Emma

During vacation I reread Emma by Jane Austen. Emma, printed in 1815, is the story of a privileged young woman who is the mistress of her father’s house. Her mother died when she was young and her companion and governess, Miss Taylor, has recently married and Emma and her father must adjust to her absence. Emma is quick witted and prone to meddle in the lives of others. As the story unfolds, Emma is involved in misinterpreting some romantic situations and is guilty of harmfully manipulating the lives of some her friends. In spite of all this, Emma is an endearing character and learns from her mistakes and matures as the story progresses.

The restrictions placed on women in the 1800s and class structure are very evident throughout the story. Jane Austen is a master of using satire to gently poke fun of the lives and mores of the British upper class during her lifetime.

Reading over vacation

I read two books over February vacation. I read "The Art of Racing in the Rain." This book was an easy read, but it was very interesting. It is about a race car driver whose wife dies and then he goes through a custody battle with his daughter's maternal grandparents. It is told through the eyes of the driver's dog. This dog (Enzo) has been living with the driver since before he got married and became a father. It was a bittersweet read.

The second book I read was "Middlesex." This book is about a child who is born with both male and female sexual parts (a hermaphrodite) and raised as a girl. It tells the story of how her grandparents immigrated from Greece to Detroit. The heroine does not find out until she is a teenager that she is a hermaphrodite. The story is very well written, and the characters are vividly portrayed. It is an emotional story, making the reader feel sad, hopeful, happy, and intrigued.

"A Prayer for Owen Meany"

Hi Ms. Segal and other WHS readers,

I just read "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving. I really enjoyed this novel. It addresses many different themes including family, friendship, religion, and loyalty. The title character is heartwarming, confusing, and funny. If you have ever seen the movie "Simon Birch," this movie reminded me of it. I would recommend this book to both adults and adolescents.

WHS Reads Classics

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