Independent+Novel+Study

"The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag" by Alan Bradley
//1. Why did you select this novel? // I selected this novel because I had liked a previous book by this author. After finishing "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie", I couldn't wait for the next book in the series. When choosing a novel, I use three different tactics to see if I would like to read it. First, I read the synopsis on the back and the first few pages. If I am engaged, this novel is likely a good one for me to read. Second, I look to see if the book has won any awards. If it has, it probably well-liked by others. Third, I look to the opinion of friends and family. If they have read the book, I ask for their opinions. If all of these tactics add up, I will most likely enjoy the book. After using my book-choosing method, I was sure I wanted to read "The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag".
 * December 3rd (pg.1 - 62): **

//2. Who is telling the story? How does this person’s perspective effect the way the story is told? // The protagonist, Flavia de Luce, tells the story of this book. Flavia's perspective affects the way the story is told, because she is not omniscient. The reader does not know what other characters are thinking or receive hints on what will happen next, because our view is limited to that of the protagonist. Flavia also affects the language of the book because she is only eleven years old. Her outlook on the story differs from that of an older character. The protagonist also influences the literary devices the author uses in description. When Flavia is comparing or examining something, she often employs similes about chemicals, poisoning, and other scientific reactions. In the perspective of another character, the reader would not be able to understand Flavia's character or way of thought.

//3. What is the setting of the novel? Is the setting important or could the novel be happening anywhere? Why? // The setting of the novel is 1950's rural England in a town called Bishop's Lacey. The setting is important to the story because it influences the story line. If Flavia's adventure were to occur anywhere else, it could not fit with the story. Most of this story involves Flavia describing familiar places and important events that occur there. The time period is also necessary because it helps to establish the standards and references in the story. Many times, Flavia'sfather talks about things that happened "in the war" (World War II). Events that occurred in the past, are often brought up to become relevant to the story line and help Flavia to try and solve the mysteries. Because this is a mystery novel, the setting plays a key part, and would be useless in another location.

Plot synopsis up to page 62? 8/10

//Plot:// Flavia, Rupert and Nialla take the route to Culverhouse farm, but are forced to stop when Rupert's car breaks down. Nialla and Flavia push the car over a hill to jump-start it and run into Mad Meg, the woman who found the hanging body of Robin Ingleby. Rumour has it that Mad Meg thought Robin was the devil and murdered him herself or that he was killed by his parents. After this encounter, they continue on to Gibbet Hill and the Ingleby's home. No one has heard much from them since the death of their son, Robin. At the door, we meet Dieter Schrantz, a former German prisoner of war, who is now a "house-keeper" for the Ingleby family. Flavia wanders up a steep flight of stairs to find Mrs. Ingleby chanting about Robin's death in a crazy manner. She tries to return down the stairs, but Mrs. Ingleby spies her and invites her to talk. Flavia pokes one too many questions and flees back downstairs when Mrs. Ingleby shouts. Once back outside, Flavia realizes she was supposed to go pick up her aunt, Felicity at the train station. She hurriedly rides her back to where the car to take her to the station is and arrives just in time to pick up her aunt. Back in town again, Flavia cycles to Jubilee Field where she finds Nialla, and Dieter. Apparently, Rupert has gone off to "walk", but Flavia senses there is something more to this statement and heads into the wood to find him. In the forest, she trips over a piece of wood covered in grayish stuff. When she regains her balance, she sees she is at the very spot where Robin Ingleby died and runs even further in. Flavia stops when she hears the sound of two male voices. They are those of Rupert and Gordon Ingleby. As they talk, Flavia realizes that the two men have known each other a long time and raises some suspicions about their being in the woods.The two of them appear to be growing some sort of plant and smoking something strong. As Rupert leaves, she turns to hurry back and meet him in Jubilee field with Nialla. Now at home, Flavia decides to perform an experiment called the "Duquenois-Levine test" on a leaf and cigarette remnant she took from the woods near Rupert and Gordon. After the test is complete, Flavia discovers the two men were growing and smoking Indian hemp, which only leads to more questions in her mind about their relations.
 * December 10th (pg. 63-107): **

//1. How does the author get you to read on or hold your interest?// Alan Bradley gets you to read on by withholding information from the reader. As this story is a mystery, it is in the style to leave some things to be unsolved until the very end. Natural human curiosity plays into this by making you want to know what happens when you only have part of the information necessary. In the reader's mind, we are trying to figure out the who, what, when, where, and why of the mystery puzzle the author creates. It is key that we get enough information on what is happening to stay interested, but not too much so that we have already solved the ending before we reach that point in the story. Alan Bradley follows these criteria and makes the book an intriguing read.

//2. Comment on the style of the novel. Is it easy or hard to follow the events? // The style of the novel is very fluid and the events are easy to follow. From the beginning of the book, we are gently eased into the setting and the mind of Flavia de Luce, the narrator. Slowly, we get to know who the characters are and think about them in relation to the circumstances of the story. Although we progress slowly, Bradley gives plenty of reason to ask questions early on. Why was this character acting strangely? Where was so-and-so when this event happened? These thoughts and many more arise with the build-up of events. Bradley also has clean transitions between chapters and breaks in a chapter so that we are not confused when we slightly change the setting. This makes for a thoughtful, but easy-to-follow read; the best combination in a novel.

//3. Is the language in the novel difficult or easy? GIve examples and explain. // The language in this novel is appropriate for most people in teenagehood and beyond. Every now and then, a word may appear that requires some looking into, but not to difficult that you cannot figure out its meaning from the context. Flavia's chemical terminology might be too difficult for someone younger, because it has not relevance until they learn about elements such as this example: "The tin of Bleachitiol was, in reality, no more than calcium hypochlorite. Would calcium hypochlorite by any other name smell as sweet? Heated with acetone to a temperature of somewher between 400 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit-or until the haloform reation occurs- a quite decent chloroform may afterwards be extracted from the resulting acetate slats by simple distillation." This is just one of the many times we must have some prior knowledge of chemicals in order to understand what she is talking about. To someone without that knowledge, it sounds like gibberish. 10/10 //Plot:// Flavia goes to meet the vicar to help with Rupert's puppet show, but narrowly escapes box lifting with Aunt Felicity. She meets up with Rupert and Nialla at the church. Nialla appears ill, and Flavia follows her when she races to the washroom. Flavia suspects Nialla is pregnant and asks her. Her suspicions are confirmed, but she keeps this information to herself. Rupert's manager at the BBC, Mutt, takes a train from London and finds Rupert and Nialla in Bishop's Lacey. Apparently, Rupert owes the BBC money and that is why Mutt has come to find Rupert. Later that day, Rupert, Nialla, Flavia and the vicar are setting up for the show. Flavia goes back stage on an errand and finds Rupert up in the scaffold. He asks her to come up and see the sets, and she does. From up there, Rupert teaches her the tricks of his puppet show. Soon after, Flavia returns back down and finishes the set up, and starts receiving people's tickets and showing them to their seats. Once everyone is seated, Flavia sits to watch the show. As the show is ending, Mad Meg comes in screaming "It's the devil! The devil got poor Robin!" and clears the room with her mad rant. The vicar takes Mad Meg in for the night to give her a place to sleep, since she regularly lives in the forest. Flavia makes a bed for her and is off back to Buckshaw in no time at all.
 * December 21st (pg. 108 - 136): **

//1. To what age group is the novel aimed? Support your answer with evidence. // I believe this novel is aimed at pre-teens and teenagers. The main character in this story is 11 years old. Many adults would find it difficult to relate or understand the thought process of a child in this book. Someone Flavia's age or older is living that time in their lives and can understand. As people get older, they often need a protagonist in the book they are reading that is relatable age-wise. For this reason, "The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag" is a novel for pre-teens and teens.

//2. Is there a message or main theme emerging in the book? How is it shown? // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A message about adults underestimating children in this book is beginning to emerge. Often times Flavia has many complex and thoughtful ideas about conflict, but is disregarded as being juvenile and not able to comprehend the situation. The author allows the reader to see this message through Flavia's thoughts and interactions with other characters. We are able to see that she is in fact very capable of comprehension and sometimes understands more than many of the adults around her. When she talks with other characters, they often interact with her on a very limited level, like that of what you might see with a much younger child than eleven. As we go on in the book, we will see whether or not this is the main theme or not.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. What is the initial or first problem faced by the main character? // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The initial problem faced by Flavia is trying to solve the mystery of Robin's death, and how Rupert fits into the whole scheme of things. When Flavia goes up to visit the Inglebys, she sees many peculiar events. First is Mrs. Ingleby lost in a trance screaming about her lost son and his death. The other is when she sees Rupert Porson and Gordon Ingleby in a remote part of the forest, talking as if they have known each other for a long time. When Flavia discovers they are smoking and harvesting Indian hemp, this leads to more unexplained situation which she tries to connect. 10/10

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**January 7th (pg. 137- 262**): <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//Plot:// The de Luces go off to the evening showing of "Jack and the Beanstalk". Flavia had seen the puppet show before in the afternoon, and all went the same until Rupert Porson fell from the scaffolding onto the stage. He was dead. The lights went out, and a slight chaos fell upon the room. As soon as the lights came back on, the police were setting up questioning for everyone there. The police have theorized that Rupert was electrocuted; by someone else or by accident has not been concluded yet. Flavia looked around at the scene. She saw Nialla, but could not find Mutt anywhere. Once Flavia and her relatives are done their questioning, they return to Buckshaw. The next day, Flavia has come up with a few of her own possible suspects for what she believes to be Rupert Porson's murder; Nialla and Mutt. She goes into town to find evidence for her theories, but is cut short by returning home to go with her family to church. At the mass, she still can't find Mutt, but Nialla is now missing, too. After it is over, Flavia goes around the police line surrounding the crime scene for Rupert, and enters through the back. She hopes to get some answers this way, but is instead met by Inspector Hewitt. As usual, she is dismissed upon arrival, but not before finding the source of Rupert's electrocution. A black bicycle clip had been attached to some of the black wiring that controlled the giant, creating a short circuit that lead to Rupert's electrocution. Flavia again returns to Buckshaw, and is ushered in for a family tea with Dieter. He tells them the story of how he was in the German Air Force, and crashed in England. Rupert and Gordon Ingleby found him, and reported. Soon later he was sent to do farm work at no other than the farm of Gordon Ingleby. As Flavia has many questions regarding Rupert in her head, she decides to go out to Culverhouse to seek some information. In the forest, she is startled by Mad Meg, who draws Robin hanging and the "devil" who killed him, which is apparently the vicar. Flavia is shocked. After Meg leaves, Sally finds her and they go to talk about Rupert, Robin, and the Inglebys. Flavia finds out that Dieter was the one who actually found Robin, but the police thought it was Meg. The next day, Flavia goes to the town records to see if there is any information about Robin. She finds a few old newspaper articles, but not much. She goes to talk to various people about the deaths of Rupert and Robin and finds Mutt, and returns to Buckshaw where she also finds Nialla. Her mysteries are becoming more clear and yet more complex with everything she learns.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. What new things are added to the original problem as the novel progresses? // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The original problem of how Rupert Porson fits into the death of Robin Ingleby is added to by the death of Rupert. The old mystery that Flavia was trying to solve is now intertwined with that of her new one. In the process of figuring out what happened to Rupert, she is finding more about Robin and the Ingleby family. Flavia helped to solve the previous murder in Bishop's Lacey, and she wants to help again. She crosses crime scenes, questions Inspector Hewitt, and does her own digging in the town records and through conversations with various people who knew either Rupert or Robin, or details of their death. Sometime in the days after Rupert's death, Nialla also disappears, but in her search, she finds Nialla and Mutt Wilmott. Nialla was hiding at Buckshaw, and Flavia finds her to be a possible suspect. She has means, motive, and opportunity. When she find Mutt, she convinces him to admit that he is staying at the Thirteen Drakes, which is within walking distance from the church. This would have given him opportunity to kill Rupert.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. What plot twists or unexpected events happen as the novel goes on? // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Many plot twists occur in this section of the book. First is the death of Rupert at the puppet show. This leads to new facts that Flavia discovers about his past and the Inglebys' past. In her search for the truth, Flavia finds that Gordon Ingleby had been selling and producing Indian hemp since the time of World War II. Rupert happened to be one of his frequent customers. Another twist in the plot is that of Dieter being the one to find the body of Robin in the forest. When the police investigation was going on for Robin's death, they could only suspect that it was Mad Meg who found him. They covered this up to protect Dieter, because he was a German in England in the middle of the war. Flavia meets with Sally, who works on Culverhouse with Dieter. She discovers many things about Rupert and Robin in her conversation.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Describe any new characters introduced. What is their purpose? // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The new character that is introduced is Inspector Hewitt. In the previous novel, we have met him before, but he only appears now in this book. Inspector Hewitt is trying to solve the death of Rupert Porson. A bit of conflict occurs between Flavia and the inspector, because it is his job to solve this crime, but it is Flavia's interest to help. Inspector Hewitt treats Flavia as an inexperienced child, when she helped to solve a previous crime that the police couldn't figure out. Inspector Hewitt is logical, but unwilling to receive help from Flavia or the other officers alike. His purpose is to create some challenges for Flavia in her quest to solve the mysteries of Bishop's Lacey, and creates a bit of person vs. person conflict on top of the main problem in the book.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Plot: Flavia goes to see Rupert's body before he is sent back to London. She discovers a burn mark on Rupert hand that is the precise width of the level for the giant which she thought to be where the wire tampering went to. Her theory was confirmed by her findings. Next, Flavia goes to seek answers from Miss Puddock and questions her about the night of Rupert's murder. Miss Puddock tells her that the door to backstage was locked that evening which was very bizzare for one of Rupert's shows. She also says that she thought she saw Mrs. Richardson in the dim hallway. As the two converse Flavia hears much about Grace, her intelligence, and her work with Miss Puddock. Flavia returns to the church to find and angry Nialla packing up Rupert's van and leaving. She asks Nialla some questions, but only receives verbal snaps from her. Nialla believes that Flavia ratted her out about hiding at Buckshaw and wants nothing to do with her. From this and other conclusions, Flavia eliminates Nialla off her list of suspects. Flavia goes to Culverhouse farm to try and get more answers regarding the Ingleby family's role. When she arrives, no one is home, so she heads into the house to look around. After seeing the upstairs she begins to go back down, but is interrupted by someone arriving at the house. She thinks it is a small boy, but doesn't know for sure and chases him to another part of the farm. Once there, she finds the little boy is actually Mrs. Grace Ingleby in one of her son's old costumes. She looks at her and realizes that she is the one who killed Rupert Porson, but also learns that her son fell, off the stairs when he found Rupert and Grace having an affair. Before Flavia can ask anything more of Grace, she smells cyanide on her breath and hurriedly works to create an antidote. She saves her just in time, and meets with Inspector Hewitt to tell him about who she thinks killed Rupert Porson. The inspector and his colleagues find it amazing that and eleven-year-old can solve a complex murder, but they cannot. Flavia also tells them about Robin's death, and is again met with astonishment from the police. When she returns to Buckshaw, she watches Rupert's memorial on their new TV and thinks about what has happened. Another murder solved for Flavia de Luce.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">January 11th (pg. 263 - 343): **

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. What is the climax of the novel? // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The climax of "The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag" is when Flavia discovers that Grace Ingleby murdered Rupert Porson. Flavia had come up with a list of suspects in her own investigation, but had never thought hard about Grace as a possiblity. She creates a case, and brings her information to Inspector Hewitt. When all her evidence is gathered together, she explains the case to Inspector Hewitt, including a few of her own speculations. Flavia believes Grace is the one who killed Rupert Porson as revenge for her dead son. She had opportunity; she was at the afternoon show, he was killed at the evening one. She had motive; if she had not been with Rupert, she felt she would not have lost her son. Everything adds up to the climax and leads quite rapidly into the conclusion.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. What were the major things that helped to resolve the plot? // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The major thing that helped to resolve the plot was Flavia's curiosity regarding Rupert's death. If she had not investigated further, the police may not have figured out who had committed the crime. Flavia is a creative problem-solver, and out-does the police everytime they try to solve the crimes in Bishop's Lacey. Flavia was able to find out many things by interviewing citizens, something that the police failed to do. Flavia's knowledge of the town also aided her in the solving crime. She knew Culverhouse farm, how to get ahold of town records, and how to efficiently make use of her time to solve Rupert's murder as soon as possible. Without Flavia, the plot would have been solved slowly and uninterestingly and would not make for a good book.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Why would you (or why wouldn't you) recommend this novel to a friend? // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I would recommend this novel because it keeps you guessing. The reader knows that the obvious suspects are not the ones who have committed crime, but you cannot deduce who actually did until the facts are laid out in front of you. The beginning of the book is a bit dry if you have not read the one before, but not impossible without having read the first book in Alan Bradley's series. Once you are involved in the novel, it captivates you until the end. I think this book makes you analyze the situation, instead of reading what happend without your own opinions. I often found after reading a section, I had my own suspicions as to who did it. I also found the characters likeable. Sometimes, protagonists are so positive and antagonists so negative, but not in this book. I found sympathy for the murderer of Rupert Porson, and at times was frustrated with Flavia. This novel has depth to it, and that is important to a good story. If you like to be engaged by reading, I would strongly recommend this book.