PLN # 3- The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell- Human vs. Animal

     In Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" we see how the author tries to portray how the human nature can resemble animal nature. We cant always rely on our abilities as a human, that is what the main character, Rainsford, soon found out. In the beginning of the story Rainsford was on a yacht with his friend Whitney about big game hunting. They were talking about hunting, and Rainsford made a comment, following what Whitney said about a jaguar feels before being killed, " You're a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?" Even though Rainsford has just begun his journey he displays an animistic nature. He seems to be in a state of confidence that only a predator shows when he thinks its an easy prey. Rainsford soon is unable to rely on the fact that he is above animal. Especially after he meets General Zaroff. When Rainsford realizes that as he listens to the General remark " Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if needs be, taken by the strong. The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure..." The General seems be showing how he thinks it is survival of the fittest, just like an weaker animal is taken out by the stronger of the pack. As far as I can tell General Zaroff is more an animal than a human, he thinking is warped. The General picks a man that has been captured from the shipwrecks and gives him a good meal, a restful sleep and then suggests a "hunt" in which the man is the Game and they are hunted by General Zaroff for three days. Rainsford seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and he found himself being the one hunted. But he Wins the Game and gets into the mansion, goes into the Generals sleeping room and says after Zaroff addresses him, " I am still a beast at bay,...Get ready, General Zaroff". Rainsford has abandoned his reasoning and human compassion, to go to the animalistic part of him to kill the General and be able to live, but was he doing the human thing or the animal thing by killing him?

PLN #2- Why do Good people do Bad things?

During my independent reading of " The Jasmine Moon Murder" by Laura Childs. Its a story about a tea shop owner who's side job is sleuthing. Theodosia takes on a whole new meaning of crime solving as she investigates the murder of Dr. Jasper Davis a key inventor of the medical equipment. He was also the uncle of Theodosia's boyfriend, Jory Davis.

Theodosia is pulled into a bunch of conflict trying to find who committed the crime. But we still don't know who did the dreadful deed. They even took a shoot at Theodosia and threw a rock through her friend's library window But we can come to the conclusion that the person who killed Dr.Jasper Davis was  a good person at on time or another , but what he/she did was bad. I sure that they would justify what they did, but the truth of the matter is that it was wrong. But since we have no idea who the killer is, how are we to know the motives.

PLN # 1- My Reading Personality

            In this first Personal Learning Network (PLN) I would like to talk about how this book that I am reading fits my reading personality. "The Jasmin Moon Murder" by Laura Childs is very well written and easy too read and far as quickness goes. Laura Childs captures the sleuth in a way that would make any one want to solve crimes around your town. But most of all this book hold my attention as a reader. For me its not about how the story turns out or if the main character gets what they always wanted, but its about whether or not, if it keeps me guessing then its a good book. You see when it comes to reading I have ADD, if its not something I'm interested in then I have to struggle threw it and almost chain myself to the chair long enough for me to read the piece. This book doesn't make me want to do that, if I could I would stay up all night and finish it but I wouldn't be able to go to school in the morning because i would be so tired I would be able to keep my eyes open during class.