December 12, 2012
10:27-10:47
Gulliver's Travels
Pages: 187-193

Quinbus goes to the academy of Lagado where there are many rooms with many different people performing different studies and experiments. He tours the whole place with a conductor who helps him out along the way.

I think a lot of people would find this book very strange. Especially this particular chapter. Some of the experiments are really weird and pointless or a waste of time. For example, one guy found a way to make pigs till the ground for farming. However, some much work goes into planting food for the pigs to dig up is substantially more than just tilling the land the normal way.

I read pretty good today but I was freaking out over the exams so it could have been better.

December 11, 2012
10:10-10:40
Gulliver's Travels
Pages: 178-186

He leaves Laputa and goes to the metropolis of Balnibarbi where the king had a friend. Quinbus befriends this guy who is a Lord and together they walk around and see how the metropolis is.

I think the government should have banned people from traveling to Laputa. It only made the people of Balnibarbi become obsessed with math and science and language and are now more lazy and not trying to improve their country.

My reading was good today because I was at home and was able to concentrate much better.

December 10, 2012
7:30-7:50
Gulliver's Travels
Pages: 165-177

He explores the country and the customs of the Laputians. He found out why the island floats and stuff. And he found out how they punish the people. They like pelt them with rocks and then squish the island on top of them. He also found out all of thier little thingies and such of how they get things done and such.

What surprised me was how efficient these people are. They created cute little systems like a water system to take care of rainwater. Also, I didn't get why the king alone is in charge of moving the island and why there is no parliament.

I was very distracted by the people at school because I was reading at school and there were people who were talking and it was distracting.

December 9, 2012
1:20-1:40
Gulliver's Travels
Pages: 165-172

He meets the king of the people. The people are very strange and  the men are obsessed with mathematics and musical instruments. They have their food cut into geometrical shapes and music instruments and are always worring about the sun leaving or the earth being hit by a comet and the earth will be destroyed. The women on the other hand are much more relaxed and want to venture down to the continent below them instead of staying on the floating island.

The main conflict is him not being understood and not understanding. Although he finally gets a tutor to teach him some words, there is still the fact that they can't understand each other fully since the king is only interested in the two sciences and has no interest in anything else.

I read well today because I was able to concentrate on the book although the language was somewhat difficult.

December 8, 2012
8-8:20
Gulliver's Travels
Pages: 157-164

He gets permission from his wife to go on another travels which he got invited by an old captain friend. However, while on the boat, they got taken over by pirates and after offending the Dutch captain pirate, he is sent a drift but thanks to the Japanese pirate captain, he was given some food. After exploring the islands, the fifth and final island had signs of humans and he meets people who live on a floating island.

I would change how he found the island. He should have been sentenced to death and then narrowly escaped and woken up washed up on an island where he would then meet the people. Also, why would he offend them. They could have killed them and right when they are about to let them live, he goes and offends them.

I read alright today but it could have been better because I was reading at my Nonna's house which was distracting.

Decmeber 7, 2012
10:30 - 11
Gulliver's Travels
Pages: 145-156

He has been in the country for 2 years and wants to leave. He wants to go to see the sea and because Glumdalclitch is sick, a page takes him. But, the page leaves him in his box unattended and before long, the tide comes in and carries him away to sea. After 2 hours, he is found by Englishmen and is rescued. It's difficult for him to he used to things being normal sized after being surrounded by big things for so long and his wife wants him to stop traveling.

I think Quinbus is going to go on another adventure dispite his wife's request. He does this because he feels that it is his evil destiny. So although he doesn't like it, he still does it. Also, I think he called his voyage unfortunate be issue of how he left and how he has to leave his family and friends for so long.

It was a little difficult to read today because I was slightly distracted by my surroundings and thinking about the exams but after a while I forgot about them and was able to concentrate on the book.

December 6, 2012
5 - 5:37
Gulliver's Travels
Pages: 133-143

He's still talking to the king about political things and England and what not. Quinbus tells the king of guns and teaches them how to make them. Also, he notices that even though they have a printing press, there is a lack of books and the army is very small and not trained well.

The main character is very curious. He reads some of their books, which proves to be a strenuous task, to learn and understand why the prince has an army and teaches them military discipline. Also, he learns of their history.

I was more focused today because I was not in a distracting setting or tired.