English 8Advanced Final Exam Book Review

Name:______

Day 2: You will use details from TWO full length works of literature to write a well-developed essay. You should come to class with lined paper, pens, knowledge of essay structure and the works that we have read this year.

Title: Ender’s Game

Author: Orson Scott Card

Genre: Science fiction

Setting: Earth, Battle School, ….

Characters:—

Ender Wiggin—a “third,” meaning the third child in his family. Unusual and looked down upon in their time. Because of the promise of his two older siblings, his parents were asked to have another child, hoping that child would be “the one” to help his society beat the buggar race. After wearing a monitor for years longer than his siblings, Ender is selected to attend the prestigious Battle School. Ender agrees to go, leaving behind Valentine, the only person who truly loves and understands him. He spends several years there, developing a reputation as a strict but fair and brilliant tactician in the school’s simulated null gravity battles. He is eventually promoted to Command School where he is trained one on one by Mazer Rackham, the hero of the second buggar invasion. Ender is eventually tricked into defeating the entire buggar race in a battle he thought was simulated. Ender feels guilty about what he has done and devotes much of the rest of his days to giving the buggars a “voice” in the form of . He and Valentine set off in space and Ender plans to find a new home for the last remaining buggar ….
Valentine Wiggin-Middle Wiggin child. She is much more compassionate, but just as brilliant, than her oldest brother. She represents Ender’s heart. When Ender is taken off the planet for Battle School, she is the only family member to celebrate his birthday every year. Commander Graff uses Ender’s love for Valentine to get him to continue on his path toward becoming the one to destroy the buggars when Ender wants to quit. Contrary to her personality, she plays the role of war-mongering Demonsthenes in the online blogs that Peter sets up.
Peter Wiggin-the oldest, and most sadistic Wiggin child. He can never forgive Ender for wearing the monitor for years long and being selected, but does at time show his softer side, like when he cries and tells Ender he loves him when he thinks his younger brother is asleep. He takes the surprising role of sympathetic Locke in the online blogs. While softer Ender ends up killing two boys and destroying a peace-meaning species, Peter ends up becoming Hegemon of Earth in his later years.
Alai-Ender’s first friend as a Launchie. He is a
Colonel Graff-the main adult character in Ender’s life throughout the novel. He decides what will be done to Ender. He shapes him into a tough commander, partially by isolating Ender and forcing the young boy to continually rise to seemingly impossible challenges.
Mazer Rackham-commander of the Second Invasion. He “freezes” himself in time, long enough to be around to train the future commander for the planned Third Invasion. While the buggars learn that humans are sentient beings and decide not to fight them, Earth does not catch on as fast. Mazer trains Ender individually once he reaches Command School.

Conflicts:

Ender vs. bullies like Peter, Bonzo, Stilson

Earth vs. the buggars (Ender vs. the buggars in the Third Invasion)

Ender vs. the adult teachers

Ender vs. himself (the Valentine and Peter sides of himself, fighting his internal demons in the Giant’s Drink game)

Themes:

Fighting does not solve problems.
Friendships are important.
Sometimes winning the war means losing something more important.
The saving grace for all humanity is compassion. Without that, humanity is doomed.

Title: The Diary of a Young Girl

Authors: Anne Frank

Genre: Memoir

Setting: Mostly in the attic (Secret Annex) at top floor of a warehouse in Amsterdam, Holland, 1942-1945

Characters:

Anne Frank: 14-16 year old girl. Gets a diary for her birthday shortly before she enters the attic. Mercurial. Curious. Chatterbox. Interested in everything. Dates Peter for a while, but ultimately decides he’s too emotionally and intellectually immature for her. The diary was published posthumously by her father after he got word that Anne died in Bergen Belsen in 1945.
Margot Frank-Anne’s older sister. Very ladylike and quiet. Anne feels she is frequently compared to her.
Otto Frank—Anne and Margot’s father. German businessman who moved his family to Holland when the Nazis were coming to power in his home country. Worked in theOpekta building with Mr. Kleinmann, Mr. Kugler, BepVoskuijul and MiepGeis and others before going into hiding. He invites theVanDaans to stay in the attic. Also does not hesitate to allow Mr. Dussel to stay. Calm peacemaker when the other characters have arguments. Keeps order, explains the rules of the attic on the first day, and watches the entrance and exit of the workmen every week day. Only attic member to survive the Holocaust. Spent time in the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Edith Frank—Anne and Margot’s mother. German-born. Likes to gossip. Anne does not get along with her too well as she feels her mother is too critical.
VanDaan—shy teenage son of the VanDaans. Anne first sees Peter as obnoxious, lazy, and overly sensitive, but later on in the book they date. Peter is quiet, timid, honest, and sweet to Anne, but he does not share her strong convictions.
Mrs. Van Daan—flirty young wife. Talkative. Anne initially sees her as friendly and an ally, but later calls her an instigator. Anne says she frequently complains about their situation.
Mr. VanDaan—impatient, rocky relationship with his son. Had worked with Otto Frank as an herbal specialist in Amsterdam. Anne thinks he’s somewhat egotistical and opinionated. Frequently fights with his wife.
Miep-young Dutch girl who helps the families by bringing them food that she buys on the black market with illegal ration books, friendly, cheerful.

Mr. Frank lives with her for a few years after he returns from the camps.

Dussel-dentist who enters the attic and shares a room with Anne. Does not appreciate having to share time in the room.

Themes:

Family can get you through the toughest of situations.
“In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”—Anne Frank
Adolescence is a lonely time, even under the best of circumstances.
In the darkest of times, good people can come together to show the good in humanity.

Conflicts:

External conflicts: The attic members struggle to get along in spite of the close quarters and stress of living under constant threat of the Nazis. They frequently bicker, like Anne and Mr. Dussel do when she asks to use the table in their shared room for a few hours every day.
Internal conflicts: Anne must learn to bridge the gap between the “two selves” that she discusses. Anne struggles to understand and be more compassionate toward her mother. She also deals with her burgeoning womanhood, even though she is comfortable asking the other women in the attic advice.

Title :The Contender

Author: Robert Lipsyte

Genre: Realistic fiction

Narration: Third person limited (to Alfred)

Setting:Modern-day. Various places around New York: Aunt Pearl’s dingy tenement in Harlem with the shared hallway bathroom. Uncle Wilson’s spacious home in Jamaica. Spoon’s apartment in the integrated Washington Heights.The gang’s clubhouse in the dark basement.Mr. Donatelli’s well-lit gym on the third floor above Doc Corey’s shop.

Characters:

Alfred Brooks—young African-American boy who dropped out of school. His father left home and his mother died. Lives with his Aunt Pearl in Harlem with her three daughters. Works at Epsteins grocery. Seems depressed at the beginning of the novel. Follows Mr. Donatelli’s strict training routine and becomes a contender. Fights in four professional rounds, only losing the last one against bigger, older Marine Elston Hubbard, but loses with so much heart that the whole crowd and the opponent is impressed. Decides, with the help of his new friend Spoon, to go back to night school to earn his diploma. May mentor kids in the neighborhood at the request of Spoon and other acquaintances. Also vows to help his friend James kick his drug habit at the end of the book.
James Mosely-childhood best friend of Alfred. Difficult home life. Also dropped out of school and by the start of the book has fallen in with bully Major’s gang. Is arrested for robbing Epsteins grocery and then becomes a drug addict. Meets up with Alfred at the cave in the last chapter and agrees to let his friend help him get off drugs.
Major-neighborhood bully who had been pushing Alfred and James around since they were much younger. Tries to get Alfred to help him rob the grocery several times.
Ryan Donatelli-Owner of the gym. Takes Alfred and other young fighters under his wing. Tells Alfred “it’s the climb that makes the man” and being a champion isn’t the point of the training. Cares about his fighters. Calls the major fight for Willie Streeter at MSG so the fighter won’t lose face. Tells Alfred he should retire from boxing because he lacks “the killer instinct.”
Henry—his father owns the building the boys hang out in, though they don’t seem to include or notice him. Becomes a trainer at the gym with Alfred as his first fighter. Limps because of a childhood illness, but his injury improves as his self-confidence does too.
Aunt Pearl—sister of Alfred’s mother. Takes care of Alfred. Cares about him very much. Had a chance to be a choir girl at the Apollo theater when she was younger, but her disapproving mother would not allow it. Worries about Alfred’s decision to pursue boxing, but allows her nephew to follow his new dreams.
Cousin Jeff-college-aged cousin of Alfred. Alfred used to feel jealousy towards him, but the two finally bond over Thanksgiving dinner. He shows interests in Alfred’s boxing and the two agree to meet up in the city next time Jeff is home from school. Considering working to help his community after he finishes school.

Conflicts:

External conflicts: Alfred deals with peer pressure, opponents in the ring, his friend’s drug problems, and poverty.

Internal conflicts: Alfred struggles with self-esteem issues, depression, identity issues, and finding the motivation to keep training.

Themes:

People should try to improve themselves instead of accepting a life that makes them unhappy.
People should stay loyal to their friends and help them when they are clearly in need, even if they push them away.
It is sometimes difficult to find your place in the world, but you should keep trying.
Everyone has something about which they feel passionate.
Even when you don’t win, you sometimes get more out of the experience of trying.
People of all races, ages, and backgrounds can be friends.