Clashing Concepts

While Alice the vampire was staying with Bella and her father it was almost impossible for Bella's new best friend, Jacob, to visit because of the simple fact that he is a werewolf, and therefore the sworn enemy of all vampires. Jacob grew very angry at Bella when he first smelled a vampire around her house, and she defended Alice, knowing that she meant no harm. Jacob no longer seems to understand that there is a difference between vammpires, just like humans. He only sees the evel in them and that makes it very hard for him to be with Bella, as a friend or any other way, simply because she was once in love with a vampire herself (and still is). Alice agreed to stay with Bella and Mr. Swan only after Bella endlessly begged her not to go, and after a particularly emotional conversation with Mr. Swan regarding Bella's health after Edward left. These last few chapters have realy displayed the idea that perception molds opinions, just as Jacob percieves all vampires to be evil, he believes that Alice is evil as well.

Alice to the Rescue

Within the next few chapters of New Moon Bella made several serious mistakes and had an unexpected visitor come to call. Bella was feeling risky and decided to take a jump off of a cliff for recreational reasons to land into story freezing water. Sh didnt count on being nearly drowned to death. She was about to give up on her life in the freezing water when all of a sudden Jacob came to her rescue and pulled her ashore. As she was pulled out of the water she saw what looked like a flame, and later remembered to be Victoria, the merderous vampires, hair. Bella was terrified of both Victoria, Jacobs anger at her actions, and herself. But all seemed better when she came home to find a familiar car parked in the driveway. She ran inside to find her old best friend and Edwards sister, Alice Cullen, to be sitting inside her house. She felt as if a piece of her had returned with Alice. It just goes to show how much other people make up any single person.

The World In Common

Within the next few chapters of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Bruno has continued to visit his new "best-friend-for-life" Schmuel. Bruno and Schmuel find that, over numorous conversations, they are like the same boy growing up in different circumstances. Bruno has led a life of wealth and privilige, while Schmuel, on the other hand, has grown up in a flat above his fathers watch shop. One day Schmuel tells Bruno about when and how his life began to change. Schmuel says that at first he wasn't allowed to ride his bicycle anymore, and then soon after he had to wear an armband with a star on it. Bruno believes that the star Schmuel had to wear is the same thing as the red and black armband his Father has to wear. Schmuel later tells Bruno that he was forced to move into a tiny apartment with eleven other people for several months, and soon after him and his family were forced into a crowded train to come to the camp. Bruno finds their stories almost identicle, because he was also forced to leave his home to come move into the camp, although he says his train was not as crowded. These last chapters were very moving because they show how the most different two boys in the world, who, society says, should hate eachother, find they have the world in common.

Blind as a Child

Ive progressed quite a bit in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and Bruno, although he may be oblivious, has been shown to be in a bad situation. He is the son of a Nazi general, in charge of running the dreaded prison camp that Bruno refers to as Out-With. ( I'm guessing you can deduce what the correct name is). Bruno is extremely bored in his new surroundings, escpecially with the lack of friends, when all of a sudden an unlikely answer to his prayers is found strolling along a barbed wire fence. Bruno meets a young Jew boy named Schmuel and they become instant friends. Although Bruno really has no idea what his friendship might seem like to the rest of the country, to him Schmuel is the nicest (and skinniest) boy he's ever met. Ever since their first meeting Bruno has walked down the metal fence in his backyard to see Schmuel every day. This book is a clean cut illustration of the innocence of children, and how sometimes their innocence is wisdom.

Little Boy Bruno

I have just began to read a new book, which I have been wanting to read for a long time. Its titled, The Boy In The Striped Pajamas. I have a basic understanding of what the plot of the story is but I'm anxious to read exactly what happens. The book opens with a wealthy family of four living in Germany. The story is told from the nine year old boy's point of view so everything that could be serious or dangerous is told to the reader through innocent and unsuspecting eyes. The boy's story begins with his family moving out of their mansion in Berlin to a small rural house in the, supposed, middle of nowhere. Bruno, the young boy, is upset becouse he must leave his three best friends and his nice house all because of his fathers demanding job as a General. I have a feeling that his father is not as responsible and kind as his wife illustrates to Bruno and his sister, Gretel.

Where Wolf?

In the last few chapters of New Moon by Stephanie Meyer, the chief character, Bella Swan, finds that her best friends Jacob is acting very strangly. He's acting evasive and harsh not to mention the complete physical transformation he's completed. Jacob cut his long black hair short, his skin turned a rustic brown, and his face became oddly familiar with the expression of seriousness. Bella felt confused, hurt, and worried about Jacob becuase it seems to her that all these changes have only occured to Jacob since he has been hanging out with a new, and shady, group of friends. Bella can only guess to what prompted these sudden changes, but at first she suspects that hes entered some kind of cult. But it turns out that she is extremely off. These chapters just go to show that you can't jump to conclusions in confusing situations. There could always be another reason.