Blog Seven

I have been trying to read a new book called The Time I Joined The Circus. It is about this girl named Xandra and she doesn't live with her father because he has died. She is going to find her mother because she always leave her for the circus. While in this book, Xandra turns into Lexi because she wanted a name for the circus. I did not get much into the book because I don't really find it interesting. Im sorry to say I might abandon it.

A sign post I have found in this book is an A-Ha moment. That moment is when Lexi likes this boy named Jaime. as this continues, the other friend she makes, Lina also likes him. That A-Ha moment is when Lina finds out the Lexi and Jaime have kisses.

Last Blog

The book "Day of Tears" is a book full of twist and turns, told by many different points of views. Emma is a slave to the Butler household. She takes care of Pierces', her master, daughters. Emma fears the day that is soon to come.. the day of the biggest auction. Her master, Pierce, has many debts he has to pay off so, he creates a huge auction. The auction took place on a stormy day in Savannah, Georgia. People from all around come to buy these hard working people. Emma feels the need to teach Pierces daughters to be good people. When Pieces daughters see Emma be sold they are heart broken. Will Emma be able to survive this horrible auction? Will all these other slaves being auctioned be separated from their families? 

This book seems to have many conflicts. Small or big, all these conflicts take a huge toll on Emma and those around her. They all pray to go to good people. Or at least people who won't mistreat them as much. All these slaves have a conflict with the society they live in. Everyone around them wants to buy them for their personal benefits, but what are the benefits for these slaves? Emma hears as the families are being sold. She hears how some of the people she worked with are being separated by their family. She's worried about what's going to happen to her. She's worried about the family she might go to.

Blog Six

In my book, The Catcher In The Rye the book is being narrated in first person point of view by the main character, Holden. He lives in New York City and has been to about four different schools. The reason he keeps moving schools is because he always gets kicked out for having flunked out every subject, except English (his favorite topic). With all the schools he has been to, he notices how "phony" as he says everyone is. After being in a fight with his roommate Stradlater because of he goes out with Holden's old friend, Jane, he realizes that he doesn't want to stay at Pencey until Christmas Break because how snotty everyone is. He has quite a lot of cash on him so he makes his way to a hotel, enters the Lavender Room wanting his favorite drink, Scotch and a Coke. He's only 16 or 17, and he makes his way back up to the room making some stupid decisions. The next day he does the same, but he gets really drunk, to make his way back home to talk to his little sister, Phoebe. Out of everything in the world, he has trouble find things he enjoys, he finds out later, something he really loves is his little brother and sister.

A signpost that came up in this book is a memory moment. That moment is when Stradlater asks Holden to write his composition for him. He writes about Allie, his little brother, who died when they were in Maine from leukemia on July 18th, 1946. Anyway, the composition was about Allie's left handed baseball glove. He remembers poems being written every where on the baseball mitt. In the book it says, "My brother Allie had this left handed fielders mitt. He was left handed. The thing that was descriptive about it, though, was that he had poems written all over the fingers and the pocket and everywhere. In green ink. He wrote them on it so that he'd have something to read when he was in the field and nobody was up to bat." It didn't matter if Allie was dead or not. Holden still loves him, he loves him no matter if he was dead or alive, he even says "you don't stop loving someone just because they're dead".

Blog Number Five

In the book of The Diary of a Part-Time Indian, we meet Arnold, he is stuck between two worlds. He wants to find hope, but in order to do that, he transfers schools. From Wellpinit (reservation school) to  Reardan ("white school"). He leaves the rez and his only best friend, Rowdy. Arnold tries to get him to come with him, but Rowdy refuses and punches Arnold. Through everything, Rowdy was the one protecting Arnold from fights, and Arnold lost him. He gets to his new school and is lonely, gets picked on for being Indian, and he has a crush on a girl who is out of his league. His family is very poor, so no they use all the money they can to make Arnold look middle class. Then he tries out for the basketball team, its a good things, but he has to play against his old school, and his old best friend. Lastly, Arnold thinks that once he moved schools, not houses, that he has put a curse on his family and friends, because through one week, he lost any important people.

The way I see this book, is that it will be my favorite book. Im not the type of person to really read so much, but I found this book really interesting that I read through it fast. If I wasn't so busy, I probably would have finished the book quicker. When I read the part about his parents trying to make Arnold look middle class, I thought it was so amazing because his father is a drunk, and the thought of him not buying liquor, and using that money for Arnold was so thoughtful. Even though he still and to walk to school and home or even hitch a ride, its not like anyone knew. It seemed very depressing, can you imagine walking more then a mile just to get to a school where people didn't accept you? And if you lost more then two people in one week, do you think you would have had the energy to continue doing that? My favorite part of the book, is the ending, because it shows that not every book will have the happiest ending, it was accurate. I do recommend anyone to read this book, I know it might sound cheesy, but it was a 10/10 kind of book.

Blog Number Four

In my book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, we meet a American Indian who lives in a reservation, Junior. He knows that his family is poor, so everyday he hopes to get food. At the same time he says its okay because when they get food, he says it tastes better. He has this white best friend named Rowdy, he claims they have been friends since birth. Then one day at the school, he opens up a book, he sees that his own mother wrote the history book. He becomes angry because he knows that the school is so poor that they cannot afford real books. Junior then becomes very mad, all he wanted to do was hit something, instead he accidentally threw the book at his teachers face, and broke his nose. Mr. P, conferences with Junior, he discusses how he deserved it.

In my book, there is a conflict, Man vs. Self. In the book, Mr. P tells Junior that he needs to get out of the rez, because even Mr. P is tired of trying to get rid of Indians, that he should follow his dreams. Now Junior, he is stuck between leaving his best friend Rowdy and starting a "better life" or staying in the rez where Rowdy protects him from other white people. Junior draws a picture of his house, with two arrows pointed to it, one saying "Rez" and the other saying "Home" then on the other side of the pole he writes "Hope" and "???". If he moves, he knows it will be expensive, but he also knows if he leaves, the Indians will be angry with him if they ever come back. His mother tells him "You'll be the first one to ever leave the rez this way, the Indians around here are going to be angry with you." This proves that it will be hard for him to just transfer school, he stuck between being with people who accept him with not enough education or with people who treat him like a nobody and have little more education.

American Indian Analysis

American Indians were marginalized from society because white people were killing them. They didn't kill them physically, but the white people were trying to get rid of their culture. White people tried turning these American Indians into Whites, as in, the way they dressed, acted, and spoke To be taught not to be like your family, to even separate you, you didn't know how to live like them, you become different. In the text it says, "'Kill the Indian, save the man,' was Pratt saying." This proves that the captain would want these American Indians to change for the "better", but it wasn't better, it was only different. It also says "Along with his new name came a new look. His long hair was cut short. His leggings and moccasins were taken away, replaced by an itchy wool uniform and black leather boots." With this text, white people took away the American Indians tradition. Its killed who they were on the inside by taking away what they had on the outside.

The purpose of Shanice Britton writing this essay was to inform everyone, that American Indians are no different. In the text it says "We live in houses with electricity and running water. I take showers, watch Finding Carter on MTV, and wear jeans, just like any other teen." They way she explains how she lives is just like us, just like us because, "There are paved roads and a small grocery store, a gas station, and restaurants." American Indians aren't always people who wear feathers, wear moccasins, and leggings, but when that does happen its mostly at the ceremonies. The clothing they wear at the ceremonies, the music that plays, and the songs they sing, its just like how they remind themselves of their own traditions that were passed on. But sadly, some things that have died out because of the white people, one was: language, because not even Shanice learned it. Even though she tries to, it will still take her awhile because she learns at the ceremonies.

Perks of being a Wallflower

In my book we meet a boy named Charlie. He starts writing letters, but he does not address them to a particular person. Then it explains how he only had one friend, Michael, the thing is, Michael did something terrible. He has committed suicide, Charlie hates the fact that he never knew there was something wrong, but now he goes into high school, alone. As he gets through it the first weeks, he has to cope with some new things he wasn't used to in middle school. Later on, his English teacher, Bill then knows how smart Charlie is, so he gives him more advanced books. Charlie has two siblings, and older sister and brother, but his brother started college and his sister is a senior. No matter if Charlie was depressed and had anxiety, he still kept it a secret. Till he met two siblings, Sam and Patrick, they showed him happiness and makes him forget about the bad things.

My reflection on the book, I think if you don't understand the way he feels, you wouldn't really understand the book. Honestly, I think this is the best book I have read. I can connect to most feelings he has had. When he's friends stopped talking to him, he didn't know what to do anymore. All because of a stupid mistake. To be a smart student, doesn't mean you can't be depressed, it doesn't stop anything. If you're feeling alone, maybe you should read this book, because you can probably relate and you won't feel so alone.

How can I be more tolerant?

Tolerance: the ability or willingness to allow the existence, occurrence, or practice of something in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.

I can be more tolerant with others by letting them express there feelings without me interrupting them and judging. To me, tolerance kind of means to be respectful of someones opinion and presence. We can live a more tolerant life if everyone won't be rude and let someone just express a few respectful things. Some moments I have with intolerance is when I'm trying to say what I think or feel about things and my brothers interrupt with, "did I ask for your opinion?" or "no one cares about what you think". With them saying that it just makes me give up on continuing my ideas about a particular topic. I will change the way I act so I can make people feel important, if we actually listen to their ideas maybe it'll be a good one. It will get people to feel included and boost up their self esteem.

Second Blog of 4th Quarter

In my book Perks of Being a Wallflower, it is now getting towards the end of the year for Charlie. He feels alone, isolated, like he lost everyone but he knows it was his own mistake. He's a freshman who has feelings or this girl named Sam. But Sam has a boyfriend named Craig and Charlie knows he cannot interfere with them because he loves her so much where he doesn't want to hurt her. He goes out on dates with Sam's best friend, Mary Elizabeth. He thinks they're just going on dates but Mary Elizabeth keep talking to him everyday and Charlie now is getting impatient. With the whole squad together, they play truth or dare, Charlie always picks dare because he doesn't want to hurt Mary Elizabeth with the truth.

The theme in this book is friendship. The problems they always had they still got over it. At my school, Heritage, you can't be friends with people because everyone holds grudges and are so ignorant. At least Patrick, Sam, Charlie and the others would always hang out at Big Boys or at the parties they threw. Also, Charlie seems to be depressed at some times, its not always the easiest thing to get over and to have friends to actually get your mind off of things, thats the best feeling. Towards the end of the book, I don't want to say who, but there is this fight and no matter if Patrick and Sam weren't talking to Charlie, Charlie still jumps in. In the book it says "Then, she said that Mary Elizabeth and she got over it, and she thanked me for taking Patrick's advice and staying away for as long as I did because it made things easier. So, then I said, 'So, can we be friends now?' 'Of course,' was all she said. 'And Patrick?' 'And Patrick.' 'And everyone else?' ' And everyone else.' Thats when I started crying." With all of this, Sam didn't make fun of him or even so no to being friends again. That proves she did want to still be friends with Charlie even though he was younger then all of them.

4th Quarter First Reading Blog

In my book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower there is this boy named Charlie. He is an emotional 15 year old that just entered high school. He met this guy named Patrick and he has a step sister that Charlie has little bit of feelings for. He has special dreams about her, and he thought it was disrespectful so he told her. Once he told her, she started laughing and thought it was cute. All three of them start hanging out more, they all from to homecoming together and he called the feeling he had "infinite". But on December 21, they had a Secret Santa party, and Charlie got a suit from Patrick, and Sam (step sister) gave him a typewriter because she knew how much he liked writing. Also Charlie really loves reading books and he's good at it to. So he's consoler makes him do different projects because he's higher then the rest of the class.

In the story, Charlie is emotional. I know this because in the story he tells us how he cries a lot. He doesn't cry for the simplest things but he does cry when he feels bad about something, or if he's happy. Also in the story it tells us he's grandpa is a very stubborn man. Charlie tells us "My grandfather is definitely more stubborn then she is." That proves to us that the grandfather is stubborn, because he fights with his own daughter and granddaughter.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

In my book "The Perks Of Being A Wallflower" its just the narrator telling us what happened. Happened like how there was this guy at his school that committed suicide but he doesn't understand why. I didn't really get far in the book, only to where it describes  how people were like around the school. There was an assembly for the student that killed himself and they let his close friends say something during.

The POV in this story is 1st. I know this because in the story it says "They called my brother to pick me up". This proves that when he said "I" It wasn't in dialogue. If it was in a dialogue when he said it, it would have been in 3rd person point of view, and its him talking about his friends, not like someone who isn't in the story. He is, he's the main person.

Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

In this nonfiction book based on true events, it has information telling us the days in Hiroshima and Hiroshima. It informs us that what these Japanese people did before the bomb to stay protected. But, when a false alarm was sent in Hiroshima, everyone went back to their normal schedule, and thus the bomb was dropped. It then explains how U.S. dropped the bomb because of what the Japanese first started. Yet they got together many scientists to help create the bomb that was dropped. After, it says how everything in the city was now rubble but it was better in Nagasaki because the mountains took most hits.. The buildings and streets weren't the only things to get destroyed in the city, many people have died from this, and if the bomb didn't kill them, they lye there burnt, with skin hanging off, everything burned off, and in need of water. The only water that came was rain, but it was full of radiation and rain. After the bombing in Nagasaki, the Emperor of Japan now surrendered and the war was now over. Even after the war, the victims still live with these horrible scars and disabilities then they get discriminated for. On the other hand, every year on August 6th, many people come to and old monument that was left over from the bomb, light candles, and let lanterns go with the dead family members names on it.

As a result of reading this book, I really thought it was informative and would be really great for someone else to read this book if they didn't know what happened in the bombing. I liked how the book was really focused on the bombing because it gave some information about what also happened in Germany and the Soviet Union. Although if you did know about the happenings in WWII I would still suggest you read this book because it tells more details about the days after the bombing. It was a really good idea when I read that the Emperor has finally sent out a radio cast that he has surrendered. If he hadn't, half a million Americans would be dead if the war kept going as they invaded Japan. Also, for the Japanese to have no hatred, because they are happy the war is finally over, is very brave. We hurt innocent, and they aren't mad, for them to just do the same rituals every year I see the Japan should have pride.

Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

In my book "The Bombing Of Hiroshima and Nagasaki" it tells us howe the days were like in Hiroshima. Many Hiroshiman's were hiding in their bomb shelters ready for the bomb to come and they can be safe. There was this raid siren that had went off and everyone was ready for this bomb to come, but after awhile it never came. Everyone had came out and gone back to their normal lives, but then as time passed, there were three planes that flew across the sky with the bomb coming down. The bomb had vaporized many, only leaving shadows behind. The surviors were hard to recognize with their skin peeled off and the ground level was 5,400°F.

With the dropping of the bomb, in my opinion, I think it was a good thing and a bad thing. Its hard to pick a side when it comes to this. Many Japanese and Americans were somewhat of happy that the war was now over. I don't like the word "revenge" when it comes to war. Just because they bombed Pearl Harbor, our military bases, didn't mean we have to bomb many innocent civilians in Japan. Especially that it took them forever to repair the damages we've done. We cannot repair the damage we have done to their families, the radiation they carry, the high risks of cancer from generation to generation,

The Bombing Of Hiroshima & Nagasaki

In the book I'm reading The Bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki it is informing us about the trageties of World War II. It also says how Albert Einstein had moved to the US because of the Nazis hating Jews. He had made a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt about Germans successfully splitting the bomb. Then, the Japanese made women from ages 17- 40 help around cities and men 15-60 join war. Lastly, the president gathers up many scientists to made the Manhattan Project.

In this book the main conflict is war. Americans are fighting off the Japans after they have bombed. Then, Great Britain with allies try to make sure Nazi Germany stays out before they invade. Another conflict in this book is for America to be the first country and people to create the first atomic bomb before Japan or Germany does. In the book it says "warning that the Germans had successfully split an atom of the element uranium." It also says "the worlds first atomic bomb before either Germany or Japan." It proves that these conflicts problems that Americans have to face and somehow resolve.

Nonfiction Blog

In my book "The Bombing Of Hiroshima and Nagasaki" it imforms us about how it affected both the Americans and the Japanese. Japan had a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor which killed 2,400 soldiers. Many Americans knew they were ready to join the war and fight back. it also tells us how since the men stepped up to join war, women stepped up to join in the workforce.

This war starting in 1939 when Hitler became Dictator and invaded Poland and took over. In the book  it says " Six years earlier, 1939 German troops under the direction of dictator Adolf Hitler had invaded Poland, sparking World War II, which soon became a brutal , bloody conflict involving nearly every nation on Earth." It also happened on December 7th, 1941 when the Japanese bombed Hawaii.

If I Stay pt. 3

In the book I am reading, If I Stay, Mia is in a coma and she sees everything and has the ability to walk. As she walks around the hospital she hears her family talk about her. She hears a nurse say "She runs the show," which makes her think. She realizes she can wake up from this coma whenever she wants. She has to pick either to leave or stay, she sees that leaving will be fine because she doesn't know a way to live without her parents. But leaving, that means she will leaven her boyfriend Adam and her best friend Kim.

The setting in this book is in Oregon. It is winter time which many people in the hospital are saying that this accident was caused because of the icy roads. The hospital they are at is in Portland. These memories she keeps bringing back are in various places like, Kim's house, music camp, high school. In the book it also tells us how Adam in Kim are trying to find their way to the ICU because that is where Mia is.

If I Stay pt. 2

In my book If I Stay, Mia has been in a terrible accident with her whole family. Now the rest of her family are in the waiting room. She tells us the backgrounds of everyones life. Like how her parents met, how they were before, how she met he best friend. She sees everybody, but no one can see her. Her grandparents come into the room where all these tubes are in her, and her grandfather calls her Duck, it was a nickname when she was little and she has this little feeling that things will get better.

The conflict in this book is self vs. self. It shows us that Mia is seeing everyone. she has the ability to walk, and she looks like she has no injuries. But, then she looks on one of the hospital beds and see herself lying there with tubes in here and laying unconscious. I figured it was self vs. self because in the book it says, "It shows her lungs are healing and her internal injuries are stabilizing. The question mark is still the brain contusions,". It tells us that she has the possible chance to still be alive, or die from severe brain injuries.

If I Stay

In the story If I Stay, Mia gets school cancelled because it starts snowing. Since, they live in Oregon the amount of snow they had, their mother calls off for work, and they all plan to visit their parent's friends and their grandparents. Mia tells us how she feels different from her family, how they are trying to decide which station to listen to on the car ride over. As they are driving her favorite type of music comes on, classical. But then she hears a big bang, and she sees the car accident. She sees her dad, her mom, she then sees what she thinks is her brother, but it is her. She doesn't want to look for her brother because she's scared to see what happened, so she just stays there and listens to the classical music as it dies out to.

Sign Post; In this book, there is a memory moment. It is when Mia goes to the hospital. Her and her brother, Teddy, get separated after being in an accident. Mia goes to one in a city where her boyfriend took her on their first date. She tells us how everything went that day. How they met, how him and her parents got along. She keeps thinking about all the memories she had with each of her family members.

Goals 2k15

In 2015 what I want to accomplish is passing 8th grade with no grades below B's. I will do this by taking notes in every class. Study for tests and be prepared, being prepared will make the test simpler for me to take it. When I ask questions it will help me understand to help me pass the classes. When I finish 8th grade, with my grades up, it will make me happy knowing that I can actually finish things I started.

Also by the end of 2015 I want to still be on the Mustang team. To be as good as the Freshman League, cause they play Juniors. I can do this by practicing twice a weak. Working on my dribbling, passing, shooting. Staying fit will allow me to run without losing my pace. I need to know that once I step on that court nothing is impossible only if I make it. I need to have confidence, doing this I will try out for the Morton freshman team and make it.