Why I Hope the READY PLAYER ONE Movie is Better Than the Book

Why I Hope the READY PLAYER ONE Movie is Better Than the Book This is a guest post from Alysia Stevenson. After teaching high school for two years, Alysia left to pursue freelance writing. When shes not working on her debut novel, the native New Yorker can be found living in Barnes and Noble, catching up on Riverdale, writing literary analysis essays on Shakespeare and spending time with her large multicultural family. She currently lives in Tampa, Florida. Twitter: @Aly_Callie I know, I know. I can’t believe I just said that. As a writer and avid reader, it’s very rare that I prefer a movie to the book; and even though Ready Player One has yet to come out, I already know that I’m going to like the film better. Now I’m not trying to start an argument with readers and Ernest Cline fans, so just hear me out before you charge at me with pitchforks. I was somewhat aware of Ready Player One before I saw the trailer for the upcoming Spielberg adaptation last year, but I never made a point to buy the book, even though I said I would. When I saw the trailer however, I knew I had to go out and get it. Every pop culture reference, “Tom Sawyer” by Rush and the feeling that with the advancements of virtual reality, we could soon be seeing the world through Wade’s eyes had me hooked. I knew I had to get it on my next Barnes and Noble trip. I finished the book in about two days and I was glad I got it over with. Here’s the thing: the concept of the story was brilliant; however, Cline’s writing made me cringe. The pop culture references that we got a glimpse of in the trailer were so over-saturated in the book that I found myself being more annoyed than entertained. So, Cline super fans, prepare yourselves, because I have some truth to drop: Ready Player One was nothing more than nostalgia porn to me. Full of flat characters, poor writing, and over-explanation to the point that I felt I was reading a Wikipedia page. It seemed to me that Cline only wrote this book for the purpose of showing off what he knew about the 80s. I could go on and on about what was wrong with the book, but I don’t want to go on a tangent. So, if I hated the book so much, then why would I like the movie? For starters, it’s directed by Steven Spielberg…do I really need to explain any further? Besides the fact that he’s directing it, supposedly he’s going to add his own take on the film as well. The villain of the story, Sorrento, is going to be vastly different than Cline’s version, according to Ben Mendelsohn, the actor that plays him. Thank goodness, because in the book Sorrento is so one dimensional. Spielberg also expands on the character i-R0k, played by T.J. Miller. I-R0k appears very briefly in the book; in the movie, he’s a bounty hunter. Just the thought of T.J. Miller as a bounty hunter is too hilarious. Cline was overly descriptive, but I think that over-descriptiveness and Spielberg’s genius is going to work so well on screen. This is not Spielberg’s first tango with a film adaptation. He knows what’s necessary for the story and what isn’t. I’m also hoping that he gives a bit of meaning to the story. So, if you’ve never read the book, but you find that you really enjoyed the movie, do yourselves a favor and…don’t read the book. See more coverage of the upcoming Ready Player One adaptation here. Sign up to Swords Spaceships to  receive news and recommendations from the world of science fiction and fantasy.

Calculate Sales Tax - Questions and Answers

One of the most common types of percent problems youll encounter in daily life is calculating sales tax. Its not hard to do. Heres an example of how a student worked through percent and sales tax problems and tips on how you can learn to master the technique, too. Student With Sales Tax Problems I was tutoring Jason (not his real name), to prepare him for Algebra. He attended tutoring on the Internet with the help of his high-speed internet connection, web camera, computer, and graphing calculator. Thankfully, all of the technology was functioning properly and we were on our way to higher grades.  Today, I began, we are going to review percents and sales tax.Ok, Ms. Jennifer, I got this. I know all about sales tax. Jason confidently announced as he pulled out a pen.Oh no, Jason. Where is your pencil?Pencil? Jason was puzzled about a ten cent pencil, yet he sat in a maze of hundreds of dollars of gadgets.Yes, Jason, a pencil. You know that we do not do math in pen.Yes maam.  Jason hunted down a pencil and sharpened it with a butter knife. A hand sanitizer gel spill had ruined his pencil sharpener but rendered it 99.9% germ-free. Calculating Sales Tax After Jason put away his primitive sharpening tool, we talked about a printer that he was planning to buy. At $125, the printer was a bargain, but I emphasized that he needed to know the true amount to stay within his budget. If the sales tax rate was 8%, then how much would he pay in sales tax for the printer? What do you know?The sales tax rate is 8% or 8 percent. Realize that 8 percent means 8 per 100.8% 8/100The printer cost $125.00With percents, think part/whole.8 (part)/100 whole x (the part, or the sales tax amount is unknown) /125 (the whole)8/100 x/125Cross multiply. Hint: Write these fractions vertically to get the full understanding of cross multiplying. To cross multiply, take the first fractions numerator and multiply it by the second fractions denominator. Then take the second fractions numerator and multiply it by the first fractions denominator.8 * 125 x * 1001000 100xDivide both sides of the equation by 100 to solve for x.1000/100 100x/10010 xVerify the answer.Does 8/100 10/1258/100 .0810/125 .08 So, he would spend $135 ($125 $10) on a $125 printer. Note: Add $125 and $8 to get the total amount. Remember, the sales tax is 8% of the price, not $8. Answers and Explanations Original Worksheet Sales Tax Percent Example Calculations 1. Laptop Bag Price: $18Sales tax rate: 9%Sales tax amount:$1.62Final cost: $19.62 What do you know?9/100 x/18 Cross Multiply and Solve.9 * 18 x * 100162 100x162/100 100x/100$1.62 xVerify the Answer. Does 9/100 1.62/18?9/100 .091.62/18 .09$1.62 $18 $19.622. Anti-Virus SoftwarePrice: $50Sales tax rate:   8.25%Sales tax amount: $4.125Final cost: $54.13 What do you know?8.25/100 x/50 Cross Multiply and Solve.8.25 * 50   x * 100412.50 100x412.50/100 100x/100$4.125 xVerify the Answer. Does 8.25/100 4.125/50?8.25/100 .08254.125/50 .0825$4.125 $50  Ã¢â€°Ë† $54.13 3. USB DrivePrice: $12.50Sales tax rate: 8.5%   Sales tax amount: $1.0625Final cost: $13.56 What do you know?8.5/100 x/12.50 Cross Multiply and Solve.8.5 * 12.50   x * 100106.25 100x106.25/100 100x/100$1.0625 xVerify the Answer. Does 8.5/100 1.0625/12.50?8.5/100 .0851.0625/12.50 .085$12.50 $1.0625 ≈ $13.56 4. Graphing CalculatorPrice: $95Sales tax rate:   6%Sales tax amount: $5.70Final cost: $100.70 What do you know?6/100 x/95 Cross Multiply and Solve.6 * 95   x * 100570 100x570/100 100x/100$5.70 xVerify the Answer. Does 6/100 5.70/95?6/100 .065.70/95 .06$95 $5.70 100.70 5. MP3 Player Price $76Sales tax rate:   10%Sales tax amount: $7.60Final cost: $83.60 What do you know?10/100 x/76 Cross Multiply and Solve.10 * 76   x * 100760 100x760/100 100x/100$7.60 xVerify the Answer. Does 10/100 7.60/76?10/100 .107.60/76 .10$76 $7.60 $83.60 6. Laptop ComputerPrice: $640Sales tax rate:   8.5%Sales tax amount: $54.40Final cost: $694.40 What do you know?8.5/100 x/640 Cross Multiply and Solve.8.5 * 640   x * 1005440 100x5440/100 100x/100$54.40 xVerify the Answer. Does 8.5/100 54.40/640?8.5/100 .08554.40/640 .085$640 $54.40 $694.40

Symbolizing the Ideas and Beliefs in The Lottery - 1167 Words

Throughout time people have adopted different types of customs and ideas. In â€Å"The Lottery† the people from the community are sacrificing in order for their crops to grow. Many lives are at risk and in fear despite the acceptance of their actions.Symbolism is something that represents ideas or qualities of an object. An example of this can be a dove which represents peace. In the short story The Lottery, it takes place in the late 40s early 50s. The whole story is a contradiction because you would think that having a lottery would be a good thing, but in this story it isn’t. Every year Mr. Graves, who has the most power in the community, gathers them together to have or to do a lottery. As he calls the names of each man to make sure they†¦show more content†¦Mrs. Hutchinson ended up being the scapegoat of the group.† She was chosen to be sacrificed and as the people were walking towards her to stone her they all gathered around like a cage and kept her there so she wouldn’t move or get away and just like any animal cage they do the same thing. Throughout the whole story they talk about the black box saying that if they do away with it their crops won’t grow and that it’s a tradition. â€Å"It holds the key between life and death for every single person in the community.† It shows that is ado or die situation in and you must be apart of it in the community. It also represents tradition, â€Å"Harsh tradition of our society many of which we carry out daily with knowing why. We have tradition because we’re so accustomed to it not knowing why we do it, people just go along with it and do it because it a tradition and they think they have to follow it because their families from the past use to practices it. The black box also symbolizes evil because it kills innocent people for ridiculous reasons. It â€Å"embodies the evil acts that have been executed in the past and the ones to come.† (1869) The stones in the story symbolize death because that’s what they use to sacrifice the person that gets chosen when they do the lottery. â€Å"A person still has the capacity to reason would be harshly awoken by the truth that he or she was in the act of killing an innocent person.† In my own interpretation what this quote is saying that they makeShow MoreRelated Evidential Basis in Epistemic Justification Essay5302 Words   |  22 Pagesthe notion of epistemic justification, since the publication of Edmund L. Gettiers article Is Justified True Belief Knowledge? in 1963. 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Why Are Apple Products so Popular Free Essays

ESL0420Advanced Writing Analysis Paper Le Han leh@mtu. edu Mar 5th, 2013 Why are Apple Products so Popular? In today’s world, Apple’s products are highly sought after because they are very popular for everyone. According to Yarow,editor of The Business Insider,said that the newest iPhone sold 5 million over the opening weekend (Yarow, 2012). We will write a custom essay sample on Why Are Apple Products so Popular? or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, it is difficult to find the reason why Apple’s products are so superior compared with other electronic products in the market. Since Apple’s products come out in our life, it has facilitated our life and brought us huge benefits. For instance, people do not need to bring their heavy laptops to go to work every day, because they already have the portable tablet PC – iPad. The ascent of Apple’s products are presented in front of everyone, it is due to Apple’s product having a creative design, unique innovation and the reasonable price. To begin with, if people want to know why Apple’s products are so popular in the recent years, one of the answers is the design of the product is very important. By comparison with other electronic products, the apple’s product is always the most aesthetic appearance of electronic products on the market. For example, the newest MacBook Air design reached unbelievably thin and light, but it still retains the Apple computer powerful, durable, capable and enjoyable to use features. On the contrary, the traditional design laptop focus on the hardware upgrade rather than the appearance of product, so the monotonous design of the traditional electronic product makes the consumer feel visual fatigue and not portable. When MacBook Air appeared on the scene, people felt that Apple’s products are so distinctive and unique; because never has a computer company can make their laptop’s thickness less than an inch thin, and has simple designs at the same time. This led Apple’s products directly to be bestselling on the whole electronic market. The same was true of the latest iMac, its desktop display has slim design which greatly save the area of the computer desk. For example, Pete Pachal is technology journalist who has been covering consumer technology in print and online more than ten years. He said that the newest iPhone and iPad paired with brilliant 4-inch and 9. 7-inch retina display which configuration can make the person see more detail. Even with the naked eye, the user can clearly see the type is sharper and photos are showy. Consequently the new Apple’s product makes its competitors look bad, and there is no company that has a product on the market now can compare with it (Pachal, 2012). Beside this, innovation is one of the main reasons for Apple’s products success. Before Apple unleashed the iPhone, there are many experts who worked in the technology industry knew that the touch screen would be the trend of future development. An editor named Charles Babcock from at InformationWeek thinks while the touch technology was not invented by Apple Company, Apple Company carried forward this technology and it eventually prospered. According to Babcock (2013), there are just a few people who believed that companies can launch this product which meet demands of customers in 2007. But Apple Company has done it proved is does not work like that. The release of the iPhone has proved it. Moreover, Apple Company is also introducing this technology to iPad. Nowadays, if there is any mobile phone without touch screen, it is out of date. The consumer just wants a mobile phone which has touch screen function. It is because Apple’s products are the first to provide a suitable touch screen that it will naturally gain traction with consumers. In addition, another reason for Apple’s products are popular on the market is that Apple Company makes the reasonable price. The reasonable price can make average consumers and corporate customers willing to buy it, because people consider the reasonable price to be more attractive than other products on the market. A Taiwan daily newspaper named DigiTimes, which news mainly includes semiconductor, electronics, computer and communication industries believed iPad pricing will disturb the PC market price. DigiTimes (2010) demonstrates that the first generation of iPad price was $499, at that time some tablet PC manufacturers predicted iPad’s price is about $1000 and these tablet PC manufacturers originally planned their tablet prices 20%-30% lower than the iPad. The present the iPad price is only $499, which compels the tablet PC manufacturer to re-evaluate the price strategy. If tablet PC manufacturers want their product appealing to consumers, they could only adjust the price lower than the iPad. But the final result shows that it is failed, and now iPad is the fourth generation, but it still people’s first hoice for PC tablets. If the iPhone and iPad’s price were more expensive, maybe they would not be so popular; I believe Apple Company is also aware of this In short, my conclusion is that the cause of Apple’s products being popular depends on its creative design, unique innovation and the reasonable price. If there were no Apple’s products, I be lieved the development of electronic products would slow down at least ten years. Because the market has Apple’s products, our life is more convenient than before. The emergence of Apple’s products makes electronic product market have more competition. No matter what, the direct beneficiaries of the price war is the consumer. The constantly price war will make commodity prices approached the cost. Consumers can buy more high-quality products at lower price. In order to attract more potential customers, companies will enhance their brand reputation, service quality and technology to meet the consumers’ requirements. Meanwhile, it can promote the whole industry to improve and progress. So as I say, this may be the reason why apple products are so popular in the world. References Babcock, C. (2012). Apple beats competition with design – and design patents. InformationWeek. Retrieved from http://www. informationweek. com/hardware/handheld/apple-beats- competition-with-design-and/240006830? pgno=1%E3%80%81 DigiTimes. (2010). Apple’s iPad pricing causes disarray for PC tablet manufacturers. Retrieved from http://www. digitimes. com/news/a20100129PD217. html Pachal, P. (2012). Nine stunning examples of the new iPad’s retina display. Mashable. Retrieved from http://mashable. com/2012/03/16/retina-display- examples/ Yarow, J. (2012). Iphone5 opening weekend sales come in worse than expected. BUSINESS INSIDER. Retrieved from http://www. businessinsider. com/ Iphone-5-sales-opening-weekend-2012-9 How to cite Why Are Apple Products so Popular?, Papers

The Ireland Island Essay Example For Students

The Ireland Island Essay Ireland is a small island first settled in early 6000BC. Its located to the west of Europe close to Great Britain. Through history Ireland has had many different influences and has been occupied by different types of people. In the early years, the Celtic people known as Gaels settled Ireland. This was sometime between 600 and 150BC. Gaelic people had many small kingdoms that were separated yet they all shared the common language of Gaelic. The Brehons kept order throughout Ireland, these were men that kept peace and made sure common rules and laws were followed. This system of independent ruling worked longer in Ireland than in other parts of Europe because nobody tried to conquer Ireland therefore there was no outside influence. During the Medieval time period in Ireland came the development of Celtic Christianity, they introduced St. Patrick into their religion. The Tuath(150 small kingdoms in Ireland) still remained and continued to function without European influence. The dark ages of Europe were the golden ages of Ireland. During this time period Ireland sent St. Columba and St. We will write a custom essay on The Ireland Island specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Columban into Europe, many manuscripts and books were written and religious arts and artistic achievements took place. In 1014the Irish Tuath formed an alliance against the invading Vikings and won. Brian Boru who was a king of one of the Tuatha kingdoms led the alliance. In 1171 England began its conquest to establish a country that measured up to Roman standards. Ireland was than separated into English Ireland and Gaelic Ireland. Ireland was divided and along the western coast the people remained completely out of British rule. The British had a great influence on Ireland. They brought in new ideas, forms of religion, and a different government system. Unfortunately the British are also responsible for the separation and lack of unity in Ireland. They were also the cause of the division in religion between Protestants and Catholics. The British occupied much of Northern Ireland and where partially responsible for the wars in that area over religion and the separation of the Gaelic people from areas of Ireland. The British introduced the parliament in Northern Ireland and brought new European influences that the country had never had. The British had both a negative and positive affect when they inhabited Ireland. Religion is a major issue in Ireland. For years the Catholics and Protestants have been fighting. In the 1700s other religions in Ireland were Scottish Presbyterian and the Puritans religion. Through the years the two main religions have remained Catholic and Protestant. The Protestants were originally the wealthy English who came from Britain and supported the crown. The Catholics were usually the middle and lower class peoples that really didnt support British rule. The majority of Northern Ireland were the Protestants or Orangemen as they were referred to by some. Catholics were the minority of Northern Ireland but they were the majority in the South. The people of this northern region have always fought over what was the true religion of Ireland. Between 1969 and 1972 there was major terrorist activity over religion. Some of these incidents include Bloody Sunday (January 30,1972) when British troops shot and killed 13 Protestants, Bloody Friday (July 21,1972) when the IRA set off bombs throughout Belfast and killed 9 civilians, in 1996 the IRA bombed Londons Docklands district. At the moment the IRA has a cease fire agreement and there is peace between the Catholics and Protestants but there is still much hostility and hatred between the two groups. Ireland has many different regions or provinces. There are 37 different provinces. Munster is the largest province, Cork is the biggest country region, Clare is a stone country, Limerick is known as a deceptive country, Tipperary is a hunting area, Antrim was famous for gold and its Spanish influence, Belfast is famous for its pubs and religious problems, Cavon has many lakes and waterways, Derry is a historic region, Donegal is farm country, Down is where St. .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f , .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f .postImageUrl , .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f , .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f:hover , .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f:visited , .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f:active { border:0!important; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f:active , .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua05c98efbea77339cd0193d3775e1e5f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Blood Brothers Portfolio EssayPatrick originated, Fermanagh is a fishing area, Tyrone is a wild area, Carlow is the second smallest province, Dublin is the most popular city in Ireland, Kildare is famous for its horses, Kilkenny is a province with medieval castles, and Galway is a province that speaks Gaelic, its inhabitants have kept up the traditions and continued the Gaelic language even with the English influence. Other province include the ancient West Meath, Wexford where the 1798 rebellion took place, Wichlow the garden province, Sligo famous for poetry and art, Leitrim the tiniest of the provinces, Laois, Langford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Connacht, Mayo, Roscommon, Kerry, Armach, Ulster, Waterford, Monaghan, and Leinster. Ireland is a country filled with history, stories, poetry, songs, and pubs. Its one of the few places that the Celtic influence can still be seen. Not only is Ireland filled with history but its also one of the most beautiful country sides in the world. Known as the green isle or emerald isle Ireland has been influenced by so many different people and cultures which makes it unique. The Catholic and Protestant religions have had a mark on Ireland which is why it has such strong religious background.

Calorie Definition in Chemistry

Calorie Definition in Chemistry A calorie  is a unit of energy, but whether or not the c in the word is capitalized matters. Heres what you need to know: Calorie Definition A calorie is a unit of thermal energy equal to 4.184 joules or the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of liquid water 1 °C at standard pressure. Sometimes a calorie (written with a lowercase c) is called a small calories or a gram calorie. The symbol for the calorie is cal. When the word Calorie is written with an uppercase C, it refers to the large calorie, food calorie, or kilogram calorie. The Calorie is 100 calories or the amount of thermal energy needed to heat one kilogram of water one degree Celsius. Calorie History Nicolas  Clà ©ment, a French chemist and physicist, first defined the calorie as a unit of heat or thermal energy in 1824. The word calorie comes from the Latin word calor, which means heat. The small calorie was defined in English and French dictionaries around 1841 to 1867. Wilbur Olin Atwater introduced the large calorie in 1887. Calorie Versus Joule The calorie is based on joules, grams, and degrees Celsius, so in a way its a metric unit, but the official unit of energy in the International System of Units (SI) is simply the joule. In the modern era, its more common to express thermal energy in terms of joules per kelvin per gram or kilogram. These values relate to the specific heat capacity of water. While the small calorie is still used sometimes in chemistry and the large calorie is used for food, joules (J) and kilojoules (kJ) are the preferred units.

Character Tags in Fiction

Character Tags in Fiction Character Tags in Fiction Character Tags in Fiction By Maeve Maddox In the parlance of fiction writing, a character tag is a repetitive verbal device used to identify a character in the mind of the reader. More than a simple description, a character tag calls to mind aspects of the characters personality and uniqueness. Uriah Heeps clammy hands, his constant hand rubbing, and his use of the word humble to describe himself and his mother are character tags that make him unforgettable. Sherlock Holmes and his violin, his shag tobacco, and his uncanny aptitude for noting and interpreting details others ignore, are only three of the numerous character tags that make him live in our imagination. Character tags may be drawn from any aspect of the characters appearance or behavior: voice gestures body carriage dialect and speech mannerisms hair clothing scent mental state A sympathetic character who has red hair may be described as having carrot red hair, while a creepy character might have hair the color of dried blood. Some characters in a novel may appear only a few times, but the most minor character needs a character tag or two to make him memorable. In The Mummers Curse Gillian Roberts introduces a minor character with this description: I didn’t recognize him, but I didnt think I should be scared. He was polite, his voice low-pitched and confident, and apparently he knew me. Besides, he was elegant. In his early forties, I thought, with prematurely silver hair uncovered despite the freezing wind, and looking none the worse for it. His topcoat was visibly soft, cashmere, I suspected, and his hands, encased in buttery brown gloves, held a leather-bound book with gold-edged pages. When the character appears again, the author reiterates some of these details, for example, the silver hair that defies the elements, the expensive attire, and the book. C. R. Corwins Morgue Mama Mysteries feature a newspaper librarian in her sixties. Many of her character tags have to do with her appearance: My name is Dolly Madison Sprowls. Im 68 years old. Im short, a little dumpy, and I havent changed my hairstyle since college. I looked up and found Chick Glass. I figured that was you, Maddy, he said. He playfully flicked my Prince Valiant bangs with his fingers. Used judiciously, character tags add dimension to the characters and enable the reader to tell them apart. Depending on what mental baggage the reader brings to the story, however, character tags can jar the reader out of the dream and cause annoyance. In the Amanda Pepper mysteries by Gillian Roberts, Amanda is a native of Philadelphia. Her boyfriend Mackenzie is from the South. One of his character tags is that he lapses into his native speech when stressed. Speech tags involving dialect and speech mannerisms can be effective, but Roberts doesnt just make use of the tag and move on; she has Amanda comment at such length on Mackenzies lapses that I grow annoyed at what seems to me to be a display of a misplaced sense of regional superiority. The Maddy Sprowls character has two character tags that yank me out of the story every time they occur. One is a speech tag and the other involves a habitual gesture. Here are examples: Are you saying Gordon was gay? Good gravy, does everything have to be about sex? She took the brick†¦How much did you pay for it? I pawed the air. It was a steal. Every time I read the interjection Good gravy, I pictured Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica from the comics. I dont know if they said it, but thats what I thought of every time and there are lots of good gravies in Dig. The other tag that never failed to jar is I pawed the air. Maddy paws the air a lot. Every time I read that tag I imagined a rearing horse. I finally decided that Corwin intended to convey the dismissive gesture one might make while saying Pshaw! Character tags are great ways to make fictional characters live, but take care to avoid any that may defeat the purpose of keeping the reader engaged in the story. More on character tags: Kaye Dacus Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?50 Idioms About Roads and PathsMood vs. Tense