Assignment 1 Seven basic plots
We think our book has multiple plots. The book has a voyage and return plot because James Monmouth makes a lot of trips an tries to research things about Conrad Vane. If he collects enough information, he comes back with experience. The story has also a tragedy plot because James Monmouth gets a lot of warnings from his friends to stop with the research about Vane. He doesn’t listen and that is his big mistake.

Indy

Assignment 2 Characterization
The main character of this book is James Monmouth. He’s an English man and he becomes on his 5th an orphan. James is a curious man and he wants to travel the whole world to find more information about Conard Vane. He is very lonely because he always travels, so he hasn’t any time for a wife and kids. James is a quiet man who goes his own way, so he is a static man because he doesn’t change. You can read in the quote on page 40: “I was not as mr. Beamish had correctly remarked, a hot-headed young man, I was calm thoughtful, sober and middle-aged and I wanted a settled and reasonably quiet life.” James is a flat character because he hasn’t a lot of emotions because he is very quiet. He is also a reliable man, you can read that in the quote on page 46:“Then why mention of it all? Why warn me?’ He stood up. ‘Because you are honest, Mr Monmouth. Honest … and innocent.” James is the protagonist in the story because he is the most important character.
Ms Quinebridge is a caring woman who helps James if he wants to clear his mind. She is a dynamic character because she changes in the course of the story. Ms Quinebridge is a round character because she has a lot of emotions. She takes care of him and helps him to let his ghost thoughts disappear. She is very hospitable because she asked James for Christmas dinner. She is the antagonist in the story. 

Mr Beamish is the owner of a shop and James sometimes comes into the store. James always has to wait in the dark room and Mr Beamish is never friendly to him. He is very mistery and is always on himself. He has a flat character, he hasn’t a lot of emotions. It is also a static character because he doesn’t change in the story. You can read that in the quote on page 34/35: ‘’small eyes were upon me. They were cold and his expression complacent, and I saw that he got pleasure from trying to discomfort me.”He doesn’t talk a lot in the book. He is the antagonist in the story.

Indy

Assignment 3 Setting
The time of this book isn’t mentioned, because of the clothing, the old buildings and the steam trains I think it was in the 40s. You can read that in the quote on page 24: “At that moment a railway train came roaring across the bridge in a great clatter and bench of smoke and livid flame, sparks showering ypwards fom its funnel, the men, silhouetted within the cabin, backs bent, black as pitch. It was a mgnificent, exhilarating sight, and I spun round togaze at it with all the astonishment and wonder of a child. The engine seemed like some fabulous monster devouring the darkness in its path. And then it was gone, and the smell of soot and steam drifted down to me upon the cold air.”The story takes place in different countries. In the begin James lives in England but when he became an orphan, he moved to Africa for a while. It’s written in chronological order.

Indy

Assignment 4 Point of view

This book is written in the "I" perspective. In other words, in "first person". The teller of the story, in this case James Monmouth, the maker character,  uses terms as ‘I’ or ‘we’. 

In the following quote can you notice that the book is written in the "I" perspective: “Due, I supposed, to some trick of the atmosphere, the mirrot was quite misted over. But, as I came up close toit, I saw quite clearly through the blur, my own eyes, staring, glittering, wild with a dread and alarm, terror even, that I was quite unaware of feeling.”

This quote is from page 68.

An other quote which shows that the book is written in the "I" perspective is this one. It's on page 167: 

"I" proffered my hand. My own grip was firm. His was not, his hand was trembling and uncertain in minde. I looked at him and saw kindness in his old eyes, kindness and deep concern for me. And fear."

Linda

Assignment 5 Theme

The major theme of this book is horror and family because the book is about the mystery of the maincharacter's family. The book 'the boy in the striped pyjamas' also has a family theme. That's clarified by the fact that Bruno is very close to his family and really looks up to his father. In 'the boy with the striped pyjamas' is also emphasized that Shmuel's family has passed away. The minor theme is spooky. In this quote from page 168 you recognize a little scary and spooky atmosphere. "On it was an elaborately carved mirror, with faded and cracked gilding, and dark streaked glass, the exact counterpart of the mirror that had been hanging in the bedroom at Alton, and as I stared into it, my own face, pale and with terrified, haunted eyes, looked back at me dimly, through a grey, swirling mist." This quote also shows the horror theme 

The story is all fiction, it can't really happen in real life.

Linda

Assignment 6 Author

 The writer of this book is Susan Hill. She is 75 years old and born in Scarborough, England. She is married with a man called Stanley Wells and she has 3 daughters but one of them died at the age of 5 weeks. Susan Hill writes books in the genre fiction but also non-fiction. Susan Hill is also known by the books 'The woman in black' (1983), 'The various haunts of men' (2004) and 'The pure in heart' (2005). Susan also won a few big awards with her books and movies. For example; Somerset Maugham Award (1971), Whitbread Novel Award (1972), John Llewellyn Rhys Priza (1972) and Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in 1988. 

Linda

Assignment 7 Opinion

Indy Hazelaar

Blog 1- day 1

This is the day I am starting with the book the mist in the mirror. I think it’s a exciting book because the title of the book looks like a horror story. But the beginning isn’t exciting, I hope it comes.

 

Blog 2- day 6

The book isn’t exciting, it’s a boring story with a long-winded story. It’s predictable, so it is boring and I didn’t make much sense to continue reading.

 

Blog 3 – day 10

The story is very difficult to understand. The time and the order are unclear, and everything is mixed up.

 

Blog 4 – day 14

I finished the book, the end of the book was better to understand. I think it isn’t an exciting book and the story is unclear.

 

Linda Cossee

Blog 1 - day 1

This is the first day I am reading in the mist in the mirror. So far I don’t think it’s horribele but I’m also not loving it. Nothing really happend so far and I think it’s quite boring. The writer describes situations like they are very scary but nothing really happens.

 

blog 2 - day 6

I think the story gets more interesting. James goes on adventure and experiences more dangerous situations. I do think that the book is written quite difficult and vague. I can not always understand what is happening.