Post #7: Book Trailer

Post #6: Readicide

Readicide is the killing children’s desire to read. I think this is a huge problem in today’s schools. Between the way that teachers choose to teach books and the amount of literary fiction students are expected to read, it’s no wonder kids are falling out of love with reading.

In my experience, teachers go a little overboard when teaching classic books such as: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, The Great Gatsby, etc. With the massive amounts of notes, study guides, and quizzes there isn’t much time for me (or any other students) to appreciate the book itself. When teachers stand in front of the room and talk at students about what the author ‘truly meant’ when he/she said this it makes the book boring and hard to think about. All the fun and enjoyment is taken out of reading the book. Finding a meaning in a book that relates to the reader is what reading should be about. Not what the school thinks students should get out of it. Literary fiction is great to teach in schools, but not when it’s forced onto students and symbols and themes are shoved down their throats.

Literary fiction should not be removed from school’s curriculum completely. It does have some good issues that people still deal with today. Also, people need to read these to see our history and how themes still apply to this day and age. However, too much of these classics can be extremely boring and suffocating to students today. Schools need to find that balance between literary fiction and genre fiction. Genre fiction is in no way less ‘worthy’ to read in school than literary fiction. It’s has great themes that would go along well with the curriculum. Gene fiction is also a lot more fun and interesting for students to read. This will help with the problem of Readicide, making reading in school more enjoyable. If you look at The Hunger Games, students can learn about a dystopian society and government takeovers in a futuristic, engaging way.  

Critics shouldn’t sneer at genre fiction because that’s what people are reading today. It’s what is popular among children, teens and young adults. It’s what’s selling and being turned into million dollar movies. It’s what’s making its way on the bestsellers list. Kim Wright says, “Publishers, always the last to recognize a literary trend, are pursuing top genre writers who, for the first time, have not only bigger paychecks but genuine clout,” (Wright). Literary fiction will always be the classics that everyone should at least know about, but genre fiction is what everyone is reading now. The best way to keep kids reading is to incorporate genre fiction into school and get rid of some of the literary fiction that is causing Readicide.

Post #5: Adaptation of Carrie

If I were to make a film adaptation of the Stephen King novel Carrie, there are three important scenes that I would keep the same.

First, one of the most important scenes of the entire book is the locker room fiasco where Carrie is made fun of by all of the girls. This is a milestone in the book because along with "becoming a woman" Carrie rediscovers her powers and starts to learn to control them after this horrible incident. This also sets up the pure hatred Carrie has for the other girls and how they bully her. Another reason to include this part is because of the strong emotion it shows. Carrie is humiliated and thinks she’s bleeding to death while the other girls find true disgust for their classmate. Chris and Sue, who are introduced in this scene, come to be important characters throughout the book and become part of the reason for Carrie snapping at the end.

The second scene that I would keep the same is the crowning of Carrie and Tommy as Prom Queen and King. This is a very important part of the book because when the pig blood is dumped onto Carrie and Tommy, Carrie has been embarrassed for the last time. The blood is the final act that makes Carrie snap. It changes her character entirely.  Carrie changes from a sad girl who cries to a monster that destroys the town and kills almost her entire class.

The final scene that should remain the same is Carrie’s final confrontation with her mother. It is after the pig’s blood and she comes home looking to kill her own mother. Margaret White is sitting in the house, knife in hand, waiting to kill Carrie. She tells Carrie about her carelessness before she was married. Margaret wants them to pray together one last time. While Carrie’s head is bowed she strikes at her with the knife. It ends up stabbing her in the shoulder. Finally, Carrie slows her mother’s heart to a stop. This is important because it shows the result of all the years of punishment and loathing from Mrs. White.

One thing I wouldn’t include is Chris and Sue talking at the restaurant. Although, it shows that Sue feels guilty for her actions and Chris does not, it is not important enough to the story to keep in. It is a minor detail that is added for effect. In movies, you have to cut things down to the most important things that keep the story moving. This is just not one of those things.

Another thing that I would cut out is some of the witness questioning. Maybe one would be ok to clear up some things but Sue’s was the most important. You could show some of what Carrie did without having it be set up as a police questioning. Showing Carrie burn townspeople alive would be a lot more effective than having a witness talk about the event. It cuts down on the time and I think it would be confusing to hear all of the witnesses’ stories.

Post #4: Reflection of book 1

I really enjoyed Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I thought it was uniquely written with how the pictures were incorporated. Riggs did a wonderful job with the characters, I fell in love with all of them and their well-being. The book was a little slow in the middle but picked back up at the end with a lot of exciting action. I loved the idea of time loops and peculiar children in general. It was interesting that Riggs chooses to call them 'peculiar'. I would like to know where he came up with that. I can't wait until the second book comes out at the beginning of 2014! I need know what happens to Jacob and Emma and all the other peculiar children.