Monday, April 26, 2010
Section 2
I have enjoyed reading all of your thoughts about the first section of Elephant Run. I have noticed that you have done a great job raising questions about the story. I am not going to ask you any questions about the second section. Instead, I would like you to raise 1 or 2 open ended questions that the rest of the group can comment on. Remember that an open ended question gives the reader something to think about and shouldn't be an answer that can be found right in the book. Happy reading!
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Jay
ReplyDelete1.) I wonder if Magwe has decided to help the Burmese since he wanted to go to the labor camp, and because he got Hannibal to attack a Japanese soldier.What do you guys think?
Jay
ReplyDelete2.)I wonder if the title for part three, "Hannibal's Mahouts" is talking about Hannibal?
I think so, but I don't know why it says Mahout-s, with an s at the end, since Magwe is Hannibal's only Mahout. It makes me wonder if they are talking about Mr. Freestone.
Jay
ReplyDeleteI think Nick was scared that his dad would die at the end of part two because he had found out that he was sick, and because when he was leaving the vault, he stopped and thought about what his father had told him.
"In the end, the only thing that really matters is family.These are the ones that will be at your bedside when you die.Or you at theirs."
I wonder why the Colonel was being so nice to Nick all of a sudden.Maybe it was because he was so happy that General Hoshi was coming to see what he had accomplished.Another reason might be that he was glad about the airfield finally being ready.But then again, he was talking about how good a samurai warrior he would make.I wonder if he is just saying this to make Nick like him more.He also might be trying to use Nick to replace his own son, which would be possible since he would probably be at home teaching his son the makings of samurai warriors if he wasn't at war.An example for this is that he asked Nick if he liked planes, and after he said yes, the Colonel replied, "My son loves airplanes." The biggest reason though that the Colonel is happy is that he got a letter stating that his son was okay.Then Segant Sonji said, "You substitute son today." So I guess the Colonel was just using Nick to remind himself about how happy he was going to be after the war when he goes back to his son.I wonder if he would have sent Nick to India if he hadn't of run away, since the only reason he couldn't go before was because the Colonel's son was very sick, and the Colonel thought that Nick had to feel the same way.I really think that the Colonel would have sent Mya and Nick to India sinse he was in such a good mood.I wonder why Hilltop decided to run the escape at that time?
ReplyDeleteJay
I still think Magwe is a rotten guy and won't help anyone but himself. It might be possible. Anything is possible but I think he will just be there and do what he has to do. I mean as I remember the first time we met him in the book he thought he was the boss. So why would he give up being the boss or in charge of things just to help out Nick and the village.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Well in my perspective Hannibal, the elephant or bull, is going to be a very important part of the story so yes, I do believe they are talkling about the Hannibal we know.
ReplyDeleteI think there has to be another mahout for Hannibal. He is such a angry and vicious elepahnt or bull that more than one person should have to take care of him. Magwe seems like the kind of person that wouldn't be a great mahout. You have to feed and take care of your elephant and I don't think Magwe would be the person to do that so there has to be someone else taking care of Hannibal's needs. I think it might be Mr. Freestone because it seems like he cared about Hannibal even though he was vicious.
Rebecca
Does anyone has any prediction about what is going to happen in this section and if you're close to the end how do you think the story is going to end? Happy or sad? State why you think that.
ReplyDeleterebecca
I have a question for you guys, why do you think Hilltop is always so calm?
ReplyDeleteI think it's because he is a monk, he might have vowed not to get angry at people or say mean things about other people. I think this because from what I have read, in the book it says that the monks don't kill anything. I think the monks take this vow because they are very kind to all living things. The reason I even brought up this vow is because if the monks are kind to all living things they would have to be nice and polite to other people.
Sara
Well that is a very good reason Sara because it is true. Monks are usually kind to every living thing but Hilltop is also old and has been through a lot. He probably knows that freaking out won't make anything better so he stays calm and tries to figure out a way to get through it. He also knows that fighting isn't always a solution.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Well I was wrong about Magwe. I guess some people can change. I was wondering, how do you think the story would be without Magwe?
ReplyDeleteRebecca
I think that Hilltop is alaways calm since he is so old, and because he is a monk, and usually monk's are quiet, and kind.I also wonder why he isn't called Taung Baw anymore?
ReplyDeleteJay
My question for you guys is this why do you think Magwe let Hilltop, Mya and Nick go? He seemed so mean.
ReplyDeleteSorry That Question was from Taylor
ReplyDeleteJay I completely agree with you I think Nick was scared that his father would die because if you hear that someone is sick and you don't no what there being made do or even if they are getting better. I would be so scared if my dad was sent away and I heard he was sick.
ReplyDeleteRebecca I think the story would mostly be the same without Magwe except for the part where they were heading out to India. It just gave the story a little more pizaz.
I think Hilltop is so calm because of his age think about when you get older your not going to have all the energy you have now.
Jay Hilltop is still called Taung Baw it's just that not everyone calls him that.
Taylor
I think that the story would be a lot different without Magwe because he was the one that lead the Japanese to Nick,Mr. Freestone, and the rest of them.And if the Japanese had not taken Mr. Freestone, and Indaw, then the whole story would be completely different.Everyone would still be together, there would be no reason for anyone to be trying to escape, nothing in the story would be the same, and it would all be because Magwe wasn't there to cause it all.I also figured out that Nick wonders if Magwe is really that bad because when the soldier hit Mya, he almost cringed as much as Indaw did, but that was only because he really liked Mya,and planned on marrying him, so of course he was going to cringe.
ReplyDeleteJay
Rebecca answering your question I think that Magwe would help Nick just seeing how he let them go in the passage way thay changes my mind about him he actuallly seems pretty nice now. On the other hand though he could have been doing that as a scam maybe he just wants Nick to trust him. Maybe he is working with his brother it looks like were going to have to find out.
ReplyDeleteTaylor
Here's a question for anyone to answer. How do you think Hilltop and Nick's relashonship has grown? In what ways?????
ReplyDeleteTaylor
This book is a good one and my favorite part in Pt. 2 was when Magwe let them go. What was your favorite part in Pt.2????????????
ReplyDeleteTaylor
Jay in that chapter I do think they are talking about the Hannibal we no because there aren't any other Hannibal's in this book.
ReplyDeleteThis is a thought that I was wondering about that I wanted to share. I was thinking about when Nick went into the vault and saw his father's picture. That would have broke my heart. I would have been trying not to cry. Who could stand not knowing if there own father was ok. NOT ME!!!!!!
Taylor
Well Jay for 2.) I think that you have a point with the title and that it says 'Mahouts' it makes me wonder as well if there will be another mahout for Hannibal. There is a possibility that it could be Freestone but it also could be Indaw or Kya Lei who seems like a nice person. Who do you guys think it could be? (Taylor, Sara, Rebecca, and Edythe)
ReplyDeleteGerica
Becca you can and can't blame Magwe he was just holding a grudge about what had happened in the past everyone gets over it. I mean wouldn't you say that everyone has a good side and a bad side, Magwe just stayed on the bad side. I am not saying that I completely trust him its just that if he was willing to help them they shouldn't be to worried.
ReplyDeleteGerica
I think Hilltop is always so calm because he looks at things and does the best he can with them. He is always looking on the bright side of things and he feels you should never be angry or upset or sad, just improvise. For me its a lot different I am totally not as calm as Hilltop is I mean I know I freak out over little things like if someone stole something little like a pencil from me I would be upset when I shouldn't be. My mom and dad always say chose your battles and they are right. Hilltop probably looks at it in the same perspective but he really doesn't choose any battles really.
ReplyDeleteI have a question for everyone." If Hilltop were to stress or fight about anything what would it be?"
Gerica
Gerica I think if Hilltop were to fight about anything it would be his family. If you think about it Hilltop cares a lot about Mya and Indaw. I think he would do anything to save them. Say someone tried to hurt Mya I think that Hilltop would be the first to do something. He does seem really calm but if your family is in danger think about it wouldn't you do something even if you were as calm as Hilltop.
ReplyDeleteTaylor
hey taylor, i think I know why Magwe let them go. He does not seem like a very good person at heart, because he was only letting them go because he was busy going to blow up the airfield. Maybe I'm wrong, but something does not seem right about him.
ReplyDeleteWell Garret he let them go because he believed that the Japanesse were becoming bad people. If you were Magwe you probably wouldn't blow up the airfield unless you didn't like that Japanesse which Magwe didn't so that's why he let them go.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Taylor to be honest I really don't have a favorite part it all got me excited and a little nervous at times, but if I had to choose I would have to agree with you. It was my favorite part because it was nerve racking. They went through so much to protect themselves and then they get caught. Thank goodness that Magwe was in such a good mood and let them go otherwise it would of all been for nothing. Taylor why was it your favorite part?????
ReplyDeleteGerica
This is a question for anyone who has finished the book. Do you think that the book had a good ending? Why or why not? How would you have changed it?
ReplyDeleteGerica
Rebecca this story without Magwe wouldn't have been as good, I think, only because of what happens that involves him. An example is like when he found Hilltop, Nick, and Mya, if he wouldn't have found them and let them go it wouldn't have been a good part. Just little things like that make him a good character to have in a book.
ReplyDeleteGerica
Well Taylor I think Hilltop and Nick's realashonship has grown in ways like when they first met they were just strangers and then as the I began to get farther in the book it seemed like Nick was his grandson almost. I really like Hilltop as a character in this book just because of the way his lifestle is and how he treats people. He is super nice.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that Hilltop and Mya act like they are related? Why or why not?
Gerica
Gerica I think the book had a great ending. I never would have thought of that. It was creative and very interesting.
ReplyDeleteIf I wrote the story I would have made his father, Jackson come save him. He looks up to his father as his hero. If Jackson saved him it would make Nick love him more and stay with him.
Rebecca
Gerica I think that Hilltop and Mya do act like they are related. Not like a brother and a sister who fight all the time but like daughter and father. Since Mya's other relatives died she has been with Hilltop more and she cares about him.
ReplyDeleteHilltop acts like a relative because he wanted to keep Mya safe through this whole thing. I think he showed Mya the secret passageways before Nick because he wanted to keep Mya more same than Nick.
Rebecca
How do you think Nick has changed from the beginning to now in the book?
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Gerica a long time ago you posted a question asking, if Hilltop were to be stressed out what would he be stressed about? Well Hilltop probably will never be stressed out so I don't know for sure what he would freak about. It probabaly wouldn't be something we stress out about. Usually we stress about little, unimportant things. Hilltop would stress about something serious like if he was captured by the Japanesse and was going to be killed or something like that.
ReplyDeleteNow fight about something that's a different thing. It depends on if you are fighting to protect yourself or someone else's life. If Hilltop were to fight it would be about saving himself.
Rebecca
I know Nick has changed from the beginning of the book to the end of the book because he is a lot stronger and he is smarter. It seems like he can cope with the jungle better. I sort of expected that but you never know. I think you have to be pretty smart to cope with the jungle. It seemed like he had grown as a person in the time he was in Burma. I say this because it takes a lot of courage to take a stand and do something that you wouldn't do normally.
ReplyDeleteSara
If the story kept going what do you think would happen?
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Well I'm going to answer my own question to get you guys thinking. I would make the story end in a way where you think like in some books they leave you hanging wanting to know more. Well that's what I would think should happen because the book was so good there should be another one. I might end it with another war starting to happen and that could be the beginning of the next book. Or maybe someone dies like Magwe or Hilltop.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
I was reading the question on our first section trying to comke up with a question for this section and I was looing at the Hannibal one. It got me thinking. How did Nick feel about Hannibal in the beginning and in the end? How did this change? What occoured it to change?
ReplyDeleteRebecca
My favorite part in part two was when Magwe let Nick,Mya,and Hilltop go. I think that it shows that Magwe is very in depth. It also gives the reader something to think about. When I read that part I was thinking, why? Magwe is starting to seem like a good person. Maybe he was just pretending to be mean. It could be possible. He might have wanted to make a name for himself. The reason I say this is because sometimes people with low self-esteem want to have a title, they might feel like they are more important with a title or reputation. Magwe is already a good mahout he doesn't need to worry about what other people think about him,but yet he does. He needs to start believing in himself.
ReplyDeleteSara
Rebecca I think that Nick has definetly changed from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. In the beginning he, well his apperence changed. In the beginning of the book he was a large boy with hair and as the story progressed he lossed weight and shaved his head. But i'm sure your talking about his personality. He was not much of a survivor and he became one because of what he lived through in World War 2. He has also begun to learn the kind of people to trust and why you should or shouldn't trust them.
ReplyDeleteSara I agree with you I sort of expected it too, I mean who lives through something like that and doesn't learn a thing.
Gerica
Well its hard to predict but I think that Nick and Mya might get married, and have kids, or they might see Hilltop again if he is still alive, or they might of rebuilt Hawknest's and could have had another war.
ReplyDeleteGerica
Rebecca in the beginning of the book Nick was afraid of Hannibal because he attacked him. In the end of the book Nick wasn't as scared of him because he trusted him and realized that he was a kind elephant. It changed throughout the story. It occured it to change in many parts. One of the parts is when Hannibal saves them from being killed by their enemies. That showed Nick that Hannibal wasn't going to hurt you as long as you didn't affend him.
ReplyDeleteGerica
Jay
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Garrett, Magwe is tricking them into thinking he is on their side, then he will turn on them, and crush their whole plan, i'm going to finish the book so I can prove my statement right...
Umm Jay, I finished the book and well i'm not gonna ruin it for you. Have fun reading.
ReplyDeleteGerica
I really liked this book. It has been one of my favorite books i've read this year. I have to admit when I first saw the cover I didn't think that I would enfoy reading this book, but guess what I loved this book. On a scale of 1-10 how good do you think this book is? 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest.
ReplyDeleteGerica
Wow!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't think that Magwe would just not be a big part at the end, I really thought that he would be a huge part at the end, but he didn't have anything to do with it at all! I wonder how Jackson feels about Bernard, if he is jealous, or if he doesn't really care that she married again, it makes me wonder????? I think that Bernard didn't seem like a big part in the story until the very end when he shot the two tacklers in the back, because if he hadn't have done that, then Nick would have died, and it would have ruined the whole story, because Nick is the main reason everyone is trying to escape. Mya is trying to rescue Indaw, but if it was just about rescuing Indaw, it would not have been as hard, because Indaw could have escaped at any time as long as he knew that Mya was away from Hawk's Nest. I think that Bernard made a real turning point, and it made the story a lot more exciting.
ReplyDeleteSorry, that was Jay!
ReplyDeleteLike I said I really like this book and I thought it was cool that it was based about World War 2, because I usually dont like reading about stuff like that. I makes me want to learn more about this war. Does it make you want to know anything that you thought would be cool to know about?
ReplyDeleteGerica
I really think that we should all post at one time. Kind of like a real conversation. Is there any specific times for you guys?
ReplyDeleteGerica
Jay you said something about how you are wondering how Jackson feels about Bernard. Well think about it he might feel jealous because he loved Nick's mom a lot but he made a mistake and she didn't love him anymore. I am pretty sure that Jackson still loves her but there is nothing he can do about to make her stop loving Bernard and love him. She married Bernard and he is a good guy just like Jackson.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Like 5:00 maybe because that's when people who take the longer buses home get home but if you have to do it later or earlier that's fine with me.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Yeah i would like to learn more about WorldWar II, so here is an article from Wikipedia.
ReplyDeleteWorld War II, or the Second World War[1] (often abbreviated WWII or WW2), was a global military conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945 which involved most of the world's nations, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100 million military personnel mobilised. In a state of "total war," the major participants placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities at the service of the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources. Marked by significant action against civilians, including the Holocaust and the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare, it was the deadliest conflict in human history,[2] with over seventy million casualties.
The war is generally considered to have begun on 1 September 1939, with the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany and subsequent declarations of war on Germany by France and most of the countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth. Many countries were already at war by this date, such as Ethiopia and Italy in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War and China and Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War.[3] Many that were not initially involved joined the war later in response to events such as the German invasion of the Soviet Union and the Japanese attacks on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor and on British overseas colonies, which triggered declarations of war on Japan by the United States, the British Commonwealth,[4] and the Netherlands.[5]
The war ended with the victory of the Allies in 1945, leaving the political alignment and social structure of the world significantly changed. While the United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent future conflicts, the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which lasted for the next forty-six years. Meanwhile, the acceptance of the principle of self-determination accelerated decolonization movements in Asia and Africa, while Western Europe began moving toward economic recovery and increased political integration.
I also know a lot about another battle in World War II called the Sands of Iwo Jima and the americans were fighting the Japanese. But the difference was that the Americans were trying to take over the Japanese land. The famous picture of the American Marines (soldiers) raising the American flag in the middle of a battle happened during the Sands of Iwo Jima. Another thing about the battle that relates to the book is that the Americans took two airfields from the Japanese, and in the book, Bernard and some other troops came secretly to blow up the Japanese airfield, but Magwe beat him to it. The Japanese were ready for the attack, though. They had vast bunkers, hidden artillery, and 18 km (11 mi) of underground tunnels. Through a hard fight, the Americans finally won, and took the Sands of Iwo Jima. And that is a lot like what happened in the book, but in the Sands of Iwo Jima, there was no prisoners, for the soldiers from each side were the only people on the island, anyways! There is a movie called The Sands of Iwo Jima for anyone who would want to learn more. And there is a lot, and I mean a lot on Wikipedia. If you look up, Sands of Iwo Jima, it gives you the movie. So look up, Battle of Iwo Jima, and you will get a lot, including the picture I talked about. (Which is actually a true photograph) Oh, and I could go on the computer at 5:00, too, since I usually don't have anything going on at that time.
hii if nick can replay his dad what do you think he will write to his dad
ReplyDelete