My Book Report

1. Around the World in Eighty Days (Jules Verne)

1. Theme : An adventure of a wealthy Englishman who wants to win a bet by going around the world only in 80 days.

2. Main Characters :

a. Phileas Fogg ( a wealthy English gentleman)

b. Auoda (a young Parsi woman )

c. Passpertout ( Mr. fogg’s servant he is around 30 years old)

d. Mr. fix ( a detective who tries to arrest Mr. fogg)

3. Summary of the story (plot)

The story starts in London on October 2, 1872. Phileas Fogg is a wealthy English gentleman who lives unmarried in solitude at Number 7 Saville Row, Burlington Gardens. One day he came to Reform Club and talked about a bank robbery. People said that the robber certainly would go to the foreign country to escape from London police. And then Phileas Fogg said that he could go around the world only in eighty days but his friends did not believe he could do that so he bet if he could go round the world only in eighty days people in Reform Club had to give him twenty thousand pound. And they agreed with that. So he started this journey with this schedule : London to Suez rail and steamer 7 days, Suez to Bombay steamer 12 days, Bombay to Calcutta rail 4 days, Calcutta to Hong Kong steamer 13 days, Hong Kong to Yokohama steamer 6 days, Yokohama to San Francisco steamer 22 days, San Francisco to New York rail 7 days and New York to London steamer and rail 9 days Total 80 days. He found a lot of difficulties but he could faced it all and Finally he reached London on time and also because this journey he met his wife Auoda , a girl he had saved from death when he was in India. Then he won this bet and he lived happily with Auoda.

4. Setting ( Time and Place) and Atmosphere

It was written in 1870-1871 and took place in London, Bombay to Calcutta, Hong Kong to Yokohama , San Francisco to New York. Spirit and in hurry are the dominant emotion when we read this book.

5. Symbol/Allegory

2. Hatter’s Castle (A.J Cronin)

1. Theme : the life of wealth family that very broken inside.

2. Main Character :

The main characters are :

a) James Brodie (a hatter and cruel father),

b) Mrs. Brodie (James' fragile wife who is never treated as anything more than a servant by her husband),

c) Nessie Brodie (James' youngest daughter),

d) Mary Brodie (James' eldest daughter)

e) Matthew Brodie (James' only son and oldest child in the family).

f) Grandma Brodie (James' mother who is being looked after by the Brodie family),

g) Dr. Renwick (a character who becomes more involved in the Brodie family life till the end of the novel).

3. Summary :

James Brodie is a successful hatter in 19th Century Scotland. He is also wicked to his family or to his employees. He builds a great castle to show how wealth he is. He treats his children and family badly. All people in that castle are afraid with him. The problems begin when his daughter is pregnant before married. After that his business is destroyed by a competitor who formerly worked for him, and who purposely builds his business across the street from him. He is also ruined by the mistress's brother who works in his store and robs him. His wife dies when he rejects her for a mistress. His son becomes a bad liar and spends a lot of money when the family is less of money. After that his son runs away from the castle with Nancy (James' mistress) His daughter, a promising student, is caught cheating on a major exam - he was under great pressure to pass it by his father - and commits suicide rather than face his expulsion from school or his father. He is destroyed in everything by his selfishness and harsh characteristics. In the end, alone and broke in his castle, Brodie kills himself.

4. Setting ( Time and place) and Atmosphere :

The story is set in 1879, in the fictional town of Levenford, on the Firth of Tay/Tay estuary. The atmospheres are sad and tragic.

5. Allegory

3. Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson)

1. Theme : An adventure to seek treasure.

2. Main character :

·Jim Hawkins: the young man who finds the treasure map.

·Billy Bones: ex-mate of Captain Flint's ship and possessor of the map of Treasure Island.

·Squire John Trelawney: he is naïve and hires the crew almost entirely on Long John Silver's advice.

·Dr. Livesey: a doctor, magistrate, former soldier and friend of Trelawney who goes on the journey.

·Captain Alexander Smollett: the stubborn captain of the Hispaniola

·Long John Silver: formerly Flint's quartermaster, later leader of the Hispaniola's mutineers.

·Tom Morgan: an ex-pirate from Flint's old crew; ends up being marooned on the Island

3. Summary of the story (plot) :

The story starts in southern England in the middle of 18 century. The main character Jim Hawkins, is the young son of the owners of the Admiral Benbow Inn. One day an old seaman named Billy Bones comes to his inn. Jim realizes that Bones is in hiding because his behavior is weird. Some months later, a mysterious sailor named Black Dog visits Bones. Their meeting turns violent, Black Dogs flees and Bones suffers a stroke. After that another of Bone’s crewmates, Blind Pew, comes and ask Jim to lead him to Bones. Pew delivers a paper with a black spot and says that Bones has time until ten o’clock. Bones suffers a second stroke and drops dead on the spot. Jim and his mother open Bones' sea chest to collect the bill for Bones' room and board, but before they can count out the money due them, they hear pirates approaching the inn. Then Jim takes a mysterious oilskin packet from the chest and run away with his mother. The pirates, led by Blind Pew, find the sea chest and the money but they do not find that they look for, that is a map. Revenue agents approach and the pirates escape except the poor Blind Pew who is killed by the agents’ coach and horse.

Jim Hawkins gives the packet to Dr. Livesey. They open and find a treasure map. So they decide to sail to search that treasure. After that Trewlawney buys a ship named Hispaniola. He hires a captain Smollet to command her, and retains Long John Silver, a cooker. Several days later they have sailed in the ocean and once moment Jim hears Silver plans to kill Hispaniola’s officers and leaders after they get the treasure. Jim tells it to Dr. Livesey and they make a plan too. When they have been in Skeleton island. There is a big fighting between the mutineers and Jim Hawkins and friends. After that battle Jim and friends have to go from Hispaniola and they hide inside stockade. In the night Jim goes to the Hispaniola, cuts the ship’s anchor cable, and let this ship goes and out of reach the pirates. After that while they are still shocked because Hispaniola Silver’s crew search for the treasure when they have seen the cave they enter to take the treasure but the treasure is gone. In the same day Dr. Livesey and friends, attack the mutineers suddenly. Silver surrenders and promise to return to his duty. They go to Ben Gun’s cave home, where Gun hides the treasure. The treasure is divided amongst Trelawney and his loyal men, including Jim and Ben Gunn and they return to England, leaving the surviving pirates marooned on the island. Silver escapes with the help of the fearful Ben Gunn and a small part of the treasure.

4. Setting ( time and place ) and Atmosphere : The novel strats in southern England in the mid-18th century. And the fictional island named Treasure Island. Adventure, betrayal, and happiness are the atmosphere from beginning until ending story.

4. THE GARDEN

1. Theme : love and life of father and his daughter

2. Main character :

· I : a girl who suffers because his father is a bad drunk.

· Father: an unkind father.

· Harry: a man who loves the girl.

3. Summary plot :

In a city, a girl lives with her father. Her father is a drunk. He always spends his daughter money just for drunk. Someday her neighbor comes and suggests her to grow some flowers in her balcony to erase her sadness. She does it because she likes flowers very much. Week after week, the flowers grow and beautify the balcony. One day her father quarrels with her. He wants her get married immediately but she does not want to do that. Her father gets angry and destroys her little garden. She cannot stand again with her fathers she decides to run away and begins a new life without her father. She goes to the country and works as a gardener in a market garden. She lives happily there.

Someday she makes her own little garden in a mall piece of ground near the house. When her boss looks at her little garden, she is very pleased. Moreover, she sends her to sell flowers to the city. Then she goes to the city and sells it to the flower store. When she wants to go home she meets her father is begging in the corner of the street. She fells so sad and calls her father. Finally, her father changes and he realizes that he is wrong. Therefore, she decides to come back to her old house and lives with her father again. He stops drinking whisky and becomes kind to her.

One evening Harry (her boss son when she was in the country) comes and brings a large bunch of flowers from her little garden in country. After that day he comes every week and brings her flowers. One day Harry comes in and sees her balcony. He meets her father and they become friends. Not take a long time Harry becomes part of that family and in the end Harry marries her.

5. Setting time and place: The story happens in a city and a country. The author does not mention the time. Sadness, spirit and happiness are the atmosphere.

5. THE TRUTH MACHINE ( Norman Whitney)

1. Theme: invention of a great machine.

2. Main character :

· Professor Verity ( a scientist who finds The Truth Machine )

· Mrs. seeker ( a housewife who wants to know her husband love somebody else or not).

· Inspector Sack ( an inspector who wants to fight crime by Truth Machine)

· Dr. simple ( a spy who wants to use the Truth Machine to investigate his enemy)

3. Summary of plot:

Professor Verity invents a great machine named The Truth Machine. He phones a newspaper office after he finishes the machine. He tells everyone that Truth Machine will uncover every lies. After that millions people know about his machine. He becomes so famous and there are many people want to use this machine to solve their problem. Finally, he chooses three people to use his machine. They are Mrs. Seeker, Inspector Sack and Dr. Simple.

The first client is Mrs. Seeker she wants to know whether her husband has another woman or not. She comes with her husband and she begins to look for the truth. After she uses this machine, her husband says that he has another woman. The woman is Mrs. Seeker’s best friend. They go home and Mrs. Seeker is unhappy. The second clients is Inspector Sack, he comes with several criminals and he judges them whether they tell the truth or the lies. The Truth Machine helps Inspector Sack very much. His Chief Inspector is pleased to look at his work. Finally, no more criminals so no more work for Inspector Sack. He is fired. He goes home and very unhappy. The third client is Dr. Simple. He wants to use this machine to interview his enemy. He asks his enemy’s secret and his enemy answer that his secret is he never tells the truth. He always tells lies. He does not get anything and he is unhappy.

Several days later Mrs. Seeker, Inspector Sack and Dr. Simple meet in a restaurant. They want their money back. They think Professor Verity deceives them. Soon they were at the laboratory. They complain but Professor Verity denies that all. Therefore, they decide to question Professor Verity by his machine. They want to know Professor Verity makes this machine for goodness or just for money. They ask him about his propose making that machine. and he answers he wants success, money, and power. Then, they become so angry. Inspector Sack kills Professor Verity with his gun and Dr. Simple destroys the Truth Machine.

4. Setting: the story opens in a city and a laboratory. The author does not mention the time. The atmosphere are tension and tragic.

6. THE TIME MACHINE (H. G. Wells)

1. Theme: an adventure in the future.

2. Main Character:

· The Time Traveller : The Time Traveller's name is never given. The Time Traveller is an inventor.

· The Narrator : The narrator, Mr. Hillyer, is the Time Traveller's dinner guest. His curiosity is enough to make him return to investigate the morning after the first time travel.

· Weena : Weena is one of the Eloi

3. Summary:

A group of men, including the narrator, is listening to the Time Traveller discuss his theory that time is the fourth dimension. The Time Traveller produces a miniature time machine and makes it disappear into thin air. The next week, the guests return, to find their host stumble in, looking disheveled and tired. They sit down after dinner, and the Time Traveller begins his story.

The Time Traveller had finally finished work on his time machine, and it rocketed him into the future. When the machine stops, in the year 802,701 AD, he finds himself in a paradisiacal world of small humanoid creatures called Eloi. They are frail and peaceful, and give him fruit to eat. He explores the area, but when he returns he finds that his time machine is gone. He decides that it has been put inside the pedestal of a nearby statue. He tries to pry it open but cannot. In the night, he begins to catch glimpses of strange white ape-like creatures the Eloi call Morlocks. He decides that the Morlocks live below ground, down the wells that dot the landscape. Meanwhile, he saves one of the Eloi from drowning, and she befriends him. Her name is Weena. The Time Traveller finally works up enough courage to go down into the world of Morlocks to try to retrieve his time machine. He finds that matches are a good defense against the Morlocks, but ultimately they chase him out of their realm. Frightened by the Morlocks, he takes Weena to try to find a place where they will be safe from the Morlocks' nocturnal hunting. He goes to what he calls the Palace of Green Porcelain, which turns out to be a museum. There, he finds more matches, some camphor, and a lever he can use as a weapon. That night, retreating from the Morlocks through a giant wood, he accidentally starts a fire. Many Morlocks die in the fire and the battle that ensues, and Weena is killed. The exhausted Time Traveller returns to the pedestal to find that it has already been pried open. He strides in confidently, and just when the Morlocks think that they have trapped him, he springs onto the machine and whizzes into the future.

The Time Traveller makes several more stops. In a distant time he stops on a beach where he is attacked by giant crabs. The bloated red sun sits motionless in the sky. He then travels thirty million years into the future. The air is very thin, and the only sign of life is a black blob with tentacles. He sees a planet eclipse the sun. He then returns, exhausted, to the present time. The next day, he leaves again, but never returns.

4. Setting: the story takes place in somewhere in year 802,701 AD. The atmosphere is tension and panic.