choice book report 1

My first book report is about a book called Black Duck. The main character in Black Duck is Ruben and Jeddy. Ruben is a fourteen year old boy in 1929 and rum running is a big, illegal, and profitable business. Over fifty percent of the town is in on it of the town is in on it. Ruben is a skinny and hardworking teen who knows the town inside and out, he knows every building and every business, even the dirty ones. He's seen liquor pickups, mobster work, Boston gangs and even the New York mafia, guns and all. Ruben is very soft spoken because his law abiding father is a big marsh mellow with the look of the toughest guy in town. Like father like son, his father just happens to be his idol. In my characterization I will also cover Ruben Hart's most trustworthy friend Jeddy. Jeddy is also exceptionally quiet with a knack for adventure. He is son of police chief meaning that since his mother died his dad has taken over, but when his father is not there Jeddy stays on the right side of the law but has skidded close to the line. With a strong understanding of right and wrong he's very firm in where he stands but a friendship can be completely torn apart. Ruben and Jeddy are the best of friends; but a friendship is delicate if not more delicate as anything else can change with one single accusation. Ruben accuses Chief McKenzie (Jeddy's dad) of being associated with the rum runners. Jeddy stood by his father through thick and thin. Never in his life has Jeddy has never done anything outside the law. That's not to say Ruben is in on it, he just sees things and knows a guy who knows a guy.  The characterization of Ruben can be covered by many characteristics and descriptive sentences. Ruben was young and full of freedom his town was truly his own little world and he knew it, but around this town it was quiet and lazy. It said in the book that Ruben and Jeddy would wander the beaches searching for crab pots in the infitely long days of summer. Ruben would ride his bike around town just to catch a breeze or smell fresh cut grass and see a kid barely hanging on to the leash, getting pulled along by a dog. That would be a very nice day by my (and I think anybody’s) standards.

                 For my optional category I will pick number three which is to consider the point of view. I believe the author chose this particular point of view to describe life changes over many, many years. It shows in great detail and description Ruben as a young boy and a very elderly but intellectually stable man, and then it shows Jeddy as a young chap and a man that just passed away. I believe it is important it was told from this point of view because it shows how people can remember things that changed their lives forever even if it was in the very distant past, and only lasted for a very short time. I think it would be different because it would not tell the future lives and the emotional capacity and complexity of Ruben and Jeddy throughout their lives and this book. This part I'm going to talk about next is quite biased because they said they gave no warning shots before they gunned down the black duck crew. Because the only survivor is Ruben so we don't know for sure. Another thing about this particular view point is that it is not from a neutral point of view it shows the severity and emotional and physical stress of the situation and the trauma that they went through in that brief period of time. To be quite honest, if you were in that situation you would probably be frightened much more than they were. With rumrunning searching dead bodies that's some nasty stuff. I know if I were in that position I would just about lose my sanity and scared out of my mind. The whole concept of the town being in on it and just getting caught up in all of this illegal business would just make you feel hopeless and like you cannot do anything about the inevitable. although in the whole thing is an interesting concept it is so realisticly plausible and frightening when you are there first hand. And an analogy to show you is a football coach calling a play through the air on 4th down if a touchdown wins it but a field goal ties it. It is a lot easier to say well duh after the pass falls incomplete but if it's complete it's like I knew that so it really does a good job with the whole book in that regard. All in all Black Duck was an exceptional book I’d highly recommend it.