book club

          I really enjoyed working in a book club because we had agreed very well on what we were going to read and how many pages and it worked out well. also I think that I chose the right book for my partner and I. the book is called  "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. It is a very interesting book. It shows and explains that you have to follow your dreams no matter how far it brings you. There is a young shepherd boy that is on a journey to follow his dream and find his treasure. But before he finds his treasure he has to raise money take care of his sheeps and has to be able to survive. He has a very limited variety of sources because he doesn't know anyone. he also has limited resources, he lives in a old church and all he relies on is his sheeps and his book that he loves to read and his book as a pillow. He finds a great job. He works with a  merchant that understands what he is raising money for and expects the best out of the merchant. Then of course the shepherd boy makes all the money he needs to get a trip to the pyramids where his treasure. Once he gets to go on the trip he gets into conflicts throughout it and has hard times but when he manages to get there he is fascinated and succeeds to following his dream.

Reading response

         In the article "The Natural"  by Mike Tierney talks about the handicap sport players which is fascinating to me because many people like that don't have the chance to do sports like this. These people probably thought that they would never be able to do anything with there life and actually did it. Which is great. Many people don't like this and rather watch "regular" people play which is ridicules.
         One sport that is played by handicaps is basketball. Some have one hand or one arm and it is sad. But it's pretty good to see that these people has the guts to go out there on the field and not care if there judged they just wanted the chance. Yesterday I was watching the Olympics and I saw the handicap hockey players. Many had no legs and it really touched me because they probably always wanted to skate with both there feet.
         Many people just change the channel because it doesn't interest them. Some people have different taste which I understand and I respect it but there are also some really mean people that just don't understand what these people are going through and what they went through. So many just don't take the time to appreciate and feel bad that they wish to have a pair of legs just like them or a pair of arms. So I think that every one should have respect for one another.
         We should all be nice and understand that we are lucky and we should appreciate what we have. So make sure that you think before you complain about being tired of running or using your arms. So be respectful and be happy.

Poem response

          In the poem "America" by Claude Mckay it showed and made me realize that there are good and bad sides to America. It shows the perspective of a immigrant that has just moved to America and is facing all the good and the bad of America.
         
           It shows the importance of America and how it has great things there. "I see her might and granite wonders there" this was one of the quotes in the poem and it explained how America has the big building the important monuments like the Empire State Building and the big parks like Central Park. Also one key note that made me think was that in the poem America was actually not said but it was described as her and I think that if you really dig deep it might be the Statue of Liberty because she's a girl and the poem said the might and the granite wonders.
         
          But see now don't think that America is only good because apparently in her words it wasn't the best place either. She had written in the poem "although she feeds me bread of bitterness" which showed the bad side because when your new to a country as big as America it is hard to get around and it is hard to live because at first you may not eat the best food and may not sleep so comfortably. So if you think about it America can be hard and it is bad in some ways.

          The poem made me think that they we're try to show both side in one quote. It worked because one of the quotes were "like a priceless treasure sinking in the sand" this is good because it shows that there are different things like treasures and important/valuable things in America which shows the good. The bad part is that it shows that the sinking treasure is almost taken for granted because no one picked it up or realized it. Which is kind of sad because there are so many people that we should realize something that valuable and try to look a little harder. So that's the bad.

          The reader should think and feel that America has it's goods and it's bads. But we should also realize that this is from a totally different perspective because an immigrant has way more problems that an average American and has way more challenged to face in a new world. So we have to be grateful and respect what chance we have.
         

My Poem

You know when you always count the steps it would've token if you would've crossed at the green light when a car was coming, and it all came out good but you still didn't cross. I always listen to myself when that happens and when I think of it I still haven't crossed when I new I had enough time to cross without getting run over. Or if you hadn't listened to your mom about wearing a jacket and on your way to school you saw that it was cold and that it started to snow. To get to the point you should always listen to yourself and try to make the right choices. but when I was thinking about this idea I went and thought further about Sammy and how ever thing was timed. when he woke up he could've slept in a little longer and that van would've already passed by the park. not that it is his fault but that its weird because no matter what you cant see whats going to happen and its what your destiny leads you to. so always make the right choice of what your going to do.

 Catching Fire- Katniss Characterization

In the book Catching Fire by Susan Collins, Katniss  is the main character, who is trying to end the hunger games; a series of annual violent games where young children fight to the death, in the hopes of being the last survivor. Katniss creates this revolution, after winning the year prior, and she tries to destroy president Snow. Katniss, can be considered as a very 3 dimensional character. She isn't the type of character that just shows her strengths and emotions but also brings out the other characters emotions, like with Peeta and Haymich. 

Katniss and Peeta have to pretend to be in love. They must do this in order to keep president Snow from killing them. What everyone else doesn't see is that they don't really love each other. Behind the scenes, Katniss doesn't really want to be in a relationship with Peeta while he does, and the fact that he knows she doesn't love him brings out the more helpless side of Peeta. He seems like he is stuck and he can't get his feelings out. She also brings out the natural instinct to survive out of Peeta. He really cares about her and he goes to great lengths to keep her safe. She doesn't show him much affection so he continues to care and show extra affection to get her to notice him

Katniss is a very dynamic character. She is also a very reckless character. When she is with Haymich, she brings out the more feathery and responsible side out of him. He is trying to keep her under control and trying to get her out of trouble. She also brings out the fighter side of him. When they are in the games he tries really hard to get them sponsors that way they can survive. He also makes a pact with the other players of the game to try and get them out safely. He really does care about Katiss and he doesn't let her down.

Katniss is a very exceptional character. She is a very lively character with many sides. She doesn't just bring out and highlight her traits in her personality but also in the personalities of others as well. Not many characters are capable of doing that. She is the character that brings everyone together and creates an amazing group of dynamic characters. Katniss is the center of energy and the one that sets fire too all the emotions. She is the revolution1.

Unbroken

          In the book "Unbroken" there have been a lot of stuff that has been going on, like the races, the war, and the  problems that have been happening throughout the story. I think that the author has been doing a good job on trying to not show the very big problems like the war.
          The author has been showing little details here and there but there isn't a lot of hints. In the book they have been talking about Hitler, they showed how he was having meetings and you can signs of the war starting. At the begging you can see that there are blimps and it has the swastica on it. So that is one big sign also you start hearing and seeing that there are soldiers outside of stores. But the only thing that came to my mind was that I wanted to see if the Jewish people would have a number on their arm or if they had the Jewish star on there arm like it was in the war.
          Throughout the whole story the author did a great job because whenever I saw a note or a clue I would anoctate and  it would leave me thinking and I would also think and try to find more clues throughout my reading. But it was not easy. Just I think that he should of focused a little more on the war, the main character does go to the war after his leg injury and it does have great action.

Video response

          I when I saw this video it really made me think of what I have and that I should be very great full. When I saw this lady talk about the first day seeing her dad happy and telling her you  are now aloud to go to school made me think, "why do I get mad because I have to go to school". Yes it's true school I boring and sometime annoying but I should be happy because  when you see people like that it makes me feel bad. The girls had no respect. They weren't aloud to go to school. This is very disappointing because the men were only aloud and that is sexist. 

          In America it is all law that kids go to school. In those country that don't have an obligation that kids have to go to school should have a law because it is important. Kids there should be like us and go to school. The kids (girls) shouldn't have to dress up as a boy and disguise them selfs to go to school also they have to take different ways to go to school. That should be changed in all country's. 

Unbroken

          This book is pretty good so far .I have just found out that  he has to stop running because he got a knee injury. Now he is a soldier and Is fighting I the war. This war is taking place in world war 2 and atthe beginning   of the book they don't focus to much on the war but they still mention that there are meeting that hitler had done and that there have been some problems.

          At the beginning of the book they tell you how his best friend makes him join the track team at his school. It also shows how good he was because he was in the champion  league. After that he was so good that he joined the Olympics. That's when he would win races and make money till one day when he got his knee ligament hurt and had to stop for a long time and when it heeled he didn't want to run anymore. But he decided to joking the army and he did but that is all i got up to.

           Also at the beginning of the book he also said and shoes in a way that there were the army/ German blimps with the swastica on it. So that's was a sign, also they showed that there was soldiers outside of stores and that there was segregation.

Monday muses

          My favorite movie is active valor because it is exactly what I like. in the movie it talks about the special war teams and the movie explains what I want to do later on in my life.  I wanted to go into the army and be able to become in higher positions and then become a big seal team six soldier. That is my dream for now. My parents always say that it is not the same in movies then in real life because there's much more killing in real life and the good guys don't always win.

          I remember when I first saw the movie with my friends,  they full around during the whole movie and didn't pay attention but on the other hand I did. I was so interested, it was  great.  The second time I saw it was with my parents it was even better than the first time because I understand did more of the movie. The movie was so interesting that I even took notes on it. I love this movie so much that I bought it and I kept on watching it every single day. Also when I was watching this with my parents I remember that every action scene I would say that's me when I'm older!

          I remember when I was younger my parents would say follow your dreams jacques and do whatever you think will be best for you because you will do it every day of your life, so you will have to wake up saying yes I want to do this. When my mom found out that I wanted to become a soldier and rank up to a seal team six soldier she said "are you out of your mind this is a crazy idea and you will not go to the army at all". That really pissed me off because I've been wanting to be a soldier for about three years now and that ruined my dreams. When I reminded her that she told me Follow your dreams she got very mad and tried to find excuses. Now I will see what I will do when I'm older and maybe still go to the army

Argument Essay

Argument Essay

          The book “The Hunger Games” by Suzan Collins shouldn’t be banned from our school libraries because if young adults can’t read books that don’t have some action in it their bookshelves would be boring and they wouldn’t read. Also this series is not very bad, it is just a little more intense and detailed then other books.

          Many book critiques are saying that these books should be banned because of inappropriate content. But they don’t know that it can teach kids lessons. When a book shows how a teen is addicted to drugs, you will see that there will always be that crazy part in the book were they show the crazy side effects about the drug. That part can show kids that there is a crazy effect and that it is bad and that you can die. Some kids are scared of that and learn not to do it or if they are asked  to take drugs they will know and think twice about what they are getting in. there is a good side to this topic.

          One of the most intense passages in the “The Hunger Games” probably was

“His under shirt is so plastered into his wounds I have to cut it away with my knife and drench him again to work it loose. He’s badly bruised with a long burn across his chest and a gash under his ear”

The only reason that the passages in the books are too intense for some kids is because the author did a great job detailing every little part. Also when the books are too intense then you are engaged and want to read more and find out what will happen next.

          If the book is banned it is even better because people are going to want to read it because they want to know why it was banned. So there is no reason to ban the books because it will always be open to everyone no matter what. The Hunger Games have a lot of killing and to tell you the truth it is gory at some point but it is not a reason to ban it. Also if it is too much for a kid then the parents should pay more attention to what their kid id reading. For some people the Hunger Game is not a big deal because they have read worse.

          Young adults should have a wide variety of books to read and if we ban a lot of books fewer kids will be interested in reading. Also parents should pay more attention to what their kids are reading, if they think it is not for them then put it away and let them read it when they are more mature.

Monday Muses, Free Writing

          In ELA we have been elaborating on songs, poems, free writes, ect every Monday. One of the free writes that I have elaborated on was about the memory's I had with my brother befor he left me and had to go to a different country. "I remember when my brother and I went all over New York. We would go eat at restaurants together, we used to play paintball and airsoft together, also we used to go have races with the og carts and mini motercycles he had spent a fourtune on so that we could have fun. I remember once when I had asked him advice about a girl that I liked and what to do to get her to like me. We had great laughs and gags that I will always remember. But he had to leave and start a big career. He said that he would come and visit me as much as he could. He did keep his promos but it was hard for him. So now it is different without him in many many ways".
          This entry that I wrote ment a lot to me because it brought back great memories. Also this got me emotional in a good way because it made me happy. Also after that It made me want to call him and see how he was doing. Also this wasn't boring to me it was interesting and fun to write about and it is what I wanted to write about. It also made me strong, in a way that I had let it out.
          Monday muses has really let me feel free in the way that I could write about many things. Also it made me have an interest in free writing, which is good because I used to hate writing. But free writing is different because to me because I can write about many things like songs, poems, and  thing that interest me. Also it made think hard and it made me think past things to get interesting and important things to write about, like my brother. I hope that now I will write during my free time and just jot things that come to my mind that are interesting

Hunger Games

           In the book the "Hunger Games" by Suzan Collins, the them of the book is that they want to see if there will be a strongest team or not and who will survive in the hunger game. This book may be gory and violent because it is a book that has a lot of deep details and description. Also the book is about 2 people from each town have to fight and win.

           But unfortonatly  there is only one winner. So you start out with a mystery bag because you don't know what weapons you will get. So you have to survive in the wild. And it is a bunch of kids killing each other. So that is a big reason parents don't any there kids reading this book series. 

          For now I haven't gotten really far but I got to know a little about the main character and the setting. The main character is katness and she is a different type of girl , in the way that she is a hard working girl and she works as if she was a man. The fact that her dad died during the mine explosions , she has been doing a lot of work around the house and in a way that she has to put foo on the table. So the book is good so far and I am looking to read and find out even more about it.

From Baghdad, With Love

         For know in the book "from Baghdad, with love" the book is showing how the soldier is trying to keep lava. Thoughts are running through his head and he has it on his mind. He knows he can't keep the dog because strays weren't allowed on the base for safety reasons.
         One way he is trying to keep the dog is by keeping the dog on the low and not having him fool around and make it obvious that he's around the base and interrupting the base. Also the dog is a distraction to many soldiers because he is cut and all of the soldiers are trying to help and take care of him. So that when the owner leaves to a mission they have his back, by keeping the dog.
         Another way is that he is trying to call friends and family to have him. After what he saw, how the strays reacted in the streets he didn't want to have a cute dog like lava become like that. But the problem with the family having to come and get it, it's hard. Because they have to get him shipped and they have to get the paper work saying information like does he have shots or is it the real owner so we have to find out if he has the time to get all of the work done before they really have to give it away. 

From Baghdad, With Love

         In the book "From Baghdad, With Love" the main character is the soldier/ marine. He is a very correct man in many ways.
         One way is that he was checking a building for any explosives and all of a sudden he started hearing a ticking noise. So he held his gun up and out rolled a little puppy. He saw that the chain was making the ticking noise. So since it was a stray puppy he took him back to the compound and took care of him. So that was a good action that he did.
         Another good way of describing his good actions is that when he saw that the soldiers were stealing he made them repeat cadence  and said that they should not be doing this and they aren't real man for doing that. He also made them repeat things like "I am stupid I should've never done this" so I think that this shows very well that he is a very brave man and trustworthy as well as a good man that has done many good actions for the army and in his life.

            One of the books that I read over the summer was "From Baghdad With Love". It was a very interesting and heart warming book.
            Basically the book was about a marine that was in the middle of a war zone and he was searching in a building for any explosives and securing the area, when all of a sudden a small puppy pops out from the corner and plays tuff with him. But then the marine took a bullet and tricked the dog by making the dog think it was food. The puppy was very thin and he was full of flees and ticks. So the marine took the dog and brought him back to the base with him.
           All the soldiers said they were going to have to let him go but when they saw him bite on the shoelaces of a boot and saw how cute he was they decided to keep him around and all the marines took care of him. And as the time went the dog got older and was then trained to fight battles with the marine. And then they tell you little moments and things that happened thought out their life.