In Cold Blood

I have recently began reading In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote. The setting takes place in Holcomb, Kansas, a small town home to 270, where four out of the six members of the Clutter family are killed "in cold blood". With no clear motive and no clues residents of the small town are left questioning their neighbors. Because this is one of the first books based on a historical event that I have read the reading experience is going to be much different.

For one, I already know the outcome of the story which is that four members of the Clutter family are killed and the two killers are also killed. Therefore, as I read I'm going to try to fill in the blanks such as the motives of the killers and the steps they took in order to kill the four members. It will also be interesting to see how the author (Truman Capote) writes his book off of the historical events. For example, what parts does he add between unknown sequences in the case. As for the story, I predict that there was a reason for the killing however it may be one that everyone overlooked.  

Text to Text Connection: Sold

I have recently began reading Sold, by Patricia McCormick. The setting starts in Nepal where a 13 year old girl named Lakshmi lives with her family in a small hut. Lakshmi's family is in extreme poverty only making a few dollars from her family's crops. However, when a monsoon destroys all the crops Lakshmi is forced to find work. Her father introduces her to a man who claims that she will be able to support her family in India as a maid. What she doesn't know is that her father had just sold her into the world of sex trafficking.

Prior to this reading I read The Kite Runner, the story of two boys named Amir and Hassan in Afghanistan. Subjected to sexual abuse and the grim reality of poverty, Amir and Hassan are very similar to Lakshmi because all three live in third-world countries. I find it interesting how in third-world countries where poverty is caused by several reasons such as deteriorating economies and poor education, many are forced to do the unspeakable. Sadly countries like Afghanistan and Nepal have fewer options and therefore many are forced to do unpleasant tasks. I look forward to continuing to read this very interesting book.

Sonnet: Dreams

An image, caressed in the desolate near.

A seed installed, the first of conception.

Ideas pushed up, no longer in austere.

Each altered, no two the same reception.

Unwinding into imagination

Falling into an inconsistent state.

Thoughts and ideas composing formation

Soon interrupted, to clean the slate.

Slowly coming to a sudden ending

As the sun catches up, now, behind moon.

Imagery of the mind, soon blending

Reality seen, the image, now strewn.

So alluring of thee when occurring.

The idea of an ending dream deferring.