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.

Post #3: Book 1 Project

If you loved reading about the peculiar children's adventures in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children then this is the perfect product for you. Buy a T-shirt with one of the outrageous pictures Jacob sees throughout the book to show your support for the peculiar children. It's the ultimate fan gear. You like the picture of the floating girl, Olive? Get it on a shirt. What about the picture of Victor holding a bolder over his head? Get it on a shirt. Or maybe you like the picture of Enoch with his homunculi. Get it on a shirt. Show that you are a proud fan of the Miss Peregrine series.

Ransom Riggs’ book is because he uses unique, old pictures to enhance his already spot-on character descriptions. As a young boy, Jacob is shown some old photos from his Grandfather’s childhood. These help to start Jacob’s journey to a little island off the coast of Wales. Upon finding more odd pictures at the house, Jacob finally comes to the realization that the stories that his Grandfather told him so many years ago were actually true. When Jacob first sees the peculiar children, everything seems to connect in his mind, “The pictures strewn before me, staring up at me just as the children stared down. I’d seen them in the photographs,” (Riggs 121). The pictures of the peculiar children make the book more interesting and intense to read. It creates a much more vivid picture in the mind of the readers, helping them fill in the gaps in their imagination.

The use of photos throughout the book helps Jacob as well as the reader. As Miss Peregrine explains to Jacob a story of a young girl she had once sheltered, Jacob recalls a photo that helps him place who she is. He recalls an elder lady dressed in little girl clothing, “‘I think I’ve seen her picture,’” (Riggs 211). Riggs uses these pictures to enhance readers thoughts about the characters looks. By looking at the black and white photos readers can understand more about the setting outside of what Riggs describes. Readers learn just how old these peculiar children are. They are shown in old suspenders and dresses that were worn during the time of World War II. The photos reinforce the idea that the children have not aged and really do come from the 1940’s.

For the peculiar children, keeping and looking at the photos helped them stay sane. Jacob finds old pictures of Emma and his grandfather hidden away in her room. Emma uses them as a reminder of her life before the loop started and there is something different that happens every day.  She explains to Jacob, “’And that, as they say, was that. […]It’s an old story,’” (Riggs 233). Keeping the memory alive, Emma keeps herself sane through the day that repeats itself. The loop makes it so that every day is September 3, 1940 and it resets itself every night. So although the day is the same, what the peculiar children do with does not have to be the same. So, readers, if you wish to wear something different other than an ordinary T-shirt that you wear every day, spice it up with a peculiar children T-shirt!

Not only does Ransom Riggs’ use of the peculiar photos enhance the reader’s experience but it makes his book unique and memorable. Not many books can pull off the picture aspect as Riggs has. Be as close to the peculiar children as you can. Be unique, different, and unlike anyone you know. Be peculiar.  If you wish to go above and beyond like this book and expand your fan experience, you will buy a Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children shirt today!

Post #2: What is a Book?

   A book is a district. Like the districts 1-12 in The Hunger Games, books specialize in different things. Districts also represent the different types of readers. You have the readers who love reading fantasy, manga, realistic fiction, horror, mystery, non-fiction, or adventure etc. Readers have the option to choose what kind of book they want to read, something that will be special to them. Similar to the train that takes Katniss and Peeta to the different districts, books transport readers to different worlds. You can change instantly from a pulse-racing, scream-inducing Stephen King novel, to a heart-aching, vampire-sparkling Stephanie Meyer book. There are so many options to look forward to in the world of books.

Does a Kindle, IPad, phone, other electronic device count as a book?

   Although I definitely prefer my books printed on paper, I would consider these other devices books as well. As long as people are reading, we shouldn't be too judgmental about how they do it. We are all reading the same words, falling in love with the same characters, and experiencing the same heartbreaks whether it’s through paper or through electronic devices. I know that one of the main reasons I prefer reading paper books is because that's how I grew up reading. It wouldn't be the same to me to read off of a lit up screen. Also, reading off a computer (etc.) makes my eyes hurt and I end up with a terrible headache. So I think I will just stick to the textbooks rather than the online version.

   I finished my book 1 within...a week maybe? Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was a fantastic read. It was fairly simple to read and kept me entertained. The beginning was a little slow but once Jacob found the children and Miss Peregrine things picked up a lot. The entire book was a very cool concept and I liked the loop idea. I would never have guessed any of that to happen (Although I had my suspicions about Jacob and his Grandfather being peculiar in some way or another...). I was upset at the end when Ransom Riggs kind of left us hanging until I found out the second book will be coming out this January! I will definitely be picking that one up as soon as it hits the shelves. I loved this book and I'm so glad that I chose to read it for our first unit.

Post #1: Why I read

I like to read for many different reasons.  Books can take you to new realities. I like to be absorbed into different places, places that don't even exist. Every time I open a book, it takes me on a new adventure. It's a nice escape on a rainy day when I'm sitting in my room by myself. Sometimes when I've had a bad day I like to read to forget and fall into the action and drama of Percy Jackson. Being taken away to an alternate universe is most fun when you relate best to a character. It helps to keep the book enjoyable when you feel like you're the one experiencing the magic.


 Books have their own unique way of teaching readers about character, loyalty, friendship and many other themes. When you finish a good book it's like learning the meaning of life. It's liberating to close the cover and know exactly what the author wanted you to know. The Hunger Games by Susan Collins teaches us to stand up against conformity and to change the future. But, it can also be challenging to close the book and wonder what exactly just happened. I can be thinking about the meaning for days. And that's what makes reading fun. The challenge it presents you're mind.

Not only does it become an escape and a way for authors to teach you valuable lessons, it also makes you more intelligent. Reading is a great way to increase your vocabulary and learn about different cultures and time periods. Books are very captivating and that's why I read.