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Reading Response Questions Lesson 1
By Ness, started on March 7th
Setting:
The narrator presents the setting by describing the surrounding
area and environment that
the character is in or the plot takes places. The narrator would
usually depict the scene by explaining
the atmosphere in the different senses, hear, feel, see, taste,
smell and sometimes the narrators
thoughts. This advances the scenes and relationships between the
characters. The presentation of
the setting would make the reader feel a part of the book, as if
they were standing right with the
characters. This also depends on the choice of diction. For
example, the grey water horse tears my
fathers chest, and so my father falls to the sand, already
ruined (5), portrays the reader a
horrified and startled mood due to the cacophonic choice of
diction. The setting is essential,
especially in this book. It establishes the sense of lifestyle
and environment of Thisby and the
characters life and preparation of the race. Without the
setting, the reader will not have an
understanding of the race, which is the vital component that
makes the book have clear and detailed
scenes. This can be seen by the Pucks visualization when the
capall uisce attacks her house, Doves
ears swivel to follow an invisible signal on the other side of
the wall. If I strain my ears, I can hear the
sound of a hoof hitting the ground, then another. Another
exhales of breath, no louder than the rain
on the rood. (278-279). Furthermore, when Sean depicts the
moment he falls off, eventually loosing
the race, when I hit the sand, my vision breaks like a wave. I
have surf in my mouth and the sand
beneath me rumbles with hoof beats, and there is red, red, red
above me. (464). This description of
the setting, is when the turning point occurs in which develops
the conflict, as well as illustrating themoment and feeling of loss
and defeat, in detail. Therefore seen by the examples, the theme,
mood
and conflict of the characters will not have been established
and developed to the reader without a
setting.
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Characterization:
There are 2 protagonists in this book, Puck and Sean who also
narrate the story. Sean
Kendrick is a strong, young man; he is more of a closed,
mysterious person and does not express his
thoughts and feelings. His challenge is to regain his title for
the 5th
year for his dad. As well as
determined to win the horse. While Puck Connoly is motivated to
priorities her familys well-being
and is willing to do anything and protective of her and her
siblings, therefore, outspoken,
occasionally rude and carries a lot of responsibility. She goes
through financial difficulties; her and
her siblings do not have enough supply of food and are
struggling for survival. This is because her
brother, Gabriel is the only source of income but he will leave
soon so Puck and Finn are not able to
depend on Gabriel and have to adapt to a new lifestyle. In
addition, both of them share the same
characteristic, they are both determined to win the race. Puck
and Sean are both important as they
both take part in race and driven for the prize and money. Puck,
being the first girl to compete, has
less experience and is believed by others to not survive the
race. Whereas Sean, the brave and
strong rival and reigning champion of the race.
Characterization is a method that the author conveys information
about the characters such
as the character's appearance, feelings, thoughts, behavior,
influence, and so on. In the Scorpio
Races, the author exposes the protagonists behavior indirectly
through dialogue, personal thoughts,
other characters perspective, reactions and actions. An example
of this is the reader constantly
visualizes each of the protagonists when they describe one
another, Puck would talk about Sean
while Sean would talk about Puck. For example, Sean thinks to
himself, theres something
uncompromising about her, a fury that I associate with youth.
(186). Furthermore, the protagonists
characteristics are also shown through their personal thoughts
such as their reactions and feelings to
situations. An example of the method of thoughts expressed
through other characters is when Puck
contemplates, I am thinking of a way to comfort him (Sean).
(318). This indirectly shows Pucks
caring personality through her worries and motives for Sean. But
direct characterization is used, for
instance when Puck says, Im feeling quite virtuous.(253). This
way, the reader understands their
characteristics through the various methods of indirect
characterization.
The frequent mode characterization is indirect characterization;
commonly the methods of
dialogue, personal thoughts and other characters reaction are
used most effectively to the reader. I
believe that the author chose to use indirect characterization
more in the story because it reveals
more aspects of the characters behavior. In which the reader
would be able to construct a picture
inside of their head and visualize the characters lives vividly.
If direct characterization were to be
used, I believe that the story will not have been as thrilling
and the reader would have not
connected to Thisby and the characters as much.
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Conflict:
Conflicts taking place are during the preparation of the race,
each of the characters conflict
is different. Puck faces a man vs. society conflict; she
struggles to provide her siblings with enough
food since their parents died. Therefore, she needs the money to
buy new supplies, food, and water
and pay the houses mortgage. She signed up for the race, aiming
for the prize money and struggles
to prove her confidence and ability to the whole town, tourists,
competitors, Sean and the other
boys. While Sean also faces a man vs. society conflict, as he
needs to regain his title to buy the horse
of his dreams, but owned by Malvern. The quote Puck says, Im the
outsider. The woman. Of all the
things that could stand between me and the races, I cant believe
that this will be it. (237). Another
quote said by a man, Kate ConnollyThere has never been a woman
on that beach and youre
wanting us to make the this the first year for it? Who are you
to ask for that? This furthercomplicated the story because Puck is
being discriminated for her gender by other villagers whom
are trying to discourage her to quit the race. In which makes
her feel upset, confused and
unsupported by others, possibly preventing her to participate in
the race. An example of how the
conflict is developed is, I dont want another horse, I (Sean)
say. I want Corr (265) and Ive
grown alongside CorHes the only family I have (264). These
quotes expressed by Sean presents
the reader to his intentions and reasons to wants to win the
race for the money to buy Corr.
