Animal Farm Ch. 1-2 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-28-12

Chapters 1-2

Summary: In chapter 1, . Major (the wise pig) calls a meeting to discuss his dream he had.  He talks about a revolution for animals overthrowing humans.  Major states that animals live, short and hard lives and they do all the work to get nothing back from the humans and humans are enemies. Major then sings a song from his childhood he remembered in his dream t called Beasts of England (about the revolution). In chapter 2, Major dies in his sleep. The other pigs take over his place and they call Major's philosophy Animalism and have meetings about it. At this time, Mr. Jones forgot to feed the animals. Eventually one of the cows broke in the store-shed to eat. The men came and started to whip the animals and the cows chased the men off the farm. The animals now owned the farm. The animals all burned the instruments of torture and humility in the barn and ate and went to bed. The animals explore the farmhouse and decide no one will live there. The animals then write Animal Farm on the farm sign with paint. The animals then made 7 commandments they must all live by no matter what which are that animals are friends, humans are enemies, no animal will sleep on a bed, wear clothes, kill another animal, drink alcohol, and all animals are equal. After harvesting hay they came back to notice their milk had disappeared from earlier that day. 

Quotation: "And remember also that in fighting against man, we must not come to resemble him. Even when you have conquered him do not adopt his vices... All the habits of Man are evil." (21) 

Quotation Significance: This is Major talking the animals before he tells them the dream he has. He is saying that they must not become what a terrible thing that the man is, otherwise there would be no point in what they are trying to achieve.  He believes that men are evil and do not ever be evil like them

Reflection: So far, this story has been exciting. The animals are inspired by the ideas of Animalism and Major inspires them, and warns them to never become like man. It is obvious to see that the smartest animals at the farm are the pigs and I think that in the future the pigs will become the dictators of the farm. I think they will become the elite on the farm and become the very thing they were fighting for in the first place. I'm thinking that one of the pigs stole the milk and maybe drank it or stored it for later. I think that eventually the pigs might even move into the house and start making the other animals work for them and trick them into doing things or obeying them. With animals like Mollie, this would be easy. All they would have to do would be to entice her ribbons as rewards for obeying them. I think that this is a comparison to types of government like Communism. They have this small and cunning elite population (pigs) that surpresses the majority of the population and tricks them into working for their benefit. It starts with not forced control but with winning people over (Mollie?) and then making them work for them and making them do things for their benefit. Obviously, it seems like Major had an idea that this might happen and is warning them against it. 

Discussion Question: Do you think that the pigs are planning to take over the farm?

Tale of Two Cities Book 3 Ch. 13-15 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-26-12

Book 3 Chapters 13-15

Summary: In chapter 13, 52 people have been condemned to die. Carton visits Darnay and tricks him into switching clothes with him and Carton drugs Darnay with the chemical he bought from the chemist's shop. He orders Barsad to take Darnay to the carriage and Carton waits to be executed. Darnay takes Carton's papers and they all flee the city. In chapter 14, Madame Defarge goes to Lucie's apartment to try and catch her mourning for a prisoner (which is illegal) Miss Pross is discussing plans to leave Paris with Jerry Cruncher and he leaves when Madame Defarge comes in. The women fight and Miss Pross shoots Madame Defarge. In chapter 15, The Vengenance worries that Madame Defarge will miss the death of Darnay and when Carton is executed and has a peaceful look on his face and pictures a child of Darnay and Lucie with his name and pictures everyone being happy and Paris being peaceful yet again. 

Quotation: "I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free,... I see the evil of this time....gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out."   

Quotation Significance: This is what Carton is thinking of when he is being executed. He sees that people will rise from all the death and ashes and the evil draining away. He sees a future of peace and happiness for everyone.

Reflection: This is the end of Tale of Two Cities! This book was very exciting and came to a very exciting end! I would definitely read this book again and I give this book four stars! Carton decides to trick Darnay and sacrifice himself. He knows that Darnay has a huge life ahead of him and since the look alike Carton knows he can pull it off. Carton thinks he has accomplished nothing worthwhile in his life and that this would be his biggest contribution to the world and the happiness of Darnay, Lucie and their family. Carton thinks little of himself and he knows that this way he will be remembered as honorable by people after he is still dead and his memory will live on. Madame Defarge is dead and Miss Pross and Jerry are leaving Paris presumably to meet up with Darnay and Lucie. The fear of the aristocrats has been banished and people are rising to make the world good again and for the light to shine once more. Carton will be loved and cherished by Darnay and Lucie and they decide to most likely name a son after him and in Carton's last moments he sees this and is touched by this and will cherish this memory where he goes on to. All in all, this was a fantastic book with a fantastic ending and a twisting and very intriguing plot.

Discussion Question: Why did Carton sacrifice himself for Darnay/

Tale of Two Cities Book 3 Ch.5-8 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-19-1

Book 3 Chapters 5-8

Summary: In chapter 5, Lucie stands in town by the wood-sawyer store so that way Darnay can see her a couple hours of the day through the prison window in his cell. Lucie talks to the wood-sawyer and pretends that his saw is a guillotine. One day, a group of people do a horrible dance that was called the Carmagnole. The dancers leave and Manette arrives and comforts Lucie when Madame Defarge arrives and she salutes Manette. Manette tells Lucie that Darnay is going to be on trial tomorrow and will most likely win the case. In chapter 6, a crowd assembles for the trial. Darnay wins the case because he renounced his title because he didn't like how the peasants were being treated and because he is Manette's son-in-law. He is carried home in a chair on the shoulders of the cheering crowd. In chapter 7, Darnay is re-arrested under the accusations of the Defarges and a third person whom will be found out the next day.  In chapter 8,  at the same time, Miss Pross and Jerry find Miss Pross's long lost brother, Solomon, who is a spy for the rebels. He was the one who accused Darnay of treason and his other name he goes by is Barsad. Carton comes in and threatens to reveal his identity unless he takes them to Tellson's. Carton tells Jerry and Mr. Lorry that Darnay has been arrested again and tells them he has a plan if he is convicted. If Barsad doesn't cooperate then Carton will reveal him as an English spy. Carton says that he saw Barsad talking with the English spy, Roger Cly. Cly was supposedly dead but his death was faked. Barsad disagrees but agrees to help them get Darnay out of prison. 

Quotation:  "No fight could have been half so terrible as this dance. It was emphatically a fallen sport... a healthy pastime changed into a means of angering the blood, bewildering the senses, and steeling the heart."

Quotation Significance: This quote is when the dancers danceing to the Carmagnole do a dance around Lucie and when they fall, another group takes their place. This seems to me like a war, one group replacing the next who has died but this keeps going forever. I think that this is why this dance scared Lucie so much she had to be consoled by her father when it was over.

Reflection: In these four chapters, Darnay is almost saved, but has to go back to prison the next day. Darnay is relieved when he is released after this trial and thinks that maybe his nightmare his over. A nightmare that lasted a year and three months  He was subjected to many horrible things in prison. I couldn't imagine going through that and having to go back the next day. He would have to relive the memories and remember how close he was to actual freedom. Lucie is frightended and relieved when her husband is back because she has a feeling that they will take him again and they end up doing this very thing and the next day too! Lucie was devastated at this and it would be harder to imagine how his child, little Lucie was feeling. She knows something terrible is happening to her father and must be upset that she can't be around him. It is a huge moment when Miss Pross, Carton, and Cruncher find Solomon (Barsad), he convicted Darnay and Carton says that he will reveal him as an English spy if he doesn't help them. Barsad agrees because he doesn't want his cover blown. Carton has a plan to save Darnay and resuce him from prison if he is convicted for the new crime he was convicted of doing. He was accused by Mr. and Mr. Defarge and it isn't clear what he has supposedly done and a third person whose identity hasn't been revealed yet. I think next Darnay will be found guilty for his next crime and then Carton and everyone else will have to execute their plan to save him.

Discussion Question: Why are Mr. and Mrs. Defarge accusing Darnay and who do you think is the third person who accuses him?

Tale of Two Cities Book 2 Ch. 22-24 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-14-12

Book 2 Chapters 22-24

Summary: In chapter 22, Defarge says that the man Foulon has been captured, he said that that if people are starving that they should eat grass. Madame Defarge and a mob of women  find Foulon and a woman known only as The Vengeance. They  hang him on a lamp post  and they put his head on a pike and put grass in his mouth. . In chapter 23, the mender of the roads is working when a traveler comes up who is a Jacques. They exchange important info for something taking place that night.  That night, four people set the Marqui's house on fire and no one made an effort to stop it. In chapter 24, three years had gone by and the center of power of Monseigneur rests at Tellson's and England is a haven for aristocrats. Tellson's has decided to dispatch Lorry to Paris to protect valuables things from destruction. Darnay tells him not to go but Mr. Lorry goes with Jerry as his bodyguard. Lorry receives a letter for the new Marqui and Darnay opens it and reads it and it tells him to help Gabelle, who was imprisoned because he was upkeeping the Marqui estate and begs Darnay to save him so Darnay goes to Paris to help. 

Quotation: "The officers looked towards the soldiers who looked at the fire; gave no orders; and answered, with shrugs and biting of lips, 'It must burn.'"

Quotation Significance: This is what a soldier said when the found out that the Marqui house was burning and no one was going to help. Obviously, they think that the house deserves to burn after all the the Marqui has done to his people. They resent the Marqui and could not care less about what happens to him or his house.

Reflection: Alot is happening in these three chapters! The revoltution is brewing and everyone is ready to fight in Paris. The Monseigneur has been thrown from his royal circle which is now gone and has lost his home. His main center is now Tellson bank. The aristocrats are all fleeing to England so they won't be killed by the Jacques are killing most of them. So show their angry at the Marqui, they set his house on fire and his own soldiers won't help to out out the fire which shows how much he was resented by the people of Paris. The soldiers just leave the house to burn and return to their homes and go to bed. The women and Madame Defarge murder and hang a man who had no regard for the poor (Foulon) who told the poor to eat grass when the starve. This was an insulting notion and the peasants decided to kill him and put grass in his own mouth and put his head on a pike. If I lived in Paris at this time and was subjected to such awful behavior I would be ready to revolt too. Now, Lorry is being sent to Paris to protect valuables and papers for Tellson and is going with Jerry as a bodyguard. Jerry is a grave- robber and very sneaky at too so he will be able to sneak Mr. Lorry around Paris without drawing too much attention. Darnay gets a letter from Gabelle, who is imprisoned for looking after the Marqui estate. Darnay sets off  to Paris to take a look at the situation. Maybe Darnya thinks the Gabelle is good or that he can help the Jacques. Either way it is dangerous for him to go there because he is on Madame Defarge's list and he has aristocrat blood. I think that Darnay will join the rebellion in Paris and help out but then eventually someone will figure out his identity. 

Discussion Question: What do you think Darnay will do about Gabelle and saving him from prison?

Tale of Two Cities Book 2 Ch. 18-21 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-13-12

Book 2 Ch. 18-21

Summary: In chapter 18,  Darnay tells Doctor Manette his real name and Manette is in deep shock. Lucie and Darnay marry and leave for their honeymoon while Manette is in an incoherent state working on shoes. Miss Pross and the household watch him for nine days and don't think he can join Darnay and Lucie on their honeymoon. In chapter 19, Manette is better and assures them nothing will trigger a relapse again. Manette and Mr. Lorry decide to get rid of the shoemaker's tools for Lucie's sake while Manette is on the honeymoon with them. A few days later, Manette leaves to join Darnay and Lucie and his tools are destroyed. In chapter 20, after Lucie and Darnay return from their honeymoon Carton arrives and apologizes for being drunk during the trial and asks for their friendship. Once he leaves, Darnay criticizes him but Lucie says that Carton is a good man with a wounded heart and Darnay decides to befriend him. In chapter 21, years go by and they have a daughter, little Lucie, and a son who dies young. Lorry visits the Darnays and tells them that a large number of people are sending tributes to England. The scene than changes to the Bastille in Paris where a mob is being lead by Defarge and his wife. He storms a guard and demands to be taken to 105 North Tower, where he searches the cell. When he returns Madame Defarge cuts the head off of the man defending the tower.

Quotation: "Other seven faces there were, carried higher, seven dead faces whose drooping eyelids and half-seen eyes awaited the Last Day... as having yet to raise the dropped lids of the eyes, and bear witness with the bloodless lips, 'Thou didst it!'"    

Quotation Significance: This is a quote about how prisoners from the tower. They were treated horribly and cruelly and are very close to death. So close that they are waiting for their day of judgment before God to see if the go to Heaven or Hell. It is like the are already dead and are coming back to life to tell their killer that they suceeded and to thank their killers for putting them out of their miserable life.

Reflection: Alot happens in these four chapters of the book! Darnay and Lucie get married and Manette finds out Darnay is an aristocrat and he shocked because this is the family that put him in prison for 18 years. This causes Manette to go into an incoherent shock. He tells Darnay to not tell him his real name until the wedding day so that way he doesn't stop Lucie from marrying him. Manette does this because he wants to give Lucie everything and make her happy. Manette is in shock for nine days because this name triggered the memories of the prison inside of him, causing him to go back to shoemaking and hiding from the world. He comes around in a few days and realizes he has to be strong for Lucie's sake and decides to have his shoemaker's tools destroyed. This was a very strong thing for him to do showing that his love and connection with Lucie is very strong and powerful.  Once Lucie and Darnay return from the honeymoon Carton wants to be friends with Darnay and he is rejected by him at first and Lucie knows he is heartbroken and lost and convinces Darnay to give Carton a chance. Darnay agrees with Lucie and decides to do this for Lucie. In Paris, the revolution is going on and Defarge and his wife are heading the rebellion. They storm the prison and bring out all the mostly innocent prisoners who are relieved and scared. Some are almost dead and the revolution is ready to bring the aristocrats down.

Discussion Question: How do you think Manette is handling Darnay and Lucie's relationship?

Tale of Two Cities Book 2 Ch.10-13 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-8-12

Book 2 Chapters 10-13

Summary: In chapter 10, Darnay goes to the Manette's house and tells Dr. Manette about his interest to marry Lucie. Dr. Manette is reluctant but promises that Lucie tells Dr. Manette that she wants to marry Darnay and expresses interest in him, the Doctor will let them marry. In chapter 11, Stryver tells Carton that he is planning to ask Lucie to marry him and Carton expresses his approval and congratulations. In chapter 12,   Stryver talks to Mr. Lorry about it at the bank Mr. Lorry doesn't want him to marry Lucie and in the end Mr. Stryver decides not to ask her to marry him. In chapter 13,  Mr. Carton goes to the Manette's house and tells Lucie that his life is nothing and he can never be anything more than he is now. Lucie tells him that she can save him, and Carton tells her that she has inspired him and that he would die for her, and makes her swear to remember him and not tell anyone what they talked about.

Quotation: " O Miss Manette, when the little picture of a happy father's face looks up in yours, when you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at your feet, think now and then that there is a mean who give his life, to keep a life you love beside you!"

Quotation Significance: Mr. Carton tells this to Miss Manette. He is basically saying that he would give his life to her in a second to help her have the life she wanted. He loves her and even though he can't be with her and he knows he shouldn't, he only want the very best for her. 

Reflection: A lot of romance with Lucie goes on in these four chapters! Obviously, not only does Mr. Carton and Darnay love her, it seems that Mr. Stryver does as well. In fact the only in this book who has no interest in Lucie is Mr. Lorry. When Carton hears that Stryver wants to marry Lucie Carton feels hurt but he knows that deep down he isn't good enough for Lucie and even thought he is unhappy he gives his approval. Mr. Stryver says that he isn't marrying Lucie for her money, and it seems like he loves her. But, he gives up the idea of marrying her too quickly. It seems to me that Mr. Stryver likes Lucie, but doesn't love her like Darnay and Carton. Dr. Manette is reluctant to let Darnay marry Lucie but he promises Darnay that he will let them marry if she brings up the idea to him. Carton tells Lucie that he loves her and will die for her and that she has changed his life but he knows he doesn't deserve her and has given up on her. So I think that Lucie and Darnay will eventually get married. Mr. Lorry tells Mr. Stryver he doesn't want him to marry Lucie because he knows that something is going on between Darnay and Lucie which Stryver doesn't know about.   So in the end, Lorry convinces Stryver not to marry Lucie.

Discussion Question: How do you think Lucie feels about her conversation with Carton? How does her relationship with Darnay compare to her relationship with Carton?

Tale of Two Cities Book 2 Ch. 7-9 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-6-12

Book 2 Ch. 7-9

Summary: In chapter 7, Monseigneur, a great court lord in Paris, has some guests, one of his guests, Marquis, races his carriage through the streets almost killing the commoners and kills a young boy. Marquis tosses a few coins to Gaspard, the boy's father, and Defarge, who tries to help him. Gaspard throws the coins at the carriage as it rolls away, and Madame Defarge knits. In chapter 8, the Marquis gets to his town which he is the lord of and interrogates a man who was watching him. Marquis continues on his way to find a woman mourning her buried husband and begging him for a grave- marker. Marquis ignores her and arrives at his chateau and asks if Darnay has arrived from England. In chapter 9, Darnay, Marquis's nephew, tells him he wants to renounce his title to inherit the property when Marquis dies. Darnay says that their family is associated with fear and slavery and the Marquis was found with a knife to his heart the next day, with a note from Jacques.

Quotation: "'Repression is the only lasting philosophy. The dark deference of fear and slavery, my friend,' observed the Marquis, 'will keep the dogs obedient to the whip, as long as this roof... shuts out the sky.'"

Quotation Significance: The Marquis says that as long there is fear of slavery from the peasants, they can be kept in line as long as they can't see the sky. Which basically means as long as they don't see the world clearly, and have hope for something better and that they are blocked from the world and and any help. 

Reflection: Marquis seems like a terrible, and a cruel man. He sent a carriage through the streets and hit a young boy and didn't even care, and just left a few coins for his father in pity. Gaspard, his father, was so devastated by his son's death and was sickened by the coins. How could killing a young boy be made up with a few small coins? Gaspard throws them away in his disgust. Luckily, Madame Defarge is watching, and stitches his name into her knitting cloth, by doing this, Marquis is on the list to die, and thankfully he gets justice by a knife to his heart and a note from Jacques. This obviously means that the killer was a rebel, and part of the revolution because of the code name "Jacques".  The other part of the message says "Drive him fast to his tomb". This means that they want his death to be quickly hidden so that no one gets suspicious about who did it. I have suspicions that maybe Darnay did it. He was at the headquarters of the revolution, the only known man at the house that night, and he asked to not inherit the property the night before Marquis was murdered. This is why I think it is possible that Darnay killed him. Darnay knew how terrible he is and what he could do, and he had to end Marquis's reign. 

Discussion Question: Who do you think killed Marquis?

Tale of Two Cities Book 2 Ch. 5-6 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-5-12

Book 2 Chapters 5-6

Summary: In chapter 5, Mr. Carton and Mr. Stryver drink at Stryver's appartment. Stryver is the "lion" and Mr. Carton is the "jackal". Stryver says that Carton has no direction and is always up and down. Stryver calls Lucie beautiful and Mr. Carton shakes off his comment about her. In chapter 6, four monthes later, dozens come everyday to ask to marry Lucie and Miss Pross thinks her brother Solomon is the only man worthy of her, but in fact Solomon robbed Miss Pross and left her in poverty. A story from Darnay about the prison and a message in the dirt surprises him but he recovers, then Lucie and Mr. Carton talk. 

Quotation:"I have sometimes sat alone here of an evening, listening, until I have made the echoes out to be the echoes of all the footsteps that are coming by-and-bye into our lives."

Quotation Significance: Lucie says this to Mr. Carton about how she hears the footsteps of people going by and how she dreams about what way they will come into her lives and in what way. 

Reflection: So far it seems that Mr. Carton really likes Lucie. He sought her out after everyone leaves in chapter 6 and in chapter 5 he talks about how beautiful she is to Darnay. Darnay shrugs off his comment in chapter 5 but Mr. Carton knows he liked her more than he really lets on. Lucie doesn't totally realize that Mr. Carton likes her but she has an idea that maybe Darnay does and that she likes him too. Mr. Carton is upset because he doesn't credit for winning the case for Darnay and Stryver gets all the credit. I think that Mr. Carton believes that if he was a better man, like Darnay, he would be able to be good enough to stand about to Mr. Stryver and get credit for his work. Mr. Stryver knows that he has Mr. Carton under his belt, this is why he is the "lion" and Mr. Carton is the "jackal". Mr. Carton does all the work and Mr. Stryver gets all the credit and glory. I think that next something will happen between Darnay and Lucie and Mr. Carton will be hurt. 

Discussion Question: Why is Mr. Carton jealous of Darnay?