Imagine only dating an individual group of people. Only falling in love with a specific type of person. John Green portrayed this in his book, An Abundance of Katherines, published by the Penguin Group in 2006. This publication is a fictional novel directed towards young adults. John Green has also written Looking for Alaska, Will Grayson, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars. An Abundance of Katherines was a success because of the detailed descriptions, the superior writing style, and the suspenseful cliffhangers.
Colin Singleton, a child prodigy, was fixated on only dating girls named Katherine. At only seventeen years of age, Colin had dated nineteen girls named Katherine, in a row. Not only had Colin’s life been revolved around Katherines, but also around becoming a genius. Furthermore, he wanted to create the Theorem of Underlying Katherine Probability, a theorem that would predict the future of a relationship that is meritorious. Colin wants to make a difference and find his place in the world. “I just want to do something that matters. Or be something that matters. I just want to matter” (Green 94).
Colin’s best, and only friend, was Hassan Harbish. Hassan is funny, lazy, and obsessed with Judge Judy. Colin and Hassan’s friendship consisted of Hassan always being the voice and Colin always had been the brains. However, after his last break up with Katherine number nineteen Colin became depressed. All he wanted to do was lay around and feel sorry for himself. Therefore, Hassan had to step in to commiserate with Colin, and he decided that Colin needed to get his mind straight again and forget all of his past relationships. To do so, Hassan suggested they both go on a road trip, and after persuading their parents for permis...
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...readers on their toes from what was going to happen next. When Colin was depressed that he had lost yet another girl he loved, Katherine nineteen, Hassan showed up to commiserate with him. However, Hassan was not there simply to sympathize with Colin, he was there on a mission. “You have a very complicated problem with a very simple solution” Hassan said (Green 11). The reader had to keep reading to see what Hassan meant about the solution to Colin’s problem. The solution ended up being a road trip.
Throughout the novel the reader finds out that one cannot stew over a negative situation, but instead, find the positive in a negative situation and move on to better things. In addition, people should always be themselves because we all matter, no matter what our differences.
Works Cited
Green, John. An Abundance of Katherines. New York: Penguin Group, 2006. Print.
The diverse alternation of point of views also provides the story an effective way to reach out to readers and be felt. The characterisation is effectively done and applied as Sam, Grace, and the other supporting characters play individual, crucial roles in the course of the story. All the elements of a typical young adult novel, consisting of a gap-filled relationship between children and parents, emotion-driven teenagers, and a unique conflict that makes the book distinct from fellow novels, combined with the dangerous consequences of the challenges the couple encounter, make the book different from all other of the same genre. The plot unfolds slowly giving readers enough time to adjust and anticipate the heavy conflict when it arises. It has gotten us so hooked but the only thing we could possibly dislike about it was the slow pace of plot. The anticipation was too much to handle and we were practically buzzing and bouncing to know how the story turns out as we read. It builds the anticipation, excitement, thrill, sadness, grief, loss, and longing in such an effective way to entice and hook readers further into the world of Sam and
Typically, a novel contains four basic parts: a beginning, middle, climax, and the end. The beginning sets the tone for the book and introduces the reader to the characters and the setting. The majority of the novel comes from middle where the plot takes place. The plot is what usually captures the reader’s attention and allows the reader to become mentally involved. Next, is the climax of the story. This is the point in the book where everything comes together and the reader’s attention is at the fullest. Finally, there is the end. In the end of a book, the reader is typically left asking no questions, and satisfied with the outcome of the previous events. However, in the novel The Things They Carried the setup of the book is quite different. This book is written in a genre of literature called “metafiction.” “Metafiction” is a term given to fictional story in which the author makes the reader question what is fiction and what is reality. This is very important in the setup of the Tim’s writing because it forces the reader to draw his or her own conclusion about the story. However, this is not one story at all; instead, O’Brien writes the book as if each chapter were its own short story. Although all the chapters have relation to one another, when reading the book, the reader is compelled to keep reading. It is almost as if the reader is listening to a “soldier storyteller” over a long period of time.
These chapters are trying to teach you that regardless of all the groups of friends out there, don’t feel like you have to be part of any group. For an example in the text it says that “Maddie and Evelyn are at one table and Rosie and her sporty friends are at another table, both groups want Louisa to join their group for breakfast, but she doesn't know what table she should eat at because none of the groups are her type and she doesn’t want to start any drama or arguments with her friends/roommates.” Louisa doesn’t have to feel a part of any of theses groups because she says they are not her type and you don’t have to part of any groups. This example proves that the author did a good job because it’s showing you that it’s okay to be alone sometimes because you don’t always have to be with your friends and groups, also you should wait until there’s a good type for you of groups of friends in life. You should never feel like you have to be part of every single group in life. Another example from the novel that proves the main message is where it says in the text “ Evelyn is very smart, Rosie is sometimes mean, depends what mood she’s in and loves to play sports, Maddie is sometimes negative about little things, and Louisa love's the boarding school ” because everyone has a different personality it’s hard to find the right
Living in a world of discrimination of every kind is unavoidable, but being that people do have a choice they can change. As individuals they can change and become more accepting towards diversity. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee guides the reader through the theme of acceptance. Atticus, Jem, and Scout know and learn the importance of acceptance throughout the novel. All three of them eventually share the same view of acceptance through equality.
To conclude, the three major symbols throughout this novel are coming of age, jealousy and identity. The theme of identity was shown by the deep desire that Gene had to become more like Finny. Next, jealousy was displayed in A Separate Peace throughout the friendship of Gene and Finny. Third, coming of age was shown during the preparation for war and also the maturing of the boys who were currently attending Devon prep school. This novel has many common themes that people in the world have today such as jealousy. There are many people all over the world that are jealous of others surrounding them whether it is their own family member or even a close friend. Whether it is real life or a book coming of age, jealousy and identity are themes that everybody faces throughout their lifetime.
To begin with, one of the lessons the story shows is that the situation one wishes and hopes to be
1.b. I do not think I'd like to live in this society because it does not allow free thinking, or anything else that makes humans the way they are. There was nothing to differentiate people, nothing to like or dislike about each other. The only thing that was good was that everyone was treated equal. In America, we say this, but there are obvious exceptions. Such is not the case in the world depicted in the novel.
The theme of this book is that the human capacity to adapt to and find happiness in the most difficult circumstances. Each character in the novel shows this in their way. For instance, their family is randomly taken from their home and forced to work but they still remain a close nit family. In addition, they even manage to stick together after being separated for one of their own. These show how even in the darkest time they still manage to find a glimmer of hope and they pursued on.
When we think of individuality, typically our minds flood with fear. Fear of being too alike or too ordinary in our current society. In the book, An Abundance of Katherines, a recurring theme is “Individuality is bittersweet.” The main character, Colin Singleton, is a washed up child prodigy. He has a very specific type when it comes to girlfriends; her name must be Katherine. Colin fears of being too “ordinary” and believes that he is losing his individuality. After his 18th Katherine breakup, he decides he must go on a road trip to anywhere the road takes him. Eventually, he comes across a family that he and his best friend Hassan decide to stay with for the Summer. Colin meets Lindsey, an unique teen who doesn’t know what she wants from
His main point in this story is that even though people which different trait are still human and they need to be treated as human. At first, he was feeling very uncomfortable when he moves in the village, but after a while living in the village, he gets familiar with all the people in the village. People would make
...arding their personal experience with loneliness. In the end, the novel comes to say that humans are most happy when they are able to confide in others for protection and advice.
The author explains how a person’s identity is also, and more importantly, made up of things such as where a person lives, where a person comes from, a person’s likes and dislikes, etc. For instance, if everyone were to remove their clothes, skin, and hair, everyone would all look alike since everyone is made out of the same bones. Two people can appear completely different on the outside, but on the inside, they could share countless similarities (Lester). Overall, the book had a valuable message about not judging a person on their outward appearance.
Winton’s writing creates a clear picture in the readers mind giving them insight to what is happening ‘’the longer we drive the more the sky and the bush open up’’, ‘’The big, neat paddocks get browner and drier all the while and the air feels thick and warm “(Big World). The novel is infused with love, sacrifice and suffering. The novel transfers the reader to a different place with the writing offering deep insights into the life of the protagonist from their perspective. While the story is textual it still manages to create images allowing a deeper understanding of the happenings of the storyline to develop. Literary images are created, Tim goes in deeper with his writing and makes it more personal. The Turning reveals the characters in various states of emotional and spiritual need. When Reading Winton’s books there is a lot that people can feel and gain, he offers insights into the tension in families, fear, anxiety and healing, living with a past and developing sexuality. The Turning offers propositions that can change the way people view the world and the things that are happening in it. It offers the idea of change and highlights the moments that are able to define a person’s perspective. The novel carries us on a developing journey between the characters with drastic change occurring throughout. We as readers are offered a window into the mind of the characters and we take on their views as our own extending them further. The turning references the idea of change and the process of change as two men leave their home town and begin a journey. We are with them as they contemplate self-change and the opinions of others. In essence, the reader is analogous to a psychic, our view is that of the protagonist but we see more. Tim Winton’s writing perceives the world, describing the way in which a life can change who a person is and who they are becoming. The turning is a novel of shared
Acceptance of who we are plays a large part in the overall theme of “rite of passage” in the story. The young girl is opposed to the thought of working for her mother at the beginning, but eventually comes to a realization that it is her pre-determined fate to fit the mould of the gender stereotype. Through the girl’s hardships, she accepts the fact that her younger brother, Laird, is now the man that his father needs for help, and she takes her place in womanhood. The story embodies gender identity and stereotypes, as a young child moves into adulthood. The fact that our rite of passage is unavoidable proves that we must all go through our own journeys to find our own true identity.
Green drags the reader right into the text from the very beginning, and very skilfully keeps the reader engaged to the end of the introduction. With varied techniques to convey his message, Green is able to summarize the novel and grab attention in the few opening pages.