crocodile tears

1

Crocodile TearsBy: Daniel Taylor

2

Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz was born into a wealthy family in Stanmore, Middlesex, England. He began writing at eight and professionally at twenty, finding his greatest inspiration to have come from the James Bond films he grew up with. He has been extremely successful in his novels as well as his screenplays. He currently resides in North London.

3

Protagonist-Alex Rider

A fourteen-year old boy employed by the British Secret Service, MI6. He has already been used by the service several times before for previous missions but swore he would never work for them again. And yet here he is again working with the service to put a greedy psychotic.

4

Desmond McCain is a very ambitious african-american who has built his wealth and power from a childhood of severe poverty. In this book we see the insatiable greed he bears and the extreme actions he will take to make, simply, money.

Antagonist-Desmond McCain

5

Favorite Character-Smithers

Smithers is the genius weapons/gadgets producer for MI6. Smithers is a jovial character, constantly joking and putting a smile on everyone else’s face even thought the work they are all involved is so morbid and serious.

6Least Favorite Character-Myra Beckett

Myra Beckett is a sickly sarcastic woman, finding great interest in the selfish work of Desmond McCain. The two of them work together and are engaged to be wed. She has a strong will and what she wants is what she gets.

7

Exposition

Alex Rider, a fourteen year old boy trying to return to normal life after being an invaluable asset to MI6.

Jack Starbright, the sweet caretaker of Alex Rider who lives with him.

Sabrina Pleasure, a fifteen year old girl whose family is great friends with Alex Rider.

The story begins with the Pleasure family and Alex Rider on a vacation in Scotland where they attend a party hosted by the great Desmond McCain.

7

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

8

Rising Action

The first conflict is as Alex Rider and the Pleasure family are leaving the party, a sniper shoots out their tire and the car plummets down through the frozen top of a lake.

MI6 asks him for another favor, he attends a plant modification center, steals what is asked for, and causes chaos as guards are unloading their guns wherever they spot him.

Alex is kidnapped, disguised, and drugged by Myra Beckett who takes him to Kenya.

8



9ClimaxDesmond McCain has crop dusted miles of crops

with a substance that is seemingly harmless except that these crops have been genetically modified and react with the substance to become incredibly poisonous. McCain’s plan is to kill millions and have his charity, First Aid, be the first on the scene and receive millions in donations for a non-curable situation. Alex blows up a dam which floods the crops and ends any chance of genocide.

9


are needed to see this picture. QuickTime™ and a decompressor


10

Falling Action

Alex takes a small plane to the closest airport

McCain has followed him so he fights him for a bit

Alex kills McCain and afterward is flown to a hospital

He spends several weeks recovering, receiving many visitors during that time

10



11

Resolution

Alex fully recovers in the hospital and Jack comes to pick him up and take him home. She talks to him about his upcoming fifteenth birthday and having friends over. Everyone’s happy and the book ends.

11



12

Setting

The book takes place in the present day.

A very small part happens in Scotland, two-thirds of the book take place in London, the rest happening in some part of Kenya. The place really gives the reader an image and sets the mood. The parts that take place in Kenya would have little interest if placed anywhere else, and it diversifies the plot.

12

QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a decompressor


13

Themes

Major themes in this book include:

Greed

Corruption

Courage

Integrity

13

14

My Rating of the Book

I would rate this book at a five mainly because I feel it was below my reading level and the writing wasn’t anything special or unique, but Anthony Horowitz does keep the reader entertained and interested all the way through the end.

14

15

Social Issue

The social issue I pulled out of this book was genocide. Specifically the 1994 genocide of Rwanda.

Anywhere from 500,000 to a million people murdered. (Gibbs, 1)

Screwed up media (Wikipedia)

Rumors to further the tensions

Hutus destroyed the Tutsis and Pro-peace Hutus. (Gibbs, 1)

15

16

Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xON22c7pZ6c

"Ghosts of Rwanda." YouTube. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

#1 intro

#6 6:00 and 6:58

#6 8:48

16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xON22c7pZ6c

17

Time Magazine Article

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,980750,00.html

Gibbs, Nancy. "Why? the Killing Fields of Rwanda." Time Magazine 16 May 1994: 1-7. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

17



18What Has been and is Being

Done About It?

United Kingdom financial promises (M2 Presswire)

Rwanda considered the safest country in East and Central Africa (Wikipedia)

GDP growth averages 7.5 % a year

Working to establish primary education (NewYorker)

Women hold more than half of parliament positions

Emphasis on technological progression (Wikipedia)

18

19

Local News Article

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705295483/Rwanda-genocide-victims-to-be-reburied.html

Olukya, Godfrey. "Rwanda genocide victims to be reburied." Deseret News 05 Apr 2009, weekend ed.Print.

19



20Genocide Lyrics-Judas Priest

Mercenary batalionsAre poised to strike us downTerminations conquestUpon us now full grown

Save me, my heart's open wideHelp me, no question of prideSave me, my people have diedTotal genocide

Devastation hungersShe waits to leap to earthImminent liquidationBefore the grand rebirth


Sin after sin I have enduredYet the wounds I bear are the

wounds of loveFrantic mindless zombiesGrab at fleeting timeLost in cold perplexionWaiting for the sign

20

Generations trembleClinging face to faceHelpless situationTo end the perfect race

Flashing senseless sabersCut us to the groundEager for the life bloodOf all who can be found


Slice to the left, slice to the rightNone to retaliate, none will fightChopping at the hearts, snuffing out the livesThis race departs, no one will surviveHeads to the feet, feet to the airSouls in the soil, heavy in despairEnd of all ends, body into dustTo greet death friends, extinction is a must

End of all ends, body into dustTo greet death friends, extinction is a must

(Lyricsmode)

21Bibliography

Priest, Judas. "Genocide Lyrics." lyricsmode.com. 2009. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

Levi, Primo. "Shalom Rav." Rabbirant.com. 2010. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

"Ghosts of Rwanda." YouTube. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

Olukya, Godfrey. "Rwanda genocide victims to be reburied." Deseret News 05 Apr 2009, weekend ed.Print.

Reuters News Service, . "Rwanda gets 15-year term for genocide." Deseret News 05 Feb 2009, weekend ed.Print.

Wen, Leana. "Rwanda, Past and Present." New York Times 15 Jun 2007, Print.

Gibbs, Nancy. "Why? the Killing Fields of Rwanda." Time Magazine 16 May 1994: 1-7. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, . "What is Genocide?." www.ushmm.org. 04 May 2009. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

Wikipedia, . "Genocide ." Wikipedia.org. 01 Mar 2010. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

Wikipedia, . "Rwanda." Wikipedia.org. 01 Mar 2010. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

Wikipedia, . "Rwandan Genocide." Wikipedia.org. 01 Mar 2010. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

M2 Presswire, . "Rwanda's remarkable recovery leads UK to commit funds for next 10 years.." Encyclopedia.com. 01 Mar 2010. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

"Rwanda In Recovery." www.newyorker.com. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

World Vision, . "Rwanda: Who are the people?." www.worldvision.org. 2010. Web. 1 Mar 2010.

21

http://www.ushmm.org/

http://www.newyorker.com/

http://www.worldvision.org/

crocodile tears

Documents

great desmond mccain

pleasure family

sweet caretaker of alex

selfish work of desmond

expositionalex rider

climaxdesmond mccain

protagonistalex ridera

year old boy