Summary
After the phone call to the suicide hotline, he goes to the nearest hospital, the Argenon Hospital where he is told is a great place. And after telling the nurses and doctors that he had thought about suicide (by jumping off the Brookline bridge) he is told that he would be staying in the mental hospital. Later on is he told that he has to stay there for five days at least. In the five days he meets many people. His roommate who doesn't come out of the room so much. A man who talks big and says that the only things that therapists write down is how much money they are going to get. A man that is like Craig, depressed. The president of this little society who loves to play cards. And a pretty girl, the same age, that has cut up her face because that is the only reason people know her, because of her looks. Don't worry, her scars are healing. In this selection, he goes back to drawing his maps, which turn out to look like maps inside people's heads.
Quote
"There's something about people the same age. It's like you got piped out in the same shipment. You've got to stick together. Because deep down i believe my year was a special year: it produced me" (Vizzini 359)
Reaction
It's really cool and exciting to finally get to the part where he's in the hospital and meets all these new people. As he talks about life in the mental hospital, it's as if it's a normal life, even though the people may be different. I really like the quote above because it sounds really confidential because he's proud that he was born and that he's happy about it too. I really like this section because there's more comedy and a little more romance. I also like it because Craig is into art and is a depressed until he meets a girl in there. It reminds me of me.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
It's Kind of a funny story by Ned Vizzini pg 3-151
Summary
Hanging with friends, watching movies, being with your best friend, and the girl you've liked for a while, but at also knowing that she's going out with your best friend, some other people who are just there, and sometimes some crack. That was Craig Gilner's life. He was depressed, went to the bathroom with the lights out and did nothing, and he didn't eat or sleep well. Unfortunately, it gets worse after he aces the entrance exam to Manhattan's Pre-professional High school and starts to go down in the difficult school life of extreme work. At one point he thinks about suicide. Though having to leave got to him, and so he looked up the suicide hot-line and went to the nearest hospital for "help".
Quote
"I click END. I think it's a little harsh how the END button is red" (Vizzini 134)
Reaction
After seeing trailers for this movie and finding out that it was a book that was turned into a film, I was so eager and excited to read the book. There were many funny things and many creative things like how Craig used to draw maps of what ever he wanted. Instead of drawing Manhattan, he drew his own dreamland. For this quote, i really like it because the color symbolism and the name of the button match well because the color red would mean death and the word end can mean the same thing.
Hanging with friends, watching movies, being with your best friend, and the girl you've liked for a while, but at also knowing that she's going out with your best friend, some other people who are just there, and sometimes some crack. That was Craig Gilner's life. He was depressed, went to the bathroom with the lights out and did nothing, and he didn't eat or sleep well. Unfortunately, it gets worse after he aces the entrance exam to Manhattan's Pre-professional High school and starts to go down in the difficult school life of extreme work. At one point he thinks about suicide. Though having to leave got to him, and so he looked up the suicide hot-line and went to the nearest hospital for "help".
Quote
"I click END. I think it's a little harsh how the END button is red" (Vizzini 134)
Reaction
After seeing trailers for this movie and finding out that it was a book that was turned into a film, I was so eager and excited to read the book. There were many funny things and many creative things like how Craig used to draw maps of what ever he wanted. Instead of drawing Manhattan, he drew his own dreamland. For this quote, i really like it because the color symbolism and the name of the button match well because the color red would mean death and the word end can mean the same thing.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Pages 226-318 "Q&A" by Vikas Swarup
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.
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 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.
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