5th Hour
This site is dedicated to the further development of the literature cannon. Your books are your research. This site is our round-table. Our conversations are the purpose. The Articles below are examples of the articles that will be expected of your book's site. If I have embeded a movie or a picture (or a blabber), you by no means have to, but your creativity and internet savvy are most definitely encouraged. Keep all material as appropriate as you would for any class project though. If you need help with HTML - I have included a link on the left column that could be a great help! I look forward to your book's pages. Have FUN with this!
Article posted May 7, 2010 at 06:33 PM GMT0 •
comment (1) • Reads 128
The main themes from this novel are discovery, love, and growing. These things are easy to relate to in our everyday lives. How have simple, everyday experiences in your life caused you to make a discovery, come to love, or grow in some way?
Article posted May 7, 2010 at 06:33 PM GMT0 •
comment (1) • Reads 128
Article posted May 7, 2010 at 06:29 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 23
The Weight of Silence is the first novel by Heather Gudenkauf. Heather attended the University of Iowa and earned a degree is elementary education. Gudenkauf is living in Dubuque, Iowa. She is married with three children and has a dog. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, running, being with her family, and reading. The Weight of Silence is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel. She is currently writing her next book.
Article posted May 7, 2010 at 06:29 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 23
Article posted May 7, 2010 at 06:21 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 39
An example of imagery from the book is when Griff "abruptly stood and twisted his hands and arms in a grotesque mockery of Calli." When reading this line, it is easy to see a angry, drunk Griff saying cruel things and making rude motions to his daughter who cannot even say anything in return.
An example of symbolism is in a picture that Calli drew once in her meetings with Mr. Wilson. She drew a picture showing "a beautiful blue perfume bottle with its lid set on the ground right next to it. And rising out of the bottle were these tiny musical notes, while notes, quarter notes, and half notes flying right up into the air around my stick figure hand." The blue perfume bottle is symbolizing Calli's voice, and the picture is showing it being freed from her finally.
Article posted May 7, 2010 at 06:21 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 39
Article posted May 7, 2010 at 06:09 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 35
I think that the theme of this book was discovery and growing. Calli discovered her voice, Toni discovered why Calli lost her voice and who caused her to, Ben grew by learning to take care of his mother and sister, Louis discovered who he really wanted to spend his life with, and we as an audience discovered all of the secrets hiding among the characters in this novel.
A quote from the book that i believe shows discovery is between Calli and her counselor at the end of the novel, when Calli has began to talk again, and is looking at pictures that Mr. Wilson has had her draw.
Calli: "This is the picture. This is what you were showing me in my dream. My voice."
Mr. Wilson: "Of course it was, Calli. Of course it was. You had it with you the entire time."
Article posted May 7, 2010 at 06:09 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 35
Article posted May 6, 2010 at 06:41 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 44
The novel is set in a small, country town in Iowa. Most of the search for the missing girls takes place in the woods outside of the Clark home. After Calli and Petra are found, the story moves to the hospital. In this novel we also get flashes of settings in Toni's childhood home, a service station, Louis' home, and the police station. This story takes place in modern day in the month of August and begins in the early morning of that warm, humid day.
Article posted May 6, 2010 at 06:41 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 44
Article posted May 6, 2010 at 06:38 PM GMT0 •
comment (1) • Reads 64
Toni has long, brown hair, that in her youth she would rebel by pulling back in a ponytail and cramming on a baseball cap. Toni is seen as having a natural beauty by the rest of the town, especialy her children and Deputy Sheriff Louis.
Toni is a loving mother, she does everything she can to protect her children. Toni misses her mother and tries to fufill her wishes by being a good wife and mother. She thinks that a good wife wouldn't leave, so she does not leave her abusive and alcoholic husband, Griff-though she is still in love with Louis. Since Toni has a dangerous husband, she spends her time protecting and caring for her children, Calli and Ben.
Other people in town talk about Toni and think she is a bad mother because of Calli being a mute. Her children view her as a wonderful mother and an amazing woman. Louis also sees her as only positive things, he is still in love with her as he has been since they were children.
The narrator shows that many deep emotions are hidden inside of Toni. Toni tries to put on a front that everyhing is okay for everyone else, but we see that there is actually a lot of sadness she hides. The narrator shows Toni's deep thought, beauty, sadness, and her strength through this story.
Article posted May 6, 2010 at 06:38 PM GMT0 •
comment (1) • Reads 64
Article posted May 5, 2010 at 06:23 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 39
In The Weight of Silence we learn that the main character, Calli, is a selective mute. We do not know what caused her to become mute though, and this question is not answered until the closing of this book. Early in the morning, The Clark and Gregory families wake up to find their daughters, Calli Clark and Petra Gregory are missing. The families, and the police are frantic trying to find the missing best friends.
Throughout the book, chapters are filled with flashbacks. The flashbacks show us the history of Toni and Deputy Sheriff Louis' love, the relationship between Toni and her mother, and Griff's alcoholism. As we move foreward in the search for the missing girls, flashbacks show us how these relationships between the characters have been formed. We can see the pining of Deputy Sheriff Louis for Toni, the destruction caused by Griff, the depression of Toni's, and eventually the reason for Calli becoming a mute.
When the girls are found, it is revealed who took them, what happened to them, and why it is that Calli is silent.
Article posted May 5, 2010 at 06:23 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 39
Article posted May 4, 2010 at 06:19 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 49
I like to read mostly realistic fiction books. I enjoy being able to relate to interesting charecters, or even read about characters that I aspire to be more like. When reading, I do not stick to one specific genre, rather, I like to look at the plot and story line to see if it catches my interest. When I look for a book I want one that I will get emersed in and never want to put down even after its story comes to a close.
Article posted May 4, 2010 at 06:19 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 49
