Burning House

(From top left to right)
1. Sweater - To keep warm and stuff, also not mine...
2. Earrings - Expensive and for sentimental reasons.
3. Doraemon Wallet - $$$ and I love Doraemon!
4. Shoes - My favorite pair, also necessary.
5. Moose-y - My favorite stuffed animal.
6. Ipod - Expensive and I need music...
7. Passport - Not mine that's pictured, necessity.
8. Macbook - Expensive and I could not live without it.
9. Figure Skates - Expensive and for some sentimental reasons.
10. Phone - Not pictured, as it was used to take the photo. Absolute necessity.

Well, I think I've got a pretty good balance of sentimental, valuable, and practical items on there! Another thing I would consider taking is my birth certificate. However, as that is being kept in a fire-proof safe, I think it can be omitted from this list. I figure anywhere I go will be able to provide me with food and water, so that isn't necessary to bring either. Everything in there is important to me for different reasons.

-Lina >.<

Jane Eyre Project Ideas

Well... As for concrete project ideas, I don't really have any (sorry Mr. Calvin...) I was thinking something along the lines of either a journal of sorts or a traditional paper. For the journal, I was thinking something from the perspective of St. John. It would either be during the time that he spends with Jane, or about the time when he's in India. I'm not sure if it would be like a real journal or more like a running monologue in his head. For the paper, I was thinking of doing a comparison of Rochester and St. John. Especially focusing on their physiognomy. That would probably be more of an opinion piece towards the end... Well, tell me what you think! (And sorry that this post is a few days late...)

-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Little Brother

Well... This will be probably the most reflection-y post to date. This post will be more about a concept rather than concrete facts and events and stuff. The concept that is big enough to be my last post is of course, the book's name. The way I see it, the term is a spoof on the national government. Sometimes, the national government is referred to as "big brother". I think this is meant to portray the government as something that cares for and is always looking out for its citizens. It is supposed to show that, like a big brother, the government is always watching over you. Using "little brother" is like a parody of this. In the same way that a little brother looks after an older brother, Marcus and the X-net look out for the government. A little brother will observe his brother and keep quiet about some of his wrongdoings, but will eventually tell if things get worse. He puts a check on his older brother, keeping him from getting too crazy. In the book, Marcus and the X-net have a similar relationship with the national government. It watches the government and does what it can to keep the government in line. By calling the book "Little Brother", the author successfully shows both contempt for the government (by spoofing it) and the fact that the national government won't be allowed to just sit and do whatever it wants. Rather, it has something looking after it so it had better behave because it would no longer be able to get away with everything. It's like issuing a warning to the government, "we are watching you".

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well developed in a way that we see their faults as well. The plot, though unlikely, is entirely possible. Although I didn't understand most of the techy stuff, it gave the book more credibility, as most of that stuff is possible. When reading the book, everything seems so far-fetched. But, when you really think about it, this could actually happen. If you look at recent history, in the last few years especially, after every supposed and attempted terrorist attacks, security measures have tightened. It's only a matter of time before we get to the same stage as in the beginning of Little Brother. Then, if there was another huge terrorist attack like that in the book, there's no telling what the government might do. They very well might kidnap and terrorize innocent people if they think that that'll keep the other citizens safe. Though it's a scary thought, this book may prove to be prophetic in at least some ways. It shows a country self-destructing due to paranoia of terrorism. In other words, it shows a country on which terrorism is successful. Then, it shows a "war" through technology, which I think will be the new arena for fighting. This rebellion is led by teenagers. I think it is likely that teenagers would lead the rebellion as they would be the ones most adverse to having their privacy and freedom taken away. Also, they would know more about the new technology than other generations. Of course, they end up winning in the book. I'm not sure about what would happen in real like though. It seems like too much of a fairy tale ending to actually happen. However, anything is possible (supposedly...)

-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Antagonists

Well... The main antagonists in the book are actually connected to the United States government. The overarching "bad guy" is the Department of Homeland Security. Underneath that, the lady with the severe haircut especially antagonizes Marcus. The whole plot of the book is Marcus trying to get back at the DHS and save Darryl. The first thing that they do directly is the most obvious. While trying to get help for Darryl after the terrorist attack, Marcus and the foursome are kidnapped. At first, Marcus follows the logical train of thought and thinks that his kidnappers are the terrorists. If I had been in his position, I would have thought the exact same thing. These people treated them roughly, it was in the immediate vicinity of the attack, and it was immediately after the attack. All signs pointed to them being terrorists. However, it turns out to be the DHS. The lady with the severe haircut treats Marcus not-very-nicely. She interrogates him and demands information from him. When Marcus doesn't comply, she basically tortures him. When they finally release him, she threatens him with death if he ever told about what happened to him. Based off the information given, this woman seems like she could be an average, everyday woman. At the end, we find out that her name is Carrie Johnstone. A common name for a common-looking woman; she could easily blend in. However, when you look at the way she treats Marcus, she is not average. Most people would at least feel a little bad about torturing Marcus. Most people would show some sympathy or empathy. Most people would care a little bit. She doesn't. Never once does a book make it seem like the woman has any sort of conscience. She may only actively be in the book for part of the book, but she is Marcus' main opponent.

At the end of the book, right around when it seems like the DHL won't do anything to Marcus, they kidnap him again. This time, they take him from the tent he was sharing with Zeb. He actually knows where they take him this time. Gitmo-of-the-Bay, or Treasure island, is where the DHS keeps their prisoners, like Darryl and Zeb. Marcus (and us) first learn about Gitmo-of-the-Bay from the letter from Zeb. When Marcus is taken back to Gitmo-of-the-bay, they torture him even more. I think what they do is called water boarding, pouring water up this nose to make it feel like he was drowning. In the very end though, Barbara and her news crew come in and save the day. The way that they handle their prison and prisoners makes me think about the Stanford Prison Experiment. These people are all Americans, fighting against terrorism; just like how all the prison experimentees were average college students. The way that the DHS treats Marcus, and Darryl, and everyone else is truly like how the experiment went ugly. At least in my head...

Though it is a part of our government, in this book, the Department of Homeland Security goes way out of line. They may have been instructed to find and detain the terrorists, but they way in which they do it is rather unacceptable, to me. They literally kidnapped people off the streets and then interrogated without giving them the basic legal rights that citizens have. They also just assumed that these people were guilty, Instead of asking the logical questions (did you do it?), they asked questions like how something was done. This shows that there is no doubt in their minds that Marcus is guilty. The lady with the severe haircut is especially malicious. As the one who directly interacts with Marcus, she obviously is portrayed as more of an antagonist (because we are seeing this through Marcus's eyes). What's worse than her methods are the ways in which she carries them out; without any regret or remorse at all.

Though he never does anything serious to them, Charles is another antagonist in the book. It seems to me like while the DHS challenges the adult part of Marcus, Charles challenges the child part of Marcus. While the DHS do some pretty serious things to Marcus, Charles only does things that are annoying and bothersome, but not that bad. Marcus and Charles have always been enemies. Back when they were LARPers, Charles didn't play fair and Marcus and Darryl got in trouble for getting back at him. Since then, they have hated each other. In the beginning of the book, Charles is introduced as being a bully who sucks up to teachers. He almost busts them when they are sneaking out, but Marcus is able to use is techy skills to get them out of it. in class, he always counters everything that Marcus says. The most major thing that he does is to stop Masha and Marcus from escaping the vampire event. He had recorded Marcus leading the event and threatens to turn both of them in. He is clearly not very smart, as Masha is able to trick him into thinking that she works for the DHS and then steal his phone. Though Charles never really does anything to Marcus, at least not in the same way as the DHS, he is still a nuisance.

What I think is very interesting about this book is the fact that it's Marcus vs. the DHS. I mean, he took on a part of the government for gosh sake! Who would've actually thought that he would win? With the help of all his friends, he, the protagonist, is able to take down the DHS, the antagonist, and that gives this book a happy ending. Marcus finds Darryl again, they are all friends again, the DHS has been taken down, severe haircut lady is sent to Iraq, the world knows the truth, security measures are loosened, and Marcus has a girlfriend to boot. If that isn't a happy ending, then I don't know what is!

-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Security

Well... Security, much like terrorism, is a driving force in the book. Security is supposed to make us feel safe. It's supposed to prevent bad things from happening. Or catch the bad guys if something bad happens. Or keep you safe in case something bad happens. In general, security is there for our safety.

In the book, security is much stricter than it is now. Marcus' school provides a good example of this. Nowadays, many schools have surveillance cameras. These are an accepted fort of security. In the book, the school has gait-recognition cameras. These look at the way people walk and identify them based on that. Though not completely accurate, this gives the school a way to basically track all the students at all times within the building. Even worse are the face recognition cameras that were used before the gait recognition. These were taken down as they were deemed illegal. Even though they basically do the same thing, track students, the gait recognition just do it in a way that's less obvious. Another way that the school keeps track of the students is through library books. Since they are not allowed to put tracking mechanisms directly on students, they put them in the library books. By keeping track of where the book is and which student has it, the school can effectively track students. I think that these security measures are a bit extreme. Though they are technically allowed, I think that they encroach into people's privacy. Safety is important, but how much of our freedom should we give up for it?

After the terrorist attack, security only gets worse. The government tracks all sorts of things to identify terrorist suspects. Among these are the use of credit, debit cards, the cards used for the BART, etc. From this information, they can basically see where you go and when. When they see a little change in your usual pattern, they immediately react and question you. This happens to Marcus. I think this is a major invasion of privacy. The government should not be able to know exactly where you are at specific times. Also, the fact that this information is perfectly viable as proof in a case made against you makes it even worse. People could no longer go anywhere or do anything without the government knowing. When the government can then go and accuse people who run slightly differently than others of being terrorists, then the government most definitely either has too much power or is abusing the power it has. Or both.

Back at school, security is also upped with new cameras in the classrooms. Just like with the terrorism, the debate between Marcus and Charles holds many interesting points. Yes, the point of security is in fact to make us safer. For the most part, people do feel safer with more security around. However, security does incite a little fear as it tends to make people nervous and they almost anticipate something bad to happen. Most of all however, is that surveillance and all their security would do nothing to actively help them. If a terrorist had walked in and started shooting everyone, all those cameras and everything would not be able to do anything to help. They would not stop the shooter from shooting or hurting anyone. Maybe afterward, they could identify the shooter and understand what happened, but not matter how many cameras and such surveillance is used, nothing would have stopped that shooter. Therefore, it brings on the question of why do we need security then? Marcus also brings up the fact that the government was effectively ignoring parts of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. They are taking away Freedom of Speech and many other basic rights. Security is necessary, but I think it's more for people to think that they are safe than to actually make people safe.

Marcus along with his mother and his father have very different views about security. Marcus and his mom think that the government had taken surveillance to a level much, much too high. They think that the government has no right in accusing Marcus to be a terrorist just because his travel patterns were a little different than before. Marcus' father on the other had, supports the government. He believes that as long as the purpose of making people safer, then almost anything is acceptable.  Marcus and his father have a few fights over this topic. The first happens after Marcus gets questioned by the cops for having "suspicious" BART patterns. Marcus mother usually takes his side, but she doesn't get very involved.

Like with terrorism, there is a fine line between a good amount of security and to much. I've already used this example, but I'm going to use it again. This debate is embodied in the controversy over the full body scanning machines that are being introduced into airports. These were started to be used because of an attempted terrorist attack. Some people say that these are necessary precautionary measures while others think that these are too intrusive. Even though the picture is computer generated and vague, someone is still seeing a naked picture of you. Especially with children, how can this be considered perfectly alright? As security goes up, our rights go down. I personally am not sure about these new machines. I have been through them myself once or twice and they did make me feel uncomfortable. The idea that someone was looking at a picture of me, that was really weird and creepy. But, I do recognize that it is just for security purposes. Where do we draw the line between security that is acceptable and security that is unacceptable? In other words, how many of our rights can they take away before people rebel like Marcus?

I think that security can be both a good and a bad thing. If in the right amounts, then security can help us. It can make up feel safer. Also, presuming that criminals also know about this security, they would be discouraged to do anything and the world would be a safer place. But, too much of a good thing is bad. If like in the book, our security gets ramped up, I would not like it. I feel like all the tracking methods (cameras, credit cards, etc.) are a huge invasion of privacy. The government should not be able to know what you are doing and when. It should also not be allowed to us this information to accuse and question people just because they do not fit with the average. Even though all this security is said to protect you, it would actually not do anything for protection. So, what really is the point of having security? I believe that security is necessary and an inevitable part of life. However, when taken too far it can be used incorrectly in many ways and no good can come of it.

-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Terrorism

Well... Tonight I'm going to try and tackle a big one. Terrorism is a major theme in the book. It is what makes the story keep on going, like a motor. The only reason that Marcus does all that he does is because the government thinks that he might be a terrorist. This all started on the day the bridge was bombed. Marcus and his friends happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and the DHS picks them up, turning them into terrorist suspects. After this they are never truly free again until they rescue Darryl and confront the DHS.


Terrorism
-noun
       The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
       (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/terrorism)


To me, Terrorism is a political maneuver, evoking fear in others to get what you want. Nowadays, terrorism is most often associated with the Middle East. Though this is stereotypical and prejudiced, the typical image conjured when thinking of a terrorist is a Middle Eastern man. In Little Brother, most of the suspects seem to be young teenagers. I believe that all of them are like Marcus and his friends, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though they could all potentially be the terrorists, I don't think any of them actually are.


When they are first captured, Marcus thinks that his captors are the terrorists. In his head, Marcus retells how he had never really thought about terrorists as they had never directly affected him. I believe that after this whole experience, Marcus will be more aware of terrorism and its causes and effects. In confinement, he remarks that these people did not fit the stereotypical image of a terrorist. Instead, they look like normal everyday Americans. They also act pretty much normal when they aren't interacting with prisoners. Even with all this information, Marcus continues to believe they are terrorists up until he sees the unquestionable proof, a U.S. Military uniform. 


This is where the line of terrorism becomes blurry. Where should we draw the line between terrorism and "just doing what's necessary"? Marcus makes a great point in class about all their security measures actually helping the terrorists. Their main goal is to create fear, so it doesn't sense to make the people even more scared by having all these cameras and surveillance around. Marcus argues that they are helping the terrorists by showing that they succeeded in created fear. Charles argues that they are being protected from terrorists by all the cameras and such. Marcus counters by saying that if a terrorist were to walk into the school and do something, like blow themselves up, the cameras and all their fancy security could do absolutely nothing to stop it. Charles never has a chance to counter that and the discussion is cut short. I think they both actually have good points. The point of the the heightened security is to protect the students. It would also make many feel safer, which is good. But, Marcus does have a point as it shows the extent of their fear (pretty far). This is exactly what the terrorists want. Also, the cameras really would do nothing to prevent a spontaneous terrorist attack. So, what's the point of the extra security?


After they are released, Marcus, Van, and Jolu spend some time analyzing the terrorist attack. Being treated as a terrorist for a few days gives Marcus enough insight to think more like them. So, he is able to further understand what their motives are and what their reactions would be. I think that this could have set the stage for Marcus to have become a true terrorist himself. Even though what he is doing could be considered terrorism by some, he could have become one of the full-out bombing and shooting terrorists because he now understands them. I think it's scary to think that anti-terrorism measures could actually bring rise to more terrorism. Even though all these things are meant to prevent future terrorist attacks, they could ultimately be promoting it. Now that's a scary thought.


-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Technology

Well... Technology is used quite often in the book, both for good and bad reasons. Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, but it can also cause more problems. In the book, Marcus encounters a variety of different types of technology. At first, his use of technology is just to bypass the security measures at their school. As the book goes on, I feel like the ways in which he uses the technology get more and more insidious.

In the beginning, Marcus uses his knowledge of technology and computers to fool around at school. He uses secret IM programs to chat privately with Darryl and and secret internet browsers so the school can't track him. We are actually introduced to Marcus as he is about to get into trouble as w1n5t0n. I think this is foreshadowing the fact that technology is very important to the story and so is Marcus getting in trouble for his uses of it. Due to his extensive knowledge on how the school's security system works, he and Darryl are able to sneak out. When Darryl realizes that he has a library book on him, Marcus uses technology to his full advantage. They microwave the book to kill the arphid inside and bomb Charles' phone using botnets.

Later, technology is what gets Marcus in the most trouble with the DHS. As he will not unlock his phone or give them his passwords, they think that he has something to hide. The truth is, Marcus probably does have something to hide. Years of hacking and illegal programs would have gotten him in a lot of trouble had they been seen. Even so, Marcus is not a terrorist. The DHS believes that he is because he will not give them access to his technology. In the end, Marcus relents and gives them everything. Even so, the DHS stil has heightened suspicion of Marcus. So, they bug his computer.

After the attack, Marcus' internet name changes to M1LK3Y, signaling a change in him. Technology is really the arena for this rebellion. After returning home, Marcus creates hundreds of copies of the program, ParanoidLinux, to distribute and create a secret network. This allows him to communicate with other people who are unhappy with the government, like he is. This works out for a while but soon things start to fall apart as information starts to get leaked out. To combat this, Marcus creates another secret network. This time only including trustworthy people and using encryption to communicate.

Even though technology is such a big part of the book, the things that have the most influence are actually not technological. One such object is Zeb's note. Zeb slips this note to Marcus one day after school. It explains about how he was a prisoner of the DHS along with Darryl and that they were being held on Treasure Island, dubbed Gitmo-of-the-Bay. It is because of this note, and all it's effects on Marcus that he decides to come out with his story. The note reminds Marcus of his original goal, to save Darryl. It makes him see how far off course he had gotten. And so, he tells his story and gets it published. The article has a profound effect on society and gets Marcus re-captured by the DHS and brought to Gitmo-of-the-Bay. Though technology may seem to be the focal point and all, in the end, it't the old school things like a handwritten note that prevail.

Technology, it's supposed to simplify our lives, but it often seems to complicate them. Throughout the book, technology causes paranoia. The night after Marcus gets home, he is completely freaked out because of technology. After finding a bug in his laptop, he can't sleep in fear that he is bugged in other ways. Even after thoroughly checking his room or tiny cameras, he still can't relax. Later on, Xnet is turned against him when the presence of a spy becomes evident. Marcus gets paranoid once again and makes the even secret-er secret network. Technology is a major cause of problems for Marcus.

When it comes to technology, I think that whether or not it is used for "good" purposes is all based on perspective. The ways that Marcus uses technology can be seen as either good or bad. Because Marcus is the protagonist, we are drawn to seeing his actions as good and right. It is justified by saying that rebelling is right, as the government is being unreasonable. But, when you really look at it, Marcus is breaking the law. Many laws, in fact. He is going against the government with a secret network and lots of illegal hacking. Though what Marcus does might seem right, at the end of the day, "right" and "wrong" all depend on perspective.

Little Brother - Masha

Well... Masha certainly is an interesting character! She is introduced (by name) at the end of the book. At first, she works against Marcus and basically blackmails him into cooperating with her. She claims that she knows who he is. She also claims that she too was there the day that the bridge was blown up. Like Marcus, she was taken hostage by the DHS. Instead of being released, she was kept and made to infiltrate the system and act as a spy on the Xnet. Marcus actually figured out that there was a spy quite some time earlier. It was because of this that he made the even secret-er secret network. Masha's motives for contacting Marcus are that she signed up to help bring down terrorists, but instead is being forced to bring down dissenters that she agrees with. For this reason she makes a plan to escape. Along with threatening Marcus, she offers him passage to safety along with her provided that he help her by creating a distraction. For the distraction, Marcus goes back to his LARPing roots and creates an event at which Xnetters dress up as vampires and "bite" each other. It is at this event that Masha and Marcus finally meet.

As it turns out, Masha is the girl from the very beginning of the book with pink hair. She was the leader of the other team playing Harajuku Fun Madness. Just like at the end, she blackmailed Marcus and his friends then by taking their picture and threatening to turn them into the truancy agency if they didn't relinquish the clue. Later, she uses this picture to entice Marcus into leaving with her and leaving Ange behind.

Though they are technically on the same side of this "battle", Marcus and Masha have very different ideas of how to go about getting what they want. Masha wants to leave and hide until the time seems right to act. Also, she would always act secretly and anonymously. She tells Marcus that it's better to be a fighter than a martyr. I think this shows that she thinks about herself above others. Marcus, on the other hand, believes in standing your ground and fighting for what you care about. This is clearly shown in the book as Masha runs away while Marcus stays and publicly opposes the DHS. I think this shows that Marcus puts the well-being of others and justice above self preservation. Though they are fighting for the same thing, their fighting methods are radically different.

I think that Masha has a knack for knowing people's weaknesses. She is able to find out what their motivations and fears are and use them to her advantage. In the beginning of the story she used Marcus' fear of getting busted and was about to succeed when the bombs went off and chaos ensued. Later, she uses his fear of being identified as M1K3Y to blackmail him. Though subtle, she also threatens Ange as well. She succeeds with this and Marcus does help her, though things do not go as they plan. After they escape the crowd, she uses Marcus' desperation for rescuing Darryl to her advantage, forcing him to go with her.

After Marcus steals her phone and escapes, Masha is not longer actively in the book. As they are both "underground", Marcus sets Masha up with Zeb. Even though she is not actively in the book for long, she is what gets the ball rolling for the final showdown between Marcus and the DHS. Masha is responsible for the vampire "party", which leads to Marcus being on the run, which leads to his re-capture by the DHS. Although the ultimate antagonist of the story is the DHS, Masha acts as a more tangible sub-antagonist that Marcus would seem to actually have a chance at overcoming. In the end though, she is just another ally of Marcus' who happens to have different ideas on how to achieve their goals.

-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Angela

Well... Angela, or Ange, replaces Van as the leading female character. She is introduced to Marcus, and the book, at their meeting to make a secret network. My first impression of her is someone who isn't afraid to make a statement. First, she doen't take a beer but instead produces a flask of vodka. Also, that flask also has a degin on it that seems bold to me. What's even more, is that she offers some vodka to Marcus. I'm not sure why, but that makes her come across as outgoing and unashamed of anything. Her taste in food is especially indicative of this. She carries around a spray canister of what is basically slightly diluted pepper spray to put on her food. If that isn't bold taste, I don't know what is! Later, she goes into a tirade about not being able to trust grown-ups in front of everyone at that meeting. The language that she uses and the way that she speaks continues to show that she is not afraid to speak her mind. This is especially true in her ralationship with Marcus. She is the one to talk to him first and come onto him. She is the one who asks him out first. She is the agressive one. She is the one who always takes charge and makes her opinions heard. She is the one who always gets things her way.

I don't think that Ange is a good influence on Marcus. She is the one after all who takes him to that concert where all hell breaks loose. She also seems to work against Jolu. Where Jolu keeps Marcus grounded and in reality, Ange seems to throw Marcus' head up into the clouds. She fills his head with ideas and no concrete ways to execute them. Ange is also an impulsive person. She does what she wants, when she wants, without thinking it completely through. I think that she is causing Marcus to become more impulsive as well. This is not something that is good for a leader. Leaders should think everything through, make sure that it's the best decision. I feel like in order to keep up with Ange, Marcus makes some brash decisions, which is not good for him as a leader.

Through Marcus' interactions with Van, we learn that she and Ange do not get along. In fact, they seem to be rivals of some sort. Marcus figures out that that was why he had never met her before. Because Van "likes" Marcus, she is of course jealous of Ange and their rivalry deepens. I do think that Ange and Marcus make a decent couple though. They seem to be of a good physical size in comparison to each other. Also, the ways that they think are also complimentary. They work well together and function pretty well as a couple. Though she isn't that bad, Ange seems like the jealous type. When she find out about Marcus and Van being good friends her first questions is whether or not they had every dated. Though not painfully obvious, this shows that Ange is at least a bit jealous.

Overall, I did not like Ange. I think it's nice that Marcus gets a girlfriend to bridge the gap left by his friend, but she is just not good for it. While Jolu keeps Marcus focused on reality, Ange takes his mind away from it. She is too agressive and brash in her decisions. Leaders should think their decisions all the way through. I think of Ange as a way to fill the void left in Marcus' heart when his friends leave him. Even though they make a good couple, I don't thinks she is a good influence on Marcus.

-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Jose Luis Torrez

Well... Jose Luis is the last of the foursome to be introduced in the book. It turns out that he is in fact the most techy out of all of them. So techy in fact that he got hired at an Internet Service Provider when he was just 12. We learn that Jolu is great at thinking of out-of-the-box solutions and encryption type things. After Marcus becomes worried about the authorities finding out about X- net because of their heightened use of encrypted files, Jolu comes up with the solution. Both solutions that Marcus thinks of would be bad for X-Net. Johu comes up with the perfect third solution; to increase everyone else's encryptions usage. This skill of his shows that Jolu is a weird guy. His mind just doesn't work the same as most people, thus allowing him to come up with the ingenius ideas. Later on, he helps Marcus by setting up the "encryption party" and inviting his friends. Marcus says that most of the people there were people he didn't know, presumably Jolu's invites. This tells us that perhaps Jolu is fundamentally a more trusting person than Marcus. Jolu is the one to actually introduce Ange and Marcus, thus starting their relationship.

Jolu is an important person for Marcus. He takes Marcus' jumbled ideas and translates them into an actual plan for him. He is also a sort of anchor for Marcus, keeping him grounded on what is and isn't possible. I think that the absence of Jolu is Marcus' greatest weakness as a leader. Though Marcus' ideas and intentions are good, he fails to think it completely through. Jolu would've been the one to patch those holes and complete Marcus, the leader. After Jolu and Marcus part ways, things start to go downhill for Marcus as every decision he makes ends in disaster.

Jolu is the last of the original foursome to leave Marcus. He leaves because he is afraid of getting in trouble. Because he is "brown", he predicts that he would get in more trouble more easily just because he isn't white. Confirmation on this fact from Marcus shows that their world is prejudiced. Through this conversation we find out that Jolu is a realist. He sees things, both good and bad, for what they really are. He acknowledges the racial prejudice without embellishing at all and makes his decision to leave Marcus accordingly. Though it makes him upset, Marcus respects this decision.

[I've noticed something quite interesting about this book. It seems that the order in which the characters are introduced is the same order in which they are separated from Marcus. Darryl was first in both cases, getting taken captive by the DHS. Van was next in both as well and Jolu was last. I haven't figured out if this order is significant or not, but I'll have to keep an eye on that.]

The kidnapping by the DHS seems to have changed Jolu in the same ways as Van. He seems to become less bold and more cautious, calculating. Although he is the only one to not be involved in the crazy love triangle at first, he is sucked in at the end. It is suggested that Jolu and Van might have a thing, thus further complicating the love triangle.

[Something else I've noticed but have no real proof for is that the original foursome seems to represent something good. As the group breaks apart, Marcus' intentions and methods get progressively worse and worse. At the end when he restarts communication beween the remaining 3 of them, everything starts to get better. It is which them that he decides to tell the world their story.]

Overall, Johu is an important person for Marcus. He helps with all the techy stuff and helps Marcus to be an effective leader. I think that he keeps Marcus from thinking the impossible is possible and his ego from growing too large. I wonder if there is any importance of him being introduced and leaving Marcus last. I don't know, but I'm thinking that it is important in one way or another. I think that if he had stayed with Marcus longer, one of two things would have happened. Either they would've been even more successful or failed even more miserably.

-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Vanessa Pak

Well... Vanessa, Van for short, is the second of Marcus' friends introduced in the book. She is brought up as Marcus is trying to get Darryl to ditch school with him. Though Darryl persists on refusing to go with Marcus, he caves when Van is brought up. It turns out that Darryl has had a huge crush on Van for years. So, Van is part of Darryl's motivation. Quickly we find out that Van is a smart girl. She is quick-thinking and techy like her friends. However, she also has a working knowledge of first aid, as her mother is a nurse. When Darryl is stabbed in the ensuing chaos from the terrorist attacks, she demonstrates this knowledge by caring for Darryl. This shows that even in times of high distress, she is able to think clearly. During interrogation by the DHS, Van cooperates and is treated well, compared to Marcus. Before the terrorist attack and subsequent abduction, she is hot-tempered and feisty. During and after them however, Van seems to be much more cautious. Though she is still more impulsive than her friends, she seems to think things through more and make more calculated decisions after the attack. Her style before is described as eccentric before. Even though it isn't explicit, I think that her style is also toned down after the attack.

Later, we find out that Van is a compassionate person, caring deeply for other people. After people start to get in trouble by following Marcus' instruction and example, Van quits. She takes herself out of the whole X-net ordeal and cuts off communication between her and Marcus. She says that she doesn't like the fact that people are getting hurt because of Marcus. This shows that she cares deeply about people. While Marcus focuses on the main goal, Van is more concerned than he is about the well-being of those who happen to find their way in between. Also, Vanessa thinks that in the end, Marcus will destroy himself and she cares about him too much to just watch but not be able to do anything about it. When she stops communicating with Marcus, she basically doesn't show up anymore in the story.

Much, much later we find out that Van had actually had a crush on Marcus for a long time. Although Marcus acknowledges that she is indeed very attractive, he cannot be with her as he is in love with Ange and would bever betray Darryl like that. In the end, we end up with a weird love triangle type of thing. Darryl secretly loves Van, who secretly loves Marcus, who is in love with Ange, who doesn't get along with Van. Vanessa is an interesting character who acts as the voice of reason for Marcus.

-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Darryl

Well... Darryl is arguably the most important character in the novel, besides Marcus. Without Darryl, there would be no story. From the first chapter, we learn that Darryl and Marcus grew up together. As a result, they are close friends who know everything about each other. Both are smart and use their intelligence to cause trouble. Though he still gets around "the system", Darryl does not break the rules nearly as much as Marcus. This is shown again as they try to sneak out of the school. Although he knows how, Darryl is unwilling to break every rule that there is. Also from the first chapter, we get a clear view of who is in charge within this friendship. Marcus is without a doubt the stronger of the two. When he first proposes to skip school, Darryl refuses, sticking to his own agenda. Slowly, Marcus wears him down enough so that the mere mention of Van gets him to grudgingly tag along. Van is the girl that Darryl has a huge crush on. Darryl, being of a larger stature, going after a girl like Van, who is apparently very attractive, is rather interesting. Darryl also seems to be somewhat of a geek. He is just as tech-y as Marcus but seems to not be as popular, giving the impression of geekiness. The fact that he is unwillingly brought along with Marcus shows that there is some tension in their relationship. The way that the conversation between the two of them goes makes it sounds like this was not the first time that this had happened. From the way Darryl talks it sounds like he is beginning to get tired of it. Even though they are best friends, he is tired of Marcus pushing him around and taking advantage of him. This reminds me of "The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber." When Macomber's wife returns to their tent after sleeping with Wilson, the tone is similar of that in Little Brother. Francis Macomber's wife cheated on him. Based on their conversation it is clear that she had cheated quite a few times before, all of which Francis knew about. From their conversation in the tent after her night with Wilson we find out that Francis was indeed getting tired of his wife's consistent cheating. Though he accepted it before, he is no longer going to. The same thing seems to happen between Marcus and Darryl.

During the terrorist attack and ensuing chaos, Darryl is stabbed. It is while Marcus is trying to get him to a hospital when they are picked up by the Department of Homeland Security. After this, Darryl is not seen again until the very end of the book. Though he is not actively a part of the story, he still plays a large role. Darryl is Marcus' motivation. Because he cared so much for his friend, Marcus vows to take down the DHS, saving Darryl along the way. Darryl seems to represent what is good about hacking and all their technology. As Marcus loses view of his goal to save Darryl, his use of the X Net and technology gets more and more corrupt. It is whenever he remembers about his lost friend that true inspiration comes to him and he makes his best decisions. It is for Darryl's sake that Marcus decides to risk everything and go public with their story. This ends up being their salvation.

It turns out that all that time, Darryl had been held on Treasure Island, dubbed Gitmo-of-the-Bay. The DHS had kept hm hostage and treated his wound. Through Zeb, Darryl is finally able to communicate to Marcus and the others. I think that it says a lot about his character that he never gave up. Through all his time in the prison, it seems that he never gave up hope that Marcus would rescue him. Months isolated from the outside would have stripped many of all hope, but Darryl stays strong, determined and is finally able to tell Marcus what happened.

At the end, when Darryl physically shows up again, I think he has changed much from before. Though he doesn't say much, I think that while Marcus has lost all innocence, Darryl has reverted back towards being a child inside. On of my pieces of evidence is the fact that he is found lying in a fetal position, indicative of feeling like a child. Later on, at the very end, Marcus sees that Darryl had resumed his habit of biting his nails. He also says that Darryl was a nail biter when he was a kid but stopped after Van convinced him to. The fact that he goes back to this old habit shows that he is more like a younger version of himself. Also, because he disregards what Van says it shows that he may no longer care as much about girls, like younger boys. Although not much is seen of Darryl throughout the book, he is a pivotal character without whom the story would not make sense. Even though we don't see much of Darryl after he is rescued, smaller clues indicate that he has changed. As Marcus grows up and loses his innocence, Darryl seems to become of a little kid at heart than before.

-Lina >.<

Little Brother - Marcus Yallow

Well... Marcus is the protagonist in Little Brother. The entire book is written in the first person perspective. From Marcus' perspective, specifically. From the very beginning of the book we find out that Marcus is a smart kid. Though not necessarily an academically superb student, he is quick-thinking and able to get around "the system". Quickly, he shows that he is adept with technology and able to use it for his own purposes despite the school's tight surveillance. This affinity for breaking the rules also makes Marcus a trouble maker. It is shown that he and the school administrators are not on the best of terms. Through his interactions with Darryl, we find out that Marcus is in fact the leader of his group. He may not claim the position, but the way that Darryl goes along with what Marcus wants proves it.
During the attack and his subsequent abduction we find out that Marcus is stubborn. Even though he knows that he should cooperate with the DHS, he doesn't. He sticks by his views on his rights to privacy and as a citizen. But, the fact that he believes in his rights and the legal system shows that he is very naive. Because he doesn't immediately give in to the DHS we can see that he isn't afraid enough of them to do whatever they ask. That, in turn, shows that he is naive enough to believe that they would not truly hurt him.

However, after a few days being held captive, he loses all that innocence, easily giving into the demands of the DHS. What seems to be the cause of this change is him being made to wet himself. This act of humiliation seems to change Marcus forever. Afterward, he is wary and suspicious of everything. Even when his release is tangible and he can see the outside world, he continues to think that it is all a trick, about to be taken from him. This newfound wariness is seen throughout the duration of the book. Proof of this is when the night after he goes home, he cannot sleep. His paranoia that the DHS is watching him keeps him up all night and so he creates the X-net.

As the book progresses, Marcus shows that he is not the most capable leader. He has the skills to be a leader however. He can easily gather people together and spread information. All those on the X-net are also loyal to him and he has a large influence over them. But, despite his natural ability to be a leader, his decisions are not always the best. They seem to work out alright at first, but they always blow up in his face later on. The best example is the Vampire pseudo-LARPing. Though it was good idea as a distraction that was required of him and the kids had fun, the result was disastrous. People got trampled, crushed, pepper sprayed, and Marcus got separated from Ange.

Marcus' main motivation throughout the book is Darryl. His best friend from baby-hood, when Darryl gets stabbed and abducted by the DHS, Marcus vows to get his revenge. Though his motives are pure in the beginning, soon they become much more ambitious; to take down the DHS. At some points, it even seems that he forgets about Darryl for a little bit. In the end though, he proves that he is a true friend and tells his story, thus saving Darryl.

-Lina Wu >.<

Little Brother - Overview

Well... I finished reading Little Brother last night XD and it was AMAZING (at least in my half-asleep mind). I really like how it's completely from the view of Marcus. From his view, it's like I'm actually there and experiencing it, rather than just reading about it. The blunt and conversation-like way in which the book is written makes it sound like I'm inside Marcus's brain; seeing, hearing, feeling, everything that he does.

Even though the book is set in the near future, everything in the book could very well happen! All the technology mentioned in the book is possible to replicate in today's world (according to Mr. Calvin...) and so what these kids do is truly possible. All those little tracking devices, gait-recognition cameras, encryption codes, secret internet, and other tech-y things that I really don't understand; all possible! The tech-y language used to explain all the computer and computer networking done in the book was way beyond me. I understand why it was there, to explain what Marcus does. Also, it's what goes through his head, so it makes sense that it's there. I do understand all this, but I still did not think that having all that computer talk there was a good idea. It made me lose interest for a short while and it confused me greatly too. For those who can actually understand it, these parts might have enhanced the book, but for the technologically illiterate like me, it detracted from it.

What's more, those crazy security measures and a terrorist attack are entirely possible too. In today's world, every time there is an attempted or even a suspected terrorist attack, security measures tighten. Recent controversy over the new full body scanners introduced as part of the airport security check is just like the controversy over what the government does to "find" terrorists in Little Brother. If there was a huge terrorist attack like the one in the book, it is plausible that the government would start surveilling citizens as closely as in the novel. It's a scary thought, but everything in this book could actually happen!! The way that the teenagers react to the tightening security is also very realistic. People do not like to have their privacy taken away and are sure to rebel if they are pushed a little bit too far. The government has to be careful or something like what happens in Little Brother could actually happen to it.

-Lina >.<

To Kill a Mockingbird Finale

Well, we finally finished the movie! The end of the movie was just as excellent as the rest. Though like before, they left out many parts from the book, they still effectively got the message and main ideas across. I thought that the scene of Jem and Scout walking home was fairly accurate. The music was DEAD accurate. It set the tone and mood of the scene. It also captured the sudden change and increase in tension. Even though the fight scene wasn't all that realistic, it still conveyed the fear and confusion of the moment. The way that the scene was shot also contributed much to the quality of the scene. The attacker's face is never shown so we don't actually find out it's Mr. Ewell until later, just like in the book. Since the camera stays on Scout and not the fighting men, the fear in her eyes and not knowing exactly what is happening draws the viewer in, in my opinion. In other words, a very good devise to create more interest and viewer involvement. The scenes later on at the Finches house were perfect, I thought. The pure love that Atticus has for his children was clearly expressed. Boo/Arthur was also portrayed perfectly. He had the friendly but innocent thing about him. He also looked completely oblivious when Atticus and Heck Tate are talking about the coverup. I thought that both the music, dialogue, and camera use all contributed to the ending being both sweet and happy, but also sad as she thinks about growing up and Tom Robinson. Overall, the movie was a terrific adaptation of the novel. They left out many details, some small and others fairly large, but they left in just the right amount. The movie focused on Tom Robinson and the court case and overlooked some other things. I would have liked to have more about Boo Radley in there, but they got just enough for the tone, mood, and message of the movie to match that of the novel.

-Lina >.<

To Kill a Mockingbird Part Deux

Well, another interesting day in English class. The movie for To Kill a Mockingbird continues to be excellent. Although some parts are left out, everything is still accurate (almost down to the word). The ways that people were sitting and conducting themselves were accurate and indicative of their personalities. Mr. Ewell sits comfortably, slouching in the chair. This shows how smug he is. The way that Mr. Glimer sits (leg over the arm chair) shows that he too is smug and confidant about the trial. They expected to have the case in their pockets. The movie effectively shows this without wasting any time. The way that Mayella sits (stiff on the edge of her seat with her back straight and arms stiff at her sides) was a good way to show how anxious and nervous she was. Seeing the court scene in the movie was more emotion-provoking than reading it in the book. Hearing their voices and seeing the expressions on their faces was more intense. When Tom Robinson hears that the jury ruled him guilty, the heartbreak on his face and in his body language was depressing. Later, when Atticus learns of Tom's death, a similar thing happens. After hearing the news, his posture slouches and he seems to age many years. Overall, today's portion of To Kill a Mockingbird was depressing :( But, that's what I think I'm supposed to feel so kudos to the movie!

-Lina >.<

To Kill a Mockingbird

Well, the movie for To Kill a Mockingbird is quite excellent. Though it leaves out many parts, I do believe they left in enough of the important ones to get the message across. The way in which they omitted scenes lessened the importance of Boo/Arthur Radley greatly (in my opinion at least). When Mr. Radley filled in the tree's knot-hole right in front of Scout and Jem (in the book they hadn't seen him do it), I think that it puts some of the emphasis back onto the tree and therefore, Boo/Arthur Radley. I think that the movie got the scene in front of the jail PERFECT. There were more men than I expected, but the mood and all the dialogue was perfect. The scene that took place at Tom Robinson's house was interesting. Though it wasn't in the book, I think that it was necessary. Because the movie left out all the introductions of characters, that scene (and the first scene at the courthouse) was made to make the Mr. Ewell into an antagonist. Also, I think that the movies captured each character's personality amazingly. They each are exactly as I thought they would be after reading the book. Overall, though I haven't finished watching the movie, it is an excellent representation of the book!

-Lina >.<