Book Review

Julian Pina-Sanz

Book Review: Enrique’s Journey

Hi, I just finished Enrique’s journey by Sonia Nazario. The story mainly takes place in Central America and Mexico. The poverty filled places aren’t easy on anyone. The main plot to the book is about a Honduran mother whose name is Lourdes leaving her son Enrique to go to the United States to make more money, But as time flies without his mother, Enrique grows more attached to his mother and longing for her. He sets out on a journey after drugs and drinking out of stress because of difficulty at home.

The book is entirely in a third person view so the author is talking about Enrique’s hardships. The author explains the story as Him on a dangerous odyssey to reunite with his mother. He clings on to dangerous trains trying not to lose his grip and fall into the wheels of the train. He avoids the bandit gangs and corrupt police who steal any money or clothes a migrant has. And He must escape

I see the book’s theme as “Never give up on your goals” because it talks about how Enrique is determined to get to his mother after many deportations back the way he came and his determination to stop doing drugs and drinking. Enrique is constantly begging for money and food and repeatedly being turned down. All he has is his wits to stay alive in the cruel and risky world that he is in.

In the United States his mother is having difficult times trying to get enough money for rent, sending money back to Honduras, and food for her recently born second daughter Diana (her first was Belky). There is a lot of love in this book. The incredible amounts of love a child has for his/her mother and will go on perilous journeys to just get one hug. That same love is what drove Enrique and he meets many other kids on the same goal he has.

This book was great to me. There are many emotional moments in this book. There are also some turns in emotion in the story which for me was disappointing. It was exciting and fun to try to predict what would happen next. I liked that it was sort of explaining what’s really happening on the other side of the border. And in the book you can sort of imagine this country compared to Central America and Mexico and see sort of why these people want to make that risky journey to have a better life. So that kind of makes me happy to be in America. The over 200 pages was an ok amount for me, I mean there is a part after page 267 where it doesn’t really have to do with the story. So If you like an exciting yet emotional book then this is a good one for you.

LOTF post #13

The Demon dies away

“So why aren’t you painted?” questioned the officer.

“I’m just different from them” replied Ralph.

The officer raised one eyebrow in confusion. He then glanced at the savage group again and noticed the spears and blood on some kids.

“Well, come on we haven’t got all day.” Said the officer

“I’m coming and so is the group but the kid in the middle wants to stay also that kid next to him” whispered Ralph

Jack and Roger couldn't hear Ralph because they were far away amazed by the fact they have finally been rescued.

“Nope, all of you have to come, they won't be able to survive here.” Officer replied.

Ralph was upset at the fact his idea didn't work. Jack's brain was rewinding through all the things that had happen. A sliver of a tear ran down his face wiping away the paint on his face. All of a sudden he started to cry and the others did the same. Ralph looked back, and thought that they have regained the sense of what they had done.

“There might be some lost in the forest, we should go find them” Ralph suggested

“Alright, you go talk some sense in to your friends and we'll find the others” replied the officer.

Ralph nodded and went towards Jack's group. Percival ran after the officers afraid that the officers will die because of “ The Beastie ” and lose their chance of being rescued. No one ran after him, they knew the officers will take care of him.

“I’M SORRY RALPH! I REALLY AM!” Jack apologized.

Ralph ignored him, not believing anything from him after what he had done.

“Come on guys….Time to go home.” Ralph sighed

The entire group looked at Jack with tears but only saw Jack weeping after what he had done. They looked at Ralph, wiped the paint off their face, dropped their spears and followed Ralph to the boats. As Ralph looked ahead he held a smile. A smile that showed that happiness of the group finally returning to what is right for the journey home. Jack’s tears dried and his face filled with anger. His fists clenched and he grinded his teeth. He gripped the spear so tight his hand started to bleed of splinters.

“I SAID SORRY FOR EVERYTHING AND IM IGNORED!” Jack screamed

He charged at Ralph with full force knocking him to the ground. The group of boys charged at Jack.

“No stop,this is between me and Jack.” Ralph declared

Jack sniggered and slashed out with the spear. Ralph taken by surprise was stabbed in the thigh. He screamed and charged, ignoring the pain. He took the fight into the blazing forest. The fire seared at Ralph and Jack face’s burning them badly. They ignored the scorches and flared out at each other. Ralph’s threw punches at Jack’s face badly bruising his face and Jack’s spear jabbed Ralph in the arms. They were bleeding badly. Jack brought up a stick on fire and lashed out at Ralph with the boiling flames. Ralph climbed a tree and Jack set fire to it. Ralph blew away at the fire with huge leaves. Jack climbed after him. Enraged he swung his spear at Ralph face, constantly cutting him up. Ralph moved to a smaller branch and hanged on for dear life. Jack still boiling with hate charged at him but then slipped and fell to his doom into the raging fire. Ralph climbed down the tree crying a bit, for a rival who was once a friend and lost control of civilization now dead. He ran through the flames and jumped out on the shore. He saw the officer with soldiers carrying burnt up little ones on their shoulders hanging on for dear life.

“This is too sad for me to bear” Ralph thought

“What happened to you?” The officer replied, very surprised

“A tree fell and I was caught in the blow by saving a little one.” Ralph lied

“Whoa, you got some courage little kid” the officer remarked

The group of kids asked a round of questions but Ralph waved them away. The medics looked at his wounds and treated him. The alcohol burned his cuts but he knew it was killing the bacteria. He thought of Simon and Piggy and started to weep but it took away the pain of the parched cuts that the medic was putting alcohol on to cleanse it so it wouldn’t get infected. Sam and Eric came over to comfort him telling him it was alright but he knew it wasn’t. He noticed a group of medics in a circle. He moved towards the commotion and noticed Percival all burnt and under heavy attention.

“NO!” Ralph yelled and shot out. He put his ear to the little one’s burnt chest and heard nothing. He slapped Percival on the face and tried again. He heard nothing again. He cupped a handful, shaking afraid that his friend would die. He splashed on his friend’s face and there was no response. Ralph turned his face from his parched friend and began to weep when suddenly a gasp burst out from crowd. Ralph bolted back and saw his friend Percival barely alive.

“TTTThhhaaaaannnnnkkkkkssss” Percival stuttered in pain.

Ralph smiled. He was incredibly happy. He didn’t want another person to die and miss the joy of being rescued. He looked at the huge American destroyer that they were floating to in the life boat. He knew they would be safe. The group of kids came up to look at it with him and they started to talk about home and begin with their mothers and fathers. He was also happy to the fact that his friends had regained sophistication. He thought he was going to die because of them but as soon as they saw the American destroyer, he could see the evil and savage look be drained from their eyes. Ralph looked at the sunset with tears of joy and sadness to the fact of being rescued and sad at the fact that Simon and Piggy couldn't be there to share joy and gladness . But then realized that they were right there enjoying it with him. What were they enjoying? What were they celebrating about all of this? They were enjoying the end of a tragic story and the beginning of a better story in each and every one of their lives.

LOTF post #12

Lord of the Flies chapter 12: Cry of the Hunters

Character: Jack

My own title: Hunting comes to an end.

DANG IT! WE HAD HIM! We set a fire to the forest and threw spears but no I didn’t work. That little coward is stupid to hide in the creepers. We just rolled a big rock. But he escaped. Those ululating hunters didn’t get him; he just pushed them out of the way. Those weaklings should be trained and work in the cordon for Castle Rock. Ralph is tough and can diddle the little ones easily. But he isn’t the boss now, I am in charge of the whole group and island. I am the boss finally.

….OH GOD! AN OFFICER WITH DRILLS, EPAULETTES AND EVERYTHING! We’ve been rescued! We’ve been rescued! Wait! NO! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY SIMON AND PIGGY! I GOT TOO FAR! * Sniff * Sniff* I’m so sorry! I’m going to hell! I wonder if Roger is thinking the same thing. He was just like me. But I’m so sorry; I shouldn’t stay on the island because I’ve been so cruel. I’ll never be the same again, and ill never see the way things are originally.

LOTF post #11

Lord of the Flies chapter 11: Castle Rock

Character: Ralph

My own title: Alone

NOOOO! I’m all alone. I’m going to have to hide from Jack. I have to be brave. I can’t be killed by those savages. I have to survive till we get rescued. Piggy and Simon have died sadly. I can’t believe they have become that savage. To kill someone is just so…..so…evil. Like the devil’s minions without cessation. I know I’ve been kind of delirious sometimes. * Sniff * I’M SORRY SIMON! But I have to survive. This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t given Jack the privilege of being leader of the hunters.

I’m bleeding and I don’t think I’ll last very long. And I can’t create smoke or else they will truculently find me. We should have lit the forest one fire on the first day. It would have created so much smoke that it’s bound people will see it. But since I don’t have the glasses I can’t do that. Now I feel hunted and watched. I must hide in a place were they can’t find me. Ugh but that won’t work, Jack knows every place on the island from hunting and exploring. I need a talisman that prevents the possibility that he will find me, but i don't have anything like that. That means I might be doomed to die.

LOTF post #10

Lord of the Flies chapter 10: The Shell and the Glasses

Character: Piggy

My own title: Guilt

I can’t believe that is was Simon. It just can’t be. We are becoming too savage; we got too caught up in the dancing. I just think it was a hallucination or a pig or something. Ralph is just worrying too much. Murder is too strong of a word. Jack is manipulating is new “TRIBE” to do his bidding by scaring them with the beast and torturing other members of the tribe. And now Jack has raided us and stolen my specs. I can’t see and who knows what they will do with fire.

I also think that the conch is losing its meaning on the island. I just hope that we get rescued. I don’t want to live on this island any longer. Jack is scaring me. We might all die from his lust for power which has now leaded to more savagery and death. I just want to hide in a safe place in the forest till we get rescued. I feel guilty of the murder of Simon and scared of the savage Jack. And I fear Sam and Eric will become savage too. There are only 4 of us left.

LOTF post #9

Lord of the Flies chapter 9: A View to Death

Character: Simon

My own title: Death

I was tired and bleeding. The beast is actually a dead man in the trees hung by a parachute. But I didn’t want to say it. Of what the pig said, how I would die. It didn’t say Anything else about it. I came to the camp and they jumped on me like jackals. They tore and bit at my skin. I bled and bled. I screamed out the truth of the beast and that it was me, but it didn’t work. I fell and they came upon me.

Bit and tore till I could see no more of the corpulent pig over the fire or the phosphorescence of the moon over the sea.And I saw Ralph and Piggy watching with grins and I thought that this wasn’t what they could have done. And ill watch and check from the heaven above.Jack rages on against Ralph and Piggy. He is soon going to spiral out of control. I don’t think he will be able to control his lust for power. His plans for hunting Ralph are going crazy. Ralph and piggy have to hold on till

LOTF post #8

Lord of the Flies chapter 8: Gift for the Darkness

Character: Jack

My own title: My Own Tribe

Ugh, Ralph is being just being bossy like a Prefect and tries to show that he knows everything. He’s just scared of how much better I’m. The beast is real and it is a bit frightening but Ralph shouldn’t be calling us all cowards; he wasn’t so brave himself. One of the people I find weird is Simon, he is like a fruity nature boy. Roger is my best man, I can relate to him a lot. It’s so stupid how the Big Ones, who were on Ralph’s side, left him for my tribe because of the meat. Just more people for my tribe. And killing pigs is way too much fun to stop when in Ralph’s tribe and there is no taboo for it on mine.

They think that we are turning into savages but we aren’t we are normal. I mean I’m not being demure though. All they think about is being rescued. FIRE! That’s all they think about the stupid fire. THEY SHOULD LOOK AROUND! We are free from rules, from adults; we get to do whatever what we want. And also after we paunched the pig and seeing that pig head. It was grinning, as if it was alive. I sensed something. Like we were doing something demoniac that it has always wanted us to do.

LOTF post #7

Lord of the Flies chapter 7: Shadows and Tall trees

Character: Ralph

Title: Showing off

Ugh, I hate Jack. He is always showing off. It’s either, I’m brave I can face the beast or I can kill many pigs. I mean, yeah, hunting is kind of exciting but still lay off the killing to help with building shelters or keeping the fire up. Jack has to stop; I have now realized that he is trying to take over. I can’t be a coward when things are like this, everything is falling apart. And when Jack said they should use a little kid in their game instead of a big kid. It is fun but still they should use a pig.
Everyone probably has a small feeling that we are turning into savages; but one by one, they turn down that idea. Piggy is way too civilized and Simon is very kind; so I don’t expect them to be with Jack’s group. Roger is just like Jack and Maurice kind of too. Right now, it is just fighting to show off; so whoever wins gets the entire group of boys. But what they haven’t realized they came up with the idea of being rescued and they aren’t helping out on that. And we have to stay civilized; I know that I’m being sucked into their world too but not as much as Jack. To me, Jack is kind of turning out to be the beast.

LOTF post #6

Lord of the Flies chapter #6: Beast from Air

Character: Piggy

My own title: Scared

Today was too scary for anyone. The appearance of the beast has everyone in fear and shock. I don’t think that there is a beast but it’s not clear to anyone yet. Jack is becoming more savage and since Ralph is losing hope in him it shows a weak point where Jack can take over and I’m afraid of what he will do to me. I hate Jack saying that the conch doesn’t matter. Something is draining all idea of civilization out of his mind after being in a waxy against Ralph. He is cruel and savage and it’s interminable. I have to stop being embroiled in these fights between Ralph and Jack, its just bringing more hate towards me.

I’m even more afraid of the group of boys who follow Jack like guano. If Jack falls under control he will do bad things to other boys who are mutinous and will become feared and turn all the boys into savages. I hope we are saved before we lose all our minds. And if we don’t get rescued soon I hope Ralph can talk some sense into Jack. Also I’m tired of people not working and the little ones getting lost all the time. With that the big ones aren’t much help either and I’m tired of people calling me fatty, If Ralph hadn’t told everyone my nickname I wouldn’t be whining about the whole thing.

LOTF post #5

Lord of the Flies chapter 5: Beast from the water

Character: Simon

My own title: Hate

There it’s finally reached it limit, Jack now hates Ralph and I sense tempestuous evil in him and he has forgotten all decorum. It’s ludicrous how savage he is and the discursive groups of boys who follow his ways and agree to his mean tactics. You see the little ones in complete lamentation after the mean teasing of the big boys. Ralph is trying to fix him but all efforts are turned down. Jack wants to keep hunting and being mean. He feels too free and allowed to do anything. I’m surprised no one has come up with the idea of them being way too savage but If I say I might get beat because is like an insult.

And how you tormented Piggy and make fun of Piggy is so cruel. Ralph has to teach them that they have to be disciplined on being more civilized. They are acting like savages with their cruel ideas and their crazy dancing. I guess people have to be more like me I don’t think about the bad ways of dealing with things and I see the good things in stuff that might bother me, and if there are things that are bad I find a good way of dealing with it.

LOTF post #4

Lord of the Flies chapter 4: Painted faces and Long hair


Character: Jack


My own title: I GOT A PIG!

YES! Ha-ha!!! I finally killed a pig. Now we can have meat. Ralph is being too absorbed in being rescued he should be more like me. He isn't a leader, I SHOULD BE LEADER. I know what to do and what is right. Piggy is worse, that little fatty. Always whining about things he should just shut up. But seriously they shouldn’t be complaining, they should have seen the action and the blood! Yea it sucks that we missed the ship but still we can stay here longer because we know how to hunt.

And those little ones are fun to mess with, they are such babies and they are dumb. Makes me feel good because I’m better I’m more powerful than anyone else. I think everyone wants me to be like them but no ill be the hunter ill kill the pigs, and I’ve now gotten more accustomed to it. I have a feel for it ill be the skilled hunter who always gets the kill!

LOTF post #3

Lord of the Flies chapter #3: Huts on the beach

Character: Ralph

My Title: Only thinking about pigs

Jack is kind of getting on my nerves about hunting and how the boys need meat, just excuses to not do work and they haven’t even caught one either. And he has to start thinking of other people not just being rapt in the success of killing a pig. Too much killing will lead to savagery. Jack is just lusting for power and Simon is actually helping everyone. And Piggy I don’t know what he is doing he is probably watching the little ones.

It’s the older kids that I’m worried about; they should be working on the shelters. Simon and I have only finished two huts in like five days.I don't think i can trust jack anymore. I sense some a compulsion of the opaque evil dark savage power brewing in him. And he and his hunters should help out with our vicissitudes. But i think i can still change him to a better way just like Simon or Piggy

LOTF post #2

Lord of the Flies chapter #2: Fire on the mountain

Character: Piggy

My title: Ignored

I hate Ralph and Jack. Ralph told everyone my nickname and humiliated me in front of everyone and Jack is just mean, he and no one else want to listen to me and learn the right way to do things. And all the boys need to work more if they want to get off the island and be rescued instead of capering. Also another thing a boy is now considered dead because people weren’t keeping watch of the little ones and i had to raise my voice in recrimination. We would be better off if they actually pay attention to what I say instead of ignoring me and being mean to me. I’m actually coming up with better ideas than anyone else so they should be paying attention to me.

Rules should be strictly put down to be able to create a small civilization on the island and Ralph should know that. Maybe I should be more like Ralph and be more like a leader, strong, charismatic and stand up for myself. Or i can induce them to listen to me. And if there aren’t any rules we will all end up like errant savage cannibals. Also if we are going to live here then they should be more careful with the fires because it can burn everything and everything with be a bad environment to live in .

LOTF post #1

Lord of the Flies chapter #1 The Sound of the Shell

Character: Simon

My Title: Just Stand By

All I do around here is just stand by don’t do anything. I mean there are some times where I help but it’s only a little, such as the time where I came up with the idea the map. I also wonder why Ralph chose me to go with them. But I also have the feeling that Jack is just using the times where Ralph is clueless to show off that he is better by coming up with an ideas. And when we got to the pig we knew we couldn’t kill it, the feeling of killing a live animal, we’ve never done it before. I don’t think I would ever try to.

I think being good to other kids might help because they wont be that mean to me and I agree with them and go with them to places .I think Piggy is only trying to help Ralph but Jack just keeps putting him down. There might be the possibility that we will be rescued but maybe people don’t know where this island is. But other hand I think that since we are all free we have to create rules so we don’t become too savage-like and be more civilized till we are rescued that is. And I think Ralph can do a good job on leading everyone on this isolated island. Other than that everything is going all well.