My Independent Reading Journey by Bridget Baker

Journey to the Center of the Earth

bkbaker3 — 2020-10-22 18:45:33 UTC

I picked this book because I've heard that this book is good and that it is an interesting and fun read. I really like realistic adventure fiction books.

Jules Verne

bkbaker3 — 2020-10-22 18:52:30 UTC

Jules Verne is a french novelist from the 1800s. He was an early writer of science fiction and wrote famous books like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

Quote

bkbaker3 — 2020-10-22 19:01:29 UTC

"What you call obscurity is to me light."
The main character's uncle, Prof. Lindenbrock, says this to Axel when explaining how their journey would work. Axel doesn't want to go on the trip and keeps trying to come up with reason for why they shouldn't go on the trip. Lindenbrock calmly comes up with answers to all of his questions.

Speaker

bkbaker3 — 2020-11-10 19:31:29 UTC

The speaker is Axel and is told though the third person limited. We are not given a clear description of his appearance, but because of his uncle's appearance, the time period, and his ethnicity, we can assume that he is a young German man. In this story, Axel's identity as a scientist and learner is much more important than his race, gender, class, and nationality. These identities are only talked about in how they can aid his adventure. For example: If he was poor, then he would not be able to pay for supplies and travel expenses. If he was not a white man, then he would have not been allowed to go on the journey.

Axel himself is a curious, adventurous young man. He is very well educated in different languages and sciences, especially geology. He isn't very optimistic and can be overly cautious compared to his uncle. He wants to know more about the world around him, but would rather be safe and in his home than going on a dangerous expedition. He becomes very anxious several times during the story.

Conflict

bkbaker3 — 2020-11-17 19:52:12 UTC

In Journey to the Center of the Earth there are two conflicts. There aren't any main antagonists in the story to drive the story and add conflict. In this story the conflict is man vs self and man vs nature. The main character, Axel, is very nervous about going on this adventure and doesn't really want to go, but he doesn't say no to his uncle. This is man vs self. All of the main characters are facing man vs nature because they are going on this dangerous adventure.

"The real journey now commenced. Hitherto our fatigues had been more than our difficulties, but now the latter would multiply at every step." page 62

New Book

bkbaker3 — 2021-01-12 19:52:34 UTC

Frankenstein

Quote

bkbaker3 — 2021-01-26 19:28:19 UTC

"My life might have been passed in ease and luxury; but I preferred glory to every enticement that wealth placed in my path."
This quote is said by R. Walton to his sister in a letter. Walton is on a journey in the arctic. I picked this quote because it is a good example of how characters, especially the main character who has not appear yet, could be in a much easier situation.

One Word With Significance

bkbaker3 — 2021-01-26 19:38:14 UTC

conquer
There is a lot that the characters have to conquer or attempt to conquer.

Reaction

bkbaker3 — 2021-03-19 00:21:05 UTC

I thinks took a really quick turn when Victor learns that William was killed and Justine was framed. I think it shows how things are going to continue to get worse as the book goes on.

Thematic Message

bkbaker3 — 2021-05-14 21:01:04 UTC

The thematic message in Frankenstein is that life is sacred and science and ambition can go too far.

Impact

bkbaker3 — 2021-05-14 21:06:03 UTC

One text that has impacted me was The Journey to the Center of the Earth. I really enjoyed reading it and its vocabulary was very interesting and taught me new words. Its message about exploration is also something that I think is important.

hryu2035_1 — 2026-03-19 12:43:57 UTC

Hangyeol’s reading journey time