Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
So can any of us escape who we really are? What is Vivian thinking when she tries to hook up with 'meatboy' Aiden? Is love that blind? Or is Vivian just struggling with her flaws? Or rebelling against Esme, a mother not acting her age? How are time, fate, deception, civil disobedience driving the plot? Let me in on your thoughts!
posted by CapEnglish3-4 @ 9:45 PM
40 Comments:
I think Viv is trying to get away from the pack that is falling apart. She feels disheartened that the pack has divded, she is sick of their argueing.
Aiden offers a completely different outlook: He is kind and gentle, very unlike the rest the five.
I think Vivian just wants to be like everyone else at her school because she wants to fit in and wants to have friends. Aiden and Vivian I think are really good together even though she hides a huge secret from him. They understand each other and have a lot of things in common for example, involved or interested in wolves.
Esme has felt sorry for herself and grieved over the loss of Ivan, Viv's father for a year. Finally, she is tired of it! She starts going out with Gabriel, a guy half her age. Viv does not see the point and is angry at her mother for behaving so childishly. These characters actions display further how the pack is disinegrating. I think that they are making decisions on their own- there is no leader anymore. I relate to this part of the story because I can clearly see both sides.
Aiden is in to the unknown and fantasy. I wonder what he would think when he wound up with the real thing? Aiden is sweet and thoughtful which is why viv ultimately falls for him. Like most of us Aiden doesn't likely expect to see a wherewolf or a vampire or any other mythical creature so i think despite his understanding nature Aiden will be shocked and fearful.
I thought today's lit circle discussion was productive! I was immpressed that so many people had read ahead. Their more-informed perspective brought new light to the online discussion. We discussed Aiden's motive for attacking Viv and we also discussed how Vivian views people as incomplete if they are not warewolves. This is an amusing concept for me because it shows how perspectives from other races change the perceptions of who we are.
Do you think once Aiden realizes the truth about his lover that he will get over his state of shock to be with the one he loves or will he simply try to forget her and continue his life as if nothing had occurred between the two of them?
Astrid only knows power and rank. She is determined to be on the top and she will do anything to get there. I believe Astrid is the complete foil chacter to Vivian she doesn't care if her actions endanger the pack while viv is willing to commit suicide if it keeps the pack safe from any harm. Astrid holds selfinterist at heart, greedily trying to grasp what she can't have. Viv worrys less about herself and more about unity; the only eception is Aiden.
Do we actually learn from our mistakes or does the fact that we came out alive make the dangerous mistake even more tempting? You think the five would have learned their lesson but instead they stir up more trouble. Is it possible they actually realize what would happen if they get discovered or did the thought fly right over their heads? Furthermore viv feels responsible for them what should she have done in the first place?
Many of the themes in this book remind me of the book "Coffin Quilt,". Both books have all the themes we've been studying in the class, including civil disoreder and deception. Since the genres of the books differ, they present the stories in very differnt manners: Our group book is fantasy and "Coffin Quilt" is historical novel based on real facts. I find it interesting to find parrellells between different types of literature.
well to answer Bonnies question if people learn from their mistakes or do the fact of surviving makes them want to do it again, it all depends on the person; those who are pig headed or just plain stupid would want to attempt it again, thinking they'll be just as lucky as the first time, but those who have more common sense will learn and be thankful for surviving
Rush, rush, rush! Every body wants to banish the word slow. Shakespear did it in r&j and Klause has made Viv and Aiden a fast paced love story. Has this doomed them to tragedy when they dont fully understand each other as they should?
The point Gabrial was trying to get acrost to Viv was that when you cant be you and the whole you your just stuck in between. I think many of us have faced this problem especially because its part of human society. we fear the world knowing who we relly are so we cover ourselves in a mask cowering away from our own kin. For viv to be stuck in between is an ironic way to show this human trait.
Does Aiden still feel something for Vivian or is he really scared of her and hates her now because of her werewolf change? I personally think that he still might have feelings for Vivian but at the thought of her being a werewolf he backs off from his feelings and doesnt feel anything for that "new" person inside Vivian.
I agree withe you Jackie aiden does still have feelings for viv but his inability to reconcile with the new information about vivian interfears with his heart. It seems as though aiden will be ok with anything so long as the going doesnt get rough. aiden probolly only loved viv for her looks and his prime goal was sex no matter how sweet he was. aiden would of stuck by viv in understanding if he was truely crazy about her.
the ordeal was an anchient way to solve problems and like all civilizations it eventually becomes something of the past, right? it seems that when wharewolves where more creatures than human. rivelry reined with constant squabbling.I think the pack has fallen back into this state because no one can agree by a vote on who the knew leader is.
viv has drifted slowly away from the packs ideas without knowing it to sapport peace and unity so the ordeal is like a wrongness to her and she does not want to fight.
I think that Aiden still has feelings for Vivian, but he is scard of her being a werewolf. But I also think that he kind of tricked her in thinking that he would understand Vivian. Because he showed Vivian all the witchcraft he had at home and he told her that some people doesn't understands him, and Vivian also knew that no one would understand her being a werewolf. I also think that if Aidin really truly loved Vivian then he would understand her, even if she is scard.
Hey!! i think that Vivian wanted to experience new things thats why she went out with a "meatboy". She is also trying to rebel because she wants to show Esme that she needs a mother not a friend. Esme is acting like a teenager and Vivian doesnt really need that right now she needs the advise of a mother. Vivian is also noticing that the pack is breaking up so thats why she tries to find comfort in another place.
THEME LOVE:
If Aiden really loved Vivian like he said he did why does he not accept her the way she truely is?
I agree with Roxanne some people survive their mistake and life gives them a second chance and they still fall for it. i think that smart people learn from their mistake and they dont do it again.
Hey Jackie haha well to answer your question i think that Aiden doesnt really feel anything for Vivian beacause i think he was inlove with one hal of Vivian's personalioty and once he saw the other half his feelings changed completely. But also i dont know how i would react if i found out that a guy i like is a werewolf. how would you guys react?
i agree w/ bonnie... i also think that both shakespear and the author of blood and chocolate write similarly... vivian is also similar to juliet b/c vivian rushed to get aiden to know her real self... juliet rushed to get married to romio... they both have similar characteristics... actually aiden and romio are pretty similar too... romio likes to love talk w/ girls and aiden "tricks" vivian in thinking he would understand her...
well adding to my 1st comment, i think that Aiden wants to accept the real vivian... but he is just too scard to accept her... he probably feels that if he does accept her the way she is, than it might become a bigger mistake than in meeting vivian because he knows that he will have to give up a lot of things and that there would be more secrets to keep... and mostly, he is gonna get hurt...
Aiden unintentionally misleads Viv by making her believe that he’ll understand any dark secrets from her past, i.e.: that she’s a werewolf. Like Shakespeare’s Romeo, Aiden fell in love with Viv before he truly new her. Romeo fell in love with Juliet at first sight before he even exchanged word with her. Vivian, like Juliet, tried to rush the relationship to the point where she was holding the rose by the stem with all its thorns piercing her skin. One of the thorns of Aiden and Viv’s relationship was lack of knowledge of what each other was about, for example Viv not predicting Aiden’s love for fantasy yet his inability to reconcile with his fantasy coming true.
i also think what bonnie wrote is right... both vivian and aiden don't know a lot about each other and just like romio and juliet, they fell in love just by looking at each other... Aiden only wanted vivian to know his belief in "unordinary" things but vivian didn't really understand the meaning of aiden... she thought because he believed in those things, he would understand her real self...
blood and chocolate what an intresting title that instills tragedy right from the getgo. is klause trying to forshadow the events to come as well as tell us there is a fine line between love and hate. the whole story does prove this statement and i wonder why people have not caught this before anyone have any other views.
does vivian have feelings for gabrial or is vivian just using him to make aiden come back to her?and also, does gabrial love vivian or is he also just using her to be the leader of the pack?
i think that aiden really does care for vivian because almost at the end of the book aiden meets vivian with a gun telling her that he was there to stop her misery... he thinks that when she changes into a werewolf she is in pain... but really changing into a werewolf is a freedom for vivian...
I believe at first Viv was trying to get to Aiden by using Gabrial as a tool and she doesnt relly care about him in fact shes dislikes him so. On the other hand Gabriel cares about Viv although his thoughts are revealed in the very end when he explains himself to Viv and there some subtle hints about his desire subtly put throughout the book when he has his apearences.
Gabe and Viv share the one thing that drives them the welfare of the pack and tis is the base for what they have together.
Astrid cant stand esme having the right to Gabe so she has decided to hate her to the point where she has put everyone else in danger. By the ordeal her hate has shifted more to Viv because she has held up her mothers mantal and become queen having the right to Gabe. Astrids plans have been ruined, her power hungry dreams brushed aside by actions outside of her power. Rage has doomed her to death and she shall die as teh villian.
because astrid wanted to be the queen of the pack so badly she put her own pack in danger... she could never let anyone else have power over her... i also think that esme had more freedom than any other females, this is why astrid never liked esme in the first place...
i think that Esme was the leader of the females in the pack and Astrid couldnt really handle someone else having more power over her. Astrid is those type of people that actually will do whatever it takes to be first. She even risked her own family "pack". I think if Astrid wants to prove that she is a great leader she should show maturity because thats what a good leader does. Solve problems not causes them...
Theme LOVE:
can you love something so bad that you rather have no one have it if you arent the one able to have it?
i dont know if it really makes sense but what im trying to say is that Astrid and Esme are fighting over a guy and over who has power right? can Esme "love" Gabe so much that she will risk anything o have him...
i finished the book and i really didnt like it. Why? because i would of like dit if Aiden and Vivian would of stayed together i think they would of made a cute couple. And it would of also showed that love doesnt always falls for the same kind you are. like Latinos dont always fall inlove with Latinos you know what i mean. I mean who else didnt like the ending?
Ms. Henry you that have read all of these books believe in love at first sight? can people really fall inlove instantly like what happend to Romeo and Juliet? is it possible or do you think that its just because they want to rebel and go against their parents rules? i mean its very much alike now a days kids normaly do stuff just to rebel against their parents....
i think some of the most important sysmbols are, the color silver... because vivian always discribes the moon always being silver... and also almost at the end, when aiden had a gun it had a silver bullet he made out of the pentigon necklace... the necklace was also silver too... and silver isn't really a good thing for the werewolfs either... because, if they use it wrong it could kill them...
i think that gabrial understands most of vivian's problems... because he has been with her, her whole life... but more than that i guess he feels that he has a connection with vivian... thats why vivian finally accepted him in the end... she felt that he had helped her through her problems maybe and felt that connection with gabrial...
Its a pentagram!
they worship something that has the power to hurt. the everchanging silver moon."Dont swear by the moon its always changing." the wolves do and theyre always changing so who can say anything will last even our own feelings when there is more to be learned.
Silve hurts because its like the moon; its solid but still maleable taking on a new form when something else is strong enouph to bend its will. The wolves know this and so something that also changes hurts not something with one form.
Aiden had one form so he couldnt hurt viv even with maleable silver.
if they worship something that has the power to hurt, then arent they being dicieved, and is there something that is trying to knock some sense into what they are doing? if so what might it be?
do u really think that aiden knows how much pain vivian is in? even if gabrial didn't know vivian for a long time, do you think he would understand her pain and suffering?
Post a Comment
<< Home