Final Blog

Blogging has taught me a lot of things about myself as a reader. Blogging has taught me that reading at any level can be turned into a deeper level of thinking. The book and the amount of thinking you can do on it are not relying on eachother. I've read a variety of levels of books and blogged about them and the thinking I did on all were deep level thinking.

Writing online was a good experience for me because it can be liberating. Writing online can get what you want to say, out to a bigger audience that is harder to achieve in person. Writing online makes it easy to flow the thoughts you want to share with the world. However, writing online can also be limiting. Writing online to an audience means that almost anyone can view what you are putting into the world, and everyone can have different views on the world. Writing online is limiting because sometimes your opinion is not appropriate for society and isn't socially acceptable. Writing online can also be limiting because offending someone is something you want to avoid. I personally haven't run into anyone saying my blogs were offensive but an argument about the content of your blog isn't something you want in the comments.

I think that writing online can differ from who you are off of the computer. Writing online makes me feel like I have a clean slate. Sometimes things I say on my blogs contradict what the real me would do in a situation my character faces. I think it's just being online that makes us feel like we can say whatever we want. I think blogging is a very personal thing and because we don't know when our blog is being viewed we sometimes feel as if they aren't and that anything we say will be out there, so we're relieved; but not seen, because no response is given.

Lastly, I think that people say things that they wouldn't say face to face with someone. I feel like people use the computer and the internet as a place to hide when they want their opinion to be expressed in a way they know isn't going to go down well with others. People use computers as cover because nothing on the internet can have consequences that we see outside, and that is the biggest problem.

Romeo and Juliet essay

   In the play "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet have a clear hidden relationship which is hard to maintain. It is clear that Romeo and Juliet have trust and hope as well as doubt in their fate together.

   The sign of hope or trust in their fate together, by Romeo, stood out to me in Friar Lawrence's cell 2.6.8 "It is enough I may but call her mine." This shows that Romeo has gotten married and is committed to their relationship even if it is in secret. Having a marriage in secret or not secret shows a lot of commitment  I think in this case, having commitment can be considered having hope or trust in something. Another time we see that Romeo has trust in their relationship comes a lot later in the play, 5.1.25  "Then I defy you, stars!" I think that it shows a strong trust in their relationship because to try and defy stars, something that is known and an icon of every night, shows just how powerful his hope is. This shows ways that Romeo has trust in their relationship.

   There is also hope and trust that is shown by Juliet. Her trust and hope also comes out in 2.6.33-34 "But my true love is grown to such excess I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth." For Juliet's love to grow to such an extent there needs to be hope and trust that this relationship is something special and that's what we see here. Another time I think that we can see how Juliet has trust and hope in her relationship with Romeo is in 3.5.255 "If all else fail, myself have power to die." I think that this shows her commitment to Romeo because if she cannot be with him she would rather be dead. Nobody wants to die, so if she is striving to be alive, she's striving and has hope in her relationship with Romeo.

   The doubt in their fate together comes before the relationship. There doubt is not falling in love with each other but doubting that they will fall in love at all. 1.3.103-105 "I'll look to like if looking liking move but no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly." This shows that Juliet doesn't think that she will fall in love at all. Romeo's doubt is shown early too, 1.1.246 "Thou canst not teach me to forget." This shows that Romeo thinks that he will never fall in love with anyone except for Rosaline. Both Juliet and Romeo's doubts of love come before they meet each other.

   In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet both do have trust and doubts in their relationship together. Their trust in their fate overpowers any doubt that they have had before falling in love. 

Reading Response: The Rules of Survival

In the book I'm read "The Rules of Survival", I feel like Matt the main character has some responsibilities that I don't think any regular teenager would look forward to. With a mother as crazy as his along with his younger sisters he has a lot to balance as a kid.

In this book I feel like it is unfair that Matt has to deal with the life he has. Matt has to take care of his sisters because at any moment his mom could lose it. She goes insane putting the well being of the kids into pure danger and gets enraged. Their mother is a hard situation to deal with. I think that having a mother who is like Matt's mother is hard because she is in charge and out of control. If the person who is supposed to be in charge and makes all the rules gets to lose control and break all of the rules, who puts her in place? The answer is nobody, and I think that Matt has been struggling with this because it's hard to fight back with your mom, whether she's crazy or not.

I also think that Matt's sisters do not realize how bad their situation is. The girls are just keen on staying out of their mother's sight when she gets mad- as if it were a daily routine. Meanwhile, Matt gets beaten and hit and hurt and left defenseless all because he's the only one who wants to take it. He doesn't take it because he likes it obviously, but because he has a big sense of responsibility and knows he must take care of his sisters.

All in all I think that Matt has a lot more responsibilities than the average kid. With all the things he goes through I find it hard that we could consider his life a childhood. The responsibility he has shows tremendous character, patience, and love for his sisters.

Post On Others

http://allflyby.blogspot.com/

   Attached is Amelia Olsen's blog. I think that her post "Mercy" is a great example of a model blog post because in her post she talks about not only the book but about the author. I never thought of going back to an author and linking the book to other books that the author has written. You can notice a lot of things if you go back and look from an author's first and second book.

I think that people should look at this blog post because not only did she look back at the actual author but she referred to the text a lot. There was no questioning what she was talking about because all of her evidence was right there in plain sight because she told you it was in the book.

There is not much to say about her blogposts. They are just good quality blogs and she is very consistent. No blog is less exciting or less interesting than the last. If you're looking for a mentor or just a good read going to her blog is a good choice.

Response: The Giver

      

   Currently I am reading the book The Giver, and as I have just started there is something I noticed right off the bat: Everything in this community is organized. If you have read this book then you know that it's not the organization that is good, but it's more of an over-done organization. Everything has a function, there are many rules, and everyone is assigned a job based on who they are. Even your kids are chosen for you! I think that while being organized and everything having a place is nice; there should be more freedom and not knowing aspect to their lives.

   The reason I think that everything being organized is good is because you can know where everything is, and have a quick easy job locating things, people, places and more. Being organized and everything having a place is nice, it makes people and things feel like they have a purpose and that they are important to the society. This is just one of the many reasons why being organized is good.

   The reason why I think being organized to extent that the community in my book is bad is because there is not enough free will. People should be allowed to make decisions and make mistakes without being corrected by someone else. The whole point of living is to learn from experience and I think people in this community are being robbed of having a life. The most basic of things are determined for you, your interests, your job, your kids and family too! I feel like in this book things have gone too far. Too many people are missing out because of too much organization.

Reading Response: Grapes of Wrath

In the book "Grapes Of Wrath" by Steinbeck, one of the characters in the part I'm up to is named Joad. Now Joad isn't any regular guy, he has been in jail for four years on account of homicide. I think that based on the fact that he got out so early, a lot has changed from this time period to now. 

The first thing that is definitely something that has changed since the past is the fact that someone could go and kill someone and get four years even if the other person ad a knife. I think that in today's society we count things for what we hear and don't let anybody explain themselves. I think that if he were to stand in front of a jury in 2013 he would've been sentenced to death/life in prison because no matter how you slice it, he took someone's life.

The second thing that I think has changed is that in the book hitchhiking is Joad's mode of transportation. In today's society we don't hitchhike because it is considered dangerous and nobody could trust eachother. Back in the time of the book, there were no real crazy people, a psychopath could get a lift so long as he/she didn't do anything to the driver. This shows the way things have changed.

As you can see, a lot has changed since then to now. I think that some things changed for the good, safety. On the other hand, I think that some things have changed for the bad and that is an area of improvement.;

Reading Response: The Hunger Games

In the book "The Hunger Games" Katniss as most people know, volunteers to step up to participate in a competition to the death in place of her sister Prim. This being the second time I am reading this I have been focusing on a smaller part of the book, the beginning. Katniss sacrificing herself for someone who she cares about really spoke to me because it was a brave thing to do and being brave isn't easy.

The first reason why I think this was something bold is because not many people would do it. In the book the whole district was shocked that someone would volunteer their life for anyone. How many people do you know would do something like this? The answer is probably very little if any, this is because being brave isn't always easy even if your being brave for someone who you should (in this case her sister).

Another reason why this was very bold was because Katniss stepped up in front of a large crowd. In life, a lot of people have stage fright when they aren't even on stage. How do we know if Katniss was one of these people? We don't but whether or not someone has stage fright or not, stepping up and being the center of attention in front of people is always difficult.

In conclusion Katniss's decision really did set up the book and with a bang. She did something bold, something only special people, people with a special quality could do. Step up when someone is in need especially when it's crunch time.

Moral Hazard

In the book I started called "Moral Hazard" by Kate Jennings, it is no secret that Kate Jennings was once poor. One thing I think is very interesting that relates to the world more than just to the book is that people shouldn't give up just because things aren't going their way. Kate Jennings is a perfect example.

One way that Kate Jennings is a good example of this is that she went from being successful to her business crashing and her going broke. She didn't give up she got back up and got a job when times were tough. A lot of people nowadays are just the type to sit down and ask the world why they were the ones to have something terrible happen to them but not her. She went and continued to work. She tried and tried and tried. She went nowhere for a while, but in the end, it paid off

Another way that she is a perfect example of how people should be like is that she didn't expect anything, and still doesn't. Throughout this book there is no sign of her trying to get an excuse for herself even if some things were her fault. She doesn't look for pity even though something terrible happened to her. This is yet another way how she is a role model people should strive to be like.

All in all I think that we could see that no matter what happens to you in your life, there are people that's have things happen to them and keep on going.

Ladies First: Social Issue

In the book I'm reading, "Ladies First" by Ken Rappoport, we follow stories of how women used to not get a chance to play sports at all, and sports were considered only for men to what it is now. This book is about all of the female athletes that made a difference.

One thing that was very interesting that i noticed was that all of them had to overcome the same challenge: proving that women are just as good as men at their sport. The sports that these women played ranged from swimming and basketball to rock climbing and dog sled racing. I think that it is very interesting that this book shows all of their progress as a huge win, and for them it is, but nowadays are women not being segregated from male sports? Why is there a WNBA for women and an NBA for men? Why is there baseball for males and softball for girls? All of the sports that girls participate in are segregated so what did these women do? These women were some of the few women to challenge the world and try to break the barrier and for that they are recognized.

Sports segregation is just as bad as any discrimination there is out there in the world. Who makes the rules that girls and boys or men and women cannot play together? How is it his/her call to make? If all people are created equal why is it that we are separated. I also feel as if it isn't only the men in the situations fault. Why don't girls who think this is unfair go out and do something about it?

In conclusion, women and men are just as equally responsible for why there is sexism in sports but why should there be? If were all human why can't humans play each other on the professional level without it being a big deal? What if a girl is better than the leading boy? Then she is the champion of the sport but we will never know these situations.

Is Justice Served? Of Mice and Men

    I am reading the book Of Mice and Men, and while reading it I see that there is an angle in the story that shows injustice. The injustice right now is that Lennie isn't as smart as everyone else and is being penalized for it. He gets yelled at by George and even people who don't know him like the farmer/rancher.

    The first time we see Lennie being penalized for being mentally challenged is when he finds a mouse and wants to keep it. This wouldn't be as bad as it was if George hadn't already told him not to. Lennie is very forgetful and I think that's because he has the brain capacity of a child. To be penalized with something that you have no control over isn't fair.

    The second time we see Lennie being served this injustice is when George doesn't even allow him to speak for himself and on top of that, blames Lennie for not talking. This happens when the rancher asks Lennie what he could do and George steps in and tries to do too much for them. The rancher gets suspicious and George blames Lennie when it was clearly his fault.

    I don't think that Lennie sees all of this as injustices because he has never been normal. I don't think that justice can be served until George and Lennie get their own piece of land and Lennie is allowed to take care the things he wants like rabbits and mice.

What really difficult or complex things are happening in your book?- Of Mice and Men

In this book two people George and Lennie have a friendship. They are friends that dream to eventually own an acre of land that they call their own. George is a small framed man, and sharp enough in the head. Lennie on the other hand, has the mind of a little kid and it's ironic because he's such a big guy. Anyways, in reading this book and following their journey so far, a complex and difficult issue that is occurring is that dealing with someone who doesn't have as sharp of a mind as everyone else can really effect a life.

One way that we see that dealing with someone like this can effect a life is in the first scene where we see them in the woods and Lennie has a mouse. Anyone with a right mind knows not to mess around with rodents let alone a mouse because they carry harmful diseases. This is hard for George because he tries his very hardest not to get mad with Lennie because he knows that he isn't as sharp up top as everyone else. In this case I feel for George because as we see, it's not an easy task to deal with someone like this.

I can connect the situation that George is in to real life because it's almost as if he is a parent to Lennie. The problem with all of this, as you may have already figured out, Lennie is mentally touched. I think that by having Lennie's character be this way we really do see all of the sacrifices someone makes for a person like this especially if they are like a parent. George doesn't have to lose his jobs because of Lennie but if he didn't Lennie would be all on his own and just the way a parent would be, George is not going to abandon his friend.

In Conclusion I think that a really complex and difficult issue that this book is showing us is how people live with mentally challenged people because with Lennie the way he is, it restricts George's freedom by forcing him to make sacrifices. The same way parents would make sacrifices for their children is the way George is making sacrifices.

Reading Response: The Outsiders S.E Hinton

    In reading this book about a kid, Ponyboy, who is in a gang we see all of the relationships that he has with the rest of the gang members. I'm mentioning that he has relationships with other people because I think that the relationship you have with someone  could determine the action when they are the subject.

    One thing that I think effects the social action you take on a person is the reputation or respect level you have for them. For example, in my book Pony comes across another gang member who he doesn't really like but says:"I didn't like him, but he was smart, and you had to respect him." This shows that who someone is/social status affects ones social action towards him if Pony will respect him even if he knows he doesn't like him.

    As you can see Pony is a good example for what I am trying to say. Just because society says that he has to respect someone who he doesn't think deserves it, he still has to. I think that the least he could do in terms of social action is to at least say something.

Blogpost: The Outsiders S.E Hinton

   I have just started the book 'The Outsiders' by S.E Hinton and it is about a boy named Ponyboy who lives with his brothers and is in a gang. Ponyboy is fourteen years old and is actually very confused. I think he is confused for a number of reasons that I will explain now.

   The first reason why I think that Ponyboy is confused is because he lost his parents and his older brothers are working. You may not see what I mean just yet, but without a father figure who is his role model? Ponyboy is left alone and doesn't have anyone to go to unlike the way we do in our lives. Sometimes I feel lost and confused even though I do have someone I can  go to, so for him it must be a lot worse and a lot harder to figure things out on your own. 

   I think that this  whole thing can lead to an emotional toll that we see in the form of him being in a gang. Being in a gang is like having another family or at least, trying to get one. I think that the whole concept of his gang is just his own community, even if it is just a life of fighting and trouble. All of this is just showing how confused this poor boy is.

   After looking at Ponyboy like this, I think that all of the things that he is doing and going through, is just him attempting to find himself. He's trying to find himself through the things that he knows; streets and gangs. The streets and gangs are just a substitute for his family, so what I really think he's trying to do, is find his family.

Reading Response: Things Get Hectic #2

In the book, "Things Get Hectic," we as the reader follow different stories about abuse. I think that one main thing that we see in almost all of the stories told from victims or witnesses, is that there is guilt.

The first time I sensed that someone was feeling guilty, was when a witness said they felt as if they should have done more to help her friend. This means that she feels like she didn't do enough to stop a murder. I think that even though it wasn't a witnesses fault they're going to feel bad just because he/she was there. When something bad happens, we as humans, just naturally feel bad about it. So I think that if you were an actual person to see someone get hurt or die, and you being the only human able to do something makes you feel like you should've even if it could've put you in danger. One thing that this makes me wonder about is that, if someone would put their life in danger for that friend that is in danger, and get killed, how would the friend that was involved cope with the fact that their friend died for them? Wouldn't that just send them into a guilty stage themselves? I'm not so sure how I would go about saving a friend.

Another thing that I think happens in this book is that, people feel guilty not for being a witness or anything but feeling bad about being the victim. This is especially common in sexual abuse stories. I think that the reason the victims feel guilty is because they feel like this happened to them because they did something wrong, even if they were a saint. They feel like any random good person wouldn't have had anything like this happen to them, but what they don't understand is that it's okay and its not their fault. Someone took advantage of them and it's not their fault.

All in all, I think that in this book and as we follow these stories, there is an overarching feel of guilt. To be reading these stories and to feel guilty that these people had to go through things like this, and that had to suffer, just makes us feel bad. We should just all be grateful, and hope that nobody ever has to be one to have to experience this guilt.   

Reading Response: Things Get Hectic

   In the book I'm reading Things Get Hectic by Phillip Kay, the book doesn't focus on just one kid, or teenager. The book follows different kids and tells their stories of abuse and rough life experiences that they have had. Through all of the things we see in this book, I think that the biggest thing the author wants us to realize, is that we should remember that we have it good. We have good lives and we shouldn't forget that many others have it worse than us.

   One way I think that we are lead to feel like we should open our eyes and see we have good lives, is based on the structure of the book. The whole book is composed of how people had to live through these traumatic abuse experiences throughout their lives. Although the experiences usually get solved, they still end up needing something from the victim. For example, in one kid's story his father was his abuser. In order for his situation to end and for him to feel safe he had to wait until his dad died. This makes me feel like the situation must've been so much worse than what the author could have shown because, how bad does a situation have to be if in order for you to be safe, the person who was supposed to make you who you are, dies? As a result of reading this story, you feel sympathetic and grateful for the lives we have.

   Another way that this book makes me realize how good of a life I really have, is when you compare it to people in way extreme situations and it matches up. For example, when I was reading this book, I couldn't help but be reminded about the article "Armed and Underaged." I think that these two texts relate because although their situations are different, they are both child victims, kids my age, that are undergoing these traumatic experiences. The experiences range from being sold into child warfare by your parents (Armed and Underaged), to abuse by your own parents (Things Get Hectic). These young people are my age and here I am, on my computer writing about how I feel bad for them, on the internet. I have all of these things and opportunities and reading Things Get Hectic, really did help me realize it.

   In conclusion, I have realized that my life isn't bad at all compared to the lives of some kids my age, and some people in general. So if you are in a position like me, ask yourself, how bad do we really have it?

Reading Response: Am I Blue?

In reading, "Am I Blue?" by Bruce Coville, we can see Bruce Coville speaking his mind through his character, Melvin. We see Bruce Coville make a statement about homosexuality. All of this is said by 'Melvin' as he helps Vince, the main character, get through the bad parts of being/trying to figure out if you are gay.

One time we see Bruce Coville stick up for homosexuals is when 'Melvin' tells Vince he's been through it. "Listen honey, I have nothing but sympathy for you. I had to deal with my share of troglodytes when I was your age, and i know its no fun." I think this is really not just the character Melvin telling Vince that he's been there but really Bruce Coville letting everyone who has this problem that he's been here before, and that they aren't alone. He's letting them know that they aren't alone when it comes to being called things and beaten up, whether you are gay or not. Bruce Coville is also saying that it's okay to be different and that the people who are bullying kids about liking the same gender, should cut it out because it is NOT okay.

Another time we see Bruce Coville stick up for gays through Melvin is when he says, "I met him at a party on the other side once. Nice guy." I think what he is saying here in disguise is that gay people go to heaven too, which means it's not a sin. I think Bruce Coville is saying that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being attracted to the same gender. Many would disagree and many would agree, but here I think it is clear that Bruce Coville is giving himself a voice to say this, through Melvin.  I think this shows yet another time. 

In conclusion, after reading "Am I Blue?" we can see several instances where Bruce Coville comes out through his character and sticks up for what he thinks is right, in this case a non-prejudice towards gays.

The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

In "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh" by Ray Bradbury, Joby a fourteen year old boy, runs off to be part of the war. We find him under a peach tree, scared of the battle that is about to take place.He is only a kid, but by the end of the story, he has gone through a major change. He goes from being no longer a scared and nervous kid; but a confident and mature man.

We see Joby as that scared and nervous kid at the beginning of the story. I think that the reason he is nervous is because he has realized that he doesn't know what could happen. Anything, for good or for life changing terrible.I could understand that Joby was crying because i have been in his shoes. I don't mean that i have been at war, but we've all been scared for the reason that we don't know what could happen to us in certain situations that we find ourselves in. We can't be blamed for crying or not knowing because sometimes even the people in charge don't know what is going to happen, and they are scared too. For example, in the text it says, "You want to cry some more, go on ahead. I did the same last night." This shows why Joby was scared and nervous about the upcoming battle.

On the other hand, We do see Joby's change by the end of the story. "I was the Drummer Boy at Shiloh"

"Yes Sir."

These two lines show Joby's change because he is accepting his role as the drummer boy at Shiloh. He realizes that this is his responsibility and he steps up to claim it. Not only does this show that he is accepting his responsibility but he is maturing. He is not longer a kid who is crying. He is talking to the GENERAL OF THE ARMY. His age says that he is a kid, but these actions, compared to the beginning show he is a confident and mature man.

In conclusion, we don't see a kid pulling through a war the same way we see a kid nowadays pulling through a tough time. We see a boy who went to war and before the war has even started he changed. Joby has matured but most of all, he was the drummer boy of Shiloh.

Blogpost One: A Long Walk To Water

A Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park, is a book about a man named Salva works towards bringing water to his tribe and the opposing tribe's land. The story begins as Salva as a kid. He goes to school one day but a war breaks out. He is then forced by the circumstances to walk with the group he has found to a refugee camp. The walk was very long and tiring for young Salva but the people he meets and loses along the way keep him motivated and focused on one day getting back to his family.

Years pass as young Salva develops into a teen. He had spent his childhood in a refugee camp and hasn't seen his family in almost six years!

Anyways, I think that A Long Walk To Water is a great book because it teaches us lessons. The first lesson I think this book teaches us is that people have it bad growing up but are still able to do really great things with their lives and actually use it as motivation. We see that he uses bad experiences when his friend has died. Instead of breaking down and becoming weak, he insists to himself that he carry on for his sake, and that he finishes the journey in honor of him.

Another lesson that this book teaches us, and something that I thought about was, that we should be grateful for who we do have. Those of us who have families and kids that live in good areas, and pretty much anyone who lives in America takes this for granted. Instead of counting the things we don't have, i think we should count the things we do have, the people we have, and the places we are lucky to be in.

Lastly, I recommend this book to pretty much anyone who is looking for a good book.