The Bad Beginning by:Lemony Snicket
Mia Vasquez Block: 2
Book Recommendation
I think A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket is a great book. I admired how the siblings looked out for each other especially they were figuring out Count Olaf's evil plan. Also when Sunny was in a moment of need Violet tried to save her and that shows they care about each other. I love the character description in this book. The description about Count Olaf's home was very good. I would defiantly recommend this book to someone who likes great description and a fascinating story.
Characters
Violet Baudelaire is the protagonist. She is the oldest of three children and is fourteen years old. She is right handed and very inventive. Evidence that she is inventive is she invented a grappling hook to save Sunny. Also, when she is suppose to marry count Olaf she saves herself by signing the wedding document without her "own hand". Violet has long dark hair that is usually tied up in a ribbon. Violet thinks that count Olaf is a evil man and should be stopped and punished for his evil plan f trying to take the children's inheritance money by marring Violet.
Klaus Baudelaire is also one of the protagonists. He is the middle child and is twelve years old. He is very intelligent and love to read books and therefore knows a lot of interesting facts. Klaus is a boy and wears black glasses. Also he has dark hair like his other siblings. He figures out Count Olaf's plan to marry his sister through a play without her knowing, so that he can get their money. Klaus thinks that Count Olaf is an evil person and should be put in jail. Evidence for his opinion is when Count Olaf struck him across the face.
Count Olaf is the antagonist and he is very tall, thin, and he is an actor. His eyes are very shiny like he is hungry and he is a very pale man. Count Olaf seizes an opportunity to take the children's inherited fortune. he thinks the children are ungrateful brats. Evidence for this opinion is he leaves them with very difficult chores, such as: repairing a window and cooking dinner for thirteen people. He is short-tempered, bad-smelling, and mean. he always wears a grey suit with black stains all over it and black shoes.
Theme
I think the theme of this book is to be grateful for what you have. In this book the children are treated badly and aren't given the proper necessities that, most children have such as: an education, a closet, clothes, and a bed. I realized how lucky I am that I have these necessities that the children in my book don't.
In this book the author shows that the kids struggle to do everyday thing because Count Olaf doesn't supply them with basic things that I have. Also, I an lucky that I have parents that are alive and I don't have to live with a mean distant cousin. On pages 28-30 it says that the children aren't provided with basic necessities and that Count Olaf is never there during the day. The theme is to be grateful for what you have, in the book A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket.
Setting
The setting is in a seaside city in the past. The city is big and busy, the city gets a lot of tourists. In the city is Count Olaf's house, the bricks are covered with soot and grime, there are only two small windows with the shades drawn. Also, there is a tall, dirty tower that leans to the left and rises above the windows. Inside Count Olaf's house it is dim, dirty, and crowded. there is one dim light bulb when you first walked in to his house. There are papers and things all misplaced and scattered. The setting effects the character by already giving them an impression of Count Olaf, that he is careless and too lazy to clean up his own house.
It affects the characters by serving as an obstacle for Violet to rescue Sunny from being dropped in a cage off the tower. The dirty house also gives the siblings a lot of chores to do while Count Olaf is acting in having sun with his theater friends. Briny Beach is located by the city. It is where Mr. Poe informs the Baudelaire children about their parents death. The setting plays a big role in the story and affects the characters and causes some events.
Conflict and Plot
In the conflict Count Olaf tries to trick Violet into marrying him through a play. Then, Klaus figures out his plan and consults Count Olaf and he tells Klaus that it is true. So, since Klaus and Violet know, Count Olaf captures Sunny and puts the infant in a bird cage and threatens to drop her from the tower if Violet doesn't marry him. The conflict would be labeled as man vs. man because it is the Baudelaire children against Count Olaf, so that leads me to conclude that the correct way to label the conflict is man vs. man.
Exposition- When the Baudelaire children's parents die in the fire and they go live with Count Olaf.
Conflict- Count Olaf is doing a play and Violet is going to play the girl that marries him and the children think he is up to something.
Rising action - Count Olaf confirms his plan and threatens to drop Sunny off the tower if Violet doesn't marry him.
Climax- Violet signs a legal document of their marriage and Count Olaf reveals his plan to the audience, but she didn't do it with her "own hand".
Falling Action- Sunny is returned safely to her siblings and Count Olaf makes a getaway with his theater friends.
Resolution- the children drive away with Mr. Poe to live somewhere else.