This chapter was all about Pennsylvania ans the various problems it has encountered over the years. Interestingly enough, I didn't know about any of it.
"I never met a hiker with a good word to say about the trail in Pennsylvania. It is, as someone told a National Geographic Reporter in 1987, the place "Where boots go to die,'" (Pg 173) This is one part of the chapter I did not like. However, it is only because I am from Pennsylvania and wouldn't want Bryson to talk poorly about it. He was only explaining how Pennsylvania was not know for their trails, well in a good way anyways.
"In 1981, a twelve-year old boy was playing in his grandmother's backyard when a plume of smoke appeared in front of him, As he started at it, the ground suddenly opened around him. He clung to tree roots until someone heard his calls and hauled him out. The hole was found to be eighty feet deep. Within days, similar cave-ins were appearing all over town. It was about then the people started getting serious about the fire." (pg 181) This is about the anthracite (coal) fir in Centralia, Pennsylvania. I have never heard about the coal fires in Pennsylvania. Therefore, this part of the chapter surprised me and I enjoyed learning about PA. I learned that Anthracite is very hard to put out once it is lit. Also, there was an anthracite fire in Lehigh that lasted over 80 years.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Bryson, Chris McCandless, and Che.. (Prompt #16, the whole book)
Prompt # 16
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson relates to Into the Wild and The Motorcycle Diaries. A Walk in the Woods is about two friends, Katz and Bryson, traveling the Appalachian Trail. They encounter many problems along the way, such as excessive snow or rain, cravings, and pain from walking. They experience the beauty of nature for themselves. This relates to the story of Chris McCandless. Chris went to Alaska after traveling the country to experience life without luxuries and to figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He found out that he could not stay in civilization and that he needed to be away from other people. This is very similar to Bryson, after leaving the trail for a little while, he went hiking on the trail near his home. To him, it did not feel right. That point also relates to The Motorcycle Diaries. Che, once returning home, realized that his heart was not in Argentina and well, home is where the heart is. This book also relates to The Motorcycle Diaries because Che traveled around South America to find out what life was like in other places. This experience ended up changing him forever, which is the same for Bryson.
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson relates to Into the Wild and The Motorcycle Diaries. A Walk in the Woods is about two friends, Katz and Bryson, traveling the Appalachian Trail. They encounter many problems along the way, such as excessive snow or rain, cravings, and pain from walking. They experience the beauty of nature for themselves. This relates to the story of Chris McCandless. Chris went to Alaska after traveling the country to experience life without luxuries and to figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He found out that he could not stay in civilization and that he needed to be away from other people. This is very similar to Bryson, after leaving the trail for a little while, he went hiking on the trail near his home. To him, it did not feel right. That point also relates to The Motorcycle Diaries. Che, once returning home, realized that his heart was not in Argentina and well, home is where the heart is. This book also relates to The Motorcycle Diaries because Che traveled around South America to find out what life was like in other places. This experience ended up changing him forever, which is the same for Bryson.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Write Your Own Do Now
What was your overall opinion of the book? Would you suggest it for next year?
I chose this question because we already read the book and I think we need to sort of go over the book as a whole. Also, if i was a teacher, I would want my students opinion on whether or not it should be a part of next year.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Did my predictions come true? (Prompt #7, whole book)
Prompt #7
My predictions from Prompt #6 was that Katz and Bryson would come into contact with a bear sometime on their trip and they would not complete the Appalachian Trail. After Part 1, Katz and Bryon completely put their trip on hold. When I started reading this book, I thought they were planning to do the whole trail at one time. Therefore, I was surprised that they just put their journey on hold. Also, they skipped part of the trail from Gatlinburg to Roanoke. They were tired and sick of walking and just decided to not do that part of the trail. Even if later in the book they go back and re walk that sliver, I will not consider it what I thought to be finishing the trail because I was expecting Bryson and Katz to finish it at one time.
My predictions about the bear encounter was somewhat correct. While sleeping, Bryson saw woke up to a noise and saw two pairs of eyes outside of his tent. He threw things at it and yelled at it, but the animal was not scared. It stayed their for a while drinking water. Bryson believe that it was a bear and so do I.
My predictions from Prompt #6 was that Katz and Bryson would come into contact with a bear sometime on their trip and they would not complete the Appalachian Trail. After Part 1, Katz and Bryon completely put their trip on hold. When I started reading this book, I thought they were planning to do the whole trail at one time. Therefore, I was surprised that they just put their journey on hold. Also, they skipped part of the trail from Gatlinburg to Roanoke. They were tired and sick of walking and just decided to not do that part of the trail. Even if later in the book they go back and re walk that sliver, I will not consider it what I thought to be finishing the trail because I was expecting Bryson and Katz to finish it at one time.
My predictions about the bear encounter was somewhat correct. While sleeping, Bryson saw woke up to a noise and saw two pairs of eyes outside of his tent. He threw things at it and yelled at it, but the animal was not scared. It stayed their for a while drinking water. Bryson believe that it was a bear and so do I.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Eyes in the darkness (Prompt # 15, ch 11)
I chose this picture to represent when Byson heard noises outside of his tent and was scared he would be killed of the unknown creature."I peered and peered, but I couldn't see anything but those two wide-set eyes staring from the near distance like eyes in a cartoon. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to be outside and dead or inside and waiting to be dead... 'I think I have a right to be a trifle alarmed, pardon me. I'm in the woods, in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, staring at a bear, with a guy who has nothing to defend himself with but a pair of nail clippers. Let me ask you this. If it is a bear and it comes for you, what are you going to do--give it a pedicure?'" (pg 142)
Katz ended up going to sleep and leaving Bryson awake and alone terrified of the unknown animal. His flashlight ran out of batteries and he was stuck in the dark. Eventually, the animal left and Bryson tried to go to sleep. They never found out what the animal was. I chose this scene because I think it is a funny part of the book and it breaks up the talk about the trees and various species that are going extinct.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Colombia & Venezuela
"I also know - and this won't alter the course of history or the your personal view of me - that you will die with a clenched fist and a tense jaw, the epitome of hatred and struggle, because you are not a symbol (some inanimate example) but a genuine member of society to be destroyed; the spirit of the beehive speaks through your mouth and motivates your actions." pg 164
"I saw his teeth and the cheeky g
rin with which he foretold history, I felt his handshake and, like a distant murmur, his formal goodbye."pg 164"howling like one possessed, will assault the barricades or the trenches, will take my bloodstained weapon ans, consumes with fury, slaughter any enemy who falls into my hands." 164-165
I steel my body, ready to do battle, and prepare myself to be a sacred space within which the bestial howl of the triumphant proletariat can resound with new energy and new hope." 165
I think that Che has realized his purpose in life is to help others even if it means he has to risk himself in order to do it. It also seems that Che thinks that many people are at fault and that they will lose their lives in the name of the revolution. Che decided that he would always be on the peoples side and will take anyones lives who stand in his /the peoples way. I think that the last quote shows how he is willing to fight in order to have something new and better than now ( "new energy and new hope")
Monday, March 16, 2009
A bloody mess (Prompt #14, ch 7)
#14
I think one scene in a book that sheds light into what Katz and Bryson were going through is when they are in Birch Spring Gap Shelter. It is infested with mice and they continue to scamper all around the shelter and on top of Bryson and Katz.
"I buried myself in my bag and pulled the drawstring tight over my head. And thus passed the night, with repeated sequences of Katz being violent, followed by silence, followed by scamperings, followed by Katz being violent. I slept surprisingly well, all things considered. I expected Katz to wake in a foul temper, but in fact he was chipper. 'There's nothing like a good night's sleep and that was nothing like a good night's sleep,' he announced when he stirred, and gave an appreciative guffaw. His happiness, it turned out, was because he had killed seven mice and was feeling very proud-not to say pumped up and gladiatorial. Some fur and nubbin of something pink and pulpy still adhered to the bottom of his water bottle, I noticed when he raised it to his lips. Occasionally it troubled me (I presume it must trouble most hikers from time to time) just how far one strays from the normal measures of civility on the trail. this was such a moment." (pg 96)
I think that this is a key quote because it is showing clearly how much the both of them have changed since starting the Appalachian Trail. Obviously, at home, no one goes on a hunt to kill a mice that have gotten into their home. There are tools such as mouse traps and poison. But, on the Appalachian Trail there is none of those tools. So, Katz tapped into his bestiality, attempting to kill any mouse in sight, relying on the tools he had (a water bottle, a flashlight, and his boots). Of course, this seems insanely absurd, but no one would enjoy rodents crawling all over them while trying to sleep. I think this quote shows how we should appreciate the luxuries we have, and how different things were way back when. This taps into a reoccurring theme which is to be appreciative for what we have and not to take it for granted.
I think one scene in a book that sheds light into what Katz and Bryson were going through is when they are in Birch Spring Gap Shelter. It is infested with mice and they continue to scamper all around the shelter and on top of Bryson and Katz.
"I buried myself in my bag and pulled the drawstring tight over my head. And thus passed the night, with repeated sequences of Katz being violent, followed by silence, followed by scamperings, followed by Katz being violent. I slept surprisingly well, all things considered. I expected Katz to wake in a foul temper, but in fact he was chipper. 'There's nothing like a good night's sleep and that was nothing like a good night's sleep,' he announced when he stirred, and gave an appreciative guffaw. His happiness, it turned out, was because he had killed seven mice and was feeling very proud-not to say pumped up and gladiatorial. Some fur and nubbin of something pink and pulpy still adhered to the bottom of his water bottle, I noticed when he raised it to his lips. Occasionally it troubled me (I presume it must trouble most hikers from time to time) just how far one strays from the normal measures of civility on the trail. this was such a moment." (pg 96)
I think that this is a key quote because it is showing clearly how much the both of them have changed since starting the Appalachian Trail. Obviously, at home, no one goes on a hunt to kill a mice that have gotten into their home. There are tools such as mouse traps and poison. But, on the Appalachian Trail there is none of those tools. So, Katz tapped into his bestiality, attempting to kill any mouse in sight, relying on the tools he had (a water bottle, a flashlight, and his boots). Of course, this seems insanely absurd, but no one would enjoy rodents crawling all over them while trying to sleep. I think this quote shows how we should appreciate the luxuries we have, and how different things were way back when. This taps into a reoccurring theme which is to be appreciative for what we have and not to take it for granted.
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