Racist Emotions...
Not Guilty.
11 other boys like
Me were on heathen juries.
It ain't right
heathen juries
Soon's I get grown-
Unfair
Make it right
He says he's gonna get you.
We're scared for you.
We've got a good chance
they didn't have to give him death, they could've gave him twenty years
go up to Montgomery and change the law.
Make it right.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
"To Kill a Mockingbird" By:Stanley Suter SPOILERS!!!
Prompt-Who is you favorite character? Who is your least Favorite character? Why?
This week I have been reading 'To Kill a Mockingbird" By Harper Lee, and I've liked it much more than I thought I would. I've also read a little bit further than the rest of my classmates, so unless you are on chapter 25 (or if you want a summary), you should probably leave the page. Anyway, so far the case has just finished, and Tom was found guilty. However, he isn't being sentenced directly to death, instead he has been appealed to a higher court, which Atticus thinks will have a less racist/bias jury. In thanks, the black community of Tom's church has sent them piles and piles of food in appreciation. I wouldn't like to give any more spoilers, so I'll just go to the prompt.
My favorite character would probably be Jeremy Finch, because he has the child like fun to him, while still being a little bit mature and knowing. He has a good amount of control over scout, and doesn't get beaten as much as her, but he isn't completely serious or boring either. He likes making schemes to get out of the house, and do things that his father and Aunt explicitly tell him not to do. He understood what his Father's strategy was in opening Tom's faults right at the beginning, and making him look more open and less guilty, while showing he was a good man. I do not like that he spanks his own sister, that's just a little weird.
My least favorite character would be Aunt Alexandra. She completely butted into Scout's life, and she continually forbids the children from doing regular things, like going to the trial. She has to know where they are every second of the day and they're not used to it, so it usually never works out well for either party. If Atticus dies, the first thing Aunt Alexandra would do would be to fire Calpernia, even though she raised and taught the children most of what they know. That is why I despise Aunt Alexandra.
This week I have been reading 'To Kill a Mockingbird" By Harper Lee, and I've liked it much more than I thought I would. I've also read a little bit further than the rest of my classmates, so unless you are on chapter 25 (or if you want a summary), you should probably leave the page. Anyway, so far the case has just finished, and Tom was found guilty. However, he isn't being sentenced directly to death, instead he has been appealed to a higher court, which Atticus thinks will have a less racist/bias jury. In thanks, the black community of Tom's church has sent them piles and piles of food in appreciation. I wouldn't like to give any more spoilers, so I'll just go to the prompt.
My favorite character would probably be Jeremy Finch, because he has the child like fun to him, while still being a little bit mature and knowing. He has a good amount of control over scout, and doesn't get beaten as much as her, but he isn't completely serious or boring either. He likes making schemes to get out of the house, and do things that his father and Aunt explicitly tell him not to do. He understood what his Father's strategy was in opening Tom's faults right at the beginning, and making him look more open and less guilty, while showing he was a good man. I do not like that he spanks his own sister, that's just a little weird.
My least favorite character would be Aunt Alexandra. She completely butted into Scout's life, and she continually forbids the children from doing regular things, like going to the trial. She has to know where they are every second of the day and they're not used to it, so it usually never works out well for either party. If Atticus dies, the first thing Aunt Alexandra would do would be to fire Calpernia, even though she raised and taught the children most of what they know. That is why I despise Aunt Alexandra.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Character Comparison-"To Kill a Mockingbird", By Stanley Suter
Prompt-5-Aunt Alexandra and Atticus.
This week I have been reading "To kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. I am finding the amount of hidden symbolism, and how deeply things can be anyilized extremely refreshing and fun. I am currently at a point in the book were many of the people in Maycomb county, AL are harassing Atticus and his family for being "Negro Defenders", and Scout becomes confused to why her father did not tell her that he was forced to defend him, as it would have helped her dodge many fights with the town folk.
I think that it is pretty obvious that Atticus is an alter ego to Scout, because on top of having very similar morals, such as keeping your temper, and their love to read, he had a large effect just by raising her. Atticus managed to keep scout interested in school by his leverage of letting her read with him after school. He himself also loves reading, because at almost every point in the book, he is either reading, or someone is talking about how much he likes to read. He also shows Jem and Scout how courage is not a man with a gun in his hand, instead it is not giving up on something you believe in "when you already know your licked."
Aunt Alexandra is again, obviously a foil. This is because the main reason for her coming to the Finch's house was to contradict the bad ideas of Scout and Jem. She was brought in, and said explicitly that she was there because it was in their best interest for a "female presence." Scout immediatly dislikes the idea, and Aunt Alexandra thinks of Scout as a dull person (although, it could be because she talks differently to her Aunt with words like "Yessum.") Her Aunt is also a very social person, in the book it said she was a part of a hosting club, and was very popular within the town. I see scout as the opposite. She sticks with the same friends, Dill and Jem, and falls into a yearly routine.
I commented on Carlos, Diego, and Gabe.
This week I have been reading "To kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. I am finding the amount of hidden symbolism, and how deeply things can be anyilized extremely refreshing and fun. I am currently at a point in the book were many of the people in Maycomb county, AL are harassing Atticus and his family for being "Negro Defenders", and Scout becomes confused to why her father did not tell her that he was forced to defend him, as it would have helped her dodge many fights with the town folk.I think that it is pretty obvious that Atticus is an alter ego to Scout, because on top of having very similar morals, such as keeping your temper, and their love to read, he had a large effect just by raising her. Atticus managed to keep scout interested in school by his leverage of letting her read with him after school. He himself also loves reading, because at almost every point in the book, he is either reading, or someone is talking about how much he likes to read. He also shows Jem and Scout how courage is not a man with a gun in his hand, instead it is not giving up on something you believe in "when you already know your licked."
Aunt Alexandra is again, obviously a foil. This is because the main reason for her coming to the Finch's house was to contradict the bad ideas of Scout and Jem. She was brought in, and said explicitly that she was there because it was in their best interest for a "female presence." Scout immediatly dislikes the idea, and Aunt Alexandra thinks of Scout as a dull person (although, it could be because she talks differently to her Aunt with words like "Yessum.") Her Aunt is also a very social person, in the book it said she was a part of a hosting club, and was very popular within the town. I see scout as the opposite. She sticks with the same friends, Dill and Jem, and falls into a yearly routine.
I commented on Carlos, Diego, and Gabe.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Image Analisis, Stanley Suter
I think that this picture represents Maycomb County, AL. because it has the look of the general lifestyle for the people who live there. In the book, it explains Maycomb county as, “In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, and the courthouse sagged in the square.” From that, you can tell that Maycomb has dirt roads, and is not well kept up with. I can also guess that Maycomb is very rural, because what we've read so far has told us there are many farmers. We know that black people live in the area because Atticus's chef is black. This is after the war, and right before the great depression, explaining why cars may not have been used as much as walking or other forms of transportation.
The Picture relates to Maycomb because fields are on either side of the dirt road. It is obviously a rural area with nothing except for a tree for a long distance off. It fits the setting of Maycomb in the book almost perfectly, except for the wagon on the side of the picture. In the book, the characters talked about the lines of cars. Another thing I realized, is that the black woman is dressed extremely nicely for a work day. I don't mean to sound racist, but in social studies we went over demographics of the poverty rates based on races, and black people where by far the highest. From the book, they wore dress clothes on Sundays, but I think the rest of the week would have had to been formal wear.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Thursday, November 13, 2014
NightJohn, By:Stanley Suter.
Prompt- Analyze the impact word choice has on the meaning or tone of a text. Analyze how dialogue or specific incidents reveal information about characters. Make sure to include textual evidence.
This week I have been reading "Nightjohn" by Gary Paulson and it's very graphic. In the book, you are in a third person view of the life of Sarney and her struggle for reading. Back then, if you where a slave and knew how to read, it was law to have one of your extremities chopped off, so as you may see, it was very risky business. She continues to read up until the point where she learns a word. She goes insane, writing it everywhere she goes until "Old Waller" the plantation owner catches her and starts beating the slaves until they tell. In the end, he "Mammy" is getting whipped, NightJohn confesses and gets two toes chopped off.
The quotes through the test tells you exactly how slaves where brought up. "It isn't certain how old I am except for the sticks. Mammy keeps a stick for each one of us and sometimes she cuts a notch on the stick for each of the girls." The word choice that the author used really shows how uneducated slaves where. A slave with intelligence would be very easy to spot because of their lack of using run on sentences and bad sentence conjunctions.
Another piece of the story that revealed information that we would have otherwise not known about where their living conditions. The field workers worked "dawn to dark hard work" six days a week. This was for two reason, the obvious one being they wanted to make the years harvest and have the largest possible amount of time to sell their crop before winter. However, this was also to ensure the one who had picked up more and where a bit wiser where always away or too tired to either run or break the rules in any way (I.E. learning to read.)
This week I have been reading "Nightjohn" by Gary Paulson and it's very graphic. In the book, you are in a third person view of the life of Sarney and her struggle for reading. Back then, if you where a slave and knew how to read, it was law to have one of your extremities chopped off, so as you may see, it was very risky business. She continues to read up until the point where she learns a word. She goes insane, writing it everywhere she goes until "Old Waller" the plantation owner catches her and starts beating the slaves until they tell. In the end, he "Mammy" is getting whipped, NightJohn confesses and gets two toes chopped off.The quotes through the test tells you exactly how slaves where brought up. "It isn't certain how old I am except for the sticks. Mammy keeps a stick for each one of us and sometimes she cuts a notch on the stick for each of the girls." The word choice that the author used really shows how uneducated slaves where. A slave with intelligence would be very easy to spot because of their lack of using run on sentences and bad sentence conjunctions.
Another piece of the story that revealed information that we would have otherwise not known about where their living conditions. The field workers worked "dawn to dark hard work" six days a week. This was for two reason, the obvious one being they wanted to make the years harvest and have the largest possible amount of time to sell their crop before winter. However, this was also to ensure the one who had picked up more and where a bit wiser where always away or too tired to either run or break the rules in any way (I.E. learning to read.)
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
NightJohn, By: Stanley Suter.
Prompt-Who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character? Why?
This week I have been reading NightJohn, and I really like it. So far it has been about slaves on a plantation where they are treated above averagely brutally. The story starts out with a little girl, going on twelve named Sarney. She lives with a breeding mother and does children's chores, but I can foresee whats going to happen. In the book, they only count the girls ages. The master only cares about them through the child hood. At the age of twelve, boys and girls are separated, the boys go out and work the field, and some girls clean the house. Others become immediate breeders from the first possible time as so not to waste any. That is where I am in the book so far.
I would have to say, so far in the book Night John would have to be my favorite character. He hasn't done much yet except to trade tobacco with Sarney so that she can learn some letters. I think I like him the most because he knows whats going on in the outside world, unlike the incompetent slaves who are too frightened to fend for themselves. I have a strong feeling he will become a leader, naturally because he knows things, and he has the cuts on his back to prove it.
My least favorite character so far would have to be Old Waller. He is the plantation owner who has no sense of humanity. He catches a pregnant slave near the big house, and chains her up to be whipped. I understand that it was usual to serve that kind of punishment back then. But he left her out overnight for the flies and in the morning he had two slaves bring salt for the woman just to give her more pain. I think that he should have stopped after the night outside, because after that she ran away. Old Waller is cruel and doesn't seem to be the sharpest knife in the drawer.
This week I have been reading NightJohn, and I really like it. So far it has been about slaves on a plantation where they are treated above averagely brutally. The story starts out with a little girl, going on twelve named Sarney. She lives with a breeding mother and does children's chores, but I can foresee whats going to happen. In the book, they only count the girls ages. The master only cares about them through the child hood. At the age of twelve, boys and girls are separated, the boys go out and work the field, and some girls clean the house. Others become immediate breeders from the first possible time as so not to waste any. That is where I am in the book so far.
I would have to say, so far in the book Night John would have to be my favorite character. He hasn't done much yet except to trade tobacco with Sarney so that she can learn some letters. I think I like him the most because he knows whats going on in the outside world, unlike the incompetent slaves who are too frightened to fend for themselves. I have a strong feeling he will become a leader, naturally because he knows things, and he has the cuts on his back to prove it.
My least favorite character so far would have to be Old Waller. He is the plantation owner who has no sense of humanity. He catches a pregnant slave near the big house, and chains her up to be whipped. I understand that it was usual to serve that kind of punishment back then. But he left her out overnight for the flies and in the morning he had two slaves bring salt for the woman just to give her more pain. I think that he should have stopped after the night outside, because after that she ran away. Old Waller is cruel and doesn't seem to be the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Four, By:Stanley Suter
Prompt-Who is your favorite character and why? Who is your least favorite character?
This week I have been reading "Four" by Veronica Roth and I really like it. She brought in a new style of writing and thought with Tobias. She also gave an explanation to the time before Tobias went into the Dauntless and when he took his test he was actually seen as a person from Abnegation, not as a divergent like Tris was. It also explains the ceremony in which Tobias was brought into the Dauntless.
My favorite character so far would have to be Tobias. He is innocent and seemingly scared but at the same time he is ruthless and willing to leave his faction for better personal gain. He will even stick up to his dad, who is a leader of Abnegation and not afraid to abuse Tobias, even though it will make the politics of Abnegation look very bad. This is because it shows how Abnegation could be falling and the leaders may not have raised their children well enough for them to be loyal.
My least favorite character would have to be Tobias's dad because he is the only other character we've meet in the book other than Tobias and the faction tester and he is already being set up as the protagonist. He often abuses Tobias and explains exactly what he wants Tobias to do when he goes for the test. The things he will have to do and what he needs to choose to be directed to the factor of Abnegation. I feel that he will end up being the worst protagonist in Tobiases view.
This week I have been reading "Four" by Veronica Roth and I really like it. She brought in a new style of writing and thought with Tobias. She also gave an explanation to the time before Tobias went into the Dauntless and when he took his test he was actually seen as a person from Abnegation, not as a divergent like Tris was. It also explains the ceremony in which Tobias was brought into the Dauntless.My favorite character so far would have to be Tobias. He is innocent and seemingly scared but at the same time he is ruthless and willing to leave his faction for better personal gain. He will even stick up to his dad, who is a leader of Abnegation and not afraid to abuse Tobias, even though it will make the politics of Abnegation look very bad. This is because it shows how Abnegation could be falling and the leaders may not have raised their children well enough for them to be loyal.
My least favorite character would have to be Tobias's dad because he is the only other character we've meet in the book other than Tobias and the faction tester and he is already being set up as the protagonist. He often abuses Tobias and explains exactly what he wants Tobias to do when he goes for the test. The things he will have to do and what he needs to choose to be directed to the factor of Abnegation. I feel that he will end up being the worst protagonist in Tobiases view.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Montresor's Undoing, By:Stanley Suter
1st Option
The man called me into a room as two guards followed close behind me. I was brought into the station because they had found new evidence on the death of Fortunato. I don't even know why they brought me in, there's no way they can catch me now.
After carnival, Fortunato's wife started to get worried. She no longer believed that he had gotten drunk and lost when he didn't come in for the night. The story had given me a chance to cover up what would have been detected. I unclipped him from the ground, where he died of dehydration. So as not to be suspected, I moved him, setting the bottles of wine on his lap deep within the catacombs. The police, if they found the body, which they did, would have thought he got lost and couldn't survive without water.
"Sit" the man said.
"I'm officer Berkley, and we've recently visited the site of the murder of your dear friend Mr.Fortunato."
"Murder? How dare you accuse me of such a thing?" I said. "You have no proof!"
"But on the contrary!" He accused. "We know your motive, the reason you would want him dead."
It's true. I once had a wife and son. While they where with me I was the happiest a man could be. You know, Fortunato's drinking problems where not from birth. He owned a trading business, the one that brought his family such a noble name. On account of the approaching winter, my family and I where to go on a trip to Italy, as a way to get away from the cold as well as view the varieties of wine. My wife and son had boarded the ship, a small barge, and I was to steer the ship with supplies and the rest of the Wardrobe. Thats when Fortunato came into the bay.
"See, the job is all about training." Berkley explained."It isn't about being able to see, it's what to look for."
"In the long run, you really think that if I did it, you could catch me?" said Montresor.
"I didn't need to, you told me." Berkley said.
It was a mistake to have thought we could leave without the march fleet, especially not while merchants felt safe enough to cross the sea's unharmed. Fortunato, the fool. He incautiously allowed himself to be trailed by two pirate slave ships. They easily took over his ship, and kept him hostage. I yelled at they top of my lungs, "TURN AROUND! PIRATES!", but this was in vain for the ship had caught fire. As the Pirates unloaded to the docks, they raided our town, pillaging, abusing, and killing, everyone or thing in sight. Fortunato's wife was killed in the raid, but this was no excuse for what he had done to me.
"When you think about it, it was quite simple really." Berkley said. "Draw him in with an object, bring him to his grave, and get your satisfaction."
"So where was I wrong?" Questioned Montresor as the men behind him handcuffed and pulled him back.
"The Amontillado" Berkley said. "Fortunato died with it in his arms. Another thing that tipped us off where the holes in the ground, with the staples next to them"
"The marks on his arms?" Montresor said.
"You bet-cha" said Berkley. "Even a man of Fortunato's stature couldn't get his hands on a bottle of finely aged Amontillado, so we knew it had to be you. When we put the pieces together under your name, it all made sense"
"And I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling full grown, certified police officers!" Exclaimed Montresor.
The man called me into a room as two guards followed close behind me. I was brought into the station because they had found new evidence on the death of Fortunato. I don't even know why they brought me in, there's no way they can catch me now.
After carnival, Fortunato's wife started to get worried. She no longer believed that he had gotten drunk and lost when he didn't come in for the night. The story had given me a chance to cover up what would have been detected. I unclipped him from the ground, where he died of dehydration. So as not to be suspected, I moved him, setting the bottles of wine on his lap deep within the catacombs. The police, if they found the body, which they did, would have thought he got lost and couldn't survive without water.
"Sit" the man said.
"I'm officer Berkley, and we've recently visited the site of the murder of your dear friend Mr.Fortunato."
"Murder? How dare you accuse me of such a thing?" I said. "You have no proof!"
"But on the contrary!" He accused. "We know your motive, the reason you would want him dead."
It's true. I once had a wife and son. While they where with me I was the happiest a man could be. You know, Fortunato's drinking problems where not from birth. He owned a trading business, the one that brought his family such a noble name. On account of the approaching winter, my family and I where to go on a trip to Italy, as a way to get away from the cold as well as view the varieties of wine. My wife and son had boarded the ship, a small barge, and I was to steer the ship with supplies and the rest of the Wardrobe. Thats when Fortunato came into the bay.
"See, the job is all about training." Berkley explained."It isn't about being able to see, it's what to look for."
"In the long run, you really think that if I did it, you could catch me?" said Montresor.
"I didn't need to, you told me." Berkley said.
It was a mistake to have thought we could leave without the march fleet, especially not while merchants felt safe enough to cross the sea's unharmed. Fortunato, the fool. He incautiously allowed himself to be trailed by two pirate slave ships. They easily took over his ship, and kept him hostage. I yelled at they top of my lungs, "TURN AROUND! PIRATES!", but this was in vain for the ship had caught fire. As the Pirates unloaded to the docks, they raided our town, pillaging, abusing, and killing, everyone or thing in sight. Fortunato's wife was killed in the raid, but this was no excuse for what he had done to me.
"When you think about it, it was quite simple really." Berkley said. "Draw him in with an object, bring him to his grave, and get your satisfaction."
"So where was I wrong?" Questioned Montresor as the men behind him handcuffed and pulled him back.
"The Amontillado" Berkley said. "Fortunato died with it in his arms. Another thing that tipped us off where the holes in the ground, with the staples next to them"
"The marks on his arms?" Montresor said.
"You bet-cha" said Berkley. "Even a man of Fortunato's stature couldn't get his hands on a bottle of finely aged Amontillado, so we knew it had to be you. When we put the pieces together under your name, it all made sense"
"And I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling full grown, certified police officers!" Exclaimed Montresor.
"Small Steps" By:Stanley Suter
Prompt-Who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character? Why?
This week I have been reading "Small Steps", the sequel to "Holes" and I really like it. It is completely different than "Holes" because instead of focusing on Stanley Yelnats, they focus on Armpit and X-ray. I'm at a point in the book where Armpit has denied getting into a business with X-ray for scalping tickets (selling them after the concert has been sold out for a much higher price. The only problem for X-ray is that the tickets already cost a fortune to begin with. Thats where I left off for this week.
My favorite character in the book so far would have to be Armpit. He is the only person from Camp Green lake that actually learned his lesson. He used to steal, but he now has a job as a landscaper, digging out large area's for a good 10$ an hour. X-ray is still into getting money fast for as little work possible, and so he went into the "consumer" marketing, where scalping is illegal. As you could say, all the digging in Camp Green lake actually prepared him for a career.
My least favorite character would have to be Tatiana. She's so selfish and when Armpit and her break up she looks for ways to embarrass him. Being a celebrity doesn't help either. When he goes to work and can't get back in time for one of their dates, she breaks up with him. Now, other than that being a major overreaction, she pretty much yells it and storms out, leaving Armpit to suffer the crowds. Even when tries to apologize, where there was no reason to, she would not accept, maybe because she was brought up rich and spoiled, and turned out a colossal brat.
This week I have been reading "Small Steps", the sequel to "Holes" and I really like it. It is completely different than "Holes" because instead of focusing on Stanley Yelnats, they focus on Armpit and X-ray. I'm at a point in the book where Armpit has denied getting into a business with X-ray for scalping tickets (selling them after the concert has been sold out for a much higher price. The only problem for X-ray is that the tickets already cost a fortune to begin with. Thats where I left off for this week.
My favorite character in the book so far would have to be Armpit. He is the only person from Camp Green lake that actually learned his lesson. He used to steal, but he now has a job as a landscaper, digging out large area's for a good 10$ an hour. X-ray is still into getting money fast for as little work possible, and so he went into the "consumer" marketing, where scalping is illegal. As you could say, all the digging in Camp Green lake actually prepared him for a career.
My least favorite character would have to be Tatiana. She's so selfish and when Armpit and her break up she looks for ways to embarrass him. Being a celebrity doesn't help either. When he goes to work and can't get back in time for one of their dates, she breaks up with him. Now, other than that being a major overreaction, she pretty much yells it and storms out, leaving Armpit to suffer the crowds. Even when tries to apologize, where there was no reason to, she would not accept, maybe because she was brought up rich and spoiled, and turned out a colossal brat.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Chesapeake By: Stanley Suter
Prompt-Who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character? Why?
This week I have been reading "Chesapeake" and I continue to like it more and more as I go through the book. This week we find that Rosalind's sons come back from over a decade at a church, having learned french, latin, and english and went through Harvard in England. Rosalind has won the fight against women being whipped for minor injustices, and Judge Hank and his court have practically been warring against her. When she goes into court for two days, they first speak her rudeness throughout the community, mainly with the "disgusting" but true things she says. The next day the mood within the court is greatly shifted when the own Judge Hank is tried for abusing his child.
My favorite character in the book would have to be Edmund Steed. I like him for the reasons of bravery as well as strength through morals. He was the first man (other than the Spaniard ship) to set foot on Devon Island, which soon became his home for many generations. Because this was in Missouri, where all things at the time where savage and hostile he made peace with Indians by showing them devices like his Compass, and giving them new ways to grow crops and hunt with a rifle. This was also at a point where catholics and priests where hanged in England, and very few catholics where still alive. He continued to practice his faith, even though he could have died because of it.
My least favorite character would be Judge Hank. He is the slimiest person that we've seen so far in the book. For little things, such as the words a woman says in public, he would charge a huge fine, such as two tons of grade A tobacco. But, when he abuses a child, or gets drunk and says something stupid he doesn't get penalized. He even went against a contract saying he had to cloth, feed, and take in a child. Instead, he simply gave her a single dress, which she was forced to wear all week until saturday, when she washed it and wore it still damp to church the next morning.
This week I have been reading "Chesapeake" and I continue to like it more and more as I go through the book. This week we find that Rosalind's sons come back from over a decade at a church, having learned french, latin, and english and went through Harvard in England. Rosalind has won the fight against women being whipped for minor injustices, and Judge Hank and his court have practically been warring against her. When she goes into court for two days, they first speak her rudeness throughout the community, mainly with the "disgusting" but true things she says. The next day the mood within the court is greatly shifted when the own Judge Hank is tried for abusing his child.My favorite character in the book would have to be Edmund Steed. I like him for the reasons of bravery as well as strength through morals. He was the first man (other than the Spaniard ship) to set foot on Devon Island, which soon became his home for many generations. Because this was in Missouri, where all things at the time where savage and hostile he made peace with Indians by showing them devices like his Compass, and giving them new ways to grow crops and hunt with a rifle. This was also at a point where catholics and priests where hanged in England, and very few catholics where still alive. He continued to practice his faith, even though he could have died because of it.
My least favorite character would be Judge Hank. He is the slimiest person that we've seen so far in the book. For little things, such as the words a woman says in public, he would charge a huge fine, such as two tons of grade A tobacco. But, when he abuses a child, or gets drunk and says something stupid he doesn't get penalized. He even went against a contract saying he had to cloth, feed, and take in a child. Instead, he simply gave her a single dress, which she was forced to wear all week until saturday, when she washed it and wore it still damp to church the next morning.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Time Travel, Ancient Greece
Q: Where would you go?
A: I would travel to the time where indians where still undomesticated. I would bring along many modern day appliances and toys so that we may form an alliance with them, just as the english once did.
Q:To which year or period would you travel?
A: I would probably travel to the Chesapeake bay, in the fall of 1880.
Q: Who would you want to meet or what event would you want to witness?
A: I would like to see the tribes fight one another, and would like to meet the indians of one of the war tribes, then gain their trust by helping them survive for the winter.
Q: Where would you find this person or see this event?
A: I would find the tribe on the North West side of the bay.
Q: Why would you want to meet this person or witness this event?
A: I would want to meet the tribe because I've heard a lot about them throughout my time at school, but I still feel that their history has been very blurry. From the tools they used to their way of life, we can only guess how some that where wiped out used their tools.
Q: How might YOU change history?
A: By helping the indians through their winter totally unharmed, while the english where being destroyed in the cold weather, I might accidentally change the course of history because even that one year could have wiped out the indians that had helped the English survive, indirectly killing the English and keeping the war tribe savage.
A: I would travel to the time where indians where still undomesticated. I would bring along many modern day appliances and toys so that we may form an alliance with them, just as the english once did.
Q:To which year or period would you travel?
A: I would probably travel to the Chesapeake bay, in the fall of 1880.
Q: Who would you want to meet or what event would you want to witness?
A: I would like to see the tribes fight one another, and would like to meet the indians of one of the war tribes, then gain their trust by helping them survive for the winter.
Q: Where would you find this person or see this event?
A: I would find the tribe on the North West side of the bay.
Q: Why would you want to meet this person or witness this event?
A: I would want to meet the tribe because I've heard a lot about them throughout my time at school, but I still feel that their history has been very blurry. From the tools they used to their way of life, we can only guess how some that where wiped out used their tools.
Q: How might YOU change history?
A: By helping the indians through their winter totally unharmed, while the english where being destroyed in the cold weather, I might accidentally change the course of history because even that one year could have wiped out the indians that had helped the English survive, indirectly killing the English and keeping the war tribe savage.
Friday, October 17, 2014
"Chesapeake" by Stanley Suter.
How does the author use characterization/character development throughout the book?
This week I have been reading "Chesapeake" and its been a struggle. I'm finding it very hard to follow how fast the Author is going through timelines with deaths and births, the whole family tree is extremely confusing. When I was reading this week I found that Fitzhugh and his son, Rosalind's step-son had died because of old age and pirates as well as her own daughter, while Rosalind's step son's wife had a new baby, and then moved back to where their house used to be, all within the space of two pages. In the book, Rosalind is looking to make a new house after a pirate attack on her house that killed two children. She was also forced to take care of the children that her husband was helping from the swamp.
First I would like to explain how the author uses characterization for Rosalind. He starts "She had the strange feeling that she had been ferried up the bay to bring order into this household, and that without her it could not be achieved." From this, as a reader I felt that she thought her biggest priority was to be a mother and take care of the house. Later on we find her disregarding her families safety and trying to reshape the entire city. I believe that the author did this because he wanted the readers to see Rosalind as a sort of protagonist, or lower than society standards so that you could feel how the others despised her and often brought her into court.
The other character that I would like to discuss would be Fitzhugh, the husband of Rosalind. When we first meet him, he says "You know of course, that Flora Turlock, thats Nelly's mother... Have you seen her Rosalind? Mrs.Steed shook her head." From this quote I am next to positive that the author wanted to put a negative look on Fitzhugh. He showed him cheating on his wife, and her having to hear it from someone else. He did this because he wanted to show the Steed couple, having the most noble name on the island, pretty much fall apart just because of that couple, and really showing how easily you can fall from such great heights.
This week I have been reading "Chesapeake" and its been a struggle. I'm finding it very hard to follow how fast the Author is going through timelines with deaths and births, the whole family tree is extremely confusing. When I was reading this week I found that Fitzhugh and his son, Rosalind's step-son had died because of old age and pirates as well as her own daughter, while Rosalind's step son's wife had a new baby, and then moved back to where their house used to be, all within the space of two pages. In the book, Rosalind is looking to make a new house after a pirate attack on her house that killed two children. She was also forced to take care of the children that her husband was helping from the swamp.First I would like to explain how the author uses characterization for Rosalind. He starts "She had the strange feeling that she had been ferried up the bay to bring order into this household, and that without her it could not be achieved." From this, as a reader I felt that she thought her biggest priority was to be a mother and take care of the house. Later on we find her disregarding her families safety and trying to reshape the entire city. I believe that the author did this because he wanted the readers to see Rosalind as a sort of protagonist, or lower than society standards so that you could feel how the others despised her and often brought her into court.
The other character that I would like to discuss would be Fitzhugh, the husband of Rosalind. When we first meet him, he says "You know of course, that Flora Turlock, thats Nelly's mother... Have you seen her Rosalind? Mrs.Steed shook her head." From this quote I am next to positive that the author wanted to put a negative look on Fitzhugh. He showed him cheating on his wife, and her having to hear it from someone else. He did this because he wanted to show the Steed couple, having the most noble name on the island, pretty much fall apart just because of that couple, and really showing how easily you can fall from such great heights.
1st Quarter Reflection, Stanley Suter
Prompt-Where are you in your 40 Book Challenge? How have your blogs been progressing since August? What strategies have benefited you? What has it taught you about the world?
It is the end of the first quarter, and I am supposed to reflect on how my blogging changed from last year. I felt that I have improved in almost every way possible, but I'll try to trim that down a bit.
In my 40 book challenge, I am on book nine out of 40. I have noticed that my books are much more based on action and adventure instead of books such as classic literature or poetry. I however have had some non-fiction adventure novels, that I find strangely
interesting because of events that had taken place in real life, had taken so much energy and thought process, but where pulled off as if they where easy.
Since August I have been progressing with my word choice as well as with the length of my blogs. I have recently been able to retrieve more information from my books than I feel I used to be able to comprehend. Especially when using character development, I have predicted the actual ending to a very good number of books, although that could also have to do with my reading of very similar stories. My vocabulary has increased greatly, as I read from my first blog in August, I realized that I could be using a better choice of words. Instead of "meets" I should have used "Rendezvous". Even though it would have taken more time I would have made my writing just a little more interesting while doing so.
Through my writing Blogs, I have found that the world is a "get what you pay for" kind of place. These writers put in such great hours, and an amazing amount of effort and a lot of the time they don't become famous. But It showed me that luck is very scarce in our world, and that hard work is your only sure way to become successful.
It is the end of the first quarter, and I am supposed to reflect on how my blogging changed from last year. I felt that I have improved in almost every way possible, but I'll try to trim that down a bit.
In my 40 book challenge, I am on book nine out of 40. I have noticed that my books are much more based on action and adventure instead of books such as classic literature or poetry. I however have had some non-fiction adventure novels, that I find strangely
interesting because of events that had taken place in real life, had taken so much energy and thought process, but where pulled off as if they where easy.
Since August I have been progressing with my word choice as well as with the length of my blogs. I have recently been able to retrieve more information from my books than I feel I used to be able to comprehend. Especially when using character development, I have predicted the actual ending to a very good number of books, although that could also have to do with my reading of very similar stories. My vocabulary has increased greatly, as I read from my first blog in August, I realized that I could be using a better choice of words. Instead of "meets" I should have used "Rendezvous". Even though it would have taken more time I would have made my writing just a little more interesting while doing so.
Through my writing Blogs, I have found that the world is a "get what you pay for" kind of place. These writers put in such great hours, and an amazing amount of effort and a lot of the time they don't become famous. But It showed me that luck is very scarce in our world, and that hard work is your only sure way to become successful.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Reflective Writing, Stanley S.
My writing has changed from last year by my use of new and higher tiered words. I've read some of the passages I wrote last year and I found myself using words such as "bad" and "happy" instead of increasing the use of my vocabulary with words such as "substandard" or "ecstatic". This year I felt that this has increased because the books I have read are of much higher difficulty, and I feel I am getting used to how they speak, and maybe sort of reflecting it.
Another part of writing that I think I greatly improved on would be my sense on where to uppercase letters and just general formatting errors that I possessed before. Things like "Im" to "i'm", to which I feel that my teachers in elementary school didn't cover as well as they should have. I increased this by, again, reading better books, and also I think that the work that I did over the summer really helped me get a head start into this year because it is known that children lose about two months of school over summer. Instead, I gained at least the equivalent.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Chesapeake, By Stanley Suter
Prompt-What are techniques used in your book?This week I have finally restarted reading "Chesapeake" and I really like it. A woman from across the Chop-tank river is sent for to be married to a Steed. This was celebrated unusually because the man, Fitzhugh Steed, had been married before. However, he was part of the first family on the Chop-tank river and his family was of the highest nobility. The woman's name was Rosalind, named after a character in Shakespeare's play, was set on making the world in Massachusetts as good as possible for her children. While doing so she embarrasses her husband and children, earning her a very bad spot in the town's court, where she is being persecuted constantly for the smallest of "crimes". Thats where I am in the story so far.
The first technique that I think is crucial to the story is James Michener's purpose in his writing. The purpose of this story was a Narrative, because it slowly goes through the lines of generations of three different families, with certain explanations and comments through the chapter. This allows for much better understanding for the chain of events and how the families interact. Without his narrations, we would not know the storyline behind Fitzhugh being the father of three children that where not Rosalind's. Without his narration, we would be completely lost in the story.
The second technique that I think was very important to the story was James Michener's style through his writing. I found a page in the book that had four vocabulary words from about two weeks ago. He uses very high tiered words that I used to have trouble understanding, but now it really enhances the old-agedness of it. I think it makes it much more exciting as a whole when the well educated characters have arguments about some things so simple, and some life and death situations. The words that James uses improves scenes in the story that would have otherwise been plain and boring.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Banned Book Read Out, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" By-Stanley Suter
Script- Hello, I’m Stanley Suter. This week is banned books week and in honor of it I have chosen the banned book “Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets” to talk about.
“Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets” was a book that greatly changed me. When I was in 3rd grade, I absolutely hated reading. I thought it was time wasting to learn about other people, especially at that level with the stories that third graders read. You know how was, “Tom went the the store. He bought milk. Then, he dropped it and the container exploded, but he still had to pay for it! The end.” Maybe not the middle sentence, but again, you know what I mean. At that age, books where extremely redundant, and so I found them boring. Then, a close family friend sent me three Harry Potter books, #2, #4, and #5 (don’t ask me why). And because it was the first book I owned from young adult literature, I started reading it.
I loved it immediately. Over the summer, I timed myself reading and I had surpassed 26 hours in 4th grade with just that book. Now, the reason I have been talking about the book is because for a while now, it has been banned. For reasons that seem so silly, but they had taken hold. It had been banned for having witch craft and they feel it set a bad example. Some parents thought that the book was not age appropriate because it had witchcraft, which most people view as dark. I can show you that they are wrong, directly from the book.
I chose this quote because it shows how lighthearted the book really is. I would understand if the book was banned because it had black magic, or really violent parts in the story, but it is rated young adult, and if they can’t handle something as nice as Harry Potter, maybe they should look for help. I do not think that Harry Potter was banned for a valid reason, simply because it has nothing very offensive or explicit in the entire series.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows By:Stanley Suter
Prompt-Who is your favorite character and why? who is your favorite character?
This week I have been reading "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling, and I have picked up much more than I had the first time I read it. Right now, Harry is camping in various places in order to escape Voldemort and the Death eaters that are now able to track Harry, and he has no idea how they are doing it. He and his friends Ron and Hermione are trying to find out what Dumbledores gifts meant and fulfill their quests to set things right in the Wizard world. That is where I am so far.
This week I have been reading "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling, and I have picked up much more than I had the first time I read it. Right now, Harry is camping in various places in order to escape Voldemort and the Death eaters that are now able to track Harry, and he has no idea how they are doing it. He and his friends Ron and Hermione are trying to find out what Dumbledores gifts meant and fulfill their quests to set things right in the Wizard world. That is where I am so far.
My favorite character in the book would have to be Ron Weasley. He is by far the funniest character in the book. This is mainly because of the supplies he uses, the rat/man that all of his brothers used, the wand that shoots slugs in his face, and mostly the tiny owl that is good for nothing but disobeyment. He is super quick to fight and argues with Harry pretty much every year except for their first year at Hogwarts.
My least favorite character would be Snape. This is a "Of course" moment, but it is for different reasons than you might think. I don't like him because he liked Lily and Harry, but he treats Harry with no favoritism or affection at all. In fact, he often seems to abuse Harry and puts him in detention, even though the only reason Harry acts up in his class is because he was mean Harry first. So, I dislike Snape because of his seemingly Bi-polar attitude towards Harry and his friends.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Ripper, By Stanley Suter
Prompt-Character development
This week I finished the book, Ripper and I absolutely loved it. At the end of the book Carver finds out that his mentor, Mr.Hawking, is actually his dad. After he finds out he goes ballistic and starts trying to get back at Hawking. He meets up with him on a subway and saves everyone on the train, and then fights his father. He got his father chained up with a new special type of handcuff and it looks like he's going to end it, when they can slow down the train. He jumps and later finds out his dad broke his wrist and got free. I'm sorry, but kind of a disappointing ending.
This week I finished the book, Ripper and I absolutely loved it. At the end of the book Carver finds out that his mentor, Mr.Hawking, is actually his dad. After he finds out he goes ballistic and starts trying to get back at Hawking. He meets up with him on a subway and saves everyone on the train, and then fights his father. He got his father chained up with a new special type of handcuff and it looks like he's going to end it, when they can slow down the train. He jumps and later finds out his dad broke his wrist and got free. I'm sorry, but kind of a disappointing ending.
The first character I would like to talk about is Commissioner Roosevelt. He really adds a lot of imagery to the story. He is the wealth of New York, invited to all the parties and always wearing very fancy three piece suits. Through the story every place he goes is suddenly organized and never negative (unless he's upset). He's the head of the police force and is very formal up until the fight preceding the final battle. He adds the imagery of the book as very grand, formal, and usually very respectful (again, preceding the final battle).
The other character that I would like to talk about is Carver young, the main character and the son of the Ripper. He happens to be very intelligent, well educated, and clever. However he is also a street rat basically through the entire book. He escapes from a sewer full of freezing cold snow water that would have given him hypothermia. Carver is easily spotted at one of Roosevelt's parties, mainly because of his clothes and the way he acts. He adds the imagery of a wild dog, unclean and loud, but very intelligent.
The other character that I would like to talk about is Carver young, the main character and the son of the Ripper. He happens to be very intelligent, well educated, and clever. However he is also a street rat basically through the entire book. He escapes from a sewer full of freezing cold snow water that would have given him hypothermia. Carver is easily spotted at one of Roosevelt's parties, mainly because of his clothes and the way he acts. He adds the imagery of a wild dog, unclean and loud, but very intelligent.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Book List Challenge, By:Stanley Suter
1. Harry potter and The Chambers of Secret, By, JK Rowling
I read this book in 3rd grade and it was the first chapter book that I loved, and what got me into reading other books. I read it probably 7-8 times, and it was strangely more interesting every time. It was my favorite book because it had such a good story line, but yet as a 3rd grader I was able to comprehend it and enjoy reading a 250 page book.
2. Ripper, By Stefan Petrucha
I read this book in 8th grade, and it has been important to me because it opened my eyes to a new difficulty to the books that I like to read. This has been my first action novel that is interesting, and I've read on a regular basis, that has taken so long to read.
3. Weapons of World War 2
This was the book that opened me up to violent books. I read it in 4th grade and learned about all the weapons, including armored cars and tanks, that where used in the war. It brought me to read books about zombies or first person stories about war. In the book, it explains all about the components of the Nuclear bomb and where they where dropped in japan.
4. Huckleberry Finn, By Mark Twain
Huckleberry Finn was the first piece of Old english literature that I ever read with the original
language still intact. I read this book in 7th grade, and it taught me a lot about the vocabulary of someone who lived in the 1800's. It also showed me how violent a person could get if they are fighting to survive. In the book, when a character gets bitten by a rattle snake, he drinks 2 bottles of whisky and somehow fights the poison off.
5. The Old man and the Sea
The first time that I read this book (not completely read, I was on page 20/100) I found the literature sub-par and much of the book very redundant. So, I waited a year and when I read it again, I felt I understood much more of the vocabulary used in the book at that point, allowing me to enjoy it. I think that this book marked my passage into being a mature reader.
6. Quarantine By Lex Thomas
If the stakes for life where not so high, I would actually love to be in this book. It is about a school that was quarantined when a patient from a lab not far away escaped with a disease that would infect teenagers going through puberty, but would instantly kill adults or children.
7. The Outsiders, Hinton S.E.
This book got me interested in books about the crime life, stealing, murder, hideouts, disguises, etc. It's what got me hooked on books like what I have listed for #2 (Ripper). Only this was the only book that had a character above the age of 10 named something like "Pony-boy".
8. Of mice and Men By John Steinbeck
This was my first Steinbeck book, I read it in fith grade. This made me like Steinbeck as an author and read more classic novels. The only thing I didn't like was how the story would set you up. It took these two characters, very close together and practically brothers, and they have a dream to get their own land. Right as their about to have enough money to buy the place, one of them gets in trouble and the other one kills him for his own good. That was kind of depressing.
9.The Fear By Charlie Higson
This has been my favorite horror book for quite a while now. I've read it at least 3 times and I'm still not bored with it. Each time I read it I get something different out of it. Last time I really picked up on details, the time before that I noticed more connections to things happening at different times in the story, picked up by different people, but that where all related. The first time I read the book, I was simply drawn in by the heroic scenes and their systems to survive the zombie apocalypse.
10. Charlotte's Web By E.B. White
This was my favorite chapter book as a child and it made me much more interested in reading, and in talking animals. I was in kindergarden when my mom first read this book to me, and it opened me up to loving stories in general, especially verbal.
I read this book in 3rd grade and it was the first chapter book that I loved, and what got me into reading other books. I read it probably 7-8 times, and it was strangely more interesting every time. It was my favorite book because it had such a good story line, but yet as a 3rd grader I was able to comprehend it and enjoy reading a 250 page book.
2. Ripper, By Stefan Petrucha
I read this book in 8th grade, and it has been important to me because it opened my eyes to a new difficulty to the books that I like to read. This has been my first action novel that is interesting, and I've read on a regular basis, that has taken so long to read.
3. Weapons of World War 2
This was the book that opened me up to violent books. I read it in 4th grade and learned about all the weapons, including armored cars and tanks, that where used in the war. It brought me to read books about zombies or first person stories about war. In the book, it explains all about the components of the Nuclear bomb and where they where dropped in japan.
4. Huckleberry Finn, By Mark Twain
Huckleberry Finn was the first piece of Old english literature that I ever read with the original
language still intact. I read this book in 7th grade, and it taught me a lot about the vocabulary of someone who lived in the 1800's. It also showed me how violent a person could get if they are fighting to survive. In the book, when a character gets bitten by a rattle snake, he drinks 2 bottles of whisky and somehow fights the poison off.
5. The Old man and the Sea
The first time that I read this book (not completely read, I was on page 20/100) I found the literature sub-par and much of the book very redundant. So, I waited a year and when I read it again, I felt I understood much more of the vocabulary used in the book at that point, allowing me to enjoy it. I think that this book marked my passage into being a mature reader.
6. Quarantine By Lex Thomas
If the stakes for life where not so high, I would actually love to be in this book. It is about a school that was quarantined when a patient from a lab not far away escaped with a disease that would infect teenagers going through puberty, but would instantly kill adults or children.
7. The Outsiders, Hinton S.E.
This book got me interested in books about the crime life, stealing, murder, hideouts, disguises, etc. It's what got me hooked on books like what I have listed for #2 (Ripper). Only this was the only book that had a character above the age of 10 named something like "Pony-boy".
8. Of mice and Men By John Steinbeck
This was my first Steinbeck book, I read it in fith grade. This made me like Steinbeck as an author and read more classic novels. The only thing I didn't like was how the story would set you up. It took these two characters, very close together and practically brothers, and they have a dream to get their own land. Right as their about to have enough money to buy the place, one of them gets in trouble and the other one kills him for his own good. That was kind of depressing.
9.The Fear By Charlie Higson
This has been my favorite horror book for quite a while now. I've read it at least 3 times and I'm still not bored with it. Each time I read it I get something different out of it. Last time I really picked up on details, the time before that I noticed more connections to things happening at different times in the story, picked up by different people, but that where all related. The first time I read the book, I was simply drawn in by the heroic scenes and their systems to survive the zombie apocalypse.
10. Charlotte's Web By E.B. White
This was my favorite chapter book as a child and it made me much more interested in reading, and in talking animals. I was in kindergarden when my mom first read this book to me, and it opened me up to loving stories in general, especially verbal.
Friday, August 1, 2014
"Hunting the Hunter" by Stanley Suter
Prompt- Who is you favorite and least favorite character? Why?
This week I have been reading "Hunting the Hunter" by Gordon Korman and I both finished and liked it. The assassin "Hairless joe" finally found Meg and Aiden, and of course, tried to kill them both. Aiden's plan was to lure the assassin to the farm and then record the confession. Things went wrong when the assassin showed up to the farm unexpectedly and cornered Aiden before he could get the recorder. The book concluded when the assassin died and Aiden didn't get a confession, sending them to prison while their lawyers and the FBI work on breaking them and their parents out.
My favorite character would have to be Mr.Turnbull. He owned the farm and hired Aiden to be a working hand. He is the funniest character in the book as well as the quickest to shoot people. For example, when he heard gun shots in the distance, he grabbed his shot gun and accidentally shot an FBI agent (not killing him). He owns a 300 pound pig that he trained to attack anyone new on the farm, enemies as well as friends.
My least favorite character would be agent Chealsy. She killed the Assassin against orders and is in general just a slow character. She is the one who tracks the messages on a computer leading to Aiden, and then she gets in the way, showing up late to the farm during the fighting, and killing the assassin. She just wanted to mess the siblings up.
This week I have been reading "Hunting the Hunter" by Gordon Korman and I both finished and liked it. The assassin "Hairless joe" finally found Meg and Aiden, and of course, tried to kill them both. Aiden's plan was to lure the assassin to the farm and then record the confession. Things went wrong when the assassin showed up to the farm unexpectedly and cornered Aiden before he could get the recorder. The book concluded when the assassin died and Aiden didn't get a confession, sending them to prison while their lawyers and the FBI work on breaking them and their parents out.My favorite character would have to be Mr.Turnbull. He owned the farm and hired Aiden to be a working hand. He is the funniest character in the book as well as the quickest to shoot people. For example, when he heard gun shots in the distance, he grabbed his shot gun and accidentally shot an FBI agent (not killing him). He owns a 300 pound pig that he trained to attack anyone new on the farm, enemies as well as friends.
My least favorite character would be agent Chealsy. She killed the Assassin against orders and is in general just a slow character. She is the one who tracks the messages on a computer leading to Aiden, and then she gets in the way, showing up late to the farm during the fighting, and killing the assassin. She just wanted to mess the siblings up.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
"Hunting the Hunter" By:Stanley Suter
Prompt: Did you like what your reading? Why or why not?This week I have been reading "Hunting the Hunter" By: Gordon Korman, and so far I really like it. It is the 6th book in its series as well as the final. The basic story line is that two kids (Meg and Aidan) and their parents are falsely accused of helping terrorists, and where set up by their "uncle" (not really) Frank, the bald assassin. He tries to kill them several times, and each time the escape by the skin of their teeth. This time they are hiding at a farm as working hands, and their plan is to trap Frank and report him to the police, freeing both themselves and their parents.
A few things I liked about the book. First, the many action parts of the story and standoffs. The unbelievable way that they get caught and then think of some obscure way to make it out of the situation without being arrested and killed. The way that all animals hate Aiden, like the 300 pound pig at the farm, and the cows... Most of all I liked the ideas that the writer uses and how he introduced them early in the story, only to come into use later.
A couple of things about the book I didn't like. First, details that I think where stretched out for way to long, and ended up just making that part of the book feel boring. Next, the dangerous things that the siblings would do, that would be totally unbelievable. Like Meg throwing a turnip in the air to stop a bullet from hitting her brother in the back of the head. The chances of the bullet even being stopped by a turnip are so low that it would have been just as likely of making him miss by yelling that his mother was an ape.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
"The Other Wes Moore" By:Stanley Suter
Prompt-Did you enjoy reading what you read?
This week I have been reading "The other Wes Moore" again, by Wes Moore. I do not like it as much as I did the week before this one. At the end of the book, it just explains a scholarship that Wes won because he learned about the way people lived in Africa, and the way it was healing from a dictatorship through a semester in Africa. Then it ended abruptly, just concluding that good Wes got to go to Harvard while bad Wes spent his time in jail. A way the book could have been better was if he had gone into "present" time and gone through the rest of the interview that stretched through the book.
A couple of things I did enjoy about the book. I really liked the fine details mixed into the perspective of the narrator. It explained the use and selling of drugs as a game, one that once you got in, you couldn't get out. Another is the way that the book "compacted" time, making it so you could see how things changed in the two boys lives. Such as the point in the book when good Wes went to military school, and the other dropped out of high school. The book showed it as the good Wes finally catching a break in his education, and the bad Wes going down the wrong path.
A few thing I disliked about the book. Bad Wes's mother's un-care for her sons well being. Like the easy, and even sometimes non-punishment for things that I think most people see as over the top bad behavior. Of course, the abrupt and annoying quick ending of the book that made it seem as though he was either running out of pages or time. The random small details that would be stretched on for two to three pages.
This week I have been reading "The other Wes Moore" again, by Wes Moore. I do not like it as much as I did the week before this one. At the end of the book, it just explains a scholarship that Wes won because he learned about the way people lived in Africa, and the way it was healing from a dictatorship through a semester in Africa. Then it ended abruptly, just concluding that good Wes got to go to Harvard while bad Wes spent his time in jail. A way the book could have been better was if he had gone into "present" time and gone through the rest of the interview that stretched through the book.A couple of things I did enjoy about the book. I really liked the fine details mixed into the perspective of the narrator. It explained the use and selling of drugs as a game, one that once you got in, you couldn't get out. Another is the way that the book "compacted" time, making it so you could see how things changed in the two boys lives. Such as the point in the book when good Wes went to military school, and the other dropped out of high school. The book showed it as the good Wes finally catching a break in his education, and the bad Wes going down the wrong path.
A few thing I disliked about the book. Bad Wes's mother's un-care for her sons well being. Like the easy, and even sometimes non-punishment for things that I think most people see as over the top bad behavior. Of course, the abrupt and annoying quick ending of the book that made it seem as though he was either running out of pages or time. The random small details that would be stretched on for two to three pages.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
The Other Wes Moore By:Stanley Suter Pages:0-163
Prompt:Who is your favorite character and why? Who is your least favorite character?This week I have been reading "The Other Wes Moore" By:Wes Moore, and so far, I really like it. It is about two kids, about the same, both black, both grew up around drugs and crime, but had totally different futures due to certain influences and changes in their lives. The one who wrote the book was the one who turned out for the better. He has gone through military school, and received one of the highest academic achievements in the world, that allowed him to move on to Oxford college with a full scholarship, while the other is serving a life sentience in prison.
My favorite character in the entire book would be the good Wes's father. He kept a very fair house hold and was really nice to Wes's half sister, Nikki, even though he wasn't her birth father. He protected Wes, and his mother, until he died early in the book. He had a case of two different diseases with symptoms that confused the doctors, and so wasn't treatable.
My least favorite person in the book had to be the evil Wes's mother. I didn't like her because of her lack of care for her children's well being. When she found over 4,000 dollars in drugs underneath Wes's bed, the only thing she did for his situation was flush them down the toilet. When she found out that his girlfriend was pregnant, she acted normally, not even yelling or talking to him about the situation (well, maybe she wasn't surprised after Wes's older brother's girlfriend also got pregnant and had a kid two years earlier).
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
"Zombie Tag" by Stanley Suter
*Prompt*- Who is your favorite character and why? Who is your least favorite character?This week I have been reading "Zombie Tag" and I find it very interesting. In the book, the main character Will is playing a made up game, Zombie tag. While playing the game, he finds a lengendary bell, the same bell that was used to rise the dead decades before. Of course, he ringed it, and every dead person in the radius of 5 miles was risin. His brother comes home and that's where I left off.
My favorite character would probably be Will's brother, Graham before he died. He is the most comedic person in the book so far, and still the coolest. He play wrestles with Will, and seems to always win. He was just starting to drive when he died. He died because of an asthma attack. He couldn't open the bottle for his pills in time and chocked to death. Ever since he died, he has become much more serious, he hasn't had any emotions except anger.
My least favorite character has to be Anthony's dad (Anthony is Will's friend). He is by far the most boring, meanest, angryest person in the book. For cracking the bell he sends Will home and looks like he waas about to murder him on the scene. Then, he doesn't even do anything about the living dead, even though it was obviously him that knew why they where alive and well, when they should still be in the ground. He grounds Anthony for it, which doesn't make sence, saying that Anthony didn't support either the friends coming over or the fact that they where staying up that late playing the game.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
40 Book Challenge Reflection
Right now, I a on the final stretch of my 40 book challenge. I don't think I am going to finish it however, mainly because I was never set on actually completing it. I have six books left to complete, and I have about a month to do that. I have progressed with my taste for writing and what I am now understanding that I wouldn't have understood before. If I where to rate myself probably a 9/10 from what I did, because it wasn't like I was actually trying to read as much as possible (I was doing pretty good) and then about mid-year I was totally messed up. I got a tablet for christmas.
Now I have almost reached the goal, I think that I made this happen by just finding reading fun. I pretty much broke my chances though when I got the lead role in the musical. I have been reading much darker and harder books than I would have if I stayed on the level of reading that I was on last year. I have been reading things with old english, that are both interesting and sometimes hard to follow. However, my thoughts are that either the kids want to do and are going to do it, or they don't like reading and aren't going to do any at all. I think that I only kept reading because I have the self motivation to continue reading, and mainly because I, again, like it. So I think you should either make it mandatory, or at least enforce it a little more.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
"Rot and Ruin" Stanley Suter
*Prompt* Who are you favorite and least favorite characters?
This week I have been reading "Rot and Ruin" and I really like it. It is set in a world plagued by the zombie apocalypse where a town on a mountainside is hanging onto life away from the living dead. Two brothers, Benny and Tom, are closure specialists (people that will kill your living dead family members so you can feel at rest) who have to stop a gang of bounty hunters from starting a sort of zombie games, called fun land.
My favorite character would probably be Tom. He is highly tuned to his surroundings and it seems light no one can get the upper hand on him. He came close to death when he was shot by a shotgun and left for fifty zoms, but his brother Benny accidentally sprayed too much of an odor to keep them away from them. His favorite weapon is the katana because it is silent, and he is a master with it.
My least favorite character is Charlie pinkeye. He thinks that just because the world has gone to ruin, there is no need for justice outside the town gate. He tries to start G
ameland, an event where children try to fight zoms until there death comes, inevitably. He ties zombies to trees and hunts them down later for large amounts of money, and forces kids (like Benny) to show him "manners" (always saying "sir" and telling the truth, at least the one Charlie wants to hear).
This week I have been reading "Rot and Ruin" and I really like it. It is set in a world plagued by the zombie apocalypse where a town on a mountainside is hanging onto life away from the living dead. Two brothers, Benny and Tom, are closure specialists (people that will kill your living dead family members so you can feel at rest) who have to stop a gang of bounty hunters from starting a sort of zombie games, called fun land.My favorite character would probably be Tom. He is highly tuned to his surroundings and it seems light no one can get the upper hand on him. He came close to death when he was shot by a shotgun and left for fifty zoms, but his brother Benny accidentally sprayed too much of an odor to keep them away from them. His favorite weapon is the katana because it is silent, and he is a master with it.
My least favorite character is Charlie pinkeye. He thinks that just because the world has gone to ruin, there is no need for justice outside the town gate. He tries to start G
ameland, an event where children try to fight zoms until there death comes, inevitably. He ties zombies to trees and hunts them down later for large amounts of money, and forces kids (like Benny) to show him "manners" (always saying "sir" and telling the truth, at least the one Charlie wants to hear).
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
"The adventures of HuckleBerry Finn" By:Stanley Suter
Prompt-Are the characters realistic? Why or Why not?
This week I have been reading "The adventures of Huckleberry Finn" By:Mark Twain, and so far it has been both good, and really hard to read. I really like the plot line, a boy who would rather be in the wilderness than living in houses and following rules. So he does something about it. He escapes from his no-good dad and makes it look like he died and was dragged out of the house. He is a theif and often taking advantage of other peoples sympathy, getting hundreds and even thousands of dollars off of peolpe that support the church.
The main character Huckleberry is the most realistic character in a book that I have ever read. He is almost never brave in the hard situations, and unlike in other books he often fails with robberies, meeting frauds and other crooks along the way. The author always sets up the perfect love scene, then he ruins every one of them with a need for a plan or a silly sceme. Another character who seems realistic is Jim. He is the only negro in their groop and he is wanted for running away. He wants to get back his family and free himself by getting across the border and into the north.
Some of the characters that arn't realistic are the "King" and the "Duke". They are two men that got onto the raft for refuge and then started playing whole towns out of their money. They knew every scheme that people could pull out of their sleve and it seems like he knows what everyone else is doing. What seems unrealistic about them is how Jim and Huckleberry saved them, and they immediately turn behind Jim and Huckleberry's back and try to go through with a plan without them.
This week I have been reading "The adventures of Huckleberry Finn" By:Mark Twain, and so far it has been both good, and really hard to read. I really like the plot line, a boy who would rather be in the wilderness than living in houses and following rules. So he does something about it. He escapes from his no-good dad and makes it look like he died and was dragged out of the house. He is a theif and often taking advantage of other peoples sympathy, getting hundreds and even thousands of dollars off of peolpe that support the church.The main character Huckleberry is the most realistic character in a book that I have ever read. He is almost never brave in the hard situations, and unlike in other books he often fails with robberies, meeting frauds and other crooks along the way. The author always sets up the perfect love scene, then he ruins every one of them with a need for a plan or a silly sceme. Another character who seems realistic is Jim. He is the only negro in their groop and he is wanted for running away. He wants to get back his family and free himself by getting across the border and into the north.
Some of the characters that arn't realistic are the "King" and the "Duke". They are two men that got onto the raft for refuge and then started playing whole towns out of their money. They knew every scheme that people could pull out of their sleve and it seems like he knows what everyone else is doing. What seems unrealistic about them is how Jim and Huckleberry saved them, and they immediately turn behind Jim and Huckleberry's back and try to go through with a plan without them.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
"Notes from the Midnight Driver" By:Stanley Suter
Prompt- Who is your favorite character? Why? Who is your least favorite character?This week I have been reading "Notes from a midnight driver" and I really like it. Its about a kid, who when his parents divorce, tryes to drive over to his fathers house, drunk.So, he makes it to the end of the block, and crashes into only a lawn gnome, but destroying his moms car and ending up in a hospital. Now, after being in court, he has to do 100 hours of service at a home for the old.
My favorite character is Sol because he is the smartest, funniest old man in the nursing home, always pulling pranks. At first, Alex and Sol hate the time that they have together. Then, when Alex brings his guitar, everything changes. He loves it when Alex plays, and even cries during one of Alex's preformances.
My least favorite character is Alex's mom. She often hits him, yells at him, and does other seemingly abusive things to him. She divorces her husband, then grounds Alex because of his andger and where it got him. His dad leaves one hint on their divorce, that his mom actually PUSHED him
out, he didn't want to leave. She even picked Sol as a punishment, knowing that he was one of the most obnoxious people in the home, and THAT totally backfired.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
"Of Mice and Men" Stanley Suter
*Prompt* Does the title fit the story? Why or why not?
This week I have been reading "Of Mice and Men" and I really like it. We are already half way through the book and the main characters have just been introduced. I really like how the book started, with Lennie and George getting ready to start their job as a migrant worker, after getting in trouble, in the last town, Weed. Now the have gotten to the farm, and the work's nice, but the people are really violent and shady.
For the most part, the title doesn't fit the story. The main animal in the book would be either a dog, or a rabbit, definitely not a mouse. Other than the fact that Lennie carries a dead mouse in his pocket, the mouse really isn't in the story. And so far, the plot lines has been absolutely un changed by that. However, it could mean something symbolic in one of the characters.
The part about "Men" does make sense. All of the workers on the ranch are men, and over all, only one woman even lives on the land. Also, if the title was symbolic, it would make sense, George is the man, and Lennie is the mouse, because he acts so small. Lennie also has the mind of a child, so they could be referring to his compared to Georges mind, in that his is so small, compared to Georges being so big.
This week I have been reading "Of Mice and Men" and I really like it. We are already half way through the book and the main characters have just been introduced. I really like how the book started, with Lennie and George getting ready to start their job as a migrant worker, after getting in trouble, in the last town, Weed. Now the have gotten to the farm, and the work's nice, but the people are really violent and shady.For the most part, the title doesn't fit the story. The main animal in the book would be either a dog, or a rabbit, definitely not a mouse. Other than the fact that Lennie carries a dead mouse in his pocket, the mouse really isn't in the story. And so far, the plot lines has been absolutely un changed by that. However, it could mean something symbolic in one of the characters.
The part about "Men" does make sense. All of the workers on the ranch are men, and over all, only one woman even lives on the land. Also, if the title was symbolic, it would make sense, George is the man, and Lennie is the mouse, because he acts so small. Lennie also has the mind of a child, so they could be referring to his compared to Georges mind, in that his is so small, compared to Georges being so big.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
"The Outsiders" Stanley Suter
*Prompt* who is your favorite character and why? Who is your least favorite character?
This week I have been reading "The Outsiders" and I really like it. I have been introduced to the main characters, Ponyboy (seriously), Sodapop, and Darry. This is set in the late 1900, where the Greasers are a rival gang with the Socs. In the book they are getting ready for a giant gang clash, where they will decide who stays and who goes from their territory. This means that if Ponyboy loses, he could be beaten half to death every time he leaves the house.
My favorite character is Darry, because he is by far the smartest and strongest character in the book. He acts like a dad, even though it is tough when they diagree, and he is barely eligible to be a parent. He even sacraficed college in hopes that Ponyboy and Sodapop would be able to. He is still a part of the greasers, and their un-ellected leader.
My least favorite character is Sodapop. I don't like him because he acts like too much of a goof at times. He has a great sense of humor, but he is either in a great mood, or he shuts himself out from the rest of the world. He is neither smart, nor athletic, but he seems to be the glue between Ponyboy and Darry. He even tries to marry his girlfriend, at age 17, but when she rejects him he takes it out in the clash of the gangs.
This week I have been reading "The Outsiders" and I really like it. I have been introduced to the main characters, Ponyboy (seriously), Sodapop, and Darry. This is set in the late 1900, where the Greasers are a rival gang with the Socs. In the book they are getting ready for a giant gang clash, where they will decide who stays and who goes from their territory. This means that if Ponyboy loses, he could be beaten half to death every time he leaves the house.
My favorite character is Darry, because he is by far the smartest and strongest character in the book. He acts like a dad, even though it is tough when they diagree, and he is barely eligible to be a parent. He even sacraficed college in hopes that Ponyboy and Sodapop would be able to. He is still a part of the greasers, and their un-ellected leader.
My least favorite character is Sodapop. I don't like him because he acts like too much of a goof at times. He has a great sense of humor, but he is either in a great mood, or he shuts himself out from the rest of the world. He is neither smart, nor athletic, but he seems to be the glue between Ponyboy and Darry. He even tries to marry his girlfriend, at age 17, but when she rejects him he takes it out in the clash of the gangs.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
"Shark Girl" By:Stanley Suter
*Prompt* Do the people in the book seem like actual people?This week I have been reading a book called "Shark Girl" and I really like it. In the beginning it shows her regrets and how her arm was taken off by a shark. As fun as that sounds, it really isn't. Then it tells her time in the hospital to when she gets home and is trying to live without her arm. It gets really interesting how embaresed she gets and the depression she feels, which is all lifted once she finds other ways to do things.
The first character is one that I don't see as realistic. He is Micheal, the brother of Jean, the girl bitten. He is more angry at her than with himself, because he doesn't want to help her out, or to "serve" her. I find this un realistic because I would hate myself for not being in the water if my sister almost died without me. I also found it unbelieveable how he pushed her directly after she got out of the hospital. She seemed to be in a serious mental state and should have taken her time.
The next person that I think seemed totally unrealistic was the mother. She seemed almost ok with what had happened, and after the incident she didn't stay with her own child too long after. Instead she went to work and had people come over and look after Jane. Micheal seemed to be the only reliable person that Jane could count on in the hospital, and he wasn't able to stay there full time. Those are the characters in my book that are unrealistic.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
"Poetry Reflection" by, Stanley Suter
Poetry reflection
Stanley S.
Poetry’s importance in my life is very small. As I do not enjoy either reading or writing it I do not consider it very important, at least in my life. I find that writing it has been very slow and I have trouble finding a good topic to write on. I end up sounding very cheesy and my poem doesn’t flow well. I haven’t seen or done many things worth writing, and that would be the easiest type of poetry, I think for me, is to write story.
I also do not think that poetry belongs to everyone. Myself being a living example, I know several other kids that struggle and don’t like poetry. That is why I would say that poetry is not for everyone. Some people like to read, but not write poetry and I would say poetry would be for them. It is like other things, not all people are for baseball, or basketball are they? People that do not like poetry, I would say poetry is not for them.
I know these two things from personal experience alone. Several of my friends, including me have asked each other for help on a topic, that usually does not turn out well. I also know that many people don’t like poetry and surely do not like writing it, I think that if you asked them, they would tell you straight up that poetry was not for them. Again, things like music, sports, and other things, people say all the time is not for them. Like people being less athletic than another, the same sort of rule applies for poetry, people that are in that mental mind set will do much better than those not.
They life and experiences of a poet affects the poem that he or she creates drastically. If the poet has a bad childhood, many of the poems could be bad as well, or just the opposite. For example, if someone only knows of gum drops and unicorns, they won’t be writing about the monster under the bed. The experiences of the poet is the poem.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
"Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf" By:Stanley S.
Prompt-Describe your most and least favorite characters and explain why.
This week I have been reading "Wereworld: Rise of the wolf" and I really like it. There are certain very slow parts that develop into awesome fighting scenes. I starts with a kid, a loving mother and a hating father who falsly accuses the son of killing his mom and trys to kill him. Even though it was a giant rat, in this world of transforming humans. This boy, Drew is the last of the wolves, all of the others having been slaughtered by the lions in the great war. In the book he starts out going to high cliff to oppose the lion king but is side tracked several times and is finally captured by the kings guard.
My favorite character is Drew. He is the "lone wolf" (that was a good one, you have to admit it) and travels on his own for the most part. He meets up with the medic, Hector and from then on they travel together. I like Drew the best because he is the toughest and the most determined. Hector is frightened easily and often throwes up, looking like a wimp. He acts bold but he isn't arrogant, a nice strong boy.
My least favorite character by far would be Gretchen. She is the girly girl "Im a little princess" (she really is) type of character, who complains way too much. When Drew kidnaps her she is totally unpredictable and irrational, making very stupid moves. The thing about her that really angers me is her unstopping persistence of stupid moves. She leaves the hotel in the middle of no where just to try to get away from Drew and Hector, when she has no idea that 95% of the guard is corrupt and would hold her for ransome. Luckily Drew caught her in time...
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
"Mr.Tucket", Stanley Suter
*Prompt - How did the reading make you feel? Why?This week I've read "Mr.Tucket" by Gary Paulson and I really like the book. It all starts on a wagon ride to Utah, on Francis Tucket's birthday. He gets a rifle from his father and strays far behind the group practicing when a group of hostil indians take hit to their tribe to make hit a slave. When another man, Mr.Grimes, saves him. They set off to try to find both his family and make beaver pelts, when the Pawnee leader comes after them and they are forced to a duel. Mr.Grimes wins and skins the leaders face.
I hated Mr.Grimes when he skinned the Leaders face because I felt he was just going too far and it mortified Francis. Destroying a dead man's face isn't cool, especially if you knew him. Then, as Francis rides away as fast as he can, he doesn't even follow him to make sure he got back to his family. He just watched the last time he would probably ever see the boy. Thats what angered me. How can you not follow the kid you practically fathered for a year?
I liked the part of the book where Mr.Grimes didn't make snappy remarks or was as on edge as the rest of the book. When they where trapping beavers, and their only worry was to cover the tracks so other people didn't follow. It made me happy when Mr.Grimes's friends came and Francis held a gun on them for a solid hour, making them think he was a full grown man, when he was only 14. The Mr.Grimes came and explained the situation to them, showing them how a 14 year lod boy stopped them in their tracks, and kept them there for an hour. I think that that was the high of the book.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Creative Reflection On Blogging
When I started blogging I focused more on the base of the story instead of the prompt I had. I would summarize randomly throughout the story. I would say something such as "Dognut liked Brittany, and Katherine liked Dognut." and then follow with something like "They met on a bus, with the only living person over 16 and his son. His son was nice but the father was cruel." I also seemed to have much less evidence put into my blogs to support the Prompt.
In my later posts I use much more evidence toward the prompt and the sides I choose with the blog. I also go much further into the characters in the first/summary paragraph and make sure that the later two are focused on the prompt. I add visuals and my writhing is much better with more feeling and better vocabulary. I try to use longer paragraphs and figurative language. Thats the changes I can see throughout my blog posts.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
"Small Steps", Stanley S. Pages 0-256
*Prompt* - • Describe the most important event. Give at least three reasons why you think it
"Small Steps" is the sequel to "Holes" and I really like how the story has changed. It isn't in the view of Stanley Yelnats any more, but instead between Armpit and X-ray. They had just gotten out of their jail camp and Armpit is trying it out the right way by working hard and trying to get to college. On the other hand X-ray is into scalping illegally for a concert and, they being friends, offers to have Armpit into the deal, and when Armpit wants to go to the concert with his friend, X-ray gives them fake tickets without telling them, and when at the concert the guards come to see the tickets they notice. When Armpit reacts, he starts yelling and his friend has a seizure. Thats when they meet Tatiana.
is the most important event.
"Small Steps" is the sequel to "Holes" and I really like how the story has changed. It isn't in the view of Stanley Yelnats any more, but instead between Armpit and X-ray. They had just gotten out of their jail camp and Armpit is trying it out the right way by working hard and trying to get to college. On the other hand X-ray is into scalping illegally for a concert and, they being friends, offers to have Armpit into the deal, and when Armpit wants to go to the concert with his friend, X-ray gives them fake tickets without telling them, and when at the concert the guards come to see the tickets they notice. When Armpit reacts, he starts yelling and his friend has a seizure. Thats when they meet Tatiana.
I think that the most important event in the book is when they meet Tatiana. It sets up the whole plot and the book would not be even close to how it is now without her. She is the woman singing in the concert, and talks to Armpit's friend after she has the seizure. She becomes intimately involved with Armpit, and they "hook-up". Armpit meets the man married to her mother and he asks Armpit to hold a bat, only to get his finger prints on to later frame him.
Eventually after Armpit and Tatiana break up, the father finally uses the finger prints. He knows that Tatiana and Armpit are angry at each other and Tatiana has a giant life insurance check. So one night, he goes in with the bat and hits Tatiana over the head several times. Only one problem. The loose end that he didn't tie up was Armpit. Armpit had come back to apologize, when no one answered the knock and he heard a wimper, he had to let himself in. Yadda, Yadda, he takes the lamp, smashes it over the fathers head, they all live happily ever after, except Armpit never gets back together with Tatiana.
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