Jessica Dusseault

Period 8

Individual Reading Reflection 2017-2018

Reading Ladder

Least Difficult
1. “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur
2. “March: Book 1” by John Robert Lewis
3. “March: Book 2” by John Robert Lewis
4. “With Their Eyes: September 11th: The View from a High School at Ground Zero” by Annie
Thoms
5. “Orbiting Jupiter” by Gary D. Schmidt
6. “This Is How You Lose Her” by Junot Diaz
7. “A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal” by Jen Waite
8. “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris
9. “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom
10. “The Cellar” by Natasha Preston
11. “The River is Dark” by Joe Hart
12. “The Night Is Deep”by Joe Hart
13. “The Identity Man” by Andrew Klavan
14. “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini
15. “Cats Cradle” by Kurt Vonnegut
16. “One Thousand White Women : The Journals of May Dodd” by Jim Fergus
17. “Cold Mountain” by Charles Frazier
18. “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier
19. “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë
20. “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
Most Difficult
Thoughts
This year, I believe that I really found a good balance between challenging myself and taking it
easy and just enjoying the story line of a novel. My list is divided fairly evenly with difficult and
not so difficult texts. Throughout the school year, the books I chose (mostly based off of Ms.
Steins recommendations for me) pushed me towards a genre I thought would be the hardest for
me: Historical Fiction. With the help of Ms. Stein, I fell completely in love with Historical
Fiction that entwined romance in a not so stereotypical way. Romance novels are my guilty
pleasure but I had grown tired of the same old story lines that every romance book seemed to
have. Thus, choice reading became my favorite homework assignment. I explored some of the
most challenging (yet enjoyable) books I have yet to read such as: “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane
Austen and “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë. These books are absolute classics that capture
both the light and the dark of love that some authors are too afraid to explore. Then, came some
of my easier reads like the “Liam Dempsey Series” by Joe Hart (“The River Is Dark” and “The
Night Is Deep”). These two books explored yet another genre I didn’t think I would read, but
these two thriller/mystery books not only kept me on my toes and turning the pages, but also
gave me a well deserved break from the challenging texts I was continuing to pursue.

Reading Rate
- Pages Read: 6,782
- Books Read: 20

Thoughts
I am pretty proud of the types of books I read this year, meaning that I challenged myself
with books I never thought I would read. But, I am a little disappointed that I didn’t surpass that
goal of 20 books. I was really hoping to exceed. Though, Ms. Stein did ensure me not to stress
over the end goal because of how much I did challenge myself. The hardest part for me was
finding time to read. At the beginning of the year, I was consumed by field hockey and all the
other assignments, and it seemed that I was really neglecting reading 30 minutes every night. My
biggest habit (which can be seen as good or bad) is reading large amounts at once. Rather than
reading for the 30-40 minutes a day each week, I would read 3 hours one day a week. Thus, my
Goodreads updates may not have been as often as others, and reading 200 pages a week was
either well exceeded or not.

Reflection
From the beginning of the year, my reading habits have varied. I read large amounts some
weeks, and others not so much. I feel as though what I have going on throughout the week, and
whether I am really enjoying the book are large factors. Over half of the books I read this year I
really enjoyed, and would definitely read again. I also feel that my senioritis was most definitely
kicking in, and seeing that I completed the genre requirements in the first quarter of the school
year, I found it more difficult to keep reading at such a fast rate. I feel like my reading habits will
continue to fluctuate as life goes on, but I will never stop reading. Having at least one book that
you are chiseling away at, I feel, is better than not reading at all. I will also continue to challenge
myself with genres. This year, I never expected to only reach for historical fiction. I think I will
find myself always gravitating to that genre, but trying to push myself to try something new. I
had a really great experience, and maybe I will find another genre I love just as much.
Conferencing each quarter was something I really looked forward to! Meeting with Ms.
Stein was always such a joy because not only did she push me to think outside of the box when
reading for the text, but in our conversations it was like we were both reliving the texts together.
She is so passionate, and could really understand how my mind perceived things. She always
told me something along the lines of, “It’s okay fall under the authors spell, and get completely
lost in the story line.” Often times thats how I felt! Whenever it was time to conference I always
made sure to be one of the first people to sign up, and I always made sure we had lots of time.
Ms. Stein is by far one of my favorite English teachers, and I loved conferencing with her.
Two of my favorite books this year were “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë and
“Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier. Again, these were books I never thought I would read but
were some of my absolute favorites. They challenged me. Both authors also captures the dark,
captivating, jealousy within love. The text itself really challenged me, my the concepts and story
lines have made me want to reread them.
I think that I have grown as a reader in the aspect that not only do I love reading
challenging texts now, but Im not afraid to try out new genres. You can’t let one book or English
class ruin a genre for you, because every genre has amazing books within them. What caused this
change was Ms. Stein talking with such passion about these classic/historical fiction/romance
novels. “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier was on the reading list I had created for summer
homework, and Ms. Stein absolutely raved about it. From there on, I couldn’t get enough of
those types of books.
I feel like at the beginning of the year, I was a shy reader. I found myself afraid to try
some genres, or really just decided I that I didn’t like them and that I wasn’t going to read them. I
feel like now, I am a fearless reader. Almost every book Ms. Stein has recommended me I have
read without even thinking. Lets just try it! If I don’t like it, either power through and finish (to
see if it gets any better of course) or stop reading.
In terms of numbers, I followed my reading plan very well. In terms of what I thought I
was going to read, I completely exceeded. I didn’t take the easy route and read books that I knew
I could read. Pushed myself with texts that at some points, I truly struggled with. At the end of
the day Im not happy about the amount that I read, but I am really proud of pushing myself and
finding a new genre that I absolutely love.

Goodreads
2 Reviews

“One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd” by Jim Fergus
This book was outstanding! The journey that May Dodd goes through is impeccable, inspiring,
and always keeping the reader on their toes. The way the book ended was completely surprising,
with her death. It was truly heartbreaking. The journey she goes through with carrying her child,
whom in fact is not Chief Little Wolfs child, but Captain John Bourke. I also become more
educated with how horrible and shady Americans were to the natives. The abductions and rapes
that the white women went through because of rivalry tribes, and the death of little Sarah was
painful to read. The relationships that the women build between their native husbands and the
native women is beautiful. Language is no longer a barrier. They speak through more than words.
The way that Jim Fergus is able to write in a woman’s point of view, and capture all possible of
emotions of not only May, but all the other women going through this journey with her. He
shows seriousness, growth, hurt, pain, and even the joyous moments shared between the
characters. I truly felt the I was in the West with these women, as a bystander experiencing each
and ever moment with them. 10/10 recommend this book. This book, along with a few others,
have made me come to love historical fiction

“Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë

Reading Wuthering Heights was very much so a challenge for me, but I really enjoyed the story.
This truly is an epic, dark, mysterious love story. It's a love story, of other love stories, entwined
creating one! There are many love triangles: Catherine, Edgar, Heathcliff, but then Heathcliff,
Catherine, and Isabella. Then Cathy, Linton, Hareton, and even Lockwood. And there's almost a
love triangle between Hindley, Catherine, and Heathcliff! It's not the typical love, but more so
affection. And how Hindley just absolutely despises Heathcliff. I know that throughout the book
Heathcliff is totally wretched, evil, and a horrible person, but I find great sympathy with him. I
actually almost adore him in some ways. He loves Catherine in such a way that is indescribable,
and when you are reading you see it right away. The way he is treated by Hindley is disgusting,
but the dynamic of Catherine's everchanging emotions also put a toll on him. She becomes the
angel and the devil all in one! There is this motif of death all throughout the book. Catherine's
father dies, then Hindley's wife Frances dies, then Catherine, then Edgar, and I think Nelly dies
too? And then all Heathcliff wants, in the end, is to die so he can be with Catherine. Linton is
deathly sick as well! And Edgar's parents die in the beginning as well. So much happens in such
short time in this book, but I love how dramatic and epic Emily Bronte makes everything. I
would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading love stories that are
dramatic. I think I liked this so much because it's not your average sappy love story, it's dark and
dramatic.

Reading Progress

March 16, 2018 – Finished Reading

March 15, 2018 – page 113
24.35% "03/13: is outraged. She locks herself in her room and becomes very very ill. Shes
delusional. While she is delusional in her room, heathcliff and isabelle seem to have run off
together. Catherine is even naming the feathers in her pillow. She basically confesses how much
she loves heathcliff. Nelly, the maid, finally goes to get a doctor because catherine is so severely
ill."
March 15, 2018 – page 113
24.35% "(03/13) I am now on chapter 13, and a lot has happened. Catherine and Edgar have
married and moved in with his younger sister Isabelle. Heathcliff has returned as someone who
appears completely different. Isabelle become infatuated with Heathcliff, and so does Catherine.
Heathcliff has returned to seek revenge on Hindley. After some mellow drama, Edgar tells
catherine to choose between him and Heathcliff and she is"
March 15, 2018 – page 65
14.01% "(03/11) which when she returns she is more poised and elegant. This leads to a bond
between Catherine and Edgar Linton, that really bothers Heathcliff. Heathcliff wants to change to
make Catherine like him more than Edgar it seems. Oh! And Catherine has like two different
personalities. Rude at home but poised with Edgar. She also hits the maid when she suggests a
chaperone go with her and Edgar, and hits him too"
March 15, 2018 – page 65
14.01% "(03/11) This only allows that bond between Heathcliff and Catherine to become even
stronger, because they share a hatred for Hindley. One day while Catherine and Heathcliff were
out the discovered the Lintons estate, and how it was so much more colorful and lively than
Wuthering Heights. When they are discovered lurking, dogs were sent to catch them. They
caught Catherine, and hurt her, so she stayed there to heal”
March 15, 2018 – page 65
14.01% "(Sun. 03/11): I am now on chapter 9, and a lot has happened in such few chapters.
Hindley, Catherines brother returns with his wife frances for the funeral of their father, which he
has inherited the estate all that belongs to his father. I have discovered that Heathcliffs relation to
the family is much like an adoptive brother/family friend. Hindley treats him poorly now that he
is in charge of everything."
March 9, 2018 – page 42
9.05% "We are now in the past. The present quarrel between Heathcliff and Lockwood is over,
and now we are in the part where Catherine's father, Mr. Earnshaw has died. Both Heathcliff and
Lockwood are there.... I know that this is a love story between Heathcliff and Catherine, but why
are they acting almost like siblings in this beginning chapter? What is their relation? In this past
moment"
March 6, 2018 – page 34
7.33% "Mr. Lockwood is staying in Catherine's old room and reading through what seems to be
her diary. He suddenly starts screaming and wakes up Heathcliff. Who is angered when he
discovers that Lockwood is in Catherine's room. He is also mad because of the screaming.
Lockwood is clearly not wanted at the big house... I think that Heathcliff is his landlord, so he
maybe lives on at a smaller house on the property??"
March 2, 2018 – page 23
4.96% "The beginning of this book is very confusing. You meet Mr. Lockwood? I believe, and he
goes to heathcliffs house un announced and he meets a lot more characters. None of them seem
to want him there. He gets attacked by heathcliffs dogs? He ends up having to stay the night. He
was trying to convince them to let him stay because of the snow, but they were refusing. He ends
ups staying in Catherine's room."
February 27, 2018 – Started Reading
December 14, 2017 – Shelved as: historical-fiction
December 14, 2017 – Shelved as: to-read
December 14, 2017 – Shelved