2013+9C+LFA+1

=//Looking for Alaska -// John Green by BLA0065=

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Come up with 5 ope n-ended questions about the section of the text you have just read. Pp 1 - 134

 * 1) What do you think happened with Alaska and her family?
 * 2) How did you feel when Pudge (Miles) first laid eyes on Alaska Young?
 * 3) Why do you think Alaska 'smokes to die'?
 * 4) What do you think the consequences of the massive prank will be?
 * 5) Where do you see Pudge and Alaska's relationship going?

In 4 sentences that use connecting words, explain connections that you see between the section of the text you just read and the real world. Pp 1 - 40
In the first forty pages I just read of //Looking for Alaska// by John Green, you get a recurring sense of four common themes: underage drinking, smoking, popularity competitions, and sex. The book presents to us great examples of these themes which are relevant occurrences on the real world. Many adolescents, and even younger, are actively participating in underage drinking, sexual activities, and smoking, whilst basing their views of not only themselves, but their peers, on popularity pressures and society expectations. There are many occasions in the text where the main characters participate in smoking and drinking. There are clear social divides between the 'Weekday Warriors' and characters like Pudge (Miles) as well as sex and drugs also being discussed.

Choose five events that take place, in the section of the text you have just read, that you think could be illustrated in some way. List your choices in chronological order. Pp 1 - 134

 * 1) The Colonel and Pudge (Miles) meet for the first time. [[image:http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs41/i/2009/034/8/f/the_Colonel_in_action__by_burdge_bug.jpg width="194" height="261" caption="The Colonel (fan art) by burdge-bug"]]
 * 2) Pudge (Miles) being tied up and thrown into the lake as a prank.
 * 3) The Triple Date
 * 4) Thanksgiving dinner, where Pudge and Alaska go to the Colonel's house/trailer.[[image:http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs36/i/2008/252/5/0/Looking_For_Alaska_by_burdge_bug.jpg width="310" caption="Fan Art bu Burdge-Bug"]]
 * 5) Takumi and Pudge (Miles) are running away from the Eagle after lighting the fireworks.

__Literacy Luminary__
==== Select at least 3 special passages from this section of you reading. You might select a passage because it is: humorous well written, important, surprising, thought provoking, informative, confusing, controversial or other. Pp 20 - 100 ====


 * Passage 1: Pp 66 - 67,** **from** //One Hundred Days Before// **to** //So I picked Alaska.//
 * Passage 2: Pp 50 - 51, from** //One Hundred and Ten Days Before// **to** //And I knew I was in trouble//.
 * Passage 3: Pp 90 - 91, from ** //Alaska ratted out Marya// ** to **// No one ever thinks to blame the friends. //

__Word List__
from []

perennially - lasting for an indefinitely long time dubious - doubtful; marked by or occasioning doubt: a dubious reply professed - avowed, acknowledged interconnected - to connect with one another intricately - having many interrelated parts of facets, entangled or involved: an intricate maze

__ Creative Writing Piece __
__ Character's Diary: Alaska Young __

Hey Journal!

This week, where do I even start? I had to use my hair dryer to dry most of my books. Goddamned puissant weekday warrior shit. They flooded my room. I’m not that fussed though, I’ve been planning the best prank ever, with Colonel. I know, I know; God will punish the wicked, but we will, before he does.

Meanwhile, I let it slip. I crumbled, like a stupid idiot, to the Eagle. It’s my entire fault, just like every stupid thing I ever do. Seems today, the only thing I’m good at is smoking and drinking, but obviously not well enough because my lungs still inhale and exhale without a single problem.

I’m guessing Takumi told Pudge, and probably Colonel too. I knew I couldn’t trust him, but I guess he feels he can’t trust me either. It was stupid to rat out Marya. I know it was, I knew what I was doing was wrong. I nearly got Pudge drowned, and they urinated in Colonel ' s shoes. No doubt he deserved that, but not for ratting out Marya, which I did. Pudge certainly didn’t deserve to be thrown in the lake all tied up, but whatever. He is alive and safe now, aren’t he? So I guess that part of my ‘guilty’ conscience is freed. Pudge. He makes me curious. I know I confuse him, so much. I bet he thinks is the whole female gender that is indecisive and changes their personality like people change clothes, but he knows I think it’s wrong to discriminate against women. We are beautiful creatures and- Wait, off topic again.

Like I was saying, Pudge. He interests me. Not in the sexual way or maybe he does. That’s not the point. I love my super gorgeous boyfriend, Jake, who is in a band in which I came up with the Hickman Territory, and that he is a beautiful sensual lover. Grrr, off topic again.

I need to know Pudge. It keeps me up at night. Why is he so interested in last words? It almost annoys me. No, it does annoy me. He’s like a toddler though; learning how to smoke, drink wine, prank people. It’s kinda adorably cute, like a puppy. I guess that’s why he is Pudge.

I need a smoke, or three. Now!

P.S. I am still yet to find Pudge a girlfriend. My search is on! Wish me luck, not that I will need it.

__ Wordle __
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Glossary for Wordle:

labyrinth- an intricate combination of paths or passages in which it is difficult to find one's way or to the exit manifestations - readily perceived by the eye or the understanding; evident; obvious; apparent invincible - incapable of being conquered, defeated, or subdued decapitation - to cut off the head of; behead passionate - having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling intense - existing or occurring in a high or extreme degree fierce - menacingly wild, hostile or savage sexy - sexually interesting or exciting OR excitingly appealing, glamorous great - unusually or comparatively large in size or dimensions OR wonderful; first rate; very good

perhaps - possibly; maybe self-destructive - harmful, injurious, or destructive to oneself <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">catapulting - to thrust, or move quickly or suddenly <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">unimaginable - incapable of being imagined or conceived <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">cigarette - cylindrical roll of finely cut tobacco cured for smoking, considerably smaller than most cigars and <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">usually wrapped in thin white paper. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">enigma - <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">a puzzling or inexplicable occurrence or situation:

__Review: Looking For Alaska__
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Looking for Alaska is an inspirational teen novel written by the famous author John Green. The particular paperback book I read was published in 2011 by Harper Collins Publishers.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">It follows the story of Miles Halter and his new schooling life at Culver Creek, Birmingham, Alabama. On his arrival at his new boarding school, he meets his first new friend and room mate - Chip Martin, who has an extremely different view on the world in accordance to Miles. Miles is quickly informed to call Chip 'The Colonel' and in return is given the nick name Pudge - a polite joke mocking his skinny stature. The Colonel then takes Pudge to meet, arguably, one of the most interesting character in the novel, a captivating young women who will change Pudge's life drastically - Alaska Young. Its not long before she captures his heart with her bi-polar like moods, sexiness and fascinating and mysterious ways.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The thing I most liked about 'Looking For Alaska' was the way the characters and their relationships were depicted. Everyone can relate to at least one character some how, whether it is Pudge and his confused, shy nature, Chip and his straight forward, aggressive personality or, Alaska and her fire and ice moods and mystery.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The concept of the labyrinth and a 'Great Perhaps' really intrigued me. It was a continuous theme in this novel, in which it kept popping up; significantly in the After section.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Something that fascinated me about 'Looking for Alaska' was the way that we never really knew Alaska. A majority of her stayed a secret and, yes, we are left with the question: Who was she really? We only knew slices of the large picture that is Alaska Young. I thought it was quite clever and really tested Greens knowledge on the female gender and the complex reality of a person personaltiy.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Unfortunately, there was one thing that really bugged me throughout the novel: Green's inability to describe his characters. It is fair to say it was made up for throughout his detailed description of their personalities, but I would've loved to get a great sense of who they were physically, know their physical traits, rather then just the emotional and psychological beings.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Overall, the book was a fantastic read. I would strongly recommend this book to adults nad young adults looking for a whole new spin on existence and the world. It really makes you question: 'Will I ever escape the labyrinth of suffering'?

__ Character Analysis __
Alaska Young media type="custom" key="24454960"

Chip Martin and Miles Halter

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__Book Trailer__
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__Biography: John Green__
John Green is a YouTube vlogger, educator and a famous American writer and author of young adult fiction. John Green was born on August 24th, 1977. He is currently married to Sarah Urist Green, and they have two children together; Henry and Alice Green. His most famous books are; //Looking For Alaska//, //The Fault in Our Stars//, and //An Abundance of Katherines//.

Three weeks after Green was born to Mike and Sydney Green, they moved from Indianapolis to Orlando, Florida. He attended Indian Springs School, which was a boarding and day school outside of Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated in 2000 from Kenyon College in with a double major in English and Religion Studies.

Greens first novel was //Looking for Alaska//, largely inspired by his experience at Indian Springs. Looking for Alaska was first published by Dutton Children’s Books in 2005. For this particular novel, Green won the annual Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association, recognizJohn Green is a YouTube vlogger, educator and a famous American writer and author of young adult fiction. John Green was ing the year's "best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit". He was also nominated for this same award for his novel //An Abundance of Katherines.// //Looking for Alaska// also made the ALA's annual list Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults. The film rights were purchased by Paramount in 2005. Green explained that he ‘desperately loved’ the screenplay, but there was little interest at Paramount. The novel reached the best seller list for children’s paperbacks in 2012.

Green’s second novel//, An Abundance of Katherines//, was published in 2006 by Dutton Children’s Books as well, but didn’t turn out as quite a hit as his first. However, Green’s third novel, //Paper Towns//, debuted at No.5 on the New York Times bestseller list for children’s books. //Paper Towns// was awarded the 2009 Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and the 2010 Corine Literature Prize, on April 30, 2009. The movie rights for this novel were obtained by Mandate Pictures and Mr Mudd. Green was hired to write the //Paper Towns// screenplay.

His fifth book, titled //The Fault in Our Stars// was released on January 10, 2012. Green explained that many parts of The Sequel, a book he previous tried to write but was scrapped, were reworked into his new novel. Green generously signed the first 150,000 copies of the novel, and his wife and brother contributed their own symbols, a Yeti and an Anglerfish. for the weeks of January 29, 2012 and February 5, 2012, The New York Times Best Seller for Children’s Books listen The Fault in Our Stars at number one.

Green currently lives in Indianapolis with his wife Sarah, who previously worked as the Curator of Contemporary Art at Indianapolis Museum of Art, and his two children. The family also have a West Highland Terrier named Fireball Wilson Roberts, (also known as "Bubbles the Nerdfighting Puppy", "The Dread Pirate Fireball Wilson Roberts", or simply "Willy").

__ Quotes __
 * “They love their hair because they're not smart enough to love something more interesting.”**

//I liked this particular quote a lot because it gives you a sense of society and its values. People obsess over their weight, their looks, or in this case, their hair, because they are not smart enough, or too consumed by it, to love something more interesting.// //This quote gives us the sense that we are not alone in the world. Many other people experience and feel the same things as us, no matter how different the situation is. We are not alone, there is always somebody who understands.// //When I read this quote, it sparked a realisation inside me. I realised that we should never love someone because of what they can give us, but we should love them for who they are.//
 * “It always shocked me when I realized that I wasn’t the only person in the world who thought and felt such strange and awful things.”**
 * “I am going to take this bucket of water and pour it on the flames of hell, and then I am going to use this torch to burn down the gates of paradise so that people will not love God for want of heaven or fear of hell, but because He is God.”**


 * “That didn’t happen, of course. Things never happened the way I imagined them.”**

The quote really touched me. It made me think back to all the people I have lost in my life, who I had made plans with, but those plans were pulled away from me due to illness, loss, death, everything. No matter what you plan or what you think, nothing is definite. The world is forever changing, nothing is certain, and we all have to remember that.