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 >.<