Chapter 1, pages 3-33

Summary: The protagonist Claireece Precious Jones was born on November 4, 1970. She is illiterate and not very smart. Growing up Precious was constantly abused by both of her parents. Her mother physical and verbally abused her. Punches, kicks, stabs, and swears were all thrown at Precious. Her father physically abused her. He raped her constantly, her mother did nothing about it. He impregnated her twice in 1983, and 1987. Her first baby was a girl named Little Mongo. She was named after the illness she was born with, Mongol Down Syndrome. While she is pregnant with her second class she attends Higher Eduacation Alternative/ Each One Teach One. She got kicked out of high school because a disagreement between her and a teacher named Mrs. Lichenstein and more.

Quote: "Go get a plate and stop acting stupid 'fore I hurt your shoulder"(Sapphire, 20).

Reflection: This quote shows that Precious is forced to do things that she doesn't want to. This also shows the little control she has in her life.

Precious, based on Push by Sapphire

There are multiple camera angles in the movie; and many different shots are used. In my opinion best scene in the movie is when Precious and her mother fight. This is the shift in the movie that shows when Precious actually stands up for herself and her newborn son. The scene includes a low angle hot and a bird's eye shot. This transformation is created by a tilt. This amazes me, both Precious and her mother are shown. You can see their true emotions and feelings of current hatred. In other scenes while Precious is walking there is a dolly shot and a tracking shot. Throughout the movie there are mini anecdotes shown by clips of Precious' dreams and her horrible past with her father.

Review of Precious NY Times Movie Review

The review in the New York times gives a run down of the movie. It reveals the true meaning of the literary work. It starts off by explaining the plot and it has little to no criticisms. The author of the review, A. O. Scott is complimenting the movie and how its produced. The movie consists of many famous actors and vocalists. Hes goes on talking about how there are no men in the movie, well little to none. There are only flashbacks of Precious' father, her dream guy and her doctor at the end. It isn't sure to what relation Precious has to her doctor at the end of the movie and if she had an attraction to him or not. At the end of the review the critic states "Precious” is, in any case, less the examination of a social problem than the illumination of an individual’s painful and partial self-realization. Inarticulate and emotionally shut down, her massive body at once a prison and a hiding place, Precious is also perceptive and shrewd, possessed of talents visible only to those who bother to look. At its plainest and most persuasive, her story is that of a writer discovering a voice."

http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/movies/06precious.html?pagewanted=print

Life of Pi Chapters 81-100

Summary: Pi begins by talking about his dining experience. He says that he has started to eat more like Richard Parker a animal. Richard Parker was always hungry so if Pi wanted to eat he would have to eat quickly before the tiger seen it. Suddenly one afternoon a storm came. Richard Parker growled and made noise, he didn't have any idea about what all the commotion was about. Eventually he laid quiet frightened. Pi and the tiger laid under the tarpaulin. Richard Parker was terribly scared of the lightening. Pi thought he saw a ship, but in fact it was a piece of metal that was about to hit the boat. Pi had to stop writing his journal entries because his pens ran out of ink. When food supplies became scare Pi was sure that both of them were going to die. When Pi had reached land he jumped out of the boat onto the ground. He was astonished and happy. Pi felt weak in his legs, almost like he forgot how to use them. Richard Parker didn't get off the boat until a couple of hours, but when he got off he ran away and came back a couple of times. At first he was playing with the air, it was new to him. Richard Parker jumped into the water and swam then got back onto the lifeboat. After a few days Pi and the tiger hopped on the boat and went out in search fir more land. they ended up landing on Mexico he and Richard Parker got off and said their goodbyes. Pi became emotional because he has taken care of Richard Parker who has also saved and accompanied him on his long journey. Some people seen Pi, bathed him, fed and clothed him. He was rescued. The next day a police car came and took him to the hospital, where he was taken care of. Pi was interviewed by a detective who found his story to be shocking and amazing.

Quote: "Very few castaways can claim to have survived so long at sea as Mr.Patel, and none in the company of an adult Bengal tiger"(Martel, 319).

Reflection: Pi still fails to bring up his family or show any emotion towards them. He does show emotion towards Richard Parker. Being alone with someone for that long may have developed some sort of emotional feelings.

Life of Pi Chapters 61-80

Summary: Pi has began to regain his strength and energy by eating fish, turtles, and drinking water.He uses gaffes to catch fish and feeds them to himself, and throws some to Richard Parker. Pi is lost at sea for 227 days, more than seven moths. Pi was always keeping himself busy. He occupied his time by fishing, cleaning praying, and writing. He mas a schedule that he foll lowed daily. Pis clothing disintegrated they were worn out and dirty. Pi claimed that Turtles were an easy catch, but hard to load onto the boat. Their blood was clean and rich tasting. 130 pound turtles were hard to lift and butcher. Pi almost never slept, it was hard for him. On the other hand Richard Parker slept throughout the day and only got up to eat. One day when Pi caught a shark Richard Parker battled with it, and ended up eating it after he killed it.

Reflection: Pi only mentions his family briefly. He does not express his feelings or emotions towards the whole situation. He just tries to make the best of it and tries to survive.

Quote: "I descended to a level of savagery I never imagined possible"(Martel, 197).

Life of Pi Chapters 41-60

Summary: During the first nights of the ship sinking it rained constantly. Pi was constantly cold, and everything was uncomfortable. Richard Parker did not kill the zebra. During the whole time Pi was very scared being next to a 450 pound tiger. The hyena was out of sight. Suddenly it jumped up, and kept on jumping from place to place when there was no space and everything is tight. Pi describes the hyena as ugly, not only because of its physical features, because of its behavior. He thinks they're disgusting and mysterious. Later that night the hyena had pulled off the zebra's broken leg and ate it. The hyena devoured the injured zebra. After that the Hyena got into a fight with Orange Juice, and OJ ended up becoming be headed. The boat is three and a half feet deep, eight feet wide, and twenty six feet long. Pi found a large locker that contained many supplies and necessities. Richard Parker got up from under the tarpaulin and killed the hyena. He feasted on his body, and ate a rat that Pi gave to him. The tiger has been sea sick, which has caused his awkward and calm behavior. Pi designed six plans to try to kill Richard Parker but they all backfired.

Quote: "It made my heart melt with love and admiration and fear"(Martel, 129).

Reflection: Since Pi has a huge passion for animals and religion it is shown during his desertion on in the Pacific Ocean. He recalls his old memories of the zoo, and his past religious life in India.

Life of Pi Chapters 21-40

Summary: As a result of Pi's strong interest in religion, the priest, pandit, and imam all visited Pi's parents at the same time. The priest claimed that Pi was a good christian boy, the pandit claimed that Pi was Hindu, and the imam claimed that Pi was Muslim. After everything went back to normal, and his father bought him ice cream sandwiches. Pi was attending a christian school so he wanted to be baptized. His parents allowed him to have a baptism and he received a prayer rug. In February 1976 the Tamil Nadu government was taken down by Delhi, so they were going to move to Canada. They sold the zoo, lock, stock and barrel. Many of the animals were kept, or sold elsewhere. Pi and his family boarded the Tsimtsum, a japanese ship on June 21st, 1977. When the ship sank Pi seen Richard Parker, he threw the lifebuoy and saved him. He is now on the raft with a tiger, zebra, hyena, and a orangutan.

Quote: "All religions are true. I just want to love God" (69, Martel).

Reflection: Because of Pi's strong interest in Religion he becomes a member of 3. His parents are puzzled but they allow him to follow his beliefs. Pi believes that if you are religious it should be physically and spiritually.