ANIMAL FARM

Animal Farm is an allegorical novel written by George Orwell . It was published in 1945 in England. It portrayed many topics, but in this case we are going to focus in vocabulary and language used in this book. The way in which language can be manipulated as an instrument of power and control is amazing. Orwell tried to develop a novel in a satiric way so he used a different language and vocabulary and he developed his ideas through animal as characters. First of all, pigs had been studying so they learned human language better than others animals. It was a weapon against the rest of the animal because they were able to control and take the power of the farm. Besides, they learned to write so they decided to create some rules which were used in favor of pigs. If all animals had studied and learned human language, they would have controlled the farm at the same level of pigs. In this case, we have a clear example “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” This outrageous abuse of the word “equal” started to increase while the novel progresses.

The legacy of Poe and Christie: imagination without limits!

Today, reading is necessary for people to develop in many ways.  In many cases, talking to people, there is the issue of reading and the pleasure that many have for reading, but why should this interest? They are often quite specific authors who get our attention and help to generate that love of reading. Their manner of writing and to create, lead us to imagine infinity of situations, characters, settings, etc. which is the cause that people develop this attraction. This is why a comparison is made between the writing styles of Edgar Allan Poe and Agatha Christie, taking into account several points.

First of all, we need to know these two great writers. Edgar Allan Poe was born on 1809 and died on 1849, writer, American poet and critic, best known as the first master of short fiction, especially horror and mystery. Regarding the structure and method for constructing a good story, Edgar Allan Poe once said: "To my mind, first of all considerations must be the intended effect of the cause. Having always displayed originality, I say, first of all, among the innumerable effects or impressions that are capable of receiving the heart, intelligence, or, generally speaking, the soul, what will be the one I should choose to write the story? As for "The Gold Bug," Poe immerses the reader in an atmosphere of adventure and mystery through expository-argumentative language.

Second, Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller married Archibald Christie, whereby she received the surname of her husband and today she is known as Agatha Christie. She was born in 1890 and died in 1976. She was an English writer specializing in police and romantic genres. Her 79 novels and dozens of short stories were translated into almost every language. Her classic characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple were very popular.  In her autobiography, Agatha Christie admits to never really having a place or room which was specifically to write in. All she said she needed was a steady table and a typewriter, quite often just the dining room table. Christie creates about 6 or 8 characters whose are involved in different situations. In addition, her stories have false clues that lead the reader interested in solving the cases, which change from one moment to another.

On the other hand, the stories have more differences than similarities. The Gold Bug is developed on a small island fourteen kilometers from Charleston in America. In contrast The Million Dollar Bond Robbery takes place in London and Scottish Bank. In the first one the narrator tells the story of William Legrand who has financial problems and he had to live in a hut. He used to go hiking with his big dog and his African servant named Jupiter, but the second one talk about the famous detective Hercule Poirot with his partner Captain Hastings, who solved the theft case without problems. In addition, Poe shows how Legrand and his friends found the treasure because they were following the clues that he had deciphered from the parchment of Captain Kidd. Even though, Poirot also deciphers clues but he does by instinct and not guided by any writing, just for that people's actions are wrong for him. As the stories have different topics, the vocabulary used by writers is also different because Poe uses vocabulary related to pirates and jewelry, whereas Agatha use a vocabulary related to detectives, banks, money, and travel. Even the writers use a different language, which could be explained by the nationality of each. However, in both stories is looking to find something lost, treasure and bonds, and have characters focus on that mission. Likewise the stories keeps readers focused on what will happen because all the narrative is based on these searches.

Moreover, the narrative genre is a literary genre which tells a fictional story when the author may or may not be directly involved. Therefore, what was narrated by Poe and Christie belong to this genre but differ in that one is story and the other is a novel. The first is a short story, which invented a situation with a very simple argument and the content can be varied. In general, its development has few characters on the story and the process becomes very important in the final outcome. Also the story develops values ​​that we can clearly find on The Gold Bug. While the novel is a prose narrative most extensive and complex than the story, in which the story appears complicated or intense plot, and setting up an autonomous world and imaginary. This is the case of The Million Dollar Bond Robbery.

In my opinion, the story and the novel are interesting. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery creates an interest from beginning to end. Since you started reading it, you were interested to know who was the guilty and you pay attention in every clue that could help you to find the suspect as Poirot. I like investigations where the guilty does not appear immediately and when it is not obvious, so you have to develop a whole theory to reach the end. I think the style of Agatha Christie is more for adults than children, as a novel of this type does not draw much attention of kids because it is not fun, entertaining, does not has drawings and does not covers topics of their age.

Finally, I prefer The Gold Bug because it is a really fun story; it is a better option for children who like to read. It generates an interest with topics relates to pirates and treasure hunts. The Gold Bug stimulates my imagination, the book leads me to a distant world where everything is fun and it may be possible, in contrast with the plot of Christie. Also, important lesson leaves me full of values ​​that I could apply to my life, for example Legrand teaches us that we should be perseverant, we should trust in our friends, and we must be leal and faithful because these actions will be rewards in the future. 

Why do you write?

In general there are so many thoughts and feelings going through my mind and heart when I write, it's hard to explain why. Many times I feel the need to write some important event of the day or just some little detail that was important for me to see the end of the day better.

On this occasion I will write a bit about how important it is to take every day to the fullest as if tomorrow would not have another chance. My weekend was great, I was with people that I love and with whom I shared great moments, but more significant was something that taught me a friend. The people usually live a hectic life full of activities, but how much we value every time? The last time things have happened to me, which helped me to enjoy in one way or another my day to day. I think it is time to fight for my dreams, live hard, think less and act more; enjoying all things that life gives me.

There is a song called "My last day" who says that we should not wait until tomorrow if the day is today, we make each day the best that we can live. I could be talking about this a long time, but if you listen to this track, analyze it, you try to dream and make it a reality, maybe you can understand I am talking about.

Finally, in my opinion it is not necessary to write a thousand words, because if your heart and mind are open with few words you can understand the whole universe of thought and feeling close to you.

"Million Dollar Bond Robbery"

BLOG 1

The Million Dollar Bond Robbery is a short story by Agatha Christie. Christie tells us how is the theft of Liberty Bonds of the London and Scottish Bank on the Olympia, and that is where it seems the famous detective Hercule Poirot with his partner Captain Hastings, who solved the case without problems.

It begins when Miss Farquhar Esmée went to visit to Poirot to discuss the issue of theft of Liberty Bonds, because she is engaged to Mr. Philip Ridgeway, and he was the one who was in charge of the bonds in the trip to New York, because his uncle, Mr. Vavasour,  suffered a severe bronchitis so he could not go there.

Poirot takes the case and he begins his investigation. First he went to speak directly with the person most involved, Mr. Ridgeway. He explained the same version that his fiancee, also he added that the box (which was sent to transport especially the bonds) he had been forced to open it, but curiously the end it was open with the correct key.

Finally, Poirot and Hasting talked with Miss Esmée F. to tell the outcome of the investigation. Poirot believed that Mr. Ridgeway could not be guilty because the case would have been very clear and simple. Therefore he had two options, the first one is that the bonds had been hidden in the boat and the second option is unlikely that the bonds had been thrown overboard. Logically if the second option were true, the bonds would not have been sold in New York, then that option is removed. Poirot took the option that the bonds were never in the Olympia and they were sent in the Gigantic the same day, but this boat is faster, so in New York the bonds arrived before with instructions that they were sold just arrived Olympia there.

However, at the Olympia had to travel for someone to plan the possible robbery , so there was a man in the booth next to Mr. Ridgeway, and he had to pretend to pick the lock so it would look like a real steal. Of course, the man was hiding behind his clothes to avoid being caught or recognized by Mr. Ridgeway. The guilty of the theft, the man who never had a severe bronchitis was Mr. Shaw.

The case settled and blameless leaving Mr. Ridgeway is how the story of Agatha Christie ends.

From the summarize of the story above and based on the video seen in the class, I present a number of similarities and differences:

-       Although the characters are almost the same, their roles and relationships are totally different. A clear example is that Mr. Ridgeway in the video works at the bank and he is an outstanding employee, but the book says that he is the nephew of Mr. Vavasour.

-       In the book the ship was called Olympia, but in the video the ship was called Queen Mary.

-       Another contrast is that the keys were given to different people: (video) Mr. Shaw, Mr. Ridgeway and Mr. Vavasour had a copy of a key; (book) Mr. Shaw, Mr. McNeil, Mr. Ridgeway and Mr. Vavasour had a copy of a key.

-       There is an important contradiction about the problem that Mr. Shaw suffered, because in the book he has been severely ill with bronchitis at his home in the country and the video showed to us that he was poisoned by someone.

-       Also we can find that Hercule Poirot do not travel on the Olympia, but Hasting and Poirot was invited to travel with Mr. Ridgeway on the Queen Mary, and in this travel Hasting meet a beautiful woman who was in the cabin next to Mr. Ridgeway because she is the person who helped to Mr. Shaw with his evil plan.

-          However, I found some similarities. For example, Miss Esmée F. was engaged with Mr. Ridgeway; the main idea of the story is the same, I mean that the million dollar bonds was stolen; another important similarity is the guilty is the same person, in both cases is Mr. Shaw but using different ways, and Mr. Ridgeway was always blamed by the people of the bank.

In the other hand, I believe that it is a good detective story because when you read you can imagine every situation, every character and all the places where the story is happened. Also I like the guilty was Mr. Shaw because I never imagine he could be a thief. It is fantastic when Agatha C. give to readers some clue but at the end these are not relevant because it is for mislead.

Nevertheless, it is difficult imagine everything if you has been reading the book after that you watch the video because in my case I can not forget the movie when I read, so the situations are different.

I dislike when directors of movies change the real story that the authors write with a great imagination. Sometimes the movies are really different and it is uncomfortable for the readers. I think that a good example that you do not need to change the real story is a movie and a book called Pride and Prejudice.  In this case when you read a book and after you watch a movie, or vice versa, you can understand every situation with the correct character doing the same things that you read or watch.

However, there are some movies which change the original story but in a better way. Some variances help to understand the main idea. In most of the cases kids received the benefits when they watch a movie with full colors, beautiful images, and interesting characters with funny and colorful clothes.

Finally, I want to give you a recommendation because it is important for me that you know an important fact, when you read a book and you know that exist a movie about this book you should read a book and then watch a movie, because in my opinion is the better way in which you will be not disappointed.  

Peter and the wolf

When we are children, our parents always tell us stories or accounts to teach us something.
It is very common that when we grow up we tell the same stories to our children and continue through the years.
A very old story, but very good one is the Peter and the Wolf. My mom told us this story to my sisters and me, when I was 5 years old.

One day a boy named Peter was working in the garden of his father where he had planted lettuce. Suddenly he began to cry "wolf, wolf, help me please!" and many people came running to help him, but it was only a lie of the child. People were very angry and they went home. Peter laughed for the joke that he  had done to his neighbors and his parents.

Another day while everyone was working on their farms, Pedrito began to scream again that the wolf came, screaming and screaming, many people quickly ran to help him but it was another lie. The angry neighbors returned to their work and the child's parents punished him for the joke he had made. Parents warned that continued to scream and lie, in the end nobody would believe him.

A week later, Peter was playing on the farm and suddenly appeared a huge, ferocious wolf who wanted to steal all the vegetables from her father. The child screamed and screamed but no one helped. Finally the wolf stole lettuce, carrots, potatoes, corn, etc. Peter ran home and began to mourn.
When he saw his parents, he told them what had happened and they gave him a big hug. His father told him that he had warned that there was to make jokes because if it were true nobody would come to help, and that was it. Pedrito learned his lesson, he apologized to the people of the village and never lied.

The moral of this story leaves us is that we should never lie, we must always tell the truth because, so people will believe what we say and they always help us.
Moreover, we must trust on our parents and we should accept what they tell us because they always will protect us.