Books


 * __Books__**

Have you ever wondered when and where the first form of writing was created, or what started the creation of books? Heiroglyphs and cuneiform led to writing and present-day alphabets. Stone tablets and papyrus scrolls eventually turned into a gorgeous, thrilling 500 page volume. Without the help of ancient civilizations and their discovery of writing, we would not have the pleasure of reading our favorite novels. Over thousands of years, books have evolved into complex and detailed works of art that continue to make people say, "I couldn't put it down", or "it was a real page-turner". So what makes an addicting and admirable book?

Two aspects make a novel something extraordinary: the fluidness of the plot and the depth of the characters. Every work of literature, no matter how well-written or technically perfect, needs a plot that constantly fluctuates and captures the readers attention. The storyline draws the reader in at first, and eventually shapes the reader's final opinion of the book. In J.K. Rowling's //Harry Potter// series, the complex and elaborate plot captivates and brings to life all the other components of the novels, making it a memorable and beloved adventure story. Had Harry not gone through all the trials before the final battle with Voldemort, he could not have emerged as a triumphant and beloved hero. Those trials taught him valuable lessons that were needed to finally defeat evil. The plot also gives birth to another significant component: the characters. Without well-rounded, dynamic characters, the plot would fall flat into something entirely nonexistent, for it is the characters that carry and make the plot one-of-a-kind. In the //Twilight// series, written by Stephenie Meyer, the seemingly flat character of Bella Swan moves to her father's small hometown following her mother's remarriage. Instantly, the reader assumes that Bella represents an average, unhappy teenager with stereotypical troubles with her parents and a hatred for her uneventful life. As the story continues, the audience begins to understand the surprising depth of Bella's ideas and thoughts, something that seems rare for a teenager. This nonarchetypal character changes the book from something boring to something unforgettable.



In the novel //Fahrenheit// //451// by Ray Bradbury, people live without books. Firemen seek to burn and banish them because they believe books make people dare to contemplate things that, in their mind, should not be thought of, and, as a result, mankind loses intelligence and free-thinking. Unlike the world of Ray Bradbury's novel, books will never disapear from our world because they contain so much entertainment for some, and information for others. People rely on books as a way of escape or to answer questions that nothing else can. Even though technology strangles our society more and more everyday, books have existed for centuries and we have a tight grasp on them for now.