Choice Book Report #4

Introduction: 
    The book I read was A Northern Light. It was about a girl named Mattie who is an amazing writer. She dreams of going to college in New York to become a somebody. When money becomes an issue, she decides to work at the Glenmore Hotel. One day when she was working, a girl about 18 or 19 named Grace, came up to her, she handed her a pile of letter and told her: "Burn them. Please. Promise me you will. No one can ever see them." A couple days later, Grace's body was fished out of the lake right by the hotel. Now Mattie is stuck with a pile of a dead persons private letters. She discovers that the letters reveal the grim truth behind her murder.

Part 1: Characterization:
     When reading the book, I noticed two major characteristics of Mattie. She is determinded and unwise. The reason I think Mattie is determind is because, no matter what her father says, or anyone says, she wants to go to college. Along the way to becoming a college girl, Mattie comes to some obstacles. She gets proposed to and she has to decide whether to stay with him or go to college. Her father and her sisters get sick and she has to decide to leave and maybe lose her job, or  stay knowing her family may die. She overcomes every obstacle. To me, this shows a lot of determination to do what your heart is telling you to do.

     Mattie is also very unwise. For one reason, before Grace is found dead, she gives Mattie the letters and tells her, No one can read these. But, one night, the courious side of Mattie tells her to read the letters, and... she does. Once she reads one, she has to read the rest. One by one, she uncovers more, and soon she has the answer to the murder. The unwise part was that she never tells anyone untill she can't keep the secret it in anymore. If she had told before, the whole thing could had resolves faster and her conscience would have been relieved.

Part 2: Conflicts:
      Mattie has many conflicts within herself and with other people. An examples of things that are happening inside of her is that Mattie is fighting herself over love and love of an education. Mattie has fallen in love with Royal, and he with her. They want to get married, but Mattie also wants to go to college in NewYork City and if she get married, she would be made a farmers wife and a mother. Mattie conflicts with herself for months and months and while working toward an educaton, she is almost planning her wedding!
         
     Another conflict with Mattie is between her and her father. Don’t get me wrong, they would die for eachother but, things are just really tense. A reason why her father is so uptight would be because, his wife had died of cancer, and his eldest son left because he blamed his mothers death on his father. So, when Mattie wants to leave, you can imagine what happens. Fights loud enough to break a cement wall, people get hurt, thing are said that are not meant to be said. They grow apart. But when sickness comes; like most families, it bring them together. 

          The last conflict is external and internal. The conflict involves Mattie’s best friend, Weaver. Growing up in 1906 will bring some racism to any man darker than white. Weaver repeatedly gets into fights, whether it’s with a boy his age, three drunk men, or just some rude strangers. He hates being discrimminated against even though he is told over and over to ignore and walk away. But he doesn’t want to ignore and walk away. He feels the need to stand up for himself and others like him. Weaver feels he is doing right, which he is, he's just doing it in the wrong way, picking fights.