Would They Fit In?

Author's Note~  This is a piece that me and a partner worked on.  It is about a Greek character and if they would be able to fit into a modern day middle school.

Would a Greek Methodical character fit into a modern day middle school?

This is a scene that happened today at lunch regarding trench ball:

Aidan: My trench ball team is gonna dominate.

Benjie: No they won’t it’s obvious Mikes’ team will win it all, and beat the teachers.

Achilles: I AM IMMORTAL I WILL BEAT EVERYONE

Benjie: Just because you’re immortal, that doesn’t mean you will beat us all in Trench Ball.

Achilles:  I am the strongest warrior ever!

Aidan: Let’s just call you Mr. Arrogant Achilles

Achilles: Its true! I am the strongest man every I AM IMMORTAL

Benjie: Bro……you think your all that when you have never even played trench ball before.

Achilles: True but I AM IMMORTAL

Nick: This has nothing to do with dying Achilles!!!!

Benjie: thank you Fonte!

Achilles: I totally could beat you guys!

Ryan: Whatever Achilles think what you want.

Achilles: You all will be jealous 

Trojan War Remake

I think that Achilles resembles a character from the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  In A parody play Achilles was very narrow minded and assumed he was never gonna die.  This also is like Cato from the Hunger Games, he figured that just because he trained for all of his childhood didn't mean he was going to win.  Achilles actually said that he would take on anyone to beat him.

I thought that Achilles and Cato were arrogant.  That is why they are so similar.   In the remake of the play Achilles always thought that even though he would face the best warriors he figured he was going to win, Cato also thought that he was going to win the Hunger Games. Cato made an alliance with only the best people too, so he would stay safe.  Cato and Achilles were very similar in their personalities throughout each story.

I thought that the remake to make Achilles more arrogant was a good move because he was immortal.  Cato also thought he was immortal and ended up dying just like Achilles.  These too characters were made alike through the remake.


  

Now&Then

Author's Note~ This is a text analysis piece on how the short story After You My Dear Alphonse, stays true to its time as well as how it affects its characters.

Imagine being the one who was assumed to be poor just because of their skin color, or the person who is always being bullied just because of two colors, black and white.  In the story After You My Dear Alphonse, by Shirley Jackson, Boyd, a young African-American boy, is at a friend’s house eating lunch.  Johnny’s mom, Mrs. Wilson, assumes Boyd is poor and offers clothes and then asks personal questions assuming that his family is close to poverty.  Jackson was able to show how there were racial discriminations in the time period and how it affected the characters in the story as well as how it related to its time period.

Mrs. Wilson, she tried proving that her family was so much better than others, especially Boyd’s’.   She figured that they were poor just because they were African-American.  Now look at today our president is African-American, that means that even though they have a different color skin it doesn’t mean that they can’t do what anyone else can do.  Mrs. Wilson thought that her boy shouldn’t be playing with Boyd as well.   She used some snarky comments to make Boyd feel bad.

Mrs. Wilson seemed to say something to Boyd and then Boyd would prove her wrong.  Boyd liked Johnny but you  could tell that he felt kind of unwelcome because of what Mrs. Wilson was saying.   They way Mrs. Wilson was saying things made it defiantly obvious that this story was in the 1940’s.  You could also tell that Johnny was getting mad at his mom for saying the mean things to Boyd. “And he certainly has to be strong to do that—all that lifting and carrying at a factory.”“Boyd’s father doesn’t have to,” Johnny said. “He’s a foreman.”  Here Mrs. Wilson assumes that Boyd’s dad has a factory job that pays little.

Saying mean things to people of different skin color happens all the time.  In the book Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson, two sisters were forced to do work and chores and if they did something wrong they were harassed by their owners.   This book stayed true to the time period as well as the story with Boyd.  Back then there were many racial discriminations going around, and there still are some today but less.

This story was able to stay true to its time period really well and that is what makes the story so great.  The author was also able to explain how the things Mrs. Wilson said affected Johnny and Boyd.  Jackson was able to show how racial comments affect people and it made readers think about what they say, and what people said back then.

Trojan Horse

Author's Note~ This is a response to the short story Trojan Horse, and the devious attack the Greeks played on the Trojans.

The main conflict in this story was Helen and she was the most beautiful girl in the world.  They believe that she caused the war by leaving for Troy and leaving her husband a Greek king.  The conflict was resolved by the Greeks planning a devious attack to win her back.    This attack was very sneaky.  The main selling point was this, one Greek person telling them to believe that there was nothing in the horse and it was just a gift.  Turns out it was Greek’s chance at winning the war. 

I don’t believe that something like this could happen in today’s modern warfare.  Mainly because we have the use of advanced technology, such as thermal cameras telling us if there were human bodies inside.  This attack would not work today.  I also couldn't see this happening at school because there are so many people moving around everyday someone would see what actually happened.  I have seen this tactic used in Act of Valor, (the movie) there was a point in the movie where they needed a sneak attack.  They hid inside of flat beds with covers and were able to attack surprising the bad people.

Going West

Author's Note~ This is a research essay on Route 66.  I got the idea from reading the book Thou Shall Not Road Trip.

Route 66 goes from the shores of Lake Michigan and ends up at the shores of the Pacific ocean, Chicago to Los Angeles, 2,400 miles and one great journey.   People say that their journey on Route 66 can change lives, and it sure did when it was in its hay day.  The creation of Route 66 revolutionized the way we travel today and the movement of thousands west and created America’s heart and soul, Route 66.

Before

In 1857 congress commissioned Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale to chart a wagon trail from Fort Defiance to the border of New Mexico and The Colorado river.  This turned out to be a big asset in war down south.   Thoughts about creating this coast to coast highway became purposed in 1912 and it was thought to go from Washington D.C. and end up in San Diego.

Plans changed and entrepreneurs John Woodruf and Cyrus Avery receive most credit for the creation of a road linking L.A. and Chicago together.  By the summer of 1926 Route 66 became one of America’s east-west highways.  The road planners planned for route 66 to connect rural towns and to have route 66 be the main connection between this rural cities and their access to main cities.  This also gave these rural cities more income as people were traveling through them.

First 20 Years

First launched in 1926 it actually took 12 more years for every part of Route 66 to be paved.  The lodging and food industries expanded significantly in the first years and gave an outside revenue to some small rural communities that needed it.  The road also served as a way for farmers to transport grain and move their goods.  This road also moved truckers onto it primarily because of the better climate and weather than the northern east-west roads.

From 1933-1938 there were thousands of unemployed men working on the road and they worked really hard so by 1938 every part of the road was paved.  As the depression kept on hitting America the small restaurants on the highway or small little shops turned out to make a decent profit and the shops farther away on less traveled roads were hurting.  You can see how the road affected the lives of small business owners and their businesses.

Right before World War 2 the U.S. government had built air force and army bases right of the road.  This helped us fight because we had an easy fast link out and we could attack or move soldiers around quicker using the highway instead of back roads.  Also this helped us if people wanted to go west and see someone they knew in the army they could have easy access to the base for quicker travel.

The creation of this road also helped us create one of the best mobilization methods in the world.  We were able to have trucks move all around moving tons of equipment to the coasts during the Pearl Harbor attacks.

After The War

One of the most common things that come up to mind when you think about Route 66 are, “Get your kicks on Route 66”.  This was actually part of a lyrical map created by Robert William Troup, Jr.  This became a catch phrase for motorists traveling on the road from Chicago to Los Angeles.   

Population out west expanded by 25% over the first 25 years and most of California’s population was to come in the next 30 years.  Now the road was used by more tourists and store owners also noticed that even the poorest travelers still needed the necessities.   The war provided income but once travelers were the main customers shops we able to modernize and guarantee long term financial stability.

As travelers headed west or east they were treated to great views and many small town atmosp-

hers.  You also knew that each gas station or motel you saw on your drive you knew each one had

great caring people there.

A Quick Downfall

Starting in 1941 the need for a new highway system was obvious.  The wear and tear the war had on the road was obvious and the road needed major improvements.    Thomas MacDonald, (director of Public Roads Administration) said that about 78,000 miles of road needed to be repaired after the war.  MacDonald had suggested an east-west highway connecting all the major cities.

With the need of a east-west highway, Interstate 40 west, would go from the Oklahoma City through the Texas panhandle and all the way to western California.  This replaced a major, famous stretch of route 66 and led to its demise.  Each state would put anywhere from 14 to 20 million dollars to their chunk of the highway.

1985 was the official year, Route 66 was decommissioned.  Many people who understood how significant Route 66 was to our country’s history, wanted to commemorate and preserve the highway.  As a result of the push to remember Route 66 many states put historic signs remembering people where the highway was, or they would make a scenic bypass for travelers to see the old restaurants and gas stations.

In 1990 the National Park Service issued a study to tell us how significant Route 66 was to us and our countries growth.  As we look back on Route 66 we will get a flashback of history.   America’s heart and soul, Route 66, revolutionized they way we travel today as well as the movement of thousands west. 

Bibliography

"Route 66 Overview--Route 66: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary." U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2013. <http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/Rou

Response to Ribbons

Author's Note~ This is a response to Ribbons.

The shoes in this story were a big sign of the different cultures between China and America.  The grandmother thought that the shoes would be bad for her feet, but the girl wanted to dance.  America is also a lot less strict than China is.  China is  very strict in their traditions, when America isn’t as strict in traditions.

One thing that Chinese do to symbolize beauty is bind their feet back. They believed that if they had small feet it symbolizes beauty.   In America girls wear makeup to look more pretty.  In the story there were stereotypes going around.  At the end the girl was able to dance in her ballet shoes, with the grandma agreeing.

Who Am I

Author's Note~ This is a who am I piece, try to guess who it is.

I am around a golf club all day every day.  I love the game.  I was bullied on my first day of school for being African-American.  As a kid I practiced every day, on national television at 3.  I have brown eyes and I live in Nike clothes.  I am surrounded in money, own a mansion in Florida.  I’d say I live in paradise, with my two kids and an awesome game to keep me amused.

I’ve changed the sport that I play by immeasurable amounts.  I went to Stanford learned everything I needed to.  I don’t have a dependent income, it all depends on how I do.  I am considered as the best ever and I won’t to be known as that.  I live a tough life with the media all over me, I have encountered heartbreaking events like divorce and my father passing.

From all of this I have learned that even though I’ve made mistakes I can preserve through them.  I was considered as the best athlete year after year.  In 2008 I played one of the most amazing final rounds  ever with a knee injury.  I came back and have amazed people this year, and I am now chasing one amazing record that has never even been close to meeting, and I could.

Response to A Clean, Well-lighted Place

Author's Note~ This is a short anaylisis of the waiters in A Clean Well-lighted Place.

3.  Each waiter was different in many ways.  The first waiter was young cocky and  selfish while the other one was respectful and genuine.  Hemmingway used two different people to show you how they represent life. One was be right on time and act like you’re the boss and the other is one where you relax and comfort your customer and if you’re a little late its ok.  The café models a perfect setting for these two lifestyles collide.

The Thought of Sacrifice

Author's Note~ This is my analysis piece that I want to score a 9 in text analysis.  I inserted a quote as well to improve my score.

The sacrifice that someone can do for someone can be unbelievable at some times.  In The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry a couple sacrifice their own favorite possessions for each other.  In the short story Della had her hair cut off to buy a gift for her husband watch, while her husband Jim sold his watch away to buy her a really nice comb set.  O. Henry was able to show a perfect example of how people  sacrifice things for each other.

The tone from this story is evident from the beginning.  The tone was sacrificing for others.  As a nice person I myself try to sacrifice time for others.  I believe that even though I have a better life than the poor I should still designate time to help them out and sacrifice myself.  People think that sacrificing your time can be a hard thing.  It really isn't  with the charities today you can even sacrifice an old teddy bear or a used coat you don’t want anymore.  Like the say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  Della could have kept her hair and not got her husband anything but  she sacrificed her hair because she cares for her husband. "If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl. But what could I do--oh! what could I do with a dollar and eighty- seven cents?" pg.2 

Sacrificing things for loved ones happens all the time, like The Hunger Games.  Katniss sacrificed herself to help save Peeta in the cave.  In the Hunger Games you can see how much the games made them care about each other and then it caused Katniss to save Peeta's life.  Also just like in the story it is clear that Della and Jim sacrifice a possession for each others love.  As the tone changes you can tell that when they revealed their gifts they were awestruck.   Both of them were surprised but knew that they had given up something for each other.

Being awestruck at first sight I believe this also taught you a lesson and at the end the tone was clear.  As you read the last paragraph you saw that all though these people may have been considered foolish, they are considered the wisest because they gave and received.  When you think about sacrificing something sometimes it is worth thinking if they would sacrifice something from you.  That is what I learned from this piece.  From Jim giving up his biggest possession and same with Della they both thought that there plan would be perfect, well it turned out that they were wrong but sacrificed a lot.

The whole tone of the story is the thought of sacrificing something that you may not want to do.  Evident through the story the tone changed towards the end and the characters learned a lesson and that they should always think before they sacrifice their most prized possessions.  Showing how people sacrifice things for others O. Henry showed a perfect example of how people were able to learn a lesson while doing something right.

A special Quote

Author's Note~ This is an analysis of a quote.

Two kidnappers is pretty much the story of The Ransom of Red Chief, by O. Henry.  These men were in need for money and they assumed that they would get their money the opposite happens.  The quote I'm analyzing is "Two Desperate Men".  This tells a lot about the characters and how despreate they are.

Somebody to Lean On

Author's Note~ This is an analysis piece on Under the Baseball Moon by John H. Ritter.  I am trying to score a 10 in body paragraphs by incorporating quotes from the book.

One great trumpeter, and one great softball player.  That describes the stories of Andy and Glory in Under the Baseball Moon, by John H. Ritter.   In this story it shows the dependence of Glory and Andy’s relationship together.  Ritter was able to show the reader that they should always have one person to lean on and to be dependent on someone.

In my life I am dependent on many people, including my parents and my grandparents.  Either in a financial or support way I always have them to depend on.  In live it is always good to have someone to help pick you up or help you out.  In the book Whenever Glory had a bad game Andy was able to pick her up and make her feel better and improve.

Having someone to depend on is often something you see in sports when teammates pick each other up to play better.  Or in golf when caddies encourage their player that even though they hit a bad shot that they can rebound on the next.  During the story you were able to tell that there was definitely points where Glory tried to pick up Andy to help him play trumpet and vice versa. This quote says it all. “Good, because I will totally lift you up, I promise.” Pg. 218

People picking you up or motivating you happens all the time in life.  Like in the story A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving.  In this  book you were able to emphasize how much of an impact Owen and John had on each other.  Just like with Andy and Glory’s case all the characters were able to have someone to rely on when they needed it most.

As you think about how often you rely on people in life you can also tell that people in books also do a lot of relying on each other.  In life dependence is one of the thing that people need to live life successfully.  Learning to have someone to depend on and lean on when you’re in trouble is one of the thins Ritter told you in Under the Baseball Moon.   

I Ran.......Will You?

I have escaped this

Dying country

With no light

Under the ground

Where you may

Die and starve

And loose light

But it’s ok

You can forgive me

But it is for our own good

Someone needs to leave

And it wasn't you

This parody relates to The City of Ember and how they were all able to find a way out.  This would have been the apology letter  from the people who escaped and who left everyone back. Eventually everyone gets out and its happy but the mayor doesn't and he dies.

A Big Change

Author's Note~ This is a character development piece I wrote to meet my goal of scoring a 9.5 or higher in this category.

A fighter, a hard worker, that pretty much explains Bruce Edwards story in A Caddy for Life, by John Fienstein.  Bruce faced trouble throughout his grade school career and had to be sent off to a prep school to keep him out of trouble.  The one thing that kept Bruce out of trouble during the summer was caddying.   Bruce loved caddying and the game and you could tell that through the game he changed from a trouble maker to a nice, loving, caring man.

At the start of the book Bruce was messing around all day and doing bad things.  His parents noticed and sent him to a prep school.  Both of his parents believed that the prep school would help Bruce turn himself  around and become a much smarter and wiser person.  It turns out something totally different than his parents thought.

When Bruce was diagnosed with ALS he was given great respect from all players and other caddies.  Bruce changed a lot throughout his life in this book.  He became a highly respected person in the game of golf and he was able to change many people throughout his career as a caddy.  Many people gave Bruce great respect throughout his career as a caddy and that changed his life.

When people heard about Bruce’s story they all felt bad for him and thought he would have to quit caddying right away and never be able to caddy again.  Bruce motivated millions by still caddying and inspiring others with ALS.  Once Bruce kept on caddying people were amazed and inspired by what he could do with such a killing disease.

When I read the book I was motivated as the reader.  This story was sad and the readers view on everything changed a lot.  Bruce was a bad boy that people didn’t like but as he grew throughout the story and his life he received great respect.  Bruce was a hard fighter and tried to live as long as he could with ALS and fight his hardest.

Bruce’s story reminds me of Glory’s of the main characters in the book Under a Baseball Moon.  Glory was bullied as a kid and ended up turning into someone who would sit in the corner and throw fits a lot.  No one was her friend.  She moved to Arizona for a couple of years and then ended up moving back to Ocean Beach totally changed and as a new person and athlete.  She relates a lot to Bruce because she found a sport that changed her life dramatically.

Bruce and Glory changed a lot throughout the stories.  Both of them found a sport or activity to change their lives.  Bruce motivated thousands with ALS or people who didn’t even have ALS to try harder and fight harder in life.  Through the love of caddying Bruce, a nice, loving, and caring man changed his life.

A Stressful Story

Author's Note~ This is my figurative language piece on the poem Release. I want to score a 9 or higher on this piece.

The stress in life and how you get rid of it.  In the poem Release, by Mark R Slaughter, the whole poem revolves around a man’s stressful life.  What the poem tells you to do is release all of your problems and stress.  The author realizes that stress is an everyday encounter between people and that the acceptance and releasing of it is the most important.

During the poem the poet used many onomatopoeias to give the reader a different view and perspective of the poem.  Words such as “thunder, crack, and pop” were used during the poem.  As the reader read the poem these sound words it grabbed the reader in and showed more suspense during the poem.

“Arms like his would suit me well -I'd bust the walls; escape this hell”.  This line could be a couple things, a simile as well as a hyperbole.  When the simile was used it affected the reader as if he was jealous of somebody.  Then when the hyperbole was used it clearly pulled the simile and the hyperbole together.  It affected the readers perspective because the word “hell” could be used as an exaggeration and he would need to be really strong to break out.

As figurative language is used in the piece it changes the tone the reader has.  I would say that it adds a more dramatic tone towards the poem.  The poet was probably trying to do the same thing by inserting figurative language to make the reader think more and add more suspense into the piece.  Also as figurative language is used in the piece the main character had many different traits and you could figure that out by analyzing figurative language.

In the poem the poet used many examples of figurative language and it was obvious that it affected the piece as well as the final lesson the reader got out of it.  When someone reads a poem they always know that when a poem has figurative language the poem becomes more interesting and a higher quality piece.  During the poem the poet uses figurative language to tell the reader about overcoming stress and the hardships in life.

The Overcoming of Death

Author's Note~ This is a conflict resolution piece that I am trying to score a 9.5 or higher in and get a good thesis statement in introductions.

In the book A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving, death was brought up in the begging of the story.  Johnny’s mother dies in a horrific accident at a baseball game and everyone there saw. The thought of overcoming death is such a scary thing at such a young age, and Owen and Johnny had to overcome the conflict person vs. self.

In the book Johnny had a great relationship with his mom as well as Owen.  Both characters had shown sign of sympathy within each other.  Owen and Johnny had some issues overcoming her death such as when they would see her room, or think about all the good times they had together.  It was emphasized that Johnny was able to take the death a lot better than Owen was.  Owen was having issues overcoming her death and not having her to accompany him. 

This conflict was resolved in a simple way.  About a month later Owen couldn’t stop thinking about her.  He visited her grave often and never seemed to get over her death.  When Johnny was cleaning out her room they had decided to take out her manikin that she used and saw every day.  Johnny’s step dad was going to take it to his apartment, but Owen insisted it should go to his room.

Ever since then Owen was able to accept the fact that she had died and he was able to have a part of her with him.  Owen should more of his old self and the reader could verify that through Owens’s attitude towards life.   In the book The Way we Fall, by Megan Crewe, Kaelyn had to overcome the death of her mom and lead the island back to a safe and healthy climate.  She and Owen used their own strength to persevere through death.

Each reader could tell that in both stories each character had to resolve the fact that someone important in their life had left them and they would need to survive without them.  Owen and John were able to resolve the death using each other to rely on.  Overcoming a person vs. self conflict can be hard usually involving fight or death with someone, but Owen and Johnny overcame that at a young age amazingly.

Fooler

Author's Note~ This is a creative piece on a man who travels to Jamaica to get his money back but all he can think of is dying.

I have always worried about putting my credit card into the computer.  How safe are those programs.  I’m a young boy out of college, I can’t afford losing all my money now.  When I clicked checkout I didn’t know what would happen.

6 days later……

“It finally came” I told my girlfriend Karen. 

“It’s about time” she said dully.  I had just ordered this new video game and she didn’t seem so excited.  Now me, I was as happy as I could ever be. 

2 days later…..

Phone ringing!!!!!!! I picked it up and said “hello”.

“Yes, this is MasterCard”.

A shock ran through my whole body.  “Yes what happened?”

“It appears that you have been spending thousands of dollars in Jamaica” the lady said.

“I think you have mistaken this ma’am”.  I replied scared to she has to say back.

“Your card shows that you have spent a total of $9,999 in Jamaica.  If this would have been $10,000 our system would’ve alarmed us but it did not.  Unfortunately we can’t take this payment back I’m sorry”.

“Come on!!!!!!” I screamed, “Your telling me that I can’t even get my money back”.

“No sir I am sorry”.

“Noooooooo” I yelled as I slammed the phone to the ground.

“What happened” Karen asked.

“I have been scammed”.

4 days later……..

“Welcome to Jamaica” a young happy man told me as I got off my plane.  I saw a sea of people surrounding me, like I was a celebrity.  Feeling like a rock star I thought where are these people with my card.  I was given a card locater and noticed they were just 10 minutes away.

“How’s Jamaica”  Karen said.

“It’s great and really cool” I said happily.

“I hope you have fun, and stay safe”. Karen said and hung up.

When I sat  in my bed I thought of the crazy day I was going to have ahead of me.  The intriguing discussions I was going to have and lastly how do I stay safe.  What do I do.  All I can do is pray, and if I die here, well I knew I died trying, trying for something I knew was right.       

  

Who's View Is It?

Author's Note~ This is my point of view piece on the point of view in the novel A Prayer For Owen Meany, by John Irving.  I want to get a 9 or higher on this piece.

Owen Meany isn’t your average joe kid.  He is the kid whose feet don’t even come off the chair while sitting down.  A Prayer For Owen Meany, by John Irving tells the story of this unusual character.  John Owens friend was the main character and the whole story was in his point of view.  John’s point of view of Owen however didn’t change much and he had great respect for Owen throughout the book.  This book would’ve been taken in a different way and reader’s views of other characters would’ve been very different in someone elses point of view.

Johnny thinks that Owen is god’s instrument affecting  his own life.  John analyzed everyone from a normal standard depending on what they did Johnny would change his own view of everyone.  He seemed like an average kid but as he gets older in the book and when he talks about what he did in the past he changes.  Looking at his past he reflected on what he did good and what he did wrong as a kid.  The book clearly was is Johnny's point of view the entire time.

Owens point of view was much different.  He liked to criticize almost everything he saw weather it was on TV or it was a real event that occurred in his own life.  Owen was very bias to his own religious and showed a vigorous attitude to the Catholic Church and the way they did everything.  People also would see Owen differently and didn’t like the way he was so Owen must have had an edge on everyone criticizing him he did it back.

As I read each character seemed good but if this was in Owen's point of view his criticism would have been different on everyone else.  The book ( in Johnny's point of view) always had no bad guy in the story.  Each person was being nice to everyone and it was a normal happy town.  Now because Johnny thought that Owen was unusual if the book was in his point of view it could have been a lot different and could have varied.

Johnny’s mother died while he was young and Johnny was scared with the image of seeing his mom die in such an unlikely way.  She has always kept a manikin in her room to watch over her at night.  When Johnny’s mother passed the manikin went to Dan’s her boyfriend.  Owen didn’t think that it should be there and took the manikin back to his own house.  As I read I could see that Johnny and Dan were a little aggravated by this. 

If this event would've been in Dan's point of view I could have seen him being very aggravated at Owen but over all I think that it was the right move to give the manikin to Owen.  If Dan would have kept the manikin he would have felt touched by her and had her in his mind more often.  Now I'm going to write in the point of view of the manikin on moving to Owen's house. 

I just got stuffed in this big truck. What the heck.  Where am I going I liked it with Dan, he was a nice loving guy.  O my gosh I’m going to that annoying little brat Owens house.  This sucks he won’t even dress me I’ll just stand there lonely.  “WELCOME HOME,” as Owens high pitched voice pierced my ears.  ‘WERE TAKING YOU RIGHT UP TO MY ROOM,” Owen said.  Oh no  this will be miserable.

As the reader read they read the life of one crazy person Owen Meany.  Although Johnny told us the story in his own point of view you could tell there were other people pitching in and you could see how others thought of Owen.  Some thought that he was a courageous young man and some thought he was an annoying human being.  Differences between whose telling the story can change the readers input on who each person acts throughout the novel. 

Alike and Unalike

Author’s Note~ This is a compare contrast piece that I am trying to meet all my goals with.

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008. Print.

The Patriot. Dir. Roland Emmerich. Perf. Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joley Richardson. Columbia ;, 2000. DVD.

There are so many twists in life and it seems that they are always different.  Just like every human being which makes writing an essay comparing things should be easy.  Right?  Well there were two sides back in the Revolutionary war time and the book Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson and the movie The Patriot showed two totally different sides.  Struggling to keep on in both stories the characters showed determination and bravery to show pride for their side. 

Being owned by a loyalist family Isabel worked hard as a slave and while working she met a colonist soldier.  They then talked about British attacks to help the colonists.  Benjamin Martin lived with seven children and one who just went off to war.  He decided not to enter right away but he would end up being one of the most significant fighters.  They were both on the same side and both tried to help the colonists make a miraculous comeback and free themselves with victory.

Both living in South Carolina at a time they believed in the same concepts freedom.  I may be focusing on a word here but freedom is the main relation in this book. Being a slave wasn’t fun and all they wanted to do is be like everyone else.  Benjamin just wanted the war to end and create a free peaceful place to live in for his children and generations to come. 

The Hunger games can relate to this stories in Chains and the Patriot.  Katniss had to fight for her own life and family just like Benjamin and Isabel had to do while fighting for their freedom.   After fighting, Benjamin and Katniss had the same feeling a feeling of relief and the feeling of satisfaction.  What a great feeling something anyone of us would love to have.

Now to the second part unalike.  Isabel lived in an area controlled by the British while Benjamin and his family lived in a area with more colonists fighting for their land.  The British also had the advantage of bribery because they were more wealthy and had more land.  Down south most people didn’t like the king so trying to put together an army wasn’t as hard as it was in the north.

Isabel was treated so much worse than Benjamin and his family.  Benjamin had many people where he could help his family out when he was in war. “Isabel, ma’mm,” I said. “Isabel Finch.” “Ridiculous Name,” madam said”. Page 55. Isabel was treated like crap when she did something bad.  But both didn’t contrast a lot because both had happy endings and each family was happy at the end.

This war affected so many people especially us today.  Just think about being held under the king today.  Our country showed great pride during this war and the people fighting like Benjamin really affected the war.  Showing pride for the colonists both characters were determined to have freedom.

A Theory

Author's Note~ This is my theme essay on the book Chains. I want to get a 9.5 or better on theme in the reading rubric.

There is always that one person that is treated unfairly or the one at the lunch table sitting by himself.   In the book Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, two sisters are African Americans during the Revolutionary War time.    Now days we treat people unfairly for the fun of it but back then they treated African Americans unfairly because they had black skin and we had white, what a shame.

                                                       

Slavery was such a shameful thing for all people who used because they were so lazy.  Just because the color of their skin it ruined African American lives from then and they are still treated wrong today.  Whether your skin is black or white you should not be treated unfairly.  As a theme unfairness is a leading role in Chains.

"Craaaack! Lightning struck from a blue sky; Madam slapped my face so hard it near threw me to the ground." page 33.  Some people believe this is the way we should all live; have people do our work and all we do is give them food and a bed.  This type of theme can be related to any things such as The Hunger Games when they force teenagers into war to practically kill themselves.

Forcing people to do things is a cruel thing and has occurred so often in our society and the society back then.  As humans we should all be treated fairly and the right way.  Slaves back then were treated so unfairly the whole nation decided to go to war and kill thousands.  This is such a shame to all the believers in slavery.

Believing in slavery back then was normal and now most Americans believe it is the cruelest thing we can do to people.  Treating people fairly is what everyone should’ve done back then and many American feel angry at how we did that..  Whether having black skin or white, treating others unfairly because of their skin color is a shame.