In English, we're reading a book named Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. On this blog post, I will be adding a blurb from a chapter in the book and adding a little blurb by me on 'a message I take from this scene,' or 'this could be compared to.'
A message I take from this scene is that people have it a lot better than others. Some live in palaces with unlimited gold and jewels, they have food at their fingertips, they have expensive clothing, a roof over their head to protect them from harsh weather. And others live on the street or in a house in such poor condition it's a wonder it's still standing. They don't have enough money for food and water let alone clothes that cover them and keep them warm. The clothes they do have are tattered. Others have it so much better than some and are still unaware of how bad people have it and how lucky they are to have such luxuries.
This could be compared to mirages in real life. Have you ever been travelling down a long road on a blistering hot day and you look into the distance and the road looks like it's covered in water? But when you travel past the area the 'water' was in, there was none? That's because there was no water. It was just heatwaves hovering in the distance. This is known as an illusion (a.k.a, a mirage). A mirage is what Zélie thought she was seeing. She thought her mind was playing tricks on her and maybe the water wasn't truly there. But in this case- it wasn't an illusion, they really were wasting all of that water. If you're ever in a wide-open space on a hot day, look into the far distance and you might see the illusion too.
A message I received from this scene is that you should always tell the truth. Even if the truth is ugly, you should always be honest. If the truth is hidden longer than it should have, it will hurt others a lot more than if you spoke up earlier. The earlier the truth, the less damage caused.
A message I received from this scene is that you should always be strong. No matter what, if you're going through a hard time, or if you think you can't handle it anymore, you should just be strong. Find something that will encourage your strength to keep moving forward. A person maybe. When you're feeling like you couldn't possibly go on, think of that person or what they said and use it as your weapon. Be strong. Be brave.
This could be compared to the series 'The Hunger Games.' This chapter was full of violence and gore just like The Hunger Games usually is. It's a game people play to win and no one really pays any mind to all of those who have been slaughtered. The game will end with a winner but the deaths of people who were butchered are not something to celebrate, especially not with the way they died.
A message I take from this scene is that people are not always what they seem. One moment, Inan will be a ruthless killer and the next he'll be a loving, guilty brother. It leaves us to wonder who he truly is. Is he really who he says he is or is it all just a facade? He is only doing what he's doing because his father has told him to. All his life he's been his father's puppet and done everything he's been told to do. But if his father didn't control his thoughts or put false facts in his mind, making him believe magic and maji are bad, would he be a different person all together? A kind, caring person like his sister?
A message I take from this scene is that there are different kinds of bravery and strength. Some people believe being brave is taking on a battle against your worst enemy with only a sword and shield with the mindset of a soldier. Others believe being brave is just doing everyday things. Speaking in front of a crowd, asking a question in class, talking to someone new. Bravery comes in all people no matter who you are.
A question everyone should ask- do people deserve second chances? Does Inan deserve a second chance? In my opinion, yes, he does. It depends on who the person is and what they have done on whether they deserve a second chance. I think Inan does. His whole life, his father has put false facts in his head about maji and magic and he thinks it is bad. Just now, he has realised how wrong his father is and how all of the things he has done under his father's hand is wrong. He has done horrible things, really horrible things, but those things were done by his dad through him. He's just a puppet and his father is pulling the strings. I think they should take a chance on him, trust him and they might find the good in him, deep down inside.
A message I take from this scene is that you should never stop trying. Never give up- never give up hope. Zulaikha brought together diviners from all over Orisha in one moon. That's not a very long time, and considering Zu is so young, she's created something that would usually take others years to build. She kept at it, kept trying to keep her culture and history going for years to come. She not only helped the diviners, but she also helped Zelie, Tzain, Amari, and Inan by bringing diviners together so they can bring magic back before the solstice. She's helped so much and healed so many people, she's never stopped trying. She's never stopped helping
.
Zu! She didn't deserve this. She's only thirteen-years-old, she was taken years too soon. A message I take from this scene is that you should never ever take people for granted. Never. No matter who they are, what they do, what they stand for, never take them for granted. Because one day they could be here... the next they might not.
I compare King Saran to a tiger. He's stubborn, aggressive, easily irritated. When he 'bared his teeth' it reminded me of a big cat. He's confidently scary, people cower in fear like an antelope to a tiger. Not only that but the first line- "you know what intrigues me about your kind? You always start in the middle of the story." Most stories like this one are only shown by the protagonists' point of view, you don't know what really happened because people jump to conclusions and class people as good and bad before knowing the full story.
This could be compared to the movie The Power of One. The guards had no respect for the prisoners whatsoever just because they had a different skin tone. In this book, King Saran has no respect for the maji because of their magic. Because of what they can do. How powerful they really are. I think he's scared that they'll overthrow him. After all that he's done, all of the destruction he's caused, they'll want to. He's tried so hard to eliminate magic from Orisha, to eliminate maji. Even if they don't have access to their magic he'll still slaughter them. Because of this, a LOT of people want him to fall from his throne... and I think some would go to great extents just to do so. People like Zelie, Tzain, and even his own children.
I feel like this is wrong, really wrong. You should listen to your parents but not to this extent. King Saran is controlling his son's life. Because his life wasn't the way he wanted it, he's now forcing his son to live the life he wanted to. He's chosen duty before self but that doesn't mean Inan has to as well. He doesn't need to be king if he doesn't choose to.
This could be compared to when Zélie was a 'shell'. When King Saran tortured her, she became an empty shell. Inan has spent too much time around Saran and now he's just a shell too. Saran is doing nothing but ruining everything. Inan does
not have to do this. He has a choice. He doesn't have to listen to his heinous father, he's his own person, he's the future king of Orisha. He's the king's son, he doesn't have to bow down to him. He had a choice to either kill or spare the maji- to spare Zélie and the others, and he chose the latter. Right now, he has the choice to join Zélie and her army or continue betraying them. So the question is- is Saran's order stronger than Inan's love for Zélie?
