Independent Reading Day 6

Joseph Schwartz is living with the farmers once again. Once, Schwartz was walking in the farmland when he felt something. He realized he felt walking. Not long after this odd feeling, Arbin, one of the farmers, appeared in the distance, and walked up to Schwartz. Schwartz could feel that Arbin was coming towards him without hearing or seeing it. It is discovered then that Schwartz can read minds! When he is playing chess with one of the farmers, Grew, he beats him almost every time because he can see what Grew is thinking with what Schwartz calls the "Mind Touch".

I would be very nervous knowing that someone could read minds. After all, everyone has thoughts that they do not want others to know about. Just imagine if someone like Schwartz was wandering around discovering the secrets of anyone nearby. Every person on the face of the planet would appear to be some sort of monster. Also, we think many things which we would not even actually consider doing. What if everyone could read minds? There would be many horrible misunderstandings, and no one would appear to be a good person. Even if I could be a mind reader, I am not sure I would want to be burdened with the knowledge of all of my friends' personal thoughts. It would be very creepy.

The idea of mind reading being possible comes from Schwartz's intellect being improved by Dr. Shekt's machine. Could your intellect become so advanced that you could perceive the thoughts of others? I don't think it could be possible. Thoughts are mostly determined by calculations inside the brain, and I don't think a human being can hear or see within another person's own mind. After all, we can't see or hear the brain at work, even if the brain was exposed. Therefore, I have a hard time believing that mind reading is possible.

Independent Reading Day 5

After all of the chaos in Chica, the events are interpreted by the secretary of the High Minister of Earth. The two men represent the government and it hasn't really changed from 2010 politics. The High Minister is the man who is elected and who everyone sees as a hero of the country. I think that the High Minister relates to the President of the United States. While the President may be the one in power, he is not really in charge.
The secretary who works for the High Minister is extremely attentive to detail, and tries to find the hidden coincidences that in actuality are plots against the government. Although the High Minister is theoretically in control, it is the unknown secretary who is really in charge. It is almost like the US government in a sense that although the president is seen by the people as having a lot of power, the Senate and the Congress make all of the decisions. Also, the president relies on his advisors to help him make decisions, which is the role the secretary plays for the High Minister.
This system can fail, as proven in Pebble in the Sky. The secretary believes that Schwartz and Dr. Arvadan are working together. He also believes that Shekt purposefully let Schwartz go to meet Arvadan, therefore Schwartz is an outsider working with Arvadan. All of this is untrue, but the High Minister believes it must be correct because there is no other explanation. Now Schwartz is in huge trouble for something he did not do. I think that president will sometimes make huge mistakes because of his advisor's ideas. However, the president cannot keep track of everything, so he needs good advisors.

Independent Reading Day 4

Bel Arvadan arrives in Chica on the same day that Schwartz escapes from the laboratory. He runs into a huge commotion, and people think that Schwartz has radiation fever. They think so because Dr. Shekt's daughter is running around looking for Schwartz, so people believe he must have been her patient, and now everyone is after Schwartz. Dr. Arvadan helps Shekt's daughter who is named Pola. Pola looks up to Arvadan until she finds out Arvadan is an outsider.
Arvadan comes from Sirian Sector, and anybody from a different planet is looked down upon to Earth people. This deeply hurts Pola, because she wants to be loyal to Earth people, but she likes Dr. Arvadan because he helped her. I think that Pola will get over the discrimination against Outsiders and start to see how they feel.
I have a prediction. The story appears to be leading to revolution, with Joseph Schwartz being the center in which it revolves around. Pola and Arvadan will meet again, and both of them will be able to see both sides of the story. I think Arvadan will try to convince Pola to see the fight his way, and vice versa. It will be a heated battle, and I think Arvadan will see Earth as a good place and fight for Earthmen against the Galaxy.

Independent Reading Day 3

In the third section of Pebble in the Sky, by Isaac Asimov, two chapters, Chapter six and Chapter seven, were covered. In chapter six, the Procurator of Earth awake at his palace later than normal. Procurator Ennius was stargazing when his wife came out to see him. Ennius cannot sleep thinking about Dr. Skekt's machine called the Synapsifier, the machine that is supposed to make Schwartz smarter. Ennius believes that Dr. Shekt is building the synapsifier to increase the intelligence of the entire "Earthman" race. This worries Ennius because Earth has rebelled against the Galaxy before. Maybe the Synapsifier will turn Earth into super geniuses! If Earth becomes a planet of super-intellectuals, they might succeed in taking over the Galaxy, as attempted in the past! What's funny about that is the fact that Ennius thinks Earth can take over the galaxy! There are thousands of other planets! It seems nearly impossible!
Ennius is also worried because Bel Arvadan plans on proving Earth as the original home of mankind by entering radioactive areas, which is forbidden to men. This concerns Ennius because the High Minister of Earthmen may use Arvadan's intrusion as an excuse to rebel against the Galaxy! It appears as though no matter what, there is going to be a rebellion. I predict that before the end of Pebble in the Sky, there will be a rebellion of some sort! I think that the Galaxy will win, though, because Earth is just not big enough. Maybe Earth will have to be destroyed!
The next day, Arvadan began touring around Earth to learn what he could about "Earthmen". Pebble in the Sky takes special interest in Arvadan's flight with only "Earthmen" in it. Arvadan tries not to be prejudiced against them, but he can't help being a little self-conscious. On this plane, he realizes that Earthmen look just like ordinary men, such as himself, even though he is from Sirius. Arvadan learns about how when somebody turns sixty, they must die! Imagine having a timetable for how long you are going to live! And the strangest part, that those turning sixty are perfectly happy about it! Happy for death? That confuses me! Eventually, the people on the plane find out Arvadan is from Sirius, not Earth, and everyone turns away from him. Everyone, that is, except for a man named Creen, who begins talking to him and sort of befriending him, but trying to find out facts about him. It turns out, Creen is from the Society of Ancients, an organization with mysterious objective. It is not said what they are, nor why they exist! What is this Society of Ancients? I think they are trying to wipe out Earthmen or trying to help Earth rebel. As to which side I am unsure. Perhaps answers will be revealed in chapters eight and nine in Pebble in the Sky by Isaac Asimov!