9th Grade Book Project
IF WORKING WITH A PARTNER
Divide book into 5 sections. Come up with 5 questions and answers for each section. Partners should rotate (every other section) between who is providing the questions and answers.
IF READING ALONE
Divide book into 5 sections. Create a blog discussing each section of the book.
Due Dates
4/1 – Setting/Plot
4/8 – Characterization/Conflict
4/21 – Symbolism/Irony
4/27 – Theme
5/1 – Reaction/Recommendation
**You will also be creating a presentation for class. We will be scheduling them to begin in class the first week in May.**
Link to the Blog: http://muldowney.edublogs.org
Entries (RSS)
April 1st, 2009 at 9:44 pm
In Something A Horatio Wilkes Mystery Rotten the setting is Denmark, Tennessee…where Horatio (main character/protagonist) is visiting his friend Hamilton Prince. Hamilton, who is a wealthy 17 year old who just suffered the death of his father, Mr. Rex Prince, and his mother marrying Hamilton’s Uncle, Claude. Hamilton’s father was poisoned, but no one seems to believe it. Hamilton and Horatio are determined to find out who murdered Hamilton’s father. While trying to find the killer, they discover there are many possible suspects. Like Olivia, Hamilton’s ex girlfriend, tree lover. Olivia is against the Prince’s Elsinore Paper Plant, which has been polluting the town and rivers for years. Then there’s Rex’s brother Claude, who now is married to Hamilton’s mom, inherited over half of the plant company and half of the will. Lastly theres Mrs. Prince’s ex boyfriend from years ago, who’s determined to take over the Elsinore Paper Plant Company. Who killed Hamilton’s dad???
April 6th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
The conflict that takes place in this novel is the desperate search to find the killer of Hamilton Prince’s dad, Mr. Rex Hamilton. In a surveillance tape, Hamilton watches, Rex tells Hamilton that he’s been poisoned over the course of the past few months, but the tape cuts off before he is able to name his murderer. Hamilton vows to avenge his father’s murder and makes Horatio help by playing detective. No body believes Rex is murdered except for his son Hamilton and Horatio. They’re determined to find the killer to Rex Prince, but are facing several obstacles trying to solve this murder, when theres several different suspects and possible motives. Trudy Prince’s (Hamilton’s mom) ex lover, Rex’s brother Claude, who is also now Trudy’s new husband, the environmentalist beauty Olivia, who’s also Hamilton’s ex girlfriend.
April 21st, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Situational Irony definitely takes place towards the end; Hamilton and his loyal friend Horatio overcome several obstacles, especially Hamilton’s “new” dad, but really his uncle, Claude. Horatio comes up with a very clever plan to discover the killer and succeeds but deal with the ability to provide evidence and catch him. All of Denmark gathered to the Denmark Community Theatre to see a play, while Horatio was handing out the programs. He gave all the suspects a program which said in big letters on the inside “I KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO REX PRINCE. MEET ME AFTER THE PIRATE ATTACK SCENE”. Which resulted in discovering the killer Claude……Horatio and Hamilton vie to seek revenge but decide to contain themselves. Eventually Claude puts all the pieces together mentally and realizes they know the truth. Throughout the story so on, Claude embraces all his power at the Elsinore Power Plant and over Hamilton’s mother Trudy. Claude eventually tries to kill Hamilton for finally having evidence, but fails thanks to Horatio. The Situational Irony is Claude does get caught for the murder of his very own brother Rex Prince. Another Situational Irony that occurs in the ending of the story is that environmentalist Olivia, and suprisingly Hamilton Prince as well, Successfully show how the Elsinore Power Plant is dangerously polluting the Copenhagen River with deadly chemicals. So the result is that “6 billion dollar” company, which was that it was closed up permanetely. A symbol in this novel, my opinon is the Elsinore Power Plant itself, and its disgusting stench. It was the whole focal point of the story. It was the reasoning for Rex Prince’s murder and the other possible murderer suspect’s motivations. I think another possible symbol is the surveillance tape of Rex Prince telling his son that if is son is watching this video, then he was murdered. The video drove Hamilton and Horatio to seek Rex’s killer, and if it wasn’t for the video, they wouldn’t have ever known he was murdered.
April 26th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
The theme in this story isn’t very clear. But in my opinion, I think the theme relates to motivation, loyalty, and being too egotistical can lead to your downfall. Motivation takes place in this novel’s theme simply because of the motivation Hamilton and his friend Horatio possessed determined to find Mr. Rex Prince’s killer. Rex’s death was stated and told to everyone that his death was caused by cancer (never specified what type of cancer); but Hamilton knew better, he knew his father was murdered. Especially after seeing the surveillance tape showing his dad telling him that he has been murdered if he’s watching the tape. No one believed Rex was murdered except Hamilton and Horatio, not even Hamilton’s mom Trudy. The continous put downs that Rex was murdered and that they were acting ridiculous, shows the true motivation and loyalty Hamilton and Horatio had for searching for the real killer and reasoning for his death. They we’re successful, and the key to thier success was thier loyalty, motivation and dedication to successfully finding Rex’s killer. Another reason loyalty is also a big factor is simply because of Horatio sticking by Hamilton’s side. Horatio acted as a true friend and chose to believe Horatio, despite all the negative comments. The killing of Rex Prince, had no personal effect on Horatio, but he chose to make it a part of his life. When he chose to help find his killer with Hamilton, Horatio put his life at risk, knowing the real killer is out there, but Horatio stayed true to his friend, making him a real, loyal, amazing friend. Being too egotistical and cocky, may lead to your downfall is exactly what happened. That happened to Rex’s killer, his own brother Claude. Claude acted cocky and ruthless torwards Hamilton, because he felt that he won. Claude felt that he won his brother’s billion dollar company, and even more importantly, his own brother’s wife, Trudy. He thought he never would get caught, for murdering his brother and acted superior to all that suspected him. But his tiny stupid mistakes and cocky attitude led to his downfall. He never knew that his egotistical attitude would lead to his downfall, and leave him behind bars. But it did.
April 27th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
When I finished reading the whole novel I thought “oh okay, that was an obvious typical ending. Nothing Special.” The killer was discovered, Claude. But the thing that I didn’t like was that it almost the easiest way to end the story, to wrap it full circle. Honestly, I was very dissapointed with the whole story. I was really excited to read the story at first, but after really reading it, I didn’t enjoy it much. It had a hard time keeping me interested and wanting to keep reading it. This is a book I wouldn’t really recommend to anyone. Another reason I had a hard time enjoying the novel is because it wasn’t a story me or anyone I know could relate to. Obviously I can’t relate to my father being murdered, like Hamilton. But I can’t relate to the whole story in general. All of the characters and the plot had to do with the Prince family’s wealth, and their 6 billion dollar company. This is just my opinion, but I like to read stories I can relate to and are realistic. Stories that keep me dying to read it some more and constantly catch my interest. Sadly, this story wasn’t one of them to me.