingway could have changed some of the language in the book. I felt almost as if he changed his audience part way through the book. He began describing things in much more depth. I think that if he had kept the style constant through the entire book, it would be a better read.

I would recommend this book to people who like books that are about the relationship between man and nature. I don’t think that this would be a good book for people who are into high-paced or action filled books, because one of the major parts of this book is how the man has patience, and waits for the perfect moment to make his move. I would also recommend this book to anyone who loves to fish, because it is very descriptive of both the sea and the life in it.

One of the major rhetorical devices that Ernest Hemingway uses in this book is the metaphor. The old man thinks of the sea as La Mar. He describes it as feminine and beautiful. This shows how he is respectful to everything around him, and shows how he is a good caring person. He uses the metaphor again when he describes the old man’s patched and worn out sail as ‘the flag of permanent defeat’. Also he uses symbolism. The old mans dreams of lions on the beach in Africa. This symbolizes the connection that the man has with nature and his long life. All of these devices contribute in some way or another to enhance the story, be it helping nature, or proving that nothing can hold you back.

The St. Andrews Werewolf

This book is a fiction mystery written by Eric Wilson. Liz Austin is the main character in the book, and she is investigating a large number of fires in the town of St. Andrews. She is confronted with multiple challenges throughout the book, such as the proposition to build a mall in St. Andrews. The plot of the novel is mainly based around the idea of the mall, because there is a town vote, and the fires that have been lit are intended to intimidate the voters into saying yes to the mall. But according to anonymous phone calls, and letters the St. Andrews werewolf is performing these arsons. As the book progresses we learn more and more about the mall, and the werewolf. Also during all of this Liz is performing in a musical called Annie. One of the major themes that was in the book was the theme of crime. One of the motifs that supported this theme was the arsonist in the town.

This is a good book that keeps you reading from page to page, but I would not advise someone looking for an advanced mystery novel because the language in the book is very basic. I think that this book could be improved if the author were to try and enhance the plot by giving more background about the characters, and make the language a bit more vivid. Also if the author were to use a higher level of language it would keep people more interested.

I thought the t this book was similar to Great Expectations because the author addresses problems in our society today. I thought that the lack of jobs really tied into today’s society with the recession, and the thousands of people that have lost jobs and need to move away. I think that this book, although not very advanced, it relates to one of the biggest problems that the world is facing today. It also shows that people will go to drastic measures to make sure that they get what they think is best.

In the book the author did not use many rhetorical devices, but there were some that I thought were effective. One of them was the use of a metaphor near the beginning of the book, “I heard it. An unearthly sound.”(pg. 5) I think that this is a good use of auditory imagery because it entices the reader, and they want to know what is making such a terrible noise. Also the author used a lot of visual imagery, for example, “Suddenly, a ball of fire exploded out of a window sending us fleeing to the road for safety. Flames began licking up the wall.”(pg. 6) The metaphor is the final rhetorical device that I think the author used well, “Stars exploded in my skull.”(pg. 64) I think that this is a really good way to depict what happened to one of the characters when he was bludgeoned in the head by an unknown attacker.