Book Report due 25th. May

MLA citation:
King, Stephen (1982). The Body. England: Addition Wesley Longman Limited in association with Penguin Books Ltd.

Lessing, Doris (1950). The Grass Is Singing. London: Penguin Books Ltd.

Introduction
Stephen King’s fictional novel The Body is very interesting to read. This book is a kind of adventure. Four boys spent their time together two days. They and their minds grew up. The story takes place in Oregon. This book first published in 1982 by Longman Limited. In this book, readers can sympathize their mind. In the paragraphs that follow, I will give a summary of the story, including plot, climax, and point of view, theme, symbolism, and irony.

Doris Lessing’s fictional novel The Grass is Singing is easy to read but readers have to understand distinction existed in those days. This story takes place in London and Africa. This book first published in1950 by Penguin books Ltd. In the paragraphs that follow, I will give a summary of the story, including plot, climax, and point of view, theme, symbolism, and irony.

Summary
The Body
This story takes place in Oregon at present time. Gordie lived Oregon when he was twelve years old. He had three best friend and they are Chris, Teddy, and Vern. Chris was his best friend. He seemed a very bad boy but actually, he was very kind. Teddy was a crazy boy and his father was bad. Although Vern was one of his friends, he was little shy. One day, he told Gordie, Chris, and Teddy “Don’t you want to see the body? I heard the story when I was under the floor. According to the story, there is a body near the rail way.” All of them are interested in this story so they planned to go out and find the body. When Chris prepared for his trip, he remembered his brother, Denny. Denny was very good brother for Gordie and he was a foot ball player. He died four months ago and while he was alive, their parents always loved only Denny. After his death, parents could not forget Denny. On the way to the rail way, Chris’s brother and his friend robbed Gordie of his cap which Denny gave him. After four people gathered, they began to walk along the rail way to see the body. They aggressed because anyone did not bring foods. Then, Gordie suggested that they should buy something in the shop which placed near the rail way. Teddy try to keep being on the rail way to prove having courage. Chris tried to let Teddy stop because it was so danger situation. Teddy had a quarrel with Chris as he thought he could escape the train. Finally, they made friends with again. They walked for the shop and they went to dump. When Gordie came back to them, Gordie was found by the owner of dump. Fortunately, they could run away. Teddy got very angry because the owner made ill of his father. Although his father was mad, Teddy respected his father very much. Gordie and Chris talked about Gordie’s future. Chris said to Gordie “You have to be a novelist because you have ability.” While they walked on the bridge, the train came so they managed to escape, or, they would die. At night, they talked a lot. Since they scared animals’ voice they decided one kept nit by turns. When Chris was guarding, Gordie was dreaming of his brother’s funeral. Then, his father said to Gordie he hoped Gordie died instead of Denny. He felt very sad he could not forget that. Then, he got up and covered with Chris. Chris talked about the case. Although he abstracted the charge for meals, he tried to give it back. As his brother and his father were bad, he couldn’t be believed. He couldn’t do anything. He wanted to go place where anybody did not know him. Several times they thought they went back home, they didn’t do that. They found the body of boy in the end. Gordie said to Chris he had to die instead of the boy because his father hated him. They began to prepare for carrying the body and then, Chris’s brother and his bad friends arrived. They tried to rob four boys of the body. As they lived a small town, they found the body and they wanted to be famous. Chris’s brother nearly killed Chris with his knife, then, Gordie shot a gun. Though he did not shoot Chris’s brother, they won. This is a climax.

In this story, there are some conflicts. The biggest one is Ace who is Chris’s brother and his friends vs. four boys, Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern. Although four boys found the body and tried to carry it, Ace and his friends interrupt them and he nearly killed his brother. Then, Gordie stopped Ace with a gun.

The Grass Is Singing
Mary Turner, wife of Dick Turner, a farmer at Ngesi, was found dead at her home. Although Charlie Slatter who knew about Turner very well and lived five miles from the Turners wrote about this case, nobody discssed about murder because everyone thought that Mary Turner deserved such a death. When the farm boys came to him as they discovered the body and he sent a massage to Sergant Denham at the police station. Although he was Londoner, he became Africa to make money. Tony was taken to the police office and Denham asked him whether he knew the fact or not. Although Tony tried to talk about his imagination, he was not allowed to speak because he was a black and they discriminate. Mary felt happy at school, during holidays, she minded staying home. When she was sixteen, she got a job. She had been working as a secretary for three years. Until she quit the work, when her mother died, she had a comfortable life with her own friends and a good job. After her mother's death, she did not see and write to her father and he also did not do that. Around thirty, she had not married anyone yet and she happened to hear a conversation about her. Her friends made ill of her. Then, she changed her hair style and clothes and she began to looking around someone to marry. She scared men over thirty and avoided them. One day, she watched a movie and Dick Turner who hated crowded places and town noticed her. After he came back to his farm, he can't help thinking about her. Two months passed. He went to the town and he went for a drive with her. However, he did not make appointment with her so he regret. Two months and two weeks later, he asked her to marry. Quickly, she accepted so he was very surprised at her answer. She wanted to marry someone because her friends made ill of her. After their marriage, Mary moved to his farm from town. She cleaned his house and chenged a lot. However, hir farm is country, she began to feel bored. Samson who would look after her didn't feel happy as Mary never laughed. She cleaned because everywhere is dirty but she use water too much so Dick complained to her she wasted water. One day, visitors came to the house. At first, Mary was glad to, gradually she was ashamed of her poorness and felt stiff. That night, the house boy said to Dick he had no time to eat because of hard work Mary forced to him. Dick was taking servant's side against her. Dick said to her not to make house boy work so hard but she insisted it was natural that house boys had to work hard. Dick bought some bees and expensive pigs from Charlie though his wife protested strongly. She managed to keep her anger inside and she was becoming bitter and hard. He told her he ran the shop but she felt uncomfortable she thought natives dirty people. She asked Charlie to take her the town. She went to a club and hotel. However, her dress was not at all fashionable and her shoes were covered with red dust but she had no money. After she came back to the farm, although life on the farm was even worse than before, she could no longer feel. Mary wanted to die. Then, Dick got ill and they were closer together those days than they had ever been before. She went to natives but she really hated them because they are dirty and not punctual. Gradually, she became disappointed and she has no hope for their future. She avoided native people. Since she hated house boy, Moses, she kept him working as long as she could. Although she disliked him, she could not fight properly because of Dick’s warning that he would not allow any more changes of servants. When Moses asked to Mary he was going to leave, she stopped him. Then, he made her drink water and touched. She touched native for the first time in her life. She felt embarrassed and she wanted to forget. From the day, the situation was changed. Although she said to Moses she would not take lunch when Dick was away, Moses brought her a meal and she began to eat. The power she felt over him as his employer had gone. She began to find Moses attractive. Dick fell ill again but this time, she did nothing although house boys stopped work. As she did not sleep to watch her husband, Moses promoted her to go to bed. She dreamed of her father but the dream was very bad. She screamed desperately, trying to wake herself up. When she got up, Moses was standing at her side holding a cup of tea. He was so gentle for him. Moses filled her thoughts night and day. Dick often got ill and Charlie said to any other white farmers, Mary was very bad wife and they believed. Charlie suggested Dick that he give up his farm and sell to Charlie. Then, he was surprised at. They, Dick, Charlie, Mary, and Moses had a dinner together. Then, Charlie told Dick to take a holiday and take his wife away from there, giving Dick no chances to refuse. Dick felt he lost everything. Charlie found Tony Marston from England to manage the farm. She shouted to Moses “Go away!” and he went. She fell to floor in tears. Tony thought she was mad. She went out to find Moses but Moses He wouldn’t back. In the rain, Mary found Moses hanging something long. It’s too late. He killed her with the weapon. He revenged. This is a climax.

There are some conflicts in this story. The biggest one is Mary versus Moses. Mary made him work hard but he behaved gentle. He killed her to revenge in the end of the story.

Analysis
The Body
There are four main characters in the story. They are Gordie, Chris, Teddy, and Vern. In this story, Gordie is described as a shy boy. Since his brother is famous and his parents are proud of his brother, he always doesn’t feel belong at home. Chris is described as gentle and kind. He often helps his friends. Teddy is described as a crazy boy. He says and does something strange. Vern is described as a cowardly boy. He try to run away whenever he feels fear.

The body is told from first person. This story is written from Gordie’s view. Gordie became a writer in the future and he looked back on the past. In this story, although many people appeared, author often uses character’s name, it is easy to read.

In this story, some ironies exist. Things which I hardly expected happened. First, when boys found the body, it seemed that they become hero by calling to police they found it. However, Chris’s brother and his friends appeared and interrupted and then Gordie who was a shy boy fought with a gun. Second, after they won, I thought they carried the body and they became famous, they did not do that and they called anonymity.

I have finished giving an over view of the characters and point of view, now I would like to talk about some theme and some symbolism in The Body. I think that the importance in cooperate with friends is the theme. Four boys face a lot of difficulties. For example, while they went to the place the body was, they nearly were run over a train, killed and were caught. However, they overcome by cooperating each other. In this story, a gun symbolizes power. Although Ace always threaten everyone, he runs away when he is directed it.

In conclusion, Stephen King’s novel refers how important think of friends and cooperate with them. Actually, if only one of them betray, they died. Even though the situation which “I may be die”, they help their friends and they survive together. I recommend that you read this book. You probably remember your childhood and you will be moved their action.

The Grass Is Singing
There are three main characters. They are Mary, Moses, and Dick. In this story, Mary is described as an ordinary person. When she lived in London and worked there, she felt same with other girls or ladies. However, she happened to listen to her friends talking and they made ill of her, she was hasty to marry as soon as possible. After she married and moved to Africa, she began to feel bored, lonely, and unhappy. The story shows her feelings change from disappointment to madness to violence. Dick is described as enthusiastic person for working. He works hard even though he got sick, malaria. However, he did not help and did not try to sympathize with Mary. Moses is described as a gentleman at first. He always cares Mary though he was treated by her very bad.

The grass Is Singing is told from third person. Although Mary Turner is a main character, she is described as “she” not “I”. In this story, a lot of men, natives, and black appeared. In other words, there are few women so you can find out who “she” is easily.
However, you read this book in little difficulties “Who is he?” because some characters rarely appeared.

In this story, some ironies exist. First, Mary felt happy when she married, however, while she lived in Africa she began to feel bored and she became violence. Second, I thought Moses was a good boy because he serve do a lot for Mary in spite of her violence. In fact, he deceives Mary to revenge her.

I have finished giving an over view of the characters and point of view, now I would like to talk about some theme and some symbolism in The Grass Is Singing. I think that the theme in this story how inconstant one’s feeling is by the situation. Although Mary Turner was an ordinary girl, by living in Africa with her husband and house boys who do not work so much and are black, she became mad to violent. In this story, the farm symbolizes everything he needed for Dick and trivial thing for Mary. Actually, though Dick got malaria, he managed to work and in spite of their poorness, he hated to give his farm to Charlie. On the other hand, Mary was not interested in the farm because she was tired of living in Africa.

In conclusion, Doris Lessing’s novel refers aguish of Mary. Although author described Mary’s, this is not only applied to her. Everyone can become her situation and can be killed. By reading this book, you will see how you feel if you were her. I recommend that you read this book whether you are interested in farmers and natives or not. You can understand what distinction of black is and what the back of that is.