Reflective Assignment Essay

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Andrea Aramayo English AP-IV December 10, 2010 Outside Novel Reflective Assignment 1. “Vanger said: “I was born on November 1. When Harriet was eight she gave me a birthday present, a pressed flower, framed.” Vanger walked around the desk awnd pointed to the first one flower. Bluebell. It had an amateurish mounting. “That was the first. I got it in 1958.” He pointed to the next one. “1959.” Buttercup. “1960.” Daisy. “It became a tradition she would make the frame sometime during the summer and save it until my birthday. I always hung them on the wall in the room. In 1966 she disappeared and the tradition was broken.” Vanger pointed to a gap in the row of frames. Blomkvist felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck. The wall was filled with pressed flowers. “1967. A year after she disappeared, I received this flower on my birthday. It’s a violet.” “How did the flower come to you?” “Wrapped in what the call gift paper and posted in a padded envelope from Stockholm. No return address. No message.” “You mean that……” Blomkvist made a sweeping gesture. “Precisely. On my birthday every damn year. Do you know how that feels? Its directed at me, precisely as if the murderer wants to torture me. Ive worried myself sick over whether Harriet might have been taken away because someone wanted to get at me. It was no secret that she and I had a special relationship and I thought of her as my own daughter.” (124-125) This particular passage shows the close relationship between Vanger and Harriet. It lets the reader know that there is a) a cruel murderer who is still alive and most likely active or b) Harriet is alive and is still sending the flowers. It created a sort of motivation to solve the mystery of the missing girl Harriet. It made me feel as if it was Vanger’s fault and the murderer kidnapped Harriet to get back at Vanger. 2. “Bjurman raised
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