Deadline Blog #5

Deadline

          I am reading  a book called "Deadline" by Chris Crutcher. My last book was "Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes." This book was also by Chris Crutcher. I loved his book, and my teacher  had another one of his books, so I decided to read it. This book first takes place in early August. The main character, Ben Wolf, wants to spend his senior year learning information that he can use in his future. He is from a small town in Idaho that only has about 943 citizens. He is very smart and has a good chance of getting into almost any college he wants to go to. He understands that many people want to enjoy their senior year and just kind of throw it off. He wants to make sure that he makes the best out of it so he can go to a great college. All this "throwing off" doesn't really interest him. He's a very smart student, focused on himself and he knows what he wants. Im excited to see what is going to be the turning point in this story. 

Character Analysis

          I think that Ben is a very focused, independent and mature person. I know this because he knows what he wants, he wants to make the right choices so he can go to a great college and work at the career he likes and wants. Also, he's very focused. He is a straight A student, and he knows he can't throw his time off like that and that he has to take advantage of every opportunity he gets. I know this because in the book he says "Seniors want to be spending off partying and drinking, I've worked too hard to get where I am, I know I won't be doing that." This shows that he's a good advocate, that he knows what's good for him and what is not. I think that is very responsible.

Brown Girl Dreaming Blog # 2

Brown girl dreaming is an outstanding book, but its very challenging. I love reading, and I love challenges. I can say this was definetely a challenged book. Specially when it came to writting the blogs. It was hard to explain everything and give a detailed summary when a story wasn't really being telled, but at the same time it was. This book by Jacqueline Woodson is written in the form of poetry. Its kind of hard to comprehend at some points, but its what makes the book exciting. 

The overall summary will be given here.  In Brown Girl Dreaming, there are many conflicts. Man vs Society conflicts. One of them, is that there is discussion of violent threats that are being made. In the 1960s-era, civil rights marchers and many others feared about traveling to the South at because of violence and cruelty towards against African Americans. The main character seems to always be confused, and angry towards all these unfair treatments based on their skin color. Other than that for the most part the people in the book are positive in their portrayals. But, it seems like Somethings are about to change. Why don't you read to find out what other turns this story is going to take? 

Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson. Check it out!

Marginalization of American Indians

 

Native Americans Marginalization

American Indians were being marginalized. They were being marginalized by kids being taken away from their homes simply because the culture, beliefs and anything that had to do with American Indians was "wrong" to Americans. These kids at first weren't forced to leave their homes, but afterwards they were taken away with no choice. They were shown how to be "proper" as of what whites thought. Americans were determined to "kill the Indian." Not literally kill them, but kill the traditions and whatever has to do with Indian culture. I know this because in the article it clearly states that: "It was not Pratt's plan to simply educate these children and teach them English. He also planned to "civilize" them- to strip them of their traditions and ways of life. Pratt believed that the children needed to completely abandon their "Indian-ness" in order to succeed in America." This shows that Indians were not "good enough" so they wanted to kill all their traditions and what represented their culture. They probably felt like they didn't exist because if Americans wanted to change them so bad, it was probably because everything was wrong with them. Also, they most likely felt like they had no voice since they couldn't do anything afterwards about their kids being taken away.

Shanice Britton's essay purpose was to show people that Native Americans are not much different from others. Throughout her essay she explains her culture, traditions and many other reasons why she's different, and why she's not. Every family has different ways of doing things, or the way they think things out. Every country has different cultures, traditions, food, celebrations, and many others. She explains that just like other countries are different and have different cultures and beliefs, so does she, but that doesn't make her much different. She wears jeans, t-shirts, a hoodie, she's just a regular teenage girl. Also, she explains that not all tribes are similar, they sometimes do other things differently. I know this because "Some people think that all Native Americans have the same culture, but I explain that each tribe has its different traditions." She wants to show people in her essay that although she's different, she's not much different from any other person. Just like any others, she can be successful as well!

Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes Blog #3

Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes

          Right now, I'm reading a book called "Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes" by Chris Crutcher. The main character's name is Eric Calhoune, but peers, and family members call him Moby. Moby is a high school student and he is currently a senior. His best friend is Sarah Byrnes. Sarah was sent to a hospital because she is refusing to speak. Sarah Byrnes was disfigured when she was burned at the age of three. Moby and Sarah have always been best friends even when Moby was being judged by everybody else because he was overweight. Sarah has always been a very strong girl. I know this because in the book on page 77 in the first paragraph it says that "I've spent more than ten hours in the psych ward with Sarah Byrnes - really and truly the toughest person in our solar system- and I'll tell you what, if life can shoot Sarah Byrnes out of the sky, it can nail me blindfolded." This explains that Sarah is and admired person by her best friend for being so brave and tough.  Im at a point in the book, where the cards are turning. Sarah is going through a lot and she is very depressed. She refuses to talk or tell her problems. Moby doesn't know if she's faking her problems, but either way he is determined to help his best friend just like she helped him.

Character Analysis

I think that Moby is a very determined and secure person. Before, when he used to get bullied his best friend was there for him, but he was insecure, shy and very depressed. But now, he's not over weight anymore. He helped himself and is now very secure and has a positive attitude towards himself and others. Very kind as well. Moby was determined to lose weight. Not just because of the bullying but because he wanted to shoe others hoe much he cared, and his determination helped him achieve his goals. Now he is determined to help out his best friend! 

          

"Tolerance"

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

    When you think of the word tolerance, what comes to mind? To me, tolerance is patience or someone that's willing to respect others opinions no matter what they believe. For example, i'm christian. If I'm Christian, and someone says they don't believe in god I'll accept their belief. I won't stop talking to them for it. Although, I may try to convince them or show more about him, I won't judge. I'll respect and be tolerant. Tolerance has a lot to do with patience. Sometimes theirs always going to be others that make some comments that will bother you. For example, I dislike it when my mom judges my friends when she barely knows them. You can't judge a book by their cover, and i dislike when my mom judges them based on their appearance. If you want to be tolerant, you need to communicate and tell the other person how you feel. Now, that i really understand the meaning of tolerance I'll be more careful about the words of phrases I use. Things like "That's so gay" can be really harmful to others. If I can prevent myself from hurting someone in any way I will, and so should you!

Invisible

 “I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids…I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me.       

                                                                                                               - Ralph Ellison

A quote so deep into thought by Ralph Ellison that explains the thoughts of many. We've all felt invisible at least once in our lives. I remember the last time I felt unknown, unheard, invisible. It was in sixth grade. Two years ago I made a lot of mistakes for a sixth grader. I was a really mean kid back then, I always talked back to my mom and my dad. My grades weren't bad, but weren't good either. I was influenced by my surroundings at school. In sixth grade, my parents (specially my mom) would pay much more attention to my older brother, and my little brother. My older brother had just got here from Colombia so he would be just as spoiled as my little 5 year old brother. I felt invisible every time they would go out to dinner and just bring me back what was left. Whenever they had a family reunion, my voice didn't count because I was a bad kid. It was my fault, but making me feel invisible didn't help. Specially, since I was going through a lot more than what they thought and later found out. I was being bullied at school as well. Drama, girls wanting to fight. It was bad at home, and also at school. I couldn't hang out with friends or go to the park because I couldn't be trusted. After the whole year of sixth grade and me feeling invisible, the summer of sixth grade i made a terrible decision. I ran away. I know, a very stupid idea but, I was a dumb kid just trying to figure things out so I could be happy. After I ran away, I went to a hospital where I was helped, and I was given advice. My mom changed a lot. She found out the reason why my actions and attitude was so terrible. She cooped with me and we both went to therapy. Afterwards, I became my mom's little girl. I started being better, more respectful and my mom and I had a better relationship. Of course we had our ups and downs but, it was much better than that past year. When 8th grade came, I matured and my mom became my best friend. I am very happy now because I feel included at home and at school as well since I moved and learned to not let others affect me. 

Blog # 1 Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

           This book is about a young African American girl that is raised in South Carolina and New York. The author Jacqueline Woodson explains in vivid poems, what it was like to grow up as an African American girl in the 1960's and 1970's during the civil rights movement. Although not everything was great during her childhood, she managed to tell every single detail in her page by page poems. She shows her point of view and her daily struggles in this story. So far in my book, she explains how her family works things out, she talks about freedom. How freedom is not a choice in her life. At least not yet.

          This book is written in the first point of view. The author is Jacqueline Woodson and she is amazing! In this story, the inspiring novel is not being told as a story. Much rather it is written in poetry, so you have to think much farther. The book looks long, but honestly its short because of the way it is written. Although it is a bit challenging because of its poetry, it makes it a little different and better to read. I am loving this book so far, and I think I will be blogging more than I usually do on any other books.