My Sister's Keeper

Authors Note: The book I have chosen to read with my group is "My Sister's Keeper". I'm about seventy pages in and so far it is a really great book. Below is a short summary and  prediction of what I think will happen next.

Anna Fitzgerald  is tired of donating to her sister Kate, who was diagnosed with leukemia at a very young age. Ever since Anna was born she has had to donate many parts of her body to Kate. She doesn't feel that it's fair. One day, out of nowhere, Anna decides to sue her parents for the rights of her own body.

I think that Anna's parents, Sarah and Brian, will discuss the problem and eventually agree with Anna. They will see that it's not fair to her and that she should get some say. Because Anna refuses to give Kate any part if her body, I predict that Kate will suffer and die.

The Little Things

         In our society everyone is always in a rush. Always trying to get somewhere or do something for them. So have we gotten so busy and caught up in our own lives that we fail to notice the people around us? All it takes is a little time and effort to brighten someone's day. Is it really that hard? Or are our own lives more important?

         You may not realize, but you can make someone's day ten times better just by acknowledging them. You can do this anywhere; when you’re walking down the hallway at school or when you're in a meeting at work. Something as simple as smiling at someone, or saying "hi", can really show that you care about them. Giving compliments to people often boost their self esteem. However, you don't need to lie to give a compliment. All you have to do is comment on the things you like about the person. For example saying "Your hair looks really nice today" or "You’re really funny" can really stick to someone and can change their whole day around.

         The other day, I was sitting in the waiting room with my grandmother at the doctor's office and I came across an elderly woman. She was carrying many bags, while balancing on a walker. She looked like she was struggling. Without noticing, she dropped her keys.  I immediately thought to myself "Go pick up her keys. It would be a big help to her." At first I hesitated. I don't why, but I just felt that it wasn't a big deal. On the other hand, I knew that if I picked up her keys, how much joy I would receive afterwards. How proud I would be for helping her and how others would view me as kind and caring. So I made my decision. I got up from my seat and walked over to her, bent down, and picked up her keys. She smiled and thanked me. Even though it was something small, I knew she really appreciated it.

          You may not always realize it, but the little things you do can impact a person greatly. Why would you pass out on the opportunity to make someone's day just a smidge better? You don't have to do anything big or special. All you have to do is take a little time out of your busy life and acknowledge others around you. It’s not hard. In fact, when you share love and kindness towards someone it makes you feel good. One of my favorite quotes relates to this message. "It's not the great things you do, but the small things you do with great love" Mother Teresa. So next time you see someone struggling at the grocery store, or sitting alone at lunch, take a step back, notice them, help them, and brighten their day.

To Kill a Mockingbird Scene

Whenever someone brings up the book To Kill a Mocking Bird I immediately think of the scene where Jem gets his pants stuck on the fence at Boo Radley's house.  Jem, Dill and Scout go up to the Radley house to peek through the window. When trying to quickly escape, Jem gets his pants caught in the fence. Because he is stuck, he just takes off his pants and leaves them there. One of the reasons I always think back to this scene is because it was a very interesting part of the book for me.  While reading this chapter I wasn't bored, I was excited to see what would happen next. I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite scenes in this book.

The Outcast Behind the Tree

Definition of Outcast: A person who has been rejected by society or a social group.

Just imagine what it would be like to be an outcast. To walk around school, alone and rejected. This is what it feels like for the main character Melinda in the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Ever since Melinda called the cops at a huge high school party she has been an outsider. All of her friends have faded and she can't recover to fit in. Melinda is not the only one. There are many teens that are outcasts.

As readers, we see Melinda as an outsider, someone who has no friends and no personality. When really it's just because she can't speak up. But have the readers of this book given any thought? What if Melinda is afraid to speak? What if she's afraid of what people think of her and how they'll respond? After what happened at the party, I don't think Melinda wants to take a risk and talk to people because she doesn't want it to get any worse.  If people didn't judge, I don't think Melinda would have a problem going up to someone and starting a conversation.

Heather, the new girl in town is just like Melinda. Sort of like a mirror reflection of her.  Always trying to fit in and be like everyone else.  She doesn't really have a real personality. She's truly fake. It seems that the author created Heather as an "extra". Someone that Melinda could talk to and be around in this lonely, depressing stage. She represents the people in reality trying to be cool and popular  just to fit in. In this book, Heather is constantly trying to fit into a clique. When really she should just be herself and see who accepts her. That is how she'll find her true friends.

This book is very much related to real life. Many kids around the world are outcasts in their school. It is mostly caused by bullying, shyness, or just being plain-out depressed.  We walk down the hallway passing these so called "outcasts" and we just ignore and judge. We say that they aren't "cool" enough and we say that they are too different. When really they are just like us. Except they are hurting inside. They eventually hurt so bad that they are too afraid to speak. Just like Melinda.

Controlled by the Government

Imagine what it would be like if the government had control over your life. Your mind. Your choices. And even your family. How would you cope both physically and mentally? This is how life worked In the books The Hunger Games and Fahrenheit 451. The government controlled everything and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

The government plays a huge role in the book The Hunger Games. Every year twenty-four kids, two from each district, are chosen by the government and are forced to battle each other until death. If you were chosen you had to go; there was no other option because this was the law of their government. 

The book Fahrenheit 451 is very similar compared to the book The Hunger Games when It narrows down to the government. No one is allowed to think. Things as simple as reading a book or taking a stroll in the street are prohibited.  People who are found doing such things are often sent to jail. If you are caught with books, the fire fighters will come to your home and burn them. The government doesn't want anyone to learn new things; they want everyone to remain clueless. This is how they are controlling the lives of the citizens. Fahrenheit 451 shows us that books are important and we do need them. We are nothing without them.

The books The Hunger Games and Fahrenheit 451 are very similar. They both share the same setting of living in a futuristic dystopian world.  In both books the government controls everyone and everything.

If our government controlled every part of us, like our minds, our world would be so messed up. After reading these books I'm glad to have my own opinions and being able to learn and seek intelligence.

Fahrenheit 451 Figurative Language Piece

Author's Note: In Language Arts class, our assignment was to choose and find a passage in  the book Fahrenheit 451 that has Figurative Language and describe what’s happening in the passage and what the tone, purpose and meaning is. Below is the passage I chose to write about. Enjoy.

"Book bombarded his shoulders, his arms , his upturned face. A book lit, almost obediently, like a white pigeon, in his hands, wings fluttering. In the dim, wavering light, a page hung open and it was like a snowy feather, the words delicately painted thereon. In all the rush and fervor, Montag had only an instant to read the line, but it blazed in his mind for the next minute as if stamped there with fiery steel. "Time has fallen asleep in the afternoon sunshine ." He dropped the book. Immediately, another fell into his arms." (page 37)

This particular passage involves a lot of symbolism. The books are like birds, they are both very delicate and both represent freedom. This passage is describing the scene where the firemen are burning down a house and Montag comes across books when the firemen are throwing them into the incinerator. The tone of this passage is curious and gives you an impression of happiness but you know there really isn't any there.

A Christmas Carol

Author's Note: For Language Arts Class we had to read the book "The Christmas Carol". After we read it we had to choose a passage and then address the tone, purpose and meaning of it in paragraph form. Please comment if you have any ideas on what to add or edit.

"This was not addressed to Scrooge, or to any one whom he could see, but it produced an immediate effect. For again Scrooge saw himself. He was older now, a man in the prime of life. His face had not the harsh and rigid lines of later years, but it had begun to wear the signs of care and avarice.  There was an eager, greedy, restless motion in the eye, which showed the passion that had taken root, and where the shadow of the growing tree would fall. " (44)

The tone of this passage is lonely and serious . The purpose of this passage is how Scrooge is overlooking  his older self. Scrooge looks back on his life and realizes it has gone to waste. He begins to notice that he's pushing people away. He slowly finds that his life is sad and lonely. I think the meaning of this passage is that you can't expect people to like you when you're  mean and nasty to them. You can't push people out of your life and think that you're life won't be lonely.

Character Analysis

        This summer Conrad Fisher has changed completely. He has rebelled against everyone and often comes home late at night after drinking. Everyone seems to notice his change, especially Belly.  She starts to worry about him more and more as the days go by. She loves him and wishes he loved her back. But she doesn't know how to help him. No one knows the reason behind his strange behavior.

         In the book The Summer I turned Pretty, Conrad Fisher is a dynamic character. He is a dynamic character because he changes behavior in the book. He used to be fun and outgoing but now he just keeps to himself. A lot of characters in this book are dynamic because the book is told throughout the years. In some chapters Belly tells stories from summers in the past. You can tell when reading those stories that a lot has changed.