IND READING: Como (Prompt 7 Chapter 16-17)

So I ended up being half right and half wrong. Evidently you can take a train from Milan to Como, thus automobiles are not the only way of arriving at Como. That being said, Bryson took the train, and did not have to endure the treacherous Italian roads. However, I was right when I predicted that Bryson would be astounded by Lake Como's beauty. As he put it, "It was perfect". Bryson didn't really provide any hilarious stories with this section of his journey, but he definitely included an accurate description of Lake Como. This being said, Como was not enough to keep him there very long; he left as quickly as he came, and off to Switzerland he went.

IND READING: Prediction (Prompt 6)

I realized one of the titles of a chapter coming up is called "Milan and Como". I have been to Como before, and I can make a few predictions as to what he will have trouble with: DRIVING. The only legitimate way of getting to the beautiful "Worth While" region of Como is by driving. Both times I visited Como the roads were absolutely hellish. Not only were they deathly narrow, but Italian logic kicks in with road signs, and navigating around that region is an absolute nightmare. I predict Bryson will encounter some transportation problems along his way to Como. However, once he arrives at the main section of Como, he will be amazed at how beautiful it is, and the hardships in his journey will have paid off. This is what happened to me at least, let's see if it happens to him.

IND READING: Rome (Prompt 8 Chapter 13)

"Traveling is more fun - hell, life is more fun - if you can treat it as a series of impulses". The deeper meaning of this book really shows itself in the first paragraph in this chapter. This entire book has been a series of impulses. Bryson really showed that planning his journey is not very important to him. A good example of this was when he wanted to see the Northern Lights. He told himself he would stay in a desolate town until he saw the Northern Lights. He didn't know where he would exactly be going after that, nor did he care. He knew he would end up somewhere, and he would do his best to enjoy every minute of it. That really shows how to enjoy life. Let life take you wherever it chooses, and do your best to enjoy every minute of the sitaution you are put in. Bryson lived by this policy, as shown in the book, and he turned out pretty well.

IND READING: Copenhagen (Prompt 14 Chapter 9)

"I could spend my life arriving each evening in a new city". This is essentially what the entire book is about. This quote is also an epitome of Bryson as a person. His other books, like A Walk in the Woods, also revolve around constantly arriving and describing new cities he ventures into. This quote also helps summarize his experiences in Europe. He arrives at a new city, describes it, goes on a tangent about something that strikes him personally, tells a good story, and moves on to the next one. This is essentially what the book is all about, and this really shows what he wants to do with his life. Whever I think of Bill Bryson from now on, that quote will always come to mind.

IND READING: Amsterdam (Prompt 12 Chapter 8)

"Amsterdam was built on a swamp, and just keeping the canalside houses from sinking into it is an unending task". This really reminded me of my trips I had to Venice. It is no surprise to anybody that the region of Venice is sinking because of it being topographically situated in water. In order to maintain the buildings in the city, cement must be constantly pumped below the structures so that the ground level will rise a little bit from the water. Also my experience to the Leaning Tower of Piza also struck a chord. The tower leans because it was built on half sturdy soil, and half unsturdy soil. In order to keep the tower from completely falling, a little bit of maintenence is required by reinforcing the unsturdy soil every once in a while. This same concept applies to that of the buildings in Amsterdam. Since it was built in a swamp, the foundation of the buildings is unsturdy. "The house was sinking into the underlying ooze at a rate that would make most of it basement within a short while". As with Venice and the Leaning Tower, constant maintenence is required in order to keep these buildings functioning.

IND READING: Amsterdam (Prompt 12 Chapter 8)

Bryson and Katz venture into Amsterdam. As a reader, this was the part of the book I was most looking forward to, considering the nightlife and reputation Amsterdam has. I was exited to hear a really good story about some crazy happening that Bryson went through. However, Bryson doesn't go into more than a few pages about the nightlife. Although he does tell a good story about how Katz scared their Amsterdam roommates away by urinating in the garbage can while under the influence, Bryson doesn't really go into that much detail. The question arises as to why Bryson omitted all of the juicy details about their nights at Amsterdam. The answer lies in the purpose of the book. Bryson's goal was to write a book about his travels in Europe and his attempt at retracing his journey years later. Going on a twenty page "Tucker Max" rant about their experiences with legal drugs and sex (or lack thereof) would completely undermine the purpose of the book. Bryson's aim is now made even more apparent, as he bases more importance on describing the setting of a region he visited than a superficial one night stand.

IND READING: Cologne (prompt 17 chapter 6-7)

Scene setting is very critical to this book, as every chapter and destination is described in astounding detail. To give an example, Bryson went into depth when he described the atmosphere of Cologne: "You come out of the station and there, at the top of an open-air escalator, is the cathedral, the largest Gothic structure in the world. It is awesome and imposing, no question but it stands in the midst of a vast, windswept, elevated concrete plaza that is heart-numbingly barren and forlorn..." Bryson not only brings imagery into his scene setting, but he also brings in an emotional standpoint. This really allows the reader to connect to a specific aspect of an atmosphere, triggering a certain familiar emotion to really help picture a scene.

IND READING: Paris (Prompt 16 Chapter 4-5)

Stereotyping has been an issue we have discussed in class in great depth. In the book, Bryson shares the contents of a book that Christopher Hibbert wrote, which points out that "the peoples of Europe have for at least three hundred years been living up to their stereotypes. As long ago as the sixteenth century, travelers were describing Italians as voluble, unreliable, and hopelessly corrupt; the Germans as gluttonous; the Swiss as irritatingly officious and tidy; the French as, well, insufferably French". This humerous stereotyping relates to a discussion we had in class over how ethnicity and nationality can classify someone in society. In the book, Bryson describes acquaintences in Paris as being snooty and rude, as well as anti-tourist. Clearly this illustrates a generalization amongst the inhabitants of France.

IND READING: Hammerfest (prompt 5 chapter 2-3)

In this chapter, Bryson ventures to northern Europe. He takes a bus that travels 30 hours nonstop to the farthest point north that public transportation will take you. It is bitterly cold. Why is he doing this? He wants to see the northern lights. I personally have always wanted to see the northern lights, as it must be a spectacular sight. He didn't really have a set time limit on how long he would stay there, but he would not leave until he saw the northern lights. Night after night went by without any northern lights appearing. The wait was especially torturous since the town he was in was the opposite of lively, on top of the fact that he had nothing to do. However, one night the lights finally came, and the way in which he described it moved me: "There appeared a translucent cloud of many colors - pinks and greens and blues and pale purples. It glimmered and seemed to swirl. Slowly it stretched across the sky. It had an oddly oily quality about it, like the rainbows you sometimes see in a pool of petrol. I stood transfixed." Also, the connection he draws to a pool of petrol is part of the humerous Bryson writing style that really makes this book very enjoyable.

NORTHERN LIGHTS

TMD Wrap up

Simple question. Che: Hero or Villain? Why?

do now posted on Dan Triolo's blog

Columbia and Venezuela

1. A man's yellow teeth grinning obscurely
2. Assaulting trenches, with bloodstained weapons
3. The smell of gunpowder, blood, enemy's death
4. The starry night sky eliminates all individuality

The biggest ones that stood out to me were the starry night sky and the smells he described. Eliminating all individuality in Che's eyes means that Che will have no problem killing someone. Why? Once you strip everyone of their individuality, it makes them just another person in a crowd, indifferent to pain and anguish. This goes along with the descriptive writing of smells of gunpowder, blood, and death. These three smells usually have negative connotations. However, when described in the book, they are actually positive elements. I guess it goes to show that if he is smelling these things, he is successful.

Theme #6 Introduction

The most useful site was the Harvard site for formulating a thesis. It not only provided examples, but explained why the counter examples wouldn't work.

Che wanted to ameliorate the indigence his countrymen were facing, by bringing about revolutionary change, both on a governmental scale and a socioeconomic scale, which effect was felt beyond the boarders of Latin America.

Peru Diction Quiz

Drunk speech
Indians plow through snow
Civil guards - sustenance
The sergeant drunk
Visits stepbrother – family values


There were various events and people that effected Che’s outlook on life and his purpose. One of the first significant events was him traveling in a truck with native Indians. When it was time to get out and travel a few kilometers in the snow, Che became amazed at how BESTIAL the Indians were. He stated how his feet were very cold despite the “boots and socks” him and Alberto were wearing, and then he looked at how the Indians were completely barefoot, pushing forward with brute force. This made Che realize that regardless of how undesirable his situation might be, there will always be people in suffering from a lot more of INDIGENCE. Che, throughout the book, really seems to notice how fortunate he is when compared to some people only during a DAUNTING task or situation. In this case, it was traveling through the desert. Also, throughout the chapter the Civil Guards played a huge role in his journey. The question arises whether or not Che and Alberto would be fighting for their SUSTENANCE if it were not for the Civil Guard helping them out along the way. Che eventually reached a town where there was a drunk sergeant he was referred to. This ABHORENT drunk bet he could light a cigarette with a bullet, and he offered more and more money until he shot, sending the bartender on a TIRADE to the police station.
Che, however, had an IRREFUTABLE moment of IMBECILITY when he made his drunk speech. This marked a turning point, from where he became a simple INTERLOCUTOR and turned into an individual who stood out in a crowd. Yes, by being drunk he probably would not have rubbed off well, but it marks a turning point in his role in society. When an individual gives a speech, he earns his voice as a person. This was significant because he may be more prone to making public statements in the future, which would turn out to be a fundamentally important part of his revolutionary quest in his life after the book.
On a more sentimental note, an important event was when he visited his stepbrother. This brought up the idea of how, when poverty strikes, some families are a little more IMPERVIOUS than others.

Essential Question #2

Che wanted to initially become a doctor. Obviously, he had uneasy feelings about becoming a doctor. That is why he embarked on his motorcycle adventure. He wanted to learn more about himself. It is almost your stereotypical way of finding out who you really are, like acquainting yourself with nature, and going on a trip, or any other way of temporarily escaping reality. What Che soon found out was that his trip did not help him escape reality, but rather bring to his attention a devastating reality that his fellow countrymen were facing. The poverty he witnessed was so devastating it tore families apart. This realization of what really was going on in the world around him was what really led him to change his philosophic and moral views and embark on his biggest voyage ever, the challenge of ameliorating the situation of those in need and bringing about revolutionary change, both on a governmental scale and a socioeconomic scale.

IND READING: To The North (prompt 11 chapter 1)

The Author, Bill Bryson (main character), uses a very unique pattern to how he describes his surroundings. He articulates the world around him beautifully, but then says something to bring the reader back into reality using humor or personal thought. For example: "A sliver of moon, brilliantly white, hung in a pale blue evening sky, a warm breeze teased my hair, and everywhere there were scents of lemon and honeysuckle and pine. Ahead of me there was nothing but open sea, calm and seductive, for 150 miles to Sicily. I would do anything to own that view, anything. I would sell my mother to Donald Trump. I would renounce my citizenship and walk across fire. I would trade eyelashes - yes!- with Tammy Bakker." Using this kind of humor allows the author to strike a connection with the reader and take a smooth transition out of his descriptive, beautiful world. I personally like this style of writing, and thus, I would not change it. It certainly calls for an interesting book to be read.

Chile

Che had a very interesting take on what poverty can do to people. "They stop being father, mother, sister or brother and become a purely negative factor in the struggle for life and, consequently, a source of bitterness for the healthy members of the community who resent their illness as if it were a personal insult to those who have to support them." In this depressing quote, Che describes how poverty can turn a family, one of the most fundamentally important privileges to have in South America, from an asset to a liability. This shows somewhat of a drive that he may have mustered while writing and thinking about this.