Summary
In this last section of Q&A, Ram gets the last two questions, well actually, all of the questions correct. Getting the answers from life experiences that he tells to his lawyer, for months later in the present time, his lawyer Smita gets him out of the mess. Except for something called, "Quiz show tax" where the quiz company took some of the quiz money that Ram earned.
For the twelfth question, Ram used a life boat called, "A Friendly tip" where in "Who wants to be a millionaire" it is a lifeline. After using that, he correctly answers the question, and moves on. For the thirteen question, Ram uses another lifeboat called "Half-and-Half" where it's the 50-50 in Who wants to be a ?Millionaire.
Quotation
"I will go by my instinct, and my instinct tells me to trust the answer given by Mr. Chatterjee. It is C. Love's Labour's Lost." (Swarup 299)
Reaction
FINALLY!!! Ram has been proven right, thanks to his lawyer Smita, even though in the book, the actions of Smita are not really shown, or described at that time. I am happy that Ram is proven innocent when accused guilty of cheating in a quiz show because it would really suck if he was found guilty. I also find it funny because in the epilogue of the book, it turns out that Smita is Gudiya and that Ram had always been flipping a rigged coin, where both sides had heads on it. It is also nice to know that Ram didn't rely on luck because of the two sided coin.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Q&A pages 164-225
Summary
In these 61 pages of Q&A by Vikas Swarup, Ram Mohammad Thomas answers the question about who created the revolver. His answer was Samuel Colt, which was correct, and for getting the right answer, he won 2 lahk Rupees. 2 Lahk rupees would be 200,000 rupees. In the next chapter, the question is about the highest award for gallantry given to Indian armed forces. His choice was Param Vir Chakra. After having to answer these questions, he is asked if he was guessing, or just wants to quit. But in the end, he didn't need to because he answered the question correctly.
Quote
"we stare opaquely at the dead man's body and nod, in fear and sorrow and guilt, as a liquid understanding spreads slowly through our numbed minds" (Swarup 190).
Reaction
For this passage, i expected no less of Ram to answer the questions he was given, correctly. i also think that Ram is lucky that he was able to learn about the subjects of the questions. Otherwise he would've lost all the money he earned and the book probably would've never started. But anyways, I'm glad that he was able to answer the questions correctly, thanks to his past experiences.
In these 61 pages of Q&A by Vikas Swarup, Ram Mohammad Thomas answers the question about who created the revolver. His answer was Samuel Colt, which was correct, and for getting the right answer, he won 2 lahk Rupees. 2 Lahk rupees would be 200,000 rupees. In the next chapter, the question is about the highest award for gallantry given to Indian armed forces. His choice was Param Vir Chakra. After having to answer these questions, he is asked if he was guessing, or just wants to quit. But in the end, he didn't need to because he answered the question correctly.
Quote
"we stare opaquely at the dead man's body and nod, in fear and sorrow and guilt, as a liquid understanding spreads slowly through our numbed minds" (Swarup 190).
Reaction
For this passage, i expected no less of Ram to answer the questions he was given, correctly. i also think that Ram is lucky that he was able to learn about the subjects of the questions. Otherwise he would've lost all the money he earned and the book probably would've never started. But anyways, I'm glad that he was able to answer the questions correctly, thanks to his past experiences.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Q&A pages 103-163
Summary
In this next passage, Ram answers the next question for 50,000 rupees , when the question is about when the government declares a foriegn diplomat persona non grata, where it means that the diplomat is not acceptable. For his back story, he starts out where they meet Colonel Charles Taylor who is giving an introduction to people. Ram is living with Colonel Taylor's family, and he is the last one around other than the family. He starts to know what a persona non grata is when Colonel declared it and asked to leav within 48 hours. He leaves the Taylor family at the end of the chapter, beleiving that they would end up crazy.
Quote
"Is that a guess? Remember, you stand to lose the ten thousand rupees you've already won if you give the wrong answer. So if you want, you can quit right now." (Swarup 128)
Reaction
For this passage, I found it funny how he thinks that the Taylor family will end up crazy how he says that the son behaves like a whacker and that the mom will be apples with the government around. For the quote, it sounds both racist and protective because he believes Ram will not get the answer right, but also doesnt want Ram to lose all the money that he's earned by choosing the correct answer. But in the end of this question, I would personally say, "in your face" to the Quiz show man.
In this next passage, Ram answers the next question for 50,000 rupees , when the question is about when the government declares a foriegn diplomat persona non grata, where it means that the diplomat is not acceptable. For his back story, he starts out where they meet Colonel Charles Taylor who is giving an introduction to people. Ram is living with Colonel Taylor's family, and he is the last one around other than the family. He starts to know what a persona non grata is when Colonel declared it and asked to leav within 48 hours. He leaves the Taylor family at the end of the chapter, beleiving that they would end up crazy.
Quote
"Is that a guess? Remember, you stand to lose the ten thousand rupees you've already won if you give the wrong answer. So if you want, you can quit right now." (Swarup 128)
Reaction
For this passage, I found it funny how he thinks that the Taylor family will end up crazy how he says that the son behaves like a whacker and that the mom will be apples with the government around. For the quote, it sounds both racist and protective because he believes Ram will not get the answer right, but also doesnt want Ram to lose all the money that he's earned by choosing the correct answer. But in the end of this question, I would personally say, "in your face" to the Quiz show man.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Q&A pages 62-121
Summary
Over these 60 pages or so, Ram shares some life experiences that would lead to how he answered a question in the quiz show correctly. For the first question in this 60 paged passage, was how his neighbors got a pet cat and named it Pluto instead of Jupiter because Pluto is the smallest planet, and the cat is the smallest in the family. He remembers that one day, the most-of-the-time drunk father had killed the small cat after harming his wife, sending her to the hospital, and put Pluto in Ram's hands for the time being. The question that Ram had to answer was which planet is the smallest, and from this experience, Pluto was his answer. In the next chapter, Ram talks about a gang who had kept Ram and Salim, Rams friend, like captives. One day, they are told about Surdas , a blind poet who devoted his life to the god Krishna because Krishna had saved his life when he was stuck in an abandoned well. The question that Ram had to answer was which god was Surdas, the blind poet, devoted to? He answered correctly by choosing Krishna.
Quote
"The boy was none other that Krishna. After that Surdas devoted his life to composing songs in praise of Krishna." (Swarup 96)
Reaction
After reading the first few chapters of this book, i finally realized what is trying to be told, how it's being told, and why it's being told in the chapters. The random life facts of Ram Mohammad Thomas are not random. No, instead they are his experiences that lead up to how he was able to answer the questions correctly. The first thing that made me a little sad in this passage, was that how his neighbors cat, Pluto, had died in the hands of the drunk father of the family while Ram was sleeping, and the wife and child were in the hospital. Not a cool thing to do. This method is meant to lead up to the question, which i think will usually be at the end of the chapter, to back up how he answered the question correctly before what the question was. It is being told this way to build suspense to the reader and make them think what the question is or why this certain part is being told in the story. Other than that, I expect to keep reading this book in this style, so that i would be suspicious in a way to want to find out the question because i now know the method of the various chapters, story lines, and questions.
Over these 60 pages or so, Ram shares some life experiences that would lead to how he answered a question in the quiz show correctly. For the first question in this 60 paged passage, was how his neighbors got a pet cat and named it Pluto instead of Jupiter because Pluto is the smallest planet, and the cat is the smallest in the family. He remembers that one day, the most-of-the-time drunk father had killed the small cat after harming his wife, sending her to the hospital, and put Pluto in Ram's hands for the time being. The question that Ram had to answer was which planet is the smallest, and from this experience, Pluto was his answer. In the next chapter, Ram talks about a gang who had kept Ram and Salim, Rams friend, like captives. One day, they are told about Surdas , a blind poet who devoted his life to the god Krishna because Krishna had saved his life when he was stuck in an abandoned well. The question that Ram had to answer was which god was Surdas, the blind poet, devoted to? He answered correctly by choosing Krishna.
Quote
"The boy was none other that Krishna. After that Surdas devoted his life to composing songs in praise of Krishna." (Swarup 96)
Reaction
After reading the first few chapters of this book, i finally realized what is trying to be told, how it's being told, and why it's being told in the chapters. The random life facts of Ram Mohammad Thomas are not random. No, instead they are his experiences that lead up to how he was able to answer the questions correctly. The first thing that made me a little sad in this passage, was that how his neighbors cat, Pluto, had died in the hands of the drunk father of the family while Ram was sleeping, and the wife and child were in the hospital. Not a cool thing to do. This method is meant to lead up to the question, which i think will usually be at the end of the chapter, to back up how he answered the question correctly before what the question was. It is being told this way to build suspense to the reader and make them think what the question is or why this certain part is being told in the story. Other than that, I expect to keep reading this book in this style, so that i would be suspicious in a way to want to find out the question because i now know the method of the various chapters, story lines, and questions.
Monday, November 22, 2010
"Q&A" by Vikas Swarup Pg 1-61
Summary
Ram Mohammad Thomas is arrested and accused of cheating in a game show when has never gone to school, or read any books, though he was able to choose the correct answers in a Quiz show. Speaking with a person who doesn't care that he is on Ram cheated or not, he wonders how Ram was able to answer the questions correctly, and then they have a flashback to when they were meeting an actor and onward. He and his best friend find out that their favorite actor was hurt, and rejected because he was gay. His friend is in tears because of this and that his best friends hero died. They then decide to try for the gameshow "Who wants to win a billion!" and at random, Ram is chosen as a contestant for the gameshow. He gets the first question right because his attendence in theatres to watch movies. Afterwards, he talks about his daily life, like how he would pilfer some newspapers from Mr. Barve's trash can to make fire in the kitchen, that he would sometimes read the newspapers before they are reduced to ash. He would also be watching movies and looking at the stars at night. In the end of the passage, Gudiya, a friend of Ram, gets a kitten and pleads his parents to keep it, and eventually they allow the cat to live with them, with the name Pluto because it is the smallest in the family.
Quote
"That i am meant to live life like a dog, and die like an insect." (Swarup 17)
Reaction
Throughout this passage, i think that it is a racist thing that Ram is accused of cheating on a gameshow when he is young and Indian. I'm not completely sure he is arrested for this reason, but so far, i think that it is. This probable racism is the reason i chose to read this book. Other than that, i think that it's nice to have some suspense to know whether or not Ram didn't cheat or not, and if he'll be innocent or guilty in the end. I really want to know more of what'll happen next in Ram's flashbacks and accusation.
Ram Mohammad Thomas is arrested and accused of cheating in a game show when has never gone to school, or read any books, though he was able to choose the correct answers in a Quiz show. Speaking with a person who doesn't care that he is on Ram cheated or not, he wonders how Ram was able to answer the questions correctly, and then they have a flashback to when they were meeting an actor and onward. He and his best friend find out that their favorite actor was hurt, and rejected because he was gay. His friend is in tears because of this and that his best friends hero died. They then decide to try for the gameshow "Who wants to win a billion!" and at random, Ram is chosen as a contestant for the gameshow. He gets the first question right because his attendence in theatres to watch movies. Afterwards, he talks about his daily life, like how he would pilfer some newspapers from Mr. Barve's trash can to make fire in the kitchen, that he would sometimes read the newspapers before they are reduced to ash. He would also be watching movies and looking at the stars at night. In the end of the passage, Gudiya, a friend of Ram, gets a kitten and pleads his parents to keep it, and eventually they allow the cat to live with them, with the name Pluto because it is the smallest in the family.
Quote
"That i am meant to live life like a dog, and die like an insect." (Swarup 17)
Reaction
Throughout this passage, i think that it is a racist thing that Ram is accused of cheating on a gameshow when he is young and Indian. I'm not completely sure he is arrested for this reason, but so far, i think that it is. This probable racism is the reason i chose to read this book. Other than that, i think that it's nice to have some suspense to know whether or not Ram didn't cheat or not, and if he'll be innocent or guilty in the end. I really want to know more of what'll happen next in Ram's flashbacks and accusation.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Chinese Cinderella- pg 164-219(End)
Summary
In the last pages of Chinese Cinderella, Adeline gets sick, is treated at a hospital, and returns to her house to recuperate for a week. Later on, Adeline writes an essay, for a contest, dedicated to her Grand Father, Ye Ye. Before she gets news that she wins the contest, her grandfather dies and she is heartbroken. When she gets news that she won, her father requests her home after school where he talks to her about how proud he is that she won and was on the news. She asks him about going to school in England with her two older brothers, and he agrees, having her study to become a doctor. In the end, she receives a letter from her Aunt Baba, where she tells her about how she misses Adeline, and about a Chinese story similar to Cinderella.
Quote
"Ye Xian ran home but lost one shoes, which was found by the War Lord."(Yen Mah 196)
Reaction
Finally!! I didn't expect the happiness of Adeline would come in the very very end! But I'm glad that things get better for her and that she is able to go to college in england! I also know now why the story is titled "Chinese Cinderella." Her Aunt Baba thinks of Adeline as the Chinese Cinderella in the story of Ye Xian. In the quote on page 196, it clearly shows how the Chinese story relates to the American story about a missing shoe. I'm glad that things are brighter for Adeline!
In the last pages of Chinese Cinderella, Adeline gets sick, is treated at a hospital, and returns to her house to recuperate for a week. Later on, Adeline writes an essay, for a contest, dedicated to her Grand Father, Ye Ye. Before she gets news that she wins the contest, her grandfather dies and she is heartbroken. When she gets news that she won, her father requests her home after school where he talks to her about how proud he is that she won and was on the news. She asks him about going to school in England with her two older brothers, and he agrees, having her study to become a doctor. In the end, she receives a letter from her Aunt Baba, where she tells her about how she misses Adeline, and about a Chinese story similar to Cinderella.
Quote
"Ye Xian ran home but lost one shoes, which was found by the War Lord."(Yen Mah 196)
Reaction
Finally!! I didn't expect the happiness of Adeline would come in the very very end! But I'm glad that things get better for her and that she is able to go to college in england! I also know now why the story is titled "Chinese Cinderella." Her Aunt Baba thinks of Adeline as the Chinese Cinderella in the story of Ye Xian. In the quote on page 196, it clearly shows how the Chinese story relates to the American story about a missing shoe. I'm glad that things are brighter for Adeline!
Chinese Cinderella- pg 123-164
Summary
In these 41 pages of Chinese Cinderella, Adeline is flown from Shanghai, China, back to Tianjin, where she would attend a boarding school, the same school she attended in kindergarten. During this, Communists, who dislike believers of God, are engaged in war. This is the reason that girls in the boarding school are leaving Tianjin to Hong Kong or Shanghai. In December, Adeline is the only pupil left, until her Aunt Reine came to her rescue to bring her to Hong Kong to reunite with her family and malevolent step mother Niang. As she was reunited, no one really cared for her return but for her Aunt Reine and her family of Victor and Claudine, a French family. During her return, the entire family, hers and her aunts, went out for site-seeing, though she was never invited, and when she was, Niang says that its too full in the car. Later on, Adeline attends a new school and is again, not visited by any of her family.
Quote
"Theirs was the gaze that glances but does not see." (Yen Mah 148)
"Father was at the office, and Little Sister was attending a birthday party." (Yen Mah 157)
Reaction
As I read throughout this novel, I feel like i am losing hope that Adeline will not have a happy ending because, one after another, she lives a dismal life when she is basically with her real family. From page 148 in Chinese Cinderella, when Adeline is finally united with her family, Niang AND her father do not look at her. Even when Aunt Reine includes Adeline in, when telling about how they brought their daughter with them to Hong Kong, neither Niang nor the father look at Adeline. I find this really depressing. In the quote on page 157, where Little Sister is attending a birthday party and Adeline is home, it reminded me of how Adeline attended a birthday party of friends, earlier in the novel. I think that it's obvious that Niang is bias, favoring her own flesh and blood more that her step children.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
"Chinese Cinderella" Pg 83-123
Summary
From pages 83 to 123, things for Yen Jun-ling have went up but also went down, like a roller coaster. In the beginning of these pages, Jun-ling gets a pet duck which she names PLT for Precious Little Treasure that she and her friend Chun-mei created. The pet is obedient and is described as Jun-ling's best friend other than her aunt Baba. Unfortunately, PLT dies by being attacked by Jack, the families pet dog. Later, in the next chapter, Jun-ling's older sister, at seventeen years old, gets married to a thirty-year old man, as a arranged marriage. Afterwards, Jun-ling has a day off, that her parents don't know about, and she decides to celebrate her friend, Chun-mei's birthday. When Jun-ling gets home she is punished, because Chun-mei called her house, waiting for Jun-ling, by being slapped and not having food until her father gets home. When he does, Jun-ling is punished again, but with a whip to the back. In these pages, she is also elected class president, but when her friends come over to celebrate her victory, she is again punished by her step-mother. Though, this time, she is to be disowned and sent to an orphanage in Tianjin. What else lies in her future?
Quotation
"How is it possible? I, the same despised daughter publicly rejected by my parents yesterday, an now being honored by my teacher and classmates? Which is the true me?"(Yen Mah 119)
Reaction
In these pages, i feel sorry for the narrator because bad things are happening to her, the next one worse than the last. I also feel like almost yelling in anger at her step-mother Niang because she accuses Jun-ling of theft, lying, and being a bragger because she was elected president. I also think that she gets bad parenting because she is beaten, insulted, and ,again, accused of things that lead to her being slapped, or whipped, or worse, having to be disowned and sent away to a Tianjin orphanage, for a new school, new family, and new friends. I personally think that having to leave friends is a miserable fate for her.
From pages 83 to 123, things for Yen Jun-ling have went up but also went down, like a roller coaster. In the beginning of these pages, Jun-ling gets a pet duck which she names PLT for Precious Little Treasure that she and her friend Chun-mei created. The pet is obedient and is described as Jun-ling's best friend other than her aunt Baba. Unfortunately, PLT dies by being attacked by Jack, the families pet dog. Later, in the next chapter, Jun-ling's older sister, at seventeen years old, gets married to a thirty-year old man, as a arranged marriage. Afterwards, Jun-ling has a day off, that her parents don't know about, and she decides to celebrate her friend, Chun-mei's birthday. When Jun-ling gets home she is punished, because Chun-mei called her house, waiting for Jun-ling, by being slapped and not having food until her father gets home. When he does, Jun-ling is punished again, but with a whip to the back. In these pages, she is also elected class president, but when her friends come over to celebrate her victory, she is again punished by her step-mother. Though, this time, she is to be disowned and sent to an orphanage in Tianjin. What else lies in her future?
Quotation
"How is it possible? I, the same despised daughter publicly rejected by my parents yesterday, an now being honored by my teacher and classmates? Which is the true me?"(Yen Mah 119)
Reaction
In these pages, i feel sorry for the narrator because bad things are happening to her, the next one worse than the last. I also feel like almost yelling in anger at her step-mother Niang because she accuses Jun-ling of theft, lying, and being a bragger because she was elected president. I also think that she gets bad parenting because she is beaten, insulted, and ,again, accused of things that lead to her being slapped, or whipped, or worse, having to be disowned and sent away to a Tianjin orphanage, for a new school, new family, and new friends. I personally think that having to leave friends is a miserable fate for her.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
"Chinese Cinderella" Pg 1-41
Summary
Chinese Cinderella, by Adeline Yen Mah, is about a young Chinese girl, living in the twentieth century of China, who is badly treated by her siblings and guardians. So far in the novel, Adeline earns a button that represents her leading her class. While her guardians applaud her for it, most of her siblings loathe her for it. Her big sister and second brother attack her when no one sees. Later, the narrator explains why her grandmothers feet are small: because during her time, she was forced to bind her feet to stay small so it would be attractive. Thirty years ago from the present time in the novel, that law in China was abolished. Afterwards, it is explained to us that there are Japanese businessmen who want to be partners with the narrators mother, and because of that, the father goes missing for about a year. During that year, the narrator's stepmother, Niang, leaves with the youngest brother and also disappears. It was a better life style for her as she states during the time her father is gone, until her grandmother dies of a massive stroke. After a year, the children finally meet with their father again, and move to Shanghai, where new rules are placed for their household and the children go to new schools. At first, the narrator is brought to school by the cook when everyone else is gone, and as she leaves school, no one picks her up. She tries to try to find the way home, but ends up lost and calls her father when she is welcomed in a restaurant. Apparently, no one misses her or knew that she didn't get home yet, so her father comes and gets her, and gives her a map for when she gets lost. Later, she and her siblings are forced to walk to school, even though it's a long way from home, and yet she and her siblings could take what was called a "tram".
Quotation
"Continue studying hard and bring honor to our Yen family name so we can be proud of you." (Yen 11)
Reaction
I think that this quote is a sad one because i thought that parents would already be proud of their children instead of a few years after they start school. I also find it really horrible that during the first 41 pages of Chinese Cinderella the narrator is the one who is always left out like when she waits for someone to bring her to her new school in Shanghai and who brings her home. But since it's titled Chinese Cinderella, I think that things will be a whole lot better for Adeline.
Chinese Cinderella, by Adeline Yen Mah, is about a young Chinese girl, living in the twentieth century of China, who is badly treated by her siblings and guardians. So far in the novel, Adeline earns a button that represents her leading her class. While her guardians applaud her for it, most of her siblings loathe her for it. Her big sister and second brother attack her when no one sees. Later, the narrator explains why her grandmothers feet are small: because during her time, she was forced to bind her feet to stay small so it would be attractive. Thirty years ago from the present time in the novel, that law in China was abolished. Afterwards, it is explained to us that there are Japanese businessmen who want to be partners with the narrators mother, and because of that, the father goes missing for about a year. During that year, the narrator's stepmother, Niang, leaves with the youngest brother and also disappears. It was a better life style for her as she states during the time her father is gone, until her grandmother dies of a massive stroke. After a year, the children finally meet with their father again, and move to Shanghai, where new rules are placed for their household and the children go to new schools. At first, the narrator is brought to school by the cook when everyone else is gone, and as she leaves school, no one picks her up. She tries to try to find the way home, but ends up lost and calls her father when she is welcomed in a restaurant. Apparently, no one misses her or knew that she didn't get home yet, so her father comes and gets her, and gives her a map for when she gets lost. Later, she and her siblings are forced to walk to school, even though it's a long way from home, and yet she and her siblings could take what was called a "tram".
Quotation
"Continue studying hard and bring honor to our Yen family name so we can be proud of you." (Yen 11)
Reaction
I think that this quote is a sad one because i thought that parents would already be proud of their children instead of a few years after they start school. I also find it really horrible that during the first 41 pages of Chinese Cinderella the narrator is the one who is always left out like when she waits for someone to bring her to her new school in Shanghai and who brings her home. But since it's titled Chinese Cinderella, I think that things will be a whole lot better for Adeline.
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