Independent+Novel+Study

Journal Entry #1 Hannah Redhead A Wizard of Earthsea Ursula K. Le Guin Page 1-32 Chapters1-2

My novel is "A Wizard of Earthsea." I chose this novel because my mother recommended it to me a few years a ago and I turned it down. When I saw it as one of the choices I decided to read it. I love fantasy so it was a first choice for me. At the beginning of the story, the author starts out by telling the reader a little bit about the world of Earthsea, particularly the island of Gont, and its greatest wizards. This wizard is called Sparrowhawk and is the main character of the story. The author says that the story is about how Sparrowhawk became to be so great. It goes on tell how Sparrowhawk lived on the farm on the island of Gont with nothing special about him. His aunt then later finds out he has the powers of a wizard and teachs him. He saves his village from raiders using it, which gets him much fame and the oppurtunity to learn under a master. He grows into manhood receiving his true name, Ged. Soon, Ged's will for learning these powers faster makes him decide to go to the island of Roke where great wizards learned. The second chapter talks about his journey there. The setting of the first chapter is the Ten Alders on Gont in his home village. The second chapter goes from Re Albi on Gont to the Inmost Sea. These settings are important because they show tell the reader about how Ged, a simple blacksmith's son, is given a chance at something greater. Re Albi is the home of Ogion, Ged's first master, and then Ged travels through the Inmost Sea to his new school on the island of Roke. All of this builds up the story and gives us character development.

10/10

Journey Entry #2 Hannah Redhead A Wizard of Earthsea Ursula K. Le Guin Page 33-74 Chapters 3-4

__What is the initial or first problem faced by the main character? __ The first problem Ged faces in this section is a cocky, jealous prentice at the school who is constantly getting on his nerves. HIs name is Jasper and is the one to show Ged around the school. This relationship starts with Ged having bad manners and Jasper mocking him. Jasper asks Ged to show him "the greatness of Gontishmen" and seeing as Ged knows little, he ends up making a fool of himself. Ged is then treated like a little child by Jasper and he decides Japser is his rival at Roke. This leads to him striving harder im school.

__How does the author get you to read on or hold your interest? __ The author uses metaphors and lots of foreshadowing. Just when things start to slow down in the book, something really different happens. She also captures your feelings for Ged which makes you feel what he feels through a lot of imagery. This makes you want to know what will happen to Ged even though at the beginning she states that he becomes a great wizard. This makes want to know more. Le Guin describes things in way that makes you connect your experiences to the book. All of this put together really captures one's attention.

__What new things are added to the original problem as the novel progresses? __ As Ged becomes top of the prentices and his friend, Vetch, as well as Jasper, become sorcerers, Ged's pride inflates. Jasper's mockery increases to a point where Ged is determined to become a greater wizard than Jasper. On a festival, Jasper mocks his ability to do magic and says he is more mature thatn silly games. This leaves Ged angry and hateful. He then challenges Jasper, with much plaeding to stop from Vetch. Jasper accepts and tells him to raise a spirit from the dead. He does to much disbelief but the spirit attacks him. Even though the Archmage saved him, he is wounded and spends almost a year under the care of the healer. This shadow is now looking for him and his power is weakened from its attack.

PLOT OUTLINE FOR THIS SECTION? 8/10

Journal Entry #3 Hannah Redhead A Wizard of Earthsea Ursula K. Le Guin Page 75-108 Chapters 5-6

__Plot:__ Ged is sent out for his first task as a wizard and it is a place where the Archmage believes he is safe from the shadow. The task he has is to watch out for the new hatchlings of the dragon of Pendor as they grow hungry. He is given a small home in Low Torning of the Ninety Isles. While watching for the dragons, Ged helps around the village and learns from the fishermaen who live there. As he does so, he becomes friends with Pechvarry, a fisherman from over the strait. Soon, Pechvarry's son becomes ill and the village witch is unable to help so he asks Ged for help. Ged realizes the boy cannot be cured but Pechvarry insists on his son being cured. Ged follows the boy into the spirit world and goes too far. As he turns back, there is the shadow. After managing to get past the shadow, Ged lives in fear of it. Tired of waiting for the dragons to come to the village, he goes to their keep to finish his task. His one power that grants him victory over the dragons is its name. Quickly, he flees to the north and comes across a stranger who tells him to go to the Court of Terrenon. He finds passage and someone on the boat mocks him. Later, that same person offers to help him to find his destination. The man, Skiorh turns out to be a gebbeth; the shadow's puppet. The shadow chases him until he someone helps him.

__What plot twists or unexpected events happen as the novel goes on? __ These chapters are major turning points in the book. Ged is sent to his first task as a wizard, and a seemingly lowly one at that. As he performs his duties in the small village of Low Torning, he encounters the shadow. As he tries to save a villager and friend's son, he wanders too far into the realm of the dead. After the encounter, he is anxious and frightful, feeling the shadow's presence. In his attempt to escape it, he tells the villagers that he is going to rid them of the dragon of Pendor; the whole reason he came there. He manages to learn its name and flees to Roke, a safehaven. Unfortunately, he is unable to enter Roke and flees to the north. This leads to another encounter with the shadow. The shadow chases him and very nearly destroys him. Luckily, someone pulls him away from the shadow into a door.

__Decsribe any new characters that are introduced. What is their purpose? __ Along his way, Ged meets three people whose roles change the plot. The first is Pechvarry who is a fisherman on Low Torning and becomes friends with Ged. When his son becomes ill, he asks Ged to heal him. Ged decides to let his son pass on for his sickness isn't curable. After Pechvarry insists on him trying to save his son, Ged succumes to the pressure. Ged goes too far into the spirit world and this leads to him meeting his shadow. The second man is a strange man who directs him to the Court of Terrenon. He meets this man while fleeing the shadow. If not for this man, he would not head there. The third is Skiorh, a man who works as a rower on a boat. He makes fun of Ged but then offers to guide him to the Court of Terrenon. He turns out to be a gebbeth, a shell of a man possesed by a shadow. He misleads Ged then turns into the shadow and attacks him.

__Is there a message or main theme emerging in the book? How is it shown? __ The theme present to me is the changes Ged goes through as he grows from a young child to a man. He becomes stronger, less self-centered, and more aware. Not only does he progress as a person, he wizardry becomes stronger and more powerful. His intelligence waxes and he is able to guess the name of one of the greatest dragons ever. He learns from his surroundings and becomes more humble and begins to know right from wrong. As a young boy, he was arrogant and self-centered, not knowing when to control his temper. This is the reason the shadow was summuned. His ego and anger got to him. After that, he is humble and thinks of others, doing noble deeds instead of being a coward. I believe that by the end of the book he will understand himself more as well as others.

Journal Entry #5 Hannah Redhead A Wizard of Earthsea Ursula K. Le Guin Page 150-182 Chapter 9-10

__Plot:__ Ged acquires a new boat in the island called the West Hand. He then heads to Iffish, and runs into Vetch, an old friend. He meets Vetch’s siblings and tells him of the things that has happened since they last met. Vetch decides to come along with him. They head southeast as that is where Ged senses the shadow. Their journey continues past the last known lands of Earthsea into the open sea. As they come closer to the shadow and the supposed end of the world, Ged falls into a sort of trance, rarely talking. After many days, they run aground even though the water is extremely deep. Ged sees the place differently than Vetch, who sees only the ocean. Ged sees sand and the shadow. He climbs out of the boat towards the shadow, and it appears he is walking on water. The shadow and Ged grab each other after saying the other’s name, which is the same. Ged becomes one with the shadow for the shadow is him. He is whole. Vetch guides them back to his home on Iffish where they are welcomed by his siblings.

__Why did or didn’t the novel meet your expectations?__ This novel was really different than my expectations, but not in a bad way. I thought the novel was centered around a character that did many bad things by using magic for his own gain. When I read the back of the novel, I thought it was about the way this character became good and tried to undo what he did. To my surprise, I found that the character was not a bad person nor was he set on using magic for evil. Ged only let pride get to him and made a mistake in doing so. His mistake somewhat affected others, but him wholly. The novel was fantastic and I plan on reading the rest of the series. It kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to read more. The plot was creative and was something new to me. I quite enjoyed the novel.

__What were the major things that helped to resolve the plot?__ In hunting the shadow, Ged decided he was not to undo what he did, but to finish it. He took the advice of his master, Ogion, and hunted down the shadow. He learned to be silent and listen to his surroundings, as a true wizard does. Without the aid of Vetch, Ged would not have been able to get to the shadow and back. When Ged named the shadow, it became a part of him and allowed him to become whole again. If he had not named the shadow, he would have been lost. All of this aided Ged in ending the shadow and gaining his freedom.

__What is the climax of the novel?__ The climax of the novel is when //Lookfar,// their boat, runs aground in the open sea and Ged gets out. This is the point where Ged is about to end the shadow, the center of the conflict. After he becomes one with the shadow, there is no more conflict. He heads to Vetch’s home of Iffish with him, feeling free and no longer burdened. Once they return home, the novel ends.