The Devil in the White City (Pages 75 - 150)

Summary
Now the plan was on its way as they made a rough draft of the plan and looked for architects to work on the world's fair with them. Hunt, McKim, Post, and Peabody were the architects who agreed and were all out of state. Holmes decided to turn his building to a hotel that would be cheap enough for visitors. The architects arrived in Chicago on January 9 and were amazed of how poor the conditions were for Olmsted Park. Ned and his sister moved to Chicago for a better life, they were employed by Holmes hoping to soon be able to buy their own house. During this time the city department realized that multiple disappearances were occurring. The plans for building the fair continues and one day they went to Root's house to find him gasping for him where he eventually passed away. The vision came together with the architects but they were primarily interested in the size rather than the challenge they would face by the terrain. Ned's sister left to Iowa after coming in crying without an explanation. Holmes sold Ned the pharmacy and Ned didn't question it because he wanted to become wealthy, Holmes said he would take care of the paper work and paying for any expenses, but he realized otherwise when people came to ask for their money. Ned & Julia's marriage had come to an end, soon followed by her pregnancy by Holmes. He agreed to marrying her as long as she an abortion on Christmas Eve. After performing the abortion no one had seen or heard from Julia. When asked Holmes said she went to visit her family but they denied it.

Quote

" For the police there were warnings of a different sort- ... vanishment seemed a Chicago pasttime.(Larson 102)"

Reaction

This was said after Ned mentioned the mystery in Holmes' building having a sound proof vault. The order in which it was said led me to believe that Holmes probably has something to do with the increase of the crime rates. His sneaky and control-freak behavior adds to my suspicion. I am eager to find out, Does he really have something to do with it?

The Devil in the White City (Pages 1 - 74)

Summary
The story takes place in Chicago in the late 1890's where a World's Fair known as the White City was built in celebration of Columbus' 400th anniversary of discovering America. The main character is Daniel Burnham who was the head architect. After it was built many murders and crimes happened near the fair or inside its big space. Also during this time, many people travelled to and from the city but some disappeared. In the year of 1892 the top architect of Chicago propesed the idea of hosting the World's Fair in their city. They had won over the voted on February 14, 1890. After the city received the news that they would be hosting the world's fair, they chose Root and Burnham to do the honors. Burnham had to choose the location as all regions wanted it to take place where they wanted it. H. H. Holmes bought a pharmacy chasing after success and then married to make a family. He also bought a building for which he had men working who he could trust and do as he says even if it meant killing someone.

Quote

"Ultimately theses setbacks proved to be minor ones for Burnham and Root. Far worse was to occur, and soon, but as of February 14, 1890, the day of the great fair vote, the partners seemed destined for a lifetime of success. (Larson 30)"

Reaction

In this quote it is quite evident that the fair would be the beginning to both the success of the architect's careers and the beginning of something bad that was to happen in this city known for the bad things that occurred there.

Slumdog Millionaire (Film)

-Sections/characters minimized in the film

In the film there were many sections that were minimized such as the lawyer. In the book the main character had to explain his journey that corresponded to each answer to a lawyer but in the film he explained it to the police. Also, after answering each question on the play back of the show, it did not flashback to see his reaction about his experience to the police as it had in the book to the lawyer. Another part that was minimized was his journey, we were not able to see in depth how he got from one place to the other or his motifs as we had in the film.
-Sections/characters emphasized in the film

The film emphasizes the violence and torture being brought upon him by the police. His relationship with Latika as the three muskateers is also emphasized in the film as they always talk about it, he is always thinking about her and when they are together they enjoy each other's company.
-Narration- how does the camera show omniscient or limited 3rd person (or POV 1st)

The film shows first point of view because his life is retold from his experience according to each question that was asked. Then it goes back to the present in which he was being interrogated to show his reaction.
-Reoccurring images (motifs)

The image of an indian girl at a train station and Latika running after the rain are reoccurring in the film. This emphasized the relationship that the film portrays.
-Use of music/sound effects

The music and sound effects adds a lot to the film. The sounds of the time going (tic toc) emphasizes the importance of time in the film. Also, the suspenseful music played throughout the film increases the tension to finding out the result of the film and for the answer of each question.
-Description of one shot using strong film terms

Jamal and Salim are in a box during a rainy night after witnessing their mother being killed during an attack on the village. A full shot is shown on a girl standing outside of it in the rain, Latika another orphan girl. Jamal then calls her over and she is introduced through an over the shoulder shot. The camera then pan's back and forth from Jamal to Latika in a close up shot.

Slumdog Millionaire (Pages 238- 318)

Summary
Ram has now left from the flat and being a live-in servant because Neelima Kumari has died from an overdose. Fearing that he would be accused of having part in her death he fled. Along his journey he was in Agra and had learn many things about Taj Mahal during his visit. In order to answer the 12th question he used his life boat to call a friend in which he called Mr. Utpal Chatterjee who he had given money to in order to help his son from dying. During the commercial break he realized that the guy asking all of the questions was the guy who had abused Neelima. He had learned that he was working at the quiz show from a newspaper ad he had seen in Agra which is his reason for coming on the quiz show to take revenge. For the last question he uses his life-boat for 50/50 and then uses a coin to choose. Luckily, he guessed correctly winning him the million rupees. The lawyer who had gone to the police station to help him was a woman who he had helped at the shawl. She was returning the favor he had done for her father at the shawl and she was going to fight just as hard to save him.

Quote
"Like a lamb, they are fattening me with adulation before slaughtering me on the next question. (Swarup 302)"

Reaction
I knew that the last question was going to be a tough one when I read these lines. He already knew that they did not want him to win the money and thought that he cheated his way through. They had a misjudgement about him and knew that they were pretending to help him out to then attempt to screw him over; he knew that if he was going to win this, he had to do it on his own.

Slumdog Millionaire (Pages 166-237)

Summary
India had entered in to a state of war and the village stayed together at a shawl. There Ram met a veteran from the war of 1971 in which he told them his experience at war to everyone so that they would understand the seriousness of war. He had come close to winning the MVC/PVC award which helped Ram answer the eighth question. Every night they were sent home and one day he ran into Salim which he hadnt seen in 5 years. In this encounter Salim told him the story of a man who was paying for his acting school. He won money by illegal betting on cricket matches and he knew the averages of every player. He had shared his knowledge with Ram which answered the next question for Ram on the quiz show. Then Ram went with Salim to an actresses house as they were looking for a fulltime servant; only Ram got the job. As time went on Neelima Kumari asked him to be a live in servant and he learned a lot about her life and accomplishments first hand from the Tradgedy Queen; which answered the following question.

Quote
"Meeting a long-lost friend is similar, I suppose, to eating a favorite dish after a long time. You don't know how your taste buds will react after all this while, whether the dish will still taste as good as it used to. (Swarup 193)"

Reaction
Ram felt this when he had a surprise encounter with Salim, he did not know what to expect after a long time of not seeing him. Luckily for him he had a sad reaction as he missed his good friend but he attempted in keeping his wall up. He did not want Salim involved in his aspirations about his wanting to be on the show.

Slumdog Millionaire (Pages 81-165)

Summary
As he grew up he had seen and learned many new things when he was taken away to a home where they prepared orphans for success. This experience helped him answer the fourth question. In the end they decide that they would runaway from Maman's den. Salim and Ram runoff to the Taylor's in order to work as servants where no one would be able to learn about their whereabouts. He had been there a long time and the family had a lot of trust in him. Mr.Taylor had a den in which no one was allowed to enter, spy tapes/papers and had secret meetings with Jeevan Kumar and was declared persona non Grata and was to leave immediately. He then worked at a bar and restaurant as a bartender , one night he met a man who told him a story about his life which helped him answer the sixth question. He then takes the money he had earned to go to Mumbai to visit Salim. On the train ride there is a family there and he believes he could be possibly falling in love with the daughter. A decoit had robbed all of them after disturbing their sleep on the train. Before leaving he attempted in making the girl show her breasts so Ram acted on it and killed the man. With the pistol in his hand he got the answer for the next question of who had invented a revolver.


Quote
"Train journeys are about possibilities. They denote a change in state. When you arrive, you are no longer the same person who departed. (Swarup 153)"

Reaction
When I read this quote it summed up my impressions of train rides because he gets to see different things in cities he does not usually visit on a daily basis. Also, the things he is exposed to helps him develop his way of thinking and helps him recognize/aspire to better things. I did not think it was making reference to what he was to do, to kill a man in self defense during a train robbery.

Slumdog Millionaire (Pages 1 - 80)

Summary
The main character Ram Mohammad Thomas was arrested because there was suspicion that he cheated on the quiz show Who Wants to be a Billionaire. He was a poor orphan at the age of sixteen who explains his victory as luck. They could not believe he won because he was poor, a church orphan and did not read the newspaper. While being interrogated and beaten by an official a lawyer defended him as they had no evidence and no right to abuse him. To explain how he was lucky in getting those questions on the show to his lawyer, he had to explain his life stories corresponding to each of the questions he was asked. For the 1st question he knew the answer because his friend Armaan Ali and had taken him along to watch his most famous film Betrayal. For the 2nd question the host asked him if he knew what FBI stood for but he didn't, he then asked him which one did he know in which he said INRI which was the sequence of letters normally inscribed on a cross. Next door moved a family of a couple and a daughter. The father was a scientist who studied stars but was fired. One night with the help of a telescope he taught his daughter about the solar system and Ram listened in which helped him answer the 3rd question What is the smallest planet in our solar system?, he remembered because they named their cat after the smallest planet; Pluto. The father had abused the both of them and Ram could not stand by and watch any longer so he was not very proud of, leading to his runaway to Delhi where he stayed at a Juvenile Home for boys.


Quote
"I told you not to poke your nose into other people's affairs, or make other people's troubles your own. Remember this as a lesson for the future. (Swarup 55)"

Reaction
Ram had told this to Salim, his best friend when he was going to attempt in helping Armaan Ali get back together with his ex Urvashi. Soon after Salim saw a picture of Armaan in a magazine with lots of women around him, he was very disappointed because he had hope. Ram advised him no to do this again because his attempts will not help the situation. Salim soon had to remind Ram of his own advice when he wanted to attempt in helping the family that had just moved in next door.