Developing Into a Stronger Person

     I just finished one of my (newly) favorite books, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow. The book was overall a suspenseful, thought-provoking, and breathtaking read. Throughout the whole book, Rachel struggles with identity issues, due to her confusing family past and the fact that she's biracial. Throughout the book, Rachel begins to finally feel comfortable in her own skin, and realize that her race isn't the defining factor of her life.
     In the beginning of the book, Rachel thought she had nothing special or different in her life, except for her bi-racialness. This was Rachel's "story". However, on the last page of the book, Rachel says "And now he realizes I am no longer just a person. I am a story. One with a beginning, middle, and end. One with a complex past, and a future unwritten." This quote really exemplified Rachel "coming of age". This quote showed her realization that she doesn't need to be defined by anything. She can be her own person, and create her life on her own.  This quote immediately struck my eye, because of it's unique and abstract language. The use of words in this quote separates it from the rest of the page's descriptions and dialogue. Although this wasn't the last sentence of the book, it seemed to me to be the conclusion of Rachel's story.
     Rachel has experienced some excruciatingly terrible tragedies in her childhood, including death, betrayal, sickness, and more. When Rachel was growing up, she sulked in her misery (quietly, and to herself) all the time. She let the bad things in her life overcome her emotions and feelings, and it let her not be able to enjoy herself most of the time. Towards the end of the book, Rachel caught herself thinking a whole lot about the accident she and her family had when she was little. After her realization, she promised that she would she would stop basking in the negative, and look forward to the positives that were to come. Rachel said, "I call this Day 1." It took a lot for Rachel to realize what she had been doing for the past 16 years, and finally decide that she would let herself get past it.
     Throughout the book, we have seen Rachel grow as a friend, granddaughter, and mainly as a person. She faced many hardships in her life, and she had to deal with so many complicated things all on her own. By the end of the book, Rachel was able to stop worrying about her race and her terrible past, and become a new person, who had a story to tell, and who was happy. Evidently, by the end of the book, Rachel a much stronger, and all around better person.


    

What Will Happen When One Comes of Age?

I am currently in the middle of an incredibly eye-opening and breathtaking story called The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow. The book follows a 16 year old girl named Rachel, who is half-Danish and half-Black, who has to find her way through the confusing search to find her own identity. Through Rachel’s journey to try to figure out who she really is, she grows up so much and learns a tremendous amount about herself.

After a terrible tragedy in her family, Rachel moves in with her grandmother and has to go to a new school, and face a lot of new things. At Rachel’s school, most of the Black girls don’t like her because they think she’s “trying to be White”, and the White girls don’t like her because they think she’s “too Black”. She’s always getting made fun of and one of the things she did to deal with it is bottle up all her emotions. Rachel said, “Whenever something starts to feel like hurt I put it in this imaginary bottle inside of me.” This is definitely a common way for adolescents to deal with strong or confusing emotions. Many people try to forget about what’s bothering them and hide it all inside. This way of dealing with things is slightly immature, and almost ignorant, because in the long run, it’s not what’s going to be best for you. 

When Rachel first starts having to fend for herself she makes some not so great decisions, and that’s a huge part of growing up. When one is first thrown into the world on their own, they are going to make mistakes. Through those mistakes, one will learn so much, and be able to make better decisions in the future. A big part of coming of age is having to be your own person and find your way through the struggles of life by yourself.

Later on in the book, Rachel is thinking about who she is as a person, and who she wants to be in terms of race. She feels closely connected with her Danish roots, and her Black roots as well. More often than not, Rachel feels alone in the world, for example, she says “I am already extinct in a way. No one can ever make another me.”  Rachel feels lonely and left out in the world. She can’t relate to anyone or talk to anyone who is in the same situation. I think that’s a common struggle when growing up. Many kids feel like they are the only one experiencing such terrible things, and they feel lost and confused. 

There are tons of biracial people in the world, and tons of biracial teenage girls, and Rachel shouldn’t feel alone. Hopefully, as she grows up, she will realize that she is not the only one, and there are people out there who feel just like she does. 

In conclusion, Rachel is confused and lost in the world, although she is not even a young adult yet. As time passes, and Rachel matures and “comes of age”, she will most likely overcome her fears and troubles, and finally figure out that she truly is an amazing person. 

Test Prep 6: Responding to Non-Fiction

     I just read an article in New York magazine called The Vulnerable Age. The article follows Conrad Tao, a child piano prodigy. Although, this article isn't just about his amazing talent and phenomenal accomplishments. The article talks about the decisions families have to make about what to do with their uber-talented offspring. One can make their child into a celebrity, by making them practice 24/7 and isolating themself from the rest of society, or, one could throw out their child's talent, and have them live a normal life. This article discusses the pros and cons of both decision, and shows readers how hard the choice really is for parents to make.
     The author doesn't express a clear point of view on the issue, as he thinks both options have advantages and disadvantages. If one decides to show the world their kid's talent, they can become famous. They can showcase the amazing abilities of their child, and provide a good rest of the life for their kid. In doing this, however, their child may never acquire good social skills. The kid's time is completely devoted to practicing, and nothing else. Although, if you decide to throw out their talent, then they can live a happy normal life, like every other kid. But you will be throwing out an amazing skill that your child has. You have to give up on their talent, and not let anyone else know about it, no matter how impeccable he or she may be. You also may not letting your child succeed to the best of his/her abilities.
     I have to say, this is not an easy situation to have to deal with. If I were in this situation, I would want to showcase my child to the world, but I also wouldn't want them to have messed up childhood. There have been more than a few cases where child prodigies have committed suicide, unfortunately. I would not want to put my child in any situation that could possibly increase the risk of this kind of behavior. I definitely would want my child to be able to interact with people, and have a social life, because I think that's very important. However, I wouldn't want to forget about their skills. I would want to nurture their talents and have them shown to people, because they are so amazing. If someone has an outstanding talent, you should do something about it, not just let it float away. Therefore, it's a very hard decision to make. If I had to do something, I would probably have a balance between the two. If I was the parent of a prodigy, I would send them to school and have them hang out with friends, and have free time, but also work hard on practicing, and try to get them to showcase their talent as much as possible. As much as it would be really amazing to have a child of so much great talent, I would not want to have to be in a situation like this.

Test Prep 5: Responding to Narrative Writing

     At the moment I'm in the middle of a really fabulous book called The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks. The book follows Logan, a young man in the army. One day in the middle of battle, Logan finds a picture of a beautiful women, with "keep safe" written on it, and Logan feels compelled by the picture, he knows that the women in this picture is someone special, someone he loves. The author expresses the theme that one person can change someone's life so greatly.
     Logan's life was always rough. He had a hard time in the army, working all the time, and being put in terrible conditions. Logan barely had anyone close to him, and his life was really at risk. Logan had to go through three duty tours in the army, and he could've died any second. Although, Logan now had this picture, so he was always safe. Logan credits the miracle of his existence to the power of this photo. Logan has so much faith in this photo, and obviously if this photo was the thing that kept him alive, it has clearly made an impact on his life. Then, when Logan finally leaves the army, he goes home and finds the girl in the picture. Logan is set on spending his life with this girl, and having true love. Just from one picture, Logan's life has taken a new turn. He is completely devoted to the girl, and she has changed everything in his life, and she doesn't even know it yet. I love the idea of this girl's picture saving Logan's life, and I love how Logan believes in this photo so much, and knows immediately she is his one true love. The girl in this picture was able to make Logan hopeful and happy all the time.
     In conclusion, from one picture that Logan has come across, his life is different. The girl changed everything, and I believe this book gives every reader hope that they can find a true love, and this person will change everything for them, for the better. Nicholas Sparks truly expresses the amazing impact that one great person can make on people's worlds.

Test Prep 4: Responding to Narrative Writing

     I recently finished reading one of my new favorite books Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. I feel terrible for John, as he has had to face a ridiculous amount of hardships in his life. John has grown up with no mother, and a father who barely knows how to interact. Also, John finally found a girl and was smitten in love with her, until she found a new guy. He has been in the army for almost 10 years, and has had to work so hard and experience some extremely traumatic things. Lastly, the one that really hits home for him, (as if all the others don't) are his father dying.
     During the past year of John's life he finally got really close to his father, but unfortunately it was his father's last year. Naturally, when his father died, John was beside himself. He had no idea what to do or how to deal with the terrible event that just occurred. John hadn't talked to his prior love, Savannah, in over 2 years, but she was his last resort. John took a long journey to find Savannah, the one person he knew would always be there, even if she wasn't there for him to love. John definitely found comfort in Savannah, because he knew her so well and once loved her. Another thing that John did was go back to the army. John felt the need to serve people, and also go back to normal ways. I think by the death of his father, John realized how important people are, which is why he wants to serve his country as much as possible. Also, John was clearly trying to forget about everything by basking in his normal everyday live, without his father of course.
     The way John reacted to the death of his father was most definitely understandable. In a time of such misfortune, disarray, and pure sadness, it's hard to keep sane. John thought he would never ever see Savannah again, but after desperation, she's what he needed to keep him feeling okay. If it was a normal day, John would never, in a million years, go and see Savannah, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I also totally understand him wanting to go back to everyday life, in order to attempt at forget the horror in his life, although I doubt he was able to forget about it. Since John did become so close with his father, I can see why he would want to go back to the army and help other people. John made a realization about the wonders of people, and although that sounds odd, before his dad died he didn't appreciate people as much, and how much impact they can make on one's life. Thankfully, I have never been in a situation like John's, but they way Nicholas Sparks describes the emotions and action of John, I am definitely able to relate and connect to John, and I feel complete sadness towards and empathy for him.

Test Prep 3: Writing About a Poem

     I was recently introduced to a wonderful poem called "Birds," by Marilyn Feldman. The poem described the author's visit to her old apartment building, and how everything has completely changed. The author used birds to symbolize changes in the apartment, and her life.
     This poem shows the reader of two encounters with birds. The first example is a flashback of when the author lived in this apartment building. The flashback reads, "One day Mrs. Dumberman's parakeet/ flew across the courtyard/ and into our kitchen window." Then the poet describes the feeling of the moment and how it was exciting and crazy and interesting. She also remembers thinking birds could fly endlessly through everything and just keep going forever and ever. This was a simple time for the author, she thought birds were invincible, and everything was super easy and carefree and happy. Then the poem shows the author presently, visiting the apartments again. This part reads, "When I heard the house was abandoned- .... I wanted to go back/ for one more look/ at the bird." Now that she's gone back, everything is gone. She doesn't see lively birds flying around everywhere. Now, the author sees an empty place with no exciting wild life to roam free. The author also talked about wanting to go back, but now everything has changed, so she can't go back in the past. The poet expresses that she misses these times, and wish they were the same.
     This poem can most definitely to relate to everyone in a figurative sense, rather than a literal one. Not everyone has had special encounters with birds. Not everyone has an old apartment to visit that has become abandoned. However, change does happen eventually in everyone's life. Whether it be school, home, family, friends, you, almost everything changes in one's life, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. What also happens in almost everyone's life, is people missing old ways. There are so many times when I wish things were the way they used to be, and I'm sure many other people have similar feelings. This poem is a perfect example of something changing, and the person wanting to go back to the times before. I think it is easy to realize that this author wishes they could go back in time, ad because of that, readers will be able to connect to this poem, and really enjoy it.

Test Prep 2: Responding to Non Fiction

     I just finished reading the very interesting article Hug a Hoodie: What the U.K. Teaches Us About Making a Sweatshirt a Symbol. The article talks about the shooting of Trayvon Martin, and how his hooded sweatshirt could have possibly been the cause of his death. The article discusses how the United Kingdom thinks of the hoodie as a symbol for a hoodlum, who is up to no good. Then it goes on to talking about how in America, people are using the hoodie now to show their hatred for racial profilers.
    Throughout the article, the author doesn't really have a clear standpoint on the issue at hand. Although, at the end of the article he/she says that clothing may be a factor of racial profiling, but that's not really what it's about. In the beginning of the article, the author is supporting what America has done to show their perspective about racial profiling. People all across America have spoken out and showed their respect for Trayvon, and the author does express that this is a good thing, (thankfully). Then he/she talks about the U.K.'s opinions, but he/she doesn't say anything about their views on it, there's absolutely no bias.
     I think it's absolutely ridiculous to blame an innocent young boy's death on a piece of outerwear. For anyone to say that he could've prevented his killing by not wearing the hoodie is absolutely ridiculous. The only way this death could have been prevented was if George Zimmerman decided not to racially profile. I really respect and appreciate that so many people are seeing this, and are doing whatever the can, and I just wish all law and government officials would see the same thing. I completely think Zimmerman should be put in jail. In one part of the article they talk about Geraldo Rivera telling latin and black families to not send their kids out with a hoodie on. I hate the fact that this is what someone might do to try to keep their child safe, is that really what the world has come to? However, I don't think this statement should've gotten so much hate. Yes, it is clearly a controversial quote, but he's just trying to tell people that if that's what you have to do to keep your kid safe, then do it. I think the whole occurrence is absolutely horrific, and I hope that people can come to their senses and put Zimmerman in jail.

Test Prep 1: Song Lyrics

     I have just recently come across the song Moments, written by Ed Sheeran, performed by One Direction. This song is particularly sad, and when I love the song, but I would love to look deeper into the meaning and the lyrics. After studying the song, I think Ed Sheeran wrote this song to say that when one is in love nothing else matters, and they will utterly devote themselves to their relationship.

     The song starts by saying, "Shut the door/ turn the light off/ I wanna be with you/ I wanna feel your love/ I wanna lay beside you/ I cannot hide this/ Even though I try." The songwriter is say that he can't go on with life, he can't keep living, because his love isn't there. He is saying that he loves her so much and he just wants to be with her. He also says that his trying to hide it is inevitable, and there's no way that he can cover up his feelings.  In the chorus of the song, One Direction sings, "You know I'll be your life your voice your reason to be/ My love my heart is/ Breathing for this/ Moment in time/ I'll find the words to say/ Before you leave me today." This line shows that he will devote everything to be there for her, and will do absolutely anything for her to be happy and okay. This line also gives off a feeling of desperation because he is trying to find the right words to say so that she doesn't leave him. I think the way Sheeran writes this shows that he is dying for a way to get his love to stay with him. In the last part of the song, the lyrics read “Flashes left in my mind/ Going back to the time/ Playing games in the street.” Here, Sheeran is saying he misses the time when they had fun and everything was happy and well in the world. You can see how much he misses the wonderful times they shared. 

Though this song is about a love between two partners in a relationship, the message doesn’t just pertain to that type of love. Whenever you love someone, whether it be your mom, your best friend, your pet, anyone, whenever you love someone, it is extremely hard to let go. If you’re so close to someone, and all of a sudden you lose them, it can be one of the hardest things one ever has to face. This song clearly shows an example of someone who is utterly in love with someone, and has to deal with the terrible heartbreak of them leaving. You don’t necessarily have to have been in a broken relationship to read this song. I think anyone who has ever loved someone can relate to this song. Overall, I love this song greatly, and I think it has a really strong message showcased in the lyrics. 

Impossible Changes

     I am currently in the middle of reading a wonderfully enticing book called Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks. The main character, John, made a huge turn around in life a few years ago. He used to be a rough and tumble type of guy. He smoked, drank, and never did his any work in high school. Then after a few years of throwing his life away, he makes a huge change and joins the army. John has made himself into a completely new person, and I think it's really fascinating how vast the difference is between his life before and his life now.
    Just graduating high school, John barely passed and had no way of getting into a good college. He didn't care about grades, school, or training for a possible career. Every single night John would go to Leroy's, a local bar, and drink his feelings away. He used to smoke and do drugs with his buddies because he didn't care about anything. "During my senior year, my rebellion reached a high point..... I'd wanted those material things I lived 18 years without." All his life,  John had never gotten what he wanted. He was always living in a dump, not doing anything fun, and not having a good father figure in his life. His dad has always been awkward and unsocial, and they were never close. All his life, John has always wanted more, and was never able to get it. Now that he was finally old enough to realize that he has been cheated his whole life, he's pissed. His tough childhood has definitely made him into an aggressive and mad person now.
    3 years later, John's life has completely turned around. The book doesn't specify exactly when this day came, but all of sudden he had a wake up call. He realized he was throwing his life away, and he didn't want to do that anymore. With that, John decided to join the army. Now, 3 years since his senior days, he's a changed man. John is a slight drinker, doesn't smoke or do drugs. He still is not close with his father, yet they have an okay relationship. The two of them are able to have friendly conversation, and at least sleep in the same house, which wasn't too likely a long time ago. John and his dad haven't gotten in a fight in forever. He's a nice guy now, and he helps others. For example, Savannah says, "would the old you have jumped in the ocean and saved my purse?" John replies by saying, "No. I probably would have laughed." This completely shows the reader that he is a different person now. He doesn't do whatever he wants to now. He knows what's right and he knows what rules to follow. For the first time in years, John actually went on a real date. He claims he used to hook up with girls for a day and then drop them like flies, but not anymore. John met a girl named Savannah, who he really really likes. John treats her like a lady, and they do fun things together. They surf, eat, take walks, drive, go to parties, whereas before it was all about him picking up as many girls as he could. John is in such a good place with Savannah, and although they just met, I can see a love unfolding, which never would have been possible for John a few years ago.
     In conclusion, John has picked up his act and turned his life around, and has become a great man. While he used to be a total rebellion who disobeyed the laws, and didn't care about anything, he's completely different. Now, John is a nice guy, who serves his country, and always does the right thing. John's life has made a complete 360˚ turn, and that's really inspiring. This book tells people that anyone can accomplish anything, and to not give up when the times are rough. I am interesting and excited to see how John evolves into an even finer young man throughout the rest of the book.

Descriptive Sounds

     While watching the horrible tragedy of Romeo & Juliet, I took note of the sound in the movie, and how it played a big role in it, and the intentions behind it. In Romeo & Juliet, there are two royal families, the Montagues and the Capulets. The two families are mortal enemies, and absolutely despise of eachother. At the same time, a Montague, Romeo, and a Capulet, Juliet, fall in love. The sound in the movie was extremely descriptive and the sound expressed the mood of the characters, and the whole scene.
      In the first scene of the movie, you are introduced to the Montague family, and the Capulet family. Although, no one ever tells you this family is like this, and this family is like this, so you have to infer. The music playing in the background really helped me to be able to infer. When they introduced the Capulet family, it was dark music, very scary and creepy almost. I used this detail to figure out that the Capulets are generally a mean and probably violent family. Then it showed the Montague family, which also had music playing in the background. This music was definitely more upbeat and light, and it gave off the sense that the Montague family was in general an overall more mellow family. Having that sound in the background  made it a lot easier to distinguish the two families, and follow them better throughout the story.
     Another way that the sound in the movie helped to express the mood and feeling of the scene were the fight scenes. For example, the very first scene the two families get into a fight at the gas station. The music playing in the background helped to make the scene seem more dangerous and suspenseful. It keeps you wondering what is going to happen to next, and how everything will play out. Also, I think the scary and dramatic music also helps the listener to understand how serious and deep the hatred between the two families really is. The background sound shows that this isn't just a silly little battle, it's a serious fight.
      The last way the sound really plays a big part in this movie is when Romeo & Juliet meet, and then fall in love. The first time they meet is at a Capulet party, beside a fish tank. Then Juliet is whisked away, and Romeo's heart tells him to follow her. The music at that moment seems lighthearted and fun, and it illustrates the picture of a boy running after the girl he is in love with. But that was just at the beginning. Once they fall in love the sounds definitely change. Whenever they are having an intimate moment, it's very quiet, thus showcasing their extremely close relationship. The complete silence helps to set the scene, and makes you really focus on everything. Also, at the good moments when they are together, they are completely smitten in love, and the music definitely demonstrates that. Every time it is a little different, and every time it gives off a feeling of warmth, and basically the sound of love.
     In conclusion, the sound in Romeo & Juliet helped to convey the feelings and the moods of the scenes and the characters. Romeo & Juliet is light and funny, heartwarming and loving, scary and violent, and devastating and tragic all at the same time. Without the sounds in the background, I don't think the ever-changing mood would be so well-percepted as it is now.

The Right Way to Solve a Problem

     I'm in the middle of reading a book that I love so, so, so much! It's called Lock and Key, and it's by Sarah Dessen. The main character in this story, Ruby, has gone through so much in the 18 years that she has lived, and she has had to struggle with so many problems over the years. She's had to fend completely for herself since she was 12, make money, keep up her grades, and deal with her horrible mother, who abandoned Ruby at the age 16. Many people deal with their problems in different ways, through relaxation,  anger, destruction, among many others. For Ruby, she runs off and gets wasted, and she thinks that that will solve all her problems. I think she does this because she feels comfortable in her old ways, she thinks it will help her to get away from everything, and because her mom was a drug addict and she wants to feel closer to her .
     When Ruby lived in Jackson with her mother, she was living in a tiny run down house in a sketchy neighborhood, and right down the block from her was a drug dealer. She since she was 16 it's been second nature for her to "smoke away her problems." In the book Ruby said, "I didn't think of it something illegal, and bad, and harmful. It was just something I did, like watching TV or going to sleep." Ruby had grown so accustomed to that type of lifestyle. Then she was sent to a totally new place and her life was flipped upside down. Everything was changing and she had nothing to hold onto in her life. So whenever she has a problem she feels obligated to go back to her old ways, to make her feel safe and comfortable. Even though she had a far from great lifestyle back home, I think she thinks that being in her original "habitat" will make things better. There's definitely sense in the fact that she finds comfort in her home, no matter how bad it may be.
     Another reason why Ruby goes off to get drunk and high whenever she has a problem is because she thinks it will get her away from all her troubles. One day when her older sister Cora told her about how her mom lied to Ruby her whole life, Ruby was feeling overwhelmed, scared, and confused. So she went back to Jackson and decided to get wasted. When she got home she felt bad about herself, but she still would continue to do it. She said, "I don't care who's going to be disappointed in me, it's my life and I need it. I need it, or else I'd have to face my problems by myself, and I'm not strong enough to do that." At this point in Ruby's life she's not brave or powerful enough to stand up to what she needs to, so she finds another way to do that: get wasted.
     One more reason why I think Ruby uses drugs and alcohol to get away from her problems is because her mom was a drunk and a drug addict all her life. Ruby's mom may have put her through hell, but she is her mom, and Ruby definitely misses her. In Ruby's mind the only way to get closer to her mother is to follow in her path. For example, when Ruby is justifying to herself her need to smoke and drink she thinks, "I'm never going to see my mom again. Never know her, never know where she is, what she's dong. But when I smoke pot I feel like she's there with me. When I wake up from being too drunk, she's the first thing I think about." I believe that this is Ruby's way to stay with her mom forever.
     In conclusion, Ruby's whole life has been one big rough patch, and she doesn't know how to handle it anymore. So to overcome her problems Ruby goes out to get wasted. I think she does this because it makes her feel like she's home and safe and comfortable, she thinks it will help to solve her problems for her, and she wants to be closer to her mom. I feel terribly for Ruby, and I wish there was some way she could figure out how to deal with the troubles in her life on her own.

Analyzing a Painting

     After looking at this painting in depth and trying to observe, infer, and interpret, I now look at it in a completely different way.  Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh is a world famous and astoundingly beautiful painting. When I first saw this painting, I absolutely loved it, though I didn't think much about a deeper meaning or thought behind it. Then after I took note of little details, and tried inferring things about the painting, I came up with the conclusion that I think this painting is about the calmness and happiness that Vincent Van Gogh finds in the nighttime. 

     I think that Starry Night is about how he can find beauty and light in something otherwise dark and dull like the night. For example, even thought it's night time he adds in bright yellow swirls and accents, which brightens up the whole scene. Instead of painting a completely black background, he has a beautiful shade of dark blue, mixed in with a whole palette of soft, light, and pretty colors. I think the fact that he demonstrates night in a bright and colorful way shows that he is making this painting out of happiness, and that he has positivity in mind. Also, Vincent Van Gogh made the rest of the setting mostly little quaint and cute houses. I think this is showing happiness because the painting shows a sense of community, and how even though it's dark and dull out, there are still people in the town, and there's still things going on in this town even though the day is over. I think this says that it may be getting darker, but the town, and the people, and the mood aren't.

     I think one reason why Starry Night is so popular is because it really appeals to every different audience, and I think pretty much anyone can relate and connect to it. No one likes the feeling of darkness and things coming to and end, and Starry Night makes you feel like things never really have to come to and end. When I look at Starry Night it makes me feel calm and just a feeling of happiness, and I think that same feeling will come across so many other people. I think this picture is really a universally loved picture, and everyone can relate to it and enjoy looking at it and studying it. Starry Night is an absolutely amazing painting, and there's so much beautiful meaning behind it. 

And the All Star Mentor is...

      My nomination for All Star Mentor is Francesca's post "Quote Responding, Saving Francesca",
( http://righting-and-reading.blogspot.com/2012/01/quote-responding-saving-francesca.html ). The post comes from Francesca's blog, righting-and-reading.blogspot.com
     I nominated Francesca because on this post, she focused on one quote, and she made it so great. She was able to take just one line in her book, and elaborated so much on it. I think it was really wonderful how she was able to go into such depth on such a specific thing, and she did a great job doing it! She really read into the quote and talked about Francescas's feelings when she was thinking this. And Francesca also really empathized with character, and explained to the reader what was going on in the character's life that made everything so hard for her. I also really liked the way she specifically said why she chose the quote, and how it summarized Francesca's (the character) life.
     She really related to it and put a lot of work and effort into it, and I think she is definitely an all star mentor.


 

Mysterious Actions

     I'm in the middle of reading Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen, and I've been a little bit confused about the main character Ruby's actions. She has lived her whole life in run down, tiny houses with a drug addict as a mother, and more responsibilities than just about any other 17 year old girl. Then she moves into a huge beautiful house with her sister and brother-in-law, where she finally gets to live the life of a normal teenage girl. Yet, she decides to sneak out and leave the house the day she gets there. This decision was really interesting to me, because I know if I was in that situation, I would definitely want to stay in her sister's house for so many reasons. It really puzzled me that she would give up such a good living environment, to go back to her old, horrible life.
     I think one reason why Ruby may have wanted to go back was that she has always lived her life very independently and I don't think she wants to change that. I don't think she likes having someone be her "leader", because she said, "I hate that they're going to be the ones telling me what to do now". At home, Ruby handled everything herself and she was the "man of the house", even though she's a 17 year old girl. She's definitely so used to the "every man for themselves" notion, as she says in the story, "it's pretty much an every man for themselves kind of thing". I don't think she's comfortable having to listen to and elder and do everything they say.
     Another reason why Ruby probably doesn't want to stay is because she doesn't like change. She hates the fact that she has to go to a new high school, she hates the fact that she has to live in a whole new place, and she hates the fact that she has to act like a completely different person now. For example, Ruby said "I don't like the idea of going to a new school in the middle of the semester. It will just be weird to make that big of a change". Another thing she said was "I don't like changing where I live. As bad as it was, it was still my home, and it doesn't feel like home here."After all that she's been through, it does make sense that she wants everything to stay the same and she doesn't want to keep having to shift her life around.
     Ruby also definitely feels like she doesn't fit in her new neighborhood. All her life she has grown up in the "slums" and now she's in a fancy, elite neighborhood where everything is perfect. She isn't used to it and she just doesn't feel comfortable there. Ruby said, "this neighborhood is too rich and preppy for me. I'm Ruby. I don't fit in in a place like this." She clearly doesn't feel comfortable with herself or with her surroundings at her new house. She also said, "Perkins Day? Perkins Day is the most uptight, perfect private school. Known for obnoxious and upperclass athletes and braniacs. Not a school for someone like me." She is definitely feeling anxious about going to a whole new school and trying to fit in with everyone.
     In conclusion, Ruby's choice to sneak out of her new perfect house and go back to her ruined lifestyle is definitely a weird one. Although it does make sense in her case, because she's a very independent person, she doesn't like change, and she has every doubt in the world that she'll fit in in her new home. I feel so bad for Ruby, and she definitely has some hard decisions to make.

It All Starts From the Beginning

     I recently zipped through a really great book called Dare to Dream: Life as One Direction. The book was made up of autobiographies of all the members of the band, Harry, Liam, Louis, Niall, and Zayn. While reading about all of the members' childhoods, I noticed a recurring theme. Ever since they were small children they all were very confident, and they all got on stage, and did very brave things for being just little kids. I think that the support and guidance that kids get at a young age is extremely important to succeeding later in life, and their behavior as a child, will totally resemble their behaviors as they grow up.
     Every member of the band talks about how outgoing they were when they were little, and how they most always ended up wanting to perform for an audience, and this really is a result of their parents' wonderful help. For example, Niall said he used to never want to go on stage and perform, until his dad convinced him that that was what all the "cool" kids were doing. After that day he couldn't get enough of the stage, and now he's in a world famous band. Another example was when Harry was little, his parents supported all his dreams, and hobbies, and they helped him to start up a talent show at his middle school. A parents support is so important for a child, especially in their youngest years. And all of the members' parental support has definitely helped them to become what they are today.
    Something else that was really interesting was that they all started singing and performing at a very young age. This definitely somewhat has to do with their parental support, but it's also just them as people. It's quite interesting to me, that even if it was just a little glimmer of "pizazz", you can kind of tell when a kid will have a bright future. An example of this is Liam. Liam started to love the stage at the young age of 3, when he first started imitating melodies and singing them back for his family. I think it's somewhat obvious that a kid like this is going to go places in the world. Louis, for another example, was in shows his whole life, and he was introduced to the performing world at a young age, presumably influencing his choices and interests later in life. I think there is so much you can tell from a young child, and there is definitely something in the fact that these boys, who are now a major band, grew up feeling like a star.
     Overall, this book really made me think about how important the early years are for kids. With parental guidance and the exposure to a certain something, (in this case the performing arts), will really be a big factor in what happens later on in kids' lives. I also definitely think it means something if just a little child feels so strongly about a certain interest, and it will, in many cases, show later on in life as well. Harry, Liam, Louis, Niall, and Zayn all grew up in great, nurturing environments, which, without a doubt, played a role in their super stardom today.